JUNK BOAT TRAVELS: December 2024

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Signs

Joining Tom at Signs2.

Wordless Wednesday Wordless Be There 2day

Toronto 2024

More 2024 leftovers.

"Quite" weird!

Lots of choices

Monday, December 30, 2024

I'm linking up at Monday Mural

2024 leftovers

Saturday, December 28, 2024

Cheers

Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share
Sunday Salon

December 2024 - Toronto ON

Union Station Toronto

Saturday passed in a blur.

Sunday I got the turkey soup going, as I will use some of it for gluten-free gravy to take to my cousin's for Christmas Day.

I also cooked the tourtiere fillings (one for us and one for my cousin). It needs to be cold before it is put into the pastry.

Monday I ran out for a couple of items including disposable pie plates for the tourtieres. John had plenty of football recorded.

I have never frozen cooked turkey before. I took the suggestions online and cut some meat up, poured a little turkey stock over it and froze. We will see!

Tuesday CHRISTMAS EVE

Walking through Union Station, looks like another new restaurant.

BINGZ /biNGz/ noun.

Burger style Chinese street-food. Crispy outside with various freshly made ingredients inside. Inspired by the “world’s oldest burger” invented 2,000 years ago in the Qin dynasty.

adjective. A taste causing great surprise or sudden wonder; crispy; marvellous

Menu at the newly opened Shake Shack Bar in Union.

Scotia Plaza

We walked underground from Union, this was the only time we were outside as we headed to Joey King. What a delight! We were blown away by the service from the time we walked in the door and were greeted with complimentary sparkling wine. Our server, Chelsea was such a professional and very knowledgeable about the menu.

Local Ontario wine. Half price on Tuesdays!

I had a hard time deciding!

Steak & Sushi - tataki-style steak, ponzu sauce, seared salmon sushi or tuna & avocado crunch roll. I chose the salmon. DELICIOUS!

JOEY Classic Steak - 6 oz CAB® sirloin featuring our famous fully loaded crispy mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables. He added a side of lemon garlic prawns, but they were cold so our server comped them.

You can't see it but the fully loaded potato is inside a spring roll wrap.

We both loved everything and have other items on the menu that we would like to try!

We walked outside back to the bus. We picked up Starbucks Caramel Brûlé Lattes but they were too sweet for our liking.

CHRISTMAS DAY I prepared the potatoes and vegetables to take to my cousin's. I put them in the crockpot to keep them warm and free up kitchen space. I made a tourtiere and also made the gravy (stock from my turkey) and put in an insulated coffee pot for serving.

We headed out around 4:30.

We had the traditional turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots and turnips, Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple syrup.

Thursday BOXING DAY three of us were up at 8:30 and John arose at 10! After breakfast we sat around chatting until we left around 2.

Once home, we got comfy, John made popcorn and watched a movie.

Friday I was deciding whether I wanted to treat today as our Boxing Day or run out for that last minute items. John decided he would do the grocery trip instead.

I have been lamenting all month that I could not find crab legs for new year's eve. Oh, Costco did have a 10 lb bag for $800!!!

Yes, there is a shortage of king crab legs due to a number of factors, including:

Russian seafood import ban

The US has banned the import of Russian seafood due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Norwegian king crab quota reduction

The Norwegian king crab quota is expected to decrease by 60% in 2024.

Smaller quota for Bristol Bay red king crab

The quota for Alaska's Bristol Bay commercial red king crab season is smaller than usual.

Crab population decline

In 2022, Alaskan officials canceled the king crab fishing season due to a 90% drop in the crab population.

Climate change

Warming ocean temperatures have likely contributed to the decline in the crab population.

Red King Crab legs size 4/7 : r/Seafood

The shortage is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

John decided to have a quick look at Metro and found the last three bags (454 g) for $15 each!!!!!

COOKING

Saturday turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots and turnips, stuffing and gravy

Sunday turkey leftovers

Monday hot turkey sandwiches and Brussels sprouts

Tuesday Xmas Eve lunch out. Cheeses and pate

Wednesday Christmas Day

Thursday Boxing Day big late breakfast, afternoon popcorn and maybe a few chocolates, cheeses and pate.

Friday steak and sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms

WATCHING

Juror #2 2024 American legal thriller film. While serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, a family man finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma, one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict or free the wrong killer.

Kin 2021 Irish mini-series tells the story of a fictional Dublin family embroiled in gangland war and speaks to the enduring unbreakable bonds of blood and family. Looking forward to season 2.

Love, Actually 2003 Christmas classic - Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. Lots of laughs, tears and a huge cast of well-known actors.

The Miracle Club (again) 2023.

Risky Business

Basic Instinct

READING

The Last Flight I always enjoy reading about how to disappear! To disappear, you must have a lot of cash, first and foremost. I was annoyed at her first mistake (no spoilers), I would have done that differently.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns even though some are a little far-fetched.

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? I am normally a big Nicci French fan, but I found the first part dragged a little. However, once you are through that part the story picks up rapidly.

Friday, December 27, 2024

Weekend Roundup

Welcome to The Weekend Roundup...hosted by Tom The Back Roads Traveler

1. Starts with "Z" Your choice
2. A Favorite
3. NEW YEAR'S- Chosen by Tom

Starts with Z (BIGGEST/SMALLEST/LONGEST/SHORTEST/OLDEST/FIRST)

The first ZAMBONI Ice Resurfacer used in the NHL in 1954, now in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

FAVOURITE

ZEBRA

NEW YEAR'S

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Scotland 2001

THROWBACK THURSDAY #TBT

Inveraray Scotland

April 2001 - Scotland

We flew from Toronto to Amsterdam and then to Edinburgh where we picked up a car.

Me, killing time in Amsterdam airport.

First digital camera!!

On our way to our timeshare accommodations in Aberfoyle we stopped in Luss, home to Loch Lomond.

Here's a lovely new version of the old singalong favourite.

Almost in the centre of the photo on the beach is a lone bagpiper playing.

Pretty cottages in Luss.

You can see the piper leaving.

Settled in. We attended a Scotch tasting session hosted by the timeshare one evening, it was a good thing we didn't have to go very far to our condo.

John discovered his scotch of choice on this trip.

Thornhill

Inveraray Castle

Mull of Kintyre sheep

We all know the song "Mull of Kintyre" by Wings (Paul Mc Cartney).

A while after this trip we were watching a Scottish movie, My Name is Joe (1998) and a scene was filmed here in the town of Tarbert, Argyll.

The highlight for John was playing at St. Andrew's where we spent a night and had great curry for dinner.

John may have had a gorgeous day to golf but the next day as we drove back to Aberfoyle it poured and we got a flat in Pittenweem. But the auto association came to our rescue and fixed the tire.