Free samples at SampleSource.com - April 2025

A couple weeks ago, I had answered an emailed survey from SampleSource and a box of free goodies and coupons just arrived. This is the 14th box of samples I've gotten from them since November  2013.

Crumpet and Muffin will be very happy because there are 3 packages of Whiskas morsels in gelled gravy (plus a coupon for 3 more free) and a package of Temptations Lickable Spoons (plus a coupon for another free one). 

 There is also a sample of Reactine (plus a $4 off coupon) and an Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablet (plus a coupon for 10% off). 

In addition, there are coupons for a free large bag of Kettle Brand air fried chips, a large bottle of Pure Leaf iced tea and a 12-pack case of lemon-lime grapefruit zero sugar 7Up.

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, ON

On my way to and after supper and Life After, I stopped by Nathan Phillips Square and our city hall.

5pm:

9:30pm:

"Life After", CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, ON

I enjoyed Life After with Anne and Franca this evening. at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre.

Here we are ...

Me, Anne and Franca

Despite being a famous self-help author, Frank Carter’s optimistic advice offers little solace to his 16-year-old daughter, Alice. After his untimely death, Alice embarks on a quest for truth, unravelling the events that changed her family forever.

It was funny and sad. The cast performed well. Julia Pulo especially stood out for me as Alice's goofy best friend, Hannah.

Milestone's Grill and Bar, Toronto, ON (Eaton Centre)

I had supper this evening with Franca and Anne at Milestones in the Eaton Centre. 

Franca had a Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl (warm crispy chicken bites, sweet chili sauce, sautéed vegetables, jasmine rice, crisp wontons, sesame seeds). She said it's what she always gets.

Anne had a Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Cap (Italian tomatoes, edamame, spinach, arugula, spiced tomato pepper sauce, Asiago cheese, tri-colour quinoa & rice pilaf, basil oil, seasonal vegetables). She said it was really good.

Book ~ "Blackout" (2018) Alex Segura

From Goodreads ~ Startling new evidence in a cold case that's haunted Pete drags the exiled PI back to his hometown of Miami. But as Pete and his partner, Kathy Bentley, delve deeper into the unsolved murder, they become entangled in Miami’s obsession with a charismatic and dangerous cult leader and his even more menacing followers. 

At the same time, the detectives find themselves at odds with a Florida politician’s fixation on wealth, fame and power. It all converges in the heart of the Magic City and Pete is left scrambling to pick up the pieces - or die trying. 

Pete was a former newspaper reporter and PI in Miami and now a PI in New York ... because of his last PI case in Miami, he was safer hiding out in New York. His friend, Jackie, was an attorney in Miami and asked him to work on a case that had ties to Miami. One of her clients, Trevor McRyan, was running for governor in Florida. Stephen, his son, had led a less than stellar life and had disappeared and his parents want him found and contained. There's another reason Jackie wants Pete back in Miami. Stephen may have something to do with the death of Patty, Jackie's niece and fellow high school student of Pete's, who he'd had a crush on. Patty's disappearance and murder about 20 years ago had never been solved so it was personal for Pete. So Pete headed back to Miami and he and Kathy, his former partner, investigated and caught up with a religious cult.

This is the fourth in the Pete Fernandez series (I read the first ones in the series recently) and, though it was very convoluted, I thought it was okay ... one more to go! It works as a stand alone but I'd recommend you read the others first to get the background. It is written in third person perspective with the focus on Pete. The timeline jumps back and forth and the chapters are labeled. I usually don't mind when a story does this but I found it confusing in this one. As a head's up, as usual, there is a lot of swearing and violence.

Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto, ON

It's a nice sunny day and I had the urge to head to the beach ... so I drove to Budapest Park and parked and went for a long walk along the Martin Goodman Trail.

Sunnyside Beach and pavilion

Then I headed along the boardwalk (Martin Goodman Trail).

KC's tree, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

I visited KC's tree at Trinity Bellwoods Park this afternoon. I hadn't been since November when the leaves were changing colours.

The trees in the park are just starting to bud ... it won't be long until everything will be in full bloom.

Osmow's, Toronto. ON,

I had lunch at Osmow’s on Queen Street W (just east of Bathurst Street). 

I sat by the window which was fun for people watching.

I got a large chicken shawarma (with chicken, tomatoes, garlic sauce, tahini and red pepper humus) so I could have half for lunch and the other half for supper. It was a good hearty shawarma, though it could have used more sauce. 

The staff were really friendly and helpful. 

Book ~ "One True Loves" (2016) Taylor Jenkins Reid

From Goodreads ~ In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

When Emma was in high school, she had a crush on Jesse, the captain of the swim team. They ended up dating, fell in love love love and eventually got married. Neither wanted to live in their small town in Massachusetts and wanted to see the world. And that's what they did, picking up freelance gigs, with California eventually being their homebase. Just before their one year wedding anniversary, Jesse's gig took him to Alaska. Along the way, the helicopter crashed and all were declared dead.

Emma was understandably heartbroken and moved back home and ran her parents' bookstore. She reconnected with Sam, a friend from high school, and they eventually fell in love and got engaged. Then Emma got a call from Jesse ... he had been stranded on a rock for the last 3.5 years and was on his way home to her. When he arrived, Emma is conflicted ... she loves Sam and was planning to have a future with him but her feelings of love for Jesse came rushing back and she had to decide who she wanted to be with.

I thought this story was okay. It was an interesting concept ... long lost husband versus present fiancé. Jesse came home expecting things to be the way they were three years ago. Sam feels defeated because he knew Jesse was the love of Emma's life and had Jesse not "died", they would probably still be together. It's written in first person perspective in Emma's voice. The dialogue was cheesy at times and I would have expected more awkwardness between Emma and Jesse considering she thought he'd died and had moved on.  I was okay with the ending. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

Honeycomb (aka Newfie) knitted mittens

I just finished knitting a pair of Honeycomb (aka Newfie) mittens to donate ... the colours are black and blue.

I used 4 ply yarn and 5mm double pointed needles.

Wrist

1. With A, cast on 42 sts
2. Knit 1, purl 1 for 18 rows
3. Purl
4. Purl, increasing 2 stitches on each needle for a total of 48 stitches

Pattern

1.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
2. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
3. Purl 2 rows with A
4. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
5. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
6. Purl 2 rows with A
7.  *Knit 4 with B, slip 2 purlwise with A*, repeat to the end of row
8. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
9. Purl 2 rows with A
10. Knit 1 with B, * slip 2 purlwise with A, knit 4 with B*, repeat to the last three stitches, knit 3 with B
11. Repeat this row 4 more times (5 in total)
12. Purl 2 rows with A

Thumb

1. In step 12 above, purl 2, put 7 stitches on a stitch holder for the thumb and cast on 7 stitches, purl to the end.  Purl 1 row.

Mitten

1. Knit the pattern until long enough (I did 6)
2. Knit 1 row
3. *Knit 4, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
4. Knit 2 rows
5. *Knit 3, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
6. Knit 2 rows
7. *Knit 2, knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
8. Knit 2 rows
9. *Knit 2 together*, repeat to the end
10. Thread the yarn through remaining the loops and pull tight
11. Weave end inside

Thumb

1. With A, pick up the 7 stitches from the holder
2. Pick up 7 stitches around the thumb hole for a total of 14 stitches
3. Knit to fit length of thumb
4. Knit 2 together all around
5. Thread the yarn through the remaining loops and pull tight
6. Weave end inside

Book ~ "Say You'll Remember Me" (2025) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes - all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong.

... unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date - possibly the best in living history - Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life - and even a love - worth remembering.

Samantha found a kitten and took it to the vet to get checked out. The vet turns out to be a grumpy Xavier who advised euthanasia because its bumhole hadn't properly formed and it would eventually die if expensive surgery wasn't done. Samantha stormed out and raised enough money to save the kitten. She took the kitten back to Xavier for another check-up and he asked her out. They have a wonderful time that night and then she informed him that she was moving back home for good to California the next day. Her mother had dementia and the family was banding together to take care of her at home. 

I thought this story was okay. Samantha and Xavier were cute together ... her humour countered his seriousness. But things escalated quickly from there. I know she just met the guy but it wasn't until he was dropping her off at home after their date that he discovered she was moving from Minnesota to California in a couple of hours ... how could it not have come up in the conversation especially since she'd brought the kitten in to get a travel note? 

They acknowledged they had a great time but it couldn't go anywhere. Despite now being thousands of miles apart, Samantha and Xavier can’t stop thinking about each other. The next thing you know, Xavier is travelling to California a couple weeks later and it's like they'd been together forever. They are planning a life together but couldn't figure out how it was going to happen. 

Samantha's mother had dementia and the family had promised her she would live at home and never be put in a facility. So Samantha, her father, her maternal grandmother, her brother, her sister and her sister's two young sons all lived at the grandmother's house and took turns taking care of the mother. The mother became violent at times, didn't know who they were, wandered off, wouldn't take her medications, etc. I've never known anyone with dementia but shouldn't she have been a facility where trained people could take of her properly? It emotionally and physically beat them down but they were determined not to break the promise of keeping her at home. Really?! 

Neither Xavier nor Samantha had much money ... Xavier was still paying off his loans for his practice and Samantha was contributing to the household finances. Samantha then put her extra money along with the others into renovating their grandmother's house ... shouldn't the priority of the extra cash have gone towards getting the mother proper care instead of sprucing up the house? Xavier started working crazy hours at various clinics to make enough to fly back and forth to see Samantha in California and was burning himself out.

It's written in first person perspective alternating in Samantha and Xavier's voices (the chapters are labeled). There were references to characters in another author's stories I hadn't read so I didn't get them (I looked them up later ... it was weird the author would assume we all knew). As if the long distance relationship and the mother's dementia wasn't enough, there was more not so happy things that happened. I knew everything would be resolved at the end but I wasn't buying how it all came together. As a head's up, there is swearing and some adult activity.

The cat rescue I volunteer with had a kitten a couple years ago that was born without a bumhole and the surgery was expensive. Happily the cat is doing well now.

Victory Cafe, Toronto, ON

My pal, Trish, and I had supper at Victory Cafe (Bloor Street W, east of Bathurst Street). We sat at the table next to the front window, which was fun for people watching.

Trish had a Mediterranean pizza (Mozzarella, grilled artichokes, olives, mushrooms and fresh basil) and swapped the cheese with vegan cheese .

I had a Margherita pizza (Mozzarella fior di latte and fresh basil) and added cherry tomatoes (half of mine came home with me for lunch tomorrow). 

Both were good!

William was friendly and took good care of us.

“Canada Is Not For Sale - Remembering Stompin’ Tom Connors”, Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON

Gord and I attended the Canada Is Not For Sale - Remembering Stompin’ Tom Connors event this evening with my friend, Rosanna, at the Horseshoe Tavern (Queen Street W/Spadina Avenue). 

Tom was fiercely proud of Canada’s independence, culture, and history. He spent his life celebrating what made this country unique, and he had no patience for anything that undermined it. He famously rejected the idea of chasing American success in the music industry, so the thought of Canada losing its sovereignty would have him stomping harder than ever.

He’d likely remind folks that Canada isn’t just some northern extension of the U.S.—we’ve got our own identity, our own stories, and a whole lot of people who wouldn’t take kindly to being told otherwise. And knowing Tom, he wouldn’t just be upset about the idea—he’d turn it into a rousing anthem that had people raising a pint and singing along.

Come celebrate the legacy of Stompin' Tom Connors and by extension, our Canadian identity, with the band Tom played with most often, Whiskeyjack, Billy MacInnis and some very special guests!

Rosanna, me and Gord

Songs by Stompin' Tom were sung along with other songs by Canadians. It was a popular event and the bar was jammed! The sound wasn't great at times, though ... it could have been louder especially when they were speaking on stage.

Score on Queen, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had an early supper today at Score on Queen. They opened in September and it's in the formerly historic Black Bull Tavern (at Queen Street W and Peter Street).