My Birthday

      I have already had one celebration of my birthday - last week when Steve took me out for lunch and chopped up my dead Mountain Ash tree. Today was full of treats (actually it started yesterday when I went out for lunch with my friends from Probus). This morning, on my way home from tennis I stopped in at Starbucks for my free birthday treat which was a double bacon, cheddar and egg sandwich - that, with a bowl of my homemade squash and apple soup, was lunch. Then, after a nap to digest my lunch, I met Judy at Marlowe's for a 5-course dinner with a glass of wine!

    The drive to Richmond Hill was stressful - the 404 highway was stop and go but I got there on time. My starter was Caesar salad, next came an appetizer of spicy ribs (Judy had seafood). After we had digested that the main course arrived. I had Australian lamb shanks with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted veggies and Judy had Surf and Turf. After a longer break we were asked for our choice of dessert. Judy chose a coffee and chocolate brownie to go (for Dave I suspect) and I chose Crème Brulee which was delicious! By then we were both thoroughly stuffed and eventually rolled out to the parking lot and drove home. I also got a box of Girl Guide cookies from Natalie - my favourite kind, chocolate covered mint. I will have to put them away for a special treat another time.

   Luckily I had a good workout at tennis this morning. It was cool and very windy which meant we had to work a bit harder but I managed 4 sets and had good partners. People trickled in slowly, due to the threat of rain, and we had to play pretty continuously - no sitting around gossiping, just time for a quick coffee between sets. The coffee urn was on the blink again but luckily I had thought to bring the spare one from my dance group. Only drawback, I had to wait until it was empty before I could leave as I had to take it with me!

    All in all it was a fun birthday with lots of celebrations. I am still stuffed so thank goodness it only happens once a year!

Running Out of Nice Days

   Rain pretty much all day so we wouldn`t have been able to play tennis even if I didn`t have other plans. The local courts are now open again, after being resurfaced, so we may get to use them on Sunday. Meanwhile I have my fingers crossed that the rain will have moved on by tomorrow so I can go to Don Mills.

    Probus club this morning and the speaker was most interesting, explaining about her problems navigating the medical system on behalf of her husband. She has written a book about it, `The Fight of Our Life`. After, I went out for lunch with Bonnie, Diane and Elizabeth; we went to Red Lobster and I had Langoustine and Lobster Bisque. It was delicious especially with several hot buns!

    I had a lazy afternoon snoozing and reading - I picked up an interesting book at the Probus book sale about 19th century housekeepers on the big estates of England. It`s quite a change from my usual reading material. I did go out between showers to pick the last of the rhubarb to freeze for later use.

    I didn`t need a big dinner tonight so I just defrosted half a dozen shrimp and fried them up in garlic butter with some mushrooms and tomatoes. A squirt of lemon juice and I had another delicious meal - two for two!

   A couple of my favourite shows on TV tonight so I am all set for a relaxed evening on the couch.

First Book Club of the Year

   Cooler today and a bit of a wind but I went out without a jacket around noon and was quite comfortable. I had a quiet morning at home, pottering around, until it was time to go to the senior's centre for my shift in the coffee bar. No one had come in for the morning shift so I was immediately at work. I had hoped to have half-an-hour for a coffee and cookie but that didn't happen.

    I closed at 2:00 p.m. as I was due at Book Club for 2:15. I was a little late but everyone was still getting settled with coffee or tea when I got there. We had a lively discussion - the book was "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks", a non-fiction  book which, if you haven't read it, you really should try.

    Nothing much on TV tonight although there is an old episode of "Call the Midwife" at 9:00. That will do. Salmon for dinner with a cauliflower mash and peas.

A Perfect Fall Day

   Just a few clouds in an otherwise beautifully blue sky - and the temperature was just right. I had a bit of a late start due to insomnia but was out of the house by 8:45 and at the courts around 9:15, not as much traffic. I think I will start later from now on.

    It was quite busy due, in part, to the pleasant weather, but I got in three sets. The coffee urn was acting up again but, luckily, after the coffee was made and drunk. We made an extra pot in the small coffee maker and on my way home I went down to the church and picked up the spare one to use on Friday. Only one problem - someone brought in Timbits which I cannot resist, so now I am trying to compensate for indulging!

   A quiet afternoon resting and gardening, but the wind came up and some clouds moved in so I didn't stay outdoors for very long. The garden can wait!