Linking up at Marg at The Intrepid Reader
April 2021 - Toronto ON
Week 1 of month long lockdown.Scratch that! Mere days after that lockdown order on Thursday Moron Ford "put the emergency brake on" and issued a "stay at home" order. Everyone then received a emergency alert at 11 AM reminding us that the order had been issued.
Biggest change in this one is that big box stores are not allowed to sell non-essential items. Other retail has to go back to curbside pickup.
Restaurants, opened doors on March 31, one day before outdoor dining was kiboshed yet again on—yes—April Fool’s Day. Only days after investing a ton of money to reopen and train staff.
Easter weekend we took no chances as a) we are locked down with cases rising drastically b)John was just vaccinated and I was going on Tuesday. A typical weekend for us. The puzzle got an hour or so of work, embroidery is moving along.
We also worked on a new house project, looked at ideas and will make a story board before we get some quotes. It's not a big one.
Come Friday UPDATE cases had risen to more than 4,200!! Where are these cases coming from? Restaurants and patios were open for a New York minute and even that would be too early for cases to be counted??
City cites data backlog which makes sense to me but that only accounts for 450 making that number 3.800 which is still staggering.
City daily report shows the split to be pretty even male-female with highest age group 20-60 years old.
Somehow I posted two Monday murals, one from Toronto and one from Hamilton, both recent. No worries as we have found a plethora of murals lately.
Deb at Readerbuzz gave a big shout-out to the murals I post.
I was honoured to be selected as one of the selected bloggers for Birds at Cee's Fun Photo Challenge.
Monday John headed out to hit golf balls. We got our spider treatment done for the balcony.
Tuesday John drove me for my shot and circled the block while I got my vaccine at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
No photos allowed passed this point.
I had to present my health card three times as I moved through the cattle line (not crowded at all), got my shot, waited 15 minutes and presented my card once more to check out and get my certificate and sticker.
Home and John quickly made a sandwich and headed out to golf.
I am rooting the pussy willows from my St. Patrick's Day flowers. I had done this when we had gardens and it grew into a monster tree!
Also trying to root the ficus tree I was "given". The money plant needed some work as it was turning very yellow. Hopefully I can rescue it.
Movie day was on Wednesday and we hit a good bunch.
Thursday morning's stay home "order" didn't seem to reduce inbound rush hour traffic.
Some photos from John's walk in High Park. Spring hasn't quite sprung yet.
The ducks are nesting.
We decided we would "stay home", other than John going to Metro for gluten free bread. Their brand Promise is his favourite, I tried it and it is good!
He also picked these up.
Friday OMG ALERT ALERT ALERT even the $ store had to close off their "non-essential" aisles!! Now there really isn't anywhere to go!
SOPHISTICATED SHAKERS
2019 Stratford ON
2020 Beamsville ON
COCKTAIL CIRCUIT - TO DATE
Mai Tai with orgeat which is new to us
Tequila Sunrise
Rob Roy required bitters which we had never bought
New York Sours
Gin Fizz
Rusty Nail
Vodka Sidecar
Vodka Cosmopolitan
COOKING
Saturday lamb shanks in Guinness and mashed potatoes with turnips and carrots. The gravy was delicious and the leftovers went into the soup pot.
We want to make eggs Benedict on Sunday morning so I made this recipe for gluten free English muffins or popovers. It says it makes 30 so I put 12 in a muffin pan and had enough for 5 to be made in a skillet. They were best on the day they were made. The ones in the muffin tin would make good Yorkshire pudding.
On Sunday I made this easy blender Hollandaise sauce, we only tried a bit as I was uneasy that it doesn't really get "cooked", only warm butter and hot water added.
We poached eggs for the first time ✅✅✅ had to throw one out and start again. Next time I will go to the market and get really fresh eggs, not Costco's!!!
Easter Sunday was ham and au gratin potatoes, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts.
This was a new type of ham to us and found it odd that it was already sliced.
The vegetables could have been softer and the sauce didn't thicken as well as usual. I think this may be because I made the sauce early and poured it on the vegetables way before I was putting it in the oven. The water from the vegetables may have thinned it out.
Monday Spanish chicken thighs and Saturday's leftover mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Tuesday gluten free coconut shrimp in air fryer with mango sauce and salad. This recipe used coconut flour and coconut, no bread crumbs so they didn't get golden like my previous recipe.
It has more spices than the first recipe I used in the air fryer (from Cuisinart) and I think I would use that one with some modifications.
Long story short - I created my own recipe.
Wednesday leftover ham and au gratin with Brussel sprouts.
Thursday pork belly and sauteed bok choy, broccoli, mushrooms and onions topped. This time I used an air fryer pork belly bites recipe. This cooked up in 20 minutes and it really crisped up the fat as well as removing some of the fat. I did not add any salt to anything as I was using soy sauce. I would make a dipping sauce
Why did I only learn this brilliant tomato paste idea this week??? And because of that video I bought an electronic can opener this week.
Hot dogs for lunch or steamies as we call them. This time I even made cabbage slaw to complete the look.
Friday steak night with loaded baked potato (sour cream, broccoli, cheese and scallions).
We are almost finished the fifth and final season of Kim's Convenience. So sad to see the end of this great series.
Watched Wind River, a 2017 neo-Western murder mystery film written and directed by Taylor Sheridan. The film stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent, respectively, who try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.
Sheridan has said that he wrote the film to raise awareness of the issue of the high number of Indigenous women who are raped and murdered, both on and off reservations.2020 Most Wanted also titled Target Number One
Based on the true story of Alain Olivier, a Canadian drug addict from Quebec who spent eight years in prison in Thailand in the 1980s after having been set up as an unwitting pawn in an espionage plot by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Based on the true story of Alain Olivier, a Canadian drug addict from Quebec who spent eight years in prison in Thailand in the 1980s after having been set up as an unwitting pawn in an espionage plot by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Recommended by my cousin, thanks, cuz, 2019 The Cuban, just a feel good movie.
The artwork at the beginning is stunning, the music wonderful and
Ana Golja is a Canadian actor and singer.
AND it was filmed here in Brantford, we'll have to find the locations on a day trip.
Next was 2019 Crypto, a crime drama about money laundering. Always love a techie movie.
2019 American Woman - Inspired by the headline-dominating kidnapping of heiress Patty Hearst in 1974, this atmospheric drama is a fictionalized re-imagining of her time in hiding, from the perspective of Jenny, a political activist assigned to take care of her.
2019 Bad Education was part comedy and based on a true crime. Hugh Jackman stars and is amazing as always as is Allison Janney.
READING
On my laptop browsing Vegetables On Fire. For a lemon vinaigrette the author suggests grilling the lemon first for a sweeter more mellow effect.
I must remember to make crispy chickpeas in the air fryer as a substitute for croutons!
On my phone The Turn of the Key, I wouldn't stay in this house for any money!
On my tablet finished Leave the World Behind, interesting and scary disaster premise but the writing was so cumbersome!
Started The Widows of Malabar Hill which is more appealing to me.
As always, so much good stuff here! I love a good Negroni but never knew the history behind the drink. Your hotdogs reminded me that we have bratwurst in the freezer -- I need to plan a simple dinner night. Yay for vaccines! I love the audience watching you. And, finally, writing down some new shows to watch.
ReplyDeleteI wish WE were in lockdown again. But our state has even lifted its mask order. Now NO ONE has to wear a mask. I feel for you but am glad you got your shot. I didn't get a sticker, though. Glad to see you got one, at least. Loved reading about all the food you cook. I'm a vegetarian, but that ham looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe attended (way, way in the back, almost at the exit, away from all people, and with masks) a funeral today for a friend who passed away a year ago. We were two of only twelve people there who were masked and socially distant. What is wrong with people? We have another funeral on Monday, and I'm not sure we will go. Too many foolish souls.
ReplyDeleteI love your mural and art and architecture photos. Well, honestly, I like all your photos.
I guess you can get nonessentials by mail. Not even curbside? I bought a lamp last weekend, a lamp I've been needing for a year. I didn't want to just order it in the mail. Everyone in that store was masked and socially distant, thank goodness.
I still haven't read Leave the World Behind. Maybe I should just skip it.
Wearing a mask is not a big deal, but some people have to make it one.
DeleteYes, we can do curbside.
I would be curious what you thought of Leave the World Behind.
Great to hear that you got your vaccine. It's a pity so many places have a recurrence of the intense number of cases, and have to go back to isolation.
ReplyDeletebe well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I loved the video clip at the top, and "The Audience" sculpture. Looks like your city ducks didn't get the stay at home order - but maybe after they finish their nests? I need a Negroni!
ReplyDeleteWe are still waiting to be vaccinated here, the rollout seems to be very very slow.
ReplyDeleteWe watched Bad Edeucation last year, Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney were fantastic. Thanks for linking the Town & Country article, it was interesting. I'm glad you got your vaccine, hopefully enough people will get it sooner rather than later and we can end this merry-go-round of openings and closures.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at your pictures! I feel for you for another lockdown, but it's gotten crazy in some places here because so many places have lifted mandates and done back to life as normal. Which means that the sane ones have to wait even longer to do things. Glad you got your shot :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
That is exactly my issue, we get vaccinated and open the rules while others just merrily ignore them, putting the rest of us in lockdowns.
DeleteYou didn't mention any vaccine side effects, so you must been pretty well ok.
ReplyDeleteThe Audience is a great piece of art.
The electric can opener looks much more compact than they used to be.
I should have mentioned we didn't have any side effects from the first dose, Andrew.
DeleteYes, the can opener is very compact, reminds me of the older computer mouses (mice?).
I always enjoy looking at your city and all you do! Have a great week ahead.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to learn of Canada’s exploding numbers, I think people are relaxing at the idea of the vaccination rather than the reality.
ReplyDeleteI’ve enjoyed Sujata Masseys series, I hope you enjoy The Widows of Malabar Hill
Wishing you a great reading week
It lot different in Canada and how they're handling the covid, compare to United States. I find 4th photo interesting, in there gear. Your lucky if you see someone with a cloth mask where I live.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
I still doubt that vaccination for me will be happening before the end of summer.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your updates and photos.
ReplyDeleteYay for receiving your vaccine. Let's hope a lot more people receive it by the end of April. #WeekendCoffeeShare
ReplyDeleteLike your Wild weekend, and the mug with the abibliophobia:) Have never tried to poach eggs. Seems difficult to me:)
ReplyDeleteIs that you there, feeding the swans? Hm, yeah, I don' want to stir up anything,but I have trouble with the numbers they give about Covid cases. Cannot think of reasons why it would be any different in Canada, other than the government! Hope this will be over soon, very soon! Didn't know you could root pussy willows, maybe I can try that next time:) Keep up your spirits, Jackie1 At least you and John have each other!! Thanks so much for keeping All Seasons up to date, Jesh
I love that Audience sculpture. So cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd your lamb shanks sound amazing!