#165 - No Traffic, Truck Nuts

I was up and out of bed with less protest than usual.

Perhaps the promise of stopping for breakfast at my favourite Toronto diner had something to do with it. I was out the house and in the car about twenty minutes later. I skipped packing a lunch, hopeful that I could get that big breakfast to tide me over until Survivor Pizza Hot Tub night.

But would the traffic delay me, or maybe the train would be late. As it turns out the traffic was as perfect as I could hope for. I made it to the station in record time and even got a decent spot right up at the front.

There is a massive difference in traffic volume leaving at seven-twenty versus seven-thirty. Leaving ten minutes earlier can save me fifteen minutes of waiting at lights.

But all the saved time was spent waiting on the train concourse for delayed train. It seems to me this train at this time is always delayed. Why the don’t push back the time is beyond me. I like to think they are optimists and can’t bring themselves to admit defeat.

The ride was crowded due to said delay that allowed more passengers to make it to the concourse, but I was able to get a seat. I was too tired and crowded to attempt any writing, so I opted to close my eyes and rest. And I am glad I did, because I was very tired, nearly passing out a few times in my seat. You have to understand that I do not, as a rule, fall asleep while travelling. I never have, even as a kid.

Arriving in Toronto, the clouds parted and the sun broke through. I took it as a sign and hustled up to Bay Street to King where I a few seconds later, a streetcar going my way pulled up to a stop. I boarded through the back door and counted my blessings. Things were going to well. I would arrive at Sherbourne Street by eight-thirty, and that was plenty of time to stop and have some breakfast.

But things were going too smoothly. The closer I got to the Patrician Grill, the more likely it seemed to me they would be closed today for some unknown reason. Out of my seat, I stood by the door and watched as we passed the grill. The place looked dark and I couldn't make out anyone inside the restaurant. 

My heart sank.

The streetcar stopped and I jumped off, backtracking a fifty feet towards the grill. I approached the green wooden door pulled. It opened and the hustle and bustle of the grill greeted me. “Easy, Bacon, Brown?” Terry the owner asked me.

I nodded yes.

“Coffee?”

“Yes, please!”

And I was in breakfast nirvana for the next half hour eating my bacon with my hands because that’s how bacon was meant to be eaten. I had a second cup of coffee and left the dinner a happy man. I was still the first to arrive at work from my team as well. Win, win.

It was a day filled with mostly painting. There were no meetings to attend, and we all just got down to work.

We took a short lunch and had fun conversations about movie etiquette mostly revolving around talking the show. We were all in the don’t talk to me while the movie is playing.

After lunch we got back to work, and I finished the painting I was working on. Then I had a review of my painting with my supervisor. She managed to simplify the area we are painting and gave myself and another painter a breakdown of her process which was very helpful.

Then it was time to go, and I power walked to the station. With all the pizza I am going to eat tonight I needed to burn some extra calories.

A quick ride home on the train and then into the car.

I was home long enough to splash some water on my face and then we were off to Little Casaer’s to get a Hot-n-Ready pizza, garlic sticks and two kinds of Crazy Puffs. Robyn had a diabetic low and had to have slice of the pepperoni pie while we waited for the Crazy Puffs. That’s our story and I am sticking too it!

We arrived at our friend’s house at the same time as their pizza delivery guy. They ordered to Pizza Nova pies and some carrots and celery.

All the food was delicious, but the Crazy Puffs were my favourite.

We ate for a little while and then fired up the PVR’d Survivor episode. Recording it means we don’t have to wait for all the commercials.

Our friends had a brochure for cruises on the coffee table, so we naturally asked if they were making some vacation plans. Apparently, this brochure was for a company that tours around the great lakes and goes to places like Nova Scotia. We asked it that was something they were interested in, and they thought it sounded good until they saw the prices. It would have cost about twenty thousand dollars for a week. A little to pricey for the average Joe.

It was time to take a break; the ladies went for a walk around the block while we men headed to the hot tub for a well-deserved soak. The temperature was perfect with tonight’s cooler weather. John joked that there was nothing to talk about because he had read the last five blog posts and was already caught up with my life and times. Haha.

So, we just stared at each other uncomfortably for the next twenty minutes.

Just kidding, we talked about all kinds of things.

Amazon says my Truck-nuts have arrived from China. I plan to attach them to my stepson’s best friend who just got a new truck she has named ‘Stacey’. Hopefully she thinks its funny.

She eats enough grilled cheese sandwiches at our house to forgive us if she doesn't get a laugh out of it.

And in Quebec they aren’t laughing right now. I heard that up to two hundred thousand people are without power because of the ice storm that hit the province. I enjoy when the power grid goes down, my entire body relaxes when the power stops flowing. I have a physical reaction to it. People can die when it happens in extreme weather, hot or cold, so it’s not something I actively wish for, but when it happens, I make sure to enjoy it.

Today the stock market went down a bit today with the pressure on the oil supply and the continuing American and Israeli war on Iran. The longer it goes on the higher oil is likely to go. The Arab oil producers have said they would increase production, but transporting may still prove problematic. And Iran has apparently blown some of their own wells to make sure it couldn’t be captured and used.

And I read there are antisemitic attacks happening around the globe. Some one just drove a car into a synagogue in the States and ended up kill themselves.

Then there was the American refueling plane that crashed in Iraq tonight supposedly not because of any hostile fire or friendly fire.

And then there is the statement from the new Iranian Supreme Leader promising to continue to attack neighbouring Arab states and to keep choking the strait of Hormuz.

We headed home after another lovely Survivor Pizza Hot Tub night and watched an episode of ‘Cross’ as I can sleep in until eight or nine tomorrow. Gotta love the days I get to work from home. Seeing as the Weather Network is forecasting snow tomorrow makes it twice as delicious.

My writing teachers just finished a successful Kickstarter campaign for some of their science fiction books, and they had a stretch goal reward of a set of videos about the history of Science Fiction, some of which is from their firsthand experience. In the past they made some shocking accusations about Aurthur C. Clarke and why he had to move to Sri Lanka, a place that did not have an extradition treaty with the UK.

I’m not all of it will be of this nature and there is sure to be some funny and interesting stories about authors, agents and editors. I’m looking forward to listening to it while I am painting.

I haven’t had time today to audit the Advanced Character Development class yet. Looking like a Friday or Saturday watch for me. I maybe able to listen to it while I paint tomorrow, if there aren’t too many interruptions or last-minute meetings.

Across the street from our house and set back behind new housing is a mosque. It is fitted with a minaret and styled with aravbic architectural features. I saw an article today that shows a rendering of the proposed renovations that are planned. It appears to be getting much larger, mostly growing out as opposed to up. The new extension showed three minarets instead of the current single one. If the building ends up being half as nice as the drawing, then it will look very handsome.

I find most of the architecture in Ontario doesn’t move the human spirit in anyway. I mean, sure, there are some, but compared to other cities around the world are architecture is mostly boring and uninspiring. I think this renovation will add a nice amount of eastern spice to the neighborhood and if they get the lighting right, could look amazing at night.

If there is a concern in the neighbourhood it is mostly about parking issues. If the building can handle more worshippers, then that means more cars. The mosque apparently has a parking lot renovation and extension included, which should ease some minds.

There have been times when they have hosted a festival that parking on our street was filled to the max. It’s usually only once per year, but having extended parking capacity seems like a good idea.

When I got home tonight there were flyers indicating that filming would be taking place in my neighbourhood in the coming weeks. I am used to seeing these in Toronto and at our studio because they are always filming around there.

I was curious what was being filmed and read the paper only to realize it was made by my stepson for his film and editing class. Apparently, they make them do all the real world jobs a film production person would do, including making and handing out the film announcements.

Guess I won’t be seeing any famous actors flouncing around the neighborhood.

I haven’t had any time to read this evening, and I had jst left off the other night as the story was getting to the good part. All the pieces were in place for a big battle of somekind or another.

One thing I have noticed about ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ is that the stories I have read so far take place in very limited settings. The first story, ‘The Hedge Knight’ takes place mainly at the tournament. The second story takes place in the area around a small keep and an adjacent castle.

The settings are all nice and compact.

Speaking of nice and compact, my order of truck-nuts arrived in the mail and the stepson’s best friend was over, her truck parked out front. The “Nuts” where decidedly smaller that I was expecting. Maybe, slightly larger than life size. Some ne are bigger than others you see.

I snuck out and looked to see how I might attach them. The truck had a hitch receiver that looked promising. I got under the truck, the darkness of the night making it hard to see and looked for other attachment points. The hitch receiver looked like the best option, but I didn’t have any way to secure the nut to truck.

I decided to order a trailer pin for a few dollars and then added a keychain ring for the pin to pass through. I’ll have to wait for Amazon to deliver it by late tomorrow morning. It should provide a decent length for the nuts to dangle at.

Dangle length is crucial. It’s a new truck so they should hand too low or it will age it before it’s time.

And with all this talk of truck-nuts and dangle length, I shall take my que and bid you all a fare night.