I'm Back!

   No news is good news, so they say, but truly there has been little to report for the last three or four days. I've been busy tidying up the garden as the weeds are running rampant. We've had quite a bit of rain, resulting in even more growth and I have cut the grass twice in the last week. It is now fertilized and de-dandelioned although I see many of them coming back.
   James is back in full fettle but seems to have taken an aversion to any and all outings. We managed to the "Sing, Play and Learn" group on Wednesday but have stayed close to home since. It was too wet to go to the park on Friday.
    Last night I attended the "West End Ball" and danced my feet off after a delicious roast beef dinner. This is the second to last event of the dancing season and the last time it will be held in the same location. We finished the evening around midnight with a rousing rendition of "Auld Lang Sine" as a tribute to the 40-odd years the Ball has been held there. Rumour has it that the banquet hall will be torn down to make way for even more condominiums. I had many good partners but the most memorable was Ella, a sprightly 93-year-old, who was as nimble as all get out. Hope I'm still around and able to dance at that age. 
   It's a cold (7C) dreary day with overcast, threatening skies and strong winds. I have a small painting project on the go so will be able to complete that without being tempted outside. It certainly doesn't feel like the middle of May!

Today

   Went to the tennis courts for a couple of hours this morning - probably played for half that time and sat chatting with friends over coffee for the rest. After lunch did some gardening but got so hot I headed over to the rec centre for a swim - did 12 lengths (I was up to 20 lengths over the winter but haven't been for a couple of months). Came home and collapsed, exhausted, on the sofa for half an hour. I think I may have dozed off - not used to so much fresh air and exercise. Plan to cut the back grass when it cools down a bit this evening. That's my day!

Sunday and Monday

  
   As the saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers". This is true but the last few days have been so hot that the flowers have bloomed and faded without a chance to photograph them.  Now the trees are beginning to green up or, as this maple in front of my neighbour's house testifies, produce many different hues. When its leaves appear, they are a shiny  purple bronze colour. I'm not sure which type of maple it is. Maybe one of my readers can supply that information. Some trees are still completely bare, some have just a hazy green to them and there are a few that are well covered with leaves already.

   My little planter on the front porch, which has morphed from its winter style with the addition of some pansies, was improved with a couple of forsythia stalks but they will soon need to be replaced. It's too early to plant annuals or tender vegetables as frost can still occur up to the end of this month. Hardly seems likely with the high temperatures we have had recently, but best to err on the safe side.

   James was here today and seems fully recovered - ate everything I put in front of him, and asked for more! Yesterday I was "stooging" again for the teacher candidates, thoroughly exhausting but someone has to do it. There were 18 of us this time so we didn't need to stand in for all the candidates. I was done (in more ways than one) by 4:30. Got a nice e-mail this morning from their instructor with thanks from all the candidates and herself.

 

Three days to catch up on

   On Thursday, sunny and warm, the daytime social at the Bridlewood tennis courts started. We only had 6 people but we had fun and left tired but satisfied after coffee and cookies. Hopefully next week will bring out a few more of the old faces.

   On Friday James came for the day. He is recovering from a nasty bug requiring two visits to Emergency to sort out his dehydration. He is almost back to normal but still not 100%, so wasn't ready to go back to daycare. We went up to the Mall as I had a few errands to run, but he was quite washed out by the time we got home and barely made it through lunch before he nodded off. That evening I spent a couple of hours stooging for the teacher candidates at the local Orange Lodge. There were 16 of us and we got quite a workout, with step practise and new dances.

   Today was the first social at Don Mills Tennis Club, the official opening day. A couple of matches, volley practise with the "pro" and a nice lunch were followed by speeches and prizes (I didn't win anything), but it was fun to see everyone in tennis attire after a long cold winter. It was a beautiful day so quite pleasant to sit outside and chat. A bit of gardening when I got home and a guilt-free evening watching TV, having accomplished plenty.