Still on European Time.

Busy day - tennis 9:00 to 11:00 with Hendrina, Carol and Jasmine, home to check that the pool guy had got the pump and heater working (he had), over to the kitchen at the Senior's Centre for 12:00 - it was very quiet there again this afternoon so I closed at 2:00. Liquor store (stocking up as they are threatening to go on strike) then the garden centre and finally home by 3:15 for a nap. Phew!!

   It has been a beautiful day, not too hot, around 25C, and just a few clouds floating around. I went out around 4:00 to plant my purchases from the garden centre, two cherry tomatoes and a new climbing rose. I am very frustrated that I can't post photos but I will keep trying. I also bought three dragon wing begonias for the hanging baskets on the front porch but I will wait until it has cooled down before I tackle them.

  Chicken thighs for dinner. I think I will cook them in a spicy sauce from the "Looney Spoons" cookbook, that should keep them nice and juicy. Broccoli on the side. I will be having an early night again tonight as I can't seem to sleep past 6:00 a.m. so am yawning by 9:00p.m. It is taking for ever to get my sleep back on schedule.

A Techno Scare

   I had a very strange message on my computer yesterday, purportedly from Microsoft, telling me to phone them as my computer was in the process of being hacked! Also warning me of a complete shutdown if I didn't comply. Seemed a bit fishy to me so I closed all the programs and turned everything off as a precaution. It all seems fine today and nothing seems to be missing, thank goodness!

   That's by way of explaining why no blog yesterday. Today I will try to catch up. Yesterday I had a quiet morning watching the guys get the pool open. I walked over for Bridge around noon and had fun catching up on all the news with the Bridge ladies. Then home for the evening.

   It has been considerably cooler today with intermittent rain. We got in a bit of tennis in between showers before the final cloud burst around 10:30 a.m. We had all gone early due to the threatening skies. Once the courts were too wet to play we sat around chatting and drinking coffee (there was lots of that!) William found a tennis match on TV so I stayed to watch the first set then went home. It has been a great afternoon for gardening so I gave it a go for an hour or two. Now my bins are full of weeds and overgrown bushes and will be picked up tomorrow. Still lots to do so I will start filling them again right away.

   The pool is filled and the guys will come tomorrow to start up the system. So far so good - it is looking almost ready for a swim but still a little chilly for me! Fish in a curry sauce with peas for dinner tonight. I am having some veggies and dip for my pre-prandial snack so, all in all, a balanced meal!

Hot and Humid

  I am having a hard time writing my blog recently. By the time I have read all the other blogs I follow I have lost any interest in recording my thoughts, although sometimes one of them will provide inspiration. So today I am writing it first before I get to the others.

   I have been working like blazes for the last couple of days to tidy up the back yard ready for the pool guys tomorrow. Everywhere was very overgrown since I was away, and encroaching on the pool deck. Reminder to self - don`t take a vacation in Spring - too much to do in the garden!

   Today started off overcast and, after a few chores and despite a rather dark sky, I headed to the tennis courts. I was almost there when the heavens opened and I had to scurry home in a heavy downpour. That was it for tennis today! I made soup for lunch and a loaf in the bread machine. The rest of the day has been in the garden and it is looking considerably better.

   Leftovers for dinner tonight - mandarin chicken and a salad with the rest of the can of mandarin oranges with cream for dessert. Then just a quiet night in front of the TV.

Rising Temperatures.

   Very hot today, up in the 30's, but the house has stayed quite cool - only 21C downstairs although the bedrooms are hotter. The air conditioning didn't come on (I have it set to 24C) and if I open the windows overnight I might be able to get it down to the 'teens.

    I was "on the desk" at tennis today and was quite happy to stay in the shade while setting up the matches. I did play a couple of sets once my shift was over but that was enough. I drank a whole flask of water on the drive home. Must keep hydrated.

   I worked in the garden (mostly in the shade) this afternoon and needed a shower when I was done. I would have loved a swim but the pool guys won't be here until Monday to open the pool. Even then it will be a couple of days until the pool is filled and the chemicals are balanced - so end of next week probably.

   I took a chicken breast out of the freezer today but it wasn't defrosted by dinner time so, back in the fridge for tomorrow. Instead I had quite a delicious salad, just a mix of things I had in the fridge and cupboard plus a sardine. I toasted some walnuts and added a dried apricot, a sun dried tomato and a handful of dried cranberries. It was quite filling. Some nice cold ice cream for dessert!