A series of unlikely outcomes

29th July

Slept so well, up at 0730 for a coffee with Isabel before she left for work.

City Guiding Course ‘26-‘27 application window opened so I completed that with much help from GPT. 250 word limit and despite me telling GPT so, it simply could not do it and I had to tell it on every single draft that there were too many words so, in my view, despite all the doom saying re: Ai taking everyones jobs I wouldn’t trust it to do a single calculation right so – rest easy all engineers (the most noblest of professions) you have a great career ahead of you still.

Spoke to Carla who is back in Denmark and surprisingly (obviously not) has been working her metaphorical bollocks off all day.

3 eses completed then took myself off for a wander, first to the distillery district, a 20 minute stroll from flat.

Had a coffee and cake at Eataly and was hoping for a peaceful sit down …

Bought myself yet another urban sling bag (note to self curate a drawer at home where I store all of the great and handy travel stuff I have accumulated) then walked along to the harbour front and first beer of the day.

After a beer I went in search of a bookshop that Isabel recommended – Indigo at ‘The Well’

Suckered in to a mens clothing shop – I discovered the brand in John Lewis on Oxford street recently – it’s kiwi called Rodd & Gunn (I recommend it) / they sell reasonably priced and lovely linen ware amongst other things, so parted with $227 (Canadian) on a pair of trousers and some linen shorts so, yes people, I might be wearing non white shorts soon.

Shopped in Indigo too and found exactly what I was looking for a 101 guide to the universe, planets, stars and the solar system.

After I strolled towards Isabel’s workplace and stopped for a cheeky – and very slow – negroni and a read of said book at Ruby Soho Garment District.

Unfortunately the piped music was utter shite … e.g. ‘I wanna be your dog’ by the Stooges but then the Smiths came on and they redeemed themselves (Bigmouth Strikes Again) – Burnham loves the Smiths apparently – who doesn’t – but oh dear Morrisey is an utter twat now – weird – whereas Paul Weller (also brilliant and beloved by Burnham) is even cooler now. Is that a North vs. south thing? There is so much crap in the news at the moment about how cool the North is – I will dedicate a whole blog to what utter bollocks that is some day ..

Met Isabel

Out of work ‘puppy sphere’ then we walked to Ossington and a brewery pub for a rather nice stout – phone completely dead so no photos. Ali arrived and we walked to a lovely Greek Tapas place for dinner – Ali’s treat to me to celebrate my retirement … again .. then home in a snazzy über to a rather good Grand Cru then bed. As we are up very early tomorrow for drive to Muskoka and lake house.