Pick Your Own

   ......strawberries, that is. That's where I headed today and now have half a dozen jars of strawberry jam in my larder. Tomorrow I will make a batch of strawberry rhubarb jam and a pie if I have enough.

This was half an hour's work.

This took a bit longer but well worth the effort. That's me set until next June!

   It was a cool breezy morning when I set off, so good picking weather. The strawberry farm is about 40 minutes away but things were a bit different this year. I had to book a time to pick and pay in advance so didn't get quite as many berries as I usually pick. 

   The berries weren't quite as big and luscious as in previous years, probably because it has been very dry here for several weeks. The field was surprisingly busy despite the restrictions so I think they were letting in a few people who hadn't booked. I was just glad to get it done and dusted for another year!

None Too Smart

   Funny story. Now that I have a working pool heater, I invited the grandkids over for a swim today. Went out first thing to turn on the heater so it would be warm for them when they arrived. No luck, the darned thing wouldn't start up! Fiddled with the switch and the thermostat, but still nothing.

    Phoned the pool company, very indignant - why is this thing not working? It worked yesterday. Got a reply, "needs good pressure, check that baskets are clean (they were) and give it a backwash (done last Monday)". Still nothing.

 The family came over and I explained the problem. Daughter took one look at the dial and figured out I had turned the thermostat down instead of up. Problem solved. She has now declared herself a qualified pool technician. This to be added to veterinary assistant when she doctored a sick gecko lizard recently.  

   In my defense I have to say, on the old heater you turned the thermostst to the right to increade the temperature. On this one you turn it to the left! The kids went in regardless and the water was warm enough for the adults by lunch time.

A diving game. James (youngest) won.

Elliot expertly barbecuing hot dogs for lunch. It's not hard!

Treats afterwards while they dried off. It was too hot for me to sit in the sun.

Natalie choosing not to be photographed in her skimpy bikini.

A/C Definitely Needed Today!

   Too hot to spend too much time outdoors today, so spent the morning inside while the pool guys installed the new pool heater. Once it was up and working I called the grandkids and they are coming for a swim tomorrow.

   After lunch and a nap I did a little bit of hedge clipping, then had a swim (I was sweating buckets) and sat in the shade reading until I had dried off. Today's high was 30C. Watered the vegetable patch and a few of the other plants that were drooping in the heat. And that was my day!

The new heater - now I just have to figure out an enclosure for it and the other pool equipment.

Weathering the Lockdown

   Another beautiful day here in southern Ontario - blue skies, pleasant temperatures and no humidity. I was up bright and early to pick up groceries during the seniors' time, came home, stripped off and had a shower before heading to the tennis courts. Don't want to pass on any germs to my friends!

   We are very careful about contact while playing although we have resorted to doubles play. Singles is just too exhausting. But there is hand sanitizer supplied after we play and so far we have all stayed healthy. It is just so nice to spend an hour or two in the fresh air, exercising with pleasant company. It almost feels like we are back to normal. Unfortunately Toronto is still having over 100 new infections a day so it will be a while until we are able to advance to Stage 2 of reopening.

   A lazy afternoon reading. I picked up a new book and a DVD at the library later this morning - "The Seagull" by Ann Cleves (a Vera Stanhope mystery) and the movie "Shadowlands". That should keep me occupied for a day or two. I also started a new puzzle - 1000 pieces - so no chance of being bored!

   The nights have been cool so the pool is still too cold for a dip. But we are promised hotter weather by the end of the week so I may be swimming again by then. The Bridge club met for a Zoom meeting today and it was comforting to hear how all are filling their days, much the same as I am. 

The garden is turning from blues and pinks....

...to yellows and oranges. The orange daylilies will be out in the next week or two.