Cherry Blossoms, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

Though it's a bit late this year, it's cherry blossom time in Toronto.  

There are various parks you can go to see them. The closest park to us is Trinity Bellwoods Park and they started blooming there last week. Cherry blossom time doesn't last long so everyone flocks to see them while they last.  

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

I visited KC's tree at Trinity Bellwoods Park this afternoon while I was checking out the cherry blossoms in the park. I was there a couple weeks ago the trees hadn't started coming alive yet. There are now trees with a fair amount of leaves and KC's tree is starting to bud.

Book ~ "The Big Empty" (2025) Robert Crais

From Goodreads ~ Traci Beller was thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family but Traci never believed it. The police couldn't find her dad and neither could the detectives her mother hired but now, ten years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire a new detective: Elvis Cole.

Taking on a ten-years-cold missing person case is almost always a loser but Elvis heads to Rancha where he learns an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister and dangerous. Elvis calls in his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, to help, but even Pike might not be able to help.

As Elvis Cole and Joe Pike follow Tommy Beller's trail into the twisted nightmare depths of a monstrous evil, the case flips on its head. Victims become predators, predators become prey and when everyone is a victim, can Elvis Cole save them all?

In a case that tests Elvis Cole's loyalty to his clients and himself, the truth must come out no matter the cost. Elvis must face The Big Empty and see justice done.

Elvis Cole is a private detective and is hired by Traci, an influencer and baker, to find her father. Tommy had disappeared on his way home from work 10 years ago. Traci's mother had hired a private detective to find him but nothing came of it so she had him declared legally dead. With the 10 year anniversary of his disappearance coming up, Traci wants Elvis to reopen the case and find out what happened to her father. Ten years is a long time and a lot of the people from the initial investigation are dead or have moved. Elvis finds a witness who hadn't been interviewed all those years ago and this eventually provides him with more clues to follow and he does eventually find out what happened, which provides him with a moral dilemma.

I discovered the Elvis Cole series in the 1990s.  What attracted me to it was that Elvis was funny and tried to be charming ... the books were a fun read.  I found the last few in the series more heavy and serious and not as much fun and didn't really enjoy them. This book seemed to be reminiscent of the earlier books ... yay! It's written in first person perspective when the focus is on Elvis and third person perspective when it's Joe Pike, Elvis' friend and partner (always fun to have Joe in a book!), and the "kill car" (I wasn't crazy about the kill car chapters).  Though it's #20 in the series, it works as a stand alone. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Honeycomb (aka Newfie) knitted mittens

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

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

Book ~ "Famous Last Words" (2025) Gillian McAllister

From Goodreads ~ It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there and in his place is a cryptic note.

Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman.

What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says ...

Camilla has been off on maternity leave and is heading back to work. When she wakes up that morning, Luke, her husband, is nowhere to be found. He isn't answering texts and she then finds a short odd note from him. After she drops their daughter off at daycare, she goes to the office, excited to start her day. She's not there long before there is a hostage situation in a warehouse and police determine that Luke is involved. They arrive at Camilla's office to take her home. Things go wrong ... one hostage is released, two hostages are shot and killed and Luke has disappeared.

Seven years later, Luke is still missing and Cam is still trying to move on with her life. Not surprising it's hard because she still wonders what happened to make Luke kidnap and shoot the two hostages, which was out of character for him. And how the events unfolded still haunts Niall, the hostage negotiator.

I wasn't crazy about this story. I found it overly long and draggy. I could have done without Niall's side story of the break-up of his marriage and the time spent with a therapist still dealing with the hostage taking events and his marriage. There was so much of the book devoted to this. I can understand these things would bother him over the years but thought it could have been covered in a lot less detail. I could have also have done without all the time spend on Cam's older sister, Libby's desire to get pregnant. It didn't add to the mystery of what happened to Luke and why he did what he did, which to me was the point of the book.

It's written in third person perspective with a focus on Camilla and Niall. I didn't find Camilla overly likeable and I found Niall kind of boring. When the ending came (we finally find out what happened to Luke and why he did what he did), I thought "huh?" and I wasn't buying it. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "A Family Outing" (2016) Ruby Remenda Swanson

From Goodreads ~ Ruby Swanson’s life changed when her sixteen-year-old son walked to her office, closed the door and with his hand still on the doorknob said, “I’m gay.” Despite her initial reaction of shock, fear and denial, Ruby became a public advocate for equality and acceptance of the LGBT community. "A Family Outing" is the story of Ruby’s experiences. She addresses the deeply homophobic time in which baby boomers grew up, the emergence of the gay rights movement and how the AIDS epidemic transformed the LGBT landscape.

"A Family Outing" is a memoir about discovering gay great-uncles and learning about their lives. It is about operating spotlights at a drag queen show and about marching in Pride Parades. It is about the discrimination that gay people continue to face today and what emerges from the direct, clear-eyed prose. Finally, it is the picture of a woman who endured taunts from religious fundamentalists and political protestors to become an LGBT advocate.

This is a memoir by Ruby, an Alberta mom, who shares her journey after her oldest son, Carl, came out as gay when he was a teenager in 2003. At first, she struggles but the book tells about the about the ups and downs of that experience.

Swanson doesn’t just talk Carl's coming out to her family and friends. She also discusses society has treated LGBTQ+ people over the years, from the AIDS crisis to Pride marches. She discovers other gay family members along the way including a member of Lawrence Welk's band and a drag queen in Toronto.

I liked the writing style. There was a lot of interesting information and it was at a high enough level that it wasn't too much information. It's amazing that it wasn't until 1968 that Canada decriminalized homosexuality. The American Psychiatric Association didn't remove homosexuality from its manual of mental disorders until 1973. Gays and lesbians couldn't join the Canadian Armed Forces until 1992. Same-sex marriage in Canada wasn't legalized until 2005.

King Slice, Toronto, ON

I stopped in at King Slice (Queen Street W/Lisgar Street). It's been a while since I've been there. It was a busy spot!

I had a slice of pepperoni pizza for supper. Yum!

One Eyed Jack, Toronto, ON

I had supper at One Eyed Jack on Richmond Street W. 

I sat at the bar because the tables were full of Maple Leaf fans.

Free samples at SampleSource.com - April 2025

A couple weeks ago, I had answered an emailed survey from SampleSource and a box of free goodies and coupons just arrived. This is the 14th box of samples I've gotten from them since November  2013.

Crumpet and Muffin will be very happy because there are 3 packages of Whiskas morsels in gelled gravy (plus a coupon for 3 more free) and a package of Temptations Lickable Spoons (plus a coupon for another free one). 

 There is also a sample of Reactine (plus a $4 off coupon) and an Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablet (plus a coupon for 10% off). 

In addition, there are coupons for a free large bag of Kettle Brand air fried chips, a large bottle of Pure Leaf iced tea and a 12-pack case of lemon-lime grapefruit zero sugar 7Up.

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, ON

On my way to and after supper and Life After, I stopped by Nathan Phillips Square and our city hall.

5pm:

9:30pm:

"Life After", CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, ON

I enjoyed Life After with Anne and Franca this evening. at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre.

Here we are ...

Me, Anne and Franca

Despite being a famous self-help author, Frank Carter’s optimistic advice offers little solace to his 16-year-old daughter, Alice. After his untimely death, Alice embarks on a quest for truth, unravelling the events that changed her family forever.

It was funny and sad. The cast performed well. Julia Pulo especially stood out for me as Alice's goofy best friend, Hannah.

Milestone's Grill and Bar, Toronto, ON (Eaton Centre)

I had supper this evening with Franca and Anne at Milestones in the Eaton Centre. 

Franca had a Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl (warm crispy chicken bites, sweet chili sauce, sautéed vegetables, jasmine rice, crisp wontons, sesame seeds). She said it's what she always gets.

Anne had a Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Cap (Italian tomatoes, edamame, spinach, arugula, spiced tomato pepper sauce, Asiago cheese, tri-colour quinoa & rice pilaf, basil oil, seasonal vegetables). She said it was really good.

Book ~ "Blackout" (2018) Alex Segura

From Goodreads ~ Startling new evidence in a cold case that's haunted Pete drags the exiled PI back to his hometown of Miami. But as Pete and his partner, Kathy Bentley, delve deeper into the unsolved murder, they become entangled in Miami’s obsession with a charismatic and dangerous cult leader and his even more menacing followers. 

At the same time, the detectives find themselves at odds with a Florida politician’s fixation on wealth, fame and power. It all converges in the heart of the Magic City and Pete is left scrambling to pick up the pieces - or die trying. 

Pete was a former newspaper reporter and PI in Miami and now a PI in New York ... because of his last PI case in Miami, he was safer hiding out in New York. His friend, Jackie, was an attorney in Miami and asked him to work on a case that had ties to Miami. One of her clients, Trevor McRyan, was running for governor in Florida. Stephen, his son, had led a less than stellar life and had disappeared and his parents want him found and contained. There's another reason Jackie wants Pete back in Miami. Stephen may have something to do with the death of Patty, Jackie's niece and fellow high school student of Pete's, who he'd had a crush on. Patty's disappearance and murder about 20 years ago had never been solved so it was personal for Pete. So Pete headed back to Miami and he and Kathy, his former partner, investigated and caught up with a religious cult.

This is the fourth in the Pete Fernandez series (I read the first ones in the series recently) and, though it was very convoluted, I thought it was okay ... one more to go! It works as a stand alone but I'd recommend you read the others first to get the background. It is written in third person perspective with the focus on Pete. The timeline jumps back and forth and the chapters are labeled. I usually don't mind when a story does this but I found it confusing in this one. As a head's up, as usual, there is a lot of swearing and violence.

Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto, ON

It's a nice sunny day and I had the urge to head to the beach ... so I drove to Budapest Park and parked and went for a long walk along the Martin Goodman Trail.

Sunnyside Beach and pavilion

Then I headed along the boardwalk (Martin Goodman Trail).