Week 3 Still waiting for Spring

Hello everyone! Being so far from home for my birthday was definitely a different experience! The fact that so many of you sent good wishes in one form or another made it a very special day - I even received a delivery of flowers in a glass vase as you see here! I was kept busy with emails, skype calls and opening all the cards etc. that we brought with us. I went to mass with Mel at the Cathedral and, of course, prayed for you all. We had lunch in town while outside a blizzard of snow swept between the buildings; we had a good window view from the cafe at The Bay department store. The snow really settled but I was able to get home without stepping outside! Eamonn and I had a lovely evening meal at a local steakhouse, The Keg, but we shouldn't have asked for a cup of tea to finish - the worst we've ever had.

Anyway, it's been a mixed week of practical jobs tackled with some sightseeing and socialising - not a bad thing! Despite the cold I've made sure to go out each day for a walk. Half an hour's walk from here is Bayview Village which is a small but select mall (there's no bay and it's not a village!). I saw lots of designer names but not many customers! There are comfy seats allowing people to sit and stare - or sleep in some cases. It was a good walk especially as the streets around here are very flat but I saw less than a handful of other people walking.

This is the view from our apartment. The rectangle of ice in front of the Civic Centre is beginning to melt so skating has stopped. We enjoyed watching skaters of all abilities gliding around at all times of the day and night. It will soon feed the cascade and the circular fountain facing us. By then the grass should be green and maybe then there'll be daffodils!

This bank, built over the mall and library, chimes like Big Ben every hour and other little ditties. 

I thought I'd show you some views of the local streets as we haven't been far afield yet.

Below is a memorial to a C19th Scottish emigrant, David Gibson, who farmed land around here. He was also a surveyor and the memorial is hung with replica measuring chains of the time. His house is nearby, the oldest thing around here for miles.

Along the road from Gibson's pony is this view of North York Centre, taken from a little park which is currently covered in snow. You can just see the modern bell tower which our living room faces, so it's hard to get lost around here!

When we come in off the street into our building we see Loblaws supermarket down below, on the same level as the entrance to the subway (tube). It's pretty big and doesn't have the most logical layout but we're getting the hang of it. If it's too cold out I can always go for a few circuits in there.

Here you can see some of the levels above the supermarket, leading eventually to the cinema upstairs. We haven't been to see a film yet, there hasn't been much worth watching so we got a couple of DVDs from the library. Their stock is old but there are lots of films we haven't seen so this week we watched The 'Color' of Money and 84 Charing Cross Road - a lovely film. Paul Newman and Anthony Hopkins in one weekend! At least watching films gives you a break from the terrible tv. We're watching old House episodes which is fine as I've never seen it but also old Midsomers and old Time Teams!

These next 3 photos were taken Downtown, in a little shopping area called Yorkville. It's like a cutesy version of Bond Street. There are galleries, auctioneers and designer shops behind these Victorian facades and there's a lot of street art, each piece trying to get more attention than the next. I liked this one of the children but I couldn't find any information about it. It's actually part of a fountain. The Brits I've met are all puzzled as to how Toronto can sustain so many high end shopping areas given that they've got a tiny fraction of the population of London; there are wealthy people here but there are a lot of working families too. Maybe it's something we'll come to understand more as time goes on.

You might have heard that there's going to be an election here on May 2nd - hooray. Campaigning has just started and it's interesting to see that politicians have to switch from English into French, usually repeating what they've just said in the other language. There's always interpretation on the news too so you can hear the same bit 3 times! Would be funny if our MPs had to switch languages - into Scouse or Gaelic maybe! It looks like they'll end up with another coalition; they've had elections every couple of years because they can't get a majority government.

On Friday evening we began what I hope will become a ritual: a visit to the local pub, the Frog and Firkin for fish and chips and a Guinness - (for me!). It was very good. They have booths that seat 6, tv screens for sport if you're interested and speedy service. We had a good time with 2 younger Carillion chaps and their wives. I'd been for a walk around town that day with Orla, one of the wives, the same age as Gemma. We did a circular walk in Downtown East which took in the Distillery district (now arty galleries and shops) and the St. Lawrence Market, great for fresh produce of all sorts from all over the world.

This is the first Post Office building in Toronto. There are very few streets looking like this!

Below is a clever mural on the Flat Iron building - that's the shape of it which you can't see in this. But the mural looks just like a sheet, having been painted with these windows etc.,  pinned to the wall.

 Saturday was a humdrum day - Eamonn test drove 2 Hyundais. He's still trying to get a sensible quote for insurance. It's vey frustrating after driving for 40 years - they treat you as though you've just passed your test here and quotes have been up into  $6000 - 8000. He's been given a contact number so should end up paying about $2000, much more reasonable.We also bought our own iron, ironing board, airer and a water filter - so our tea is perfect now (buying Twinings English Breakfast tea - no PG tips here).

As you can see I have't been able to arrange photos side by side (unless they're small which means they're hard to see!) so apologies for this going on and on.

This creepy metal creature lives in the Distillery district, one of the oldest bits of Toronto.

Time to finish but I can tell you that today is actually warm in a proper spring-like way.

We're always really pleased when someone owns up to looking at this so welcome Andy!!  

Hope you're all well at home, missing you all,

With love,

Mary and Eamonn xx

PS. I see that All Saints London Colney is closing! Any background anyone?