City Hall

It is hard to get a good photo of Toronto's City Hall. This is actually a small portion of the old City Hall building, and doesn't really do it justice. You may be more familiar with our new city hall, which has a very modern look. In fact it has been featured in some sci-fi films and even some Star Trek episodes.

Here is a view of Toronto's new city hall as seen through a portal to a new and futuristic world in an episode of the classic Star Trek series

A panel from Gold Key's issue #5 (and #37) "The Ghost Planet", drawn by Alberto Giolitti. The building pictured is Toronto City Hall. Source: Wiki

Magical

Not far away from Toronto's city hall is the historic Elgin and Winter Garden theatres. And what can be more magical than the magic of the theatre! My photos again do not do these justice.

Another view of the magical Winter Garden theatre, which was sealed away for 60 years, until it was opened in the 1980's and lovingly restored! Can you imagine. It would be like unsealing a long lost tomb!

These seats you see above once belonged to the famed Biograph Theater, and yes one of them (no one knows exactly which) was the last seat the American gangster John Dillinger sat in just before being gunned downed by the FBI.

A view of the stage

Of course a big part of the magic of the theatre is because of what goes on behind the scenes or backstage.

Here is a view of the Elgin Theatre from the projection booth

This projector that once played silent films was found in the Winter Garden, which had been sealed up for 60 years until the 1980s when it was opened a fully restored to its former glory. It still had film inside!

Here is a display of a 1920s make-up table, backstage at the Winter Garden.

A quick word of thanks to our dear friend Richard Fiennes Clinton who recently took us on a private tour of the theatres! If you are visiting Toronto, and interested in history, and like walking tours check out Richard's Muddy York Tours they are a lot of fun and educational too.

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

May

26 * famous places

June

2 ~ bridges
9 ~ graveyards
16 ~ cooking
23 ~ fashion
30 ~ graffiti, street art

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

May

26th * Creative

June

2nd ~ Taste
9th ~ Clean
16th ~ Ripple
23rd ~ Hot
30th ~ Flash

Wordless Wednesday

It has been 37 days since I started using the Wii Fit and I thought I'd post an update for those thinking of trying it out.

So far I have lost 15lbs in 37 days using Wii Fit for a minimum 1/2 hour each day and modifying my diet by giving up white sugar completely, and ramping up my fruit and veg intake. I have also cut out a lot of meat in favour of beans, and other protein sources.

I really thought I'd enjoy the Dance Dance Revolution that we purchased at the same time, but to be honest I've only used it twice. It's more of a fun party thing than an exercise tool.

The Wii Fit has been great though, and I hope to stick with it. My goal is to shed another 15lbs, build some more muscle, and then maintain a healthy weight for my 5'7 height.

This is the 3rd Mother's Day without you, and I miss you. I will always miss you. It is true what they say that the pain of our loss eases over time, but the missing never goes away. And forever there will be a piece of my heart that is broken since you passed away. I think of you today as I do every day, and wish that you could still be here....

Love,
Susan
XOXOXO

Children

It is a good thing that on a beach that is enjoyed by children....

.....of all ages..........

Scoop

....that stoop and scoop is part of the many rules that govern the area ....

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

May

19 * city hall
26 * famous places

June

2 ~ bridges
9 ~ graveyards
16 ~ cooking
23 ~ fashion
30 ~ graffiti, street art

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

May

19th * Magical
26th * Creative

June

2nd ~ Taste
9th ~ Clean
16th ~ Ripple
23rd ~ Hot
30th ~ Flash

This past week I had a sad reminder that it is not how you look, or what you have, or even what you have accomplished in life that people will remember about you. Those things are mutable, and can be regarded in many ways by different people depending on their own personal values. What people will always recall is how you made them feel when they were with you. This is true of all types of relationships whether it is between family, friends, co-workers or acquaintances.

Although I was not directly involved in the events that transpired in this reminder, and now blog post, I do know someone who I care about that was hurt, most likely unintentionally by a person they had been looking forward to spending time with. The hurt resulted from a thoughtless remark, and clouded (at least for the injured party) what should have been a happy if not bittersweet time. The person who made the remark is not known for their diplomacy or tact, and unfortunately that is how they are universally regarded including by those they profess to love. And whether they had meant to be mean or not, their hurtful statement was a direct reflection upon their own character, at least that is how they will remembered......thoughtless.

We all do and say things that are thoughtless me included, but this particular incident made me think about perceptions, and how I want to be remembered, and regarded by all of those who know me, and how a single careless remark can hurt.

Wordless Wednesday

A couple of weeks ago I lost an earring while on an intense hike with my Sister, and niece. I was pretty bummed about it because they were a fave pair of black cat Halloween kitsch style that I had just gotten the week before from our local Hallmark shop that was having a closing sale.

My hubby Matthew came to the rescue though and bought me these really cute ones hand-made by Wanitta Ranson in St Albert Alberta.

How cute are these! And bonus they are from a Canadian business, and shipped and arrived super quick. Check out It's My Thing! Thanks Wanitta Ranson, and Matthew who is always thinking of making me happy.

ADVERTISING

This is an example of an advertising fail from our local grocery shop. The sale price of $5.00 is the same price they regularly sell these snacks for.

ZAP

This is a series of electrical panels in the basement of a local pub.

Here is a closer look. Bet ya there is enough electricity being controlled through these electrical boxes to give ya a mighty zap!

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

May

12 * children
19 * city hall
26 * famous places

June

2 ~ bridges
9 ~ graveyards
16 ~ cooking
23 ~ fashion
30 ~ graffiti, street art

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

May

12th * Scoop
19th * Magical
26th * Creative

June

2nd ~ Taste
9th ~ Clean
16th ~ Ripple
23rd ~ Hot
30th ~ Flash

Recently while on a hike in Mississauga we came across this beautiful field of trillium flowers.

The trillium is the Ontario provincial flower, and I have always had a fondness for them so we stopped to snap some pics.

I just assumed the trillium always looked exactly like the one pictured above, so it was to my surprise when Matthew spotted these red flowers within the sea of white ones.

I have no idea if this is a trillium or not, but wanted to post the photo and see if any one can help identify it for me.

I found these quite lovely no matter what they are. Do you know what they might be?

Wordless Wednesday

During the summer in Toronto we have lots of different festivals and parties in the various neighbourhoods that make up the megacity. Local streets like the one pictured above are closed down to traffic for the weekend, and there are vendors, street musicians, rides for the kids, and many different yummy foods to try.

Last year at the Ukrainian street festival I spotted this big guy! The paint job gives him the illusion of being scaly in texture, possibly even slimy!

In actuality the texture would be smooth, and rubbery as this is a giant children's slide.

Here is another view of one of the many local streets that will close down for an annual summer party or festival. Looking forward to them!

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

May

5 * advertising
12 * children
19 * city hall
26 * famous places

June

2 ~ bridges
9 ~ graveyards
16 ~ cooking
23 ~ fashion
30 ~ graffiti, street art

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

May

5th * Zap
12th * Scoop
19th * Magical
26th * Creative

June

2nd ~ Taste
9th ~ Clean
16th ~ Ripple
23rd ~ Hot
30th ~ Flash

Wordless Wednesday

Photographer Julia Margaret Cameron

This essay is a guest blog that was written by my hubby Matthew James Didier this past Friday April 20th. He used to have his own very fun, and unique bus blog. I hope that one day he returns to the blogsphere, in a more personal, and regular capacity, as I do enjoy his writing style, but for now he may on occasion appear here. Read on.......

As a young boy, one of my favourite books to be read was Judith Viorst's "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"... To this day, I feel a kinship to Alexander and like most people, I have had my share (and expect more to come) of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days in my life... though, unlike Alexander, I've never had the urge to move to Australia... and like his mother pointed out to him, they even have days like those there too had I indeed considered this course of action.
Today started as one of those dreadful days.

A sad universal truth is that a vast majority of couples argue. I wish this wasn't the truth, but it is. I have been reliably informed by several psychologists and even people as celebrated as the late Dr. Leo Buscaglia that this is fine, provided it never is violent and it always resolves with the way it should be... the couple in love.

Today, this morning, my wife and I got into an argument. It was, without a doubt, my fault... a pecadillo of an action blown out of proportion... and regardless, I do love my wife and no silly disagreement or hurt feeling will really change that, but this morning's issue included raised voices and that had me leaving home today en route to my office more than a little miffed.

While I walked down the corridor of my apartment, my long suffering next-door neighbour was audibly adjusting the locks on her front door... and my guilt complex came into play... Had my raised voice disturbed her? I'm almost certain it did... and I felt horrible... but as she had not exited her apartment (and given me a chance to apologise for my loud voice, which I sincerely would have,) and was merely adjusting her locks, I simply continued to make my way to the stairs, equal parts miffed about the incident with my wife mixed with embarassment over potentially bothering my neighbour.

After some necessary banking at the local machine, I strolled along, deep in thought over the earlier incident, I did have my headphones on, but I tend to leave any music or sound off until I enter the subway... also, music would most definitely been almost bothersome as I went through a contemplation of the morning's incidents so far...

After crossing at the set of lights just East of the subway station and then walking the two blocks to arrive at my destination, the third terrible, horrible, no good, very bad thing happened.

Literally, on the side street I needed to cross just at the subway entrance, I heard a bicycle's bell as I stepped off the curb, I did stop, and turned, as a woman cyclist who'd turned right off the main street went whizzing past and suggesting in a loud voice that I was "illegally" crossing the street... and accented this with referring to me as part of the anatomy usually only regularly seen by proctologists.

To be honest, I was not illegally crossing (there is no stop sign for me as I was on the major route and she turned right onto a side-street,) and she made her turn without slowing or taking into account pedestrians.

Still, I reacted badly... I said loudly enough for her as she went along, "It was not illegal! There's no stop sign!" and she repeated her statement in a very sharp tone that I was at fault. Honestly, I still crossed the street, but I wagged my finger and shouted after her, "You made an illegal turn!"

She replied, and I shan't forget it soon, that I should see a "shrink" because I "needed it".

I continued down towards the trains, still bitter, but now deeper in thought... especially about my actions.

Since dealing with a (thankfully) minor but scary health issue, I have found my tolerance for bad things to be low in the extreme... I usually tell people that, and the shortening of this is intentional, that I “don't suffer fools.” (Granted, currently, the diet I'm on because of this health concern probably isn't helping my mood, but one hopes one can rise above those sorts of things.)

Still, what I did was wrong this morning... with the silly argument with my wife, my raising my voice at home and probably upsetting my neighbour over something that I knew, in a few hours, would be a non-issue... and, of course, for returning a shout at the cyclist... moreso that latter one than the former two as I will be potentially able to make things right and better (or at the very least, apologise) for those two issues which still make me feel very bad.

With the cyclist, one could mitigate things by pointing out that I had avoided her mistakes of name calling and cursing (thanks to a mother who did her best to make her son reign in his base anger instincts and choose words carefully,) or that indeed, I had the legal "right of way"... but as I thought more about things, while on the subway...

Had she been a car, truck, or anything larger, I would have had the distinct pleasure of being "right" from an ambulance, a hospital bed, or much worse... my contemplation of (oddly enough) anger and guilt this morning could have caused much more havoc and although there are "rules of the road", these can be meaningless as not everyone adheres to them... and being "right" is sometimes not enough. You also have to be observant and safe. For that lesson, I should not be angry, I should be somewhat ashamed (which I am now, obviously,) and indeed, grateful it was taught by this incident and I'm able to type out this missive safely at my desk.

That aside, why did I shout back? What did I accomplish save for making a spectacle of myself and being embarassed? It's not like the women stopped half a block down, peddled back to either apologise or to succintly make her point and have an adult debate over the matter to which a resolution would be found... her reference to me being a bodily orrifice should have tipped me to that not happening ever...

I should have, in hind sight, tipped an invisible hat, smiled, and carried on... and learned the lesson that I need to be more careful... and more importantly, kept my passions in check. To be honest, that would have been more appropriate to the way I'd been raised and avoided more embrassment for me personally... and generally, been a better course of action.

I admit, even while I was shouting about my innocence in my crossing the street, I felt oddly... un-Canadian... like it should not be in my nature to be so outwardly angry or emotional... that my sense of "patriotic reserve" was diminished by being so aggressive... it was an unsettling feeling.

Perhaps, as she suggested, I need a "shrink"... or some form of anger management... and as someone who has had a minor heart problem, my temper is something I will be monitoring even more carefully now.

...and in the grand traditions of being Canadian, I shall go home, apologise to my wife, discuss happy mediums and working together on a solution. I shall, the next time the opportunity arrises, speak to my neighbour and apologise... and promise to do better myself and hope there's no harm.

To the cyclist, I wish I could say I was sorry... and ask forgiveness... and perhaps, with that open a dialogue and explain that I should have been more careful and observant... and help her understand that although had she been a car or truck, yes, I would have been right and legal and all that and as stated, it still would have been bad for me... but indeed, because of that same concern, had I been a car or a truck not on the sidewalk, but legally moving in the right-hand lane, it could have been bad for her too... and maybe found a little middle ground there... or something close to it... and what's interesting is that should the occasion arise without any anger, I would be happy to do that... so I suppose there could be a chance, but it's unlikely.

More importantly, on that rather odd level I felt, maybe - just maybe - I can reclaim that part of me... that very Canadian part of me... that actually craves gentle compromise and peace.

Truly, the better angels of any good Canadian nature... and probably better for my community as a whole because right or wrong, who, on any given early morning, wants to hear ranting from some poor guy... even if it is, for him, a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I decided to get creative with this week's themes for the photo hunting memes.

It was with good humour that I had my aura photo taken at a local Psychic Fair a few years back. The colours of the aura that surround you are supposed to reflect different aspects of your personality, perhaps your very soul!

You can read more about auras, and aura photos, and the different colours meanings here. Some of it sounds true about me, and other stuff not so much.

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

April

28 local streets

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

April

28th ~ Texture

Wordless Wednesday

Photographer Julia Margaret Cameron

Pictured above is Ida Schmidtke (my grandmother) age 16 and her brother Theodore age 14. Circa 1928; Vohlynia, Ukraine.

My grandmother was born in a small town in Ukraine in the year 1912. She was orphaned at a very young age, and due to the turbulent times in that area of the world all records of her birth were lost or sealed away. We really don't know which it is, just that all official paperwork is gone. What we do know (thanks to the people who cared for my grandmother) is that she was told that she been born when the great ship sank......

Can you imagine the magnitude of the sinking of Titanic and the affect it had on people all over the world? Not only did news of the event reach a small Ukrainian town, but was remembered several years afterwards in a country where English was not spoken, and England, and New York must have seemed so very, very faraway. And yet, it was significant enough that an orphan girl's birth date could be remembered in this way.

Rest in peace my dear Oma, and all those who lost their lives that fateful day in April 100 years ago.

Bovaird House located in Brampton, Ontario is a wonderful example of a sturdy, Georgian home.

The house was originally home to the Chisholm family, and now serves as a museum of great 19th century pieces. The museum relies solely on public donations, and volunteers, so it is important to check the official website for dates and times it is open.

Georgian houses were built to be sturdy and imposing. And thankfully for us can last the test of time, and harsher climates.

You can learn more about Bovaird House's past by visiting their website.

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

April

21 humour
28 local streets

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

April

21st ~ Reflect
28th ~ Texture

Wordless Wednesday

I have a confession to make dear readers. I have put on some pounds. Yep, over the course of the winter I have added some extra weight, and I am going to begin some weight loss strategies and hopefully shed at least some of what I have gained.

My biggest challenge when it comes to any sort of diet, and especially exercise is that if I do not find it fun I will drop it. With this in mind, and being completely honest with myself I have been doing some brainstorming with my hubby on activities that promote healthy lifestyles that are fun, and affordable. To that end, Matthew and I have invested in a Wii Fit, and Dance Dance Revolution. And so far, it has be a lot of fun! I really like the little games, and motivation from my avatar and I'm going to try to do 20 minutes minimum per day. I think its neat how it helps you set goals, and charts your progress. It also calculates your fitness age. I was 42 this morning, which is nice because in real life I'm 45.

I've only tried the Dance, Dance Revolution game once, but it is hilarious! Will definitely give it a go again shortly.

Years ago Matthew, and I enjoyed riding along the bike paths that are near our home. These paths run the entire length of Sunnyside beach, and there are always a lot of cool things to see, and do there especially in the summer. Biking, at least casually, is something I'd also like to get back into to keep in shape.

I came across this great cabinet at an antique shop here in Toronto's west end. Cleaned up it's colour would be a faded buttercup yellow, and I'm certain would look awesome in the right setting!

I have never seen one quite like it. The photos really do not do this piece justice.

With a little elbow grease, and love this could be a gorgeous piece. I wish I could afford it.

Happy Photo Hunting! Thank you for stopping by. And for those who celebrate, Happy Easter!

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

April

14 home
21 humour
28 local streets

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

April

14th ~ Sturdy
21st ~ Reflect
28th ~ Texture

Wordless Wednesday

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Artificial

Saturday Photo Hunting: Fresh

Among the fresh foliage, and flowers sits an artificial bird.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by. I appreciate everyone's comments, and I'm very sorry to have had to install Captcha as I know so many hate it. I hate it too, but spammers had gotten past my simple spam filter and the amount of spam comments on a daily basis had become excessive. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

April

7 animal
14 home
21 humour
28 local streets

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

April

7th ~ Awesome
14th ~ Sturdy
21st ~ Reflect
28th ~ Texture

I don't discuss Graves very often anymore, and I do not want to feel like I'm a victim to it. In other words, I do not want to let it affect my life anymore than it already has, nor do I want my illness to define me. However, people do occasionally ask me questions, especially if they are having problems with their own thyroids, and I thought writing up a more complete entry on my own experience may help give someone else some insights or hope for their own thyroid/autoimmune struggles.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with Graves Disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid. I was in my 30's at the time. Prior to my diagnosis I had a vague idea where the thyroid may be located in the body, but beyond that I was pretty clueless to its function and the horrific symptoms one can experience when it goes haywire.

This image will give you a better idea of where the thyroid is. You can see it is shaped like a butterfly, and I have actually considered getting a small butterfly tattoo for coming through onto the other side of thyroid disease.

Looking back I wonder how long I actually was suffering from Graves. I do believe my thyroid was not functioning normally for at least a couple of years before blood work confirmed it. I think I may have even been going in and out of hyperthyroidism since being a teen.

During most of 2006 I was very symptomatic. I was tired all of the time, suffered from frequent migraines, heart palpitations, panic attacks, and mood swings. I would cry a lot, and was constantly stressed to the point where my doctor put me on a medical leave from work. This was prior to the official diagnosis of Graves. Despite the financial strain of no longer having a dual income the initial mental, and physical benefits of taking a break from the workplace seemed to have a positive effect on my health, but not for long.

By 2007 I had become a mental, and physical wreck. This was not only taking a toll on me personally, but also had a terrible affect on my loved ones. It is a credit to the wonderful, caring, and patient person my husband Matthew is that our relationship survived this period of time, it is my understanding that many marriages do not.

My family doctor was the one who found the hyperthyroidism through routine blood work. He assured me that thyroid issues are very treatable, and sent me to see an endocrinologist. I was reassured at first, particularly because I now had an idea of what was wrong with me, and I took it upon myself to read, and learn as much as I could about the thyroid, and Graves.

By this time I was suffering severe fatigue, I could not seem to concentrate on anything, and I was hungry all of the time. I actually began putting on weight, which is very unusual for Graves sufferers, usually it is the exact opposite, but the specialist told me it happens in rare cases. Despite the fatigue I suffered insomnia, my hair began falling out, I was heat intolerant, sweaty, and my heart was constantly racing. I was a mess, and very, very depressed.

In the beginning I was put on anti-thyroid drugs, and blood pressure meds, which made my skin horribly itchy. It was at this time the vitiligo another autoimmune disorder I have that affects the skin pigments really kicked in, luckily for me in areas of my body that can be fairly easily covered. RAI ablation or surgery was brought up by my endocrinologist very early on, but she was supportive in my desire to try to achieve remission through medication, and diet modification before considering a permanent, non reversible treatment option.

For two and 1/2 years we played around with different dosages of anti-thyroid medications. I would go every few weeks to the hospital lab for blood work and see the Endocrinologist monthly. At one point during all of this there was concern over my liver and I ended up having a complete liver panel done by a Gastroenterologist including a c-scan, and then an MRI. Thankfully nothing came of that, but they did discover kidney stones! For that I started seeing a Urologist. Between my family doctor and all these specialists including an ophthalmologist to keep a close eye (for give the pun) to insure I was not suffering Graves ophthalmology issues (the eyes can greatly enlarge, and become painful) I had an entire medical team of 5 doctors! Thankfully I live in Canada, so this was not a financial burden, I don't know how I would have coped if it had been.

I was so hopeful in the beginning, and I am not sorry that I tried, but I never achieved remission. In the end I opted for the atomic solution, which is a nickname for the medically supervised treatment of taking a very high dose of radioactive iodine-131 in order to destroy the thyroid, and bring thyroid hormones under control. It was not an easy decision to come to, nor should it be. I was horrified by the idea I was effectively killing what should have been a healthy organ, and I cried, a lot, both before and afterwards.

It took about 6 months after the radiation treatment to begin to start feeling a bit better, and I have been gradually getting better ever since.

Today, I feel much more like my old self. I see my doctor once every 6 months for blood work and to make sure my thyroid hormone levels are at normal levels. I have to take a hormone pill once in the morning with lots of water, and that's it no more pills. It's no bigger a deal in my opinion than taking a birth control pill.

I am back to a fairly normal weight for my size, and virtually all of the horrific symptoms are gone. I still suffer a little anxiety from time to time, and occasionally insomnia, but I don't feel it is worse than most other people go through. I enjoy exercise, and am fairly active. I try to eat healthy. And my moods have evened out, much to the relief of my family.

It has been a long and sometimes scary road, and I don't try to kid myself that I will ever be exactly the same as I was pre-Graves, how could I be. I am, however, very optimistic, and I am hoping to start back to work full-time (perhaps in a less stressful career path) shortly. I am ready for new experiences and challenges. I feel confident.

There is no cure for Graves, but there are treatments, and yes there is a life after diagnosis, and it can be a very good one. Hang in there.

Wordless Wednesday

A couple of months back I had my hair dyed from dark-ish auburn to blonde for my b-day. I had forgotten how quickly re-growth touch-ups need to be done when you hair is dyed a light blonde, and decided to try out the L'OREAL Root Rescue in number 9. It was on sale at Shoppers for $5.99 and at that price I figured why not try it out.

The product is very easy to use, and I liked the wee brush applicator. They do not give you as much as a full kit, but my hair being fairly short with only a small bit of regrowth did not require any more. The process in total took 15 mins, the smell was not bad at all, and was not very messy.

The box says to stay with in one or two shades of your natural colour. I am actually a few shades darker than the light blonde more a dark ash blond, and yet I found it provided great coverage.

Would recommend this product, and will use it again between seeing my colourist.

9 LIGHT BLONDE

I Love! Love! Love! chocolate fudge brownies.

Matthew saw this recipe online for chocolate fudge, nearly no fat brownies, and when he asked if we should try out the recipe and make some, of course I said, YES!!! Will let you know how they turn out, but in the mean time if you want to try them out for yourself (and who wouldn't ???) here is the recipe from the video link. Sweet!

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees...

In a bowl, mix...

1/2 cup Chocolate (melted)
1 Cup Plain Yogurt (0%)
1/2 cup of sugar OR 1/3 cup of Splenda

When pretty much mixed, sift in...

3/4 cup of Flour
1/2 cup of Cocoa
1/4 of baking soda

If you don't sift in, combine these dry ingredients in a seperate bowl and mix in a little at a time...

Mix well scraping the sides of the bowl...

When almost mixed, add 1/2 cup of water and mix in to make "batter-like".

Pour into an 8" x 8" Pan

Bake for 25 minutes

Cool and serve!

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Shoes

Saturday Photo Hunting: Spicy

A store window display of teeny tiny shoes.

A display of my sparkly shoes and handbag. Perfect to add some spice to your evening out!

My hot pink sparkly shoes are spicy for the daytime too!

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by. I appreciate everyone's comments, and I'm very sorry to have had to install Captcha as I know so many hate it. I hate it too, but spammers had gotten past my simple spam filter and the amount of spam comments on a daily basis had become excessive. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

March

31 artificial

Upcoming Themes For Saturday Photo Hunting

March

31 Fresh

The other day I was talking with a friend of mine about dreams, in particular recurring dreams. Normally I do not put too much stock into my recurring dreams, nor even nightmares as I can usually pinpoint either the anxiety, events, interests, or experiences within my waking life that has produced them. Nor do I put too much emphasis on dream interpretations, as what is symbolic for me, may not be so for someone else, and vice versa. These dreams that I have been having are different than ones I usually have, one involving my Mom was a bit disturbing and borderline creepy.

My friend suggested that I start keeping a dream journal by the bed and recording these dreams, and looking for possible patterns. She also suggested I record details such as how I was feeling, and I thought that would be a good idea. So, I have purchased a fresh notebook and will start recording some of these, and see if I can gain some insight into what my subconscious is up to.

Years ago I wrote an article entitled, "Dream Communication" which some of you may find of interest. It goes into how many cultures both primitive and sophisticated do believe that communicating with the souls of the deceased in the dream state in fact does occur, and reports of this type of phenomena are not as rare as one may expect. Within the article I include a couple of personal dream experiences of my own.

Wordless Wednesday

It was exactly 25 years ago today on another mild, sunny first day of Spring that I became a Mom. Happy birthday Stephanie, my sweet, beautiful girl.

And for those wondering, I was 20 when she was born. And yes, it really was the 80's if you couldn't guess by the bad perm, heavy eyeliner and neon coloured outfit I'm sporting.

Stephanie was an adorable easy going baby and that's not just 25 years of rose coloured memory talking, she really was, and still is today a nice, kind-hearted soul.

Time does fly...........

.........and I am very proud of the amazing young woman you have become!

Happy 25th birthday to a lovely lady who was most appropriately born on the First day of Spring!

Love Always,
Mom
xoxoxox

Last night Matthew and I saw the American film adaption of Stieg Larsson's bestselling novel "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." There has been a lot of hype surrounding this film, but having never read the books (I know I'm probably among a handful on the planet who didn't read the book) nor see the Swedish movie version I really wasn't sure what to expect.

The film centres around a 40 year old murder mystery that a disgraced investigative journalist is brought in to attempt to solve under the guise of writing a famed industrialist's family biography. His research assistant Lisbeth Salander (the girl with the dragon tattoo) is a computer hacking genius, with her own dark and mysterious past. Together over the course of the film they unravel the mystery and uncover the family's disturbing secrets.

I really enjoyed Rooney Mara's portrayal of Lisbeth, who is an angry, dark, violent, complicated, heroine. The whole film in fact is brutal, and complex, but ultimately satisfying, and I was very happy to learn that there are two more films in the works.

After seeing the film I was inspired to go online and learn more about the author of the books Stieg Larsson. He has a very intriguing history himself as a journalist who worked towards exposing far right extremists and white supremacists in Sweden, as well as being a strong supporter of women's rights and a feminist. These insights helped me to understand and appreciate Lisbeth all the more, and see the film as an important statement on violence against women. It is just a shame that he passed away so young (age 50) and without benefit of knowing the massive international success his books and his heroine Lisbeth Salander would achieve.

Interesting bit of trivia I learned is that the author patterned Lisbeth on his ideas of an adult Pipi Longstocking, and I kinda get that.

The American version of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a brilliant film in my humble opinion, and I would definitely recommend it. It has also inspired me to read The Millenium-series, which I'm now really looking forward to.

What an amazing weekend temperature, and weather wise. It is like we went from a very lengthy Fall straight into summer, and no, I'm not complaining!

On Saturday Matthew and I spent the day hiking through the Humber valley area. We ended up visiting a local cemetery and were surprised to see a group of three white-tailed deer hopping over the tombstones.

We didn't have a good camera with us, so this is the best pic we got using our iPods. I think they got trapped inside the cemetery, and were searching for a way to get past the fencing.

Here is another pic of the three does running across the lane.

Hopefully they found their way back into the ravine, and towards the Humber, which is where I believe they may have came from in the first place. It's very rare for us to see wild deer in the city, especially in the cemetery!

Was a very lengthy, but refreshing walk and after watching a rather interesting documentary on Peter Sellers, and his intense interest in the paranormal we both crashed into one of those good exhausted kinda sleeps.

This morning we woke to the sad news that an arsonist had burned down the castle playground in High Park. Here is a photo of the devastation from Cheri Dinovo's Facebook page. Cheri is awesome when it comes to helping with things in the community, and we are lucky to have her. Definitely a hands on type.

Matthew was one of the people who originally helped to build the playground, and it was a wonderful treat to bring the kiddo, and my niece there.

We decided since it was such a nice day that we'd visit High Park and take a stroll along the boardwalk by the lake. After another three hour long hike in the sunshine we're quite pooped, but very happy to learn that Canadian Tire is going to donate $50,000 dollars to help volunteers rebuild the castle playground. Woo Hoo! More corporations need to start getting involved at the local level like this, way to go Canadian Tire, and thank you from someone who loves High Park, and whose family loves the castle playground. Here is a Castle Playground Facebook page for those interested in learning more and possibly helping with the rebuild.

On the downside we also learned that the Toronto Public Library workers are out on strike. Hopefully this will be resolved shortly. I use the library weekly, and value the service the staff provide, which is why I support them in asking for a fair agreement.

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Creative

To say our family are Doctor Who fans is a bit of an understatement, we actually bring the true meaning of "fanatic" back to the word "fan" when it comes to this British Sci-Fi show.

Here is a pic of hubby dressed up as one of the show's iconic baddies the Daleks. For his birthday last year we decided to get creative and make a chocolate Dalek shaped cake.

Looks yummy doesn't it. It was!

Here is a view with a Dalek action figure beside the cake.

I think we did a pretty good job considering we had never made one before.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

March

17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

On Tuesday my Sis and I took the kiddos to the Maple Syrup Festival being held at Kortright Centre's sugarbush in Vaughn, Ontario.

We arrived about 11am at the conservation area and wasted no time in hitting the sugarbush trail. It was a lovely day, warm with mostly sunshine, perfect for a trek through the sugarbush.

Along the trail there are demonstrations of syrup making in the olden days over a large fire. There are also samples of sap (which is pretty watery) and warm sap that has been brought just to that amber brink of turning into syrup. Yum! In the building pictured above they give demos of more modern syrup making, and discuss how large sugarbushes use tubing between trees for sap collection.

There are several signs along the way explaining various aspects of the sugarbush including how squirrels often get tipsy from the fermenting sap!

Now you know why maple syrup costs so much to buy at the store.

For lunch we had pancakes, sausages, and of course maple syrup! It was very reasonable priced, and filling. So filling that we decided we would spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the conservation area.

We discovered a birds of prey exhibit, but most of the birds were away at the Sportmans Show.

The only birds on display that day were an owl named Bubo, and Remi who I believe is a falcon. Remi was very friendly and I got the impression she was missing her feathered companions. When I asked one of the keepers why she had been left behind they said she would be going to the show tomorrow.

Continuing down the trail we came across Peeper's Pond, which is apparently bottomless!

Actually it is a kettle pond, so not quite bottomless.

Between all that treking, and texting it is a good thing that the kiddo found herself a muskoka chair to crash out on.

Despite the mud on some of the less travelled trails, we did brave the forest and went off trail for a while, we also found some geo-caches.

Luckily for me I found this great walking stick!

After we finished our hiking through the trails we made certain to stop in the gift shop where I bought a jug of maple syrup, maple sugar, maple tea, and maple candies....what else....

Before we left the kiddos continued working off the maple sugar rush.

Ok some of us were still working on the maplely goodness

We spent 6 hours total exploring Kortright, and it was a fun exhausting kind of day. And if one can OD on maple syrup I certainly tried.

Photographer: Julia Margaret Cameron


Wordless Wednesday

Lady Fortune the Absurd of Greater Internetshire presents your opportunity to receive your very own eccentric British aristocratic title. I lost the linky to this silly meme, but will post it anyway because its absurd, and by its very absurdity it of course suits me.

Lady Fortune herself looks to have disappeared into that great internetshire wasteland in the sky a while back, I'm just migrating a few things over from my old blog that still amuse me.

Its hard to believe, but I am coming up on the two year anniversary of the atomic solution. For those who don't follow this blog or my earlier one, I have Graves Disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid, sometimes the eyes, and rarely the skin. The atomic solution is a nickname for the medically supervised treatment of taking a high dose of radioactive iodine-131 in order to destroy the thyroid, and bring thyroid hormones under control. This along with surgery are the end treatments for Graves Disease which can be very debilitating, and daunting not only for sufferers, but everyone who is close to them.

In honour of the anniversary I think I'm going to write-up a lengthy entry detailing my own Graves journey up until now, in the hopes that my story will help or encourage or give a little hope to someone else. I don't often blog about it anymore, because I don't want my wonky immune system to define me, but I think an article at this point in time will be appropriate, and perhaps a little cathartic, as I move forward with my life.

If you found this blog and you too have thyroid issues than we are in good company! Dame Maggie Smith, who plays the Dowager Countess in my fave new Brit period drama Downton Abbey, is at 75, a brilliant actress, and a fellow Graves sufferer.

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Power

All of these "power" themed photos were taken in Pickering, Ontario very near to where my Mom used to live by Frenchman's Bay.

Wind power turbine can be seen to the left, and to the far right is Pickering Nuclear Power Generating Station, on the banks of Lake Ontario.

A close-up of the nuke plant where my Uncle was head of safety for many years. It is actually guarded quite heavily and you can't get too close without alerting security.

Close-up of the wind turbine. These are quite controversial in the province at the moment as some people complain living near the turbines is making them sick. I dunno which would be worse...these or the nuke plant.....

Here is some more info on the wind turbines from Ontario Power Generation.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

March

17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

...or so proclaims this can I picked up at the liquor store. Who can resist such clever 2012 marketing, or the fact its a blend of vodka, whiskey, rum, and gin!

I thought it might be fitting to get Mason to model with the can. You remember Mason, my alien doll that Trish Stratus of WWE fame posed with at the talk radio station.

Mason is FAMOUS! He is also an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church. I applied for him online, and they sent his certificate, which hangs proudly near my desk.

Anyway getting back to the can, it says that the contents are best enjoyed over ice before its too late, so I will.... and if you look closely you can see a wee grey alien in between the words "special blend."

Tasty! Long Live Whenever!

Psst.....the winning lotto numbers are............

Rock on!!!

And in all seriousness, trust in yourself, don't stress so much, and listen to your Mom, she really does know more than you, and she is a very cool, smart chick, who you will miss terribly one day. Make the most of your time.

Oh, and hehehe approx 30 years later that very same jacket will be borrowed by your own very cool 16 year old daughter. A testament to the fine workmanship of Levis Strauss

Wordless Wednesday

Recently I digitized all of the family photo albums, and some choice photos that belong to my sister. I now have the task of going through a box of loose photos that belonged to my Mom. Before I work on scanning them I'm going to work on sorting them into categories, and trying to identify the people in the pics for future generations. Maybe I'll even add a blurb or two of gossipy stuff on the back of certain pics for memory sake.

Anyway as I begin the process I thought it might be fun to start a personal kinda meme allowing certain photos to become my muse and either share a story or memory related to the photo or just let them inspire a creative writing exercise. We'll see....for now I'm thinking about sunny days and playing on the beach. The cuties above are my nephew and my youngest kiddo, both now 17, and 16.

Time flies especially on the beach............

I'm thinking of having a mid-life celebration. I've never been bothered by age or aging so no one who really knows me would buy a mid-life crisis. Anyway at 45, and living in Canada I have a reasonable chance of making it to 90, so the time for a mid-life celebration would need to be soonly. And how will I go about this celebrating of mid-life you may be wondering???

I'm fancying an old style Sailor Jerry tattoo would be just the thing! Something like his trademark hula girl that is pictured above, worthy of an old pirate. I like stars and anchors too.

Sailor Jerry aka Norman Keith Collins was a legendary pioneering tattoo artist. You can read about him through his wiki entry, and from the company website that bears his name.

If I do get a tattoo like the hula girl I'd probably have it done of the back of my calf, which would look fab in the summer. I'm thinking it may just be a fun way to celebrate the year, and a new job, and treat myself!

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Fluffy

This theme is very easy in our household.

and

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

March

3 fluffy
10 power
17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

The Mothership - Susan St Clair.com

The Paranormal Blog

Paranormal Studies and Investigations Canada

ParaResearchers

Toronto Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society

Ontario Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society

ParaResearchers Of Quebec

BCGHRS

One Old Green Bus - Hubby's Old Blog

Imaginary Magnitude

The Spicy Cauldron

Yellowdog Granny

Tinkerbell's Blog

40 and Loving It!

A Fistful Of T-Shirts

Inexplicata

Parasociology

The Poodle (and Dog) Blog

Teena In Toronto

Webs Of Significance

Strange Days

East Coast Life

Churches In Venice

Robin's Blog Blather

Motivated Motion

This and That From Paulie

Writing In Faith

Carver's Sight Or Is That Site

The Poor Mouth

Cat Synth

Remember Bi-Way? It was a discount department store, that everyone bought stuff from, but would never admit it. I have a vivid memory of my former sister in-law (a young kid at the time) crying, and refusing to be seen with a Bi-Way shopping bag in case any of her friends or school chums spotted her. Ahhh that was the 80's for ya!

I believe they all closed sometime in the 90's amid some sort of scandal, but I cannot recall the details.

Anyway I just did a marketing survey that was based around the idea of resurrecting the old Bi-Way chain, only updating it so that it would be competitive in today's market. Think higher end dollar store, but still more or less cheapy department store.

I'd check it out! Why not....I was left thinking though, what next....Bargain Harolds, and why not Eaton's???? I actually miss Eatons.

For more dead retailers that may just resurrect sometime in a city or town near you check out the Dead Retailers Graveyard!

They may just have to take Bi-Way off of the list in the not too distant future.

Wordless Wednesday

It weathered other recessions, and even survived a giant Chapters store opening down the street, but between superstores, the current sluggish economy, and now e-books, our local independent book shop just didn't stand a chance of surviving for much longer.

I wasn't surprised to see the note posted to their window, explaining why they were closing next month when their lease ended, and thanking their loyal customers (me definitely included) but I was saddened.

I walked into the book shop and I wanted to drink it in, because I had this odd deja-vu feeling of being a kid in my favourite record shop, with its bins of vinyl albums, and how faraway, and long ago that feels. Standing among the aisles of the now heavily discounted books I got the distinct feeling that much like the record store of my childhood this particular experience is rapidly changing to the point that it will very soon be no more.

I have many fond memories of being a kid, and looking forward to going to the book store with my Mom or Dad, and buying my precious Nancy Drew books. I'd usually buy 2 at a time and have them finished within a week, when I'd start bugging my parents to go back to the book store. Sigh......

This love of reading, and the book shop has never left me, and even today I am far more likely to be found hanging out at a fave book store both new/used or be buying a book than almost any other item.

I wonder what book shops will be like in another 5 years? What will they look like? How will they feel? I have a clue based on how the local Chapters is now displaying their Kobos, and e-reader accessories front and center, with computer terminals set-up for easy browsing, and purchasing. These are surrounded by other items like blankets, and candles, and even food stuffs. You have to walk quite a way in to start browsing the books.

Coffee table and photography books will probably survive in their present formats, as may paper calendars, but I really believe the e-book will dominate in the very, very near future, which for an old time book lover is bittersweet indeed. Its not that I am against progress, and I do see the many positives that e-books possess, but I do feel another bit of my childhood is slipping away forever, and that makes me nostalgic.

Good-bye wee bookshop, with your always brilliant, quality titles (because the seller actually cared what he stocked) and your friendly approachable staff that made me feel that they too loved books, I will miss you.

Yesterday Matthew and I took a lengthy walk, and afterwards decided to treat ourselves with a visit to our favourite West Toronto roti shop!

The Friendly Trini's offers real home-style cooking, and the photo below just simply does not do their yummy food justice. They had recently been closed for renovations and we were excited to learn through their Facebook page that they were back open for business with new hours.

Matthew and I ordered two chicken rotis, mine with extra hot sauce, and the jerk chicken special, which comes with rice, and salad. I can tell you the food was delicious, especially on a very cold blustry winter day.

The restaurant is located very near to the Dundas West subway shop. The shop is clean, and like its name the service is very friendly. If you are in the neighbourhood, and like Caribbean food I definitely would say check them out. They do eat-in, and take out.

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Old

The following collection of photos was taken at the Royal Ontario Museum, which has a lot of old things.

This photo does not do this display justice.

Maybe you guys can help me with this one? I forgot to write down its story and history, and am a bit baffled by it.

Lovely old cross

I believe this is King Henry VIII

Who can resist a knight in tarnished armour.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

March

3 fluffy
10 power
17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

I love boots, heck I love shoes, but I actually love wearing boots more! I have a few good pairs of well broken in boots for different occasions, but I never tire of boot shopping even if its only online window browsing so to speak.

Come browse boots with me! I've brewed up a pot of blueberry green tea, and am ready for some relaxing online shopping.

Check out these great adventuring frye boots. I snagged the pic of the pair that most caught my eye, so you can check them out too.

I love the look of these. They remind me of the pair the character Laurie wears in the AMC The Walking Dead tv series. If I were to get a new adventuring boot these would be high on my list. I have a feeling that after breaking these in they would be uber comfortable, and long lasting. For me the most important thing is durability in a boot, and these look like they'd be tough. Not as certain about the colour in the photo though, I do like tans, and light brown, but in this style I think black or a dark grey might work better.

My second choice in hot adventuring boot is the frye melissa button knee high. Another great look, but I hesitate on knee high boots because I have fairly big muscular calves, and whenever I try on this type of style I have great difficulty finding any that will fit properly, especially rain boots or Wellies.

If I want a knee high boot I definitely have to go in store to try them on first, but I do enjoy getting ideas from online browsing, and getting the scoop on sales.

What do you think, which are your fave pair?

Wordless Wednesday

After eagerly anticipating the release of The Woman In Black with Daniel Radcliffe I finally got to see the film! Part of my enthusiasm stemmed from the brilliant book by author Susan Hill, that is one of the few fictional ghost stories I've had the pleasure of reading that genuinely induced nightmares. In the 80's, I believe, the BBC adapted the story for a tv version that I also found to be quite good and genuinely chilling. In all honesty I felt that this story deserved to be told via a much bigger budget, and a big screen.....

....sadly after seeing the film I have changed my mind. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a terrible film, and some of the effects used to portray the Woman In Black were terrific, but overall I felt the story veered too far from the book, and did not adequately explain the story enough to create a sense of true horror. It felt flat, and in my opinion had I not read the book, nor seen the BBC tv adaption I would have been lost as to the point, and left with several unanswerable questions.

I did think Radcliffe put in a great performance as Arthur Kipps, as did the rest of the cast, and the set locations were spot on. It was in the telling of the story that I became disappointed. Much need scenes such as Alice Drablow's funeral were cut, while others that were pointless to the story, in my humble opinion, such as the crow flying in through the chimney were added.

I do not want to give too much away and post spoilers, but my reaction after seeing this film was meh...and its not because I am a fan of gore, in fact the opposite is true, and this story does not need it at all to be frightening. I have heard some complain that those who critise this film are obviously missing the gore of torture porn horror, and I want to make it very clear in my case that is absolutely not true.

Maybe my expectations were too high going in because of the standard set by the book itself or the fact the tv version was just so much superior in creating a horrific atmosphere despite its much lower budget. I did want to adore this film not only for the story, but because it is a Hammer film, and I was genuinely rooting for Daniel Radcliffe, who just comes across as a great guy, and actor, unfortunately it left me rather cold, and disappointed, with a strong desire to revisit Eel Marsh House in the not too distant future through the wonderful storytelling of Susan Hill's book.

For the first time in ages I used Interac at a shop I've been doing business with for years, and my bank account got compromised and drained.

And yes I do have the card with the chip that is supposed to prevent theft. Ugh!

I almost always prefer using cash for my purchases, but I was picking up some expensive prescriptions for Matthew, and with the holiday today I had wanted to make sure we had them for the weekend. My gut was telling me to go up to the bank and just get the money out, but for expediency sake and because I was in a very trusted shop I thought what the heck I'll get dinged for the service charge, and will save the time.

Unfortunately that decision has cost me much grief and inconvenience. Yesterday morning the bank called to say they put a stop to all transactions via my bank card. It was flagged when the transactions were coming from overseas, and I had just used the card an hour prior in Toronto! Now I have to wait until the branch opens tomorrow (its a holiday in Ontario) for them to begin their investigation. Apparently it may take a week or more before the mess is straightened out, and my money reimbursed.

They say these types of crimes are victim-less because they are non-violent, and because eventually the bank will reimburse me, but I can tell you I still feel like victimised.

Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting: Circles

There are several examples of circles within this photo that I took outside of a building at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds last year.

Here is another view of the building's entrance.

If you look above the doorway there are grotesques which are placed within circles.

Here are some close-ups

This looks like a cow or a bull to me

and perhaps a "green man" .....

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

February

25 old

The bayonet's of these historical re-enactors end in a very sharp point!

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

February

25th ~ Loud

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

Yesterday I had an appointment up at Yonge and Sheppard and for the first time had the opportunity of checking out one of the TTC's new subway trains. It's actually rare that I'm on the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway line so it was a bit of a treat to be able to travel on one of these new trains. I found it to be clean, roomy, and much more comfortable than the old subway cars. The trains are completely digitized with signs that show the next stop and which side of the train you'll need to exit. I must say well done TTC!

Now hopefully the city can get it together, and either get back to Transit City or another new plan for improved service. As a regular rider my concern is keeping it affordable, comfortable, and clean.

Photo Source: TTC

Wordless Wednesday

I met my Valentine while touring a former insane asylum, which by the way, is a great story to tell future grandchildren. I took notice of him after a strange young woman began telling the tour group of a mysterious crash of a DC-10 that had gone unreported in the Barrie Ontario area .... at the exact moment I was about to explain to her that surely had an aircraft the size of a DC 10 crashed in Barrie Ontario, someone would notice, Matthew leaped into the conversation and took the words right from my mouth. Well, I thought ... he certainly is a lot swifter than he looks, especially for a gothy looking ghost guy.

After our first meeting we became fast friends, and thick as thieves, so to speak. At the time it was a bit of a surprise, but after two years of developing a strong friendship, and myself actually setting him up on dates, it became quite clear that we in fact were a duo. I think we came to this realisation after looking at some footage of an on-site ghost investigation where we were constantly by each other sides. The camera saw, perhaps something that wasn't so clear to ourselves at first.

And that is the story of how a geeky girl who was totally into UFOs got together with a ghost researcher, and founder of a ghost society. I must admit though I have always had a very dark streak, gee, my choice of Valentine's card should clue you in to that.

So 10+ years since our first official date, and despite the predictions of a break-up after 2 months by a rather lousy psychic, I would like to wish my Matthew, my BFF, my partner in crime for life, and evil stepfather of my girls a very Happy Valentines Day!

Je t'aime,

Your Sue
XOXOXOXOX

Image Source: Vintage Cards

With the brief return to Canadian winter over the weekend, I decided to snuggle in with a hot chocolate or two and power American Horror Story. This new horror mini-series had been recommended to me by a few good friends, and after viewing all 13 episodes I can enthusiastically say I loved it!

The show focuses on the lives of the Harmon family Ben, Vivien and their teenage daughter Violet, who move from Boston to Los Angeles after Vivien had a miscarriage and Ben had an affair. The house they purchase unbeknownst to them is known throughout the city as "The Murder House" and is haunted by several of its former inhabitants, and those spirits of people who died usually violently on the property.

While watching the show I couldn't help but thinking this is kinda like The Ghosts Of Motley Hall only for adults, which is probably in part why I enjoyed it so thoroughly.

After watching Season One I'm not surprised at all that Jessica Lange won the Golden Globe for her portrayal of Constance. Her performance was brilliant, as was the rest of the cast.

So I'm definitely happy to hear there will be a Season Two with a different cast and locale, which is the best way to do it imho as a mini series each season.

Another one worth watching if you are not already into it is The Walking Dead. The second half of this season aired last night, but no worries if you've missed it or do not have cable as you can always watch it through Netflix.

Finally Being Human (the British version) Episode Two also aired last night. I am not sure how I feel about the show with virtually all of the original cast killed off, and what is seemingly almost a switch in genre for the show. With George and Mitchell, and Nina gone, and only Annie left, my hope is the three new characters that were introduced in the opening of this series will be strong enough to carry the show. I'll give it a few episodes, but honestly I am worried that the show's new focus on a dystopian style future and war with vampires, as opposed to the interplay of a ghost, werewolf, and vampire simply living together and attempting to fit in with human society will lead the show into jumping the shark so to speak. So sad, because I thought the show was brilliant, and original as it was, and perhaps should have ended when the two lead actors left the show.

On that note Becoming Human held much promise, and perhaps a continuation of that storyline would be worth exploring.

A vintage photo of my Mom circa 1964. I miss her, and think of her every day.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

February

18 circles
25 old

A broken heart ......

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

February

18th ~ Point
25th ~ Loud

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

.....to one of the smartest, and coolest people I know.

She made her debut 22 years ago today, and has been one of the best things I have done in this life. Happy birthday wishes for my incredibly intelligent, and beautiful daughter Sarah.

Wordless Wednesday

Having Graves Disease my eyesight is a constant concern, and once a year I have my eyes examined for any sign that the autoimmune disorder might have started attacking my eyeballs, which is thankfully paid for by the Ontario government. I also wear glasses for myopia, so have my prescription checked at the same time. After having a richmond eye exam to see if there is any change, I look forward to checking out the newest designs in eyewear. I prefer the ultra nerdy look of brainy specs, and do think of my glasses as a fashion accessory, even my oldest pair that are held together in part by tape.

This year is exciting because I have a $50.00 gift certificate for products and services at Optical Eyeworks, which is has a huge inventory of glasses and sunglasses to choose from. I was scoping out their website here: http://www.opticaleyeworks.ca/ earlier this morning.

I will post up a review after I have checked them out in person, and yes post photos of the new specs when I've got them. What I like is this is a one hour service and therefore if I do need a new set because my prescription has changed I won't need to wait around for them.

Matthew and I are not big sports fans. So, yesterday while many of our friends were busy with their Super Bowl festivities we took advantage of the mild weather, and sunshine to take a hike through High Park.

During our hike we noticed construction of a new building, and we decided to check it out.

We both noted that the building was filled with bales of hay, which seemed rather curious.

We looked around and found this sign, which explains that this building will be the new home of the Children's Teaching Kitchen. It also explains that the hay bales are part of the environmentally friendly design of this neat structure.

How cool is this! It makes me miss when my own kids were little, and could be part of such a fun project.

Will definitely visit again to see the finished building!

The most downloaded show in PRS history is called Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory, and is very timely with Apple posting record profits and giving 60 million dollars in stock options to its top 6 executives, and the President of USA's state of the union address where he says its time jobs were brought back to America.

The US president is correct not only because Americans desperately need jobs (we Canadians do too) but because companies like Apple are making these record profits on the backs of human beings treated so horribly that no one in the USA or Canada would even contemplate such working conditions, which are more like a horror/sci-fi film than any experience we in North America would consider real. Plants that hold 400,000 plus people, 30hr long shifts, no rotation of manual labour so hands are quickly ruined permanently, sitting and talking are not allowed, employees as young as 12, complaints are handled by black lists that are put out by the ministry of labour insuring anyone who complains will not be able to find employment elsewhere, suicide nets......its seems surreal, but it is reality for the people that made your iPhone and do not have the pleasure of owning one themselves.

In all fairness its not just Apple, but all cheap electronics that we enjoy and throw away when the next must-have gadget gets released. And I am guilty of owning these products too.

For those interested and who listened to that radio segment (I defy anyone to listen to it and not cry) here is a petition demanding an ethical iPhone 5.

http://sumofus.org/campaigns/ethical-iphone/

Please consider signing the petition. Ultimately the power does rest with the consumer.

What is extremely disturbing to me is that Foxconn is opening up another plant in Brazil.........

I will never be able to hold another piece of technology in my own hands without stopping to think whose hands put this together, because as Mr Daisey points out I was one of those people who copy/pasted an image of tiny robots (like a Japanese car plant) putting together my iPod never considering or even asking for the truth of how it was made.

I personally would happily pay a $100 bux or more for an item say manufactured in the USA or Canada so that I could be certain the product was not produced so horrifically. I think most tech lovers would.

Thank you Mr Daisey for opening my eyes, we do need to know, no matter how awful and ugly the reality of the manufacturing of our beloved tech is.

I was shocked and saddened to learn through the Facebook group that Jamie Ray-Smith known through the blogging world as TNChick and the founder of the original Photo Hunters lost her Dad on January 24th to a brutal murder. My thoughts and prayers are with Jamie and her family. I cannot imagine what they are going through.

Among the brush, and the twigs, holding her seed filled hand out, as still and flat as possible, a wee bird says hello to the kiddo.

Happy Photo Hunting. And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

February

11 vintage
18 circles
25 old

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

February

11th ~ Heart
18th ~ Point
25th ~ Loud

I have to admit something from the get go, I have never seen a single episode of Jersey Shore. I do not subscribe to cable, and even when I did I was not a fan of most of the realty tv show genre. The plethora of realty tv shows that dominate cable, in part, is why we finally decided to get rid of cable, 200+ channels and never anything to watch.

Yesterday during a Facebook convo Snooki came up in passing, and a friend of ours had no idea who she was or why she was being referenced in an obvious negative way. This got me to thinking, I have not seen her show, my own kids are not fans, I do not really follow celeb gossip sites, and I have not read her book, yet I do know of her, at least in a very cursory way. And what I do know of Snooki tends to be either wrapped up in snark or downright negative.

So perhaps out of boredom or because I genuinely wanted to know more about her (I lean heavily towards the former) I did a bit of research last night.

Before becoming a realty tv personality Nicole Polizzi aka Snooki studied veterinary care at a local college. Apparently her break came when she was spotted on an episode of Is She Really Going Out with Him? by the casting directors of Jersey Shore. In 2009 she was considered the breakaway star of the show apparently upstaging the rest.

So how much of Nicole is really Snooki or vice versa. How much of the Snooki persona is real? Intelligent tv viewers know to take all of these "realty" tv shows with a grain of salt. I once heard it put best by a former paranormal realty tv personalty who said, the only difference between what he did and an actor is that he played "himself" or at best a caricature of himself. I'm willing to bet this is most likely true of Snooki as well.

Yes, I know she has been arrested, and in the process grabbed many more headlines and got compared publicly by a judge no less to Lindsay Lohan. How many Hollywood celebs in the past got tons of publicity out of minor violations, and charges that left one wondering whether it was all just to grab some headlines. In the land of la la isn't it all about having them spell your name right?

The truth is that most likely only Nicole's closest family and friends know how much of Snooki the realty tv personality is just a put on vs Nicole herself.

Her character may be distasteful or off putting to some, and it is highly doubtful she'll be remembered for her brilliance, she is very young though so I wouldn't completely count her out at this point. However with that said, in a country which is seeing mass foreclosures and bankruptcy Nicole was paid $32,000 for an hour lecture at Rutgers University. The money she was paid for appearing on WWE with Trish Stratus (hometown gal) was more than many Americans will see in a year including veterinary technicians. And while I would personally not want to be on her life's path, as I sit here getting ready to prepare my bi-monthly grocery budget it is hard to completely fault her particularly as she really isn't harming anyone, and the only thing she is perhaps exploiting is herself.

Image Source: Wiki Creative Commons Licence

Wordless Wednesday

What a great day this has turned out to have been. Firstly after my morning coffee I had the pleasant surprise of receiving a package in the mail from a friend who recently left Canada to conduct research in Bali. This will help me out greatly with my own research. Thanks so much Chris and Kris you guys rawk!

Then.....

Last week the girls gave me a salon gift certificate for my birthday and today I had a lovely morning getting my hair makeover. The end result is a fun new cut, honey blond hair, and foil highlights. Thanks so much Salon 96! PLUS I found a pair of great fitting jeans!

Throw in sunshine and very warm temps and was an awesome day!

I came across this book at a local garage sale a few years back, and with a title like "The Miseries of Human Life" and a price tag of 50 cents I naturally could not resist adding it to my collection.

Although this book was written over two hundred years ago, many of the "miseries of human life" that are listed by the original author James Beresford are still very much relevant today.

While it is true that many of the books written during the 19th century could be viewed as stuffy or overly long by the modern day reader's tastes, I can assure you that this one is genuinely funny, and does give an interesting peak into life during that era, and how in some ways how little has really changed in regards to the human condition.

Feeling a little miserable myself today, but I'm putting that down to the very strange weather we've been having, and a head cold that keeps threatening to become nastier then it currently is.

I love looking through vintage pics like this one taken in London England, circa 1900. And I like to wonder what became of these people? They are so very young in this photo, and yet they have lived out their entire lives.

And what I wonder what was so interesting down there? I believe they would have been looking down into the Thames.

Image Credit: BBC Archives

A dark and spooky night. Taken last Halloween 2011.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

February

4 twigs
11 vintage
18 circles
25 old

March

3 fluffy
10 power
17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

Mama Cat - She is very fluffy!

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

February

4th ~ Flat
11th ~ Heart
18th ~ Point
25th ~ Loud

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

As I type this blog entry I am sipping on a cup of my morning coffee. It tastes especially good to me, because it is a fair trade product. "Fair Trade is a market-based approach to sustainable development, seeking to empower millions of disadvantaged producers worldwide while protecting the environment for future generations." You can read a much more in-depth article about it here.

I am far from perfect, but I do strive to be an ethical consumer. I buy fair trade products when available, and I will not knowingly purchase any product that comes from a factory farm even if it means spending a little extra money. I support local farmers, and try to only buy Ontario produce. I use water and vinegar to clean with instead of harsh chemicals. I rarely go to Walmart, and I won't buy my clothes there because I don't want to take the chance I'm wearing something that was sewn by child labourers. And I will try to buy Canadian made products because of our strong labour laws. I also refuse to shop at Urban Outfitters because of the extreme politics, and views held by owner/founder Richard Hayne that does not jibe with my own. I cannot morally shop from someone who financially supports staunch anti-gay politicians. I strongly support Canadian business, especially the small local independent shops. I buy second hand and thrift often.

I will, and have purposefully done without, non-essential items if it means my purchase will comprise my morals, and ethics.

I do all this because whether or not it is making a difference I personally feel better about the choices I'm making, and I do believe if we all shopped this way we would have a far fairer and more positive marketplace.

If you feel like I do you will want to have a listen to this radio program entitled Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory. It is enlightening, and will have you thinking about the actual price being paid in order for us to enjoy cheap electronics.

Image Source

Wordless Wednesday

Neda Agha Soltan and I shared a birthday yesterday. She was an Iranian philosophy student, who was engaged to be married, at the time she was murdered. Her friends and family describe her as a bright happy person who loved to sing, although her singing lessons were kept secret because she lived in a country that forbids women from singing in public.

Had Neda lived she would have been 29 years old.

You probably know Neda as the woman whose death was viewed by millions around the world via Youtube and other video sharing sources. She was filmed while lying on an Iranian street bleeding out after being shot by a thug.

I don't care the politics behind her death, only that a beautiful young woman died senselessly and tragically, because someone felt it was their right to be careless with and take another person's life. No one has the right to do that.

RIP beautiful lady .... you should not be forgotten.

Photo Source: Facebook

Had a lovely weekend get together with my girls to celebrate 45 years since my exit from the womb. Matthew made me a delicious, double chocolate brownie cake, and I had my fave pizza with anchovy topping! I was feted, and will be treating myself to a day at an upscale salon as part of my prezzies! The only thing missing was my Dragon-born niece Emma, and my middle kiddo who is away at Uni, but through the magic of technology could be here in spirit!

My b-day this year coincides with Chinese New Year and it is the Year of the Dragon! It is a Happy New Year in more ways than one for me, and the Dragon, which is considered to be the most auspicious and powerful of the 12 signs of the zodiac, is also one associated with high energy and prosperity. With this in mind, and a generally positive feeling about 2012 I have promised myself that I will work towards accomplishing a few of my goals.

My main personal goal right now is to find meaningful, and permanent employment, perhaps even start down a new career path. I have been researching, and exploring different options, and now I'm ready to go after something new.

I would also like to continue working on my studies particularly those related to PSI and consciousness survival, and finish up some projects that I have put on the back-burner. As a sun worshipper, I will use this positively charged year to work towards establishing my religion

I'm going to continue working on my health and getting fit so that I can repel 20ft into a spider filled cave with my sister later this year. I realise, that last bit might not be for some people, but hey these are my goals, I don't judge yours.

And finally I endeavour to start blogging every day, even if it is just sharing a photo or two. I have allowed social media like Facebook to take up too much of my blogging time, and I've missed the creativity and control that having an online journal provides.

So with that typed out I decided to see what the online horoscopes are saying for me this year:

From cafeastrology.com in part my year ahead

"This year, you are more inclined to put your ideas into action than usual. Good energy is with you for debate and mental work in general. Your mind is more active and clearer. You may be involved in frequent lectures, debates, and discussions. You tend to express your ideas more powerfully. Adventuresome travel may be part of the picture. You may be more actively involved with young people this year.

This is a strong year for learning and communications. You are able to find new insight into old problems, and your thinking processes during this period are likely to be especially original. This is a good year for projects involving technology or New Age topics. A subject or even a person can be especially inspiring, prompting you to explore new perspectives.

The year ahead is one of personal new beginnings. Your love life is enhanced by willingness to open up with others. Your finances can grow this year with better management. Learning and communications are especially strong, as you are open to new perspectives and interests, and you can easily find motivation to apply yourself to mental pursuits."

and from Phil Booth's Official Astrology:

"A troublesome issue has been causing you enough anxiety to last many lifetimes. You’ll soon discover that there is far less to fear than you think. A certain process is actually moving in a positive direction and it looks set to gain momentum as this year unfolds. It is leading you to a personal transformation and a well-deserved reward."

Since it sounds good, and definitely works with my goals, and plans who am I to argue!

So Happy New Year to me and you, and let us hope it is a good one for all of us!

A more grown up Maya (last week I posted a kitten pic) checking out the fresh cut flowers. The smell of fresh cut flowers is bliss to me, not so sure about Maya who may just be following her animal instincts in having to examine everything new that comes into the house.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

January

28 dark

February

4 twigs
11 vintage
18 circles
25 old

March

3 fluffy
10 power
17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

January

27th * Fluffy

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

Wordless Wednesday

This cat toy, with its circular top brought much joy to our Maya when she was a kitten. Much like Maya herself brings us joy

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

January

21 animal
28 dark

February

4 twigs
11 vintage
18 circles
25 old

March

3 fluffy
10 power
17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

January

20th * Bliss
27th * Fluffy

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

I have come across more than one American based blog as of late that are discussing FHA streamline refinance options as a way to reduce interest rates. I had no idea what this meant before reading through some of these postings. Mortgage refinance is one way I guess that people are staying afloat in these harder and scary economic times. And it may not be such a bad idea. Here in Toronto the housing bubble has far from burst, but one look through the current listings at Zillow.com shows that housing in the USA paints a very different picture. I would think that it would be a wise idea to get the lowest possible rates one can, and to take advantage of any refinancing options that might allow for that. This of course is based on my own opinion, and I am by no means a mortgage expert or specialist. If you are considering doing something like this best to consult with a knowledgeable party.

I wonder if real estate will go through the same bust here in Canada as it has in the USA? It would be nice if home ownership was put more in the reach of the average working person or if affordable housing was more the norm than the exception in our city.

I love dream catchers both as an object of art and because of their spiritual connection. My youngest shares this appreciation and one wall of her room is adorned with them. The beaded dream catchers you see pictured below are made by my friend Nancy aka Waterfall Insights, and not only are they beautiful, and unique, but are very much spiritually inspired.

Here are Nancy's own words to describe her creations.

"I don't follow a pattern or ready made design.. I find a bead, a colour combination, even a symbolic image in a stone and that starts me on my way. I'm channeling spirit in a way.. I get messages to bead a certain way or to add an element and then I'm told why and how that element represents spirit. It all eventually leads to the idea that is communicated in the Dream Catcher and that is how I find the names or themes of the piece.

If I'm working on a piece for a person I think of them and then let spirit take over to blend the elements to most help the individual or group in the most highest way.

I'm so delighted on how the final Dream Catchers turn out! and enjoy the adventure of letting go and letting spirit/God go to work!"

Some of Nancy's awesome work is currently for sale, and you can check out more through her Facebook group Symbolic By Nature. I strongly believe in supporting our local artists, and crafters, so if you are looking to gift someone with something beautiful, unique, and made with love I absolutely recommend you have a look at Nancy's dream catchers. You won't be able to find anything like this in any store. Not only is Nancy a talented artist she has also kindly assisted is some of my psychical research through the Ontario Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society and PSICAN so I can happily say these dream catchers are a special treasure.

I was sooooo tempted to just reuse this photo when I saw the two themes this week, but since I only just used it for combining the photo hunts a couple of weeks ago for the themes Lights and Surprise if I did I'd feel like I'm cheating.

So here ya go, my little cousin who is a pro wrestler with some of his wrasslin' bling

and my absolute favourite tree and its crazy branches.

Yes, I am a literal tree hugger. I love hugging trees and I am fortunate to live in area surrounded by many thousands of them. This tree, though, is my favourite.

Happy Photo Hunting! And thank you for stopping by.

Upcoming Themes For Gattina's Saturday Photo Hunting

January

14 joy
21 animal
28 dark

February

4 twigs
11 vintage
18 circles
25 old

March

3 fluffy
10 power
17 creative
24 shoes
31 artificial

Upcoming Saturday PhotoHunt Themes:

January

13th * Circular
20th * Bliss
27th * Fluffy

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters