Stanley Park summer

Ye gods, it's full on summer here today - 22, 23 degrees. I was cursing my stupidity in bringing summer clothes, and now, a few days before departure, I need them. Hot and glorious.

Spent time in the morning reading Norman Doidge's book "The brain that changes itself" - it was Chris's copy and I will definitely buy my own, riveting - about how our whole concept of the brain has recently changed, how much we can influence our functioning and health ourselves, by consciously rewiring the circuitry in our own brains.

Chris and I walked in Stanley Park - not the seawall this time, but through the middle of this huge fantastic park with its giant cedars, its oases of entertainment - Planetarium, theatre etc. - and lakes and ponds and flowerbeds and rose gardens.

 On the way to the park - a bed of tulips - what colour is this? Maroon? Blood red?

 Overheating by the flowerbeds. It's too bad this woman has such a tiny receding chin.

Then we had Indonesian food on Denman and now it's a quiet evening getting myself together and working. Tomorrow - Macca. I am there, in the bowels of the Rogers Centre, from 4 p.m. on what will be the most beautiful day of the year, but I won't mind. I have even made a sign. I won't tell you yet what it says, but believe me, it has been a trial to figure out what to say. People hold up signs for him, and that is SO NOT ME. And yet I want to say something warm and funny to him, so I have.

Too much beauty, heat and excitement for one little old lady from Toronto.

P.S. The Sun newspaper published a picture of the elite men runners of the Sun Run race - five Africans and two white guys. I'm amazed to report that a Canadian male won and female too. Eric Gillis of Guelph beat Christopher Cheruiyot of Nairobi, and Lanni Marchant from Ontario beat Risper Gesabwa also of Kenya. This takes some doing; Africans win races for good reason, extraordinary endurance and focussed training. So - good on ya, Canucks.