Chllin' Chicks' weekend - Sunday

I took Taffy and Misty for a walk to the lake (Lake Sturgeon), which is about a five minute walk. The path was really muddy and slippery ...

... but worth the walk!

We walked into the water and it was surprisingly not that cold (Misty swam for a bit and Taffy went up to her belly).

When we got back, Smitty (Ron and Deb's friend) was making breakfast.

Breakfast is served ... Franca, Liz, Teena and Deb


Melon wrapped in prosciutto along with French toast (made with jalepeno corn bread) stuffed with peaches ... yum!

I love this swing! So comfy and relaxing.

Chillin' Chicks weekend

It's the annual Chillin' Chicks weekend away when we head to Deb and Ron's place in Dunsford (a couple hours NE of Toronto). Deb lives just outside of Toronto during the week and goes home on the weekends.

It was my turn to drive and Liz and Franca were my navigators. We missed a turnoff and ended up in Peterborough (about 50 kms east off the mark). We were starving so stopped at McDonalds for a late lunch.

Franca and Liz

We got back on the road and found our way.

Liz made muffins ... er, I mean, cupcakes for dessert.


Ron and Deb's place is on Sturgeon Lake ... here's the view from their deck. The lake is just down the street.


Looks like Franca enjoyed herself catching some rays! It was sunny and hot.

Ron, Deb and Liz chillaxed too.


Ron BBQed a delicious pork roast for supper.

Deb and Liz were looking ... er, stylish.


The sun set on the lake.

Brazen Head Pub, Toronto, ON

It was such a gorgeous day that I met Gord after work on the patio of the Brazen Head Pub.

Here's looking eastward towards downtown. The red building in front of the CN Tower is the chapel of the former women's prison (from the 1800s).


Gord on the patio

Gord's beer (he took this pic)


Cead Mile Failte ... a hundred thousand welcomes!

Happy dog!

It's a gorgeous day today!

Hot and sunny!

Just the kind of day KC loves ... so she can snooze on the steps!

Whazzup?

Something was going on on the terrace that caught the boys' attention.



KC could care less.


Then Byron got distracted by chewing on the blinds (he won't stop so we have admitted defeat and just keep replacing them with really really cheap blinds).

Spa day for Maya

Remember the other day when I went into a frenzy and cleaned out the kitchen cupboards and drawers?

It was our car, Maya's turn. Yes, Gord named our car!

It hasn't been cleaned, inside or out, in about a year. And if you have a dog like we do, you can imagine the amount of nose prints on the windows.

So I took it to the car wash. I love going through the car wash!

Next was vacuuming. I was going to do it at home ... but that meant parking illegally on the sidewalk in front of our place and dragging our vacuum cleaner outside. Instead I decided to pay $2 and use theirs instead. They'd be more powerful, right?

Wrong!

Plus the nozzle was big so I couldn't get in the hard-to-reach areas. But I did the best I could with what I had. Next time, I'll save the $2 and use my own!

When I got home, I cleaned the windows and interior.

Maya looks and smells good now!

Trinity Bellwood Park

KC and I walked over to Trinity Bellwoods Park and back this morning.



She loves this park! Lots to sniff and she does a lot of running around. She's very lively for an old girl (she's 13)!





There were lots of dogs in the park ... probably with dog walkers/sitters.



As usual, KC headed for one of her plant patches and gleefully started munching.



She goes insane for these plants, whatever they are! So I tried one to see what the fuss is all about. There's not much of a taste and it's a bit bitter.


We cut back through CAMH on our way home.

Cleaning frenzy!

I'm not into housework.

But there are some things that have been bugging me lately.

Like the kitchen cupboards ... they were a mess! No rhyme or reason. Stuff stuffed in because there was space available.

So this afternoon I organized a couple of the lower ones (under the sink and the one next to it) ... which prompted me to have to organize the upper one next to the fridge because the soup belongs up there, not in the lower one where I found them.

Which led me to organize the drawers. I put the spices in alphabetical order and discovered that I have three packages of ground cumin. Why, I wonder? I never use cumin ... I guess I'll have to start.

Then I cleaned up the shelves where we keep the dishes and glasses.

Lots of work but it needed to be done. I felt so much better afterwards.

Book ~ "Plum Lucky" (2008) Janet Evanovich

From Amazon.com ~ Stephanie Plum's kooky Grandma Mazur finds a duffle full of money on the street and hightails it to Atlantic City. When Stephanie learns that the money was stolen from Delvina, a notorious Trenton mobster, she and her friend Lula head off in pursuit. In Atlantic City, the Jersey bounty hunter discovers she's not the only one after Grandma after meeting Snuggy, an ex-jockey who originally stole the money and is convinced he's a leprechaun. With her on-again off-again boyfriend Morelli tied up with a murder case and the sexy Ranger otherwise occupied, Stephanie turns to the mysterious Diesel for help. As she tries to keep Grandma safe and fend off the advances of Diesel amid the slot machines and craps tables, Stephanie realizes she may be in over her head. With her trademark wit, cast of eccentric side characters and hilariously absurd plot twists, Evanovich treats her fans to a delightful miniadventure sure to whet their appetites for the next full-length Plum escapade.

Though I do enjoy the Stephanie Plum books, I haven't enjoyed the "between the numbers". But this one wasn't too bad.

I still think it's dumb that Diesel is some kind of spirit but it didn't bug me as much as it has in the past. Lulu is her outrageous self (she's going to be a supermodel!). Snuggy, in addition to thinking he is a leprechaun and can make himself disappear, carries on some interesting conversations with animals including Doug, the horse.

It's a quick read and sticks with Evanovich's Stephanie Plum style.

Communicate 2 B Great!

Tonight I went to a workshop conducted by my pal (and Boxing Babe), Yvette, called Communicate 2 B Great. She recently became a NLP Practitioner.

I want to give you a sample of what NLP has done for me and could very easily do for you immediately! The seminar is called Communicate 2 B Great and, within hours, I am confidant that you will be thinking differently about what communication means to you and more importantly to other people! Learn to relate and participate in life in all contexts of your life : career, family, relationships, spirituality, etc.

If you would like to attend this workshop, she is having another one on Thursday night and there is still some space. Go here for more info.

Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto, ON

Gord and I took KC for a walk along part of Humber Bay this afternoon. We don't live far from there, about a ten minute drive.

Here's looking east towards downtown from where we started out walk.

KC headed to the water's edge. She never goes in, though.

Gord and KC heading westbound. We walked to the other side of Humber Bridge (that's the white bridge) and back.

KC was having fun running around!

Gord just before we got to the Humber Bridge.

KC at the Sheldon Lookout.

Gord and KC at the Sheldon Lookout.

Looking eastwards from the Sheldon Lookout towards downtown ... not a very summery day!


We bought ice creams at the ice cream truck on our way back to the car.