Michel's Bakery Cafe

 Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share
Sunday Salon

December 2024 - Toronto ON

Saturday/Sunday I continued winter cleaning the kitchen. I sorted through, discarding some more things that were almost empty and we wouldn't be using. I threw out some old spices.

I updated 2024 Recap. 

I worked on the house plants, repotting and discarding a couple that were dead/dying. Now I need more soil to finish.

Sunday was the first wintery day, temperature -1C but felt like -11C. 

Monday Mural was found at the CN Tower a couple of weeks ago.

We had our first dusting of snow. Areas around London ON and Muskoka were badly hit with 140 cm or 4.5 FEET!!

We went to the $ store as I needed more soil for my repotted plants. In Longo's I was surprised to find already mixed packages of beef/veal/pork, perfect for making my Christmas tourtieres. 

I may did pick up more (on Wednesday) as it would also be great for Greek meat pies, spaghetti sauce and meatballs.

It’s official: Taylor Swift Way has raised $216,842.96 for the Daily Bread Food Bank! Thank you to everyone who bid on the signs, to Rogers for rounding up matching donations to $113,000, and thank you Daily Bread for working hard to combat food insecurity in Toronto.

Tuesday we caught the 10:30 to get the 11:17 GO train (first time for John) to meet friends (K and B) for lunch at the Piper's Arms. I had the liver (too thin, cooked to death), John had the gf pasta and meatballs. A good time was had by all.

Wednesday I finished off the plants, tidied some more cupboards and made Mexican chocolate cookies. John went to Metro for some groceries.

At Longo's.

 I ordered some new sheets, we like a pattern (but not floral!).

Thursday we were entertained by the stupid drivers on the Gardiner who were stuck in traffic due to a truck fire.

The blue line indicates an ON ramp that these guys are either backing down, or in some cases, the white van at the very bottom turned around! The circled car is also going to turn around and drive down the ON ramp. I can only imagine the chaos on Lake Shore where this ON ramp begins.

We bundled up after lunch and headed to Yorkville for Les Fleurs de Ville Noel. As it was very windy making it feel worse than it was, we saw what we saw. 

Some other sights in Yorkville.

This tree is decorated with blue lights but you can't see them unless you expand the photo.

New sculptures outside a gallery.

"Tom Lamb" was a bush pilot. 

Dr. Leo Mol is a highly regarded artist with an interesting life story.  His name, when he was born in 1915, was Leonid Molodoshanin.  He was born in Polonne, Ukraine and grew up in Russia.  Dr. Mol studied art in Leningrad, Berlin, and at The Hague.  In 1948, he moved to Canada and settled in Winnipeg,  where he led a productive life creating sculptures using the “lost wax” method. 

Like fingernails on a chalkboard, is this song, All I Want for Christmas!

COOKING

Saturday chili, garlic bread and cherry mousse (cherries were frozen from summer)

Sunday roast pork, potatoes, turnips and carrots.

Monday chicken divan with baguette (using up stash)

Tuesday leftover chili

Wednesday sticky pork belly with pineapple (pineapple frozen, great recipe), cauliflower rice and sauteed cabbage

Thursday chicken wings and fries

Friday steak, broccoli and baked potato

WATCHING

Polytechnique  2009 dramatization of the 1989 Montréal Massacre, during which several female engineering students were murdered by an unstable misogynist. 

Article written today in the Montreal Gazette  Allison Hanes: Reflections on a misogynist massacre at Polytechnique

Geneviève Bergeron. Hélène Colgan. Nathalie Croteau. Barbara Daigneault. Anne-Marie Edward. Maud Haviernick. Maryse Laganière. Maryse Leclair. Anne-Marie Lemay. Sonia Pelletier. Michèle Richard. Annie St-Arneault. Annie Turcotte. Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz. 

#SayTheirNames #Dec6

Caught up on our regular series. 

I watched Martha The film covers the breadth of her extraordinary life through intimate interviews with Stewart herself, who opened up her personal archives to share never-before-seen photos, letters, and diary entries. I was never a fan, however, this gave me a very different view of her. I do feel she was a pawn of the legal system (then-U.S. Attorney James Comey).

Was she a bitch, sure she was, but men act worse than her in business and get away with it. It was (is) hard for a woman to get where she got.

I also watched American Murder: Laci Peterson 2024 TV mini-series. The case of Laci Peterson's disappearance and murder shook the US in 2002. Her husband Scott was convicted, though he maintains innocence. Twenty years later, Laci's mother and friends speak out, revisiting this tragedy. Let's just say that Scott's family (especially his SIL) are weird and creepy. Laci's family came across as normal, honest. I admired Amber Frey for willing to appear in this series.

We started season 1 (of 3) of La Brea, John had seen season 1. A massive sinkhole mysteriously opens up in Los Angeles, separating part of a family in an unexplainable primeval world, alongside a desperate group of strangers. Interesting concept. 

It made me wonder what exactly La Brea Tar Pits is/was. It seems there is now a museum in LA.

READING

I really enjoyed First Lie Wins, I loved the way it was laid out, twisting and turning as I turn the pages. Yes, each assignment is a bit outlandish, but who cares! I love a good female con artist.

 

The Vacation has a large cast of characters who are running away from someone or some thing.

Secrets abound, as the plot develops, keeping you on your toes.