Book ~ "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" (2026) Charles Spencer

From Goodreads ~ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before a watching world and shared his grief at losing his beloved sister, Diana. Now, nearly thirty years later, he tells the astonishing story of his life with Diana and the tragic week of her death.

In childhood, Charles and Diana, the youngest Spencers, were inseparable – secretly calling one another Duch and Carlos. As each other’s closest confidantes, they roamed the family estate, endured extremely challenging boarding schools, survived terrifying nannies and helped each other through the agony of their parents’ divorce.

Yet everything changed when Diana married the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and overnight became a global icon. Charles saw his older sister serve the world’s marginalized and relish being mother to her treasured sons.

But pursued by a barbaric press as her royal marriage crumbled, she was left desperately alone. Charles always tried to be there for Diana – until that black night in August, 1997.

I like reading bios/autobios and memoirs and was curious about this one. It will be 30 years next year since Diana passed away ... I guess that's why he wrote it at this time.

It's Spencer's account of the life and death of his sister, Diana, Princess of Wales. He looks back on their childhood, their family life and the events that shaped Diana’s life, from her marriage to Prince Charles to her years in the public eye. He writes about Diana’s struggles within the Royal Family, her difficult marriage, her charitable work and the constant attention from the media. 

The book covers Diana’s final days, her death in Paris in 1997 and the events surrounding her funeral. Spencer shares his memories of the funeral arrangements, the decision to bury Diana at the family estate of Althorp and his experience of delivering the eulogy at Westminster Abbey. There is a great deal of time devoted to talking about the eulogy (it's even included a few times along with his handwritten version)!

Through personal memories and accounts of key events, Spencer offers a look at Diana’s life from the perspective of her brother, including their family history, her experiences as a royal and the circumstances surrounding her death and funeral.

I thought it was interesting and learned things I didn't know before. I thought the writing style was okay, though it's long. It bounced back and forth from the time period around when she passed away to their childhood. Not surprising, the royal family doesn't come off in a good light. I didn't find Spencer overly likeable but it was interesting to read how one lives when one is an earl and hanging out with royalty. I liked that there were photographs (about 12% of the book is devoted to them).

Mistake Rib Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate using a squishy mistake rib pattern, an easy fun pattern.

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

I cast on 23 stitches (multiples of 4 plus 3 stitches).

It's a one row repeat: slip 1 knitwise, k1, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.

Burrito Boyz, Etobicoke, ON (Jutland)

Gord and I watched a show last night about burritos and it got me craving one for lunch so I stopped in at Burrito Boyz (on Jutland Road in Etobicoke). 

I got a large chicken burrito (half for lunch and half later for supper) with refried beans, rice, black beans, cheese, corn, tomatoes, mild salsa and burrito sauce. Yum!

Book ~ "Tempted: My Story" (2026) Rick Campanelli and John Meyer

From Goodreads ~ “Though nothing came my way without a great deal of hard work, I’ve been incredibly fortunate in my life. Being a mostly open book in the public eye for over thirty years, people think they know me pretty well but it’s time for me to shed light on a few deep dark secrets that will shock many. 'Tempted' is a story of accomplishments and living life to the fullest but not without mistakes along the way. A cautionary tale of what can happen when you lose control. This is my full story, flaws and all.”

Rick Campanelli’s journey of winning a nationwide contest to become a MuchMusic VJ on the iconic Canadian music station launched him quickly from an unknown Hamilton kid to an on-air national superstar known as “Rick the Temp,” as his warm, affable personality won over millions of Canadians from coast to coast. But while in front of the camera his star was rising, behind the scenes all was not as it seemed. Revealed for the first time ever in Tempted, Campanelli shares the story of the secret demons he battled that nearly destroyed his life.

I like reading bios/autobios and memoirs. By the time Campanelli was on MuchMusic, I wasn't really watching it and haven't followed his life or career since. But I know who he is and was curious about his story. It's a quick read and I'm not sorry I read it.

Campanelli opens up about his rise to fame and the personal struggles he faced behind the scenes. He is/was known to Canadians as "Rick the Temp" and became known after landing a job as a VJ at MuchMusic in the 1990s. He went on to work in entertainment television, interviewing celebrities and building a successful broadcasting career. 

While things looked good on the outside, Campanelli was dealing with a serious gambling addiction. What started as an interest in winning eventually spiralled into compulsive gambling, mounting debts and difficult situations. For example, in 2008, he was detained by U.S. Homeland Security while returning from Las Vegas over unpaid casino debts. The memoir talks about how his addiction affected his finances, career and personal life.

It was interesting to read about his love of music and how creative he was to turn it into a career. I had watched MuchMusic so I enjoyed his descriptions of what it was like to work there and what it took to stay working in the industry. I recently read Denise Donlon's memoir so it was interesting to get another perspective of working there (they were at different levels). I also like reading about getting the inside scoop into the entertainment world and it sounds like Campanelli experienced quite a lot. 

I didn’t have an opinion of Campanelli before reading this book but I didn’t find him all that likeable by the end. I found his relevations quite surprising and unexpected. I’m not a gambler so I have a hard time understanding how someone can risk throwing everything away for the thrill. He seemed okay knowing he was potentially hurting people and would be pretty shady to get what he wanted/needed. 

While I appreciated his honesty, at times I thought he shared a little too much, especially when talking about his relationship with his first wife. I couldn’t help wondering how she felt about him airing their dirty laundry (like his cheating and having a "mistress") for everyone to read. What was also surprising is the lack of photographs, given what he does for a living. The only one is one the cover.

Mistake Rib Knitted Scarf

I knitted another scarf to donate using a squishy mistake rib pattern, an easy fun pattern.

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

I cast on 23 stitches (multiples of 4 plus 3 stitches).

It's a one row repeat: slip 1 knitwise, k1, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.

KC's tree, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

Fall has arrived and I stopped by Trinity Bellwoods Park this afternoon and visited KC's tree. Along with other trees in the park, the leaves on her tree are starting to change colour.

Knitted beanies

I knitted some beanies to donate.

I found the pattern here and it was an easy pattern. 

I don't have a small 5.5mm circular needle so used 6.5mm so it's a bit bigger than a beanie and fits like a comfy hat.

Cast on 80 sts. Place marker, join being careful not to twist sts.

• Rounds 1-8: Work in 2x2 Rib stitch pattern until beanie measures 2” (5 cm) from cast-on edge
• Rounds 9-22: Knit around

Shape Crown

• Round 1: Knit. 
• Round 2 (dec): *K6, K2tog; repeat from * around — 70 sts. 
• Round 3: Knit. 
• Round 4 (dec): *K5, K2tog; repeat from * around — 60 sts. 
• Round 5: Knit. 
• Round 6 (dec): *K4, K2tog; repeat from * around — 50 sts. 
• Round 7: Knit. 
• Round 8 (dec): *K3, K2tog; repeat from * around — 40 sts. 
• Round 9: Knit. 
• Round 10 (dec): *K2, K2tog; repeat from * around — 30 sts. 
• Round 11: Knit. 
• Round 12 (dec): *K1, K2tog; repeat from * around — 20 sts. 
• Round 13: Knit. 
• Round 14: *K2tog; repeat from * around — 10 sts. 

Finishing

Cut yarn leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail. With yarn needle, draw tail through remaining 10 sts twice, pull tightly and fasten off. Weave in ends. Block lightly. 

Souvlaki Station, Toronto, ON

Souvlaki Station at Ossington Avenue/Bloor Street W opened in June and I stopped in today to pick up some lunch. I had my first taste of Greek food a couple blocks east of it 40 years ago (it was my first meal when I moved to Toronto … alas that restaurant is long gone) and have loved it since. 

I got a chicken souvlaki dinner (minus the salad) and it was okay. The chicken was cooked up fresh for me and the 2 women working were friendly.

Book ~ "The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland" (2021) Jim DeFede

From Goodreads ~ When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17, 000. 

The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill. As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. 

Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news. 

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill.

This book tells the story of what happened in Gander, Newfoundland, after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. When U.S. airspace was closed, 38 international flights were diverted to Gander, bringing nearly 7,000 passengers to a community of only a few thousand people. 

The book follows the passengers and the people of Gander during the five days the travellers were stranded. Local residents, schools, churches, businesses and community organizations provided food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical assistance and places for people to communicate with their families. 

The passengers came from many different countries and backgrounds and many were dealing with uncertainty about their families, their safety and when they would be able to continue their journeys. During their stay, they formed connections with local residents and with other passengers. Once flights were able to resume, the passengers continued their journeys, with many remaining in contact with the people they had met in Gander. 

I liked the writing style. It's told through the experiences of individual passengers, airline employees and Gander residents. The book also describes the practical challenges of accommodating thousands of unexpected visitors, including finding places for everyone to sleep, preparing meals, arranging transportation and meeting medical and communication needs. It's an updated version of the original book that was written about 20 years earlier so there's an update chapter. It was especially interesting to read as Gord and I recently saw Come From Away in Charlottetown.