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

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!

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!

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. :)

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

Calling for Tiny Chef SOS!!!

UPDATE June 29,2025:

UPDATE July 1, 2025:

UPDATE July 4, 2025:

Derek Shepherd’s Last Words

'Hey, it’s me. I’m on the ferry. I-I just wanted to say that, um… God, I wish you could see this. Weather’s classic Seattle. Oh, the water is so blue. It may be the most perfect ferryboat ride I’ve ever had in my life. We’re gonna do this a lot more when I get home, by the way… you, me, and the family. We’re just gonna take a day and… ride the ferryboat… all day if we want. I love you, Meredith. I know I just left, and I’m not even at the airport yet, but I just wanted to say… I love you. I love our family. And we’re gonna keep doing this. I’ll see you when I get home. I love you.'
#GreysAnatomyQuotes #GreysAnatomy #Flashbacks

Checked out Fayeward's new townhome after my biweekly leg massage and lunch. As she's omly begun the process of moving, it's the painting and floor tiling is finishing up at the new place. So after I saw her lower level and outdoor patio, we also went back to her current rez where some painters were finishing up a paint job.

We also stopped by Felix & Norton cookies!

From her current rez, I picked up sooooo much of commander Odin's fur on my pants as we started watching Ted Lasso (first 2 eps). Now I've never seen the show before but I know the premise and know of the characters due to social media so it's interesting but I'm not hooked (sorry but NOT sorry?)
Then Fayewood and I went back to my hood where she picked up some of her groceries from McEwan. While we were there, I treated her to low carb blueberry avocado smoothies (as she had picked up the cookie tab!)!!

All in all a good day's outing!!!
#Felix&NortonCookies #McEwansSmoothies

Megan Rapinoe One Life

As Ames lives downtown, we normally visit her on the weekend & enjoy a meal together in her hood.
However, as it's father's choice at this time of year...he totally went back to a fav meat eating destination 'The Octagon Steakhouse'!

Luckily, it worked out well to meet up for a pre-Father's Day meal this year as she had a dentist appt around noon up at CentrePoint Mall. We dined in the nall while she had her teeth cleaned...& then IMMEDIATELY dined afterwards!!!
Also, as she needed to come up north to sharpen her skates, we then took her to the skate studio where as we were waiting for her pick up phone call, we all hung out at Fairview Mall (mother & Ames strolled the mall where father and I picked up Tim Hortons (him>) & I had a one scoop of Gold Medal Ribbon from Baskin Robbins ;) while enjoying a library book on the biography of Megan Rapinoe).

Get-together lunch with a bestie!!! #joeysyorkdale

Shared a lovely meal with Winnie at the Joey's at Yorkdale
(as it's much closer to her work then the one by my condo).

We started off sharing a appetizer of yam fries before she had the
Szechuan Tofu lettuce wraps and I had the tuna poke bowl.

We finished off sharing plate of warm Italian donuts, yaaassss!!!

‘Just relax & be yourself’

Oprah's note to Cynthia for hosting the 78th Annual Tony Awards!

Speaking truth to power

Good Night & Good Luck

George Clooney as Edward R. Murrow
Clark Gregg as Don Hollenbeck
Paul Gross as William S. Paley
Georgia Heers as Ella
Mac Brandt as Colonel Anderson
Will Dagger as Don Hewitt
Christopher Denham as John Aaron
R. Ward Duffy, Ensemble
Glenn Fleshler as Fred Friendly
Joes Forbrich, Ensemble
Ilana Glaser as Shirley Wershba
Carter Hudson as Joe Wershba
Fran Kranz as Palmer Williams
Jennifer Morris as Mill Lerner
Michael Nathanson as Eddie Scott
Andrew Polk as Charlie Mack
Imani Rousselle, Ensemble
Greg Stuhr as Phil from Legal
JD Taylor, Ensemble
Sophia Tzougros, Ensemble
Aaron Roman Weiner as Don Surine
Grant Hselov, Co-Writer and Producer
David Cromer, Director
Scott Pask, Scenic Design
Brenda Abbandandollo, Costume Design
Heather Gilbert, Lighting Design
Daniel Kluger, Sound Design
David Bengali, Video/Projections Design

Joy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY S!!!! 🎈

Sunday relax 😎 day!

Enjoyed a brunch with Fayewood at Pablo's coffee after our pedi's!
#pablos #aphroditespa&nails

Still processing the harsh reality of hearing news that the big C reared it's ugly head again...especially heartbreaking when hope against hope that the genetic trend may have skipped/bypassed...but nope.

Mother’s Day brunch

#Black&Blue #fam

I finished reading Bill Clinton's various memoirs in 'Citizen' and it was refreshing to read his reminiscing so many events that occurred during and after his presidency. Granted, everything is documented in the news so nothing was new but he's a very smooth writer. It was a nice reminder to the events that occurred during his time in office.

He included a variety of photo memories at the end of the memoir and I'm including this one that I related to when he and Hillary were with World Central Kitchen founder, chef Jose Andre after a natural disaster. The chef and his organization is so influential in it's important and critical aid relief after worldwide humanitary crises.

TGIF Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons

Met up with fellow past coworker, Dylan for a wonderful dinner and Candlelight show of my fav bands! #Coldplay #ImagineDragons #RoyalTheatre #CafeDiplomatico

The fun part was that I'd deliberately arrived slightly earlier so that I could scope out the area...and after strollind past the theatre, I'd inadvertantly picked Dylan up and we'd walked by Wonder Pens where I did some stationary shopping at Wonder Pens .