Kept on my Toes

   A busy morning - I slept late but was showered, fed (half a banana with peanut butter and some yogurt) and out for fitness class by 8:45! Left there around 10:30 after coffee (two cookies) and chat, and stopped off at the plaza for a birthday card for Natalie. I decided to hop into the drug store to get my 'flu shot which took a while but I was home by 11:30. A quick change then back out to rake leaves and generally tidy the garden. All my bins are now full, in fact I had to store the last of the leaves in plastic bags (can't put them out) and will transfer them to the bins after Wednesday's pickup.

    It was an extremely nice day so I sat out in the sun, reading the newspaper, until lunch time (half an apple and a bowl of carrot lentil soup) and was quite ready for a nap after all that activity and fresh air. Right now I am watching tennis from London - they're in the third set so it won't be long - then I plan to make a quiche or frittata with cheese, tomato and red pepper. Then the cupboard will be virtually bare, ready for grocery shopping tomorrow.

     Valencia: the old and the new.

Socializing

Lots of colourful houses by the sea in Villajoyosa, south of Benidorm. We took the train there.

   Another mild, sunny day with the high around 12C.  Probus meeting this morning - the speaker was from "Dignitas", telling us how to pre-plan our funerals! But I had a nice chat with friends over coffee, signed up for next week's lunch at "The Pickle Barrel" and won a freezer lunch bag which won't go wrong. So worthwhile attending despite the depressing subject matter (one friend went home before the speaker - couldn't stand being forced to think of such a morbid topic).

    I had to wait in for the furnace guy this afternoon so didn't get to enjoy the nice weather. However, he got my gas fire started for the winter so I am nice and cozy again. The remote isn't working but he showed me how to start it manually so I guess that will do for now. I only use it in the evenings to warm up the family room while I'm watching TV.

    Thursday is a good night on TV so that's what I will be doing shortly. Fried fish, Brussel sprouts and mushrooms (from last night) for dinner and I think I will fry up half a tomato for a bit of colour. Also must remember to eat the red peppers I bought this week as the last lot got soft before I got around to them. Trying to eat more vegetables and less carbs is tricky!

   More photos:

Underwater fish viewing while visiting Benidorm island - we were crowded into a little submarine.

Sunrise from my balcony - quite spectacular some mornings!

Socializing

Lots of colourful houses by the sea in Villajoyosa, south of Benidorm. We took the train there.

   Another mild, sunny day with the high around 12C.  Probus meeting this morning - the speaker was from "Dignitas", telling us how to pre-plan our funerals! But I had a nice chat with friends over coffee, signed up for next week's lunch at "The Pickle Barrel" and won a freezer lunch bag which won't go wrong. So worthwhile attending despite the depressing subject matter (one friend went home before the speaker - couldn't stand being forced to think of such a morbid topic).

    I had to wait in for the furnace guy this afternoon so didn't get to enjoy the nice weather. However, he got my gas fire started for the winter so I am nice and cozy again. The remote isn't working but he showed me how to start it manually so I guess that will do for now. I only use it in the evenings to warm up the family room while I'm watching TV.

    Thursday is a good night on TV so that's what I will be doing shortly. Fried fish, Brussel sprouts and mushrooms (from last night) for dinner and I think I will fry up half a tomato for a bit of colour. Also must remember to eat the red peppers I bought this week as the last lot got soft before I got around to them. Trying to eat more vegetables and less carbs is tricky!

   More photos:

Underwater fish viewing while visiting Benidorm island - we were crowded into a little submarine.

Sunrise from my balcony - quite spectacular some mornings!

Tennis on TV

     Firstly an addendum to yesterday's post. I forgot to mention that after the RWTO lunch yesterday, the entertainment, a flute ensemble, had us singing along to carols. They played so well that it was no effort to join in and sing along. Yesterday was also the day for our members to bring in Christmas gifts which will be distributed to needy families by our local police station which does a huge toy drive next month.

   Today started off mild (14C) but rainy. However, it dried up in the afternoon and the temperature dropped to around 10C. I think we have some colder weather coming. I took some paperbacks into the Senior's Centre this morning prior to my exercise class. They sell them for the princely sum of 25 cents to raise money for special events.

    It has been a great week for tennis on TV as the Sports channel has been showing the Masters tournament from London. Usually there is a dearth of tennis matches on our channels but I guess this is of sufficient importance to earn coverage. This round robin contest showcases the top eight players of the year battling for the top spot and there is a Canadian in the mix. He's not doing too well but there are still several matches to go.

     One last photo from my garden which I took a couple of days ago. The plant, echinicea, is now cut back and smothered with mulch to ensure it survives the freezing winter temperatures.

    I have eaten lightly today (except for a couple of cookies as I was working the coffee bar) and I have a nice piece of fish to cook for dinner. I think I will coat it in a breadcrumb mixture and fry it. That should keep me until tomorrow's breakfast.