Get on the GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had to zip out of the house yesterday.  M and I were taking the GO train downtown. Of course she wasn't ready at 8:30 as we had agreed on.  I knew there was going to be traffic on the way to the station, we were going to have to park the car and I had to buy a ticket. M has used the GO on numerous occasions so she has a Presto card.  We were lucky and found a parking near the entrance to the station, grabbed our bags (I left my jacket in the car - she did not) and ran to the ticket agent.

Thank God M knew exactly where we were going. She told the ticket agent what we wanted - I threw money at the agent - I could not even tell you if it was a man or a woman. They said the train just arrived. Oh CRAP - we grabbed our stuff and ran up the stairs to the platform and JUST MADE THE TRAIN!!   My heart was pounding and I still had my wallet in my hand. We found seats and then got ourselves organized. I HATE HATE HATE cutting things that close.

Anyway - I have to say that going downtown on the GO is a very civilized way to go.  No traffic, no stop and start, no worries about finding a parking spot and it was fast!!!!!!   I used to take public transit all the time when I lived in Montreal and yes - I get that you are stuck to their schedule, but really - for the sake of arriving relaxed - I think I might have to think of the GO train more often except that I don't go downtown often.

There is construction EVERYWHERE in this city.  Not only on the major highways leading into Toronto, but the downtown is crazy as well. 

The entrance to Union Station

Ah - get on the GO - so relaxed as long as you don't have to RUN for the train

M - on the way home 

Even parking for bikes

We caught the 9:06 train. And the traffic was way backed up on the highway as we merrily rolled on by!!!!!   Once we got to Union Station, M guided us to the right subway line.  Helps to have Google Maps and to have taken the subway system before.

We hopped off at the right station and then I took over.  Here we were at the Textile Museum of Canada.

Textile Museum of Canada

And we were there because????   It was the ANNUAL - NOT just a yardsale!!!!!!!!!!!   The sale started at 11, and we got there just before 10.  I know - did not take long to get there!!!!!!    Way faster than the car and probably cheaper when you factor in everything.


So we had an hour to kill. Let's plan the strategy. First we got into the line. Oh yes - there is ALWAYS a line.   And see those cars on the right hand side - some of the people in the line belonged to those cars. I wonder what time they got there????

The start of the line - even though we arrived at 10 - it was already forming.  Can you see M - third person from the end -in brown tank top. Oh yes - did I mention that she did NOT leave her jacket in the car - so guess who had to put the jacket in the backpack to carry for the rest of the day?????   Yep - that would be ME!!!!!!!!!!

And the line grew and grew

And the line continued to grow!!!!!!!!

While we were waiting - we needed to strategize cause it was going to get ugly!!!!   While M waited in line, I scouted out the sale. Don't worry - I did NOT violate any presale rules!!!!

The upholstery fabric

The quilting fabric

Other fabric and tools

Yarn

AHA - notice the sign - 2nd floor - books, buttons and beads.

Back to chat with M - where should we go first?????   We decided to hit the 2nd floor first. Probably more stuff that we would be interested in there so as soon as the line started to move -we hussled our butts up the stairs.

M found a couple of books, and so did I. There was NO ONE looking through the books when I went through them. I was FIRST and good thing because some lady tracked me down to ask about one of the books I got.  A catalogue of Welsh quilts. Nothing too spectacular in the books, but a couple of neat finds.

My books

 Then we split up to see what else was there. Digging through the quilting bins was a slow process. You could only access the bins from one side so we had to wait.  Well I found these kits and I was laughing!!!!!

The kit on the left is an older Thimbleberry (2006) kit. There is enough fabric in each to make two blocks (12 inch I think) and each one was $2 - this slightly bigger one was $3.  I got SIX of them - all I could find. Then I found the kit on the right - By Stitch Connection.  I had to laugh because this is the same pattern that I am embroidering!!!!!!

The pattern in the kit I bought - it is applique

The pattern I am embroidering - same designer

The patterns themselves are very cute, but I never liked the layout of the embroidery one. Once the blocks were done - I was going to figure out a new layout. Well I LOVE the layout of the pieced one and well it is already figured out!!!!!!!!!!!!    Plus I can make an applique one as well.  I picked up a few odd pieces of fabric, but nothing great.  There was a lot of stuff, but nothing that caught my fancy.

One lady was shopping for a queen sized quilt and was buying it all from the yard sale and other sales.  Oh boy - good luck with that!!!!!!!

Lots and lots of beads, charms and other baubles!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Could have gone totally crazy, but we didn't. M acquired her own stash!!!!!!!!!

In the odds and ends tent outside, I found these two treasures.   Do you know what that is on the left????   An embroidery hoop - how cool is that. I've never seen that shape before and I LOVE IT!!!!!!    The roll on the right is reflective tape.   I was going to make a vest of reflective tape for cycling.  Neil had one last year and I thought he had purchased it. Nope he fashioned it out of reflective strapping that he purchased at MEC. Well I paid $5 for this entire roll. I think I have enough to make a vest!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once we were done with the yardsale - we went into the gift shop - one of my favourite. There are so many treasures. I just love it. Well we found a couple of goodies and while we were waiting in line, the lady in front of us was purchasing an orange bracelet. Oh my - I WANT that. Her friend says - oh orange is my friend's favourite colour.  I had to laugh because neither of us had anything orange on and my orange backpack was checked in at the front desk, but at least I had my orange wallet to prove my point!!!!!  

Bracelet is gorgeous - $10!!!!!!!!   Couldn't let that stay in the gift shop!!!!!

After having lunch downtown and I "splurged" and had an Orange pop, we walked back to Union Station with our bags.  Did I mention that we each bought three books and a couple of magazines and they are HEAVY??????

Our timing was bang on yesterday. Again, M guided us through the maze of Union Station and arrived at the platform as the train opened its doors.  OK - the transit gods were on our side yesterday.  We were back at the parking lot and in the car before we knew it.

I just the idea of this little kids seat on the front of the bike.  Good thing I wasn't into cycling when M was a baby or we would have had one!!!!!!!!!!

We stopped in Streetsville for ice cream on the way home and THAT place is under construction as well. It is everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Then we had company. Guess who.......................

MILO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Sammy and Milo are in love. They have been chasing each other up and down the upstairs hall all morning. When I went to get them to go for a walk, their tongues were hanging out!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Pretty funny and very cute.


On that note - I am teaching all day so I had better get the rest of my stuff organized.


Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!