Friday, 10 April 2026

College Falafel, Toronto, ON

I moved to Toronto from Nova Scotia in February 1987. Every year around the end of February I head to College Falafel (Ossington Avenue/College Street) for an east coast donair (my go-to place for donairs) to celebrate my move-iversary. 

Time has gotten away from me so I headed there for lunch today for a belated celebration. Oljana and Bard, the owners, are always so friendly and it was nice to catch up. They make excellent donairs and alas I don’t stop in as often as I’d like. 

Tuesday, 7 April 2026

Double Fleck Stitch Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate using a double fleck stitch I found on Snufflebean Yarn's website.


I used a Caron Anniversary Cake Special Edition (the colour is Merry Maximus) and 6.5mm needles. 

I cast on 22 stitches (multiples of 6 stitches plus 4 stitches).
  • Knit 4 rows in garter stitch
  • Row 1 (RS): k all stitches
  • Row 2(WS): k3, p4, *k2, p4* repeat from *to* to the last 3 stitches, k3
  • Row 3: k all stitches 
  • Row 4: k3, p1, k2, *p4, k2* repeat from *to* until the last 4 stitches, p1, k3
  • Knit 4 rows in garter stitch
  • Bind off

Sunday, 5 April 2026

Winterland Three Stitch Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate. I adapted the Winterland Three Stitch Blanket pattern I found on Mama in a Stitch's website. It's a combination of garter, stocking/stockingnette and seed stitches.


I used a Caron Anniversary Cake Special Edition (the colour is Merry Maximus) and 6.5mm needles. 

I cast on 24 stitches.
  • Knit 4 rows in garter stitch
  • Knit 22 rows in seed stitch, knitting the first 3 and last 3 stitches
  • Knit 19 rows in stocking/stockingnette stitch, knitting the first 3 and last 3 stitches
  • Knit 22 rows in seed stitch, knitting the first 3 and last 3 stitches
  • Knit 19 rows in stocking/stockingnette stitch, knitting the first 3 and last 3 stitches
  • Knit 22 rows in seed stitch, knitting the first 3 and last 3 stitches
  • Knit 4 rows in garter stitch
  • Bind off

Book ~ "The Tribe and I Have Spoken" (2026) Rob Cesternino, Alex Kavutskly and Sam Bond

From Goodreads ~ Rob Cesternino has probably talked more Survivor than any other person on the planet. After playing in "Survivor: The Amazon" and "All-Stars", Rob built a community amongst "Survivor"’s online fans with "Rob Has a Podcast". 

Now this foremost scholar of the show takes readers from the beaches of Borneo on the first season all the way to the landmark fiftieth season. This beautifully illustrated ode to the show includes "The Heroes and Villains Hall of Fame", the greatest "Watercooler Watershed Moments" in the show’s history, and Rob’s "Ultimate Survivor Playbook" (no refunds) to winning that million-dollar prize.

The Tribe and I Have Spoken is a detailed look at the world of Survivor, told from the perspective of someone who has both played the game and covered it for years. The book goes through the history of the show, touching on major seasons, standout players and the strategies that have shaped how the game is played. It breaks down how alliances, blindsides and twists have evolved over time and talks about key moments from tribal councils and challenges. The author also brings in insights from his podcasting and interviews with some of the players. Along the way, the book highlights how Survivor has grown and changed, both on-screen and behind the scenes.

I’ve been watching Survivor since around season five so I found this book interesting overall. It’s packed with stories about past players. There are so many that I kept having to pause and Google who was being talked about (I still didn’t remember a lot of them). It was cool getting a look at the history of the show, how much it’s evolved and behind-the-scenes details. My favourite part was chapter six, which lays out the ultimate Survivor playbook, from getting cast all the way to winning (or not). Fans of Survivor will enjoy this book.

Saturday, 4 April 2026

Ladybug Tavern, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper at Ladybug Tavern (College Street, just east of Dovercourt Road) this evening.


Gord had a pepperoni and mushroom calzone.

“Bat Out of Hell”, Ed MirvishTheatre, Toronto, ON

I saw Bat Out of Hell: The Musical this afternoon. I had seen it back in 2017 and wore the "concert" teeshirt I'd bought then.


It was at the Ed Mirvish Theatre and was fabulous!

BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL, the award-winning musical, is a thrilling spectacle where the timeless music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf reigns supreme! 

This reimagined show features a dynamic eight-piece rock band live on stage. An epic cast will bring their powerhouse vocals to Meat Loaf’s anthems including I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), Dead Ringer For Love, It’s All Coming Back to Me, and of course Bat Out of Hell. 

Get ready to witness BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL as it explodes onto the stage at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, in a spectacle that promises to be nothing short of legendary.

Thursday, 2 April 2026

Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate.


I used a Caron Anniversary Cake Special Edition (the colour is Merry Maximus) and 6.5mm needles. 

I cast on 24 stitches.
  • Row 1: knit
  • Row 2: Knit 3, purl 4, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 4, knit 3
  • Repeat Row 1 and 2 until it's the length you want
  • Bind off

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Book ~ "Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond" (2026) Eve Plumb

From Goodreads ~ It’s finally time for Jan, Jan, Jan!

As Jan Brady, America’s most memorable middle child on the beloved TV sitcom, "The Brady Bunch", Eve Plumb has been an enduring icon of American pop culture for over 60 years. Now in an engaging, intimate memoir, she shares the behind-the-scenes story of her colorful and impressively versatile Hollywood career and revelatory recollections of her off-camera life along the way - complete with many photos from her private archives.

Recognized world-wide as Jan Brady, the wonderfully misunderstood middle sister on television’s "The Brady Bunch", actress Eve Plumb has embraced the association that seemed destined at age 10 when she was cast on "The Brady Bunch". The iconic 1970s TV series has been in perpetual reruns for five decades and is well known by three generations of children and adults. Her engaging memoir reveals that her stint on "The Brady Bunch" was only the beginning of her TV career, a young lady with the confidence and spunk that her on-screen character often humorously lacked.

Today, Eve is a talented visual artist, with thirty-five years of experience, whose oil paintings have been displayed and sold in galleries here in the U.S. and Europe. Chock-full of Brady Bunch nostalgia and the skinny on countless classic TV shows with recollections straight from the set, this is Eve Plumb as you’ve never seen her.

Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond is a memoir by Eve Plumb, best known for portraying Jan Brady on the television series The Brady Bunch. This book traces her life from childhood through her acting career and later creative pursuits. Plumb describes her early entry into the entertainment industry, including auditions, commercials and the process that led to her casting on The Brady Bunch. She explains the production of the show, her experiences working with fellow cast members and the impact the series had on her public identity. The memoir also addresses the challenges of being closely associated with a well-known role and the limitations it created in securing later acting work. 

Beyond her television career, Plumb outlines her efforts to expand into other areas including stage acting and visual art. She discusses her training, exhibitions and the development of her painting practice. The book also touches on aspects of her personal life including relationships and decisions that influenced her career path. Throughout the memoir, Plumb situates her experiences within the broader context of the entertainment industry, describing changes over time and the realities of maintaining a long-term career in the public eye.

I wasn't a fan of this show but like reading bios/autobios. I didn't know a lot about Plumb so it was interesting to learn more about her, her family and her career. And it was fun to learn more about the celebrities she'd worked with. I liked the writing style ... it was at a high level with not a lot of fluff and detail. There are apparently many pictures from her private archives in the book ... I read an advanced copy and there were none (it would have been nice to see them).

Happy birthday, Crumpet!

Happy 15th birthday to our fiesty girl, Crumpet!

Tuesday, 31 March 2026

Toronto Blue Jays 5 ~ Colorado Rockies 1, Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

To celebrate Gord's birthday, we went to the Toronto Blue Jays game.


Here we are!


Our seats were in the 100 level near first base. It's still too cold to have the roof open.

Ruby Soho Bar, Toronto, ON

To celebrate Gord’s birthday, we had supper this evening at Ruby Soho (on King Street W at Portland Street). 


Gord had a wagu burger and fries. It's the first time he's had wagu beef and he said it was good.

Happy birthday, Gord!

Happy birthday to my hunny, Gord!