Self-Isolation Week 26

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

September 2020 - Toronto ON

YES! I conquered labels in this new Blogger!

AROUND TOWN

Construction Hoarding Front and Simcoe, Toronto

Toronto artist Quentin VerCetty’s contest-winning sculpture design tells the story of a Black Canadian hero.

Joshua Glover was an African man who had endured enslavement in St. Louis, Missouri in the United States of America during the 18th century. Glover, at some point during his enslavement, heard the voices of his African ancestors reminding him who he was and he decided to escape from his bondage. He was eventually caught in Wisconsin, due to the Fugitive Slave Act. While jailed, waiting to be sent back to where he had escaped, a group of abolitionists helped to get him out, sending him to Ontario where he then found his way to Etobicoke (before it was amalgamated as part of the City of Toronto). While in Canada he endured, and overcame, the racism that existed in the society at the time and became one of the first Black hotel managers at Montgomery's Inn. He was also one of the first Black people to have a recognized interracial marriage.

Check out the Illusions exhibit we attended at the AGO.

A sculpture I found in Yorkville last week and a mural update.

Why do strange noises only occur during the middle of the night? Early Saturday morning (3:30 AM) I awoke to a ringing sound that I thought was my ears at first! I got up and wandered the house trying to identify the culprit to no avail. So I had to wake John from a sound sleep to help me investigate. We narrowed it down to the TV area in the living room which led John to realize exactly what was beeping/ringing/humming. We had an extension cord with power surge protector, this had come with us from the house eight years ago so it must be at least 10-12 years old. Unplugged and turned off, problem solved.

BUT going back to sleep is another issue....

The weekend passed getting this and that done.

Putting the final coat on and fixed the balcony door handle so the blind can hang flat.

Magoo looks so comfortable.

Blinds are coming on Friday.

Monday John golfed and I went to College Park to Bed Bath and Beyond.

As John said, when I sent this to him, what the hell is that??

Saying goodbye to August.

Tuesday we went to the east end to pick up John's gluten free order. A couple of drive by shootings.

I had plans to find some murals but traffic was crazy (what pandemic???) and the amount of construction was ridiculous. We both said it is easier to do our outing s on public transit. We did find some murals that I will post next week.

John's loot.

John took a walk along the lake.

Baby shower bomboniere/thank-you for a gift, a reversible mask and hand sanitizer.

Hoardings are pretty fancy around town these days. Check this one out.

I went to the Bulk Barn on King St. West.

Another Leonard Cohen mailbox at King and John.

Kit Kat has been here since before we moved to Toronto. This used to be called restaurant row. I worked across the street from here for a few years so I have many photos of it.

Kit Kat Italian Bar & Grill infamously erected an ice sculpture in the shape of a middle finger to protest the initiative, which limited car traffic and parking on King West to smooth and speed up streetcar routes. They claimed it impacted their clientele. 

But it was Covid 19 that finally did it in.

I forgot to check if the cows were removed. These two photos were taken in 2009.

Look at all the people on the street. Nowadays there are eating areas set up at the curbs.

I should recreate this photo next week. Most of these restaurants are gone. I used to pick up lunch from the Ultimate Cafe in the middle of the row.

There was a Subway at the corner that I discovered is also gone.

Cora's breakfast and lunch spot is also gone. The buildings to the right of these are also demolished for another condo.

We had parcels waiting when we got home. I had this photo from the Aran Islands in Ireland printed on canvas.

Some new towels and sweatshirts for John from Simon's.

And some masks printed from photos for me. The left from the Botanic Gardens in Sydney and the Frida from Mexico.

For John - St. Andrew's in Scotland and our two old cats with a Guinness.

I cashed in some credit card points for 2X$100 Costco cards.

John bought a new golf club, Canadian dollars but from a US site so ended up having to pick it up at the post office and paying $20 in duty which sucked.

House 2020 Project 1.0 is complete and signed off.

Thursday we decided to stay home and do some chores. John did go out and drop off a couple of containers at my BIL's, took the aforementioned power surge power bar to Best Buy, left a bag at Good Will and got the car washed. 

Then his new toy arrived! A home gym set as we are not comfortable with him using the one in the building for now and since the locker rooms are closed and the free weights have been removed it makes more sense.

We discovered that you can pay to have it set up by Best Buy so he made an appointment for that.

They are doing the cladding project. Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer.

So it's not unusual to see someone outside your windows.

Friday and they installed the blinds! They are all the same and are blackout blinds.

So House 2020 Project 2.0 is finished other than a possible upgrade of crown molding at ceiling.

The test will be the darkness at bedtime.

Another mask order arrived.

I had planned on going out but once I tidied up after them I decided not to. This pandemic is making me reduce my outings on the side of caution.

House 2020 Project 3.0 - floor replacement is still in the planning stage. The contractor came by with a huge number of samples to choose from.

COOKING

Another one for the Recipe Box! Cinnamon Roll Cake made with gluten free flour was absolutely delicious. I did add raisins to the batter and think I would just mix in the filling with the batter next time (save on cleaning another bowl and it would mix in better). I also cut the icing in half.

Easy cooking week with lots of leftovers, not my favourite.

Saturday we had homemade meat sauce with spaghetti and frozen homemade meat balls along with my usually delicious rolls that didn't turn out as good for some reason. I usually do them in my mixer although the recipe says use food processor, which I did use this week.

Sunday I made sweet and sour pork.

Monday fried chicken and potato salad. This was good. I made the gluten free fried chicken using this recipe at Fearless Dining. Tapioca starch/flour makes it gluten free. This is by far the easiest ever, no mucking about with dipping in eggs.

I've made good GF chicken before in the oven. This is done in a cast iron pan. This was simply the best so far.

Tuesday leftover spaghetti.

Wednesday leftover sweet and sour pork.

Thursday Mexican grilled shrimp and salad. The bread is from the gluten free order above. I simply mixed the shrimp with some chile con limon (Mexican mix) and some Old Bay. John kept saying they looked purple.

Friday marinated flank steak potato/cauliflower au gratin and sauteed cabbage.

READING/WATCHING

Both books were seven day loans.

I finished the Mary Trump Too Much and Never Enough. There isn't anything that we didn't already know or that is public knowledge. I did learn what a piece of crap his father was. However, that is no excuse for tRump's behaviour. Many people grow up with a$$hole parents and overcome it. 

I started reading and am mesmerized as to where the story is going (I have some ideas) Playing Nice.