#319 - Gnocchi and a Recliner

I slept so well I woke up at 5am feeling refreshed, but there was no way I was getting out of bed. We needed to go into the studio this morning and I would need all the energy I could muster.

I sat in bed with my eyes closed and let my mind wander as it willed. The seven AM alarm sounded as if two hours had passed in a minute. I rose and did the morning things, not in any rush, but aware that Robyn was downstairs, dressed and waiting for me.

I remembered to grab a few beverages and my earpods before leaving the house but completely forgot to pack lunch. No worries, it just meant I was going to stop for a breakfast sandwich for sure. We got a good spot in the parking lot and somehow managed to avoid any traffic snafus.

A train was arriving just as we closed the car doors, but neither of us was in the shape or mood to run for a train that was just taking us to work. Another one arrived shortly afterwards anyway, so we took that one an managed to get seats together on the top floor of the car.

The ride was unremarkable. Which is what you want in a train ride. Everyone behaved themselves, and we both opted to sit and snooze for the whole ride to the studio.

We took the Esplanade route, enjoying the quiet and peace of the lesser-used street. The weather was cool, and the sun was out, making for a beautiful walk. We passed one place painted in hot pink that boasted it was the Barbie Malibu Experience. I guess it was too early for any of the Barbies to be around. No Barbies in sight.

Turning on Farquhar’s Lane, I made a beeline for Au Pain Dore café. I ordered Robyn a bacon omelette croissant, and I a fresh grilled vegetable sandwich was put out just as I ordered it. I got a San Pellegrino Aranciata to go with the sandwich, and Robyn stole half of my drink.

We ate out on the patio and enjoyed a quiet moment before the day got hectic. I apparently was willing to enjoy it for longer when Robyn abruptly sat up, her actions announcing that she was ready to leave. I could have stayed there the whole day and been content.

Robyn skipped getting her Steeped Tea at Timmies and that meant we could head straight for the studio. I waved to a colleague who was entering the building as we rounded the corner. Soon, we were at our desks and saying our hellos. People asked after our vacation, and we regaled them with stories of relaxation. It’s always nice to have these little chats with work friends at the start of the day. I mean, if the company is going to force us in, we may as well chat for a while on their dime.

But soon work beckoned, and the laughter and murmurs changed into the clicking of mice and the hum of the HVAC system. Which in this building is considerably orchestral. Well, orchestral in the same way a toddler with a wooden spoon bangs on overturned pots.

Whenever it shuts off, you can hear a collective sigh from all the people in the room.

I got to work. First thing was to track down more of the assests that would be needed for my team to get all their assignments finished. I was missing four and managed to get it down to two and light a few fires under the people responsible for what was left. It’s a bit like herding cats, but necessary to get what you need in a timely fashion. Meaning it’s weeks late!

I was interrupted from the rest of my work all day long by my team’s requests for more work or questions about the work they were assigned. And that meant I had to stop what I was doing and investigate every request like it was a murder mystery. Gathering up all the facts and collecting facts like a dime novel detective making sure I don’t send them down the wrong path.

And sometimes their questions open up issues that were unknown until that very moment, or we are forced to make a change that helps the whole team. It’s exhausting being interrupted all the time, but there is no way around it.

Before long it was time to take lunch. Which I did not prepare for. I grabbed my Dr. Pepper Zero and a small bag of plain chips from the snack basket. Not the best meal option, but after the sandwich from the morning, I wasn’t that hungry.

It was nice to share the company of some friends and my wife over the lunch hour. Once again, we just chatted, laughed and made jokes. It sure makes the time at the studio more enjoyable.

I went back to my desk reluctantly and got back to work. I stopped what I was doing to prepare for a meeting at three. I needed to watch the lieca reel for the episode and look at what designs were available and then formulate what was still needed or desired. Some sequences are more difficult than others. Some require simple yes and no answers.

For the most part, me and my supervisor were on the same page, and our notes were mostly about asking for things that weren’t there. We got the meeting done in good time, and once again everyone was impressed at how smoothly the meeting went.

After the meeting I tried to start some revisions, but I was interrupted again with questions and requests for more work. Comes with the territory. Before 5 PM Robyn was asking if we could leave, but I still had questions to answer.

I finally finished the day, and we decided to take the streetcar down King Street to get to the station quickly. We’d heard that there was a Jay’s game letting out at about the same time and that would mean the trains would be extra crowded with drunks, merry-do-wells and hot sweaty bodies.

We managed to get on an express train and didn’t see any blue and white sports jersey anywhere near us. The danger had been avoided.  Having said that, the train was still very crowed, but we eventually found seats near each other and were able to enjoy the ride home. I didn’t write on the train coming to work or at lunch. So, I made the best of it and made sure to use the ride home to get some words written. Because we once we disembarked from the train, we headed straight to our friend’s house for dinner.

We texted our friends to let them know we would be a bit early, and they were fine with our new arrival time. The first thing they did when we arrived was to show us all the things they were parting with and offered them to us at no charge. The first item was a rolling base for an outdoor pot, and I thought we had a use for that. Next was the loveseat and two chairs from their backyard. The idea being to replace our old crappy ones on the front porch and with the loveseat add two extra places to sit.

And then there was square rack with a butcher block top to be used with a BBQ. My BBQ area is a bit tight on space and we agreed we could use that too.

The next item was inside the house on the second floor. A faux leather recliner with electric motors and two cup holders. I tried it out and immediately thought it would make a great writing chair. The faux leather was bit beat up here and there but not terribly so. And at the low, low price of zero dollars, it seemed like it must be destined to go home with me.

I ordered some of their favourite coffee beans from Costco on Uber Eats to be delivered to them the next day as a thank you for the chair. Likely, I will take possession of it on the weekend and test it out while I am writing my assignment.

Paul served us grilled gnocchi with cherry tomatoes and zucchini, topped with Parmesan cheese. I ate too much, but enjoyed every bite of it. We chatted for a bit, and then the ladies took a short walk to help Robyn lower her blood sugar naturally. Paul and I chatted about music, movies, and shows. He brewed us a pot of that vanilla-hazelnut coffee, and we sipped it until the girls returned.

Laura had baked some cherry-lime donuts, and I helped myself to two of them and washed them all down with my mug of coffee. A delicious combination.

We chatted a bit more about their plans to downsize over the coming year and they showed us some room plans of the various apartment buildings they were looking into. Many of the apartments on offer started at around three thousand dollars, and I felt that was too much. It seemed to me that it would be a better plan to re-mortgage the house completely, take that money and retire. Rent the house out using a real estate agent and let the value of the house increase for the next five to ten years. Let your renters pay all the fees.

Every year, have a look and see if it was worth the effort involved. And if it is, then keep going. Of course, talking to a real estate agent or a property management company would be the best place to start. And maybe talking to your mortgage broker.

 A friend of mine did this very thing with a property we owned when we were younger. We lived in the house and fixed it up, then instead of selling it, we re-mortgaged it, took all of our money out of it and put it up for rent. Eight years later, we sold it for a lot more than we paid for it.

But not everyone has the type of mindset that would let them rent their property to others.

We arrived just after six, and it was coming up on eleven. I felt tired before we even got there, so after a big meal and a lovely dessert, by the time ten rolled around, I was ready for bed.

We said our goodbyes, thanked them for a lovely evening and headed home.

It felt great to change into some sleeping clothes and flop onto the bed. My belly was too full. I reluctantly got up and brushed my teeth, thinking I might fall asleep by accident before I could take care of my dental hygiene.

Better safe than sorry.

Robyn settled in and began to read her book, and I fired up my trusty laptop to get my writing finished. The train ride writing session produced just under a thousand words, but I needed to write just as many before going to bed to make my daily quota.

I didn’t get a chance to read today and that bums me out. Ideally, I would have done that while I was on the train in the morning, but resting was too tempting a siren song.

I’m glad I get to sleep in until at least eight thirty tomorrow. No hoofing it into the studio tomorrow. And on top of that it’s payday. Paydays are my favourite Fridays.

Kiddo #2 just showed me his mix CD that he made for his not-girlfriend. It actually looked really good. He put a lot of work into it and even enlisted his sister into helping with the artwork. The real proud moment was the liner notes inside that he hand-typed using the typewriter I got him a couple of years ago.

Kiddo #1 just told us she was going on a date to the drive-in tomorrow and planned to order a pizza from Fortino’s. It’s one we’ve ordered before, made with figs, brie, arugula and balsamic glaze. Her dilemma was that she only wanted half the pizza to bring to the drive-in. Her solution to this was to ask us if we would pay for the half she doesn’t want.

Um. No.

Personally, I love their pizza, but I am all pizza’d out for the week. And she asked me when I was feeling incredibly full. A combination that can only produce a no. Still, I think it’s hilarious that her first line of thought is to have us pay for things she doesn’t want so she can get the bit she wants for the price she wants. Classic kiddo #1.

It feels like it’s been a very long day. It’s just past midnight and I am calling it.

Until tomorrow.