Life's Small Pleasures

   Hava Java coffee social this morning, a good turnout despite the chilly weather. Then straight from Calabria Bakery to Bridge club at the senior's centre. My partner and I came out on top by just the slimmest of margins but satisfying nonetheless.

   I finished the last of the bottle of "Toro Bravo" merlot this evening. This is the special wine I bought in bulk in the fall which received 96 points (out of a hundred) and is exceptionally good and exceptionally cheap ($7.95). I have one more bottle left but will save it for when the family are over for dinner at Easter. It will go very well with the lamb shoulder I intend to serve.

This is the 2017 vintage, but 2018 is almost as delicious.

Celebrating Robbie Burns

   

Second Burns supper of the year yesterday, this one a lunch for about 80 people at a local church. There was the piping in of the haggis, all the addresses, songs and speeches. We were part of the entertainment with some dances and audience participation. Today I am quite exhausted and had a long nap this afternoon. Hope I can sleep tonight.

   I have one more to attend on Thursday but this will be a much more low key affair at a retirement home. The residents won't be up to dancing so, after our dances, we will entertain with some Scottish melodies sung "a capella". I have been told just to move my lips as I am incapable of staying on key.

   Last week I bought a humungous cabbage - I like cabbage but chose the smallest I could find as it takes me forever to finish one. Tonight I have made a chicken and cabbage casserole which will probably do me three days. By then I will be sick of cabbage and won't buy it for another few months.

Not Feeling Hungry

   Still stuffed after last night's haggis dinner so breakfast was late and light - just half a banana. OK, I did have a coffee and granola bar during this morning's meeting but that doesn't count, does it? I needed to stay attentive and alert.


   Lunch followed the meeting and I managed to restrain myself. I have learned when eating out I don't have to completely clean my plate. I ate all the vegetables and most of the chicken breast but left half of the potatoes. Also, I only ate half a roll with my salad. Tonight will be a light dinner and I will try to be finished by 7:00 p.m. then fast until 9:30 tomorrow morning. A good plan but can I stick to it?
(Did you notice I didn't mention dessert?)

Speaking of Food.....

    Still not particularly cold and no snow to speak of although I had to scrape ice off my car before I could go out today. 

    My first stop was the "But and Ben". This is a Scottish bakery and butcher in my area and my task was to pick up a haggis for next week's Robert Burns supper. Mission accomplished! I got a 4 lb. one which should be plenty big enough for everyone to get a taste.

It looks a lot more appetizing after it is cooked.

    After that I attended this month's Probus meeting followed by lunch with some of the other members. I was very good and had one of the "lighter" menu items - a beet and feta chicken salad - but it still clocked in at 660 calories. So tonight I skipped meat and just had sweet potato and cauliflower fritters which were surprisingly filling. 

   Now it is almost 8:00 p.m. so time to sign off and see what's on TV.