Thursday, I went on a cruise of the Erie Canal and had luncheon there, too.  After lunch,  some people went into town to a department store and drugstore for US goods while the rest of us went to the Arts & Crafts Gallery.  We admired the clock in the first office there which looked steam-run like a calliope.  One lady found a bronze toned necklace to set off this season's wardrobe.  For her it was a wonderful day.

Luncheon lacked one more salad or one more vegetable for Canadians from Toronto who have to travel home through dinnertime.  As one African American woman put it, "it was pared down."  She and her family had eaten elsewhere in the town of Lockport.

The boat ride through the three or four locks of the Erie Canal must have been dramatic for those who were on the top deck but the thrill was missing for us who were crammed into the bottom deck as we watched the murky water fill the dirty locks and empty as we went back.  The cruise boat was uncomfortably full.  Our busdriver tanned as dark as a Black person as there was no awning on the top deck.  The best part of the cruise was the pretzel sticks which were tastier than usual.

The drive home was uneventful as we had finished our hamburgers from the Canadian side well before we crossed back over the border and continued home to Toronto.  Around 7 o'clock, we arrived at the hotel from where we had departed in the morning.

Sunday Carmen and I went down to Harbourfront and walked straight into the groceteria's take-out counter where we stocked up for our picnic lunch on the wharf.  We walked through Queen's Quay Terminal and ate lunch on a hillock of Aspen trees listening to a Dulcimer player.  

After purchasing a couple of CD's from him, we waited for the 4 o'clock departure of our harbour cruise boat.

The cruise with the great tour escort's knowledge of the skycrapers in the Toronto skyline revealing that no building is allowed to be taller than 72 storeys tall so as  to allow migratory birds to use our downtown air space in its flight path southward.  This bye-law was passed shortly after one of our prestigious banks finished building its 73-storey tower still the tallest next to the CN Tower.  Lately, we discovered the new Trump Tower has run out of money and has to cap its tower at 70 storeys.  Now, our CN Tower was the highest structure in the world until the one in Dubai came along.  She was quite the tour escort.  It would have made a perfect Redhat outing.  Alas, my friend can't stand hats!

Before leaving Harbourfront for home, Carmen and I had coffee in an out-door café.  During our talk, she revealed she was 100% Philippina in every sense of the word in dealing with their family property on her visit back just a couple of weeks ago.  It was interesting to see what kind of feelings bring about her actions and reactions to others.  However, strong as usual, all 4'8" of her had her way with everyone back home for a couple of months - the strong sense of family, of belonging and owning and inheriting, the distrust of non-family members of the household and so on.

Such was Sunday afternoon.  As the night was young at 10 o'clock, she had to have a look at Dundas Square to see what might be going on before going home for the night.  She called around 11 o'clock and told me she went straight home after all. I know Sunday nights are usually quiet in Toronto.

When things looked the darkest and all my westend "in" crowd were travelling outward bound to tea rooms in inaccessible smaller communities I couldn't get to for three consecutive months, I, sans chariot, living in central downtown, looked up Events on the RHS website and found I have two parties two weeks in a row down by the lake which is ideal for August  -  one in the eastend at Bluffers Marina and another in the westend near a Port Credit marina.  Both parties require dressy regalia wear and BLING!

Summer is never summer without a boat ride or some nautical activity for me.  It is the acme of easy livin' in the summertime when I walk down the docks and wharfs just enjoying their vicissitudes.  It's the time of year, I never go without a pedicure for bare feet in sandals.  It's the time of year that reminds me of my younger days in Georgian Bay, my island days, nestled amongst the 30,000 Islands in Gitchie Manitou's waters, a paddle or oars in my hands headed for my adventure whether a warm bath in rain-filled rocks at O'Donnell's Point or painting water lilies in a square bay near the beaver dam where "A.Y." (Jackson) had cleaned his oil painting brushes on an age old granite rock and was much rued by a more contemporary National Gallery recognized Newfoundland printmaker who claimed thousands of years of elements were needed to clean off the rock. Such was our own Newfoundlander and printmaker who was Artist in Residence here, there and everywhere in his time including private schools, camps and universities.

Summer was the time the transport boat took me from Parry Sound into camp or I trekked over rough roads to the airlines and took a chance in a cup plane with the pilot who gave me an "inside" tour of "who's who's" gardening in the unclaimed boglands they reached on their own whirlybird with their entire household including servants all engaged in gardening produce to can for the winter months.

Such was summer, lakes, boats and small aircraft with pontoons to me in those days.  They will always have a place in my heart because of my memories.  In later years, the closer Nishnawbe run marina on Twelve Mile Bay was used and I couldn't go so easily unless I went by aeroplane or privately chartered boat via Parry Sound where neither could be guaranteed available on short notice. 

That brings us to another chapter in the life of Fabulous Empress Tiko Toyomi another time!

The other day, I promoted my favourite memories band and singing troupe to out-of-towners by Internet and ended up attending one of their luncheons at a teppanyaki restaurant in Whitby.  

I was relieved to eat on time for a change and eat low-cal nutritious foods instead of baking, baking, baking, and more baking.  Until then, my experiences in the RHS were to attend high teas with only a veery few meals in the five years or so I have been a Redhatter.  However, I was happy my diurnal clock did not take a beating again as I often experience on attending afternoon teas as they cause me to travel through meal times at either end.  However, the teas bring me amongst my familiar old associates now.  

I found the chapter with which I lunched on Wednesday were laid back about dressing up and celebrating the events of life.  My own closet is full of bona fide web-bought regalia wear and bling for which I have laid out a small fortune.  Had I veered eastward first instead of heading west of Toronto towards high teas...  However, in my personal experience, no one tolerates being left out of teas too easily.  The charm of its concept is one which cannot be underestimated.  Also, this particular chapter is very comfortable with celebrating 65th b'days only and without the reversal of regalia colours for the birthday girl. The restaurant led in celebrating Martha's b'day complete with flaming candle in a specially cut orange and deep-fried banana pieces, playing a small taeko (drum) leading in singing "Happy Birthday" by all. Of course, Nancy had procured a redhat book for Martha, too.  Such was the event.

On the way home along the formerly idyllic Highway 2 route, I checked out venues for easy access Redhatting.  The all-day expedition starting at 9:30am brought me home by 7:20pm as road conditions were slow due to heavy rainfall.  I had a very good time.

Last week, I went to one of those ubiquitous nail places in our fair city and my toe nails are a marvel.  My fingernails are the same colour but without the sparkly topcoat.  

The following day, I took the free promo shuttle from Union Station to Vaughn Mills Outlet(?) Mall in Vaughn Township and went shopping.  The shuttle runs from May to October, 2009 and leaves twice a day.  I spent a couple of hours shopping and came home with a treasure trove of goodies for my summer and winter wardrobes as well as the most beguiling food that Eve never knew  -  a large, green apple coated with carmel and encrusted with pecans and has marshmallow swirl decorations.  I got a top the same colour as my nail polish which is a shade deeper and a shade darker than heliotrope, a wide, brown cinch belt and a double set of bronzy brown beads to go with the belt.  It was a successful day.

Yesterday, I set out for College Park garbed in my latest colour scheme which is pale blue with my new top and matching nail polish.  Of course, I wore a pale reddish-brown sraw hat and freshwater pearls.  There, I acquired ten table centrepieces as well as the two spools of narrow red garrotting ribbon for the table favour bags and some groceries.  I came home well pleased to my cat, Xrissy.

Now, Xrissy and I were sorting out her favourite wet catfood when my best friend and next-door neighbour muddled us up by giving us some larger cans of catfood.  However, the last time he was over, I asked him to stay away for awhile as I am on antibiotics for a few days.  In the meantime, we got things sorted out and it seems Xrissy likes the white fish mixture and fancy pure beef catfood in the little cans served with dry catfood opposites which are poultry-heavy and seafood blends.  Also, amongst my neighbour's gifts to her, she prefers the turkey and giblets for particular cats in the larger cans.  We have that issue all figured out for awhile until they become discontinued.

Everything is all set for now on the hoomefront and I can go on disseminating word of my Second Disorganization Tea Party in October.