Friday, July 11, 2025

Farewell too soon #abbeyites

After Maija sent news/details of a fellow abbeyite's passing much too soon this past Tuesday, Fayewood and I made plans last night to attend the service for her this morning. Considering we're both passionately type A personalities, we planned our trip down to timing & outfit to a tee.

She messaged me as she was leaving her home this morning so that she was able to pick me up from my plaza's Starbucks where I had both our orders ready to go!

As our trip to the church flew by so quickly, we caught Jonathan & Maija at St Brigid Catholic Church's parking lot. With the extra time before the service, the four of us stopped at Celena's Bakery off the Dandforth for a quick bite (with our Starbucks drinks (that we'd purchased Caffe Latte Almonds jelly beans to offset).

Then we attended the very well attended service for our classnate (we'd arrived early enough to grab seats together with much space. However, by the time the celebration began, the priest requested everyone to close all fhe gaps as it was very clear that Sheila's very beloved to so many people.


After the mass, Fayewood & I departed as she had taken off the morning but it's still a work day. We had a palette refresher lunch from the new iQ Food Co where I had an avocado + salmon toast that consisted of avocado smash w/ smoked salmon (The Smoke Bloke), cucumber, pickled onion, lemon, black pepper on sourdough. I finished this off with an almond brothers made of almond butter (unsweetened), toasted almonds, banana, coconut, dates, almond milk (unsweetened).

Thursday, July 03, 2025

My oh my, it's honestly been much too long since S & I were able to find time for a one on one phone chat (let alone last time we've physically seen each other...I'm thinking it may have been for Gia's secomd bday).
So it was really nice to have her message me in the early arvo hoping I had a few mins to chat because life's been ganging up on her and needed to speak with someone who could help ground her.

Two and a half hours later... I think we'd chatted enough to help her keep her chin up and find new and different ways to move through daily life.

smiles

Wednesday, July 02, 2025

Elton John morning

After falling asleep to Canada Day celebrations & watching Canada's Walk of fame 2025 on CBC, I started this morning working out to 'Elton John & Bernie Taupin: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song' on PBS and then continued having brekkie watching 'An Evening with Elton John & Brandi Carlile' that I'd recorded back on May 30 which included Dan Levy interviewing the two perfomers.

Such a great way to wake up, jamming to classics!

Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Spent the morning working on the bridal shower project for Reina and happy to 'show and tell' that it's all ready!

Yaaassss, check mark complete & ready for the party, lol!

Then this afternoon I've been watching 5 national geographic episodes of Tucci in Italy where Stanley Tucci visits various places (Tuscany, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Abruzzo & Lazio) in Italy 🇮🇹 to sample the cuisine while learning about cultures (Italian/Austria-Hungarian/German/Ladin) assimulating with one another.
While watching his series helps itch my travel & noshing bug, my imagination only takes me so far...especially involving food shows, I wish I could also take part in the feasting!
It's also nice that because Tucci's in Italy, there's automatically a translation when he's conversing in Italian. However, it brings up similarities to my French background so it's a nice language refresher!

Sunday, June 29, 2025

As Reina's bridal shower's coming up next week, I invited dad to stroll around our mall this lovely arvo...and after hitting up the miniso, I totally SCORED in finding such a fun and vibrant card for LITERALLY $0.99?!?!?!!!!

I ended up purchasing a bright and playful blank card that I plan to write decorate with the stationary from the Coldplay/Imaginary Dragons concert outing. :)

Thursday, June 26, 2025

CMA Fest 2025

Hosted by Cody Johnson & Asley McBryde

Brooks & Dunn started off the show with Lainey Wikson - Play something Country;
Brooks & Dunn with Marcus King - Rock My World Little Country Girl;
Jordan Davis - Me and this Bar, None;
Parker McCollum - What kinda man do you need;
Bailey Zimmerman and BigXthaplug - Don't Let Me Down Easy;
Megan Moroney - Tennassee Orange;
Dylan Scott - Country Till I Die;
Riley Green - I want you in the worst way;
Blake Shelton - Ima stay country or die tryin;
Trace Adkins - That honky tonk Badonkadonk;
Rascal Flatts - Life is a highway;
Rascall Flatts and Carly Pearce - My wish for you:
Ella Langley - You look like you love me;
The Red Clay Strays - Ain't no one else like me;
Zach Top - Pickin' and Grinnin';
Shaboozey - A Bar Song ft Jelly Roll;
Dierks Bentley - She hates me;
Dierks Bentley ft Zack Top - Mountain Music;
Kelsea Ballerini - Wouldn't wanna do it with anyone else;
Luke Bryan - But then a country song came on;
Jason Aldean - come on, whiskey drink;
Jason Aldean ft. Travis Tritt - why can't everyday be just this good;
Cody Johnson - The ride is worth the fall;
Cody Johnson ft Carin Leon - She hurts like tequila;
Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake - Hard Fought Hallelujah;
The Roots of Music band + Ashley McBryde - My daddy was a rattlesnake preacher;
The Roots of Music - Boogie Wonderland;
Keith Urban - In a straight line, baby;
Scooty McCreery - Five more minutes:
Darius Rucker - Mama, rick me;
Blake Shelton and Trace Atkins - Hillbilly Bone