Book ~ "Someone Saw Something" (2024) Rick Mofina

From Goodreads ~ A missing child is every parent’s worst nightmare. For journalist Corina Corado, it’s a terrifying reality. 

When six-year-old Gabriel vanishes from Central Park, his mother, news anchor Corina Corado, is desperate for answers. Who would take her son - and why? 

Detectives suspect there’s a connection to the barrage of hate mail Corina’s received over the years. In her line of work, it’s not unusual for agitated conspiracy theorists to send messages that threaten violence … or worse. But as the investigation deepens, the secrets that Corina, her husband, Robert, and her stepdaughter, Charlotte, have kept start to unravel. As the truth behind Gabriel’s disappearance emerges, Corina must race the clock to track down her missing child…before paying the ultimate price.

Corina is married to Robert and they have two children ... Charlotte is sixteen and Gabriel is six. Robert was supposed to pick up Gabriel after school but he's tied up in a meeting at the last minute so Corina asks Charlotte. Charlotte and Gabriel cut through the park so Gabriel can fly the airplane he had just built. She's texting her older boyfriend she isn't supposed to have and isn't paying attention and Gabriel disappears. The police are called and the hunt is on. 

I've read a few books by this author and thought this one was okay. There were so many side stories (aka red herrings) and I felt the book could have been edited down so it wasn't so long and drawn out. Corina is a journalist and had been getting death threats from a conspiracy theory group followers, Corina feels Robert is hiding something (an affair perhaps?), Charlotte is still in contact with the boyfriend though her parents had told her to stop, Corina has a sleazy boss who had put the moves on her and then threatened her, a rival network keeps broadcasting that Corina had been so desperate for a baby that she stole one from a dying mother in Nicaragua and illegally adopted him (ie Gabriel), how are the Russians involved, and more. She does have the support of her news team, friends and a support group that is helping to find Gabriel.

It is written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action is. The ending came together quickly and was a bit a letdown for me. I thought Corina acted rashly at times, thus putting Gabriel in danger, and not letting the police do their job.

Pizzeria Badiali, Toronto, ON

Pizzeria Badiali moved into my 'hood on Dovercourt Road almost 3 years ago . I love pizza and have been wanting to check them out but there is always a line when I go by, sometimes around the block (I’ve read the wait for a slice can sometimes be up to an hour!). When I drove by today just after noon, there were just a handful of people in line AND a parking spot on the street. Today was the day!! 

I ordered a pepperoni slice and there was an empty table on the patio. Sweet! It was a tasty slice … not as large as you get from a chain but you are paying for quality not quantity.

Twisted Hat

I finished knitting another twisted hat. It’s a fun and easy pattern once you get into the repetitive groove.

I found the pattern here.

Directions are for size small; changes for size large are in parentheses.

Hat circumference at bottom edge: 16 (18)" [41 (46)cm]; Hat stretches to fit 20 (22)” [51 (56)cm]

I used 4.5mm [US 7] and 5.5mm [US 9] needles and 4 ply yarn. 

Hat is worked in the round on double pointed needles.

With smaller needles, cast on 90 (102) sts. Divide sts evenly around double pointed needles. Join to work in rounds, taking care not to twist sts. Place marker for beginning of round.

Ribbing Round: 

[K1 through the back loop, p1] around. Repeat ribbing round until piece measures 1½" [4cm] from beginning.

Round 1: Change to larger needles and knit.
Round 2: [K2, yo, k2, k2tog] around – 90 (102) sts.
Repeat round 2 until piece measures 8 (8½)" [20 (22) cm] from beginning.

Shape Crown

• Decrease round 1: [K2tog, yo, k2, k2tog] 15 (17) times – 75 (85) sts.
• Next round: [K1, yo, k2, k2tog] around – 75 (85) sts.
• Decrease round 2: *K1, yo, [k2tog] twice; repeat from * around – 60 (68) sts
• Next round: [K1, yo, k1, k2tog] around – 60 (68) sts.
• Decrease round 3: [K2, k2tog] 15 (17) times – 45 (51) sts.
• Decrease round 4: [K1, k2tog] around – 30 (34) sts.
• Decrease round 5: [K2tog] around – 15 (17) sts.
• Decrease round 6: [K2tog, k1] 5 times, k2tog 0 (1) time – 10 (11) sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread yarn through remaining sts and pull to gather. Secure end. Weave in ends.

ABBREVIATIONS
k = knit

k2tog = knit 2 sts together

p = purl

St st = Stockinette stitch

st(s) = stitch(es)

yo = yarn over

Terroni, Toronto, ON (Queen Street W)

I was craving pizza and had a late lunch today at Terroni (on Queen Street W, east of Trinity Bellwoods Park). It's been years since I've been to this Terroni.

I had a Sofia pizza (tomato, mozzarella, sweet genoa salame) ... yum!

My server was friendly and took good care of me.

Duff's Famous Wings, Toronto, ON

I had supper at Duff’s Famous Wings (College/Manning) this evening. It was a busy spot ... I got there just before the rush!

I had wings with medium sauce, dill dipping sauce and fries. Yum! There was just the right amount of heat.

The servers were friendly and took good care of me.

Twisted Hat

I finished knitting another twisted hat. It’s a fun and easy pattern once you get into the repetitive groove.

I found the pattern here.

Directions are for size small; changes for size large are in parentheses.

Hat circumference at bottom edge: 16 (18)" [41 (46)cm]; Hat stretches to fit 20 (22)” [51 (56)cm]

I used 4.5mm [US 7] and 5.5mm [US 9] needles and 4 ply yarn. 

Hat is worked in the round on double pointed needles.

With smaller needles, cast on 90 (102) sts. Divide sts evenly around double pointed needles. Join to work in rounds, taking care not to twist sts. Place marker for beginning of round.

Ribbing Round: 

[K1 through the back loop, p1] around. Repeat ribbing round until piece measures 1½" [4cm] from beginning.

Round 1: Change to larger needles and knit.
Round 2: [K2, yo, k2, k2tog] around – 90 (102) sts.
Repeat round 2 until piece measures 8 (8½)" [20 (22) cm] from beginning.

Shape Crown

• Decrease round 1: [K2tog, yo, k2, k2tog] 15 (17) times – 75 (85) sts.
• Next round: [K1, yo, k2, k2tog] around – 75 (85) sts.
• Decrease round 2: *K1, yo, [k2tog] twice; repeat from * around – 60 (68) sts
• Next round: [K1, yo, k1, k2tog] around – 60 (68) sts.
• Decrease round 3: [K2, k2tog] 15 (17) times – 45 (51) sts.
• Decrease round 4: [K1, k2tog] around – 30 (34) sts.
• Decrease round 5: [K2tog] around – 15 (17) sts.
• Decrease round 6: [K2tog, k1] 5 times, k2tog 0 (1) time – 10 (11) sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread yarn through remaining sts and pull to gather. Secure end. Weave in ends.

ABBREVIATIONS
k = knit

k2tog = knit 2 sts together

p = purl

St st = Stockinette stitch

st(s) = stitch(es)

yo = yarn over

Crafty Coyote, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper this evening at Crafty Coyote (on Bloor Street W, east of Bathurst).

He had a Chicken Schnitzel Burger (Chicken Schnitzel, Melted Cheddar, Arugula, Tomato, Spanish Onion, Avocado, Jalapeños, and Ranch-Dressing on a Brioche Bun.) and salad and I had wings with Franks Hot Sauce and fries. Both were good, though Gord said the dressing on his salad was bland.

Book ~ "Dear Edward" (2020) Ann Napolitano

From Goodreads ~ One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them is a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured vet returning from Afghanistan, a septuagenarian business tycoon and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. And then, tragically, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor. 

Edward's story captures the attention of the nation but he struggles to find a place for himself in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a piece of him has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery - one that will lead him to the answers of some of life's most profound questions: When you've lost everything, how do find yourself? How do you discover your purpose? What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live?

Eddie is 12 years old and he and his older brother, his mother and his father are flying from New York City to Los Angeles where his mother has a new job. During the flight, the plane crashes and Eddie is the only survivor. After his recovery, he goes to live with his mother's sister, Lacey, and her husband, John, in New Jersey. Once he is better physically, he struggles to recover emotionally and mentally. His next door neighbour, Shay, who is his age, becomes his only friend.

I thought this story was just okay. It starts when the plane is taking off and jumps back and forth in time from Edward's (as he know wants to be known) present time to the time on the plane leading up to the crash. We get to know handful of passengers ... Veronica, the flight attendant; Florida, a free-spirited woman who is living in her most recent reincarnated body; Linda, who just found out she is pregnant and is hoping the baby's father will be happy to see her; Benjamin, a gay injured soldier returning from Afghanistan; Mark, a Wall Street exec whose goal is to make money and show how good he is; and Crispin, a bitter old rich man whose health is failing. It's written in third person perspective in various voices (including Edward's, his parents, his brother and the passengers we've gotten to know) depending on where the focus was. I thought the writing style could have been tighter as I found it dragged at times. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Martin Goodman Trail, Toronto, ON

It's a gorgeous sunny day and 64F/18C so I headed to the water and went for a walk along the Martin Goodman Trail. I parked in the lot near the Humber Bay Arch Bridge and headed towards it and crossed over it.

I hung out at Sheldon Lookout for a while and enjoyed the sunshine and the view.