Scramble Cafe

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Weekend Coffee Share

Sunday Salon

TOKYO JAPAN

January 9, 2026

SATURDAY SUNDAY

I sorted and backed up our recent trip photos.

I wrote an email to the office asking what is the bus company responsibility in an accident.

We need to get our a$$es out of vacation mode and back to getting stuff done!

We caught up on the laundry chores. John, finally, cleaned his golf clubs as he hadn't done them at season's end.

I spent some time catching up on blogger friends.

I did a post about the full moons of 2026, unfortunately it will be too cloudy to see anything here in Toronto.

I am looking forward to the quietness of winter after a very hectic 2025 travelling year. We were away for 4.5 months on various travels! I'm quite happen to sit with a book, work on some crafts and cook some new recipes. But we would really love a good snowstorm as well when we can hunker down and chill!

 John's son and grandson left on Saturday morning for Punta Cana just as American flights were banned over the Caribbean, however they got there with no issues and are enjoying the sun and beach.

MONDAY

Looked like this as everyone headed back to work or school. Many companies required that all employees return to the office after the last few years of working from home.

Based on the weather, we adjusted our plans. I tidied up and made turkey soup for lunch. It was made from our Thanksgiving frozen turkey stock.

John did the first Costco run of the year. $250 and there isn't any meat! Well, there is a rotisserie chicken but this is a lost leader at Costco and it makes us 6 dinners plus 4 soup lunches.

Coffee just keeps going up. Geez, the biggest ticket items were coffee and toilet paper!

Although we didn't need a couple of things I figure we may as well stock up when we can, the prices will only keep going up and who knows what might happen! They were also out of raisins, chocolate chips, beans, and bread!

I received a phone call from the building manager regarding my bus accident e-mail.  I went down to the office to speak to Donald. The reason I hadn't heard anything on Friday was that the office was closed. 

I expected to hear from Dale, the security manager to whom I had addressed my e-mail, he did respond to me later in the week, saying that my concerns had been sent to the bus company.

TUESDAY

With a forecast calling for freezing rain, we decided to make it a stay home day. It also turned out that both shuttle buses had maintenance issues so vans were being used. This means crowded conditions and we are not fans of that, especially in this weather.

Picked up our new bus passes.

WEDNESDAY

It was 2C when we went out, it felt like a spring day!! Temperatures are supposed to go to 11C by Friday!

We wasted 90 minutes at the branch trying to get John's online banking sorted out as the app says his account is blocked. The teller did her best, but nothing worked.

Then I went to get a haircut and my stylist wasn't in. She should be tomorrow. I will call first! So I picked up carrots, celery and bread.

I contacted an electrician I had heard about. He is coming tomorrow to check out the living room lights. 

John got the small printer working.

THURSDAY

What a gorgeous day! It went to 5C and sunshine. We are being teased by Mother Nature, as it feels like spring.

I had planned on taking the 11:20 bus replacement (accident bus still under repairs) van, but it was full. I could have waited, but I wanted to be back for the electrician. I got an Uber (at the building's expense). I went to the $ store and Longo's to get what I needed.

However, the electrician (Kyle) had come in the meantime and he went off to work on an estimate. He says our tracking is too good to replace but does not a better configuration.

I saw the moving van this morning, but had no idea it was my neighbour! Oh, yeah, says John, I forgot to tell you, he's moving to the other building, downsizing. Now I have to worry about who bought it!

John spent four hours trying to fix a driver issue, but he fixed it!

FRIDAY

It is definitely "Fool's Spring".

John went to St. Lawrence market, 4 steaks $80, 3 lbs ground pork $15, 3 lbs ground lamb $24. $127 total. And he ran into my cousin's daughter, Anais!

I went for a haircut. Then I had time to kill. So every Christmas I get a box of Quality Street chocolates. This year, because we were away I ordered them for NY, they came, but the parcel was empty...so Amazon gave us a refund. I went into Rexall, and behold, there was Quality Street on a bottom shelf with this price!! $18 saving on each, because I had to buy two.

Made some cookies.

COOKING

Speaking of getting out of vacation mode, I cleaned out the fridge/freezer and menu planned this week. We need to go back to zero waste as that equals good money. I also want to use up what we have first unless we find some good bargains. Longo's often does a BOGO soon after New Year's.

No more unlabelled packages in freezer - witness last week's flank steak/pork!

We did use up Friday's leftover steak and potatoes for lunch on Saturday.

We, both of us, baked, we need to do this more often. John made the cinnamon raisin loaf recipe that makes two loaves and everything we needed was in the pantry, plus it doesn't need the mixer.

It made me think of this clip!

I made the easiest lemon cookies - gluten free. And I used up some withering lemons in the process. 

I also need to take better notes when we try new recipes that we like so that I can find them.

Saturday chicken curry naan bread (Sunday lunch)

Sunday roast pork (freezer - the one I meant to cook last week) garlic mashed potatoes (John's request) cauliflower and Brussel sprouts

Monday rotisserie chicken Alfredo, It was good but it could have been thicker, a problem I often have. 

Tuesday rotisserie chicken pot pie pastry 

Wednesday leftover pot pie

Thursday Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Pork) lettuce wraps. This was a variation on my PF Chang's lettuce wraps. It was good, the pork needs some tweaking for more flavour. I should have bought iceberg lettuce as John said. The leftover pork was frozen and will go into the next batch of Asian dumpling soup.

Friday steak, green peppers, onions and garlic toast

WATCHING

We finished The Beast in Me and Run Away.

I got John interested in Screw and we finished the first two series. This British prison drama focuses on the lives of officers on C-Wing at Long Marsh men's prison, particularly senior officer Leigh Henry and new recruit Rose Gill, exploring their struggles with difficult inmates, personal secrets, and the dark realities of prison work.

We started Cuffs,  a fresh, authentic and visceral drama that takes the audience on an exhilarating ride through the challenges of front-line policing.

John made a comment that they were like Keystone cops and shortly after a senior officer said the same thing. We are really enjoying it, and after an initial bad start John is liking the rookie.

I finished Heart, Be at Peace.  Donal Ryan tells the story of a small Irish village through 21 chapters, 21 different voices.  Meh.

I read The Winter Wives by Linden Mac Intyre (Canadian) an interesting read for three quarters  r a while, but then it fell apart, just meandering or really just flopping around.

I started The Perfect Match and so far I really dislike the main character, I'm not sure if she is just naive, but more likely, just stupid.