Frigid!

   The outside temperature was -15C this morning and with the wind chill, -20 something but, with sunny skies, it didn't felt that cold. It did get up to -10C this afternoon but is falling again as the sun goes down. I noticed that dusk is coming a little later this week which is a good thing.

    First thing this morning (well, 10:00 a.m.) was a visit to the bank as the ATM gipped me out of $40 yesterday! They will look into it but I'm not holding my breath. Bridge this afternoon and we had some good laughs but Pinkie and I had terrible cards, although I did manage a no-trump game which can sometimes be tricky. The other pair, Marie and Diane, had a grand slam game, so their cards were really working out for them.

  Out dancing this evening so will have to bundle up - will have to force myself to go but I know I will have fun once I`m there.

Another New Year

    A lazy morning and not too much for breakfast as I was lunching at Judy and Dave's and they always put on a good feast. We usually go to Steve and Alison's on New Year's Day but Alison had just got back from 10 days with her family in Victoria. Steve stayed in Toronto to look after the pets and that's a full time job!

    The grandkids were in fine fettle and as boisterous as usual. We started with champagne mimosas (well, prosecco actually but it was fizzy and delicious) then had lasagna, salad and garlic bread followed by a selection of cookies and bars from Judy's Christmas cookie exchange. They were delicious and, as usual, I went for the chocolate ones! After lunch we played a game of Family Feud and I think some cheating went on as my team didn't win. Natalie came out on top of the money round with her quick answers - although it helps to go first. Elliot and James were quite piqued by her success!

   Home for a nap by 4:00 and then just reading by the fire. It's not too cold today with only a few snow flurries - not enough to shovel. I will just have a light dinner later as I am still stuffed. One of my New Year's resolutions is to only eat when I have hunger pangs rather than on a schedule. We'll see how long that lasts. Thankfully exercise classes start again next week and, if the snow stays away, I will try for some longish walks. If we get snow, shovelling it will be my exercise!

Time to put away the Christmas table centrepiece for another year!

New Year's Eve

   I'm having a quiet night at home as is my custom. I don't think I will even manage to stay up until midnight! Luckily there's lots of good stuff on TV. The library let me know (by e-mail) that the DVD I have been waiting for is at my local branch but, unfortunately, it is closed tomorrow so I will have to wait until Saturday to pick it up. It's the fourth season of "Game of Thrones". I can't wait to get stuck into it.

     My only outing today was to get my hair cut at my usual spot. It wasn't too cold so I made do without my boots or winter coat. Yesterday I went to see a really good movie, "Brooklyn" I highly recommend it. The movie theatre was very busy but I luckily found a seat middle and centre, just where I like to be.

   A salmon fillet for dinner tonight with broccoli and mushrooms. I am almost out of food as I decided not to buy any groceries until I had eaten up all the leftovers. I will do a big shopping on Saturday to replenish the fridge and larder.

After the Storm

    The expected snowfall turned out to be only about 8cm. but, with the rain that followed, it became a waterlogged mess, very heavy to shovel. I have left most of it, hoping it will melt but the temperature is supposed to fall below freezing tonight.

   I made it to tennis this morning, leaving a little early in case of traffic problems - just one traffic light flashing red which didn't hold me up very much. We managed to play three sets but one was very short (6-0 with Hendrina and me on the zero side) so I was home shortly after 12:00.

    I had shoveled some snow before I left, really just to give the mailman a path to the letter box, so I did a bit more before lunch. Then soup, a sandwich, followed by a nap, another go at the driveway and the rest of the afternoon was spent reading. The Christmas tree is back in its box and the bins stacked neatly in the basement until next year. Time to go fix the salmon for dinner.