Scarborough Bluffs

Gord, KC and I checked out Bluffer's Park and Scarborough Bluffs this morning. The Bluffs run 14 kms (8.7 miles) reaching as high as 65 metres (210 ft), which is the equivalent of seventeen storeys.

Very cool, especially with the leaves changing colours.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada. Unlike the American tradition of remembering Pilgrims and settling in the New World, Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest. The harvest season falls earlier in Canada than the United States.

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer named Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlement in Northern America. In 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This is considered the first Canadian Thanksgiving. Other settlers arrived and continued these ceremonies. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay.

At the same time, French settlers, crossed the ocean and arrived in Canada with explorer, Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. They even formed 'The Order of Good Cheer' and gladly shared their food with their Indian neighbours.

After the Seven Year's War ended in 1763, the citizens of Halifax held a special day of Thanksgiving.

During the American Revolution, Americans who remained loyal to England moved to Canada where they brought the customs and practices of the American Thanksgiving to Canada. There are many similarities between the two Thanksgivings such as the cornucopia and pumpkin pie.

Eventually in 1879, Parliament declared November 6 a day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Over the years many dates were used for Thanksgiving. The most popular was the third Monday in October. After World War I, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11 occurred. In 1931, the two days became separate holidays and Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day.

On January 31, 1957, Parliament proclaimed ... A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed ... to be observed on the second Monday in October.

What Breed of Dog Are You?

You Are a Siberian Husky

You love to stay active, especially if running is involved. You are athletic and strong. Working out and playing sports just feels like fun to you. You are cooperative and friendly. You get along with others, especially when you're on a team together. You have strong instincts. It's sometimes hard to ignore what the voice in your head is saying.

What Breed of Dog Are You?

Thanksgiving dinner

There are five full bellies here now!

We had our Thanksgiving turkey dinner this evening.

Here's ours ... dirty mashed potatoes, gravy (um ... from a can), stuffing (er ... from a box) and Butterball boneless turkey breast.


And the kids had a special meal too!

Turkey and giblets in gravy (um ... from packages).


Everything was delish!

Humber Bay Park East

Gord, KC and I went for a walk around Humber Bay Park East this afternoon.

KC and I hadn't been there since August.

It is a lovely day for a walk ... sunny and warm (19C).

Book ~ "The Dog Dialed 911" (2006) The Smoking Gun

From Amazon.com ~ The most hilarious and outrageous true stories collected in 10 years (almost) of the world's funniest investigative reporting. Proof that truth really is stranger than fiction! This wildly entertaining book features excerpts from a wide array of public documents--court transcripts, FBI files, contract riders, morgue and police reports, etc.--that hilariously illuminate some of the most important, scandalous, or bizarre news stories to make headlines in recent years. Wittily and ingeniously organized as a book of lists, The Dog Dialed 911 reveals, among many other things:

* 7 things you should never tell a cop
* 3 ineffective ways to kill your spouse
* 5 dumb things to steal
* 2 tales of terrifying toilets
* 4 of Bill O'Reilly's favorite pick-up lines
* 3 gay wedding registries
* 5 of the most embarrassing Bush family arrests
* 6 really bad bosses
* 4 reasons why man is not a dog's best friend

The brilliant creators of the highly popular Web site TheSmokingGun.com have combed their archives to produce a book that will make readers laugh, and laugh again, on virtually every page. • The Dog Dialed 911 rivals the best of the Onion and Darwin Awards collections, and is sure to be embraced by readers who propelled those books into long-term bestsellerdom. • Not only did the Smoking Gun shatter James Frey's literary career into a million little pieces, but TSG consistently makes headlines with its revelations about celebrities and political leaders behaving badly.

Some funny stories! I occasionally go into the Smoking Gun website.

Visit with Jasmine, Grant and Nova

Remember Jasmine, Grant and Nova? Our neighbours who moved to Dartmouth in April?

They are in town for the long weekend and stopped in for a visit.

It was great to see them!

Jasmine, Nova and Grant

Me and Nova

Nova

Grant, Nova and Jasmine next to their spiffy rental car

Grant, Jasmine, Nova and Gord

Grant, Jasmine, Nova and me

Everyone got strapped in, including Nova, and they headed to Whitby to have Thanksgiving dinner with family. Then they are heading to Kingston for a couple days to spend with Grant's mom and sister, before flying home to Dartmouth on Monday.

Pretty in pink

I saw this cement truck in the parking lot of the grocery store earlier today.


It is in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Excellent!

It's a beautiful day

To quote U2 ... it's a beautiful day.

KC and I had a great walk this morning. We went for a long walk around our neighbourhood.

It's sunny and warm ... we are expecting a high of 19C today.

Whoohoo!

How tough am I?!

I saw this over at Prodigity's Art, who is a lot tougher than I am ...

13

The Pizza Test

Cuz you know I love pizza!!

Your Pizza Says:

You love the food you grew up eating, and it's mostly what you still eat. You don't go for a big variety of foods. You just have a few favorites you stick to. Pizza Topping You Should Try: Sausage or Canadian bacon Stay away from: Anything you can't pronounce

The Pizza Test

Happy Seven Restaurant

CityNews has disclosed that rats have been spotted in the windows of the Happy Seven Restaurant in Chinatown (Spadina/Dundas).


And here's a fella cleaning itself right next to the Toronto Public Health "Pass" sign that was given to the restaurant just a week ago.


Gross!

Happily the Happy Seven was shut down today.

I used to eat there fairly often years ago. I'm glad I haven't been there lately!