Ontario in the Summertime

Our “vacation” to Ontario was a few months ago now, and I still haven’t shown any photos from it.  This was our every two years, visit all the relatives trip which is filled with stress, travel, rain, cold, and a few small blips of fun.  I really enjoyed seeing my friends, and Aunties.  Our weekend in the countryside was unfortunately rainy and cold.  A small girl did not get the promised tractor ride, but she did get to meet a doggy

and bird.  We had to go into a store to buy me warmer clothes, and she got a now favorite pink unicorn, so it wasn’t all bad.  The rain made Opa’s barn look very pretty indeed.  While Mr. J and Fia were visiting Oma in Toronto I got down to the Beach to visit my Auntie, which was great except for the traffic.  The second day was very special, I had a lot planned.  I started out by visiting the Ontario Art Gallery, which I have not been to since it was renovated.  Very worth the visit with sinuous wood architecture, and excellent examples of my favorite Group of Seven and Emily Carr paintings.  I relaxed sitting alone in the gallery staring at the landscapes.  Then onto lunch with a friend I have not seen since Grade Seven. We last saw each other before our lives had really started, and there we were, within squinting distance of middle age.  Too much life for one little lunch, but it was a start.  And what a lunch, the best bento box I’ve ever had.  I LOVED it.  I think my favorite lunches are now many small things to taste, but not so much of anything that your tummy hurts.

Then I saw off to the best yarn store I know of: Romni Wools.  I have been going here since I was a teenager and it never disappoints.  I delightfully looked through the warren of bargain basements, and the floor to ceiling shelves up top.  It is now run by the son of the original owner, who is very, very charming.  I spent a long, long time trying to decide between colours of Mad Tosh.  Button jar blue or robins egg?  Suddenly Oceana won, and jumped into my hands to my surprise.

Then it was off to Lettuce Knits for more fun.  I settled on a nice bright skein of STR in Sherbert.  Not sure what this will be, but anything baby would be perfect.

This filled up my suitcase, and used up my budget, and it was time to head back to my friend’s house.  This, my one free day, was well spent, relaxing, and memorable.  Toronto is a great city to eat in, we had some memorable meals, and coffee breaks.  That part, that part of the vacation was very good!