Testing my Resolutions

   Minus 17C again this morning but it is set to rise from now on to the end of the week, thank goodness! I usually go out early for my grocery top up on Wednesday - mostly fresh fruit and veg - but decided to postpone the trip until later in the week as I still have plenty to keep me going. 

   I am finally using up the last of the holiday supplies and liquor as I plan to go "dry" for Lent. Tonight's dinner will be a smoked salmon and goat cheese salad and tomorrow I will return all the empties accumulated over the holidays. I had the last of a bottle of sherry for my pre-prandial snack today and all the wine is gone. I'm also going to go chocolate-free until Easter. That may be the hardest thing to do! I may get into the baking chocolate at some point to satisfy my craving for some dark chocolate.

   Yesterday was our monthly retired teachers' lunch and, although it was lovely to meet up with friends and share news, the meal was rather uninspiring. A nice enough salad and a very yummy Tiramisu for dessert,  but the main course Lasagna was very mediocre - just pasta and a bit of tomato sauce, not much meat and no cheese which are essential for a proper lasagna. A lot of complaints so we may have to look for an alternative location. Good spots that can accommodate 75 to 80 people are hard to find in our part of the city.

   That's it for today. Stay safe and warm wherever you are!

Polar Vortex

    Some severe cold heading our way tomorrow due to a polar vortex (strong winds circling down from the Arctic). At the moment it's only -6C but will drop down to -14C overnight and stay around that mark. So, in the minus double digits for the next few days and the wind chill making it feel several degrees colder. Only advantage that it will likely be too cold for snow.

    Last week went by fast but I came down with some sort of virus on Friday and have spent most of the weekend in bed, sleeping or reading. Today I finally feel like eating again so I must be on the mend!

   The coming week looks to be quite busy so I will just have to bundle up and brave the elements. I will definitely be skipping a daily walk unless the sun is shining.

Spoke Too Soon

    The snow arrived on Sunday so I spent an hour clearing the driveway with the snow blower. Today's snow was just a dusting but I cleared it anyway as the sun was shining and I was happy to be outdoors. The wind was strong and blowing the snow back in as I worked, wind chill -16C.

  Bridge this afternoon and, thankfully, I had better cards than yesterday. It's all about the luck of the deal and often I get pretty dismal hands. But it is still fun and keeps the old brain working. I also do the puzzles in the newspaper every day and am usually successful.

   One of the cats had to go to the vet yesterday for an injection and Judy came by to pick her up. What a job corralling her into the cat container - she had to wear protective gear to avoid the claws and teeth! But, mission accomplished and no one is any the worse for wear. Never a dull moment at Mia Casa!

   I have made some potato salad for dinner and will also have a green salad and some garlic shrimp. Some nights I just don't feel like cooking but this will be fast and easy. 

Hibernating

   Can't believe I haven't posted since before Christmas as the days between Christmas and New Year's are usually a "down time" chez moi. I did get started on a few twice-yearly chores but soon tired of that!

   The visit by the family on Christmas Day went off well despite the fact that they were accompanied by two dogs they were babysitting. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am currently fostering two cats who have been through a bit of trauma in the past few months and are very skittish. It seemed best to corral them into the upper floor of my house while the dogs were here but they let their displeasure be known once they were allowed downstairs again (messes on the carpet etc.). They are back to their normal behaviour now, thankfully.

   Since then I have been lazily filling my days with reading lots of books and working on a very tricky puzzle. Activities at the Senior's Centre started up again this week as well as Book Club and Knitting group. I was one of the presenters at book club (we read "None of This is True" by Lisa Jewell and, although a small group attended, had a lively discussion) and brought home lots of tasty nibbles to snack on. Back to "auld claes and parritch" (basic food and clothes), even our RTO Executive meeting was by Zoom this week!

    The weather here hasn't been as wintery as we are used to so far this month. Minus temperatures and cold northerly winds but (fingers crossed) not much in the way of snow. I am happy not to have had to do much shovelling so far this winter!