On the Go

   After my usual breakfast of banana and peanut butter and some yogurt (my appetite is coming back), I had a busy day today but nothing monumental to report. First stop this morning was the drug store to pick up my pneumonia vaccine ($116) then straight to the doctor's office to have it injected. I should get 85% of that back from my medical insurance coverage. This all happened in quick sticks and I arrived at the tennis courts right on 9:00 a.m.

   Cathy, Kathy, Joe and I had a very close match - it came out 7-5 for the good guys (Joe and me). Then we sat around chatting until just before 11:00 a.m., mostly about Cathy's upcoming trip to Barcelona, one of my favourite cities. I told them about Senior Adventure Tours as I am planning to sign up for a trip to Costa Blanca in Spain in October. Maybe one of them will decide to take the trip with me!

    A quick lunch then off to Zumba class - what a workout! I was exhausted by the time it was over, and sweaty into the bargain. A few errands on the way home, then straight to bed for a nap and I really slept for once. Got up at 4:00 p.m. and did a bit of gardening - the weeds are taking over!

   Dinner tonight is a basa fillet which I will bake in foil with some tasty flavouring. To go with it will be peas and mashed potatoes but I will tuck a couple of asparagus spears from the garden in the package with the fish, my only asparagus so far. I think I will have an early night tonight - it's been a busy day!

No Time To Blog

    I have been working on the notes for the RTO AGM later this month, hence my lack of blogging. It's about half done with people sending me their reports on a daily basis. I have finally figured out that I can import them to the document instead of printing them and retyping everything. The only problem is they are all in different fonts so have to be converted which sometimes causes problems.

   Going back to Sunday - I promised to bring you up to speed. It was an indoor day as it rained pretty well all day (thank goodness I had cut the back grass!) and into Monday. I spent most of the day in the kitchen - first lentil and carrot soup for lunch, then some scones (I had yogurt to use up) and, for dinner, cauliflower in a cheese sauce, with a crunchy topping, and pasta with spinach.

   Bridge on Monday afternoon - I had terrible cards - and dance group in the evening. At the break we discussed whether we needed to increase the $5 fee but came to the consensus that it would just stay the same for next year at least. Our final meeting is in two weeks and we will have a pot luck party.

   Tennis at Don Mills on Tuesday and it was a lovely day. Then I went straight to Bridge lessons where we were learning more conventions. I am getting a bit out of my depth so won't take any more lessons until next year in an attempt to consolidate what I have learned so far.

   Skipped the early fitness class today as I was feeling a bit queasy but made it to the 11:15 class. I stopped that at 12:00 to head into the coffee bar and served coffee, tea and meat pies until 3:00. Then home for a nap and a light supper (eggs and toast) as I was still not feeling hungry.

Junk Food

    Well, it wasn't all junk food but more than I usually eat and a little less healthy. It started on Thursday when I attended the RTO lunch and travelogue. The meal was chicken breast and vegetables and I left most of the mashed potatoes, but - oh, the dessert! - it was a scrumptious chocolate mousse and I almost licked the plate clean! I can't remember what I ate at dinner time but it was probably salad as I was still pretty full from lunch.

   The travelogue was particularly interesting to me as it started in Lisbon which I visited in 2015. I saw many of the places that were familiar from that trip and some I would like to visit if I go there again. I had forgotten much of my trip but the beautiful photos brought it all back.

   On Friday I attended the AGM of the Senior's group I belong to. It was a rather tedious affair but we were surprised with a pizza lunch when it was over - and cake! As well as the pizza there were fruit and veggie platters and we got two humungous slices of pizza. I brought one home along with the usual free pasta. We are so well looked after!

    I was up in Markham to babysit the grandkids in the evening and had dinner with them - beef tacos with lots of fresh veggies - I ate all the red peppers - and corn and beans. Natalie and I had two tacos but the boys each had three. I am so glad they have good appetites. I was home by 10:30 and peckish again so had the extra slice of pizza before going to bed.

   Saturday dawned sunny and pleasant which was good news as it was the opening of the tennis club. I was there by 9:30, gasping for some coffee but had to play a set before it was ready. Someone had brought Timbits so I indulged again (twice). After some more tennis lunch was served - another big meal - huge sausages in a bun, green and pasta salads, corn and beans and some more delicious desserts. Although there was plenty of fruit, my favourites were chocolate brownie and lemon squares - I had several of each (they were small!).

    In the evening I attended the final monthly dance of the season and worked the 50-50 draw table. The winner got $95. At the intermission (which included tea, sandwiches and more brownies and lemon squares) we were called to order for the AGM and this was a very well run affair and was over in no time. So we were soon back on the dance floor for the rest of the program.

   Today has been wet and miserable so I have had a day at home but I think I will write about that tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Money Back From CRA

    Yesterday I managed to arrive at Bridge lessons on time for once (no tennis as I had a doctor's appointment). We were learning about Negative Doubles and Takeout Doubles but, even though we worked on both for some time, I don't think I could actually use either  bid in an actual game. But I'll keep trying!  

   This was my full day at the Senior's Centre with two fitness classes this morning (I only did half of the second one, just the aerobic part), then two hours behind the counter of the coffee bar. I closed up there early so I could get to the book club meeting at 2:30. We were discussing "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes and we had lots of lively talk. Only one person didn't like it (the same person who panned last month's book!) and several people have read the sequel, "Me After You", which I have now requested from the library.

   Another low carb dinner tonight - salmon, salad and green beans - but I had half a sandwich with my lunch and soup with pasta, so I fell behind today. I will try to do better tomorrow but I am eating lunch out so that may not work. More on that tomorrow.

    I sent off my tax return the other day and I am expecting a BIG refund! I just hope I calculated correctly. It was a tortuous process with having to redo it twice but I finally got it right (I hope!). CRA had made me pay in installments  last year and obviously they had made me pay too much so, in effect, I am just getting my own money back. Maybe they will reduce this year's payments.