“The Book of Mormon”, Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw The Book of Mormon this evening at the Princess of Wales Theatre on King Street W. It was good. Sometimes when there was singing, the orchestra was louder so it was hard to make out the words. And the Ugandan accents were really strong.

This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. With standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, THE BOOK OF MORMON has truly become an international sensation.

Book ~ "Mud Run Murder" (2017) Leslie Langtry

From Goodreads ~ Ex-CIA Agent turned small town Girl Scout leader, Merry Wrath, thinks she has her hands full getting her troop ready for the Mud Run out at scout camp. But a trip to the movies, where she sees her whole career played out on the big screen, turns her world from little girls to great big lies. Turns out her former handler, Riley, is hiding something and the Agency is on the warpath, thinking Merry has leaked classified intel.

Merry is a former CIA agent who loved her job and was very good at it. But when her identity is exposed, she’s forced into early retirement, given a severance package and told to start over somewhere new. After changing her appearance, she returns to her small hometown in Iowa, where her best friend, Kelly, still lives. Together they run a Girl Scout troop while Merry tries to adjust to a much quieter life.

When Merry goes to see a movie at a theatre, she stunned to realized that it's her life as a spy on the big screen. The movie shuts down abruptly during the viewing and across the country. Merry is concerned the CIA will think she was behind the movie, which it turns out is based on an yet-to-be published book, which will send them after her. So she starts digging to see who was behind it. In the meantime, her scout troup is excited about the upcoming mud run and training hard.

This is the fifth in the Merry Wrath mystery series (there are currently 36) and for the most part I liked it. It can be read as a stand alone but it's fun to read them in order. It's written in first person perspective in Merry's voice so we can to hear her thoughts (and she has a lot!). I liked the writing style ... it was conversational as if Merry was speaking to us. It was a quick fun read and I look forward to continuing on with the series.

I found the relationship between Merry and Rex, her boyfriend of a couple years, a bit unrealistic. I'm assuming they are in their mid to late thirties and have had sleepovers. But when Merry has to stay at Rex's, he puts her in the guest room? And she doesn't question that? In general, they tend to act like the neighbours they are rather than a couple.

Book ~ "Strangers in the Villa" (2026) Robyn Harding

From Goodreads ~ Sydney Lowe’s life in New York is shattered when her husband, Curtis, admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion, Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage. 

High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travelers turns up at their door in dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, Sydney and Curtis invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as the days pass, dark secrets come to light, the Lowes’ bond is tested and not everyone will leave the villa alive.

Curtis had confessed to an affair and now he and his wife, Sydney, are trying to rebuild their relationship with a fresh start in Spain. Sydney is still feeling hurt and betrayed and is trying to trust Curtis again and Curtis is committed to earning that trust back. They’ve bought a run-down villa with dreams of transforming it into a winery, though the property requires a lot of repairs. A few months into their new life, Damien and Bianca, a young Australian couple, unexpectedly arrive after their van breaks down nearby. With the replacement part delayed, Sydney offers them a place to stay in exchange for helping with the renovations.

I thought the story was interesting but was disappointed with the ending. After all the stress and tension that had been built up, it was a letdown. The story is written in third person perspective with a focus on Sydney, Curtis, Damien and Bianca, which lets us get to know them and what their motives are. The pacing could have been better as it took a long time to find out what had really happened in the past, which explained why things were happening today. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Fan and Feather Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate using my favourite pattern, fan and feather.

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

I cast on 24 stitches (a multiple of 18 plus 6).

• Knit 3 rows of garter stitch for the border
• Row 4: Knit
• Row 5: K 3, P to last 3 stitches K3
• Row 6: K3, *(K2 tog) 3 times, (yo, K1) 6 times, (K2 tog) 3 times, rep from * to last 3 sts K3
• Row 7: Knit
• Repeat Rows 4 - 7, keeping first and last 3 stitches in garter stitch, until piece measures desired length
• Knit 3 more rows of garter stitch to make the bottom border
• Cast off and darn in ends

Toronto Art Crawl, The Great Hall, Toronto, ON

I stopped in at the Toronto Art Crawl at the Great Hall in my ‘hood late this afternoon. Lots of fun stuff!

One Eyed Jack, Toronto, ON

I had a late lunch at One Eyed Jack on (Richmond Street W/ Peter Street) this afternoon.

I had the $16 pint and pound of wings (Buffalo sauce) special and they were both delicious! Another beer was just $6!

"Little Miss Sunshine”, TIFF Lightbox, Toronto, ON

This afternoon I saw Little Miss Sunshine at the TIFF Lightbox. I’ve seen this movie many times but never on the big screen! 

A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.

It was a free ticket through TIFF’s Silver Screenings’ program. 

The complimentary popcorn was a nice surprise (I love popcorn!).

Before the showing of the movie, Megan Ferris, Manager of Programs for Older Adults at Canada’s National Ballet School, led a beginner-friendly movement activity. She got us warmed up and then one of the songs was inspired by Olive’s dance in the competition.

Death and Taxes, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper at Death and Taxes (on Queen Street W at Beaconsfield Avenue). It’s been a while since we’ve been there.

Gord had a Caesar wrap and I had a burger. Both were good and we’d get them again. The bun for my burger was really soft, which I like. The lettuce on my burger was a surprise and I’m not a fan so I scraped it off.

"The Moors", The Theatre Centre, Toronto, ON

Gord and I spent the afternoon volunteering at The Theatre Centre (Queen Street W/Dovercourt Road).

A young governess arrives at a mysterious manor on the remote Moors of England after exchanging many letters with the master of the house. But when the door opens, the only residents are his spinster sisters, a maid (or is it two maids?), and a lovelorn mastiff pining for a far-flung moor-hen. But when there seems to be no child to care for, she’s left to wonder why she has been brought here. The Moors is a dark comedy about love, desperation, and the dangerous results of yearning to be seen. Drawing inspiration from classic Victorian Gothic novels by the Brontë sisters, but twisting the genre to become something weirder and wilder, The Moors is undeniably queer and unmistakably modern.

I don’t usually like period pieces but found this one entertaining. The acting was very good. It’s playing until April 19. 

Pippa Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate. I adapted a Pippa baby blanket pattern I found on Snufflebean Yarn's website. It's a combination of garter, stocking and seed stitches.

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.