Spent a chunk of time this afternoon trimming dead branches off the Mountain Ash tree in my front yard. It really should come down but it does produce a proliferation of berries that the birds like. It was quite pleasant out there, not too hot and a nice breeze, but I did work up a bit of a sweat.
I also washed the area rug from my bedroom, in the bathtub. It has never been cleaned and was pretty grubby. When wet it weighed a ton but I did manage to get it outside and up on the outdoor rotary drier. Next job will be to lug it back upstairs but I think I will leave that until tomorrow.
I was behind the coffee bar at the Senior's Centre this morning and ready to leave at 12:00 when Margaret arrived but it suddenly got really busy so I stayed on until the lunch rush was over. Margaret and I were running back and forth making tea and coffee, warming up pies and clearing dirty cups. It looks like I may have to stay later in the future as well, as there really needed to be two people on hand. I biked home and managed to squeeze in a swim before lunch and another after my stint in the garden.
Leftover stew and broccoli and cauliflower casserole for dinner, so I will be well fed. Not much on TV until 9:00 so I will practice my French and Bridge until then!
A diary of my life in retirement - food, books, gardening, travel, grandkids, and other pastimes that fill my days.
Wednesday 22 July 2015
Tuesday 21 July 2015
An Afternoon at the Movies
I saw a great movie this afternoon - "Trainwreck" - it's a relationship movie with a cute ending. Quite the tear jerker. I stopped in at Adonis on the way home and got a few items that they had on special - some chicken samosas destined for the freezer, smoked mackerel and a tub of taramasalata which I am snacking on with a glass of wine. It never hurts to indulge in something tasty from time to time - just not every day!
The day dawned rather overcast and threatening to rain but I headed out to the tennis courts anyway. By the time I got there the skies had cleared and it was quite hot, but I did manage three sets as a cooling breeze came up later in the morning. Someone had brought a yummy caramel cake of which I had two pieces. I didn't feel too guilty as I'm sure I worked off quite a few calories on the courts.
I have a stew cooking in the crock pot but it's still a bit sticky so I will have a swim before I eat. Then it will be time to put out the garden refuse for pickup tomorrow. Busy, busy, busy!
The day dawned rather overcast and threatening to rain but I headed out to the tennis courts anyway. By the time I got there the skies had cleared and it was quite hot, but I did manage three sets as a cooling breeze came up later in the morning. Someone had brought a yummy caramel cake of which I had two pieces. I didn't feel too guilty as I'm sure I worked off quite a few calories on the courts.
I have a stew cooking in the crock pot but it's still a bit sticky so I will have a swim before I eat. Then it will be time to put out the garden refuse for pickup tomorrow. Busy, busy, busy!
Monday 20 July 2015
The Heat Continues
The sun is behind the houses (7:00 p.m.) but it's still over 30C! It's supposed to cool off slightly overnight which is just as well as tomorrow I plan to play tennis. I didn't play as usual on Sunday as it was just too hot after the grandkids departed.
Just a few chores this morning and a walk down to the drug store to mail some letters. Then over to the Senior's Centre for bridge. We had a substitute as Pinkie wasn't well and we also need a spare for her on Thursday. It is tricky in the summer as so many people are out of town, escaping the heat. However, we had some good hands and I won the one contract I played. I had two swims today, one after my walk and another when I got home from bridge.
Canada continues to do well at the Pan Am Games, just behind the US in the total medal count. I haven't been watching too much on TV - better things to do - but have been following events in the newspaper. There has been an amazing response to ticket sales and it looks like being a bonanza for the event and local businesses. Now they are talking of making a bid for a future Olympic Games since all the facilities are already constructed and have passed the test.
Just leftovers for dinner tonight but tomorrow, if it's cooler, I plan to cook a stew in the slow cooker with lots of vegetables. I will throw in several garlic cloves since I have such an abundance of them.
Just a few chores this morning and a walk down to the drug store to mail some letters. Then over to the Senior's Centre for bridge. We had a substitute as Pinkie wasn't well and we also need a spare for her on Thursday. It is tricky in the summer as so many people are out of town, escaping the heat. However, we had some good hands and I won the one contract I played. I had two swims today, one after my walk and another when I got home from bridge.
Canada continues to do well at the Pan Am Games, just behind the US in the total medal count. I haven't been watching too much on TV - better things to do - but have been following events in the newspaper. There has been an amazing response to ticket sales and it looks like being a bonanza for the event and local businesses. Now they are talking of making a bid for a future Olympic Games since all the facilities are already constructed and have passed the test.
Just leftovers for dinner tonight but tomorrow, if it's cooler, I plan to cook a stew in the slow cooker with lots of vegetables. I will throw in several garlic cloves since I have such an abundance of them.
Sunday 19 July 2015
Overnight Giests
We have had a couple of very hot days and - wouldn't you know it? - my air conditioner was on the blink. It was just pushing out warm air, not comfortable at all! Luckily I was able to get a technician out today and he had it fixed in quick sticks. So now I am cool and humidity free.
Elliot, Natalie and James came over yesterday for a sleep-over and they had great fun in the pool both yesterday and this morning (8:00 a.m., would you believe?). They also picked lots of raspberries (when will they end?) and made individual pizzas. I find they always eat better when they have a hand in preparing the food although they all have good appetites. We had rather a sticky night - Elliot slept in the basement which was slightly cooler - but they let me sleep until 6:15. Leftover pizza for breakfast and then they departed around 10:00 a.m. I have had a restful day since then, just a little gardening, twice in the pool and getting on with my current book.
Dinner tonight is a baked basa fillet (Sami's recipe, lime juice and onions) and a broccoli and cauliflower casserole. I made a batch of cauliflower soup for lunch but it will now go in the freezer for later in the year when the cauliflowers are too expensive. I also dug up my garlic this afternoon - got 8 big fat bulbs which are now drying out in the garage. They smell so much better that the store bought bulb I am currently using. Raspberries for dessert (again!). And that was my day!
Elliot, Natalie and James came over yesterday for a sleep-over and they had great fun in the pool both yesterday and this morning (8:00 a.m., would you believe?). They also picked lots of raspberries (when will they end?) and made individual pizzas. I find they always eat better when they have a hand in preparing the food although they all have good appetites. We had rather a sticky night - Elliot slept in the basement which was slightly cooler - but they let me sleep until 6:15. Leftover pizza for breakfast and then they departed around 10:00 a.m. I have had a restful day since then, just a little gardening, twice in the pool and getting on with my current book.
Dinner tonight is a baked basa fillet (Sami's recipe, lime juice and onions) and a broccoli and cauliflower casserole. I made a batch of cauliflower soup for lunch but it will now go in the freezer for later in the year when the cauliflowers are too expensive. I also dug up my garlic this afternoon - got 8 big fat bulbs which are now drying out in the garage. They smell so much better that the store bought bulb I am currently using. Raspberries for dessert (again!). And that was my day!
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