How we're all coping.
Since I can't be out and about I'll continue showing off my city, I'll provide some links here.
This is what Toronto looks now including our neighbourhood.
So, what are you missing as you quarantine??
My bucket list when this is over:
Sushi at our favourite August 8
Haircut
Pedicure
Cleaning lady
Dinner at Canoe - we promised this to ourselves this week
BFF lunch
I've been doing a coronavirus playlist for Foto Tunes the last few weeks.
For Signs 2 I've been doing bathroom signs, just click on toilet in the tags/labels below this post.
We had a Zoom conversation with John's daughter and family.
John ventured out to Costco, he went during senior hours and left before 8 AM and finally got in the doors at 9.
John's memoji.
Ontario extended its state of emergency to May 12 during a special sitting of the legislature this week. The bill extends the order closing all non-essential workplaces, outdoor amenities, including parks and recreational areas, bars and restaurants. Social gatherings of more than five people are also prohibited.
I can see this billboard from our place. A house replaces the maple leaf on our Canadian flag.
LEARNING
As I continue cleaning and decluttering our photos I am also learning about some of the sculpture pictures we have taken. This week I have learned about Sergio Bustamante as I sort photos from Tlaquapaque.
NEW WORD
WHAT DOES SMIZE MEAN?To smize is to smile with your eyes, usually in a sexy and playful way.
Where did I find/learn this? From the Art Gallery of Ontario's article on a new painting acquisition.
WATCHING
Together we have been working our way through The Blacklist.
For light-hearted, we have been watching Kim's Convenience, filmed here in Toronto.
I watched a documentary Children of Shame - How the Catholic Church Hid Away Hundreds of Irish Children.
Nuns and priests should be held to fully account for these atrocities, such a money making scheme condoned by the highest of the clergy of the Catholic church.
While I'm knitting, I am watching Safe.
COOKING
Our Weekly Menu
Homemade pizza
Pot roast in slow cooker with lots of vegetables
Pot roast leftovers
Pot roast leftovers with Indian spiced chickpea flatbread. This worked very well, I only made half the recipe and used onion and garlic powder, I'm lazy. Oh, and it's gluten free since it is made with chickpea flour! It is very thin so John suggested maybe we make the whole recipe but in one pan.
Ham potato au gratin and sauteed cabbage
Ham potato au gratin and sauteed cabbage
Ham leftovers
Thai steak salad wraps the marinade was very good but the salad dressing was rather bland.
Thai steak salad wraps the marinade was very good but the salad dressing was rather bland.
My afternoon coffee, made by my barista, John. My tablet is missing for my reading.
I haven't baked as we are working on using up some stuff we have first.
I made chicken soup with the freezer leftovers. I added kale, onions, garlic and ham to it for lunch. I had bought a BIG bag of chopped kale a couple of weeks ago for $2.50 and frozen it.
A friend dropped off a package of homemade goodies which I froze.
So glad they confirmed these are gluten free!
Had to throw out this jar of olives!So glad they confirmed these are gluten free!
Recipes to try
I'm addicted to Jenny Can Cook videos and blog even though she did these years ago.
Pastry
One bowl chocolate cake - no eggs
Faster no knead bread
READING
I finished Pretty Girls and it was certainly a surprising ending!
Finished The Chain (a 7 day library loan), and it is definitely a page turner so far. McKinty is an Irish writer that I've read before. The first half was extremely interesting, but the second part became predictable and was a letdown.
I also started Holding Still For As Long As Possible, a Canadian writer. The story tells of a trans EMS worker in Toronto and spans a year in the lives of some twentysomethings.
Also started The Guilty Party, well written and intriguing.
Also started The Guilty Party, well written and intriguing.
THROWBACK TRAVEL
Since we cancelled our extended winter trip because of the pandemic and we can't make plans for the foreseeable future, I am going to go into our archives and pull up some photos from other trips.
The miracle of the “Swallows” of Capistrano takes place each year at Mission San Juan Capistrano, on March 19th, St. Joseph’s Day. Swallows migrate 6,000 miles from Goya, Argentina to San Juan Capistrano in large groups.
In his book, Capistrano Nights, Father St. John O’Sullivan, Pastor of Mission San Juan Capistrano (1910-1933) tells the story of how the swallows came to call the Mission home.
Father O’Sullivan saw a shopkeeper, broomstick in hand, knocking down the conically shaped mud swallow nests that were under the eaves of his shop. The birds were darting back and forth through the air squealing over the destruction of their homes.
“What in the world are you doing?” O’Sullivan asked.
“Why, these dirty birds are a nuisance and I am getting rid of them!” the shopkeeper responded.
“But where can they go?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” he replied, slashing away with his pole. “But they’ve no business here, destroying my property.”
Father O’Sullivan then said, “Come on swallows, I’ll give you shelter. Come to the Mission. There’s room enough there for all.”
The very next morning, Father O’Sullivan discovered the swallows busy building their nests outside Father JunÃpero Serra’s Church.
Mission San Juan Capistrano received the nickname the “Jewel” of the Missions because of the Great Stone Church. Upon its completion in 1806 (9 years of construction), it was considered a modern marvel, an architectural gem. No other church compared in size or beauty on the West Coast of California.
LINKING UP WITH
Beth hosts Weekend Cooking where you can post anything food related.
...O'Canada stand apart for thee is GREAT. I wish the knuckleheads that support Trump would understand this!
ReplyDeleteI wish I was traveling to the wine cellar WNC. McKinty is on my list for upcoming books and I think I already purchased one kindle version.
ReplyDeleteDoug and I are reading Witch Elm by Tana French in our Bookclub of two. It’s fun reading together.
My hair is getting longer so soon I will just make a ponytail or bun. Life as we knew it......
A very entertaining post.. thanks and continue to be safe!
ReplyDeleteWe love Toronto. We visited there 4 years ago this summer. My dish drainer looks like that daily with all the meals I'm preparing every day. The 2 college boys are home now and eat constantly.
ReplyDeleteFun post! Lots of great links and it's good you are maintaining your sense of humor. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is THE best post. I love everything in it! It's so much fun and you all are making the best of things. Ontario is just so smart. SO smart to extend the quarantine. Here in Michigan ours expires April 30 and I don't know how much will be lifted. I suspect some, given the push our wonderful gov is getting although she's not one to cave into protestors if the numbers of sick say otherwise. Me? I'm in till the end of May at least, no matter what happens.
ReplyDeleteYou're watching some good stuff and getting lots done. I actually kind of like this -- no guilt or obligation, much. But then, I don't have to worry about being unemployed, severe debt, a family to feed and more. Well,that's where the guilt does come in!
Our stay at home direction is in place until May 11 at this stage, but I don't think it will go back to normal straight away even if it is lifted at that time.
ReplyDeleteSome good laughs and maybe I smized, thanks. I never understand YouTube geo blocking. I could see Mr Kim and the gay boys, where you would think there might be copyright restrictions and blocking in other countries, but not the Toronto video. ISO is much harder when the weather is nice.
ReplyDeleteyou made me laugh and I appreciate that. Laughter is healing.
ReplyDeleteI made kale and chicken soup this week. I've never tried kale cooked, but I found we both liked it. We have so much kale in our garden that we could eat it every day and still have plenty for others.
ReplyDeleteI'm very much afraid people are going to start opening things up here soon. We do not have strong leaders. They are happy to sacrifice the poor and ignorant for our economy. Unfortunately, it's the poor and ignorant who are listening to our leaders.
I love your posts. You always have so much humor, so many things that make me laugh, even during this sad times.
I kept interrupting my husband to show him all your funny graphics this afternoon. (He's a big Will Smith fan, so he especially liked that one.) Thanks for the laugh! You've packed so much good stuff into one post, I would have hoarded it to spread out over a month of posts, at least! ;)
ReplyDeleteGlad you're doing some virtual traveling! We were supposed to leave for a 5-day NY to Bermuda line dance cruise next Wednesday. We may be attending a virtual sail-away party on Zoom or at least toasting our lost voyage with each other here at home. I never liked to use video conferencing software before, but I spend hours on Zoom now, it seems, between work stuff, family game nights, and virtual socializing.
I don't need sushi on my bucket list. Our local Fred Meyer store makes some good items fresh and they are available to order for parking lot pickup along with our regular groceries. It's a nice treat to have when we get home after we get everything unloaded and put away. - Margy
ReplyDeleteYes, I cook get sushi from a local grocery store but I was thinking more of my favourite, all you can eat place in Chinatown.
DeleteA visit to the hair salon is at the top of my bucket list when this is all over. That and maybe a visit to my favorite Mexican restaurant. Love the bathroom signs. LOL I'm trying to think if I've been to Mission San Juan Capistrano. If I have it was when I was a child. I've been a few of the missions in California, mostly on school field trips or on vacations with my family. I hard about The Chain recently and am curious about it. I am glad you enjoyed it. I hope you have a good week. Stay safe and well.
ReplyDeleteMy hair ... argh. I was just complaining this morning. Maybe sometime in June??? LOL. We've been trying to buy in bulk and use our freezers too. I wanted to buy steaks for Mr. BFR's birthday next week, so braved the grocery during senior hours, but the beef didn't look that good. I'll try again later in the week.
ReplyDeleteLaughed at the bathroom signs, and the 404 error - page not found. Good for your Hubs to do groceries for you! Like the new air travels, haha. Am sorry the lockdown is worsening where you live. We have gone through this since mid March. A comforting thought - there will be an end to this, because the economy can't lay still for months.
ReplyDeleteNow in 5 states there have been protest. In 5 other states, they also are planned. (These are against the governors who hold their state hostage with severed lockdown restrictions). 20 states have planned to start up again slowly May first. What I also heard is that in 4 states there was never in lockdown. This is hardly mentioned in the normal news, but the photos and stories are there when one follows a certain trail of articles. So be encouraged, this won't be forever! Have a good and healthy week:)