Yesterday I had a package to mail and because this was the first time in six months for it, I took it to the postal outlet at the end of the street which is now one customer at a time, no exceptions. So stood for fifteen minutes while the woman inside addressed a label, stopped to admire her handwriting, addressed it some more, stopped to tilt head and regard label, addressed it some more, spoke to the clerk, addressed another label, tilted head to inspect handwriting, addressed it some more, lather rinse repeat for fifteen minutes, and finally paid and left. I go in, say 'I'd like this sent airmail', am told what I'd blotted from memory: 'we only do Fedex, that'll be $40.' The postal outlet doesn't do post anymore. (It will sell you stamps but only in multiples of ten.) 'Shoppers Drug sends parcels.' Agh. I hate Shoppers Overpriced And Inconvenient and I hate Canada Post for partnering with Shoppers, but OK, I will bike over to Spadina to mail my bloody parcel. (There are in fact two Shoppers closer to me but, as I say, inconveniently located, while I can bike to Spadina in my sleep, even with dodgy knees and consequent imperfect control of the bike.)

And I will say, the clerk there was friendly and efficient and my parcel got off for under$10. But I was feeling ill-used and the day was sunny and unseasonably warm so I threw caution to the wind and went to my local eatery of the last forty years (seriously, where did that extra decade come from?) and sat on their distanced patio and had a Cosmopolitan *and* a glass of wine *and* their Eggs Dilemma, which are meatless Eggs Benny with dill in the hollandaise and to die for, *and* a crême bruleé cheesecake to follow. How little did I appreciate these things in the long ago days when I did them every week or ten days, and how nice it was to do it again for probably the last time in a long time, because winter is coming and restaurants aren't allowed inside seating. To say nothing of blood sugars, cholesterol, and surgery.

But since I was in my old stomping grounds, I went to BMV books to see if they had Hazel Holts, which they didn't, but did have an Ellery Queen double book, half of which I read last night while marvelling at how fast and loose EQ plays with police procedure, and *not* doing any of my regular routines- no exercise bike or kanji or therabands (which seem to annoy the elbows rather a lot.) Pure self-indulgence, and very nice oo.