Princess Diary - Day 3 of Vacation

This morning we made a trip to the Distillery District for a morning coffee with one of our buffins* to Balzacs, a premier coffee house in Toronto. Special K checks the news every weekend for road closures and events, so we were surprised when we approached the Distillery to find a crowd of runners who were obviously finished running and filling up the coffee houses and restaurants in the district. There was an uncharacteristic lineup outside Balzacs. So we ate instead at a place on Queen Street East called Joy. Our server was a cute small woman with a South African accent.

Since I am one of my ex-girlfriend's tech support, we went back to her place so that I could get her back on the internet. Her wireless connection died sometime between yesterday and this morning. I didn't know anything about the Mac Airport Express device before today and now I do and am duly impressed. Mac is all about the features. Anyway I managed to get her up and running in a wireless fashion, but I removed her SMC router in the process. I couldn't figure what it was being used for to be honest because the airport express didn't work with the router between it and the DSL modem.


When we got back home, we cleaned the house. I know it's our holiday - but I'll feel much better if we have a clean house. I have been listening to this audio book for the last few months whenever I clean. It's unabridged: The Mind Hunter, a true crime memoir by former FBI agent John Douglas. It really is a bit of a downer because he relates gruesome details of horrible crimes that, well, he admits, no should have to know. In any case I have a couple of hours left of the book - I find it riveting, but the only way I can concentrate on it is to listen to it while I'm busy doing something else.

That took us to almost four pm and the neighbour's kids were outside waiting for us again. They were adamant that we play with them. At least the girl was. Yesterday she said that her brother did not like temporary tattoos, most likely a ploy to ensure that she got our full attention. But today, since we had nothing else to play with, she decided that in fact, her brother did want a tattoo. He cannot really speak for himself on this matter at the tender age of two, so he offered his arm up willingly at her behest. He ran over to our place in his sister's Hallowe'en costume - a pink princess gown. He learned pretty quickly that he had to keep the front of the dress up if he didn't want to trip. His tiny little blue crocs got caught in the skirt and crinoline anyway and I had to untangle him. (Several weeks ago, the girl asked us if we were moms or kids. I guess there are only three kinds of people: moms, dads and kids. We're women, I responded. Did I ever want children? Maybe. Was I married? No. Might I get married some day? Maybe. To Special K? Maybe. Can two girls get married? Yes. But, but, but who would be the husband? Two brides, I say. She digests all this and goes back to playing. Of course, later I had to report back to her parents, lest her parents hear the conversation first from the girl. Luckily they think it is wonderful that the girl is so precocious). Her mother came over to rescue us, but not before she had to get her very own skeleton tattoo. Under much protest, the children went back to their own home, despite the fact that the girl said that she'd like nothing better than to help me do my bills, the reason I gave her for not being able to continue to play with her.

No sooner did we settle in to relax in the last vestiges of warmth and sunlight for the day when we get a visit from Special K's brother who has ridden into Toronto on his bike. It was certainly good weather for cycling. The summer has been that way. Not too cold and certainly not too hot. Mostly cloudly days with unpredictable rainfall.

Nice that we have a few fans.

*buffin - a kind of extended family relationship characterized by the ex-lover of one half of a couple who is still friends with and socializes with that ex-lover.