Thunder and Lightning

    Don't know if I mentioned the big storm we had a couple of nights ago - trees down, power outages etc., but I just got some water in my basement that necessitated much sponging and mopping. I will have to have someone come and fix that REAL soon!

   As a result of all the rain I have been gung-ho to pull up all the weeds in between the driveway and the sidewalk. They came out a treat and the area got a good spray of "Weed Begone". This is something that needs to be done before winter as it makes shoveling the driveway so much easier if they are not there. Hopefully that is it now taken care of.

    The storm, unfortunately, brought down most of my gigantic sunflowers and some devious animal(s) had a field day feasting on the seeds. So that left a mess to be cleared up. I think it was probably raccoons, although the squirrels may have joined in. Either way, they had a real party. The remains are now in the composter but I wouldn't be surprised if that got raided too.  

A New Author

 ....new to me, that is.   It's Alex Michaelides, whose latest book, "The Maidens", I have just finished. It's a thriller/mystery with a very creepy component. If that is a type of story that appeals, give it a try. I have requested his earlier book, "The Silent Patient" which I'm sure will be equally compelling. Can't wait to get it!

A Final Summer Long Weekend

    Labour Day yesterday - as far as I was concerned it was just my usual Monday. In the past (before COVID) there would have been a social at the tennis club and a barbecue lunch, but that has gone by the wayside for the last two summers, along with the Victoria Day, Canada Day and Thanksgiving socials.

    However, I have been engrossed with the U.S. Open tournament in which Canadians have been doing pretty well and there have been some spectacular matches. Today I spent a tense 2 hours watching Leylah Fernandez make her way into the semi-finals. She has just turned 19 and is one of three teenagers into the quarter finals. If she goes no further she will have covered herself with glory, without a doubt. Another Canadian is playing tonight to move into the next round but it will be a nail-biter, for sure!

    I had to have minor surgery on my outer ear this morning for a growth and it is throbbing a bit, nothing that a glass of wine won't put right. I don't have any tennis until Thursday so, hopefully, by then it will be a thing of the past. I will go back in two weeks so the doctor can check that it is all gone. Fingers crossed! 

Maybe the End of Summer

    The grandkids were over today for what might be the last swim of the summer for them. The nights have been cooler this week and it takes about 3 or 4 hours with the heater running to get the temperature up to their standards. I will keep having a daily dip until the water is just too cold even for me.

The boys were in for almost an hour, Natalie not so much!

 She barely managed to get immersed. As you can see, her hair is still dry.

Elliot noticed this cardinal snacking on a cicada on the back fence.

 We had a fun afternoon while Judy was getting her classroom ready for the start of school next week.