JOEY King Street, Toronto, ON

I had supper this evening with Deb, Franca and Liz at JOEY King Street (on King Street W just east of Yonge Street). The restaurant is lovely. Hard to believe it used to be a bank!

When Deb arrived first, she was told we had a 2 hour seating limit so we had to be done by 7:30pm. That kind of info should be noted when a reservation is made. She was seated at 5:15pm and that's when the 2 hour timer apparently started (so not the reservation time of 5:30pm). We had all arrived by 5:30pm so weren't impressed that we had to be done by 7:15pm. Happily there were empty tables at 7:15pm onward so we weren't rushed out. It was fun to catch up as it’s been a while since the four of us have been together.

Here we are! We worked together 30 years ago and have been pals since. 

Deb, Franca, me and Liz

Franca had Szechuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps (sweet soy ginger glaze, peanuts, crispy wontons, spicy aloli) and Korean Fried Califlower (sweet & spicy korean chili glaze, pickled fresnos, watermelon radish).

Book ~ "Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum" (2025) Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry

From Goodreads ~ In early 1985, Michael J. Fox was one of the biggest stars on television. His world was about to get even bigger but only if he could survive the kind of double duty unheard of in Hollywood. Fox’s days were already dedicated to rehearsing and taping the hit sitcom "Family Ties" but then the chance of a lifetime came his way. Soon he committed his nights to a new time-travel adventure film being directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg - "Back to the Future". Sitcom during the day, movie at night - day after day, for months.

Fox’s nightly commute from a soundstage at Paramount to the back lot at Universal Studios, from one dream job to another, would become his own space-time continuum. It was in this time portal that Alex P. Keaton handed the baton to Marty McFly while Michael J. Fox tried to catch a few minutes of sleep. Alex’s bravado, Marty’s flair and Fox’s comedic virtuosity all swirled together to create something truly special.

In "Future Boy", Fox tells the remarkable story of playing two landmark roles at the same time - a slice of entertainment history that’s never been told. Using new interviews with the cast and crew of both projects, the result is a vividly drawn and eye-opening story of creative achievement by a beloved icon.

Future Boy is Fox looking back on the wild year when his career exploded. In 1985, he was filming Family Ties during the day and Back to the Future at night, basically living on no sleep and running between studios like he was time-traveling for real. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from Back to the Future, how Marty McFly came together and what it was like juggling two huge roles at once. 

The book is a quick high level read and focused on that one moment in time rather than his life. There are lots of pages of pictures at the end of the book (making up 41% of the book).

Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel, Windsor, ON

Our home away from home this weekend in Windsor was the Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel on Riverside Drive W in Windsor.

Here's our room ...

Early Christmas in Windsor, ON

Ken, Gord's son, lives in Windsor along with Jasmine, his partner, and Senan, their four-year-old son. We spent the day with them today. Jasmine worked and got home around 4ish. Derek, her father, got home around that time too. They adopted Luna, a cute cat about six months ago.

Ken and Luna

Senan was napping when we arrived. Once he woke up, playing began.

Senan ended up with a scratch while playing
and Daddy to the rescue

Senan, Ken and Gord

The Loose Goose Resto Pub & Lounge, Windsor, ON

Gord and I had supper at the Loose Goose (on Ouellette Avenue).

Gord had a chicken wrap and French onion soup.

Crocodile Smile Knitted Scarf

I knitted a Crocodile Smile scarf to donate ... I found the free pattern at Snufflebean Yarn.

Stitches:

• k – knit stitch 
• kfb – knit front back 
• k2togtbl – knit 2 together through the back loops

I used a Caron Anniversary Cake Special Edition (the colour is Jewels and Jolly) and 6.5mm needles.

• Make a slipknot and place it on your left hand needle. 
• Row 1: kfb. Turn.
• Row 2: knit until 1 stitch remains, kfb. Turn.
• Repeat row 2 until you have 30 stitches on your needles.

Diamond decrease section:

• Row 1: knit until 2 stitches remain. k2togtbl. Turn.
• Repeat row 1 until you have 15 stitches on your needle

Diamond increase section:

• Row 1: knit until 1 stitch remains, kfb. Turn.
• Repeat row 1 until you have 30 stitches on your needles.
• Alternate between increase and decrease sections until your scarf is almost the desired length (I worked a total of 11 diamonds). 

Final decrease section:

• Row 1: knit until 2 stitches remain, k2togtbl.
• Final row: k2togtbl, break yarn and cast off by pulling tail through final loop and pulling tight.

This scarf can be adapted and changed to suit the weight of yarn you are working with or the size of diamond you want. Thicker yarn will want less stitches and thinner yarn will need more. The golden rule is that your shortest section should be half your widest section and the widest stitch count always needs to be divisible by 2, so as long as you maintain that ratio your scarf will work.

Book ~ "You Thought You Knew" (2025) Kevin Federline

From Goodreads ~ Kevin dancer, father, accidental pop culture icon. His star rose electrifying stages alongside Pink, Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, and more. But it was his turbulent marriage to pop superstar Britney Spears that made him a household name and triggered a relentless media storm, reducing him to a caricature in a world that barely knew him.

Behind the tabloid headlines was a devoted father fighting for his children and his sanity, navigating the fallout of fame and a fractured family, as everything around him spun out of control.

From the heights of global stardom to the pain of public ridicule, this memoir peels back the layers of celebrity, fatherhood, and survival to reveal the man behind the mythology. A man shaped not by spectacle or spotlight, but by love, resilience, and the steadfast resolve to give his kids a normal life.

What you thought you knew was only half the story.

Other than being Britney Spears' ex-husband, I don't know a lot about Kevin Federline. I like reading bios/memoirs and thought it might be interesting and it was. I'd read Britney Spears' memoir when it came out and thought it would be fun to find out Federline's account.

This book is Federline giving his side of the story. He talks about his childhood, his dancer days, his ride of sudden fame and his relationship and breakup with Britney Spears. He says he mostly wrote this book for his kids so they’ll know who he really is, not the loser the tabloids made him out to be. 

He dives deep into their marriage and the messy split. He brings up moments where he says he was worried about Britney’s behavior, including some disturbing stories involving their kids. For example, there was an incident where their sons supposedly woke up in the middle of the night and found her standing in their doorway holding a knife. He said he was scared for his kids and doing what he thought was right at the time. He feels when Britney’s conservatorship ended, the public treated it like a victory but things didn’t magically get better.

I liked the writing style. As a head's up, there is swearing and descriptions of drug use and partying. When reading memoirs, I tend to take them with a grain of salt ... some of it might be true and some might be what the author wants us to believe is true. I check out Britney Spears' Instagram account occasionally and she doesn't seem very stable so I had no problem believing a lot of what he said. I was surprised there were no pictures. 

Basketweave Scarf

I finished knitting a scarf with a basketweave pattern to donate.

I used a Caron Anniversary Cake Special Edition (the colour is Jewels and Jolly) and 6.5mm needles.

• Cast on 30 sts. 
• Knit 1 row. 
• Row 1 (right side): K3, p3, k3. 
• Row 2: P3, k3, p3. 
• Rows 3 and 4: Repeat Rows 1 and 2. 
• Row 5: P3, k3, p3. 
• Row 6: K3, p3, k3. 
• Rows 7 and 8: Repeat Rows 5 and 6. 
• Repeat Rows 1 to 8 until it reaches the length you want. 
• Bind off loosely. 
• Weave in ends.

Santa Comes to Bay Street, Toronto, ON

I spent yesterday afternoon and this afternoon and evening volunteering with Santa Comes To Bay Street.

During the holiday season, many families in Toronto turn to shelters for help and support due to various reasons, including domestic violence, poverty, and mental health issues. According to the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, domestic violence is one of the top reasons families seek help and support from shelters in Canada. At Santa Comes to Bay Street (SCTBS), we understand the importance of hope and assistance for these families. We provide an opportunity for families to offer their children and themselves the necessities for the winter, and a personalized gift to open during the holidays. 

2025 marks our 22nd anniversary and thanks to all of the generous supporters over all of these years we have been able to distribute over $2M in gifts and necessities.

Yesterday afternoon was spent unboxing and organizing everything that will go into the almost 2500 gift bags. 

Making progress!

NODO Liberty, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had brunch with friends at NODO Liberty in Liberty Village today. It was fun to see everyone and catch up. Thanks, Shumaila, for organizing us!

Here we are!

Minerva, me, Louise, Ashley
Shumaila, Dawn Gord and Tono

Shumaila, Alicia, Dawn, Gord, Tono
Minerva, me, Louise and Ashley

Gord ordered Eggs Benedict and wasn’t crazy about it ... he said the eggs weren’t cooked properly and had a funny taste and the peameal bacon seemed more like sausage.

"Die Hard", Revue Cinema, Toronto, ON

One of Gord and my annual Christmas traditions is to watch Die Hard, preferably at a theatre. We saw it tonight at the Revue Cinema on Roncesvalles Avenue. It was due to start at 9:30pm and when we got in line at 9pm, the line-up was around the corner!

It (along with tomorrow night's showing) was sold out. This isn't our first time seeing it here and it was a fun time. The audience was enthusiastic as always yelling out familiar lines to the movie. Everyone was given a rule to do ... mine was I was supposed to do whatever I wanted every time John McClane talked to himself.

Round the Horn, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper at Round the Horn (on Roncesvalles Avenue). It’s a cute spot. 

We shared a warm pretzel with mustard dip. 

Gord had a Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich with kettle chips (Montreal Smoked Meat + Mustard + Rye). 

Book ~ "Halfbreed" (2019) Maria Campbell

From Goodreads ~ An unflinchingly honest memoir of her experience as a Métis woman in Canada, Maria Campbell's "Halfbreed" depicts the realities that she endured and, above all, overcame. 

Maria was born in Northern Saskatchewan, her father the grandson of a Scottish businessman and Métis woman - a niece of Gabriel Dumont whose family fought alongside Riel and Dumont in the 1885 Rebellion; her mother the daughter of a Cree woman and French-American man. 

This extraordinary account, originally published in 1973, bravely explores the poverty, oppression, alcoholism, addiction, and tragedy Maria endured throughout her childhood and into her early adult life, underscored by living in the margins of a country pervaded by hatred, discrimination, and mistrust. Laced with spare moments of love and joy, this is a memoir of family ties and finding an identity in a heritage that is neither wholly Indigenous or Anglo; of strength and resilience; of indominatable spirit.

This edition of "Halfbreed" includes a new introduction written by Indigenous (Métis) scholar Dr. Kim Anderson detailing the extraordinary work that Maria has been doing since its original publication 46 years ago, and an afterword by the author looking at what has changed, and also what has not, for Indigenous people in Canada today. Restored are the recently discovered missing pages from the original text of this groundbreaking and significant work.

Halfbreed is Maria Campbell’s memoir about growing up Métis in Saskatchewan. She talks about her childhood in a loving but struggling family, the racism she faced and the kind of poverty that shaped almost every part of her life. As she gets older, things get even tougher ... she deals with heartbreak, addiction and people taking advantage of her. But it isn’t just about hardship. It’s also about strength, family, culture and finding her voice. Campbell shows how she learned to stand up for herself and her community, eventually becoming an activist. 

I've never heard of the author and I don't know how it landed on my to-be-read list but I'm glad it did. It was interesting but sad and disturbing to read all she, her family and the rest of her people had (and still continue) to endure. I liked the writing style and found it to be honest and eye-opening. As a head's up, there is swearing, violence, drug use and adult activity.