An homage to René Magritte.
This is actually a cupcake in the form of a cake. So maybe it is a cake?
Month: August 2009
Lost Turdy
Posted by – 31/08/2009
Ari’s new turtle hasn’t been seen for a couple days; It seems the trip from his tank at the mall with his buddies to here was a bit traumatic. While he might not be terribly intelligent, he is an excellent hider. So good, in fact, that I spent a while this morning pulling plants out from around the pond to see if he’d somehow hopped out. I also took the time to clear out old rotten leaves from Elephant (the tall plant at the very back). Which is when I found this:
That can only be one thing right? Wanna closer view? Me either, but here you go:
Oh, so gross, eh? And I remember a certain SMELL when we first moved here and it all makes sense now. But I wonder how in the hell this could be missed? When we first moved in, there were three fish in the pond, the two white ones and the big ol’ Pleco at the bottom. Then one fish died and Shannon disposed of her (right? RIGHT???) appropriately. Or so I was told…It’s sort of sad, really, that this big beautiful fish made a break for it and died alone and unnoticed. When I get my self together a bit more today, I will tidy it up and maybe enlist Ari to help with a little eulogy for the Unknown Fish.
Cookin’
Posted by – 28/08/2009
I was inspired today by a post on foodgawker for apple crumble. Or is it crisp? Then I thought, well hey, it’s summer and Ontario peaches are taking over the universe, why not use them? So I went to the store and got a basket of them, some raspberries (non-Ontario, or non-tario) and a bunch of other sundry grocery items and made peach raspberry crisp based on this recipe.
Pardon me while I buff my fingernails on my shirt, but it came out perfectly. Did I say perfectly? Oh, I did. I’m not kidding. It’s pretty much the best thing I’ve eaten in…ever. The only difference in how I did it was I used a 9″x9″ metal pan to cook it in and it would be fine in an 8″x8″ too. And I used (gasp!) cooking spray in the pan for easy clean up.
With the rest of the peaches (I think a basket has about 16 normal peaches in it and I used 6 for the crisp) I made peach freezer jam, a first for me. It had set before it even got to the freezer so it seems things were working as they ought.
(We also had shake’n'bake chicken drumsticks and boiled new potatoes for dinner in case anyone was wondering if all we eat around here is dessert).
It was a weird day in more than one way
Posted by – 26/08/2009
So, not taking anything away from dead squirrels, but the sky on my way out of the subway today was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen clouds quite like this before.
Aw! Little guy!
Posted by – 26/08/2009
As always, when I see roadkill, my first reaction is to say “Oh, that’s not a smart place for a nap!” And, as always with roadkill, my other reaction is to shriek and jump to the side. I had my wits about me (and my camera with me) so I took a couple snaps of this poor little fella. He was teeny tiny (about the length of my hand from nose to bum) and so cute, if I’d had the nerve, I would have scooped him up and brought him home, popped him in the freezer and (well, you never know) shipped him off to my favourite taxidermist. Is it weird to have a favourite taxidermist? I’ve been following Amy for years, she’s amazing.
Sad, really. I never see red squirrels in Toronto, mostly black ones, grey ones and the occasional albino squirrel. It’s also sad to think that his fate will be a garbage bin.
If I believed in reincarnation, I’d like to come back as a squirrel. Did I ever tell you about the black one we had in Windsor that came around regularly, he had a white tip on his tail, we called him Pauly Walnuts. He’d hide scavenged pizza crusts on our porch. Man, I loved that Pauly.
FML
Posted by – 25/08/2009
The lady taking money at the subway yelled at me today. When I approached the booth to buy tokens (five for $11.25) she was having an animated conversation with another TTC employee and it was clear that it was her ranting about something that had happened. So I gave her 2 five dollar bills, a toonie and a quarter, she gave me the tokens and then turned back to her rant. So I stood there and said “Can I have my dollar please?” and she stared blankly, touching my fives with no comprehension in her pig-like eyes. “What did I give you?” She said. “Five tokens, but you owe me a dollar, I gave you $12.25.” More blank staring. So I was getting frustrated, I wasn’t trying to rip her off, I wasn’t trying to be rude, but jeez, it’s rush hour, there is a line forming behind me and I want my fucking dollar. Then she figured it out and had the balls to turn it around on me “I was gettin’ to it, calm down!” Giving me the stink eye, like she was just taking her sweet time, not that she’d forgotten or anything.
Stupid people. There are lots of great people that work for the TTC, but much like the police force, it really only takes one or two bad apples to spoil the entire bunch. She’s union so she’s totally safe. Ugh. Don’t get me started about union workers.
Then, as I waited for the subway (and I had to wait 2 trains as the first one was so packed it wouldn’t have been possible for me to fit on) I started thinking about clothes. I was trying to imagine me wearing cut off denim shorts with super high heels and zexy sunglasses. And I couldn’t do it. Then I tried to imagine me wearing Ugg boots, cut off track pants and a string around my head like Kat V-D wears, and again, I couldn’t do it.
Why do people wear string tied around their heads? It looks really dumb. Like, really.
In good news, I got new runners. I finally replaced my Chuck Taylor One Stars that I got in Detroit a year and a half ago. They were totally falling apart and were starting to be kind of silly. My new shoes are also Converse, but they’re not Chucks. I’d post a picture but my camera is no where near me and my feet are tired after an afternoon of retail therapy.
Weddings!
Posted by – 24/08/2009
I wish I had a picture of the happy couple, but a picture of a child who is happy to go to a wedding (and happier still about getting a brand new pretty dress to wear) will have to do:
Clearly practically bursting with glee. Anyway.
My old roommate Ryan O’Brian (and college pal, we go back to ’93 I believe) got married to his long time love Amber on Saturday. They did a flash-mob wedding at AGO, just told people to show up and had a woman…officiant?…marry them without making appointments, renting rooms, none of it. Then they rode off in a rickshaw back to their place, which is where we met them. After, the festivities were moved to Jet Fuel on Parliament. It was wonderful!
And, no offence to either bride or groom, my favourite part: I got to see Monty, Ryan’s elderly dog! He’s about 14 years old, which is remarkable for a dog of his descent, both Great Dane and German Shepherd. It’s funny to see him, when we lived together he was about 2 years old and was still very, VERY silly. Now he’s deaf as a post and pretty feeble by all accounts, although he seems happy and enjoyed being around all the guests. I had high hopes that he’d sniff my hand and fall to pieces with joy about his long lost friend, but no, the old sniffer didn’t recognize me at all!
Apologies to Monty, I don’t have a ‘dog’ tag. I am pretty sure he doesn’t mind being filed under ‘kitty’…
Dark sky, dark days
Posted by – 20/08/2009
It’s been bloody hot here in Toronto, as everyone seems to be talking about. Then the sky turned black and it rained. Oh, did I say ‘rained’? It fucking bucketed down.
It still smells like garbage strike here so any and all rain is embraced by me.
Then the rain stopped and blue sky rolled back in bringing a rainbow. It looked so beautiful.
A poem, or a title of a book of poems we had when I was a kid suddenly popped into my head earlier today. I wonder how that works? I mean, I wonder what triggered my brain to think about “A Great Big Ugly Man Came Up and Tied His Horse to Me”? All the poems were funny (if I remember correctly) and the illustrations are brilliant. I would LOVE to have a copy of this to read with Ari.
Things, lately
Posted by – 20/08/2009
This summer we’ve been on the go constantly, it seems. We stayed at yet another hotel for 2 nights and I think I may be maxed out on my love of all things hotel. Honestly, I sleep better in my own bed with just Shannon. At least then I can poke him and he rolls over without a fuss.
Our next door neighbour’s cat has had 5 kitties, she gave birth on Sunday night and really, is there anything cuter than a bunch of kittens? If I could, I’d take the dark grey tabby. But I can’t so I won’t. If anyone is interested, I’m pretty sure they’ll all be looking for homes in a month or so.
Doesn’t she look proud?
Also, in fish news, I caught out pleco eating from the surface of the water the other day, it was amazing. Her entire nose was sticking out of the water by about a centimeter, and she was basically juggling the balls of food, swirling them around, sucking them in, spitting them out, it was a long process. Eventually she managed to swallow 6 pellets and calmly swam back to her hidey hole. She must not have seen me standing there watching her!
Have I mentioned how much I love those fish lately? I still do!
And it’s band practice tonight-joy. And stormy, double joy.
Babies.
Posted by – 14/08/2009
Seems every time I meet a baby I think that THIS is the best baby ever. And then I meet a newer one and I think it all over again-sort of like Artie Lange who always says the same thing about the Miss Howard TV. Anyway, I really did meet the best baby ever this week, Miss Habree Larratt, Shannon’s niece. She’s 13 months old and just amazing, totally smart, independent, funny as hell and cute as a button. Her and I got along like peas and corn.
She’s dressed up in her mermaid costume. If ever there was a baby I’d happily steal (KIDDING!) this would be it. Check out Ashleigh’s amazing videos of her (and her brothers and more) here.