Cute kitties

I got my hair trimmed this afternoon at Ocean Salon in our 'hood.

Nadia, the owner, had daughter's two kittens in the shop.

They are only seven weeks old and soooooo sweet!

Another personality test

I saw this over at Mom's Musings ...

Your answers suggest you are a Provider


The four aspects that make up this personality type are:

Summary of Providers

* Warm, caring people who value order and tradition
* Loyal workers who follow through on commitments
* Think of themselves as sympathetic, easy-going and steady
* They don't feel comfortable with radical change

Providers like to make plans with other people and then to work with them towards achievable goals in a fun, harmonious environment. They support people that are important to them and respect their individuality.

Providers have traditional values and support order and responsible behaviour. They enjoy social events, particularly family celebrations, and often help plan them. Providers work hard to avoid conflict, but they will state their beliefs when they think it is suitable.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Providers may doubt their abilities and focus solely on the needs of other people. Under extreme stress, Providers may withdraw completely and become excessively critical of themselves and others.

Providers prefer warm, face-to-face communication and often express their ideas by telling stories from their own lives.

Provider Careers ~ Providers are often drawn to jobs in education, health care or religion.

You can do it here.

Sunnyside Beach

KC and I went to Sunnyside Beach for a while this afternoon.


There weren't too many people there.


There were boaters.


It's a nice place to read.


KC checked out the water conditions sign (it is a red flag day ... wavy).


Guess who needed a bath when we got home!


Guess who got a bath when we got home!

Book ~ "Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith's Death" (2008) Rita Cosby

From Amazon.com~ This is a story of deception, secret deals and a firestorm of trouble.

Anna Nicole Smith: she was famous for being famous. She was Americana at its scarlet letter wearing best - a bodacious young girl from Texas who remade herself into the centerfold of the world. She was a Playboy star, a stripper, a "gold-digger," a "dumb blonde" who nevertheless found herself before the Supreme Court of the United States. Easy to dismiss, she was nevertheless, a complex character - helpless yet brazen, beautiful yet ugly, outwardly confident yet inwardly frightened. Her tragic life and untimely death evoke an odd mix of fascination, shock, and dismay. And through it all, there exists a voracious thirst to discover more about who she actually was, what motivated her, and especially how she really died.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably think you know all there is to know. She overdosed. She was a drug addict.

In a book that is sure to shock even the most avid pop culture junkies, Rita Cosby blows the lid off of the story of the year. After an in-depth investigation, this is the definitive journalistic account of the Anna Nicole Smith saga - with unearthed secrets and explosive, never-before-told information.

To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of Anna Nicole Smith. But this book interested me because I'm into Hollywood gossip.

Howard Stern is a slimy dog. Larry Birkhead starts out being a hero, until he falls under Howard's spell and gets greedy.

Definitely a good read!

Book ~ "The Last Lecture" (2008) Randy Pausch

From www.thelastlecture.com ~ A lot of professors give talks titled “The Last Lecture.” Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can’t help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?

When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn’t have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave - “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” - wasn’t about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because “time is all you have ... and you may find one day that you have less than you think”). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

Excellent book! If you haven't read it, you should. It's a quick read.

Randy is leaving behind life lessons/reminders for his three young children such as tell the truth all the time, taking risks, and accepting criticism (because it means they care enough and haven't given up on you).

Watch The Last Lecture

Dianne Sawyer's ABC Special interview

Randy's homepage

The Cock & Tail, Toronto, ON

I read about a new pub in our 'hood in the latest issue of Toronto Life called The Cock & Tail.

We stopped in for a drink tonight on our way home after the play.

Helen, one of the owners, was behind the bar and chatted with us for a bit.

Gord liked it because they had microbrew drafts on tap.

We'll check it out again!

"It's Just a Phase", Fringe Festival, Toronto, ON

Though Gord and I love live theatre, we've never checked out the Fringe Festival.

Tonight we saw It's Just a Phase at the Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace. This theatre holds 150 people and the play was sold out. Tix were only $10 and the play was an hour long.



From the Toronto Star ~ This show is such delightful tongue-in-cheek fun, it's given a whole new meaning to the words "summer camp."

Girl-meets-girl, girl-loses-girl and girl's mother, convinced it too shall pass, tries to set her up with a friend's son, forgetting you can lead a horse (lesbian or not) to water but you can't make her drink. Meanwhile, her sister avoids confronting her sexuality, maintaining her affection for "hard rock, roller coasters and penis" means she's on the straight path.

And that's all you need to know, other than this is one of the giddiest, joyous, liveliest shows at the Fringe this year. With loads of conviction, most of the cast thrives. But hands down, the night belonged to Lauren Ash, who stole the show with her razor-sharp timing, quick delivery and killer comedic instincts. Her surprising turn with a melancholic ballad gave this show some serious heart and soul.

It's a fast-moving hour with a wicked sense of humour and destined for a longer run.

It was a funny play and we enjoyed it!

Lisa Toole was Alexis (the girl who got dumped) and she was so-so, not great. Lauren Ash was Alexis sister, Helen, and she was excellent, as was Ashley Botting who was Helen's friend, Tonya.

Book ~ "Fire Up Your Metabolism" (2004) Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames

From Amazon.com ~ You may not realize it but you can take control of your metabolism. Identical twins and registered dietitians, Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames embarked on a twin study to determine precisely what does and doesn't increase the rate at which our bodies burn calories and fat. Their findings? Small changes have big results. The nine weight-loss principles and the 200 tips that help you incorporate them into your lifestyle in Fire Up Your Metabolism are surprisingly simple: Eat breakfast before you get to work. Learn which sugary snacks trump others (peanut M&Ms boost metabolism but Twizzlers don't). Drink water, which is essential to burning calories. Always eat dinner, even if it's late. Focus on muscle building, not cardiovascular workouts. With Fire Up Your Metabolism, you won't have to avoid restaurants or follow a diet (though one is included if you like regimentation). The fatigue and distracting hunger that derail most dieters won't affect you because revving your metabolism is all about eating. You will enjoy breads and other carbohydrates. You will boost your metabolism with power proteins, including hamburgers, and avoid other proteins that bog you down. You will indulge in snacks you thought a dieter could never touch. Lyssie and Tammy's clients have experienced not only dramatic weight loss but also the thrill of having more energy than ever before. Now you, too, can rewire your metabolism to lose weight fast and forever.

To be honest, there is nothing new in this book. But it's an excellent book!

What are the nine principles?

1. Never skip meals.
2. Eat at the right times.
3. Choose a diet rich in the best carbohydrates.
4. Appropriately time intake of lean proteins.
5. Drink appropriate amounts of certain beverages at specific times.
6. Eat a diet low in "bad" fat.
7. Get enough sleep every night.
8. Find surprising ways to stay active.
9. Incorporate muscle strengthening in your exercise routine.

Everything is well explained. There are food lists, sample meals, workouts, etc.

I read this book a couple years ago and it was a good reminder for me.

Metro Hall farmers' market

There is a farmers' market every Thursday at Metro Hall Square along with entertainment.

We knew Gord would be there at lunchtime so KC and I walked downtown to surprise him.

KC has to sniff everything so it took us over an hour (it's a 30 minute walk for Gord and I) to get there. It worked out well as Gord was just coming out of his building.

The entertainment today was a blues singer named Harrison Kennedy. He was good!


There's Gord!


There were some fries under the table next to us that KC had to have ... but I wouldn't let her have any. But she was determined!


There were lots of vendors selling veggies, fruit, cheese, honey, bagels, flowers, etc.

Hungry?


It's a nice place to spend some time!


Gord had to go back to work and KC and I took the streetcar home.

KC has been sleeping and snoring since we got home. It was quite an adventure for her!

What Time of Day Are You?

I saw this over at Vader's Mom's ...



I am soooooooooooo not a morning person! My body likes waking up around 8am.

Hell's Kitchen finale

Hell's Kitchen's finale was tonight.

Though I was cheering for Petrozza ...

Christina won ... Congrats!


I thought it was hilarious when Jen asked Ramsay for a letter of reference. What a whacko!

Book ~ "Sugar Daddy" (2007) Lisa Kleypas

From Amazon.com ~ Money is tight while Liberty Jones is growing up in Welcome, Texas, but somehow she and her mother Diana manage. Having good friends like Miss Marva, Lucy Reyes, and especially Hardy Cates, on whom Liberty has a crush, helps. Then tragedy strikes and Liberty must take care of her younger sister and find a way to support them. Hard work and determination get Liberty through cosmetology school, then, while working in a Houston salon, she meets wealthy older businessman Churchill Travis, who offers her a job as his personal assistant. At first Liberty is reluctant to accept, especially since Churchill's son, Gage, seems to think she's a gold digger. Then, just as Liberty is settling into her new life and her initially frosty relationship with Gage is heating up and turning romantic, Hardy Cates, her first unrequited love, reappears. New York Times best-seller and RITA Award winner Kleypas moves from historical romance into contemporary women's fiction with an emotionally compelling and superbly satisfying tale of family, friendship, hope, and love.

The story itself was okay, though I found it spent way too much time on Liberty's teen crush of Hardy. I know it was setting us up for their eventual meeting years later. But what does a 15 year old know about life and love?! Yet Liberty carried the memory of Hardy with her until her mid-20s.

The writing style was fast and enjoyable, though weirdly descriptive at times.

Would I recommend it? Though I don't usually read romances, yes. Especially if you are looking for a fairly light read.

Oolong tea

My friend, Deb, was telling me about oolong tea a couple weeks ago.

I remembered our conversation today and found an ezine article called Oolong Tea - The Weight Loss Tea.

Here's a snippet from the article:

Health Benefits

Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea – and therefore becoming the most popular teas designed to accelerate weigh loss.

Drinking two cups of Oolong tea every day not only helps shed stubborn pounds by boosting your metabolism but also blocks the fattening effects of carbohydrates.

Oolong tea promotes beauty and health and contains a large quantity of polyphenol which:

- promotes strong, healthy teeth;
- improves cognitive functioning and mental well-being;
- preventing eczema, allergies;
- clarifies your skin, giving it a healthy, radiant glow and
- strengthens your immune system.

Oolong tea endorsed by Oprah.

I asked Gord to pick some up today. I'll start it tomorrow.

Have you ever tried oolong tea?

Rum Runner Ribs

We had Gord's Rum Runner Ribs for supper tonight.

They had been marinating since Friday.

They went on the BBQ:


After the first flip:


Gord putting on more sauce:


And they are ready!


And they were delicious!

Gord veered off the recipe because (1) he marinated them in the sauce all weekend and (2) he didn't parboil them first.

Book ~ "The Dead Room" (2008) Heather Graham

From Amazon.com ~ At the start of this chilling paranormal thriller, anthropologist Leslie MacIntyre eagerly accepts an invitation to work on an archeological dig near New York City's Hastings House, a historic building that survived the explosion which a year earlier seriously injured her and killed her fiancé, Matt Connolly. As a temporary resident of Hastings House, Leslie, who has developed the ability to communicate with ghosts, sees Matt in her dreams, complete with convincing erotic love scenes. A secondary plot adds to the intrigue as Matt's cousin, PI Joe Connolly, searches for a missing social worker, whose disappearance may be linked to that of local prostitutes. Leslie's paranormal powers lead her to not only important archeological discoveries but also grave personal danger. The intense, unexpected conclusion will leave readers well satisfied.

I have to disagree with Amazon's comment that the conclusion left me "well satisified". Far from it.

It sounded like an interesting premise ... but I can't say anything good about it. The "sex scenes" with Matt, the ghost, were dumb. Joe, the cousin, was drab. I didn't care about Leslie at all. I didn't like the writing. To be honest, I didn't care who "dunnit" ... I just wanted to be finished. I saw the happy ending coming ... dumb dumb dumb!

This was the first book I've read by Graham and I won't be reading any others.

Peterborough Ribfest

After the liftlock cruise, Gord and I walked a couple blocks to the downtown area.

We stumbled upon the Peterborough Ribfest and we stayed for a couple hours. There were lots of people. What a great time!

Mill Street Brewery was the beer supplier. Glasses were $5 at the entrance and beer was $2 (for 10 ounces).

Gord

I was driving home so slowly drank two glasses of the Stock Ale. Gord enjoyed more of the Tankhouse Ale.

There were bands playing continuously. The best was Colt Harley, who arrived on Harleys. They rocked! According to the emcee, they drive the Harleys in The Love Guru.


There were five vendors selling BBQed ribs, chicken and pulled pork sandwiches.

Because Gord has ribs marinating for supper tomorrow night, we got pulled pork sandwiches from Gator BBQ (of Florida). They were HUGE! And oh so good!

Gord

Sean and Brad (who live in Peterborough) hung out with us a couple times. Nice guys to yak with!

Liftlock cruise, Peterborough, ON

This morning Gord and I did a two hour liftlock cruise on the Otonabee River in Peterborough (about 1.5 hours NE of Toronto) on the Trent-Severn Waterway with Single Horizons. It was a fun experience!

Here's the marina ...

... where we caught our boat:


We went through two lifts, turned around and came back. Here's the first one (it was small):

Our boat sailed in as close to the gate as possible. A gate closed behind us (it's a manual process).


Then water was slowly let into the area we were in, which raised the boat to the level of the water on the other side, and the gate was opened.

Gord

Teena

Here's looking back at it.

The next one was really cool! The dual lifts are the highest hydraulic boat lifts in the world, rising 19.8 m (65 ft).


No external power is needed, the lift lock functions by gravity alone using a counterweight system. When one side reaches the top position it stops about 5 cm (2 inches) below the adjoining canal's water level. When the gates open, water flows into the ship basin until the water level rebalances. The weight of the extra water is enough to power the hydraulic lift. As the top level lowers to the bottom position it pushes the other side up to the top position where the cycle starts over again.

We sailed a bit and then turned around and came back.

We are going back down the duals lifts again.


We had to go through the smaller one again.

Teena

Gord

There is a lovely fountain in the harbour.