Cousin Fred's wedding reception

My cousin, Fred, married Vanda in Prague (where Vanda is originally from) on June 9.

Fred's dad is my mother's half brother, Fred Sr.

Fred and Vanda had a reception in Pickering (where they live) this evening to celebrate.

Kim, Terry and Gord

Kim is Fred Sr.'s half sister (my mother's stepmother's youngest daughter). Terry is my cousin (the groom's brother).

Loretta and Fred
(Loretta is the groom's stepmom and Fred is the groom's dad
... so my aunt and uncle)

Vanda and Fred,
the bride and groom

It was Terry's birthday yesterday so they surprised him with a cake

Vanda and Fred, the bride and groom

More good news! Vanda and Fred are going to be parents on March 3! Congrats!

No adult supervision

Remember how Gord and his three friends since childhood go away every year for a weekend?

Last year, it was to Buffalo.

This weekend is THE weekend. And they are going to ... Toronto! Yep, all the way to Toronto!

His friends live in the 'burbs so to them this is going away.

I just met Gord at the hotel, which is about ten blocks from home, and gave him his stuff (rather than him dragging it to work this morning).

So look out Toronto!

At the beach

KC and I started our morning with a walk on the beach. We headed down to Sunnyside Beach (about a ten minute drive south of us).

It was hazy and 15C.

We walked west, just past Humber Bridge, and back.

Looking towards downtown

Lots of good stuff for KC to sniff

Taking a break

Heading east again

Almost to the car

Not a lot of people but tons of geese

Rotis with Eduardo and Louise

I had lunch today with Eduardo and Louise.

We worked together ten years ago and get together every couple months for lunch for roti.

My chicken roti ... yummy!

Eduardo and Louise

Teena and Eduardo

Louise and Eduardo

Teena and Louise

Louise and Teena

Louise and Teena

Look what I got!

Remember my posting last week about the Wrigley's Walk and Chew Gum Challenge ... my interview with Marty Wolff and the 10 Walk and Chew Gum kits I had to give away?

The courier just arrived with one for me ... and it's really cool!

A fanny pack, water bottle, five packs of gum, a pedameter and a Biggest Loser 2 workout CD!

Now aren't you sorry you didn't ask me for one??!!

Burritos with Wendy

I had lunch with my pal, Wendy, today.

We met at Burrito Boys for yummy chicken burritos.

I hadn't seen her for a couple weeks so it was good to catch up!

Cleaning frenzy

Our oven has needed cleaning for a while.

So with Gord out of the way at work, I tackled it. What a messy job! It's definitely Gord's turn next time!

Then I moved on to the fridge.

Then dusted the shelving unit where we keep the dishes, cups, glasses, etc. (we don't have enough cupboard space).

I don't get into a heavy duty cleaning frenzy very often so took advantage of it.

Trinity Bellwoods Park

KC and I started our day with a walk to Trinity Bellwoods Park and back. Too bad Gord has to work today :(

KC loves this park ... there's lots to sniff.

There were lots of people out with their dogs, but not in the usual spot.

KC's making sure I'm still with her.

Another dog has caught her attention.

It's such a nice day and there were lots of people in the park ... snoozing, playing tennis, walking their dogs, etc. This dog wanted to do more than just read the newspaper! "C'mon, Mom, let's play!"

Friday

Gord and I saw 3:10 to Yuma this afternoon.

A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.

It was okay, not great. The guys escorting Russell Crowe to Yuma were dumb dumb dumb. I gave it 5/10. Gord gave it 6.5/10.

We stopped at the rooftop patio of Oasis (above Wayne Gretzky's) for a drink.

St. Louis has opened a new restaurant in our 'hood (I love their wings!) so we had supper there.

Book ~ "Refuse to Choose" - Barbara Sher (2006)

From Amazon.com ~ Don’t know what to do with your life? Drawn to so many things that you can’t choose just one? New York Times best-selling author Barbara Sher has the answer — do EVERYTHING! With her popular career counseling sessions, motivational speeches, workshops, and television specials, Barbara Sher has become famous for her extraordinary ability to help people define and achieve their goals. What Sher has discovered is that some individuals simply cannot, and should not, decide on a single path; they are genetically wired to pursue many areas. Sher calls them "Scanners" — people whose unique type of mind does not zero in on a single interest but rather scans the horizon, eager to explore everything they see. In this groundbreaking book, readers will learn:

• what’s behind their "hit and run" obsessions


• when (and how) to finish what they start


• how to do everything they love


• what type of Scanner they are (and which tools they need to do their very best work)

Very interesting book. Sher's theory makes sense to me.

I love learning and am always taking (or want to take) courses on a variety of subjects ... whatever catches my attention at any given moment. One day it's Copywriting and the next it's Holistic Nutrition. That's a characteristic of a scanner.

Some people know what they want to do with their lives (be a doctor, accountant, etc.). I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Another characteristic of a scanner.

There are more than ten kinds of scanners ... I sound like a Jack-of-all-trades.

Jacks aren't driven by money or status symbols. As long as people treat them and each reasonably well, they will be content. If things get unpleasant, they leave. All they want is nothing more than to rack up one happy day after another. More than any other type of scanner, having good days with good people is what the Jack really wants. They enjoy doing different kinds of work and picking up new knowledge.

I'd recommend this book if you feel you aren't focused and your interests pull you in too many different directions. You'll discover that there's nothing wrong with that.

Guess who got a haircut??!!

I dropped KC off at the groomer while I went to my appointments (they are next door to each other).

Doesn't she look pretty now??!!

Here's what we came home to ...

Do they look comfy or what?!

Book ~ "Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter" - Alice Kuipers (2007)

From Amazon.com ~ Claire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her bourgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined.

I'd read a recommendation of this book on someone's blog recently.

It's a really quick read (I read it in an hour or so). The style is interesting as it's made up of notes stuck to the fridge. I wasn't expecting it to be as deep as it was.

I'd definitely recommend this book.

Lunch with LeeAnn

I met my friend, LeeAnn, for lunch today at Moxies.

It's the first time we've met other than at one of her Single Horizons events.

We yakked for three hours!

Teena and LeeAnn

Book ~ "Nobody's Mother: Life Without Kids" - Lynne Van Luven (2006)

From Amazon.com ~ Statistics say that one in 10 women has no intention of taking the plunge into motherhood. Nobody’s Mother is a collection of stories by women who have already made this choice.

From introspective to humorous to rabble-rousing, these are personal stories that are well and honestly told. The writers range in age from early 30s to mid-70s and come from diverse backgrounds. All have thought long and hard about the role of motherhood, their own destinies, what mothering means in our society and what their choice means to them as individuals and as members of their ethnic communities or social groups.

I've always known that I didn't want kids. So this was an interesting book to come across ~ essays by woman who never had kids, either by choice or circumstance.

Coincidentally there was an article in last week's Toronto Star called Childless families on the rise:

• For the first time, there are more families in Canada without children (42.7%) than couples with children (41.4%). Twenty years ago, 52% of Canadian couples had children, defined as offspring younger than 25.
• Our neighbourhood has one of Toronto's highest rates of childless couples, at about 80%.

Casa Loma & Millionaire's Row Walking Tour

Gord and I did the Casa Loma & Millionaire's Row Walking Tour this afternoon. It was a Single Horizons event with Bill Genova.

We started at Yonge/St. Clair and finished at Bathurst/Davenport.

We walked by a lot of old houses in Toronto, including ...

Woodlawn, Toronto's second oldest residence still used as a private home.

Oaklands, part of de la Salle College, a Catholic School

Ardwold, home of the Eaton family (now condos)

Spadina House, built in 1866

Casa Loma (built in 1914)

Stable for Casa Loma

E.J. Lennox' home
(the architect who designed Casa Loma, Old City Hall and more)

Witch Hat House

Car in the driveway of Witch Hat House

First house in Wynchwood, in the 1870s

Niagara Falls

Gord and I went to Niagara Falls today with Single Horizons ... bus trip down and back (90 minute drive each way), stop at Magnotta Winery in Beamsville, buffet lunch and five hours to do whatever we want.

We did this event in June too (it was a lot warmer then ... it was only 12C today).

Gord and LeeAnn (owner of Single Horizons)
at Magnotta Winery

LeeAnn and Teena
at Magnotta Winery

We were both starving when we got to Niagara Falls so we went to the buffet first.

Then we went to the casino and played Roulette. I lost $200 but won $95 (so had a net loss of $105). Then I lost $20 playing the $1 slot machines. I don't usually play slots but wanted to see what all the fuss is all about ... I still find them boring.

Gord at the casino

Teena at the casino

Then we walked down to the Falls.

Teena

Teena and Gord

The Canadian side of the Falls

The American side of the Falls




Gord

We had a drink at the Edgewater Cafe

Teena in front of the casino