F You Humidity

I've always said Fall is my favorite season and days like yesterday, today, and apparently tomorrow reinforce that.  This humidity is killing me. It makes me think of something rude Andrew Dice Clay said during a stand up comedy routine, " It's too hot to...(rhymes with truck)." And it is, but really, it's too hot to do anything.

Our rent doesn't include hydro so I fear the energy sucker that is the window AC unit but I can delay no longer, it must be put in the window tonight.

Right now the temperature is Toronto is 32°C (90°F)

The weather network says it feels like  42°C (108°F)

Relative Humidity is 66%

When I walked out of my hot apartment this morning at 6:15am, I was hit with a wall of humidity.

I was hoping to see storm clouds but this was the sky.

Follow Up From Yesterday

I took Crockett back out today across the street to see the progress of the baby birds.  As we neared the small tree, I saw a butterfly. One I've never seen before.  Thankfully, it rested on a leaf close enough to get with the zoom lens.

The baby birds are more visible today, beaks open and peering over the side of the nest waiting for Mommy.

Then, as Crockett sniffed in the shade for some territory to mark, I saw another butterfly.

The sun is shining, there is a breeze, and it is a perfect day. I wish I had a back yard or a balcony. It is on days like these that I miss my youth life guarding at Ballantyne Pool.

The city is full today.  The Pride Parade about to kick off, College & Bathurst / Little Italy is filled with Spanish and Italian fans and no buzzing with activity.  I am also confident that mere minutes after the game ends there will be cars going up & down Yonge street past our window honking their horns, yelling, and waving their flags.

As for me, my dog is sitting in a cool corner on he floor, my husband is snoring behind me. Yes, it's 1:00pm and he sleeps.  He came to bed this morning after sunrise. He is a night hawk. I am going to give the place a quick once over tidy & plant myself on the couch with a pitcher of water w/orange slices and watch the Euro Cup final.  I don't care who wins, I just want to see a good game.

Hot Lazy Dreamy Saturday

Happy Birthday Gayle!


Had a bit of a sleep in today.  It was one of those mornings where I woke up at my usual time & started to panic that my alarm didn't go off & that I'd be late for work. That was followed by a few moments of confusion.  Then I remembered what I'd done yesterday and that today was in fact, Saturday.

When I went back to sleep, I had many wonderful dreams.  I've always been a dreamer. I even dream of the same places more than once that exist nowhere but in my dreams.  I try to relay them to Adam as soon as I wake up before the dissipate.

If our bed wasn't so uncomfortable and I didn't have a Pug waiting to go outside, I would have been happy to dream away this Saturday.

I dragged my achy body out of bed, put Crockett's leash on him, grabbed a toonie for a cup of coffee and out we went.  It was hot with a warm wind.  Once I got my coffee at the corner shop, we went across the street into the Parkette and sat on a bench in the shade.

Here are our photos.

In a small tree right across the street from our apartment I heard a bird chirping.  It was a Mama Bird guarding her babies.  On our way home, Mama was gone & 2 little heads were poking out of the nest.  I didn't want to get too close.  I was so disappointed as I took 1 photo of them with their little beaks open waiting for food & when I looked back at the photo, I only got the bottom of the nest.

Crockett having a drink of water. There is a water fountain in the Parkette so I always grab 2 cups when I get my coffee from the corner shop.   He was such a patient sweet lovely dog this morning.  He just sat there & let me enjoy the sky.  His cough is also getting better so he doesn't sound like a honking goose on our walks.

This was the sky as it changed during our sit down on the bench.  Each taken about 4 minutes apart pointing straight up. There was a warm breeze and the sky was moving pretty fast.  I have all the confidence that tomorrow will be a beautiful sunny day as it always is every year for Toronto's amazing Pride Parade!

Happy Pride!!

I wish everyone a safe happy Canada Day long weekend.

Ants

I was almost late to work today because I missed my regular Subway.  I have it timed perfectly so I can stop & get a coffee at Tim's at the station before I hop on my bus. My almost tardiness was totally worth it I think.

The reason; I saw Ants.  Lots of Ants. I'd say it was at least 16 inches square.  I had to take out my camera.
This was at a main intersection ( Yonge & Lawrence) in front of a subway station entrance so I got a few curious glances. Sadly, most people just walked by without noticing the Ants. Their loss.

Lunch With Jean

Met my Mom today for lunch.  We shared a Canadian Breakfast and for dessert, a Butter Tart, a
Crème Brulée, and fruit with Yogurt.

Really, it wouldn't matter what we ate, it was the company I loved :)

A Tough 24 Hours with Crockett & Kennel Cough

Crockett is suffering with Kennel Cough.

Add that to his Pug related Brachycephalic Syndrome - Elongated Pallet, a throat inflammation from all the coughing AND the hot humid weather as of late.....the result is one horribly uncomfortable Pug and one stressed worried Pug Mommy.

Yesterday evening I pulled out the camera to film this to show the Vet.

The second video below was taken in the middle of the night after he'd had many episodes.  One lasted 8 minutes long & it was after that one at 4am that I called the Vet's office.

I left a message stating I'd be at their office door at 8am when they open.

He is comfortable now after getting a super shot & some other meds in him.

Thankfully the humid weather has lifted a bit. It has made for a happier Pug, Pug Mommy & Pug dDaddy.

MENTAL RENTAL!!

It seems they've finally finished doing the renovation on the apartment across the hall.  They've erected a fancy metal sign out front & the rental listings are online.

One word. MENTAL!

I will say that at least the rental listing indicates there's no parking & that hydro & gas are extra, but $1,990/month?  If you can pay that amount in rent, if it is not a short term 1-2 year plan, then you should be paying a mortgage.

I took these below photos today - they are blurry because I was in a rush & felt like I was doing a bad thing by being in the apartment. Why? I don't know. They left it unlocked so....  Didn't they see the movie Pacific Heights?  A squatter could move in over night & boom - that's that!

Sad that they didn't put back the features that are in our unit. They don't even have crown molding.  Another bizarro thing - neither bedroom have a closet & there is only 1 closet in the whole apartment by the entrance.

They have replaced the bathroom & 1 of the bedroom swith an open concept kitchen 

& teeny tiny living room.

A very blurry shot of the kitchen & living room and WOW the floors creak very loud!

This is what I just don't get.  What was the kitchen is now the bathroom that has a door to the hallway.  The fire escape door.  Ours is in our kitchen.  Not to be gross, but I sure hope that when they use the washroom that the hallway doesn't smell like turd. Ugh.  Plus they need to change the glass in that window RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SHOWER!  That faces Yonge Street.  Just perch yourself on the steps across the street by the mosaic & you can watch the show!

I am not bitter that these apartments are fresh and new.  Ours has more personality & charm. What I am angry about is how since taking ownership of the building and starting the upgrade unit renos, the rest of the bldg has been neglected and has become dusty/dirty.

We went to look at the apartment yesterday in Swansea/High Park and lets just say, that is a post left for another day.

Door Update

Last week I wrote a post HERE about the noise and construction going on in this building, specifically the relocation of the door of Apt #4.

Here's what the hallway looks like today.

We have fire escape doors in our kitchens. I peeked into the apartment today through the fire escape door  and with the changed floor plan, the bathroom is where the kitchen used to be. I'm sorry, but the very LAST thing I want in my bathroom is a fire escape door.  Creepy. 

Changes

Changes are a comin'.  Soon, I will have a new window to look out of.  Hopefully I will also have a balcony to sit on & star gaze.

Adam loves where we live right now. Me, not so much.

For me, it is a 6 out of 10.  To make it a 10 it would need;

• A balcony

• To be on the 2nd floor or higher

• To NOT be on Yonge St with 24/7 traffic out my bedroom window

• To be less rent with utilities included.

The being so close to a main street is a pain.  The dust/grime that comes in the windows is just brutal. The only thing that lifts the dirt off the window ledges is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and those things, as great as they work, scare the crap out of me. It's like a chemical block.

Also, with our front door being as close to the street as it is, we come in with grit on our shoes. I hate that I feel like I need to sweep the floor 3 times a day every day.  The 5 second rule does not apply here.  I can still go to my Mom's and not think twice about eating something I've dropped on the floor.

Add to this all the construction that has been going on across the hall & I'm about to lose my mind.

We have an appointment to see 4 units this week. I'm excited. 

Fingers crossed :)

Yonge Street Mosaic

Last year in the fall I think, I cannot remember the exact date, I had a post with this photo below. There is a staircase across the street with a wide open canvas for graffiti artists.  Sadly, it's the taggers that deface it.
To me, tagging is not art. Street art graffiti is beautiful.

 

Last week, the project began on what was going there.

At the top of the staircase is Glenview Presbyterian Church.

They have created a work of art.

It is a mosaic.

It took a few days for them to put it up in sections.

Then they let it cure.

Then they added the grout and voilà.

It is beautiful.

 They have different materials, stones, pieces of copper.