Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader
February 20, 2026 - Toronto ON
HONOI VIETNAM
SATURDAY - VALENTINE'S DAY
I made sausages with blueberry French toast. Since we weren't really hungry for lunch we had date milk shakes in the afternoon - recipe below.
I "wasted" a whole bunch of time looking at old family photos for an upcoming Tuesday Treasures post. I spent so much time because a) photos weren't labelled and b) were not in the right folders.
I am still on my manic spring cleaning. I did a bit in the bathrooms. John did the grout in the kitchen.
I had two plants rooting in water so I combined them, over my reading chair.
SUNDAY FLAG DAY
National Flag of Canada Day (February 15)
Observed annually on February 15, this day commemorates the first time the red and white maple leaf flag was raised on Parliament Hill in 1965.
Status: It is a day of national commemoration but not a statutory public holiday.
I paid (postdated) the 2026 interim tax bill, I noticed (my spreadsheet) that 2025 increased $145 over 2024, 5.5% increase.
I spoke to my elderly friend who told me what her daughter's job is at the Olympics - she is a digital producer.
John did half of the grout in the hallway, hard work, on your knees.
I made a batch of dried cranberry, currents and orange scones. I also made a batch of cheese scones as we plan on trying to make poached eggs tomorrow.
We got our inspiration from the semi-finals of MasterChef Canada challenge Eggs Five Ways! UPDATE I should add chili to the cheese scones. UPDATE we lost our enthusiasm to make poached eggs! Another time.
Jinjer reminded me that I forgot to post my analog bags.
What’s an analog bag? People are buying special bags just to lug their analog hobbies from room to room or from upstairs to downstairs. Books, journals, coloring books, knitting projects, painting projects, etc. They want to have a nice bag for this in case they want to bring these things to work with them or to a doctor appointment or to the park while their kids play, etc.
So here is one of mine. The bag was a gift from Guatemala from my niece.
I hadn't gone through it in a while and was surprised to find this book! I took it out and moved it to the kitchen hoping it will inspire me.
Peeking inside, there is a big selection of various threads. This is funny as I had gotten rid of all my threads when we downsized. There are also 3 (!!!!) mini quilts in various stages of completion.
I had also bought 4 small kits a while ago, I decided to start this one.
This is the other kit of four!
My other analog bag is my knitting basket, I don't know how long I've had this basket.
I have gotten rid of all the random leftover balls of wool.
MONDAY - FAMILY DAY
Family Day (Third Monday in February)
Family Day is a provincial statutory holiday designed to provide a mid-winter break for families. In 2026, it falls on Monday, February 16.
Observed In: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.
Not observed in Quebec, NL or the Territories
Regional Variations: Other provinces celebrate similar holidays on this same day under different names:
Manitoba: Louis Riel Day.
Nova Scotia: Heritage Day.
Prince Edward Island: Islander Day.
John finished the grout!
More manic spring cleaning in the kitchen, not quite done, I mainly did the cupboard with baking stuff.
Danish dough whisk (I labelled the handle)
I put the lid on the correct bowl so I am no longer wondering where it belongs.
Got rid of a candy tin by putting all the cookie cutters together.
Made room by putting the breadmaker on the counter.
Moved serving dishes to dining room that was at back of the first shelf to where they belong. Onion soup and Asian bowls to top kitchen cupboard.
Garbage - 1 unopened package of crackers BB May 2025!
Donation bag - silver small tray - green plastic glass - candy tin
Found and labelled plug for kitchen scale
Moved bread maker to counter - maybe I'll use it more. I have since turned the mixer to the side.
More income taxes to be shredded.
CRA record-keeping requires businesses and individuals to retain records for six years from the end of the taxation year to which they relate. Records must be complete, organized, in English or French, and stored at your Canadian place of business or residence.
At day's end. It is warming up, single positive temperature digits.
TUESDAY
It's time we get over winter and start going places and today was a perfect day! I know we are only being teased but the snow is melting, and the sun is shining!
We over-dressed. People were out in hoodies, as it was 3C!!!
This is a big icicle!
Burgers at Capano's in the Yonge-Bloor area.
A mural I had posted in 2024.
Since it was so lovely out we walked to College Park to Farm Boy to get a couple of things. We also popped into the $ store for some more garbage bags and the medium freezer baggies that we like.
I was thinking of going to T&T but couldn't figure out if they would be super busy or super quiet as it is Lunar New Year today.
And then we were fogged in and expecting freezing rain tomorrow!
WEDNESDAY
Cloudy, raining day with fog so we settled in. John is happy watching the Olympics.
I did have some plan ideas but buckled down due to the weather.
I tidied out the cabinet with the frying pans. the shelves needed wiping down, I threw out some dish rags and moved the heavy cast irons (seldomly used pans to the bottom shelf.
I found the missing lid to a bowl.
THURSDAY
Downtown got a lot of snow from yesterday's weather, making the streets a mucky mess.
I went to Winners, $ store and Longo's. The $ store was decked out for St. Patrick's Day.
I thought yesterday's raspberries at $4 was good, but they were only $3 at Longo's.
FRIDAY
Other than tidying up, the day was a bit of a washout, literally. It poured all day, dampening my plans to go out.
The only bright side was receiving some Ethiopian coffee brought back by one of our concierges, that was a nice surprise.
And Canada's men's hockey team won their game today!
COOKING
I was today years old when I realized I could use the Cook Time instead of the timer on my stove.
If you set a specific "Cook Time" or "Delay Start" for an oven, it will typically turn off automatically when the time ends. However, a standard "Timer" or "Minute Minder" simply beeps to alert you, and the appliance keeps running.
We are eating more pork chops since I've found the perfect way to bread them!
I bought more chicken quarters, they are very good value.
I watched a video - The Perfect Lasagna
Saturday Valentine's Day
L - date milk shakes
D - crab legs and GF tiramisu (recipe below)
Sunday
L - leftover stew and beans on toast
D - Sheet pan chicken with broccolini
Monday
L - leftover chicken quarter sandwiches
D - leftover steak fajitas I stretched it by making guacamole
Tuesday
L - out
D - Asian dumpling soup (used the homemade chicken stock) used up the frozen pork from a few weeks ago
Wednesday
L - leftover soup
D - I had plans for a new recipe but got lazy and made chicken divan which helped use up some of the broccolini
Thursday
L - leftover chicken divan
D - pork chops mashed potatoes carrots
Friday
L - cheese/hummus and crackers
D - steak with parmesan potato stacks. These were very good although mine weren't as pretty as the recipe. My potato was a little too big for pretty slices. Definitely a keeper.
NEW RECIPES ADDED TO MY RECIPE BOX
WATCHING
STILL...
Lincoln Lawyer
I am finishing season 3 of The Gilded Age.
Traitors season 2.
John decided to rewatch Game of Thrones.
READING
I tried reading When The Astors Owned New York (Gilded Age and that) but it jumped all over the place so that I couldn't keep track of which Astor the chapter was about. I had read Cooper's book on the Vnderbilts so I knew quite a bit about the hotel brothers. I was more interested in the social scene and the wives.
Another Side of Paradise I knew nothing about Sheilah Graham, ot her than her name as a Hollywood journalist.
I've read most books about Fitzgerald and his wives, but hadn't come across Graham.
As the author says:
Along with Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, Sheilah was one of three imposing gossip columnists who in the 1930s could make or break a film career. She was also Jewish, and since I am, too, when I discovered this fact about Sheilah, I knew I HAD to tell her story, which is of the you-can’t-make-this-up variety. Except it’s true. If you like romance that doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending, but a roller-coaster of drama and controversy, this book is for you.
It was a little boring at times but I think that was the author. I'd like to read one written by Graham herself.
I decided to re-read Trinity by Leon Uris, I had read it years and years ago.
WHAT ELSE I READ
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