The Wheat Sheaf, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper this evening at the Wheat Sheaf Tavern (King Street W/Bathurst), which is one of Toronto's oldest pubs (it opened around 1850), for supper this evening.

On Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays after 5pm, wings are half price.

 I ordered honey garlic wings and medium wings.  Gord ordered Cajun wings and onion rings.

Toronto Blue Jays 3, Detroit Tigers 4, Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

Gord and I went to the Toronto Blue Jays game this afternoon.  The Detroit Tigers were in town this weekend for four games.  We went to the first game, which was the home opener.  Today is Gord's birthday and I thought it would be a fun way to spend it as he's a big Blue Jays fan.

It started snowing last night (what?!) and continued until later today ... having a closed dome today was a good thing!

And here we are ...

The managers of the two teams met with the umpires before the game.

Ace, the Blue Jays mascot worked the crowd ... everyone loves Ace!

Happy birthday, Gord!

Wishing my husband, Gord, a very happy birthday!

Toronto Rock 12, Philadelphia Wings 11, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON

Gord and I are season ticket holders for the Toronto Rock lacrosse team games ... the Rock is a professional lacrosse franchise in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).  This is our sixth year going to the games and our fifth year having seasons tickets.

It was Tom Schreiber bobblehead night.

Tonight the Rock were hosting the Philadelphia Wings.  The Rock were leading in the eastern division and a win tonight would secure a spot for the Rock in the playoffs.

We got there early enough to watch the teams practice.

Gord's birthday is tomorrow and I had purchased the Rock birthday package for him.  It comes with ten tickets and I invited nine of his friends (some he's known for almost sixty years!).

Here we are ...
Rosemary, Christine, Kevin, Craig and Rachel
Mary, Malcolm, me, Gord and Trish

Scotty Newlands sang the American national anthem.

Kellys Landing Bar Grill Hub, Toronto, ON

Before the Toronto Rock game this evening, Gord and I had supper at Kellys Landing Bar Grill Hub (York Street/Front Street).

Tomorrow's Gord's birthday and what he didn't know was that I had purchased the birthday package for the Rock game for him (it comes with ten tickets) and invited nine friends (he's known some of the guys for almost sixty years!) who were meeting us at Kellys beforehand.  Surprise!!  I had made the reservation in January.  Unfortunately when we arrived the reservation couldn't be found ... fortunately they were able to find a table for us.

His friends brought him gifts.

Egg Sunrise Grill, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had brunch this morning at Egg Sunrise Grill (Dundas Street W/Gladstone Avenue).

I haven't had pancakes in a while and that's what I ordered.  They were good but five pancakes are a lot and I couldn't finish them.  Our server said I could have ordered three instead, which I will next time.

Gord ordered the Skillet Breakfast.  He said it was delicious and is now his new favourite meal there.

Happy birthday, Muffin!

Happy 2nd birthday to my girl, Muffin!

Book ~ "Christmas Camp Wedding" (2019) Karen Schaler

From Goodreads ~ After finally becoming partner at her advertising agency, Haley Hanson barely has time to plan her Christmas Eve wedding with her fiancé, Jeff. When their perfect location falls through at the last minute, they need to find a new venue fast. But everything is booked for the holidays, except for the place where Haley and Jeff fell in love, Christmas Camp.

With time running out to transform the inn into a winter wonderland, Trisha, a top wedding planner is brought in to help; she also just happens to be Jeff’s ex-girlfriend.

Will Jeff and Trisha’s Christmas past get in the way of Haley’s Christmas future, or can Christmas Camp still work its magic for a holiday happily ever after?

Haley and Jeff met and fell in love last Christmas.  Her boss had sent her to Christmas Camp to help her discover Christmas ... Jeff's dad, Ben, runs the camp.  Haley and Jeff are now engaged and getting married on Christmas Eve at her parents' soon-to-be-opened B&B.  It's part of a marketing plan to entice others to go to the B&B and get married there too.

A couple days before the wedding, pipes break and the wedding is moved to Ben's B&B.  No problem, right?  Ben has even found a wedding planner named Trisha for them at the last minute.  When Haley discovers that Trisha is an ex-girlfriend of Jeff's and is still in love with him, that adds even more stress than Haley needs.

This is the second in the Christmas Camp series (I read the first one last month).  I don't usually read romance stories like this but I was interested enough to want to find out about Haley and Jeff's "happily ever after" (I assumed there would be one).  I did find it hard to believe, though, that Trisha and Jeff had broken up three years ago, she was still in love and pining for him, while she wasn't important enough now to him to tell Haley about her.  And I can't believe Haley's friend, Kathy, was in love with Jeff's friend, Steve, and thought he might be "the one" after just meeting him yesterday.

This story is written in third person perspective from Haley's point of view.  It was a light read with a happy ending for all.   There are some recipes at the end.

Chimac Pub & Fried Chicken, Toronto, ON

After the Blue Jays game, Gord and I had supper at Chimac Pub & Fried Chicken (on Queen Street W, , east of Bathurst Street) ... we've been there before.  It's a Korean chicken restaurant.

We shared a Bone in Family order of fried chicken with yangneom sauce (which we preferred) and soy garlic sauce.  The chicken was hot, tender, delicious and freshly made.

Toronto Blue Jays 0, Detroit Tigers 2, Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

This afternoon was the season AND home opener for the Toronto Blue Jays ... and Gord and I were there!  Yay!  The Detroit Tigers are in town this weekend for four games.

Everyone attending today's game was given a free shirt as we came in the gates.

There was an AI batting game ... and Gord gave it a go.

Jamie Campbell and others were broadcasting before and after the game.

Float Toronto, Toronto, ON

Gord and I went for an hour float this morning at Float Toronto on Queen Street W (at Beaconsfield).

We find floats very relaxing ... we keep meaning to go more often but time gets away from us.  Plus Float is a popular spot and appointments get taken quickly so it's hard to do them at the last minute.

Floatation therapy, also known as floating, floatation, sensory deprivation or R.E.S.T (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy) involves lying in a salt-water solution in a spacious tank. It is one of the most effective means of stress relief and relaxation available. Now widely accepted as a legitimate therapy, floatation is also used to treat a wide range of ailments and conditions and has been proven to lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone).

The term sensory deprivation is often used as the environment is designed to limit sensory input and allow your body to fully relax:

• Sound 
  Your ears (with earplugs in) stay just below the water; the tanks are insulated against sound leaving you in peaceful silence. 
• Sight 
  After you shut the door and turn off the light, you float in total darkness - you won’t notice a difference between keeping your eyes open or closed (you’re free to keep the door open and the light on until you grow accustomed to this unique environment). 
• Touch 
  Inside the tank you’ll find 10 inches of water and 850 lbs. of dissolved Epsom salts – a solution that allows you to float effortlessly. The water and air are both kept at 34.1C - this is skin-receptor neutral, which means that when you fully relax, you lose track of where your body ends and the water or air begins. 

During your float, the outside world is gone and amazing things happen. It turns out that when you’re not fighting gravity or receiving sensory input, your body has a lot of extra resources at its disposal. Your mind is free to navigate without distraction, your brain pumps out dopamine and endorphins, and the parasympathetic nervous system gets to work helping you rest, de-stress and heal. It’s likely to be the most relaxing thing you've ever experienced.

The tank is high enough for me to stand up, wide enough for me to stretch my arms out and my fingers just touch the side and a lot longer then me.

Book ~ "Black and Blue" (2019) David Rosenfelt

From Goodreads ~ Doug Brock hasn't had it easy since his getting shot in the line of duty as a New Jersey state police officer. Between the amnesia and having to solve two murder cases, it hasn't been the most restful recovery. He's slowly earning back the trust of his girlfriend, Jessie, since he doesn't remember their breakup, and has focused on new crimes with his partner, Nate.

But now an old case of Doug's has resurfaced and it's up to Doug to retrace his steps - steps he can't remember - to solve the case. Eighteen months ago, Walter Brookings was shot through the heart. With no clear motive and no similar murders, the investigation stalled and became a cold case.

When another man is murdered in the same fashion and the ballistics come back as a match, Doug begins to reinvestigate, and starts to question his own actions from the previous investigation.

Finally, what Doug uncovers may be more dangerous than any case he's faced yet.

Doug Brock is a state police officer suffering from amnesia after being shot ... he can't remember anything from the last ten years.  He is back to work, partnered again with Nate, and living with his former fiancée, Jessie, who is also a police officer.

A fairly well-to-do lawyer is fatally shot in the chest.  This is similar to the murder of a man who was shot 18 months ago.  Doing some research, Jessie determines a potential suspect is a man named Danny Phelan ... he was a sharp shooter in the army and has just gotten out of prison after spending about 18 months there on drug charges.  The murdered lawyer was Phelan's ex-wife's lawyer.  Then other people connected to Phelan in one way or another start getting murdered and Phelan seems to be on the run.  Doug and Nate don't think it's a coincidence.

I liked the writing style as it was funny, sarcastic and amusing at times.  It was written in first person perspective in Doug's voice but switches over to third person perspective when Doug isn't part of the action.  I liked Doug, Nate and Jessie and their humorous interactions with each other.

This is the third in the Doug Brock series and you don't have to have read the first ones as it works as a stand alone.  The author also writes a series featuring lawyer Andy Carpenter ... I've read and enjoyed all in that series.  It was fun to have Andy cross over into this book ... he is Phelan's lawyer and believes his client is innocent. 

I look forward to more in this series.

Jack Astor's Bar & Grill, Etobicoke, ON (Carlson Court)

I had lunch today at Jack Astor's on Carlson Court (near by airport).

I ordered what I always get at a Jack Astor's ... Chicken Parmigiana.  The chicken was a decent size and tender and juicy.  There was lots of cheese on it ... yum!  The pasta was good too.  It was a delicious meal.