Random Friday

So, today I took the boys into Toronto for a magic store run - we do this periodically, and it's always fun... we started at Morrissey's Magic, and this kind of set the tone for the rest of the day for me. As we all browsed around the shop, investigating new and wonderful ways to fool people, I spotted these:
, and proceeded to completely lose control. I laughed until I wept, and still I laughed. Fortunately, the boys have seen this before, and just went on about their business as I found myself a corner,wiped my eyes and tried to regain a little dignity. The store owner, however, had seen me, and got my attention by holding up a pair of these things so I could get a better look at them.

I almost completely melted into giggles, but I managed to hold on. Barely. Dignity? All gone.

Next stop was Browsers' Den, which is really my favourite place. The owner, Jeff Pinsky, runs a steady patter of magic tricks combined with cheesy jokes, and I am completely captivated. It makes the 45 minute drive into Toronto completely worthwhile. The boys picked out a few new tricks, some "fresh" decks of cards (apparently they go stale after use?), and we headed back to the car.

We had parked in front of a garden store, and we were most impressed with the selection out front:

The plants in front of the fence, incidentally, are weeds - sharp, spiky weeds.
However, if brown, crunchy geraniums in pots are not to your taste, they also had a few of these:
.
Some advertising, huh?

I have been driving my mom's little Altima this week while she, my brother and his family took my van to visit relatives in Quebec. Her car is a standard, which is what I like to drive the most. However, I found myself with a crick in the side of my neck today when I woke up, and was able to place the source only when I started driving this morning - ow! I had also forgotten the sheer joy of morning rush-hour in Toronto with a manual transmission. I used to do this all the time when I lived in Toronto, and I bet I had the most bitching calf muscles ever - too bad I can't remember... today, the bitching is not the result of toned calf muscles, unfortunately...

did I mention that when my camera was taken from me at the American Idol concert, I swore? Out loud? In front of my kids?? They have actually never heard me swear. Not once, in almost 13 years. Oh, don't get me wrong, I can, and do, cuss like a demon whenever I get the chance - sometimes there's nothing as satisfying as a well-timed string of invectives - but they have never heard it coming from me. I was actually embarassed, almost ashamed, and apologized to them both for breaking my streak. They, on the other hand, had been impressed to find out what my favourite swear word is, and at how naturally it seemed to flow from my mouth... yet another proud parent moment...

and now, I think we might all stroll down to the Starbucks recently built in our neighborhood.
This has been probably my favourite thing about this summer - the boys and I walk the two blocks, maybe once a week, and while I sit outside and sip my coffee and knit, they go across the street to the comic store to see what's new. When they come back, we sit and chat and people-watch - it's been just lovely... lattes and laddies...

nice way to wrap up a nice Friday... happy weekend!