Odds & Ends & Continuations

A party took place on my tongue this week when it was reintroduced to Panda licorice. 

Thank you to two wonderful blog readers who let me know it can still be found at Bulk Barn.  It was just as fresh as the bagged version and even less expensive.  Plus the Bulk Barn at Hyde Park happens to be in a cluster of stores including HomeSense and Reitmans so, life is good indeed.

I have found “my” car repair shop.  Tony Clark on Springbank not only gave me great service, they didn’t lollygag.  My greatest complaint about an auto shop is when things take longer than they say and you’re left waiting in a grimy waiting room.  It’s inconvenient and a time-waster.  Not Tony’s shop.  In fact, it’s located next to a nail salon so I killed time by getting a manicure.  The job came in under the estimate and he also recommended new tires.  My rear pair had no tread left on them. None!  So the next day I got a great, Derek-approved deal there on tires, installed and balanced, and away I went.  The guy who checked me out, who may or may not have been Tony, said “I’m not much for small talk. I like to keep moving.”  Bless you, kind sir!

My wireless bill is higher than it needs to be and after spending nearly an hour on the phone with a Rogers rep I was left frustrated and unsatisfied.  A pal suggested I go to Wireless Wave because – and I did not know this – they have access to ALL wireless companies and they don’t play favourites.  I walked in with my iPhone and Derek’s offline Blackberry Bold and said, “I need to cut my monthly bill, drastically, and I’m willing to change back to a Blackberry if that will help.”  The guy was terrific!  In about 15 minutes my bill was cut in half and I had decided to give the iPhone another go.  Blog reader Dara suggested tapping the (awful) keyboard more lightly and that does help.  I always assumed Wireless Wave just sold cellphones and smartphones but they’ve turned out to be a great find.  Thanks Peter!

The front of our freshly erected garage  is still a gaping hole.  Its future still rests in the hands of an engineer who has yet to turn in an acceptable drawing of the design for the front wall.  “Acceptable” is in the eyes of the City of London which must approve the drawing before a stick of wood can be put up. So we continue to wait.  I believe the project will be completed before a snowflake falls but the barn-raising-committee will likely be working in some pretty chilly weather.