Eating Around the World

    This month we visited a Nepalese restaurant which proved to be another fantastic food revelation! Seemingly our neighbourhood of Toronto (Scarborough) has the most ethnic restaurants of any place in North America! We do have a very diverse population.

   The restaurant, Falcha, was tiny and in another nondescript strip plaza but it was surprisingly busy for a weekday lunch hour. Most of the patrons seemed to be students so probably live locally. I had a taster plate again as I find this is the best way to sample the cuisine. It included a small bowl of tasty lentil soup, a vegetarian stew, rice, roasted potatoes and a yummy yogurt and honey sponge cake dessert. The main ingredient of the stew was, I think, tofu but I found it a bit dry and bland. I have been meaning to try tofu for some time and I know it needs to have added elements to flavour it, but i think this was a bit overcooked. Also, everything was very spicy hot! I drank a lot of water to cool off my mouth. However, it was a convivial meal with lots of chatter and laughs, a lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon.

    Still very cool here and we had a major storm earlier in the week - trees down and power out in places. We have yet to see any summery weather and will continue in the low to mid teens as far as the temperature goes for another week. The trees are finally beginning to show some greenery and the grass is growing like gangbusters so I will have to try to keep ahead of that!

What Was I Thinking?

    The new Executive at the Seniors' Centre was selected last week and, in a moment of weakness, I volunteered to be the Kitchen Convenor. Don't know where my head was as I am already on two Executives although neither is very onerous, but really....! I usually sit on my hands to prevent myself from volunteering for anything new.

   This Executive meets every other Friday which, unfortunately,  is one of my tennis days. The actual job description doesn't seem too heavy, just making sure there is someone manning the kitchen counter each shift and checking on supplies. I'm sure I will be told what else is required of me at Friday's meeting. The other volunteers are pretty reliable so there shouldn't be problems.

   It is wild outside at the moment - today got really hot (26C when I was driving home this afternoon) but now it is absolutely pouring with wild wind and lightning. Tonight the temperature is set to plummet to 2C so I will probably have to turn the heat back on! I did some gardening this afternoon so the transplants will get a good soaking. Once the storm has passed I will go out to see if they have survived.

Tax Return Weekend

     After the usual Saturday chores (laundry, baking, shopping) I got started on my tax return. I had filled in all the details earlier this month and had a good idea that I would only owe a small amount. It is due to be mailed by Tuesday so I started checking and rechecking the numbers. Only found one small error which didn't change much and I should be able to finish it tomorrow. It's always a relief to finally drop it in the mailbox!

   Starting to see some buds on the trees but the forsythia is almost over and a neighbour's magnolia tree is in full bloom. I have a generous showing of daffodils this year and the tulips should be appearing soon. So, Spring is definitely in the air. Next week will be busy with a lunch out, visit to the dentist and Book Club - all on the same day, so will relax for the rest of the weekend.

    

Easter Weekend

     I have had a lovely four-day weekend, mostly because I came to the end of my wine and chocolate abstinence! I had my first glass of wine (actually a vodka cooler) on Friday followed by wine with the Easter meal yesterday and more of the same today. There was lots of chocolate on offer yesterday too and I more than had my fair share with oodles still to polish off in the coming days. 

   Despite abstaining for almost three months I haven't lost any weight whatsoever but at least these two treats are obviously not contributing to my current weight. Now I will concentrate on my diet - maybe cutting back on carbs and increasing my workouts. Tennis will start up soon so that will undoubtably help.

   Easter meal yesterday went off well - a delicious leg of lamb with all the fixings - although oldest grandson was missing as he still had one more exam to complete before returning home from Trent U. later this week. I sent some goodies home for him and there were still some leftovers for me today.

    The weather has been a mixed bag but I got out to vote in the advance poll today between rain showers. The sun is now shining and once the grass dries off I will be out to give it its first cut of the year. I managed to pick some daffodils and forsythia for the Easter dinner table, a cheerful display!