I was calling around about extending and burying the hose from the propane tank to the PatioFlame. It looks like it's a job for a professional gas fitter, that will cost about $300. I didn't search too much, but I suspect it's also required by code in Ontario. So for now the propane tank will sit as far as the existing hose will allow (about 6'), and maybe build a little table over it. I didn't know this before, but propane is heavier than air.

Last week I had a flat tire at work (at least, the tire was flat after work) (the front passenger side tire had a nail). I didn't want to wait around for roadside assistance to put on the donut tire, and I was in my suit, so I left the car at work and TTC'd it home. The next morning I went in in jeans and changed the tire, and drove over to the new Audi dealership (I had made an appointment first thing in the morning). The service was excellent. They washed the car, packed away all the tire tools properly in the trunk, had free beverages and WiFi access. I had taken my laptop and so just worked away while they put on a new tire. They also did the maintenance that was due in 900km, and checked the other tires (there was a nail in the driver-side front tire which they were able to remove). I was very impressed by the whole process.

It was my birthday yesterday and so I took the day off. My parents had everyone over for dinner (it's my birthday tradition). It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately Heather couldn't make it, she re-injured her back last week. It was the coolest July 20th that I can remember, but quite comfortable. We always have the same dinner: samosas, then Dad's caesar salad, then masala chicken wings, rice, lentils, tomato curry, and Mom's potato dish, and then apple pie and upside-down-pineapple cake for dessert. Mmmm good. Maricar and Robin brought some of their red wine that they made (and had just bottled on Sunday).

We won at Ultimate on Sunday, one of the best games we've played as a team. The offense was working really well. We have some set plays, which if we run them properly are very hard to defend. Our plays rely on us all reading the play the same, and on the Sunday team everyone sees the game the same. It's pretty cool when it works, although maybe not for the other team.

I went to the Home Depot at 427 & QEW to see if they had double-cylinder locks from Weiser. They did have one, but it was a polished brass colour. I had to ask a sales person to help find it, and then had quite the discussion about whether it would fit on a 2'x4'. The specs on the back of the lock said it fit door widths between 1 3/8" and 1 3/4"; and I spent about five minutes trying to convince the two sales folks that 1 1/2" (the width of a 2'x4') was in fact between 1 3/8" and 1 3/4". I gave up.

Well I should get ready for bed. I have to be out in Hamilton tomorrow morning for 9am.

The backyard is coming along. I finished the fence, and the firepit is nearly done.





I'm looking for a double-cylinder lock before I build the gate, preferably a Weiser so I can key it the same as the back door. Our little Home Depot doesn't carry any, and neither does the Canadian Tire on Leslie. Also, I'm trying to find a 15' hose extension for a propane tank so I can put the tank behind the fence. I don't even know if such a thing exists. Ideally I'd like to bury the hose under the flagstone encased in cement.

We had breakfast last weekend at Lady Marmalade. There were eight of us, and we were fortunate to get two tables of four beside each other (which the staff then pushed together). It was quite busy at 10am on a Saturday. Heather and I just missed getting soaked in the rain, it came down in buckets a couple minutes after we arrived. (It's the 2nd time it's rained hard since I disconnected the downspout, and both times I've been out of the house, so I haven't seen how the water flow works. Heather was home the 1st time and said it worked great.)

The breakfast was pretty good at Lady Marmalade. I had the eggs benedict, which they make with bacon. I still prefer the eggs benedict at Leslieville Diner, where they use peameal bacon. They do have a number of healthy options though at Lady Marmalade which Heather liked.

I took a vacation day last Monday and went golfing with Craig, and Jim and Scott from hockey. Jim's a member at Carry Place, a private course up the 400. It was a pretty windy day, which didn't help my driver. I ended up shooting an inconsistent 103, parring a few holes and blowing up on others. After we went back to Jim's place and had dinner. It was a fun day.

I should get ready for Ultimate.

I framed in the fence yesterday. Here's a pic from the office window:



If it doesn't rain this weekend, I'll put up the fence boards.

We decided to stain the fence a darker colour, so that it contrasts with the deck and flagstone. Both the deck and flagstone are / will fade to a washed-out grey / beige, which is what we wanted. However we thought it would look too dull if the fence was also faded. The Home Depot folks said I need to wait till next season to stain the fence, to give the pressure-treated wood a chance to dry out.

We dropped into The Ceili Cottage a few days ago to check it out. It has one of the better street-side patios in Leslieville (on my list, Strat's and B-Side are one and two). The inside has warm ambience -- whoever designed it did a great job. It feels like the place has been there for a hundred years (unlike The Roy which looks too forced). Tried a few things from the menu (they'd only been open for less than a week and didn't have everything yet).

Came up with a new standard joke, to be used on all statutory holidays "I need a holiday, stat".

Anyways I should get ready for hockey. We have a late game tonight, 10:30pm.