Self-Isolation Week 24

 Weekend Cooking is now hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader!

Sunday Salon

Seasons

August 2020 - Toronto ON

IN THE NEWS    

Listening to Joe Biden's speech reminded me of our local politician, much loved, Jack Layton's final letter to the Canadian people before he died.

I googled it and found others had thought the same.

 

THE CANADA-US BORDER IS SHUT TO NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER 21ST

National Anthem sang at Raptors game by Jessie Reyez, a local star, on bended knee atop the CN Tower.

AND could you have more cuteness than the Raptors' kids introducing their dads?

OUR WEEK AROUND TOWN

Saturday and Sunday were spent hanging around and just relaxing along with some chores.

Cut some clippings off the ivy outside to make some house plants. Cleaned out the outdoor candle holders to bring them inside as the planter stand will be going next week.

I finally finished the blanket and hats. Just one of those projects hanging around. 

And the blanket and hat found a home as my cleaning lady told me she is going to be a great-grandmother (she married early as did her daughter and her grandson married last year at 21), a boy in January.

I kept this one for a 2 year old.

Navy mask is new and both needed tightening for me.

New stickers in condo elevators. 

Monday we both met with another contractor regarding replacing our wood flooring. We are waiting for his estimate.

John then golfed and I just went to pick up some plants, a cilantro and a mint plant and gluten free bread that he likes. I headed towards the St. Lawrence Market area, the first time since early March.

Tuesday was spent around the house sorting things while the electrician worked on getting a new socket installed in the kitchen, then cleaning up all the dust.

We talked about the fact that the TV on top of the cooler had a really fat plug and should we look at buying another TV when we decided, duh, let's just use one of our laptops. We can hook up to our TV provider online.

Yes, it does need to be finished off.

Wednesday and I headed downtown for a 10 AM haircut and found some brains along the way.

My first time in the PATH underneath all the financial district's towers and it is deserted!! This should be bustling with people.

The same at ground level in the heart of the country's busiest financial districts, King and Bay,

Some art on a hoarding on a construction site.

Also the first time in the Eaton Centre, it is 11:10 AM in the middle of summer!

The only "line-up" is at the Apple store. 

And a line-up upstairs is at the Ann Taylor who is closing all stores in Canada and had a closing sale. I would have liked to check it out but the sign said "all changing rooms in Canadian stores are closed and all sales final" and "10 people in store".

Thursday we headed out to look at vinyl floor coverings at Home Depot and Lowes. Lowes had the better selection. 

From there we went to a Benjamin Moore paint store to get what John needs to paint the window frames.

MMMMMM, Corona paint brushes?

Friday John headed out to golf and I went to College Park. 

The afternoon was spent puttering, straining chicken stock, sorting sewing supplies, and repotting plants since we bought a new palm plant this week and some plants needed to be potted in larger pots.

New palm, plants shuttled to find a pot for it. 

COOKING

HOT DOG CALGARY STAMPEDE

Saturday pork belly and sauteed bok choy, scallions and broccoli with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil.

Sunday crispy chicken thighs, potato salad, Greek salad and beets.

Monday hot sausages and leftover salads

Tuesday coconut shrimp with orange chili dipping sauce and salad.

Wednesday oven baked haddock for John and salmon for me.

Thursday burgers and fries.

Friday steak and salad.

READING AND WATCHING

Display The Bay Toronto ON - August 2020

An interesting review of a book by Marg - Women and Leadership.


André Alexis has written a three-part audio drama inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to listen, hopefully it will be available outside Canada.

I started The Forgotten Home Child based on true events. 

Home Children was the child migration scheme founded by Annie MacPherson in 1869, under which more than 100,000 children were sent from the United Kingdom to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Later research, beginning in the 1980s, exposed abuse and hardships of the relocated children. 

Click here to see the Toronto plaque unveiling I attended in 2018 dedicated to these children. The link will also lead you to a documentary called "Forgotten".

As an aside, as I read my post I was blown away by the number of public events we attended that week as a normal part of life, Elton John concert, WOTS a book festival, Harbourfront galleries, 401 galleries!!!

John started watching Watchmen. We finished Wentworth.