Tag: Toronto

Viking Auto Dryer: Heating Element Replacement

Viking Auto Dryer by the T. Eaton Company, 1995, front control panel. Photo by Don Tai

Dead it was, our dryer, a Viking Auto Dryer, from the T. Eaton Company, circa 1995, model number EDX22RW1181, front load, Toronto, Canada, hopelessly turning and turning, all without heat. Of course our clothes were not dry after an hour. Wife was not impressed and put the dryer at the top of my “to do” list. A solution was required before the next weekend load. Nothing stops for laundry or cooking.

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2016 Honda Fit vs Mouse: Toronto Canada

Surprised, I was, that mice seem to really like my 2016 Honda Fit, in Toronto, Canada, and I am not alone. There was evidence of infiltration into the car, and I was not willing to give them a pass. Vermin, tell your friends.

2016 Honda Fit: 4, Mouse: 0

It seems like in their efforts to improve ecology the Honda engineers have opted to use soy based coating on electrical cables, foam, and other items that used to be plastic-based. There are numerous complaints of mice eating away at electrical systems, causing much heartache to car owners.

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Trying Rona Canada Price Match Policy: Not Smooth

Rare, is my visits to Rona Home and Garden Store, here in Scarborough, Toronto, Canada, at Midland near Steeles. While they are pretty clean and almost all the sales associates speak Mandarin, close by there is also the Home Depot Head Office store, as well as Lowes.

Starfrit Spriralizer cuts veg into long and thin spaghetti, on sale at Cantire for $20, Walmart regular price $26, Rona regular price $23. Rona grudgingly price matched Cantire and then beat them by an additional 10 percent. Yay, but laborious to remind Rona staff of their online policy.

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Black Mulberry Fruit, Toronto, Canada

Black mulberry fruit, Toronto, Canada, are messy to pick but delicious. Photo 1 by Don Tai

Every year our black mulberry tree, of the genus family Moraceae, shoots out new branches, which bear fruit the next year. This tree is consistent, and the fruit is very good.

Chinese people have a connection to the mulberry tree. Long ago white mulberry leaves were fed to silkworms in order to produce silk. Therefore the mulberry plant was forbidden to export from China.

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Lance Leaved Coreopsis in Bloom, Toronto, Canada

Yellow Lance leaved coreopsis in bloom, Toronto, Canada. Photo 1 by Don Tai

This flower, Coreopsis lanceolata, comes up every year and is beautiful. It is very successful at propagating and spreads quickly. I like this in a blooming flower, but not in a weed. It has literally taken over.

I had a bit of a search for the actual name: Lance leaved coreopsis.

About 5 years ago a neighbour gave us a clump of a few flowers. We planted it in our front yard that gets full sun. It has grown and expanded every year, irregardless of a hard or mild winter. While the roses are temperamental and need care, the coreopsis needs nothing.

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2016 Purple Lilies, Toronto, Canada

These purple lilies 百合 faithfully come up every year. They are beautiful but very delicate. Any little wind and the petals flop over like silly dog ears. Vibrant colours shine in the sun. They only last for about 7 days.

Purple Lilies, 2016, Toronto, Canada, photo 1 by Don Tai

Purple Lilies, 2016, Toronto, Canada, photo 2 by Don Tai

Purple Lilies, 2016, Toronto, Canada, photo 3 by Don Tai

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New Recycle Green Bin, Toronto, Canada

The new Toronto Green bin is much larger than the old, both taller and wider. I’d call the colour puke. Front view. Photo 1 by Don Tai.

The powers that be at the City of Toronto, Canada, have decided to provide all house residents with new green bins. These bins are larger and can be dumped mechanically by truck. They are said to be raccoon proof. We’ll what our furry friends say about this.

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2016 Crab Apple Tree and Blossoms, Toronto, Canada

This year, 2016, is a an excellent year for my crab apple tree. The blossoms are really pretty, and the weather has cooperated. They will stay fresh for only 5 days max, and then will die. For now we can enjoy them, as they splash their pink hue from outside into our house. The tree is male, so bears no apples.

2016 Crab Apple Tree, male, a couple of days before full bloom. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo by Don Tai

2016 Crab Apple Tree bloom, a couple of days before full bloom. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo 1 by Don Tai

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Scarborough Crime. Birchmount / Finch

East-end shooting leaves young man dead Mar 21, 2016
Pair sought in Scarborough shooting Jan 22 2016
Jan. 21: Two men fired several shots into a home on Glendower Circuit, near Birchmount Rd. and Finch Ave. E., around 3:25 p.m., but nobody was hit. Jan 21 2015

33-year-old man in critical condition after being shot in the face outside apartment buildingSept 16 2006
Judge imposes life sentence for `senseless’ shooting June 14 2005

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Worst Sardines Ever: S&F Food Importers

Not possible, I thought, to royally screw up sardines. There is really not much to them. Remove the head and tail, put into container, add oil, seal, right? Wrong. You also need to remove the scales. These S&F Food Importer sardines are simply terrible. They were so bad that I went back to the grocery store here in Toronto, Canada, and asked for a refund, which I rarely do, and they refused.

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