WHAT'S A "BENT"?

The rains finally came down the pipe to break the heat. Wish we could send some out to B.C. where the fires are massive and smoke is reaching right across to the Atlantic coast. Does the haze affect the monarch's navigation??

In the 'hood our 1950's movie house still has buttered popcorn (no, thanks) and sofa-cushy seats (all right!) to see Three Identical Strangers. Weird, wonderful, then tragic. What would you do if you bumped into an identical twin of yourself?? Another mystery was this ship anchored off our beach for days, then disappeared: no one could say what it was doing out there!

We're in a great walking city. Small scale street art, then massive construction. Someday we'll take a tour and see if we're missing anything.

At city hall the current exhibit is to raise awareness of dementia --- a full-brainer! Not easy to bypass the hotdog trucks at noon (but see the last picture for the alternative). Then a huge coincidence/irony: we finally got tickets for the smash hit play Come From Away. We'll see this uplifting drama about 9/11 on ---- 9/11!!

Different sides of Asian places with great memories for me. On one hand the rom-com movie Crazy Rich Asians with Singaporean glitz and culture clash. On the other hand a solo songstress from Taiwan enthralling a blue-jeaned crowd. Take your pick?

Then over to a grand-opening block party. "The Bentway" is a greenspace creation under the elevated Gardiner Expressway. What was deserted gravel and weeds is now kidszone, fountains, naturalized planting, busker stages, a giant giraffe, and in winter --- a mile-long skating route. (We had to know why the name "Bentway"? Turns out those huge concrete supports are called "bents".) 

Back at the boardwalk, not a hotdog in sight but it's easy to get bent for a pizza.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Gotta start with admiration and R-es-p-e-c-t for Aretha Franklin. Undisputed Queen of Soul for me, and a pile of memories blown away by her voice. Forever connected with Detroit, check out the video of her singing the hell out of "Freeway of Love". It's the one with the pink Cadillac and all the scenes are from the Motor City in its prime.

Not much respect for the recurring heat waves. Pretty bad when the cows are wading in their own drinking water. Then the heavy rains break it up and the cycle starts over...

A midweek trip down to the old stomping grounds of Durham. Pat always earns respect when she does a gardening presentation.

Then, feeling the tug to pay my respects to home town, off to Windsor --- didn't Aretha have a song about "looking out in the pouring rain..."? Detroit was in a haze but the Canadian side was bright with eye-popping colours and styles of the annual main street cruise. Lots of car candy to see in the casino parking lot. But with the top down, we blended right in with the other classics and joined in the cruise loop --- between a sweet yellow '67 Camaro and a badass modrod Malibu that burned out its tires behind us. Funny thing --- it's exactly the route I used to cruise in the '63 Fury, with gas at 30 cents a gallon....Respect for my wallet??

A coincidence? Not! The next day, over to Detroit for the biggest car cruise on earth. 40,000 cars looping on 4 miles of Woodward Avenue! Art on wheels. Things you've never seen before (like Santa Claus driving a '52 Buick ragtop) and things you didn't know existed (a 2,000 hp Peterbilt truck). Hard to beat --- a 1960 gullwing Chevy still owned by the original couple who got married in it and have been cruising Woodward in it every year since the '60's!

Too many to mention or include...

Hmmm. Somehow we found a parking spot right next to the Mustang corner corral. They let us in early to see the very 1st 1964 1/2 next to the recent 10,000,000th ---- both convertibles, same colours, both headed for the museum. In  tribute, the Yellow Mustang Club did a honkin' drive-by.

Too many to mention or include. But, as in Windsor the night before, we joined in the parade. Surrounded by cool pickups and hot GTO's. Sweet.

And finally, r-e-s-p-e-c-t to some family members. Cousins Bob & Ruth celebrating their 60th anniversary this month (picture from 1994). A record for longevity in our family tree. Congrats and go for 70!

DUTCH, GREEK, POLE

August is peak flower show by the lake. The city's "Gardener's Cottage" is more showy than usual (recent rains??) And can you find the winged migrant resting near it's own picture?

Lots of excitement in front of the house as the gardener from 36 has donated a Dutchman's Pipe climbing vine to Trevor's garden at 34. How high by October? --- stay tuned to this channel...

Nearby, the 25th annual Taste of the Danforth festival is bittersweet this year. Memorials are still fresh for the tragic shooting just 3 weeks ago. But the Greek flag is at full staff, proud of the neighbourhood's resiliency. And bigger crowds than ever (including us and family visitors, all first-timers) show up to prove it. Let's dance!

On a hot day, foot-pools cool while warm friendships are made. Celebrity shoes are auctioned. Souvlaki? --- Opa!!

The first batch of cookies in the new oven --- Breakfast! And this morning the lake is calm and warm. Perfect for kayaks and triathlon swimmers.

A huge (200 nets, 2,000 players) volleyball tournament is being served up on the sand. All ages, all levels, but the attention is always on the tall girls. Why?? I wouldn't touch that with a 10-foot pole.