Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader
27 March 2026 - Toronto ON
I baked some of yesterday's frozen scones for breakfast, I had mixed peel (like you get in hot cross buns) that I added to them. They were so good! Perfect for a Saturday morning of reading.
We now have a good stash of scones in the freezer.
This is a LONG video that needs watching - AI Expert: Here Is What The World Looks Like In 2 Years! Tristan Harris
Here's a 17 minute video by him. Is AI Apocalypse Inevitable? - Tristan Harris
Well, I finally emptied the dryer of last week's load - after I reset the wrinkle cycle. The load that John was supposed to empty yesterday?!?!
I didn't feel like baking so we just enjoyed our day, reading and John even had a nap, something we don't ever do.
I did make the biscuits for dinner.
SUNDAY
Another dismal day, but then I don't feel guilty that we don't go out on the weekends. I'm guessing a lot of people were stuck at home, as the local GO trains were not running, as track work was being done.
Apple crisp for breakfast as I did some blogging for the week along with reading blogs. Which of course, led me down various rabbit holes until 10:15 when my elderly friend called for her weekly chat of 1.5 hours!
And speaking of rabbit holes Jinjer at The Intrepid Angeleno has an idea and asked AI how she could make a deep-dive/rabbit-hole tracker. This is genius!!
I love Parnell, our robot vacuum, he is so quiet as he zooms around and does a great job!
I even threw a load into the washing machine and washed the kitchen floor.
MONDAY
John went to Costco. Look at the crazy number of scallions for $3, a sad bunch (±4) at the grocery store is $2.
I went to the Eaton Centre in search of a chemise for a new sweater. I will have to go back and get the one I saw in H&M.
New tea shop in the Eaton Centre.
AND FINALLY, a book store in Union Station.
I did some tidying in the desk. I made plans to re-organize one of the drawers.
I found more stuff to shred...
These cheques have our old address (we have been here for 13 years!), and who writes cheques any more??? You don't even need them when you require a VOID cheque, as you can download an image from your online banking app. Anyhoo, we do have more than enough with our current address so these can go!
I cut the sleeves to shorten on a top I bought a while ago. It had a frilly cuff that I didn't like.
We received our first Temu order. I got three hoodies/sweater, The material is a little odd, but all in all, for the price no complaints.
John got a mini-driver (golf) that he's not pleased with.
I also got a Rakuten discount, so am pleased about that as well.
TUESDAY
Tuesday Treasures - I did a post about our first trip to Hawaii.
I saw my first Canada geese today, so spring must be somewhere!
We planned on trying Oklahoma Burgers today, but they don't have a seating area and it was too damn cold to sit outside. So we went over to the Metro Hall food court.
I went to Koha, I've eaten at a Koha's before and really like their food. I wasn't paying attention when I ordered beef bulgogi, I meant on a bao bun but she made a banh mi, which turned out to be excellent. John went to the next stall and got a butter beef (we'd never heard of) bowl. He did not like the beef at all, it had been velveted, which gives it a weird texture.
Velveting beef is a Chinese restaurant technique that uses baking soda or cornstarch to create an incredibly tender, "velvety" texture in beef stir-fries. It works by breaking down tough meat fibers, allowing even inexpensive cuts to become soft and moist. The process typically involves slicing against the grain, coating in baking soda/cornstarch, resting, rinsing, and briefly stir-frying.
I picked up a new loyalty card for Rexall, I'd lost mine back in January, now I have to call to transfer my points over. John picked up something and saved $2.40 as it is seniors' day!
And I showed him a new way through the Path, which took us out at the "new" TD building on Front. I had only been that way once, back in November with a friend who works in the TD building.
John then took a couple of golf clubs to be re-gripped.
WEDNESDAY
I went back to the Eaton Centre to get that chemise, I got another one instead plus a navy and a sweatshirt 30% off in H&M.
In TMU station
Really? Canada Day isn't until July 1!
Sample at Union Station - odd.
John used the golf simulator. He's working hard on getting ready for the season.
THURSDAY
Bit of a blur, a rainy day and we just stayed in did chores etc.
FRIDAY
Blue Jays season opener this evening which they won!
I headed out to Burlington on the GO train as my BFF and I were going to the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Inspired by the pages of L. Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Bloomland in Oz features captivating botanical displays, artistic creations and 25,000 real blooms – the perfect escape from a cold and snowy winter!
Like the Alice in Bloomland showcase last year, Bloomland in Oz is a whimsical and colourful escape to a garden filled with fragrant blooms (over 25,000 primarily exquisite orchids). Just follow the yellow brick road!
After that we decided on McD's for lunch after checking out the menu at the Gardens. However, we later decided on a tea room that we will check out on another visit.
COOKING
When we used to go to the States (and likely never going back) we loved stopping at Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast/lunch.
L - beans on toast
D - chili with Red Lobster gluten free biscuits. The chili used up the leftover tomato sauce and paste I had in the freezer.
Sunday
Sunday
L - mushrooms, tomatoes fried egg
D - roast beef, gravy, roast potatoes, mashed turnips and carrots. Leftovers (not enough for a meal) went into soup freezer bag.
Monday
L - rotisserie chicken and chicken soup. Carcass went into soup pot.
D - rotisserie chicken Alfredo. I added the rest of the mushrooms.
Tuesday
L - out
D - rotisserie chicken stew celery, carrots, turnips, cabbage. Used the stock as the base.
Wednesday
L - chicken Alfredo/chicken stew
D - chili
Thursday
L - leftovers
D - pork schnitzel, corn and mashed potatoes
Friday
L - out
D - steak and poutine. Needed to use up the other package of cheese curds.
WATCHING
We're still plowing away re-watching Peaky Blinders.
I finished season 4 and the last of The Traitors UK! I started The Traitors Ireland.
READING
I started Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas, it is starting slowly, I will see how it goes.
Okay, I finished it. Weird ending, so far-fetched! And that Una, not the brightest crayon, some of her actions left me shaking my head.
I read Whistle in the Dark and it turns out I read back in 2019 and didn't like it then either!
I got a 7 day loan of Liberty Street by Canadian Heather Marshall, set in Toronto in the 1960s and deals with a real local women's jail and the lack of women's rights.
ONLINE
The Bloggess Today they banned my book. It was not the first. It won’t be the last.
The decor of that bookstore in Union Station reminds me of the dorm room decor in "Wednesday" -- half is black and goth, the other half pink and fluffy. Something for both ends of the spectrum! It's not a "romantasy" bookstore, is it?
ReplyDelete
DeleteAs I said to Deb, It doesn't look the greatest, but it is better than nothing. I wish they would put an Indigo in there instead.
I immediately got a "romantasy" feeling as well.
I haven't been to Toronto in years. Now that I am living in Ontario again, I really should make it a priority. Thank you for sharing your photographs.
ReplyDeleteStopping in from Weekend Coffee Share: https://brewingcoffeetwistingwordsbreakingpencils.ca/2026/03/27/covers-vendors-and-other-news/#comment-9076
Thanks for dropping by! Yes, please come to Toronto!
DeleteI love seeing the new bookstore. I'd love to pop in and browse there.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me sad to think you might never visit the US again because of all these awful people running things here. Please know that the majority of us are not for all this terrible-ness! I will be speaking up today at a rally against kings here.
It makes me sad that we can't/won't go to the States, too. We have so many good memories! We know people who are now stuck with second homes in Florida.
DeleteI will go into the bookshop when I have time. It doesn't look the greatest, but it is better than nothing. I wish they would put an Indigo in there instead.
Those flower photos are really amazing!
ReplyDeleteI ended up looking up that new bookshop and apparently it's a "pop-up" limited time thing between two indie bookshops, one focusing on romance, one on horror. Must be a curious mix! I'd love to visit, just to see, though even if I came to visit Canada for my parents-in-law it'd still be too far away from them, haha.