preparation

 I spent the day preparing for the block load of classes. I am getting close to getting the schedules out. The next thing is to get contracts out for the TAs.

Also am preparing to get up early in the morning to watch the Olympics.

packed day

 I'm trying to get things ready for the block load but have so many emails and things to do it is difficult to make progress. I went to Food Basics before the day started and took the car in for an oil change.

I need to tackle my to do list tomorrow and then hopefully make some progress in the block load.

kestrel in the hood

Last night I stayed up late watching gymnastics subdivision 1 and 2. When I woke up in the morning subdivision 5 was still going on. This issue when the olympics are on the other side of the world. Also qualifications takes a long time.

I biked to Metro to get some meat. Driving back I was passing by Churchill Park and out of the corner of my eye I saw some birds. A blue jay and another bird that I didn't really see were coming against a small hawk like bird that flew a few meters over my head. It happened very fast but was interesting!

I watched Elevation and Rustle and then watched subdivision 5. I hadn't seen the US as they weren't in the subdivisions that I got on TSN3 so I watched them in the evening on NBC.

The bunny likes nibbling under my laundry hanger

Mumbai style potatoes- lots of piles of veggies!

Lake Ontario park yesterday

power pods

 I received a free sample of tide power pods and I washed James' hockey equipment with them and -miracle- they don't smell anymore. These must have been made by a hockey parent.

This morning I went to food basics. It was busier than usual for 8am. There was no more greeter at the door. The sign said that over 500 people were allowed inside. I can't imagine 500 people inside.

This week in the meal kit we had "doubles" which I noticed in the french was "rotis". Once of my favourite meals so far.

Today was mexican street corn linguine.

At work we are in the heat of timetabling and I am trying to get things set for the block load of courses.

Metro now opens at 8am

 I think it used to open at 7. Online it said it opened at 7. Biked down and it opened at 8. It threw my day off as it was a pretty full day and that lost me some time. Went to Loblaws instead. Will try Metro again tomorrow.

Lots of meetings today. Tomorrow reviewing surveys and applications.

warming

 This morning I was wearing 2 sweaters but this evening things are warm again. After the park visit I watched Elevation and Rustle. I cleaned the bathroom in the basement, mowed the lawn, did the usual dishes and laundry. Tomorrow is a big day with meetings and more orientation.

Sunflower on the rocks

 

I went to lake Ontario park this morning as I was woken at 5:30am by someone yelling in the street so I thought I would head to the park before it got busy. The park was very quiet when I arrived. I stood on a dock and watched the activity of ducks. Then walked along the shoreline and found this sunflower growing in the rocks by the side of Lake Ontario.

While there were no signs to the new Spirit Garden I wandered around a bit with my guess as to where they may have put it and found it pretty easily that way.

I took the picture of the rocks for Oma. I also found this interesting tree that may or may not be standing on its own.

Last week there was only one meal that I had not made before but it was a pretty complicated one.

They were like potato pancakes. I was worried when making them as they seemed odd but they tasted good!

Rain

 

It rained pretty much solid today so Kim didn't come in for a walk. I tried to clean as much as I could. I'm trying to get used to my temporary crown. I've been eating mashed potatoes which is easy to eat. I'm hoping that the real crown will make things easier.

Piled

 The last few days have been super busy with summer orientation, timetabling and email at work. Yesterday I had a dentist appt that I thought was just going to be preparation for the crown on my tooth but they did more than take a mold. They had to cut the tooth back so freezing and drilling. Not pleasant. And my mouth is still sore. Hoping to get more caught up on things tomorrow.

2am

 There was a fire around 2am on Nelson St. near our old house and we could smell it very strongly here- about 2km away. Must have been the right wind direction. I couldn't get back to sleep though. As soon as it became light enough (6am) I biked over but I couldn't see anything burned. So it may have been a small but smelly fire.

I noticed while I biked by that the house that was our next door neighbour had recently sold.

summer orientation

 A fantastic few days with my parents, back to reality tomorrow as summer orientation begins. We have 2 live events tomorrow and my email is backlogged. I have to get some Rustle Finance things done tomorrow as well. I went to Rustle tonight to get the property tax bill but it was nowhere to be found. Hopefully someone can find it tomorrow.

no more arrows

 I went to Loblaws today and there were no more arrows on the ground. No more hand sanitizer at the exit. More normal it seems. I made it before the rain. It was sprinkling on the way home but now is all out rain. Took a vacation day to prepare for our first post-pandemic guests to the house!

power pod

 I finished the first stage of the painting that I planned to do - ceiling and walls. Still need to do the door and caulking but that will wait for a bit. It was difficult painting white on white as it was hard to tell what I had painted! There was some paint (not for bathrooms) that was white but goes on pink and when it dries it becomes white so that you can tell what you had painted.

I was up at 3:30am so I had done all the painting and showered before I went to food basics.

Queen's was closed today but I still did some work.

Due to the early wake up I needed a nap during the day so I took a towel outside and lay in the shade. It was still pretty cool at midday- I was wearing a sweater. It has warmed up now. It was nice to rest outside though.

I got a free sample of a Tide "power pod" and so today I pitted it against the stinkiest of the stinky clothes- James' hockey jerseys. And it actually worked! A miracle that they smell nice. I may get some for this particular load as nothing else has worked.

Apparently a major thunderstorm is blowing in. There were a lot of people watering their lawns tonight. I guess they didn't need to do that. Heaps of water coming down and this is just the start.

Tiring

 I'm pretty traumatized by the fox attack. I did lots of painting yesterday and hope to wrap that up today.

My legs are super sore probably from the exercise painting and having to sprint after a fox.

I had difficulty falling asleep and was up early again so I'm a little sleep deprived.

There was a big street party last night showing the general tiring of all the lockdown regulations.

Fox

 A fox was just here and took at least one of the poppers. Unhoppy now.

Poppers

 The parents had difficulty figuring out the cage. One popper managed to escape the cage and get onto the lawn and the parents seemed to be able to feed it. So I took the other poppers down to the lawn. Their wings are so tiny but they hop around happily and mom and dad are feeding them. But high risk of predators. Right now, happy family though. Hoppy family I should say.

Both parents are ok

They are desperately trying to figure out why their babies are in a cage. The top is open they just need to use their bird brains to get in. 

I hate cats

 The cat knocked the robin's nest off and the babies fell to the ground. The nest is pretty ruined but I put it in Kassandra's old cage and gathered up the babies in the cage in the hope that mama will come back in the morning light. The babies are very chirpy. Hopefully she was not injured by the cat. I heard her scream and fly at the same time as the nest thunked down. I very rough night for us all.

The nest is too small

 The babies are starting to develop robin colouring. They are jammed pretty tightly into the nest! They are growing heartily.

Today I ran errands for a few hours in the morning picking up the needful things. I needed painters tape for the bathroom renovation.

Then I spend some time cleaning the bathroom preparing for the priming. Then I slogged for 2 hours with the priming.

I was up at 6am today and am hoping to be up at 6am tomorrow to get another coat of the priming done before my shower, going to Canadian Tire for the paint, going to Rustle, etc.

Wings

 I had a hard time sleeping last night and so I slept in until 9am. Queen's was closed for the holiday so Kim came for a walk but we hadn't planned a time. She arrived just after 9am so I just had time to brush my hair and get dressed and we were off. I didn't even check email.

When we got back I still didn't have time to check my email before Al arrived with the special primer for the bathroom.

While Al was talking we heard some screeching brakes and skidding and ran to the road to see a white car that must have missed the stop sign  in the middle of the road. A blue car was further down the road. I didn't see any physical damage on either car so it must have been a very near miss. They still exchanged information but they were both able to drive away.

The wings on the babies are starting to develop and the nest is getting pretty full.

It was pretty rainy on and off all afternoon and evening.

Eyes open

 Yesterday I noticed that the hatchlings eyes were open. The parents are still very doting. 

I got the laundry hung outside until I just got it in before a downpour. Mama robin is sitting on the hatchlings trying to protect them (though they have a nice roof over their heads)

I have to bike over to Sarah's a bit later.

The bathroom ceiling is coming along I'll work on it a bit more tonight.