Happy Birthday Becky!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!!!

Breakfast today -> Muffins and Tomatoes.
Breakfast today was double discount Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins and freshly picked cherry tomatoes from my garden.  The banana chocolate chunk muffins were on sale for $4.99 from $5.99, then it was also 50% off!

Breakfast.

Snack today -> Tuxedo Cake.
Picked up a Tuxedo Cake for Becky's Birthday today from Sobey's.  It was really good.  I would say it's better than Costco's version.

Birthday Cake.

Dinner today -> Steak and Mushrooms.
After softball tonight I picked up some 50% off steaks from Loblaws.  Made one steak tonight with some french fry cut oyster mushrooms.  Totally hit the spot after a softball game.

Steak and Mushrooms.

Useless Softball News:
Strike Fighters played GDC tonight.  Mark's pitching wasn't at his best and he gave up the most home runs I've ever seen him do in a game and we only played 5 innings too!  We lost 15-7.
I hit 1-for-2 tonight: fielder's choice and a double.

Weekend Report + Monday ->

Four days off was great.  I took it easy and did alot of laundry, some shopping, napped alot, did some reading, and played a few boardgames and NES games.  The only thing I didn't get done was to go to Barrhaven and buy Korean Fried Chicken and tteokbokki.

Food this weekend + Monday ->
Got pizza from Willy's Pizza on Saturday.  I got the large 3 topping with 3 cans of pop deal.  I ordered the Tropical Chicken pizza.  It's got diced chicken, pineapple, and bacon on it.  I usually don't like pineapple on pizza, but I tried a slice of this from Becky last week and I really liked it.  This combo works and will definitely get it again.

Tropical Chicken Pizza.

Someone made this amazing salsa today and shared it at Becky's desk.  I think I ate 10-12 bites of this with Scoops.  I'm going to try and recreate this salsa sometime from this picture.

Tasty Salsa.

Useless Gaming News:
Jeremy and Arseni came over on Saturday to play boardgames, but Julie couldn't make it.  We played Founders of Gloomhaven and Age of Towers.
Founders of Gloomhaven has (Tetris-like) Tile placement, Worker placement, and Action selection game play to score points.  It's pretty good.  I'll need to play it again to confirm as this was a learning game.
Age of Towers is a Tower Defense-type game.  We only used the base game components but it was pretty good, but simple.  I have all the KickStarter extras which adds alot of variety in the monsters and buildings.  Without the extras, I don't think this game is worth it.

Useless Toy News:
Picked up the exclusive Wreck-Gar from EB Games today (Thanks Gordon).  While there I also noticed they had a NES Classic controller in stock.  Got that too :)

Wreck-Gar & NES Controller.

Shopping Day.

Been really busy with work the past few days, but I got today and Friday off for working in Montreal last weekend.  Woke up at noon today and went shopping at Carlingwood and Bayshore :)

Food today -> Tofu Curd Soup.
Made some tofu curd soup today.  I added some leftover shredded chicken, mushrooms, and noodle knots.  The broth is chicken broth and some dashi.  Tastes really good.

Tofu Curd Soup.

Useless Puzzle News:
Julie was over last week and she helped me finish my 1000 piece Wasgij Mystery Puzzle #13.  The box shows the "before" scene where the spy is captured.  The finished puzzle shows how escapes.

How the Spy Escapes.

Useless Toy News:
Found the "black hair" Psylocke variant at EB Games Bayshore today.  Probably will pick up the "purple hair" variant if I see it.

"Black Hair" Psylocke.

Useless Transformers News:
Found Inferno at Centrum Walmart on Tuesday.  No other PotP wave 3 though.
Today I found the re-release minibots at Bayshore Walmart.  Picked up all 4: Bumblebee, Outback, Tailgate, and Swerve.

Newest Transformers.

Weekend Report -> Short Notice Trip to Montreal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!!!

Food this weekend ->
Friday was Brodie's last day at CMC.  There was a lunch gathering at Lone Star.  I got the pepper steak burger with fries.  It was pretty good.  I would order this again.

Pepper Steak Burger.

After lunch I was told I needed to go to Montreal on Saturday and stay til Sunday for work.  I was needed in-person to review and release urgent stuff for a customer.  It was my grandma's birthday this weekend and I couldn't go...
It was a long 2 days in MTL, but we got the work done.  On Saturday I had McDonald's Quarter-Pounder combo for lunch, and then we got St.Hubert's for dinner.  St.Hubert's chicken was OK, but it's got nothing on Scores' chicken, and especially the tasty gravy.  While I was eating so-so chicken, my family was feasting and over ordering sushi buffet :(  I was totally in the mood for sushi since Thursday!

Sunday, I got McDonald's for breakfast.  I got the Sausage Egg McMuffin Meal.  I got an iced coffee instead of a hot coffee.  I found the iced coffee tasted better than the ones I get in Ottawa.  It tasted like it had more coffee flavour.

McD for Breakfast.

Lunchtime was ...*drumroll*... Scores Rotisserie!  Yes! :)  I got a 1 leg meal.  Totally hit the spot and it was uber good.

Scores! 1 Leg Meal.

I was tempted to get more Scores and take it back to Ottawa for dinner, but decided against it this time.  I went and picked up Rideau instead.  Got beef chow mein, dry fried beef rice noodles and salt & pepper shrimp.

Rideau Dinner.

New Baby Fish!

Useless Garden News:
Found my first ripe cherry tomato of the year today!  I plucked it and ate it. 

1st Cherry Tomato of the Year.

It was so good.  Sweet too.

Useless Softball News:
Strike Fighters played a double-header tonight against 2 different team and both teams were in a division above us.  We treated the game like a practice as we were out matched.  We lost both games.  The 1st game was kind of close, but they pulled away in the 5th inning.
The 2nd game was no where close.  I think the final score was 11-26.
Game 1: I hit 2-for-2 with 2 singles.
Game 2: I hit 2-for-3 with a single, ground out, and a single.

Useless Aquarium News:
I found a new baby fish today!  I didn't see any others.  Usually it's more than just one.

New Fish.

It's so tiny and cute!

Cute Baby Fish.

Weekend Report -> Predaking

Food this weekend ->
Made a pack of Schneider's Bacon on Saturday.  I found it disappointing compared to Farmboy's maple bacon.  Also made eggs and toast for a late breakfast.

So-so Bacon.

On Sunday, I went to Swiss Chalet and got the limited time Crispy Chicken.  I got a half chicken meal.  The chicken is really good, but I didn't get any white meat pieces.  I got 1 drum and 3 thighs.  I do prefer the dark meat, but I was in the mood for a rib piece.

Crispy Chicken.

I should have gotten the family size instead.  It was the same price as getting 2 half chicken meals, but you get 4 sides, 4 coleslaw, 4 pickles, and 4 buns.  Maybe later this week :)

Useless Garden News:
My cherry tomato plant is really flourishing.  Been watering it every other day.  It was a little bigger than the garden lights when I got the plant from Costco last month.  Now it's  really tall and trying to take over the whole garden space.  I didn't plant anything else this year because I knew the tomato plant would just take over.

Cherry Tomato Plant.

I added some supports to help the plant expand out more and it looked like it has.  Still alot of green tomatoes, only 1 turning slightly orange.

Useless Transformers News:
Power of the Primes: Predaking got released last week.  Gordon told me Toys R Us Kanata finally got some in stock on Friday.  I hustled over and got us some.  I used the "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" coupon for getting a great price for them (Reg $229ea).  I'll need to sell off the extra Predaking or return it.

3 Predakings.

Double Rideau

Been busy every night this week and didn't get around to posting anything.

Useless Softball News:
Strike Fighters played against Bad News Beers on Tuesday night.  We lost 12-20 (I think).  It was a good game, but they out powered us.  John hit 2 home runs in the game too!
I hit 2-for-3 with a single, fly out, and a double.

Marc at Bat

Food this week ->
After softball, Marc and I went to check Loblaws for discount food.  We found Triple Chocolate Cookies for 50% off :)  These are so good.  Nuking them for 5 seconds in the microwave make them even better.

Triple Chocolate Cookies.

Friday is Evan's last day at CMC.  We went out for lunch at Rideau Restaurant today.  I was hoping we were going somewhere else, as Julie and I just ate Rideau on Wednesday night.  Meh, Rideau is still good 2 meals in a row.  We ordered 7 dishes for our group of 6.  We got Szchewan beef, lemon chicken, salt & pepper squid, fried beans with pork and dried shrimp, sizzling black pepper steak, shrimp & lobster sauce, and Chinese sausage in fried tofu balls.

Rideau Lunch.

We feasted, but we found the Szchewan beef dish to be lacking in the beef and having too much fried batter.  I thought it was still pretty good, but Szchewan beef connoisseur Ethan thought otherwise.

Filling My Plate.

Useless MtG News:
Core Set 2019 is released on Friday.  I got a box from Gaming Kingdom because the Nexus of Fate card is not in the regular set and can only be obtain through the "Buy a Box" promotion.  I couldn't get it from Miraj Trading because they don't participate in the "Buy a Box" promotion.  This might make it more rare than a mythic rare.

Buy A Box Promo.

Weekend Report -> Tutti Frutti Eggs

Food this weekend ->
Went to Tutti Frutti in Barrhaven for lunch on Friday with Julie.  They are breakfast and lunch restaurant like Cora's; BUT unlike Cora's, the food is actually served still hot :).
Julie ordered the Strawberry Fest's eggs combo with strawberry crepe, and I got the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and capers.  A first I thought the dish didn't have enough food, but after I was finished I was full.  The eggs benedict was very good and had a perfect runny yolk.  I will be coming back to this place.

Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon.

Potluck and games dinner at Jeff & Linda's Friday night.  I made sliced chicken thigh meat with potatoes, zucchini, and king oyster mushrooms.

Potluck Plate.

Linda had made spaghetti and meatballs, mac & cheese, and tofu with Chinese sausage.
We had pecan pie, fruit, and ice cream for dessert.

Useless Gaming News:
Played a bunch of board games on Friday night.  We played Rumble in the House, Camel Cup, and Running of the Bulls.

Camel Cup.

Jeff showed me this Mystery Adventure Club box he ordered.  It's a monthly subscription for mystery game in a box for kids.  The box has some really good quality bits in it and the clues look well made.  The kids were going to try and solve it on Sunday.  I wonder if they figured it out?

Mystery Adventure Club Box.

NES Classic

Useless Gaming News:
I was able to order a NES Classic on Friday from Best Buy.  It arrived in the mail today!  Didn't get a chance to play it tonight.  Debating if I should start with Final Fantasy or Metroid.

NES Classic.

Still looking to pick up a 2nd controller.

Re-injured Leg

Picked up the Robot Hockey Trophy today from an engraving place. 

Robot Hockey Trophy.

John's team won my pool this year, the Herron's Ham Hawks.

New Plaque.

Useless Softball News:
Strike Fighters faced Rockwell Collins tonight.  It was a low scoring game, but we played well defensively.  We won 9-4.
I also re-injured my leg in the exact same spot in the 5th inning, running to 1st.  But before I got hurt, I hit 1-for-2 with a single.

Useless Lego News:
Picked up the Lego Tron bike set from Toys R Us today.  I didn't expect TRU to get this as I thought it was a Lego Store Exclusive. 

Lego Tron Bikes.

Not sure when I will get around to building this, I still have my Lego Ship in a bottle to build.  Plus my big table it being used up by a new 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle I started.

Long weekend report -> Happy Canada Day!!!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Food this weekend ->
Gavin was in town this long weekend and we met up at Ben's house.  He bought some steaks and I BBQed for dinner.  We also had potatoes and zucchini.  It was a very good dinner, but my tooth was still bothering me, so I could only chew on the left side of my mouth.

Steak BBQ Dinner.

Sunday was soooo hot.  I think it was 38C but felt like 47C with humidity.  Even though it was stupid hot, I went to pick up Julie and Roger in the morning and we helped Gen and Garth move into their new apartment.  The move went from 10am to 4:30pm, but it went pretty smoothly as there were alot of people helping and shopping carts to move things (MVP was shopping carts).  Their new place doesn't have AC and we were all just dripping sweat all day.  There was pizza, veggies, fruit, and chips afterward but I was sweating too much to take a pic of it all.

Useless Gaming News:
Gavin, Ben and I played 3-player Magic on Friday.  It was good.  We haven't played in awhile.  We also played from JackTV games that Ben bought on Steam.  Fibbage 3 was really fun.