Old world charms

Selfridges

I always thought a place on your travel bucket list, you just have to experience it once and then you check it off and move on to the next place.  I've visited London and the UK twice prior to this trip, the last time being in 2005.   I remember it was old, lots of cars, and expensive.  That hasn't changed.  But there's more cars, and more people, and more people on their phones.   It's still old.  But it's much more charming than I recall. 

All those years since.  It's me that has changed. 

I still marvel at how we travel across the oceans in big machines in the skies. 
Media and the internet can bring the world to you and make our planet feel small.  But there is nothing better than taking a breath in a different land, meeting locals, taking in the local culture, and seeing the history in the architecture all around you.  I always feel like i'm walking with ghosts. 

I'm grateful to experience all this first-hand. 

 

Stack by Eisenman

We are creatures of habit. We get used to the daily grind. The same old, same old.  There is more to this world than planting your butt on the sofa and nodding off.  We used to be explorers, and when we were little we were inquisitive and curious.  Whatever we could find would make its way into our mouths, whether it was food or not.

The world is there for everyone to share and experience, and learn from.  The opportunity is not always gifted or easy, but it's there, you just have to want to find a way.  And when you find that path, give yourself some credit and embrace it.

St Martins theatre

While in London, do as the locals do.

We went to a show. There are so many going on.  And theatres like the rest of city has so much history and character.

Agatha Christie's - The Mousetrap at the St Martins theatre is the oldest running play in the world.  I didn't know that, it just seemed like a cool show to go to, a murder mystery, and there were good seats available and the price was reasonable.  I didn't realize Tresa had seen the SMCS run when K was in high school.  I missed this one, I am not sure why I didn't attend.  In any case, she didn't spoil it for me and I was surprised at the end!

I have been to the grounds at All England Tennis club 27 years ago.  My memory isn't the best and i didn't do a tour, I just walked around with my buddy that lived in London at the time.  This time I booked us a guided grounds tour and it was well worth it.  There is also a museum, that i don't recall seeing before and is self-guided.  

I learned a lot from the tour guide, the club history, membership requirements and yearly fees, The Championships at Wimbledon history, and a glimpse in terms of prep that goes into hosting the tournament every year.  I knew it's the only grass court surface major tournament in the world.  It's the oldest major.  All the other majors were originally grass, and have moved on from it.

All England Club centre court

There's a lot of maintenance and upkeep of grass.  Roland Garros moving to red clay, and the Aussie and US open moving from grass, to clay to hard court.

It was refreshing to know, that costs for attending The Championships at Wimbledon, is not obscene.  The All England Club sells many of its tickets at face value through a public ballot and the Queue, where fans line up on the day.

Unlike sporting events held in USA and Canada.  That are sold on online ticketing services like TicketMaster and StubHub, more proof of the N.Amer open market system is driving a bigger and bigger wedge between the haves and have-nots.  Great for profits, not-so-good for the fans of the sport.

Nothing is more UK than Fish & Chips, including the newspaper wrapping.  I think they dropped the newsprint, and kept the standard of clean oil and golden battered fish and chips, with a side of tartar sauce and malt vinegar.
It's not all just fried fish and potatoes.   There's middle eastern (lebanese & egyptian cuisine), thai, indonesian, and lots and lots of pastries, everywhere.

Borough Market

Borough Market, is a must to visit.  It's packed with locals around lunch time.  If you don't decide on place to grab a bite, you'll be queuing up. And there's a good reason why.  There's so much great food!   It reminds me a lot of the St Lawrence Market, just much bigger and more variety.

Fudge

We went there the final 3 days of our trip.  We would spend our mornings there, grab some free samples, and then sample some more.  Then walk around, get a nibble here. Then decide what we'd get and share.

There were long queues for the seafood paella and oyster stalls, but they were more efficient than Amazon for getting your food order fulfilled.   

The market itself is sprawling and protected from the elements somewhat as it is situated underneath rail crossings and bridges.  You will see trains passing overhead.  Space is at a premium in London.  And they made creative and effective use of every square foot there is. 

Tower bridge

The Urban Planners here at home can learn a lot from London proper.

For a large urban city, it was very clean and the green spaces well taken care of.

It's obvious when you walk around that there's lots of money in London.  It did not feel obnoxious, we did see the mother with pumped lips and botox'd forehead and Hermes bag.

Our experience with Londoners was refreshing! It was very civil, and extremely polite and considerate.  Folks were genuinely nice, and we were in an area of London which has the highest concentration of billionaires and the designer shop workers came out to see if we needed any assistance.

I am so conditioned to folks blindly walking past a person in need that I was amazed the locals actively reached out to offer a hand to another human being.   Even one that was already being helped. 

A young lady even offered her subway seat so that Tresa and I could sit together.  That would never happen on the TTC.

York wall

We took the high speed rail to the city of York.  It was fun to ride a train.  There's so many platforms at Kings Cross.  Even platform 9-3/4 that goes to Hogwarts!  

We walked the wall where white walkers walked hundreds and thousands of years.  We did the whole wall around the old walled city.

This is where the Diagon Alley scene from the Harry Potter films got its inspiration.

You can get a wand at a shop here, if it chooses you.

Portrait gallery

I didn't have any expectations before this trip.  I just wanted to go somewhere.  I planned a couple of things, which i often request.  I ask for 1 or 2 things (Wimbledon & The Mousetrap).  The Harry Potter inspired connection at York was a bonus!
The rest is whatever Tresa chooses and dependent on mother nature.

What we got was an appreciation of art, architecture, history and cuisine.

Don't forget the shopping and tire kicking.

Harrods food hall

Those are non-negotiable items included in all trips.

Harrods and Selfridges are amazing department stores.   They are not just massive, they are an amazing visual experience.

They are buzzing with people and activity.  it was like organized chaos.  It is so impressive to just go in and walk around.

Tate Modern

Get off the couch and see more than your postage stamp of a world. 

That couch will be there when you get back.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it'll feel more comfy and cosy.

Babel by Cildo

Take a trip without any expectations.

York station

37 years ago today, I had to learn to move forward on my own. It was that moment that helped me appreciate where I am today.

Find my device

I’ve lost two phones ever. The first was a Nokia in 1999 somewhere around my sister's driveway. The last was a Samsung S9 in October 2020 at Home Depot. Both were totally puzzling.

Then, recently, I dropped my Pixel 7 Pro crossing the street. I didn’t even notice it fell until the music in my Bluetooth earbuds faded away. That's when i knew i didn't have my phone on me.  I didn't exactly double back—which was my first mistake—and instead I took a slightly different path back to where i last used it.  And it wasn't there.

I was close to home, I rushed inside to open up Find My Device on the web. It showed the phone right at the intersection where I’d crossed, on the south side. I hurried back, searched the corner thoroughly, and came up empty. I even asked a nearby rental car attendant if anyone had handed one in and asked them to call my number.

When I finally heard my distinctive ring-tone... "Danger Will Robinson!" My insides beamed and my heart grew like the Grinch!  I was so relieved to have been reunited with my handheld supercomputer.

Some good Samaritan had found it and tucked it right into the strapping of the bus stop sign on the light post.  I was looking at the ground, and didn't expect it'd be at eye level.  Thank you, whoever you are.  I know a phone is just a thing, but it’s so central to everything we do that losing it instantly creates a massive spike of stress.

It must have dropped out of my pocket.  Usually I ride my bike and it always goes into my backpack zipped up and safe.  The lens cover over the cameral lens was cracked, but still functional 100%.  I had to open up the lens cover, but that's minor.  I will eventually replace my trusty Pixel 7 Pro with a newer version down the road anyways.

As far as personal data goes, I pull photos off my phone regularly, so I wasn't too-too concerned about any lost pics.  All the apps and data can be migrated over easily.  The lost phone can get locked and erased remotely, but it's still unsettling that it is out there alone in the world without you.

Data migration is always smoother when you actually have your old phone on hand. My old Pixel 6 Pro has a screen broken so badly I can't get into it, meaning I had to rely strictly on a Google Drive backup. It was close, but not 100%.

It makes you think about what we carry around. I'm not one to hold on to things—you can only carry so much baggage, and after a certain point, a lot of it becomes irrelevant. (Even tax filings and receipts can be shredded after seven years.)

But memories are yours forever. Have you ever gone through an old photo album that has no context for you? You look at the retro style, squint at the blurry, faded details, but they only have meaning if you were there to experience them. To anyone else, it's just a story they'll eventually forget.

I don't take as many photos anymore anyway. Mostly, I take them to communicate something and then delete them:

• Snapping an item I need to sell or clear out on FB Marketplace.
• Order taking, "Which of these pastries do you want?" 
• DIY, remembering how the wiring goes together.
• Or asking "Which hat should I get?" (Answer: I was instructed to get the one on the far left.)

Memories are deeply personal. To everyone else, it's just a snapshot of you and whoever else at some random spot on the map, with nothing to make it mean something to them.

I read something recently about how much time we spend talking and venting about work, and it made me consider how much better it is to just live your life. The person you're venting to usually has their own world going on and has no ability to help you out.  Except listen. 

It reminds me of our old street cat. He lived his life the way he wanted, got what he needed, and moved on to the next porch. He didn't care about anyone's job; he just wanted his head scratched. I still miss my furry orange friend.

Rain clouds are always in the forecast, and if it spits for even a second, the weather app claims it was 100% right. But rain or shine, it's worth appreciating when someone shields you from getting drenched, and gives you a helping hand—especially when they don't have to, or when they're busy with their own day.

True understanding comes from what’s actually heard, not just what is said. It's always worth imagining yourself on the other side of a conversation, looking at it from the receiving end.   I have to keep reminding myself that when i get on a soapbox.  So that i step down from that box.

I don't recall ever writing publicly about the people who taught me how to be genuinely grateful for what I have rather than what I don't. Even if they were only in my life for a short period, their memory continues to leave a positive mark: reminding us to reciprocate compassion and empathy, to give what we can when we can, and to make life just a little bit better for someone else.

Krew on KrisKo

Our street was packed with pylons, film crews, props and actors yesterday.   So we skipped town early and headed to the cottage.

We got a letter not long ago, it was more of a notice that a film crew was scheduled to setup and film a Kredit Karma commercial on our street July 31.   And they kindly asked all residents on the street to park somewhere else.  They did say they would reimburse anyone that had to pay for parking.   They did reimburse the immediate neighbours to the house they were doing filming at as they were impacted by crew and equipment.

I did ask a crew member that looked like they were in charge, how do you get you home on a short list of film locations.  She said OntarioCreates.ca, but there are many if you google it.   Before you think, hey. I'll get paid.  I'm not sure how much my neighbour got, I didn't ask, but they do replace all your furniture with their own.  I've heard they may even paint.  But be aware of what you are getting into.

According to my neighbour who's house was selected for filming location.  He didn't initiate this.  The location scouts came knocking on the homes that fit their criteria and asked if they would allow them to film there.   One said, we'll think about it.  Then the car dealership sales pressure tactics switched ON.   I get it.  They have a location, they had someone on the fence, get the 2x4 out to knock them off of it.

It seemed like a cool thing.  But then we saw the army if yo that showed up and camped out, and took up all the  nparking not just on our street, but the neighbouring street.  They had staff directing cars.  There were heavy machine buckets for filming from above, fake props, lighting, tents, chairs and lots of pylons.

It is what it is.  This was for a 60s commercial, apparently there are other locations that are part of this effort. 

They said they'd only be there for 1 long day.  As late as 11pm Fri.

I'm not sure how long til we will see our street on a TV commercial. 

But they had a beautiful day for filming.

Never EZ, grateful when it is

For some reason every thing that I've needed to work on lately has been difficult.  And to make it a bit spicier, I've been sidelined with this pain that when I get more active it gets inflamed and sends me hobbling and going backwards in terms of recovery.  

So for the last 2 months I've done oil changes, air filter changes, brake service including replacing rear rotors.  I even painted the brake calipers for kicks.  Made new panel doors for the fuse box.  I finally broke down and installed a trailer hitch on our other car, cuz i was tired of putting the bike on top of the car and storing the front wheel inside.  It was something i should have done long ago, but kept avoiding doing it. And then something always adds to my TO-DO list that I don't anticipate, like the downstairs light flickering, that needed to get replaced.

And then the gas filler door cable broke on the Venza.  That was a royal pain in the behind.  I was at the gas station and couldn't get the door open.  Apparently when this happens, the door fails shut.  You can't get it open.  I had to head home to get some tools to pry it open.  I thought I was going to damage something.  And there was no internet video on how to get it open on a Gen 1 - Venza.   To add to it, there's no video on how you go about replacing a busted cable.  I was on my own.  Like in the olden days.

And to really make things even more of a challenge.  The part was on backorder here in Canada.   So here is where it gets interesting.  I used AI to help me figure out where to get the part.  Cuz dealing with the parts guy at my Toyota dealership was a PITA.  We were going back and forth on confirming what comes with the part.  He then told me it was out of stock in N.Amer. 

Apparently warehouse parts stock is different in Canada vs the USA.  So in Canada, if something is on backorder with NO ETA, that means you are SOL and won't get the part until the orders for the part get to a certain quantity.  For a 15 yr old car, that means NEVER M#tha F-er!  In the USA since they are a much larger market, they will carry more stock.  I got it a week later and installed it today.  Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side.

On top of all this.  There's this robin that was relentless in building a nest in our grape vines.  And this year I printed a birds nest shelf for them to build their nest, and put it up in a corner that would keep their poop away from where we sit in the backyard.  I hope they are good with it.

I ended up watching vids of other cars to figure out how to do it for my car.  Grateful to my Toyota Tech/Mech contact for giving me some tips and guidance.  I still had to take pics and ask AI, which was giving me the wrong info BTW.  My tech guy was giving me the right things to do and I went with that.  Removing the front seat bolts helped give me some carpet slack to find the retaining bolt on the lever assembly that would allow me to reattach the cable.   I would still need to fish the new cable through.  Experience told me to use the old cable and use that to yank the new cable through without having to remove all the interior panels.   My tech guy said the same thing!  Which made me feel confident in moving forward with my next steps.  And it was the smoothest repair job I had done on the car in months!

Grateful for being spared any unnecessary frustration, and the really beautiful day.  But also for the miracle of life that I have, and that I am able to spend time, and to do the little things for the people I care and love.

Happy Fathers day!

City functions

There were a couple of events going on this Mother's Day weekend.   

We celebrated a birthday this weekend—a reminder that while age is just a number, the time we have is our only truly finite resource.  This makes these get-togethers a priority—a time to truly cherish the moment.  You can't buy more time or go back for a re-do.

Even though it rained heavily just prior to us getting to the location, it turned out to be a beautiful & fun evening.

Being social, is something we all need to work on.   Having a supportive social network, as a human being, is a requirement to living a long and good life.

Imagine being in a city with millions of other people.  And yet you are alone?
Having a supportive social group is an investment.  But the returns are priceless.

This recipe for a memorable time is consistent. 
Tasty food, good drink, great company, and entertaining conversation.  Everyone is interested in catching up and genuine.

This is what it's about.  Having family around to celebrate milestones and share in the moment.  Talk about where we were, how the kids were so little.  Who's grown so tall now.

Speeches! Speeches!  Clink! Clink!

Special thanks to the wife/mom & daughter who organized this in a matter of a few days.  I was surprised it happened in such a short period, it feels like everything needs 6 months lead time to book.

It probably took us longer to drive across town than it was to book this place and organize the food.  DVP and TTC Line 2 closed for maintenance.   Blue Jays game, TFC game featuring InterMiami and #10 MESSI!

If the Leafs were in the playoffs it would have been worse!  But they would have been out in the 1st round anyways.

This was the day before Mother's Day.  

My better half is 1 in a million.  She always has a way of telling a story about a person from her view point that's entertaining and honest.

I've heard the Rose+Joe story, and the dependencies that came with it many times.  But it never gets tired.

And don't forget the rowboat!

Don't send this guy across the ocean in a rowboat.
Cuz he'll make it across.  He just needs to pack a few bottles of wine, some cheese and crackers. 

It was a beautiful Mother's Day on Sunday.  Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there, and daughters, sons.  And everyone that has a mom to spend the day with.

Enjoy the day.  Cuz you never know.

21K-Ai-Poop

Happy birthday to our not-so-little kid.  Legal to drink all over the world now.  Not that the age limit thing prevented it from happening sooner.  He's well trained and honestly better equipped on the consequences of alcohol consumption.

We'll need a new mug if that one ever wears away.  It's been a conversation piece.  It does come in handy for mother-son photo ops.

I'd been using Ai to play with photos.  And this last one was unique in that only the person was cartoon-ized.  The mug and background were left almost original.  I thought it was very fun and cool!

Talk about cool and chill...DQ log cakes have been a thing for us for a while now.  Nothing makes a person feel like a kid again like ice cream.
The works of art BakerBots cakes Rosanne made for K when he was younger.  They were insane!  We were fortunate to have her do those for us.
The DQ ones are simple & we encourage the workers there to not fear adding their touch with a message and some fun art to personalize it.  We also had these DQ gift cards, that we had for years and unsure where they came from so we used it to get his cake, and a hotdog + smoothie!

I've learned to sketch something simple on a post-it and they do a fantastic job of replicating whatever fun doodle i quickly come up with.

This toonface was based on the recently BTS inspired blonde colouring that he did just before Easter a few weeks back.  It looks really great!

I give that cake about 5 days before it's devoured.