As seen on a quick grocery run for last-minute candy and dinner supplies.
Lo and behold, a high-strung Halloween bride.
Saving on plot fees in a tight economy, the neighbours multi-purpose the front yard.
October, 2008
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Halloween In The ‘Hood
October 31, 2008 by Gail
Posted in cameraphone | 2 Comments
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House of Fielding: House of Costumes
October 30, 2008 by Gail
I think it’s hilarious that in a 24-hour period three people stopped by the House of Fielding to get costumed up for Halloween. Between David’s stuff and mine, I reckon I have enough materials to outfit at least five people!
In the photo above, Natalia’s sporting the djellaba I bought in Morocco last year. This is the first photo I’ve taken of it. Look — I even made her a force field!
Posted in Critters + Creatures, House of Fielding, Xena & Beano | 2 Comments
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The Lost Fingers
October 30, 2008 by Gail
I’m working while listening to The Lost Fingers on CBC Radio and laughing at their Django Reinhardt-inspired (gypsy swing guitar) interpretations of songs from the ’80s. I’ve heard their stuff before, but I don’t think I’ve ever posted about them. If you haven’t heard of them before, have a listen to what they do with their remixes of “Touch Me” (Samantha Fox), “You Give Love a Bad Name” (Bon Jovi), and “Pump Up the Jam” (Technotronic).
They’re chatting with the radio DJs in French at the beginning; they begin playing at 1:23, and the last two minutes is more chat.
Other covers they’ve done:
- “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson
- “You Shook Me (All Night Long)” – AC/DC
- “Maneater” – Hall & Oates
- “Careless Whisper” – George Michael
- “Fresh” – Kool and the Gang
I love gypsy-style music (accordions, guitars, violins, etc.), and combined with music from the ’80s makes it especially fun.
The Lost Fingers are a trio from Quebec: Alex Morrissette – back vocals and double bass, Christian Roberge – lead vocals and guitar, and Byron Mikaloff on back vocals and guitar. Check them out!
Posted in Music, Videoclips | 1 Comment
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Halloween Aboard the Obsession III
October 29, 2008 by Gail
I mentioned on October 22 a Halloween charity fundraiser on a boat in the Toronto Harbour, and I’ve put some photos together from the event. I would’ve had a more elaborate costume if I hadn’t wasted the afternoon in the Canadian Tire parking lot trying to fix the tail light on Saturday, but I was short on time as it were and decided to just wear the aviator goggles, helmet, and scarf with a leather jacket and head out to the boat before it lifted anchor without me!
The crew of the Obsession III: Captain Bill and Company, bearers of charming Newfoundland accents. I’m not kidding about the accents — I enjoyed listening to Captain Bill and discussed with him the logistics of a road trip around Newfoundland. [View On Black]
Posted in events, Volunteering/Charity | 1 Comment
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YYZ Terminal 1
October 29, 2008 by Gail
Posted in Mobile Blogging | 1 Comment
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Notes From The Rivoli
October 29, 2008 by Gail
It had been months since I’d attended the first of the weekly meetups at The Rivoli, but Tuesday night I was on not one but two missions:
- sell my November metropass
- pick up a crepe maker that someone kindly bestowed upon me (because apparently I’ve built up a reputation as a brunch host)
Mission accomplished on both counts, plus some conversations with friends, new folk, and the previously-acquainted for good measure. The presence of a big camera amused some…
… so I took some snaps (natch)….
… and handed the camera to Jose for a bit.
I’m going to take the crepe maker for a spin soon, to make sure I use it properly before I start inviting people over for a brunch that features crepes. If you feel like playing guinea pig, come over for some!
Posted in Out + About | 2 Comments
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Exhibit A: The Offending Piece Of Plastic
October 29, 2008 by Gail
The top light (turning signal) shorted, but I didn’t know this because the socket and seal were covering it up. All I knew was that the bulb was out, so I spent far too long in the parking of Canadian Tire on Saturday trying to wrench it out without breaking everything.
It took AGES just to get the tail light off the car — lots of tugging and banging — before I even started working on the socket. The socket, however, proved to be impossible. I don’t like asking for help, but eventually I gave in and asked a guy in the parking lot to help me. I have very strong hands (for a female), but it wouldn’t give at all. That should’ve been the first indicator that it had shorted and the reason we couldn’t get it out was because the plastic had warped, but even the guy hadn’t thought of that. He finally threw in the towel and suggested I take it into Canadian Tire to see if they could extract the socket without breaking it.
Even the guy at the parts desk couldn’t budge it, so he had a mechanic get it out, which was no swift feat. I could buy the bulb at Canadian Tire, but they didn’t carry the socket. Time to go to the dealer, but by the time all this had transpired the dealer was closed. Between the malarkey in the parking lot yanking off the tail light, messing with the blown socket, several trips to the parts counter to track down parts, and standing in queues between each trip, I don’t want to see a Canadian Tire again for a long, long time.
Fast forward to Monday. The dealer has the socket and bulbs, but I tried it all out in the parking lot again and it turns out the plastic is too warped to accommodate the socket. It took a mechanic to get the old one out, but it would take nothing short of a blowtorch to make it all fit together again. It’s $200 for a new tail light (NO WAY!), plus the socket and bulb ($37+). Time to go to the autowreckers, but by the time we sort this out the autowreckers is closed.
Now Tuesday. I called the autowreckers to find a used tail light — including bulb and socket — but the guy I spoke to neglected to tell me he had to order the part. He told me he thought he could locate the socket I needed, so I went in for that and paid for it all but it turns out I have to go in AGAIN to pick up the tail light on Wednesday. It was $75 plus tax for the part, but he didn’t charge me for the sockets or bulbs he found. Still a bargain compared to what the dealer would charge for it all, though.
I stood in the parking lot of the autowreckers holding a pile of bulbs and wires and sockets, and decided that I couldn’t go yet another day without a left turn signal. I’ve already made ridiculous wide circles of right-hand turns to get to all these places. (Drivers don’t pay attention to hand signals, especially at night.) So I did what David would do in this situation: I pried off a socket from one of the sliced wire harnesses with a screwdriver and bound that socket to the tail light with duct tape, careful to keep the bulb free and clear of any plastic or duct tape. I tested it, and it works! I have an early morning airport run, part of it in the dark, so this will do the job nicely for one more day.
Posted in cameraphone, House of Fielding, Widowhood | 2 Comments
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Toronto Skyline
October 28, 2008 by Gail
The focus isn’t bad considering I’m on a cruising boat and it’s windy. I should’ve brought the monopod, but I haven’t gotten used to carting it around yet — it lives in the back of my car.
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Yet Another Puking Pumpkin
October 27, 2008 by Gail
My website gets a lot of hits this time of year with the keyword search “puking pumpkin”, but people usually end up at Angie’s puking pumpkin in PA. Seems it’s become quite popular, because there are more and more puking pumpkins popping up every year. This one has been overcome by seasickness, apparently, as we’re on a ship in the Toronto harbour on a windy evening on Lake Ontario. More photos from Saturday’s Halloween party to come.
Posted in events | No Comments
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Pho Hung Vietnamese
October 26, 2008 by Gail
Vietnamese is great cold-weather comfort food. If you like it spicy, it’ll warm you up quickly!
A bunch of us got together at one of Rosie’s favourite haunts, Pho Hung, as a chance for her to enjoy her last taste of C9 before she jets back to London-town. I can’t even remember what the dish C9 is called… we only ever call it C9!
See the big gaping space on the table in front of me? I am the last one to get my order, so of course I take photos of everyone else’s food…
Posted in Food + Drink, Friends | 2 Comments
