Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader
17 April 2026
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I watched this video about visiting Toronto and it gave me some ideas of things we should do!
It took me forever to watch as I added to my always growing Toronto list, that I ended up taking that list and creating a spreadsheet so I could sort by neighbourhood! I even added dropdown tables!!
It's still a WIP, but it is an improvement on notes scattered in a draft post. Estimated work effort today = 2.5 hours and later in the week probably about another couple of hours as I added dropdown menus so I could sort by neighbourhood.
Then I got the ribs going in the slow cooker using this recipe. I also made potato salad while finishing a series on YouTube.
I tidied up the fridge and emptied some bottles for recycling.
I tided up and decluttered another bathroom drawer.
I sat down and opened my email and there was a note from my dear friend's ((b 1940) in a retirement home) daughter that her mother had passed away. John and I are sad. I'll miss our Sunday morning chats. RIP dear Terri!
Look what I found! Cashmere Bathroom Guide for 2024 Toronto's best restaurant bathrooms!
My sandals were delivered.
SUNDAY
Ah...the fire alarm went at 3:30 AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fire trucks (2) arrived shortly after, we could see the lights reflected on our wall. The alarm was determined to have been triggered by the accidental activation of a pull station within one of the Guest Suites.
Building staff are not permitted to silence or reset the fire alarm system unless expressly authorized by the attending Fire Captain from Toronto Fire Services.
Thanks to Jinjer for the shoutout on her post about my post on rabbit holing!
As usual, I spent the morning reading book blogs and visiting the library among other things. Reading brought me stuff to update on my Toronto spreadsheet that I created yesterday.
John did the grout in the pantry and I did a partial clean out and reordering of one bottom cupboard. We put the microwave rack back into the microwave and since neither of us could figure out what the small white rack belonged to, we threw it out!!
I gave up on the avocado seeds I was hoping would sprout, it's been six weeks.
I replanted my snake plant into an empty basket that was sitting in the living room, and got rid of the soil.
I tidied the storage drawer, you know, with the aluminum foil, plastic wrap etc. I moved the extra rolls from the pantry to the drawer (it is deep enough) so we now know immediately if we are getting low. Also gives me more space in the pantry for storage. I moved the big black garbage bags and the shredder bags to the door storage shoe bag.
A few more items went into the charity bag.
I got two loads of laundry done AND put away! I decided that since I hate doing laundry and then having to put it away, I'll do smaller loads, which I did this week, two loads. I also don't want to do laundry on the weekend!
MONDAY
I sorted the bottom drawer so it now contains all the various wraps, foils, parchment products along with the various kitchen, blue bin, garbage bags. I moved the ziplock bags to the Tupperware drawer. Then I left a sign!!
It was so windy today and way too warm for my red jacket. I went to the Eaton Centre to get some blog photos.
John used the golf simulator after he finished watching the Masters (recorded).
TUESDAY
I thought the cleaning lady was coming at 9 as we had talked about but when I finally opened their confirmation it said between 11:30 and 12:30, which was fine. She did a decent job, but not what I would call a deep clean, and she was a smoker. She was also supposed to bring a hepa vacuum but left it in the car so I had that charge removed from the bill.
We ended up buying a new vacuum as we hate ours and it is so noisy, it sounds like a plane taking off.
John bottled his wine.
I went to Longo's, Rexall, $ store for odds and sods. I also went looking for a new historical plaque, that I couldn't find, neither could an employee of Second City when I asked. However, I got some photos inside.
The Second City, Toronto’s iconic improv and sketch comedy club, has a trendy location at One York Street. Founded in Chicago in 1959, The Second City borrowed its name from a snarky reference to Chicago as second to New York. Since opening its Toronto location almost 50 years ago, it’s been a launch pad for some of Canada’s biggest names—including Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy and Colin Mochrie. One York Street is The Second City’s fourth home in Toronto.
Past the box office is a massive open-concept space that houses three bars and a full-service Oliver and Bonacini restaurant.
I had never heard of a robot window cleaner until it popped up on the Book of Faces. I checked Amazon and there are a gazillion different models and price levels, so we bought one!
WEDNESDAY
A foggy, much cooler day. I wish they could get the weather right! We both planned our morning activities so that we could go out this afternoon, and then it got foggy with rain in the forecast and possible storms! Nada.
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I scored some meat deals today. I was planning on liver anyway.
Stewing pork I had never seen before but figured at that price...turns out I can use it for tacos.
I bought this because it was on sale and it is Canadian.
Well, our taxes are done, I better find more of those meat deals!! We'll wait until the last minute to pay the government.
They did a great job on our windows, including the balcony, and then, wouldn't you know it, it rained all evening!
THURSDAY
John headed out to lunch at The Donegal Arms (formerly The Brogue Inn) with a friend. He had fish and chips.
As I headed out.
In Union I got a couple of samples, which I then gave to one of our concierges, who has a little boy.
I was disappointed that I never tried the famous egg sandwich in Tokyo, but I found some locations here in Toronto.
Egg Club in Toronto serves popular, fluffy, folded-egg sandwiches on Japanese milk bread (shokupan) with signature sauces, often compared to Korean-style street toast.
I agree with the reviews I read, it was too sweet. At first, I thought it was the bread, but then realized there were caramelized onions on it. Tried it, done it, not again. ✅
Trying to save some souls.
I scored some samples on Front St.
I received this message. I don't use Outlook. I hate OneDrive! So I spent 3 three hours cleaning up files on OneDrive.
Microsoft storage is almost full. If your storage is full, you can’t back up, sync edits, or add files and photos to OneDrive, and you won’t be able to send or receive emails from your Outlook/Microsoft email accounts. No, I am not paying for more storage!
FRIDAY
What a way to start the morning, I grabbed my yogurt from the fridge, the lid wasn't on properly and it went plop! Yogurt splattered everywhere!
As I was updating this post, I noticed the Google button!
As of late 2025, Blogger introduced new beta features designed to enhance reader engagement, including Google Search links and visual Google Search previews. These features allow bloggers to easily insert interactive search previews for people, places, and topics directly into posts using a new "G" button in the editor toolbar.
I continued updating this post before getting on to reading the latest news.
I met my BFF for our usual lunch of lobster rolls, fries and Caesar salad and had a great time catching up.
On my way home.
Another sample on Front St.
John's views on his afternoon walk.
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IN OTHER NEWS
COOKING
Saturday slow cooker ribs and potato salad. I used the last of the bottled sauce and will not bother buying bottled again, my own sauce is so much better.
When I was cooking the liver and onions I remembered that my mother used to put tea into the onions when she was frying them, so I asked AI if and why.
Your Irish mother likely put tea in her fried onions to deepen the flavor, add color, and create a rich, savory glaze—a technique stemming from the Irish tradition of using tea for more than just drinking. Using tea (usually strong black tea) as a deglazing liquid adds tannins and a subtle, earthy richness to the onions that complements their natural sweetness.
Based on Irish cooking traditions, here are the likely reasons for this technique:
Flavor Enhancement (Umami): Strong black tea adds depth and a savory, "meaty" complexity to caramelized onions, making them richer, a common goal when enhancing humble ingredients.
Color and Caramelization: The dark color of the tea helps turn the onions a rich, deep golden brown, improving their appearance.
Deglazing: Adding tea to the pan scrapes up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom, which is crucial for maximizing flavor, similar to using wine or stock.
Cultural Tradition of Comfort: Tea is deeply embedded in Irish culture as a staple in the kitchen, often used for comfort and to make simple meals special.
Frugality: Using leftover or weak tea to make a savory sauce is a traditional way of minimizing waste while adding flavor.
MENU
Sunday chicken quarters, leftover potato salad, mashed turnips and carrots. There are 3 chicken quarters so one will be used for lunches.
Sunday chicken quarters, leftover potato salad, mashed turnips and carrots. There are 3 chicken quarters so one will be used for lunches.
Monday pork chops leftover turnips and carrots and roast potatoes
Tuesday orange chicken, rice, onions, peppers, celery. I had finished the bottle of sweet chili sauce and didn't want to buy another so I made my own and it turned out well.
Wednesday liver, onions, mashed potato and tomato, because they have been sitting there.
Thursday breaded scallops, parmesan crusted potatoes, brown sugar carrots. John says these potatoes are a keeper!!
Friday steak mushrooms baked potatoes
ADDED TO MY RECIPE BOX
WATCHING
Domestic Disturbance 2001 A divorced man suspects that his son's stepfather is not who he appears to be.
Detective Hole 2026 season 1 based on Jo Nesbo books. A brilliant but troubled detective, Harry Hole, hunts a serial killer while battling a corrupt adversary, Tom Waaler, as they navigate ethical gray areas, with Harry determined to bring the criminal to justice.
Woman of the Dead Fans of Nordic noir will feel right at home with Netflix’s „Totenfrau“ (a.k.a. Woman of the Dead), a 2022 six-part thriller set in Austria’s Tyrolean Alps.
Based on a mystery novel by Bernd Aichner, Totenfrau follows the mortician Brünhilde Blum (Anna-Maria Mühe), who is married to Mark (Maximilian Kraus), a cool, easygoing police officer. They live with their two kids in a small town outside Innsbruck, where the owners of the local ski resort are the true power. When Mark is killed in a hit-and-run one morning, his fellow cops are weirdly uninterested in pursuing the leads, but Blum starts digging, and digging.
We had watched The Gold a few years ago, inspired by the iconic true events of the Brink's-Mat robbery and the decade long chain of events that followed. There is now a season 2 on CBC Gem that I started watching.
READING
This should have been an interesting read, and it is king of mind boggling, that it is written so badly! It has a good story line but I had to quit.
It is a detective story about a woman who uses her uncanny ability to analyze words and speech patterns to help solve crimes.
I started Other People's Houses and will say that this installment of the series is just getting better.
MAGAZINES
I just put this on my wishlist!
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