An Expensive Summer

   I got my hydro bill the other day for the last two months - over $400! I compared this with last year and it was about $30 more, which can be explained by increased use of the A/C, so quite acceptable. Nevertheless, it is a bit of a shock!

   I treated myself to a brunch sandwich from McDonald's as I had a coupon. It was very tasty and came with a free coffee. I made cauliflower soup when I got home from shopping and that was plenty for lunch. Dinner today is my version of a fatousch salad - cucumber, tomato, peppers, olives, salami and feta cheese topped with toasted pita chips and a lemon vinaigrette.

   Another lovely day with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. I did get in the pool after doing a bit of gardening but the water was chilly, just 76C. I have been spoiled this month with it being mostly in the 80's.

A Change For the Better

    After a great night's sleep I woke to cooler temperatures and no humidity. It was so pleasant on the tennis courts that I played 4 sets and didn't head home until almost noon. Everyone was commenting on how welcome the fresh weather was. The high today was 23C and the overnight temperature will be in the low 'teens. It was still warm enough for a swim but the pool will get progressively cooler this week. I may not be swimming for much longer.

   After lunch and a nap I watched some tennis from the US Open, read my book then cut the back grass. Then more tennis until it was time to fix dinner. So quite a busy, productive day.

   An interesting phone call yesterday. Someone with a foreign accent left me a message telling me to return their call or the police would be dispatched to arrest me! I presume it is one of these pesky scammers purporting to be calling from CRA. I'm just glad I wasn't home to take the call. I generally only answer calls from numbers I recognize anyway. I figure if it's important they will leave a message. Thank goodness for call display and answering machines!

A Day of Good Workouts

   It's only 19C right now and the high today was just 23c, quite the coolest day we've had all summer and appropriate for September 1st. We were able to play two sets of tennis this morning as it was quite cool to start with. First I played with Chan (we lost 6-3) then we switched partners and Stan and I won. It was an unusual set - first we were up 3-0, then we lost the next 4 games and finally got to the tiebreak which we won 7-5. I was amazed I managed two sets as my hip was aching. This will be our last Thursday for a while as the courts are being resurfaced, starting next Tuesday.

   Zumba this afternoon was a killer but my hip held up. Only one more class! However, since then I have been vegging in bed with my book or in front of the TV watching the US Open. No big upsets - all the remaining seeds survived.

   Fish in a cheese sauce with peas and green beans on the side. Enough left for tomorrow.

An Inventive Salad

   No tennis on TV tonight and I was too busy today to watch any, but I heard another Canadian is out - too bad! Exercise class, coffee and chat, errands (the farmer was here with corn), second exercise class then working in the coffee bar. I closed up at 2:30 as no one was there for coffee so was home before 3:00. I stopped in at the library on the way home and there were three books waiting for me! I only took one and will pick up the others next week.

    I got stung by a wasp yesterday and today it is still throbbing and quite itchy. I hope it doesn't get infected as that happened to me once when I stepped on something that stung me and my whole foot became swollen. I had to go to the ER for antibiotics.

   A short but heavy cloud burst this afternoon and now it is quite cool. There's a nice breeze blowing so I have opened all the windows. Only 21C right now, won't need the A/C tonight!

   Dinner tonight was a salad to use up some vegetables. I had some tuna and egg mixture on it from the sandwiches I made on Monday - now what to do with the bread? The greens in the salad were a mixture of celery tops, cauliflower leaves, mint and basil from the garden, all chopped and mixed with cucumber, red pepper and avocado - it was surprisingly tasty with a lemon, oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.