Bethune's Bistro, Gravenhurst, ON

Gord and I had brunch at Bethune’s Bistro in Gravenhurst. 

We both had the Classic Breakfast ... a nice old school brekkie for $10. The home fries seemed to be made from scratch and the bacon was really crunchy.

Muskoka BeerSpa, Torrance, ON

Gord and I heard about Muskoka BeerSpa a couple years ago at a beer festival. It sounded like fun but I found it was hard to get a reservation to stay in one of their cabins, which range from a one-room, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom cabins. They even have economical "crash cabins" which are basically sheds with a bed and TV but no washroom ... you use the spa facilities for that.

Cabins have a full size fridge/freezer and wet bar facilities, in room draft taps (beer is an extra charge), complimentary snack foods, satellite TV, WIFI and a VCR along with vintage VHS movies. There are linens, pillows and room towels but you have to bring your own soap, shampoo, etc. Guests have access to the beach, lake and water along with canoes and kayaks. Overnight guests who are 19+ have full day access to BeerSpa (pool, hot tub, saunas, etc.)

About a month ago, I managed to reserve Cabin 9 from Monday until today. Whoohoo!

There's our cabin, which was a couple minutes walk from the parking lot.

Clear Lake Brewing Co., Torrance, ON

Gord and I had three meals this week at Clear Lake Brewing Co. in Torrance, ON (in Muskoka). We were staying across the street at the Muskoka BeerSpa, which owns the restaurant/brewery. You can buy beer and souvenirs to take home.

Monday - lunch

They brew their beer onsite.  I liked their honey cream ale.

The Hook and Ladder Bar & Grill, Bala, ON

Gord and I had brunch this morning at the Hook and Ladder, a firefighter-theme restaurant in Bala.  

We both had the Firefighter’s Breakfast. It was a hearty and filling.

Bala Falls, Bala, ON

Gord and I drove to Bala today and spent some time by their falls.

It was fun to walk around the rocks!

El Gringo’s Cantina, Torrance, ON

Gord and I checked out El Gringo’s Cantina, which has a spot at the top of Muskoka BeerSpa in Torrance, ON, a couple times. It has a fun vibe with Latin tunes blasting.

On Monday evening, we stopped in for margaritas … mine was strawberry and his was lemon. They were fun and tasty!

Gord and I

Men's knitted dorm boots

I finished knitting a pair of slippers that I'll be donating to Be a Santa For a Senior Gift Drive.

Abbreviations:

• k = knit
• p = purl
• yo = yarn over sl-1 = slip one
• PSSO = pass slipped stitch over
• p2tog = purl 2 together
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• ssk = slip, slip, knit
• WS = wrong side
• RS = right side
• PM = place marker
• Rep = repeat

Men's sizes:
Sm (8-9), M (9.5-10.5), Lg (11-12), XL (13)

Starting with sole:

• Cast on 52(55, 57, 59) stitches.
• Row 1: Knit.
• Row 2: K1, yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k2(3,3,3), yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k1. [56(59,61,63) sts]
• Row 3 and all odd rows: Knit. *knit the yo’s through the back of the loop. 
• Row 4: K2, yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k4(5,5,5), yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k2. [60(63,65,67)sts]
• Row 6: K3, yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k6(7,7,7), yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k3. [64(67,69,71)sts]
• Row 8: K4, yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k8(9,9,9), yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k4. [68(71,73,75) sts]
• Row 10: K5, yo, K24(25,26,27), yo, k10(11,11,11), yo, k24(25,26,27), yo, k5. [72(75,77,79)sts]
• Row 12: Size Sm ONLY: K6, yo, k(24), yo, k6, yo, k6, yo, (k24), yo, k6. [77 sts]
• Row 12: Size M ONLY: K6, yo, k32, yo, k31, yo, k6. [78 sts]
• Row 12: Size L ONLY: K6, yo, k to last 6 sts, yo, k6. [79 sts]
• Row 12: Size XL ONLY: K39, yo, k40. [80 sts]
• Row 13: Knit (knit any yo's through the back of the loop)

Foot

• Row 1: Knit
• Row 2: (WS) P34(34,34,34,), PM, p9(10,11,12), PM, p34(34,34,34,).
• Row 3: K27(27,27,27), ssk 2x, k3tog, k9(10,11,12), sl-1, k2tog, psso, k2tog 2x, k27(27,27,27). [69(70,71,72) sts)
• Row 4: Purl
• Row 5: K23(23,23,23), ssk 2x, k3tog, k9(10,11,12), sl-1, k2tog, psso, k2tog 2x, k23(23,23,23). [61(62,63,64)sts]
• Row 6: Purl
• Row 7: K35(36,37,38), ssk, turn. [60(61,62,63) sts]
• Row 8: Sl-1, p9(10,11,12), p2tog, turn. [59(60,61,62) sts]
• Row 9: Sl-1, k9(10,11,12), ssk, turn. [58(59,60,61) sts]
• Row 10: Sl-1, p9(10,11,12), p2tog, turn. [57(58,59,60) sts]
• Rows 11-26: Repeat rows 9 and 10. [41(42,43,44) sts]
• Row 27: (RS) Sl-1, k9(10,11,12), ssk, DON’T TURN, k14(14,14,14). [40(41,42,43) sts]
• Row 28: P24(25,26,27), p2tog, p14(14,14,14). [39(40,41,42) sts]
• Row 29: Size S/M ONLY: (Removing markers as you come to them) Knit. Now proceed to row 32.
• Row 29: Size L/XL ONLY: (Removing markers as you come to them) Knit.
• Row 30: Size L/XL ONLY: Purl
• Row 31: Size L/XL ONLY: Knit
• Row 32: P1, p2tog, p2tog, p across to last 5 sts, p2tog, p2tog, p1. [35(36,37,38) sts]
• Row 33: Knit
• Row 34: Purl
• Rows 35-36: Rep rows 33 and 34 once more.

Ribbed Cuff

• Row 37: Sizes S/L ONLY: [k1,p1] 8(-,8,-)x more, k2tog, p1, [k1,p1] to end. [34(-,36,-) sts]
• Row 37: Size M/XL ONLY: [k1, p1] to end.
• Rows 38-45: Work 8 rows of 1x1 rib.

Bind off loosely.

I turned the slippers inside out and sewed the seams. Weave in loose ends.

Queen Shawarma, Toronto, ON

Queen Shawarma recently opened on Queen Street W (just east of Ossington Avenue). Gord and I picked up chicken shawarmas for lunch today. 

Book ~ "The Opportunist" (2022) Elyse Friedman

From Goodreads ~ When Alana Shropshire’s seventy-six-year-old father, Ed, starts dating Kelly, his twenty-eight-year-old nurse, a flurry of messages arrive from Alana’s brothers, urging her to help “protect Dad” from the young interloper. Alana knows that what Teddy and Martin really want to protect is their father’s fortune, and she tells them she couldn’t care less about the May–December romance. Long estranged from her privileged family, Alana, a hardworking single mom, has more important things to worry about.

But when Ed and Kelly’s wedding is announced, Teddy and Martin kick into hyperdrive and persuade Alana to fly to their father’s West Coast island retreat to perform one simple task in their plan to make the gold digger go away. Kelly, however, proves a lot more wily than expected and Alana becomes entangled in an increasingly dangerous scheme full of secrets and surprises. Just how far will her siblings go to retain control?

Alana has been living a quiet life in Toronto with her young disabled daughter. She is estranged from Ed, her father, and Martin and Teddy, her brothers, so she's surprised when Martin shows up and asks for her help. Their father, Ed, isn't well and is getting married to his nurse, Kelly, who is about 50 years younger. Martin and Teddy feel Kelly isn't genuine and is just after Ed's billions. Alana could care less but Martin offers her money which would help make her daughter's life so much better. Alana heads out west to spend time with the family and make an offer to Kelly that they don't think she will refuse ... but things don't go as expected.

I liked this story and it took some weird turns I didn't see coming, which was fun. It is written in third person perspective depending where the action was. It jumps back and forth in time to give background as to why things are the way they are today. As a head's up, there is swearing and child abuse.

ElderDog Canada Inc.

Since the spring, I’ve been knitting to donate to ElderDog Canada, which will be sold in their online shop, used directly as needed in ElderDog activities or included in special ElderDog fundraising. 

I just mailed to them: 

🐾 15 large dog sweaters 

🐾 5 medium dog sweaters 

🐾 5 pet blankets 

 I hope it helps ❤️

Fan and feather pet blanket

I finished knitting a pet blanket this evening. It's a fan and feather pattern ... I've done this pattern many times over the years and like it.  It's 24 inches long and 24 inches wide.

I'll be donating to ElderDog Canada, which will be sold in their online shop, used directly as needed in ElderDog activities or included in special ElderDog fundraising.

I cast on 78  stitches (or a multiple of 18 plus 6)

Knit 3 rows of garter stitch for the border

Row 4: Knit

Row 5: K 3, P to last 3 stitches K3

Row 6: K3, *(K2 tog) 3 times, (yo, K1) 6 times, (K2 tog) 3 times, rep from * to last 3 sts K3

Row 7: Knit

Repeat Rows 4 - 7, keeping first and last 3 stitches in garter stitch, until piece measures desired length

Knit 3 more rows of garter stitch to make the bottom border

Cast off and darn in ends.

Book ~ "The Mutt for Me" (2023) Don Hughes

From Goodreads ~ Having never had a dog of his own before, Don was not prepared for what it meant to adopt one of the most behaviorally difficult rescues in the shelter. But something about Barbie, a mutt that everyone had given up on, a mutt so fearful and unresponsive that she was within days of being put down, convinced Don to open his home and his heart for the first time to a canine companion, changing both of their lives forever.

Interspersed with Don’s most poignant memories of volunteering at his local animal shelter, "The Mutt for Me" follows the many misadventures of Don and Barbie on their mutual journey of growth and healing. You’ll see Barbie transform from the terrified, despondent recluse to the lively and almost always well-behaved dog she is today.

As the first-time dog dad of a pup in need of significant behavioral development, Don shows that with enough love, patience, and dedication, anyone can provide a home to a rescue animal. "The Mutt for Me" is a heartwarming story about how our pets have the capacity to transform and heal us as much as we can do the same for them.

Don Hughes had been a volunteer at an animal shelter for a few years and found it rewarding. When he saw a video of Barbie, a dog who had been brought into the shelter for adoption, there was something about her that drew her to him. When he checked her out, she had obviously been abused and had given up. The rescue was days away from euthanizing her. He adopted her and was determined to show her love. It took a long time and much patience and money but they eventually formed a loving bond to the point where Barbie is now sleeping in his bed.

I like reading books about animals and I've volunteered with a cat rescue for many years so this book caught my eye. It was a nice story and I'm glad it had a happy ending. Many would have given up on a dog with such behaviour issues but Don never did. Yay!

Trinity Bellwoods Farmers' Market, Toronto, ON

Gord and I went to the Trinity Bellwoods Farmers' Market this afternoon. Quite a good vibe there! There were long lines at the fresh veggie and fruit stands.