I Received My First Christmas Card From The Salvation Army The Other Week And It's A Lovely One & Deeks Insurance Is Currently Doubling Donations Now!

I donate regularly to The Salvation Army because they help a lot of families and people in need locally and globally as well.  Right now if you donate Deeks Insurance will double your donation! 

Salvation Army Double Donation URL.

Great Date night In Koreatown In Toronto

We had a lovely dinner at the Kimchi House.  Then we went to BMV where I scored the original Evil Dead trilogy and a Wonder Woman Comic.  Then later we went to the Hotdocs theatre and watched Sympathy For The Devil from the late 60's.  We had to pay for parking but we only had to pay $6.00 for the special evening rate because we got there past 6:00 pm.  It was a wonderful evening all and all.  

I Find That E-Scooters Are A Good Way For Mey Husband And I To Explore The City

My husband and I purchased two Segway Ninebot Max G30P e-scooters from Amazon Canada this summer. It turned out to be a great investment because we have been able to see so much more of the city with them. We already have Amazon Prime, so shipping was free. Someone from Amazon even called to confirm that we were the ones who placed the order. That was a nice touch, especially since we do not make big purchases like this very often. 

Each scooter cost around a thousand dollars.Before we bought them, we tested the waters by renting the basic Ninebot models from a place called Zoom on Queens Quay. We paid $75 each for seven hours, plus tax. We took those rented scooters on the trails from East York over to Scarborough, then back along the waterfront all the way to Ontario Place. The range surprised us. We covered a lot of ground without constantly worrying about the battery. That single rental day was enough to convince us we wanted our own. Owning them has made it easy to explore Toronto and the wider GTA whenever we feel like getting out.One important note about the rules: e-scooters are not legal to ride on public roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, or trails in Toronto. 

The province runs a pilot program that lets individual municipalities decide whether to allow them. Toronto has not opted in, so under current city rules they are not permitted on public property. In practice many people still ride them and ticketing has often been limited, but the official status is that they are not allowed. We mostly stick to trails and avoid traffic as much as possible to stay safer and reduce any issues.The scooters themselves are straightforward to use. They handle city paths, waterfront trails, and quieter routes well. The Max G30P model has solid range and a stable feel, which is why we chose it after trying the basic rental versions. We have used them to reach neighbourhoods and waterfront spots that would have taken much longer on foot or required more planning with transit or a car. It has turned ordinary weekends into longer, more open-ended outings.

There is one clear limitation: you cannot leave them unattended. Like most personal e-scooters, they are easy targets if left unlocked or out of sight. We always bring a good lock and stay aware of where we park, or we simply take them with us when we stop for longer than a few minutes. That small extra step is worth it for the freedom they give us the rest of the time.Safety is non-negotiable for me. I wear full protective gear every time I ride: a helmet plus wrist, knee, and elbow protectors. I bought an official Segway helmet from Best Buy for about $30 plus tax. The rest of the gear came from Walmart for around $15 plus tax. It is not expensive, and it makes a real difference. 

When you are riding near roads or in shared spaces you are exposed to cars and other traffic. Protective gear reduces the risk of serious injury if something goes wrong. Because we mainly use trails and stay out of heavier traffic, the overall risk is lower, but I still treat every ride seriously.I also make a point of checking blind spots carefully. When I turn my head to look, I keep my arms and hands steady on the handlebars. Moving your arms while turning can affect balance, especially at speed or on uneven surfaces. A quick, controlled head check is safer and keeps the scooter stable. 

I stay visible, use lights when needed, and follow the same basic awareness I would on a bicycle.Looking back, the rental day was the smartest first step. Spending a few hours on the actual scooters told us more than any product description could. We learned the range was better than we expected, the ride was comfortable for longer distances, and we genuinely enjoyed covering the city that way. Once we knew we liked them, buying through Amazon with Prime made the process simple, and the verification call added a bit of reassurance on a larger purchase.

Since then the scooters have paid for themselves in experiences. We have seen more of the trails, the waterfront, and different parts of the GTA than we would have otherwise. The combination of convenience, range, and the ability to go at our own pace has made them a regular part of how we get around for fun and light exploration. They are not a replacement for every trip, but for the days when we want to cover ground, enjoy the outdoors, and stay active, they work very well—especially when we keep to trails and quieter routes.

If you are considering e-scooters, I would suggest starting with a rental if one is available near you. Test the range and comfort on the kinds of routes you actually want to ride. Check the current rules for your specific municipality, because they vary across Ontario. Factor in a solid lock and proper protective gear from the beginning. And when you ride, stay alert, keep your body stable when checking around you, and prioritize safer paths whenever possible.

For us the purchase has been straightforward and worthwhile. Two reliable scooters, free shipping through Prime, a helpful verification call from Amazon, and many hours of exploring. We respect the legal limits by sticking mainly to trails and avoiding traffic, wear the gear every time, and never leave the scooters unattended. Everything else has been enjoyable and practical.

Here are our scooters on one of the many trails in the Don Valley in East York.

Riding our e-scooters at night.

We took our e-scooters to High Park via Bloor Street and back via Lakeshore.

Highpark

 

Feeding a chipmunk in Highpark

Trying My Hand At Scrapbooking

After my beloved Franco dachshund passed I was truly devastated and heartbroken so I decided to go through all our pictures and make a memorial of him so I would always be reminded of him in my home.  I went looking for a photo album but no luck at all.  I did find an Alexander scrapbook at Walmart for $22.97 plus tax that I could tape pictures too and add more things like his CKC certificate, his breeders online newspaper ad, one of his early vet papers with his adorable picture and cards.  

I noticed that it was only 20 pages so I purchased 5 more page protectors at Walmart for $2.97 plus tax that did not have any paper in it but I used those to hold the certificates, cards and other papers that related to my baby.  I actually had to take it apart and found out how on Youtube. 

5 pages fit only after I took out the cardboard place holder but it was tight so if you need more pages you are going to have to buy an expansion pack that also extends the screws.  I ended up finding a mint condition photo album for 4x6 pictures so I ended up putting the pictures in there.

 

Let me back up a bit... I was able to print so many pictures online through photolab.ca for .19 cents a 4x6 and .99 cents for a 5x7.  It is printed on FUJI paper so it's good quality, it's not the absolute best, but it is still great.  I picked them up for free at Loblaws too so shipping was waived and I also used my PC Optimum points to get a whole bunch of prints free too!  Walmart also offers FUJI prints at .19 cents or cheaper.  They also have KODAK prints too but it's more.  If you go to the actual Walmart store they might have instant KODAK prints within an hour if it's not too busy for even more.  Just ask the reps at the photo centre if they can get to your instant prints right away or if they are busy.  Let them know the amount of prints you have too so that they can take that into consideration too.  My husband printed off a lot of prints within an hour but had to come back the next day because they were so busy. 

Franco Garasto August 26, 2006 - February 12, 2022 My Beloved Miniture Dachshund

With a very heavy heart I am posting that my amazing and adorable Franco has passed at almost 15 and a half years old.  He was the greatest little boy ever and I will miss him forever.  I pray that I am able to see him again!  I had him since he was a little puppy so he was like my own child.  I miss him so much that my heart aches.  People tell me to get another but right now I am still grieving. 

I have so many more wonderful photos of Franco on my Facebook in an album I made for my wonderful little guy.

Toronto Christmas Market Renamed To The Distillery Winter Village

 

I heard on the news the other day that they were renaming the Toronto Christmas market to The Distillery Winter Village.  It looked the same to me with the Christmas trees, lights and all the other usual festive cheer.  

 

 

I'm disappointed to say the least.  Calling festivals Winter or Holiday instead of Christmas is not right if you ask me.  I don't see this for any other groups doing that with their special occasions to be honest so why should we.

 

We went December 2018 and it was so busy but fun.  All the pictures are from then too so I'm glad I got some good memories.    

Loblaw's Maple Leaf Gardens In Downtown Toronto Is All Decked Out For Christmas

 

 

 

Today my husband and I went grocery shopping at our favorite Loblaw's grocery store and it was all decorated for Christmas!

 

There was so many Christmas items for sale too.  They had so many holiday cakes, as well.  It was marvelous!  I'm going to have to start decorating also.  I can't believe Christmas is about 6 weeks away already.

 

 

I posted more photos on my Facebook if you want to take a look.