What a beautiful day. Temperatures are well about freezing today and it feels like spring. Hard to believe just last week it was -30 (minus a million with the wind chill). I took advantage of the warmer weather and did a repair job on our sliding door. I had to replace the wheels on the outer door. It is still not 100% right, but it’s sliding on its track and is no longer in danger of falling out of its track.

Then I headed out to The Nite Owl up on Lakeshore to get my hair cut. Nite Owl seems to be thriving. To get your haircut there you need to book online and if you want to choose your barber, you need to do it a few days in advance. While I was there, someone came in without a booking looking for a cut but they had 4 chairs fully booked all day, and had to turn away a customer.

Next stop was Starsky’s. I expected it to be a madhouse there on a nice Saturday afternoon and it was indeed. I was number 503 at the kielbasa counter and they were serving number 63. The usual strategy is to get your number then do the rest of your shopping, keeping half an eye on the numbers, because if they pass you, it’s too bad so sad. At one point someone put out a tray of warm samples and I was just about stampeded in the feeding frenzy.

On the way back, I stopped for a few cans of beer. For those not from here, beer is available at the Beer Store, which is owned by the big mass breweries. It’s also available in our government run liquor stores, which are called LCBO, for Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Honest. We really are that provincial. Recently, legislators have allowed regulated beer sales at selected supermarkets. I don’t drink a lot of beer but I do like nice distinctive ales. There was a time I was happy with “50” or “Ex” but I got over that. Our local LCBO stocks a crazy variety of craft brews, and it seems they are adding new ones all the time. These days it seems there are a lot of small breweries around. Can the beer drinking public sustain them all?

I think, for instance this is the first time I’ve tried Cutthroat Ale. It has a picture of a cutthroat trout on the can so it must be good, right?

On the topic of fish and fishing, how could I resist a can of Lake Effect IPA from Great Lakes Breweries (right here in Etobicoke).

I’m going to use a can of Hockley Dark as liquid for a pot roast tonight!

Pub House Ale is another I haven’t tried before. Looks like it’s an award-winner.

Now I’m back at home, and thanks to the wonders of internet radio, I’m listening to The South Carolina Broadcasters on WPAQ radio in Mount Airy North Carolina. Soon I’ll be leashing up the partners and we’ll go for a nice long walk in the neighbourhood.