The pirate's head had disappeared

• I spent this past Saturday at Wonderland - which was fun, but not as fun as it used to be. I've come to the sad realization that I may now be too old for Wonderland... I want to do all the rides (except for the size of the lines! Egad.), but my body can't handle it the way it used to. :( Boo. However, the Tomb Raider roller coaster was very cool - you are lying on your stomach and going through it head first! That one didn't bother me at all, surprisingly (unlike my childhood favorite, Minebuster, which throughly rattled my skull and stomach around). Highly recommend it.
  
• I am calling into practice my knowledge of driving a car with a standard transmission ... I learned the basics several years ago, then never really used them. Faced with limited transportation options, am relearning - actually not as hard/scary as I thought. Kind of like riding a bike...the memories are still there, just takes a bit of practice to get all the co-ordination right (using both feet on pedals, plus the right hand to shift gears...have to think to make it all go)
• Funny story related to the above - the car that I am practicing on is my sister's boyfriend's, who is here quite often, and has left it parked here while he & my sister are away out East. As I pulled in from work, my neighbor was out front with her kids, and I heard her son, age 5, call out as I parked: "Hi Brian!" (like I said, he's here a lot). It was very cute ... they were kind of surprised when I got out, though! Heehee.
  
• Our staff meeting at work this morning took a strange tangent onto the topic of how to get kids to eat, and appetite stimulants used for rabbits (you dab it on their nose - the rabbit's, not the kid - although it could be entertaining with children as well). Amusing start to the day, in any case.
  
• New books from my favorite author (well, one of many favorites), Diana Gabaldon are in the pipeline! Two short story collections due out before the end of this year, and the next massive novel is in progress - the title of this post is the first line of the new novel, apparently. Can't wait (although likely will be awhile for the novel still).
• I visited the Cloud Gardens in downtown Toronto last week - such a cool place, with many levels of bridges, cool sculptures and waterfalls. Its on the south side of Adelaide, in between Bay & Yonge Streets. Had my camera with me, and got some good shots there (many of clouds, coincidentally!)

Waterfall

Through the Wall

Clouds reflected through glass

Cool cloud reflection at Dundas & University