Tuesday I decided to find a new place to write. I remembered that Balzac’s coffee shop was not too far away and thought it might be a good place to get some words down. Not as busy as the four Starbucks near me but there were still only a few seats available when I got there.

I bought a green tea, sat down and typed. The general chatter of the other patrons was pretty low level, like the buzz of bees on a summer day.

Then a couple of seagulls arrived squawking for chips and it was all I could do to stop bashing my head against the table. I couldn’t help but take notice of them as they sat opposite me and talked loudly about films, the industry and getting through film school. From what I picked up (other than irritation), one was a tutor and the other his eager hanger-on student.

I tried to ignore them but they talked loud and obnoxiously about the right path to take to get into a sound engineering career or the merits (or lack thereof) of the film The Fifth Estate. What I did find interesting was the power dynamic going on between them. The tutor sat back, one leg bent and resting on the knee of the other, sipping his whatever. The student, leaning on the table, his head resting on his hand and looking like he was cowering, trying to appear smaller despite the two of them being roughly the same height.

I probably would have been amused by or at least sympathetic to their chatter, if it wasn’t so damn loud.

Eventually they finished their drinks but by then I was over it and left…

…only to head into the Toronto Public Reference Library, which was a great find. It’s six stories high, full of books, very quiet and with lots of tables and chairs at which to sit. I climbed to the top floor and took a place overlooking the rest of the library. The staircases are off-set so you don’t just ascend from one straight to another. From on high, it looked a bit like an Escher painting.

I wrote a bit more before deciding I’d had enough and was ready to go back home. I discovered they have a piano room available, free to use, so any time I get the urge to practise something, I can go there. What a great service.

In the evening Glen and I went for dinner with Kevin and Adam at a French restaurant called Jules Bistro. Glen and I walked past it twice because a) we weren’t paying much attention and b) the frontage isn’t very big. Service was a bit lack lustre but I liked my chicken meal. Glen wanted duck but they’d run out so he had quiche, which was slightly burnt. Kev and Adam had a rack of lamb which looked nice.

It was Adam’s birthday on Sunday so it was nice to see them and catch up – and to wish Adam a happy birthday of course. Despite Glen’s misgivings about his food and the service, he’s keen to go back to try the duck.

Wednesday Glen had an academic day, which meant my schedule was completely thrown out the window. But it wasn’t all bad.

We went to the gym in the morning then headed out to look at Canada Goose jackets, in preparation for –25°C weather. It turns out these jackets start coming out in June and we’re near the tail-end of the season. This meant colours and sizes were limited.

We were served by an English lad (in every sense of the word), who’d been here for six weeks and was only too keen to talk to someone who wasn’t Canadian. We talked about the differences between our countries and its people. He was friendly, though could have probably been a bit better as a sales assistant.

I tried on a few mediums in the different styles, eventually choosing a Langham. The jackets are so well insulated that it was almost painful trying them on in the store. Talk about overheating! It’s rated category 4 which is good down to -25°C.

Glen had narrowed it down to two styles but they only had small and he wanted a medium. So we left his details for them to call if they’d be getting any more in.

We then went upstairs to pay for mine which was a maddening experience. Absolutely awful service from the girl behind the counter, so much that I was tempted to just walk away without buying it.

But buy it I did and now I’m set for winter.

I hope.

Afterwards we went for lunch in a truly awful restaurant called Mother’s Dumplings. We had misgivings the moment we walked in so it was a good lesson to always trust your instincts. We ordered. The food was terrible. We paid and left. Won’t go back there again.

In the evening we were due to meet Mark and Liz and their daughter Emmeline for dinner. Mark’s a Perth radiologist who’s in Vancouver for a fellowship but is in Toronto for a week for a course. We were a bit late meeting them as Glen wanted to check out Harry Rosen at the Eaton Centre and look at their Canada Goose jackets.

We had exceptional service there. The sales assistant knew what he was doing, helped Glen out, was attentive without being overbearing, and just confident in his ability to sell clothes. I suppose you shouldn’t expect anything less from Harry Rosen.

Glen got the jacket in the size he wanted…and then we were up-sold two beanies that we didn’t really need but you get swept up in the spirit of buying, don’t you?

Dinner at Mercatto was lovely. Emmeline is 15 months old and adorable. We talked about babies, moving from Australia to Canada, the differences in food and everything else (apparently nappies here are absolutely rubbish compared to back home), and we’ve been invited to stay at their place in Vancouver if/when we visit.

This morning there wasn’t much going on but Jana and her mother arrived this afternoon. Their staying in the guest suites in our building for about five or six days. I took them for a bit of a walk around the local area, pointing out sites before leaving them to explore on their own. And tonight Glen and I are having dinner with the other radiology fellows. It’s been a busy week, and filled with Australians too.