Weekly Walks

We are entering a bit of a trough for walking, as a few of us are escaping to milder climes for January and/or February. This means it’s even more helpful to let others know if you’ll be out for walks on Saturdays. Weekday walks are even more tricky so if your “pod” is open to it, consider reaching out to the “orphans” and inviting them to join your walks. Maybe even use the WhatApp message group if you want to restrict that info and keep it off the general web. 

Summer Camping

Seems odd to bring that up now right? Well that’s because provincial park campgrounds book up to 6 months ahead and fill up quickly. We already have 10 people interested for Presqu’Ile this August. This means we will try to reserve three sites as soon as registration opens in mid March. There is limited space for more so if you’re interested, get in touch with me or Lou-Ann and we can add you to the WhatsApp group as well for pertinent information. We have extra gear if that is a concern. 

It’s New Calendar Time

Get ready to put up the latest Shore Things calendar if you have one. Another “interesting” year is nearly behind us. Let us enter 2024 with a resolve to stay healthy and active.

Gathering Caution

A quick reminder that COVID is still out there, so be careful when getting together with friends and family.

Weekly Walks

While Saturday’s forecast looks generous good, it will be preceded with a fair amount of rain so sidewalk and road conditions may be hazardous, or maybe not. We’ll just have to wait, see and decide closer to the day.

Happy New Year to All

Here we are again getting ready for another planetary rotation. Best wishes to all the Shore Things and loved ones for a healthy and prosperous 2024!

Sunday Walks for 2024

From Ruth comes this news.

Lee Scott will be leading 4 Sunday walks in the new year, starting with Jan 7 at 9 a.m. from Union Station. The Shore Things are welcome to come for all or part of the walks. The walks more or less follow the subway lines, so they are easy to get to, and people can drop out at any subway station. There’s no need to do the entire walk. The following dates are January 14, 28, and a Sunday in February to be confirmed. There is no fee.

Testing Our Resolve

Over and above the Sunday walks, here’s something else to consider for 2024…

If you want to take Dry January to the next level, reset your metabolism from the holiday indulgence by eliminating added sugar, refined foods, white flour, juices and alcohol from January 8 to 28. Sounds like fun already!

Wait! There’s more!

You will also be encouraged to devote forty-five minutes of feel-good activity (get your mind out of the gutter!) every day and time-restricted eating.

All kidding aside, this is a good idea. Helen and I have signed up.

Lee Scott is promoting this and will provide a daily motivational email and advice. Three 30-minute livestream to “meet for motivation” are scheduled at 8pmET Sundays Jan 14, 21, 28. Registration is $25 + HST on the WOW website.

Happy Holidays to All

Finally, this blog is sending best wishes to all the Shore Things and extended family. See you all Saturday pre-Xmas if you can be there at Loblaw’s at 8.

Birthday Wishes

Hello Eva and happy birthday on Wednesday!

East Don Trail

A small group tried this one out on Thursday and we can report that, yup, there are some hills.

But it’s worth it. The trail is a sanctuary of wild deceptively close to the DVP. Helen says she has never seen so many cattails in one spot within city limits. The Don River runs throughout underneath a number of newly added bridges. Even in Fall, it’s pretty. And there is of course the Rainbow Tunnel. Signage explains the various features of the area, including suspended rocks that mark notable high water levels over the last century plus.

Still, big hills aren’t for everyone but there is the option of driving down the entrance of Moccassin Trail Park off the Donway when the gates reopen this spring. It’s on the potential offsite walks list.

Weekly Walks

Loblaw’s is the place, 8:00 is the time. Our penultimate Saturday walk before Christmas and as the weekend leading up to that celebration could be busy, it may be our best chance to see as many of you as possible. Sign in and join us!

Hair of the Dog

Tickets are now on sale for the annual Hair of the Dog run/walk race and lunch. $45 +HST for race and lunch; 11 am start.

Weekly Walks

Although the weather forecast is very good for this Saturday’s walk (well above freezing), it will not always be thus. Consider the PATH if the roads are too treacherous. A few of us make it a go-to on those days when it’s a better option than risking broken limbs—this is a thing as we know from bitter experience.

The PATH is very extensive. We walked 8 km last Sunday and it’s very quiet on weekends.

Happy Birthday

Barb S’s birthday is this Saturday so a live serenade is planned if the weather cooperates. Be there!(?)

Race Anyone?

The Robbie Burns early bird pricing ends on December 3. If interested follow this link.

Weekly Walks

Saturday’s forecast has leaned towards rain. If that remains the case, perhaps Sunday?

Alternate Sites

Some of us are looking into casing out the East Don Trail, starting near Arlene’s on Wynford Heights. There is a Tim’s at the trailhead. More tba.

December Already

Wow! Here we are entering the last month of 2023! A top festivity is coming up soon along with related gatherings so it may be more challenging to get out but do let’s try for overall health, companionship and mitigation of the many extra calories we are about to consume.

Birthdays

It’s Kathleen’s birthday this Saturday, yay! All the best!

Weekly Walks

Time to break out the long johns! Colder days are coming but this Saturday will have some sun and no precipitation. Loblaw’s at 8:00 and don’t be late!

The Cavalcade of Lights at Nathan Philips Square is on for the next month and a bit, albeit strangely devoid of horses (look it up!). Some of us are hoping to hoof down for a weekday evening walk to be dazzled. Details will be announced shortly so please check in the comments and on WhatsApp for more news.

Birthdays

Happy BDs to Libby and Ruth this coming week (Sunday and Thursday respectively)! Let’s send them our best wishes.

Potluck Final Update

It’s this Saturday! Helen will have sent out an email to everyone with the details. If you haven’t received it, please check your spam folder in case your email app filtered it out. If still nothing, get in touch and we’ll try another way. Here is a summary of the event minus some specifics that I don’t want to have on a public website.

Hi, again, Shore Things,

Our get-together on Saturday is almost here! Please join us, and spread the word to Shore Things you might not have seen in a while. It’s a time to reconnect.

Those who ordered calendars will be able to pick them up there, too. 

Here are some reminders and/or details:

Party:

Trish could use helpers to come a bit earlier for set up OR stay to tidy up afterwards.

Finger food, SVP. And BYO beverages. Please also bring your own glasses and tableware, to be garbage-free.

Location:

Party Room at Trish’ (address in the email and WhatsApp)

We usually find street parking one street west of the condo. Sometimes, access to the party room is easiest on foot via the rear entrance – through the archway off Eglinton.

Emergency contact/Trish: see email/WhatsApp (mobile)

Please RSVP to Trish and copy Helen – thanks to everyone who already confirmed

Time: 6 pm till whenever

Bring ideas for next year – walks, trips, whatever you think would be fun to do together.

Calendars: If you ordered one, please bring $20 in cash, please and thanks – to save bank fees. (We had a bit of a discount this year, because we had some leftover bulk-purchase funds. Expect the $25 cost to return next year.)

See you on Saturday!

Weekly Walks

Saturday looks cool but dry, so let’s all gather at the Loblaw’s for a pre-party 8-10 km perhaps for the ambitious, or whatever suits you!

If you can’t walk, then try flying down IN Rio…

Birthdays

Shore-Thing-at-large Stacey celebrates her birthday this Saturday. Hope we can organize another visit to PEC soon to catch up in person. The. It’s David who has his special day next week on Friday. Be on the lookout for him (and Norma) on the Boardwalk to wish him the best.

Creature Feature

Nature has been glorious this past week. Not only were the colours astonishing (see next section), but we’ve seen critters not often glimpsed in our usual haunts. A recent walk along Highland Creek featured 4-legged AND finned denizens (not in the same animal). See for yourselves…

Weekly Walks

Consensus is that Saturday will be a good day to walk. So let’s walk! It will be back at Loblaw’s at 8:00.

So what else is new?

Given some rather positive walks this past month on less often frequented paths during the week, there is appetite to do that as often as possible.

So far, we’ve done Bluffer’s Park, Highland Creek/Waterfront Trail, and the Brickworks (albeit on a Saturday). We will try to post locations and days for more like this, but weather may require last minute changes so please check back often, particularly in the comments and on WhatsApp. If you are still not on the WA, get in touch with Barbara for the main group, and Jan for the “lite” group to be added.

Tentatively, we are considering the Meadoway for this coming Tuesday at 8. TBC.