A New Format for Bridge

    As predicted, the temperature is dropping - we will have -16C tomorrow. Today wasn't too bad but the wind was from the north and decidedly chilling. Still no snow (hope I'm not tempting Providence) and Monday is expected to be back into positive degrees again. We had sun this afternoon for a while.

    I had horrible hands at Bridge on Thursday  - almost decided to give up the game - but the cards were kinder today and I managed to play (and win) a couple of hands. I'm quite enjoying Progressive Bridge and meeting lots of new people as we change partners and tables after four hands. I brought home a pasta dish from the free giveaway so will have that for dinner tonight. I have been eating a fish pie for the last two days and, although it was good and full of vegetables, I feel like a change. I hope it's tasty! I also got a carton of soup which is now in the freezer for next week.

   I got the movie "Wild" from the library this week and watched it last night. It's based on a true story about a woman walking the Pacific Coast Trail under horrendously difficult conditions. I had read the book a few months ago - it was a selection for my book club - and the movie kept well to the story line.

   I am all set for an indoor weekend while the temperature drops - lots of books and a new jigsaw puzzle. I hope there's some good TV tomorrow night!

An Icy Morning

    We were greeted with a slight covering of icy snow this morning. It was blowing a gale when I came home from dance group last night, with blowing snow, so I put the car in the garage just in case. It didn't take long to clear the driveway this morning but the side roads were pretty icy. The temperature was just below zero for most of the day but is supposed to plummet in the next few days with a very chilly weekend ( -10C to -14C) coming up.

  I played a little better at tennis this morning, especially my serve, but still was thwarted by Swan's lobs - she is quite the expert! I was on the losing end in both sets but it was fun and good exercise.

    After a quick lunch I headed for Bridge class and picked up a couple of good tips. We just played until 2:30 so I had time for a nap when I got home. Later I watched a movie I picked up at the Senior's Centre - Billie Elliot - it was VHS so thankfully my VCR is still working! They also have a few DVD's but none that I was interested in seeing. We just pay a token amount for those and books and puzzles - it's more like an exchange program as I usually return them for resale once I am finished with them.

A Quiet Weekend

    Nothing on the agenda for the last two days so I am feeling quite rested and ready for another busy week. The weather continues to be unseasonably mild, still above zero - I even got outside for a bit of garden cleanup this afternoon, sweeping up the cones and needles under my big spruce tree. I also emptied the recycling and compost bins so the house is clutter and odour free once more!

   I made a batch of cauliflower soup for lunch as I found a cauliflower for $1.99 last week (it was $5 earlier). It was delicious with a sandwich of home made bread. No meat but lots of fresh vegetables. Still eating the spinach quiche and tonight I will  have it with Caesar salad and pickled beets. I also  fished out some mini eclairs from the freezer for a tasty dessert. With eating up leftovers, there's a minimum of cleanup afterwards.

Interesting Conversations

   The thermometer registered 1C this morning and barely budged all day. There was some sun this morning and a few little flurries later on but it continues to be quite unseasonably mild this winter. Long may it continue!

    Another good workout this morning followed by our usual chat over coffee. One reason I tend to linger with "the girls"  after fitness class is because our conversation ranges through several  interesting topics. Today we started with hearing Hazel's efforts to get out of Jury Duty which naturally led to everyone's contribution on past experiences getting to, hanging around and traipsing into court rooms at the University Ave. location. Next topic was renting versus owning, property tax increases and condo fees. Soon we morphed this topic into the sad state of our investments created by the state of the global economy and changes to our RRIF payments. Pretty heady topics! 

    Progressive Bridge was fun this afternoon and I managed a couple of respectable hands. I also picked up a couple of free soups which are now in the freezer for lunches next week. Around 4:00 p.m. I had a sudden burst of energy and cleaned all three bathrooms while I waited for a pot of beets to cook. After a short break I finished pickling the beets and followed that up with mixing up a batch of pastry (from a mix) for a spinach and sun dried tomato quiche with lots of cheese. It is just out of the oven and looks very appetizing. I also got a couple of mincemeat tarts out of the pastry trimmings - dessert sorted!