August fun

I am serenading Summer goodbye. It has been a lovely season.

Here's a re-cap of my August.

Peach preserves with my lovely co-worker and friend. Chutney and relish.





Hubby and I had dinner and drinks with Joe, in town on his way to St. Lucia. Here's my delicious Pear Martini from The Drake:



And here is Hubby and Joe on the rooftop patio at The Drake. Hubby likes to pretend he's having a horrible time because he doesn't like getting his photo taken.



I was lucky to catch the reception for AWOL Gallery's Square Foot exhibit with my friend Mary who had three pieces in the show. What a great show! The reception was fabulous! Funky music, cold beer, and tons of hip art lovers. Hubby and I bought a piece and I can't wait to get it home!

Here's Mary, in town for a holiday and this show. Check out the square foot pieces behind her and then imagine a huge room with each wall covered in columns and rows of these paintings!




Here's me and Mary enjoying our hanging out time:



What else did I do in August?

A ferry ride back to the main land after a lovely wedding on Algonquin Island. Here's the beautiful view:



Alley Jaunt the day after the wedding. It doesn't look like much in this photo, but there is really interesting art to see and people to meet. My favourite was the poet Simla Civelek in the VW Van. Check it out next August!



An added bonus on the Jaunt - a bath tub of basil! I could smell it before I could see it. It was incredibly fragrant!



Half way through the Jaunt we stopped for nourishment at the funky, yummy Get Real on Ossington. Check out the grape in my water - delicious! (There's my guide and Alley Jaunt passport. I have my passport at work with all its cool stamps and marks. A nice reminder of a lovely month.)



Another lovely August event was a wee bridal shower at La Tea Da on Queen East. Here's the High Tea tray that we enjoyed. (Can you tell I like food?)

Weird homeowner stuff

I have lots of really fun things to blog about, but first I have to get a rant out of the way.

When I thought of being a homeowner again, I never expected I'd have to deal with a sick (or possibly just lazy) pigeon hanging out in the entry way to our tenant's basement apartment. I found the pigeon there last night around seven o'clock. I heard something scuffling about and, knowing our tenant is out of town, went to check it out. At first I thought it was a skunk. At closer inspection I realized it was a fat pigeon. It seemed injured or a little sick. It didn't even flinch with Hubby tossed a pebble close to it to see if it would move along on its own. It just sat in the corner and added to its dung pile.

I called the Humane Society and they directed me to the City. I called the City and was told they'd only send someone after-hours if it was a real emergency. I wasn't willing to get close enough to the bird to assess for a 'real emergency'. I was told that even if it was a real emergency I'd have to put the bird in a box before anyone would be dispatched to get it. That's right, Folks. I would have to corner the pigeon, pick it up, and put it in a box myself. No thanks. (At this point I'm thank the Universe that it's not a skunk)! She couldn't tell me if the shelter would expect me to handle the bird in the morning. I was told to call back at 8:30am.

I call at 8:30am. I was told the shelter doesn't open until 10:30 on Sundays.

I call back at 11am. I get dispatch again and begin protesting a bit about being told the shelter would be open to help me with a sick pigeon on my property. I'm told I don't need the shelter, that I need dispatch and please go ahead and describe the issue. I describe. I am asked if the bird is in a box and ready for pick-up. I protest again and tell a white lie (that I am pregnant and can't handle the bird for risk of disease). (Hubby and I are trying to conceive, but no bun in the oven yet). I am told that I don't have to handle the bird, I just have to cover it with a box, for example a Blue Box and that once I do that I should call back and they'll send someone. I tell them to send someone now because I am going to go outside immediately and put a Blue Box over the bird. I am told to call back when the bird is under the box.

I place a Blue Box over the bird on the second try. I call the City and am told someone will be there within an hour.

That was at 11:05am. It is now 1:40pm.

I just called the City again. My pigeon is the 'next' call.

I'm not holding my breath.

Sick laptop

I have lots to blog about, but I'm having laptop issues!

I have photos and stories and opinions to share, but not enough time on Hubby's computer to do it the way I want.

Thanks for your patience while I wait for my laptop to come home from the hospital.

toooooooo hot

It is just toooooooo bloody hot to come up with anything interesting to write!

I have settled on a list to you all informed.

* Making peach preserves with lovely co-worker/friend this Saturday. This idea was inspired by my small success with pears last weekend.

* Getting the Volkswagon Bug from Mom & Dad on Sunday while they go off to England and Scotland.

* Wonderful Hubby is planning wonderful brunch as a nice send off for Mom & Dad.

* Hair trim took place last night. My hair dresser told me that if someone had bet him that he'd ever see my hair this long, he would have lost the bet. I would have lost the bet too. For years I forced Joe to keep my hair in a funky, butchy short cut. Hubby inspired me to let it grow. THANKS, HUB!

* I'm all about thick yogurt these days. Yogurt cheese that I eat with fruit and honey or my pear preserves. I just keeping buying containers of yogurt and letting it sit in the fridge in cheese cloth and a sieve.

* It is Friday of a long weekend and I am thankful.

* Going to hang out with a friend on Sunday who has access to a fancy house in Guelph this weekend. A/C and swimming pool, here we come!

Oh! I almost forgot this:

* I ate ice cream from Madeleines for lunch yesterday (the hottest day of the summer so far)! Watermelon sherbert with chocolate covered toasted oats that looked like watermelon seeds. It was heaven!