Back To Chilly Weather

     I managed to get the garden rubbish bins refilled for pick-up today (the truck made an early pick-up yesterday but I quickly got out with my saw, rake and clippers for another load) and there will be just one more pick-up this year. I am trying to get rid of the hedge by my front walk as it died last winter and has been a sorry spectacle all year. Some of the bushes are gone and will give me more space to shovel snow off the walk. I hope to get the rest out  before the snow arrives.

    Speaking of which, how the temperature dropped last night! After yesterday's beautiful, balmy weather, it was quite a shock to open the front door this morning. It only made it to 3C today and the wind was strong and bitterly cold. We are threatened with snow over the next few days - they already have lots out west and in the Maritimes so it is only a matter of time before it arrives here.

   A fun day today. I attended a card-making class sponsored by RWTO and came away not only with some new skills but also three beautiful cards which I made myself. I can't wait to get some of the supplies and get cracking on some Christmas cards. This afternoon I have been trying to finish "The Bone Clocks" by David Mitchell. It is finally beginning to make sense and hopefully by the end, all will become clear. It is quite a confusing (but fascinating) book.

  Going out tonight to an RSCDS meeting and wish I could just stay cosily at home. So I will have an early dinner of leftovers and hope the meeting doesn't drag on too long.

This cards is decorated with a stamp and watercolour paints. I am not at all artistic but it was very easy to achieve this effect.

 

This one had a blank inside to write your own message.

 

I added glitter to the trees to simulate snowflakes.

 

The interior message was also produced with a stamp. I will have to purchase something similar.

Indian Summer

    Beautiful day today, temperature in the 'teens, sunny skies. Quite Spring like except for the loads of leaves on the street and lawn. Did a little yard cleanup as tomorrow is garden refuse pick-up day. Tennis was cancelled (someone bailed on us) but I wasn't too disappointed as my hip is still painful. I did manage to dance last night but quit after the tea break, just as a precaution.

   Bridge class this afternoon but I didn't do too well. I have been reading up on the rules and conventions but am having trouble applying them when I have the cards in my hand. Luckily everyone is very tolerant of my poor play!

   

Domesticity

   Baked a loaf today and it turned out perfectly. I have been fiddling with the yeast recently and I think I have finally got it right. It was a wholewheat and cracked wheat loaf and I will mostly use it for toast as it is a little heavy for sandwiches.

    I was out this afternoon at an RSCDS meeting and we were served snacks before heading home. I hadn't had much lunch so I nibbled quite a bit, so dinner will be later tonight. I am making a sausage and cabbage casserole from "The English Kitchen" blog - written by a transplanted American, no less! Not very healthy but last night I had salmon and quinoa with green beans so, on the whole, the weekend has been quite healthy.

   I had to miss dancing on Friday as my hip was quite painful but it is feeling considerably better today so I think I will be able to dance tomorrow night and should be fit for tennis on Tuesday. I haven't heard from Hendrina yet but hopefully she has been able to put together a foursome.

The bread machine did all the work!

 

The Hallowe'en house the kids decorated last week - looks yummy!

Golf Indoors

   The public courses are still open for another week at least but, with this miserable weather (rainy and cold today, only 9C), I have decided to try indoor golf. The local Rec. Centre has a drop-in clinic on Thursday mornings - free for seniors -  so I took myself over there today and got some tips on my drive and short game. Only three other guys there so we each got a personal lesson. After an hour of hitting I had had enough so headed home for coffee and a lemon cranberry scone. However, I will definitely go back next week as I already felt I was hitting better.

   Nothing going on yesterday, although I thought I had an appointment with my rheumatologist. However, it turns out it's next Wednesday. After that just a quick stop off at the library to pick up "The Bone Clocks" by David Mitchell. I have really got into it - can't put it down - as he writes intriguing time-shift stories that interlock with each other. He is the author of "Cloud Atlas" which had a similar theme.

   I went for a swim this afternoon and managed 14 lengths this time. I'm hoping to gradually increase this each week or so. I spent quite a long time in the hot tub as my hip was painful (all the bending over to pick up golf balls). It seems to be worse in the evenings when I am just sitting. Hope it clears up before dancing tomorrow night.

   I made a huge batch of butternut squash and parsnip soup yesterday and will be eating it for lunch for the next few days. The addition of the parsnip made for quite a new taste. The recipe I use has an apple and apple juice in it but I had no apples so the parsnip was a good substitute. Tonight for dinner it's liver and mushrooms with leftover broccoli casserole. Yum!!