A Big Decision

    I have come to the conclusion that I won`t be able to play tennis for the next few weeks. The splint on my finger (unfortunately on my dominant hand) is making it too difficult to hit the ball without pain, plus it has rubbed up blisters on the adjoining fingers which will never heal if I keep playing. I am sad to let my tennis friends down but we were already missing one who is on an overseas trip and scrambling each week to find a replacement. 

    Anyone who follows my blog will know that tennis is a major part of my summer but I will just have to content myself with watching matches on TV. Also there`s lots of gardening to do (I got in some tomato and kale plants this weekend) but that is also hampered by the splint (trying to keep it clean and dry) although not as painful.

   I am trying to be philosophical about my current woes - what`s one summer out of so many I have enjoyed on the tennis courts? - but am just praying that I will be able to salvage some time later on. Wish me luck!

Orange Tulips

    Don't remember planting the tulips in my new header photo but they are gorgeous, aren't they? I think the squirrels may have had something to do with their placement, my neighbour has some like this!

The Finger

    I hope this will be the final episode of my finger injury. I finally saw the doctor at the Fracture clinic today and, after another X-ray and an interminable wait, (actually the whole process took just over two hours) he sent me to an occupational therapist who specializes in hand trauma. She outfitted me with a better splint - not as inconvenient as the other one and I can remove it once a day and replace the tape. However, I have to keep it on for 6 weeks and no guarantee there will be any improvement.

   Seemingly my arthritis is quite advanced but so far I am still able to do most things. As long as I can still play tennis I will be quite philosophical about it. Not that anything can be done for it anyway. I think playing the piano is definitely out!

Mother's Day

    This arrived at my front door yesterday, courtesy of my son in Victoria, B.C. Then we chatted on the phone and brought each other up-to-date with what's going on in our lives.

   I have never seen African Violets in that particular colour before. At first I thought they were artificial, but, no, they are live! The planter will certainly last much longer than the usual bouquet but I already have so many indoor plants, 23 at the last count. Maybe I will donate these new ones to a retirement home when I grow tired of caring for them. Your thoughts?

   Some of my indoor plants will go outside once the threat of frost is past but others are just too delicate for our scorching summer sunlight.