Book ~ "The Housekeeper" (2019) Natalie Barelli

From Goodreads ~ She's a liar. She's a stalker. She's in your house.

When Claire sees Hannah Wilson at an exclusive Manhattan hair salon, it's like a knife slicing through barely healed scars. It may have been ten years since Claire last saw Hannah but she has thought of her every day and not in a good way. So Claire does what anyone would do in her position - she stalks her.

Hannah is now Mrs. Carter, living the charmed life that should have been Claire's. It's the life Claire used to have, before Hannah came along and took it all away from her.

Back then, Claire was a happy teenager with porcelain skin and long, wavy blond hair. Now she's an overweight lazy drunk with hair the color of compost and skin to match. Which is why when Hannah advertises for a housekeeper, Claire is confident she can apply and not be recognized. And since she has time on her hands, revenge on her mind and a talent for acting.

Because what better way to seek retribution - and redress - than from within the beautiful Mrs. Hannah Carter's own home?

Except that it's not just Claire who has secrets. Everyone in that house seems to have something to hide.

And now, there's no way out.

Growing up, Claire had it all ... money, family and a future. But that all disappeared after a nanny named Hannah was hired by her family to take care of her younger brother and accused Claire’s dad of something terrible. It destroyed Claire’s family and according to Claire, wrecked her life. Now in her mid-20s, Claire is barely getting by ... she's working part-time in a doctor's office and giving him special "treatment" for extra pay. One day she sees Hannah in a fancy hair salon ... Hannah is now the rich and classy Mrs. Carter. Claire decides she's going to get revenge for all the wrongs Hannah had done to her family. She fakes her identity (hoping Hannah doesn't recognize her) and gets hired as Hannah’s housekeeper and nanny to her baby. Then she puts her plan into action.

This story is written in first person perspective in Claire's voice. When I started reading it, I didn't know what to make of it. It's not the usual kind of story I like. Right away, Claire is unlikable. She lies often and from her description of herself, she's not attractive but doesn't really care. If she was that gross, I found it unbelievable that she was able to successfully seduce her boss and thought she could seduce the rich and attractive Mr. Carter (who has a hot young wife). Instead of rising above what happened when she was younger, she didn't and blamed Hannah for her crappy life. Plus what kind of a person puts their life (such as it was) on hold to get revenge for something that happened 10 years ago? Claire wasn't seeking money ... all she wanted was Hannah to admit she made it all up. Huh??!! But I carried on and was curious to see how it was going to end. Then when the twist came, I wasn't buying it. The ending was ridiculous and unbelievable given Claire's actions and personality. As a head's up, there is swearing, violence and adult activity.

Dog & Bear Pub, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had a late lunch/early supper this afternoon on the patio at the Dog & Bear on Queen Street W (at Dovercourt).

Gord had beer battered haddock and fries (he said it was good).

NXNE Music Festival, Toronto, ON

I volunteered this week at the NXNE Music Festival ... it's my second time in three years.

NXNE is a legendary annual music festival held - almost - every June across downtown Toronto since 1995. The festival celebrates community and new music with showcases, parties and more.

Volunteer orientation was Monday evening at the NXNE headquarters, The Theatre Centre (Queen Street W/Dovercourt Road). I'd signed up for three shift volunteer shifts, all at the NXNE headquarters.

My volunteer teeshirt

Book ~ "How to Hack a Heartbreak" (2019) Kristin Rockaway

From Goodreads ~ Swipe right for love. Swipe left for disaster.

By day, Mel Strickland is an underemployed helpdesk tech at a startup incubator, Hatch, where she helps entitled brogrammers - "Hatchlings" - who can't even fix their own laptops but are apparently the next wave of startup geniuses. And by night, she goes on bad dates with misbehaving dudes she's matched with on the ubiquitous dating app, Fluttr.

But after one dick pic too many, Mel has had it. Using her brilliant coding skills, she designs an app of her own, one that allows users to log harrassers and abusers in online dating space. It's called JerkAlert and it goes viral overnight.

Mel is suddenly in way over her head. Worse still, her almost-boyfriend, the dreamy Alex Hernandez - the only non-douchey guy at Hatch - has no idea she's the brains behind the app. Soon, Mel is faced with a terrible choice: one that could destroy her career, love life, and friendships, or change her life forever.

Mel Strickland is in her mid-twenties and working in tech support at a male-dominated startup in New York City. Tired of dealing with rude men, both at work and on dating apps, she uses her coding skills to secretly build JerkAlert, a site where women can anonymously warn each other about bad dates and predatory behavior from men on the dating app, Fluttr. The site takes off, gaining more attention than Mel ever expected. As it goes viral, she struggles to balance the site's success, her job and a budding romance with a nice colleague named Alex, who might not be who he seems.

I was in the mood for something light and this kind of did the trick. It's written in first person perspective in Mel's voice. Mel has a job she hates but lots of student loan debt so feels trapped and has to put up with the crap of the men she works with, which no support from her male boss. But it did partly spur her into creating JerkAlert, using the skills she has but never really put them to use for herself. Happily she has three good friends who she sees often. She's looking for love but because of her father's cheating when she was younger, she's paranoid of all men. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

Book ~ "A Brilliant Death" (2016) Robin Yocum

From Goodreads ~ Amanda Baron died in a boating accident on the Ohio River in 1953. Or did she? 

While it was generally accepted that she had died when a coal barge rammed the pleasure boat she was sharing with her lover, her body was never found. Travis Baron was an infant when his mother disappeared. After the accident and the subsequent publicity, Travis’s father scoured the house of all evidence that Amanda Baron had ever lived and her name was never to be uttered around him. 

Now in high school, Travis yearns to know more about his mother. With the help of his best friend, Mitch Malone, Travis begins a search for the truth about the mother he never knew. The two boys find an unlikely ally: an alcoholic former detective who served time for falsifying evidence. Although his reputation is in tatters, the information the detective provides about the death of Amanda Baron is indisputable - and dangerous. 

Nearly two decades after her death, Travis and Mitch piece together a puzzle lost to the dark waters of the Ohio River. They know how Amanda Baron died and why. Now what do they do with the information?

This story takes place in the small town of Brilliant, OH, in the 1970s. Teenager Travis has always been told that his mom, Amanda, died in a boating accident in 1953 with her lover when he was a baby. No body was ever found and nobody in town really talks about it, especially his uncaring abusive father. Did she drown or did she fake her death so she could run off with her lover? Curious, Travis ropes his best friend, Mitch, who comes from a loving and stable family who take care of Travis often, into helping him dig into the past (they call it "Project Amanda"). Over the next few years, they find out the truth but don't know what to do about it.

I liked this story. It's told by Mitch years later (he became a journalist and also told his cousin, Duke's story in A Perfect Shot) and is written mostly in first person perspective in his voice. I don't usually enjoy young adults as the main characters but I found Mitch and Travis likeable. As a head's up, there swearing and violence.

Book ~ "The New Husband" (2020) D.J. Palmer

From Goodreads ~ What makes Simon Fitch so perfect?

- He knows all her favorite foods, music, and movies.
- Her son adores him. He was there when she needed him most.
- He anticipates her every need.
- He would never betray her like her first husband.

The perfect husband. He checks all the boxes.

The question is, why?

Nina Garrity learned the hard way that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But with Glen gone - presumably drowned while fishing on his boat - she couldn't confront him about the affair or find closure to the life he blew apart.

Now, a year and a half later, Nina has found love again and hopes she can put her shattered world back together. Simon, a widower still grieving the death of  his wife, thinks he has found his dream girl in Nina and his charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina's teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, while her friends see a different side to him and they aren't afraid to use the word obsession.

Nina works hard to bridge the divide that’s come between her daughter and Simon. She wants so badly to believe her life is finally getting back on track but she’ll soon discover that the greatest danger to herself and her children are the lies people tell themselves.

Nina’s husband, Glen, vanished two years ago without a trace. His boat turned up with some blood but no body. The police investigated but can't find out what happened to Glen ... did he drown or did he take off, leaving his family behind? Nina discovers Glen was cheating on her and left the family not very well off financially. 

A year and a half later, Nina has moved in with Simon,  a widower and a teacher at her daughter, Maggie's school. Connor, her teenage son, likes him but Maggie is waiting for her father to come back so doesn't accept Simon and thinks he is up to something. This causes friction within the family. Nina's friends think she has moved on too quickly but she disagrees and this puts distance between them. After all that Glen put her through, Simon seems perfect and wants to take care of her and her children.

This story was written in third person perspective from Nina's point of view and first person perspective in Maggie's voice. I was digging the story at first. Was Simon really scheming or not? Did Glen really abandon his family? Then everything started to be revealed and I found it unbelievable, which was disappointing. Nina was always taking Simon's side when Maggie made a fuss. She is a social worker and you'd think her first concern would have been (should have been!) her children, regardless of whether Simon was innocent or not. The ending was ridiculous.

"Queen of the Night Communion", Luminato Festival, Toronto, ON

I volunteered this evening at the world premiere of Queen of the Night Communion (it's Canadian) at the Metropolitan United Church (Queen Street W/Church Street W), part of Luminato Festival.

Sneak into church after dark for an unexpected opera experience that turns sacred space into sonic rebellion. Opera's most fascinating characters - the mad, the misunderstood, the magnificent - come to life in this immersive musical journey.

From Mozart to modern day, experience classical music unleashed from tradition. As voices echo through the grand architecture, performers move freely through the space, illuminating performances that challenge everything you thought you knew about opera. Part ritual, part concert, part revolution - this is opera reimagined for today's audience.

Director Michael Hidetoshi Mori transforms the historic space into an immersive realm where the Queen of the Night presides over a secret society, celebrating a thrilling blend of music that spans centuries. Whether you're an opera aficionado or complete newcomer, this unique production promises an unforgettable night of visual and musical wonder.

It was my first opera and the venue was lovely. The voices were strong and powerful.

Before it started ...

As the performers taken their bows at the end ...

Venerosa Natural Gelato, Toronto, ON

I stopped in at Venerosa Natural Gelato (Queen Street W/Niagara Street) this afternoon for a double scoop in a cup. 

I had gianduja (chocolate hazelnut) on the bottom and mint ‘ n chip on the top. Delicious and creamy! The mint ‘n chip gelato is made with REAL peppermint and it’s obvious. The gianduja was chocolaty with bits of hazelnuts. 

Book ~ "Why My Cat Is More Impressive Than Your Baby" (2019) Matthew Inman

From Goodreads ~ "Why My Cat Is More Impressive Than Your Baby" is chockfull of comics about cats, babies, dogs, lasers, selfies and pigeons! 

This book contains a vast wealth of never-before-seen comics, including informative guides, such as: 

• How to comfortably sleep next to your cat 
• 10 ways to befriend a misanthropic cat 
• How to hold a baby when you are not used to holding babies 
• A dog’s guide to walking a human being 
• How to cuddle like you mean it

If you are a cat lover like me, you'll find this book funny.

It's a quick read as it's just colourful and black and white graphics.

Some of the topics include:

• How to tell if your cat thinks you're not that big of a deal
• Cat vs baby: tactical analysis
• How to cuddle like you mean it
• Diary entries of cats versus babies

Honeycomb (aka Newfie) knitted mittens

I just finished knitting a pair of Honeycomb (aka Newfie) mittens to donate ... the colours are black and periwinkle.

I used 4 ply yarn and 5mm double pointed needles.

Wrist

1. With A, cast on 42 sts
2. Knit 1, purl 1 for 18 rows
3. Purl
4. Purl, increasing 2 stitches on each needle for a total of 48 stitches

Pattern

1.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
2. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
3. Purl 2 rows with A
4. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
5. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
6. Purl 2 rows with A
7.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
8. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
9. Purl 2 rows with A
10. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
11. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
12. Purl 2 rows with A

Thumb

1. In step 12 above, purl 2, put 7 stitches on a stitch holder for the thumb and cast on 7 stitches, purl to the end.  Purl 1 row.

Mitten

1. Knit the pattern until long enough (I did 6)
2. Knit 1 row
3. *Knit 4, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
4. Knit 2 rows
5. *Knit 3, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
6. Knit 2 rows
7. *Knit 2, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
8. Knit 2 rows
9. *Knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
10. Thread the yarn through remaining the loops and pull tight
11. Weave end inside

Thumb

1. With A, pick up the 7 stitches from the holder
2. Pick up 7 stitches around the thumb hole for a total of 14 stitches
3. Knit to fit length of thumb
4. Knit 2 together all around
5. Thread the yarn through the remaining loops and pull tight
6. Weave end inside

"Rainbow Dreams", Luminato Festival, Toronto, ON

Luminato Festival started today. I had signed up to spend the afternoon volunteering at Rainbow Wheel, which is part of Rainbow Dreams, at Brookfield Place. 

The Experience

Amid the rush of the day, find a moment to pause, play, and reconnect. Three vibrant, site-specific environments—each infused with Hiromi Tango's signature rainbow aesthetic—invite you to explore pathways toward well-being. These installations are designed to spark joy, movement, and reflection, reminding us that mental health is an active, creative practice.

Internationally acclaimed artist Hiromi Tango brings her transformative vision to Toronto for the first time in North America. Drawing from her extensive body of work, these environments feature designs uniquely inspired by Toronto's striking glass towers and dynamic energy, offering spaces of color, playfulness, and mindfulness. In collaboration with neuroscientist Dr. Emma Burrows, Tango transforms the rainbow into more than just a symbol—it becomes a practice, nurturing the most valuable space we own: the one square foot between our ears.

There are three parts to Rainbow Dreams and I checked out the first one before my shift.

WONDER with Rainbow Garden at Bay Adelaide Centre: Immerse yourself in Garden, a whimsical landscape of oversized rainbow flowers and interactive elements. This gentle wonderland invites you to embrace playfulness as a source of joy and renewal.

I headed to Brookfield Place and started my shift at Rainbow Wheel.

Book ~ "Believe Me" (2018) J.P. Delaney

From Goodreads ~ A struggling actor, a Brit in America without a green card, Claire needs work and money to survive. Then she gets both. But nothing like she expected.

Claire agrees to become a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers. Hired to entrap straying husbands, she must catch them on tape with their seductive propositions. The rules? Never hit on the mark directly. Make it clear you’re available but he has to proposition you, not the other way around. The firm is after evidence, not coercion. The innocent have nothing to hide.

Then the game changes.

When the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered, the cops are sure the husband is to blame. Desperate to catch him before he kills again, they enlist Claire to lure him into a confession.

Claire can do this. She’s brilliant at assuming a voice and an identity. For a woman who’s mastered the art of manipulation, how difficult could it be to tempt a killer into a trap? But who is the decoy ... and who is the prey?

Claire is a Brit, living in New York and taking acting classes. Because she doesn't have a green card, she can't legally work so she works for cash for a law firm. She uses her acting ability to trick cheating husbands into making passes at her and bring the evidence back to the spouse who hired the law firm. After one encounter when a husband rebuffs her advances, his wife is found murdered and Patrick, the husband, is the prime suspect. Claire is approached by the police to go undercover and get close to Patrick and get him to confess.

Up until this point, I was enjoying the story. Then it got weird and confusing and unbelievable and went in so many strange directions ... I wasn't digging it anymore and I wasn't sure what was real. Had I known where it was going to go at times, I wouldn't have read it as it's just not something I'm into.

In the beginning, I liked the writing style. It was written in first person perspective in Claire's voice and third person perspective with other characters. It was interesting when it switched to screenplay mode with dialogue and stage directions, considering Claire is an actress. Patrick was a translator of the works of a 17th century poet and there was a lot of the verses of his poems ... zzzzz. As a head's up, there was swearing and adult activity.