Colourful summer days

I think I mentioned I was going to the magical land of vintage wool blankets last week - Port Colborne, Ontario, which has two extremely cute thrift stores and is very near Fort Erie, Ontario, which has another two.  Well: this year there were zero wool blankets.  But I did score a tiny $12 all-wood night table which is perfect for an awkward but storage-friendly corner at the condo, and this tablecloth:

Okay, you know it's really a fitted sheet I bought second hand from the store I can 100% guarantee only puts out freshly washed textiles.  After we got home I finally found the sheet we usually use as a picnic table cover, but since it didn't make it on the trip, we improvised and bought this one.

It's kind of pretty, don't you think?  I might cut it up into backing for a big squashy pillow or three.

After our picnic Somebody had the idea to go to the Canadian National Exhibition (aka The Ex) this year.  I went a few times as a small bean, and so did Pete, but we have never gone together.  The day we went was very, very sunny and hot, and all the local new stations were recommending that anybody heading off to The Ex should bring water and a big hat.  Oops.

The Ex is one of those Toronto traditions... it falls at the end of the summer and is much like a regular summer fair filled with agricultural marvels and a huge temporary midway.

It starts around the middle of August and ends a few hours before Labour Day does, and though it's changed a lot since the last time I was there, what hasn't changed is the energy. People come out in droves, and they eat weird things, and they ride very intense looking rides and play near-impossible games of skill, and everybody just has a good time.

Three guesses why the faces in this sand sculpture are all looking a bit perplexed:

They're wondering why I'm not on the other side of them, with the crowd at the alpaca yarn booth.  (hey, any more yarn and I'd have to start putting it into our storage locker!)

What I couldn't give in to was Tiny Tom Donuts, compliments of my all time favourite special-event food truck.

You have to eat these things really fresh - they turn to rock overnight - but that problem doesn't usually arise, ahem.

We had one other gorgeous summer outing over Labour Day weekend and I have to show you those pictures if only to persuade you to put Toronto on your dream vacation list.  But right now I'm going to wrap up and go swimming.  I can't get over how much I love this whole condo living thing... I wonder if we can fit a lap pool into our basement after the house is done?

(don't answer that because I already know the answer and it's You Must Be Joking.)

Have a wonderful evening my friends, and I'll see you tomorrow!