Thoughts of the Week

 I have had quite a summer, spending more time having fun than work.  I guess you can say I have always been a workaholic but mainly because I have enjoyed what I did.  I have a need for knowledge which stimulates my grey cells, but I also like new challenges.  I am again at a pivotal point in my life as I determine my pathway forward.  I have been living in a staged house now for more than three months trying to sell my house, which a few years ago would have been sold for lots in a short time.  Yes, people blame Trump, but is it all Trump?  Apparently  700,000 Canadian children rely on food banks monthly.  Over 15,000 people in Toronto are homeless,  half being refugees who came to this country for a better life.  There is a shift of the middle class declining and the rich becoming ever more powerful has they gain more wealth.  Rather than using that wealth for good, too many of that small percentage, crave more money and power.  I was going to write about our First Nation today, but I decided to just think and be general.  Idealy,  I would like to sell my house and move to Niagara Falls and perhaps retire and focus more on my writing which I have almost ignored, but not quite.  I recently met someone at a memorial service whom I recognized but couldn't place the person.  This person buys my books at Word On The Street and wanted to know if I had written another.  Yes, "Ominous" and provided the dates in September where I will return to Word On The Street, regardless if I am in Toronto or Niagara.  I miss having pets and have never had a dog and I will like to adopt an elderly dog in the future.  Normally all my pets have come from the streets and I didn't even want.   The last three lived forever except for one.  She had lived in the streets too long and my adopting her gave her a year of love.  She had such a sweet nature and brought Holy Terror home to me.  Mr Attitude, well he was my guard cat/dog.  Unfortunately I had to put him down and though I could deal with his physical problems, he had devolped Alzheimers and could not stop crying for a few days before I had to make a painful decision.  It is always a heart wrenching decision to have to put one of my pets to sleep, but I always gave them the best life I could and that is why I never moved.  I was waiting.  Holy Terror was 19 years old and Mr Attitude about 21 years old.  They had long happy lives right here in Toronto.  So now, I am serious, I want to travel again before thinking of adopting.  So, my thoughts of the week have been with global and city news as well as how much I am enjoying my leisure time and if I should make that permanent in the future.  I have made no decision yet, beyond knowing I want to live in Niagara Falls.  I have also been thinking of my social circle and acknowledging that I have always chosen who I want to have fun with, but also crave groups because I have always belonged to a large group of people which has taught me that though we are the same, we have differences and tolerance is important.  So, as I was looking up at my trees this morning and the wildlife within them, while drinking my coffee and focusing on spirituality, I realized I will miss this when I move but in exchange I will have one of the wonders of the world nearby where I can drink my coffee and just enjoy.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I will be taking a long one once again.  Good bye world for this week.  Have you given thought of where you are at and what you will want for yourselves moving forward?  Where do you find peace to look into your soul?  Who do you like to hang out with?  Do they make you happy?  No, perhaps it is time for change.  What do you think?

 

What do you think of Food Trucks......? Another festival

I have been to so many festivals that I am getting festival fatigue.  Is there such an expression?  There is now.  My best is still the ice cream truck that speeds down my neighbourhood with its' familiar music only to by pass my house each time.  Oh well, there is still Dairy Queen and Macdonald's, good and cheap.  Here is a festival near my home but me thinks I went to soon.  What do you think?   I am loving summer.  More pictures to come of some trips.  Oh by the way, the President did not buy my house.

China, China, China and all other dictators and Terrorists. Is this upsetting?

 I was reading the Catholic Register last month and of course China is again trying to control religion by appointing their own clergy.  It doesn't work that way.  "China has completed multiple unilateral appointments and the state continues to arrest clergy deemed loyal to Rome. ....No one can buy a Bible at a store.  The crackdown is so severe that these purchases must be done in secret......In 2020, it was discovered that a text book used in Chinese schools, printed by the government- run University of Electronic Science and Technology Press, had Jesus stone a woman accused of adultery (John 8:3-11) instead of telling the crowd, ""He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone."" "  Of course this isn't the only religion China wants to control.  This is what Dictators do.  They replace people in positions of power who are loyal to them only regardless of the lack of qualifications and they target the universities and every other democratic system.  They try to control education.  Since I am talking about education, I heard on the news that if international students are not allowed to return to Harvard, they can come here and complete their degrees at the University of Toronto.  They will have Professors from both Harvard and U of T but their degree will be strictly Harvard.  We cannot have imbeciles dictating to universities what can or cannot be taught.  Students world wide have one mission and that is to learn and think logically.  Of course that is a threat to the dictators.  We live in dangerous times.  We still have Putin trying to take over Ukraine and the President of Ukraine needs to succeed for all of us.  Then we have the war in the Middle East.  Hamas started this ugly and needless war and still refuses to release the hostages.  In the mean time so many innocent people including children are suffering and dying.  This needs to stop.  There has to be a better way of getting each and every terrorist without killing so many innocent.  We have free choice in democratic societies so be very careful whom you vote for in these days.  There is obviously a pattern for dictators and if you are not mindful you will lose your freedom.  Is that what any of us want.  Well that is all for today.  I have had a wonderful summer and I can't believe how much I have enjoyed my leisure time.  Trying to sell my house has been a chore and my place is still staged and I miss my big tv.  I even had a dream about my tv.  My dream house in Niagara has had over 400 visitors and it should sell soon, so cross your fingers for me and or say a prayer so I can still have it.  What do you think?  I have so many plans. 

High Park in Toronto, my beautiful park is now closed to me. Bye bye High Park.......I have so many memories.

High Park is a place I used to skip high school days whenever I needed a break and spend the day there.  Now we call that a mental health day.  As children and as a teen I would spend family time there watching and listening to the different bands which entertained the people of Toronto for free.  I used to also frequent Shakespeare in the Park, which was affordable for everyone because you paid what you could.  This park was donated to the city by the owners.  Now unfortunately, they have blocked vehicles from entering the park from Bloor Street, the main entrance.  During the weekdays, you may enter by Parkside.  I went last week after trying and failing many times and aside from the pool, the park was bare.  This was my go to place on weekends to have breakfast.  My parents would spend many days there feeding the chickmunks (yup, you can't do that in Toronto anymore).  My mother would write to me in the Middle East from the park and I would imagine myself there with her when I was serving overseas.  Now?  I checked out the Grenadier restaurant last week and found that the prices has risen abundantly.  Staff told me they had to rise the prices because they lost so much business.  I no longer saw the tourist buses which would come to see and enjoy the park of Toronto.  High Park no longer belongs to us.  It began with bicycles not obeying the stop signs and speeding around the park.  They even had the bicycle lawyer to protect the cyclists.  A bicycle is a vehicle and must obey the signs of the road, but no they blamed the Police.  Really, for enforcing the problem?  Well after that the park closed for vehicles and almost every weekend there has been a protest to allow the park to be accessable to all.  I had a scone and tea biscuit as I mourned my park, looking out at the empty patio.  I spoke to someone who is trying to save the park.  The person wishes to remain anonymous and informed me 60% of the public overall has stopped coming to the park.  80% of the weekend public has stopped coming.  I am one of the 80%.  I don't know if I will try to return.  Even when doors open was on, you could not drive into the park.  This is such a shame and reflective of how badly this city is being managed.  I won't bother uploading the empty patio because the article depicts it as I saw it. 

 "In 1873 John Howard deeded High Park to the City of Toronto.  For the free use and enjoyment of all citizens.  In May 2023, the City of Toronto Council voted 18-7, to close High Park permanently to cars seven days a week, 365 days a year.  Thus, creating access and parking issues."  There is a petition www.change.org/equalaccess-highpark.  

 

Devil in the Web

 I wanted to post this video on the web for you but apparently there is a fee to watch it.  I watched episode one on tv which is about romance scams.  It is American, and well worth watching since people are scammed millions each year and there are probably many more not reported due to embarrassment.  I am always interested in what hurts people and this definitely does.  Not only do women and men lose money in great amounts, they feel deceived.  One man was living in the States and one woman he scammed made it her business to find out who he is, charges were laid and he was deported from the States.  These people find you on Facebook, dating sites and where ever else.  What ever you do, don't give your money away for any reason.  They can beg, cry etc......don't do it.  Tell them you lost all your money in a financial scheme and see what happens.  If you cannot meet the person live and not on the web pass.  They will give you all the sob stories.  It can be very difficult to meet people and I suggest joining clubs where you can actually talk and see the person.  If you live in a remote area, start your own.  You work hard to save, so please don't fall for it.  What do you think?

Lilo & Stitch | Official Trailer - Soooo funny

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Halibut House Fish and Chips - So good.............

 I just found my new favourite Fish and Chips place.  I just ate there a few days ago and want more now.  Look it up on line.  This began with a Refugee couple to Canada.  Yup.  Boy, did we luck out.  I noticed they even have a place in Niagara Falls and will certainly go there if I sell my house.  That is a hint for anyone wanting to buy in Toronto.  I have posted the house here somewhere.  I have posted a photo so you may salivate.  It is worth visiting.  All Canadian; all Ontario - the place to go.  I ordered lunch; there is a bigger portion, but this was more than enough.