the beach in Cabbagetown

Now this is true beauty - I'm on a beach by the sea, watching the sun disappear below the horizon as the waves roll in and splash against the rocks. Love that rhythmic roar and the raucous, sad cry of the gulls.

No, I'm sitting in front of a cosy fire, listening to the hiss and splatter of wood as it burns, comforting and familiar, if not aromatic.

No, I'm watching an aquarium, elegant tropical fish, pink, turquoise, rich royal blue, floating in and out of green mossy crevices ...

Actually, I'm watching channels 574, 575 and 576 on my High Definition TV. I'm back to the sunset by the beach now. Who knew that one day I'd actually find something worth watching on TV?

Today, as you may have gathered, I finally got around to calling Rogers, to find out why I suddenly wasn't getting certain channels. Apparently they'd sent out letters and warnings about a change at the end of May, but some of us weren't paying attention. Everything has to be digital now, not analogue, whatever that means. Ironically, I've had a Rogers digital box for ages now and have never used it. Wasn't using the high def function on my TV either. Just keep it simple, turn it on, watch Jon Stewart or Downton Abbey or Sherlock Holmes, turn it off.

But today the Rogers guy had to come and fix things. So now I'm using the cable box and the high def - and it's true, the colours are brighter, the wrinkles are wrinklier, the makeup is so much more evident - way better! And I can go right up to Channel 576 and watch a sunset. But what I don't get any more without paying extra, I discovered after the guy left, are Channels 30 to 60, which includes Bravo and ... wipe the tears from my eyes - the Comedy Channel. Jon Stewart. NOOOOOO.

What will she do, folks? Will she suck it up and call Rogers and pay even MORE per month to get her beloved Jon? Or will she make do with the sunset and watching Jon a week late on her computer? Stay tuned. Literally.

Last night, before all this TV hoo-ha, Mr. Choy and I watched the Tony Awards. So much better than the Oscars - those people are real actors. Half of them seemed to be weeping about dead parents and waving their Tonys at the ceiling. So theatrical. Boos to the idiot who said that the scene from "Jesus Christ Superstar" came from the Stanford Shakespeare Festival, instead of Stratford. A lot of teeth grinding up here over that one.

One producer made a beautiful speech about the people who create the magic of theatre, including the audience. Yes yes yes, I thought. When it works, there's nothing like the theatre. It's just that it doesn't work that often. So many components to go wrong.

The sun getting pretty low now, the sky hot pink, palm fronds waving in the evening breeze.

Made dinner tonight for old friend Suzette who's in the film biz and knows the most amazing people. We discussed film, TV, fashion, travel, mutual friends, health, children, my book, her work ... didn't shut up once, except to put in a bite of food. A delicious friendship. Now it's pouring, and you'll be happy to know that the leaky roof above my bed is almost fixed. There's a new coating that's not dry yet, so the poor roofer came back in the pouring rain to nail a tarp down. I will sleep in my own bed tonight for the first time in a week. But there'll be a bucket nearby, just in case.

My mother has encountered an elderly man (90?) in her new residence who has Parkinson's, but who also loves watching tennis and likes Nadal and Federer. I sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship. And the baby, 21 days old, had his first playdate today with a four-month old just a bit longer and heavier. And the puffy bits below my ankle are now a pleasant shade of pale grey with a tinge of eggplant.

The sun just dipped below the horizon, and suddenly we're on another beach and the sun is once again high and going down. The Sisyphean sunset. Time to watch the fish. I'll save the crackling fire till winter. Oh, modern life is packed with marvels, is it not?