#cheap groceries in Toronto

[stenoodie]

My First Month Using the Flashfood app to Save Food and Money

My first month of using the Flashfood app to save food and money. #nofrills #loblaws #massivesavings #savemoney #rescuefoodfrombeingthrownout

A Flashfood fridge inside of the customer service area at Loblaws Richmond Hill I started using the Flashfood app in June 2023.  Flashfood is a mobile app where you get massive savings on fresh food items like meat and produce that are nearing their best before date at grocery stores across Canada and the U.S.  You save groceries from supermarkets for half of the price!  Continue reading Untitled

[f0point5]

these parasocials are the reason people have such a prejudice against women fans.... They seriously bring a bad name on us. This is so beyond not normal. Like get a grip y'all.

Also, the minimum wage in Hungary in the year of our lord 2024 is 567£ gross. And like 1/3 of the country works for minimum wage. So... Owning a horse or even going riding is a luxury 😅 our prices are very high compared to the money people make here... Which is sad af, because as I've seen the grocery prices are literally the same in Canada, I was in Toronto during the summer and I was astonished at the prices compared to ours.

Oh the things I could SAY about this. Sorry but I absolutely hate how accessible this sport has become and how it’s brought the parasocials and actually instead of asking women whether they know every WDC since the beginning of time, maybe start asking them whether they have an opinion of Magui, because that’s a better bullshit detector.

If you’ve got some weird moral conviction about a driver you don’t know dating a girl you don’t know…I don’t wanna talk to you. And you actually do deserve to be told you’re the kind of fan this sport doesn’t need, not because you’re a woman, but because you are a freak.

Oh damn. How is the population surviving? I remember my ex was looking at property there and it was cheap compared to Western Europe but what are those grocery prices wtf.

Fun fact, my ex is now in Hungary vibing so if you hang out in the Budapest underworld maybe you know him lol

[ceasarslegion]

One thing to note- for Calgary and IIRC Edmonton specifically, ride sharers tend to offer a more genuinely competitive income and prices compared to taxi services but ride sharers operate on a city to city basis so YMMV on how ethical or cheap they are. In some places public transit is just the objectively better option

that too. Edmonton Uber drivers regularly pick me up in hybrids and tell me they do it by choice on the side of their regular job for pure vanity money so they're generally doing alright for themselves from what i've heard. It's also way cheaper than a taxi from the grocery store i go to to my apartment and ETS sucks ass. Toronto transit goes everywhere and everyone uses it so the rideshare situation can be different with more inflated prices from less local use and more legitimate options available

[allbeendonebefore]

Chamomile and aloe Vera!

chamomile ⇢ what kind of things do you like receiving as gifts?

ahh oh boy tis the season isnt it. i like getting snacks of course (chocolate and tea especially) and i like getting art prints, postcards, stickers etc. i like things with Local Energy tm if that makes sense (i am still staring at the victoria landmarks print tea towel... and the sbux 'been there' mug). Stationary also can't go wrong, whether that's on the fancy end (washi tape and nice pens) or the free pen from the store, all pens are good pens.

also art from friends. when people visited my apartment in toronto i forced them each to draw me a portrait of wayne gretzky and created a mosaic of them, i literally do not care what one's art skill is like i just want drawings all the time so i can Eat them with my Eyes.

aloe vera ⇢ what’s something (mundane) you really want to experience in life?

hmmm since i was and still am something of a late bloomer i am still collecting these experiences (having tea parties with friends, going to the grocery store alone, going to art shows and concerts etc) so there are probably still many things on the list.

I think one of the biggest ones (and it might be somewhat impossible and idealistic) is having the money and time and ability to organize and furnish my own space instead of depending on things my parents chose for me or things that i ended up with because they were cheap/accessible if that makes sense. I love having a bedroom again, it's great that I got a nice new bedspread on it and that all my clothes are in a closet again rather than a suitcase or in a hallway, but it still doesn't feel like My Room :/

[movingtorornto]

How to Find Budget-Friendly Movers in Toronto

Are you moving to a new home in Toronto? Don't worry, you can find low budget movers to help you with your move. Here are some simple tips to save money when moving.

Boxes and Bins

Reuse Boxes: Look for old boxes from your local grocery store or ask friends and family if they have any spare boxes. This can save you money on buying new ones.

Use Bins: Instead of buying expensive moving boxes, consider using plastic bins that you may already have at home. They are sturdy and can be reused.

Unnecessary Stuff

Declutter: Before you start packing, go through your belongings and decide what you really need. Donate or sell items you no longer use. The less you have to move, the cheaper it will be.

Sell Items: You can make some extra money by selling items that are still in good condition. Use the money to cover moving expenses.

DIY Cushions

Use Blankets and Towels: Instead of buying bubble wrap or packing peanuts, use blankets, towels, and clothes to cushion fragile items. This saves money and reduces waste.

Wrap Carefully: Wrap fragile items in layers of clothing or towels to protect them during the move. This is a low-cost way to keep your belongings safe.

Hire Cheap Movers in Toronto

Get Multiple Quotes: Contact several moving companies in Toronto and ask for price quotes. Compare the prices and services they offer to find the best deal.

Book in Advance: Try to book your movers well in advance. Last-minute bookings can be more expensive, so plan ahead.

Ask for Discounts: Don't be afraid to ask the movers if they have any discounts or special offers. Sometimes, they may have promotions that can help you save money.

Flexible Moving Dates: If possible, be flexible with your moving dates. Some days of the week or times of the month may be cheaper for moving services.

In conclusion, finding local movers in Toronto is possible if you follow these simple tips. Reuse boxes and bins, get rid of unnecessary items, use DIY cushioning, and compare quotes from different movers. With a little planning, you can save money on your move and make it a stress-free experience.

[moveanytime]

What kinds of things do you have in your Henderson, Nevada, storage unit?

People in Henderson, Nevada, store furniture, appliances, tools, and other household items in their storage units. Some people also use their storage units to store cars, boats, motorcycles, and other vehicles. People store clothes, furniture, and other things in their storage units. People often keep the following things in their storage units: People put clothes in their storage unit so they don't have to pack and move them every time they move. People also store furniture in their storage unit because it is easier to move than a lot of other things.

How do you feel about these things being kept in your storage unit?

People have a wide range of feelings when it comes to storage. Some people might be excited about the idea of having more space, while others might be worried about damage or theft. No matter how someone feels about storage units in general, most people would probably agree on a few things. Almost everyone agrees that putting things in a storage unit should be safe and sound.

Give reasons why storage is so important to you

One of the most important things in our lives is how we store things. It helps us keep our things safe and in order, and it also saves us money. Here are some important things about storage:

1) Storage gives you a safe place to keep your things. If you don't have a place to keep your things, someone could steal them or a fire could damage them. 2) Having a place to store things can help you save money on groceries and other costs. For example, if you have extra food that isn't being used, you can put it in a storage unit and eat it when you need to without buying groceries.

Move Anytime service for portable storage containers

Move Anytime is the perfect service for you if you need a place to store your things without having to move them yourself. This company sells portable storage containers that can be moved anywhere in the United States. There are many sizes and colors to choose from, so there is sure to be one that fits your needs.

You can store anything from clothes to furniture with this service, which is one of its best features. Also, since everything is kept in containers, it's much easier to move than if your things were all over your house or apartment.

Our storage service is easy to use and cheap

If you need a place to store your things, you might want to use our easy and inexpensive storage service. Our facility is right in the middle of downtown Toronto, and we have many different storage options to meet your needs.

Items like furniture, clothes, and electronics can be stored in a safe place with climate control at our facility. You can also choose from our different storage units, which are as small as closets and as big as garages. We also have a number of extra services, like access around the clock and free moving supplies.

If you need a place to store things in Henderson, Nevada, you might want to think about Self Storage USA. We have a lot of different storage units for you to choose from, and we're dedicated to giving you great service. Our team at Move Anytime is here to help you find the best short-term or long-term storage solution for your needs.

[college-girl199328]

Almost three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, testing for the coronavirus is becoming less common and less relevant in Canada, experts say.

The federal government scrapped pre-arrival PCR test requirements for travellers last February and is ending new shipments of rapid antigen tests to provinces and territories.

While supply is not an issue as Ottawa and provincial health authorities have millions of rapid tests in their stockpiles, demand appears to be waning.

“So it may be that a year from now or so, the rapid test may not be necessarily useful,” he told Global News.

"As the virus has mutated over time, the emergence of new variants has also reduced the sensitivity of the antigen tests," said Evans.

Dr. Anna Banerji, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto, said in her opinion, people are using rapid antigen tests less because there is no longer a public health strategy to deal with COVID-19.

Money is another factor to consider, as “these tests are not cheap,” said Evans, so there might be less of an appetite from the government to continue picking up the cost for a tool that was not relied upon to paint a picture of the pandemic in the first place.

Instead, PCR testing done in labs has helped track COVID-19 case numbers and positivity rates in the community, he said.

Ottawa has ordered more than 811 million rapid tests since the beginning of the pandemic, with a price tag of about $5 billion, of which 680 million went to provinces and territories.

So far, the provinces have been providing these tests for free at pharmacies, grocery checkouts, and other locations.

Health Canada said the decision to end shipments at the end of January was made in collaboration with provinces and territories, as the regions have enough supply.

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid antigen tests were an essential go-to for many Canadians.

Cutting back on supply might make it difficult for people who want to continue testing themselves, said Evans.

“It’s going to be really challenging without the rapid test for many people who have relied on them to really figure out if the symptoms they’re having of a respiratory tract infection are due to COVID or just due to some other virus,” he said.

There is also a risk of further spread of COVID since viral shedding can occur up to seven days after COVID-19 symptoms develop, Evans said.

According to Health Canada, there are 90 million rapid tests in the federal inventory, but 6.5 million of those will expire this year and the rest will expire within two years.

Once these tests go beyond their expiration date, accuracy becomes questionable, Evans said.

He said antigen tests can still be safely used one or two months after their expiration, but the reliability is going to diminish the further away one gets from the expiration date on the package.

"There is nothing in the rapid antigen tests that is particularly biologically hazardous, especially if they have never been used," said Evans.

And most pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals are well equipped with biological waste containers, so they should be able to take care of any large lots of expired tests that need disposal.

[joshuanoiper]

Exactly How to Pay Much Less for Virtually Every Little Thing

Acquire what you desire, when you want, with money to extra It’s simple to discover sales nowadays. Yet why stop there? Below are dozens of insider pointers as well as savvy strategies to aid you obtain the lowest rates on hairstyles, residence paint, clothes, cameras-you name it.

” OOPS” PAINT Hardware and paint-store consumers that overestimate just how much paint they require return the unopened containers, which are stocked in the “mistints” area. Canisters of this “remnant” paint-perfect for restrooms as well as other little projects-sell for half cost. “Everybody makes mistakes,” states Jacqueline Glass, an interior decorator and also featured professional on Citytv Toronto’s home-decorating programs. “As well as many times the colours are really rather great.” Finest time to go: Monday. You’ll likely get a much better choice as the do-it-yourselfers make their returns over the weekend.

Go Ethnic Whether it’s distinct home-décor things or extravagant fabrics, the best offers are constantly closest to the source. Ethnic areas in Canadian cities are peppered with family-run stores offering great locates at dirt-cheap costs. “I have located rice-paper lanterns for $5 in Chinatown, contrasted to $30 somewhere else, and also covered sandalwood soap for less than a buck, compared to $6 at a boutique,” says Elaine Yong, Vancouver’s Citytv consumer expert. These areas can additionally be fantastic for grocery stores. You’ll frequently obtain the freshest produce for half what you would certainly pay at a large chain.

[stenoodie]

Flashfood Hauls in April 2024

Flashfood Hauls in April 2024. #8bestbags #produceandfruits #frozenfish #addicted

My most favourite Flashfood haul to date – 8 bags of produce (and 1 pack of salmon trimmings) On the Flashfood app, you can buy discounted food that’s about to near its “best before” date from supermarkets across Toronto and the states.  I have loved using this app religiously since June 2023 to purchase groceries for my family and saving money.  We have also tried a lot of new products we…

[buddy-basket]

Many people believe the peanut is not as nutritionally valuable as true nuts like almonds, walnuts, or cashews. But actually, peanuts have many of the same health benefits as the more expensive nuts and should not be overlooked as a nutritious food. Groundnuts may improve incendiary skin concerns like dermatitis, since peanuts gloat a general unsaturated fats, which may assist with causing your skin to feel good, and look better by diminishing aggravation. Buy Ground Nuts online from the best Indian Grocery store online in Canada and get them delivered on your doorstep.

[hockeyplayerstories]

Sammy Blais | How and when he fell in love with you

(This is a start of something I guess)

You didn’t think Vince was capable of coming up with this idea, so it was a huge surprise for you when he revealed later on that it had worked. Vince had began his stream as usual, late into the day when he thought everyone was getting home from work, although he got a few comments from his viewers that they were just about to start cooking their suppers or just about to hop in the shower or something along those lines before he announced he was streaming. He, of course, got reminded that he'd said in the last stream that he’d have a few guests playing with Steve and him.

“Oh yeah, who is the guest Vince? Sammy was last stream's guest and he is back in for this stream. Do I know them?” Steve asked with a voice that sounded as if he was smiling while reading Vince's streams chat, knowing exactly who was joining the boys and what Vince was planning.

Sammy was looking at Vince with a confused expression from across their living room in they’re shared apartment as he answered Steve’s question. “Oh! Wow I knew I forgot to do something, I forgot to ask the guest if they wanted to play with us. Oops,” Vince said laughing, laughing even harder as people in his chat started chirping him for forgetting the most important thing.

You had just finished eating when you received a text from Vince Dunn, or Vincent Dunncent in your Contacts, asking if you wanted to join Steve, Sammy and him for a few rounds of Squads. It was quickly followed by a text from Steve, or STEVO as you had come to know him by, saying, “Vince is trying to set you up with Sammy. If you don’t already know of him, he is very nice and sweet, and he is also from Quebec!!” Followed by a laughing emoji.

You sent back to Steve “I know LMAO.”

So the plan begins—now let me backtrack a little bit...

Born and raised in Quebec, you had moved to Toronto because of your job in the fashion industry. A new business had opened up and needed help with their production, designs and marketing so you were hired along with a couple others from your old job. You all decided to just live together with the agreement that the rent and groceries were split between all four of you. Everyone pulled their weight and voiced if they needed help with anything.

A schedule was quickly made for who’s turn it was to get coffee in the morning before work depending on what day it was. The first day of the week and very first day of work was your turn but having never been to Toronto before, you had no idea where a cheap but good coffee shop was. So you looked around to ask someone, working out a sentence in English in your head for maybe the first time in a long time.

You spotted a tuff of curly brown hair under a hood of a familiar hoodie seen in many streams you’d watched of his. You knew it was him because of his bright green eyes that could be seen from far. He was out walking with some friends so you didn’t really want to bother him, but you really needed coffee so you just went for it.

“Excuse me Vince!” you called out as he passed with the best English you could muster—ew, even you cringed at the French accent coming through that sentence.

He stopped and turned his head to look behind him to you before smiling. “Oh, hey! Wassup?” he asked as he came a little closer to hear what you had to say back.

“Um sorry to bother you but I was just wondering if you knew of a cheap but good coffee shop? Sorry about my English, I’m from Québec.”

He just smiled. “You aren’t a bother at all, we were actually just going to a coffee shop now. You can join us if you want?” he asked after looking at his friends. They didn’t seem to mind. You nodded your head and walked with them, explaining why you were here in Toronto first and then ending with where you were from. That’s how you became friends with Vince and not long after, friends with Steve. A couple months have passed since but for some reason, you still haven't met or spoken with Sammy.

You didn’t know until later on that Vince had this whole plan all figured out from the time he met you, that he was trying to set you up with his French teammate/roommate. Of course, you were supposed to meet in person but that changed due to Covid. Vince almost gave up, even told you about his idea of wanting you to go on a date with Sammy, assuming it was a no-go for a long time. You liked the idea, Sammy was cute and sounded like a sweetheart, so you helped Vince think of a different idea. Luckily, you were pretty decent at Fortnite so you told Vince to pretend that you were a guest joining them to play and then it would go from there. He quickly agreed to that plan.

Back to present time.

“I am ready, send me invite plz,” you replied to Vince’s text.

“you took too long to reply, we are playing one more of Trio and then you join,” he sent back. Really Vince? Ugh, boys. You were just putting your dishes in the dishwasher, didn’t even take that long! Smh.

Vince’s POV

“Hey boys, we’ll just play one more of Trios before the guest joins,” I said since Y/N didn’t reply back right away.

“Ok sure,” both boys answered. I saw that she was online, but it was also around the same time she usually ate so I assumed she was eating or doing something important before the games.

It was 5 minutes into the game when she replied to my text. “HA the guest just sent back that they were ready,” I said as I sent her a reply, it wasn’t a big deal as it was still a little early, and I was actually a little nervous. I’d never done something like this, and I didn't really know if it would go as planned or be a success since they couldn't meet in person for a long time, if it came to that part.

[globiness]

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[flowerfan2]

One Night in Milwaukee - Ch. 6

(Now with my new cover art...)

David x Patrick, 2700 words this chapter (A03) 18k so far.  Read from the beginning here.

Summary:  Being stuck in the Milwaukee airport is bad enough. Then David realizes that the man who broke his heart is sitting right next to him.  After a rom-com worthy reunion, David and Patrick decide to give it another try.

Chapter 6

There’s a new lightness in the air as they settle back inside the house, David kicking back on the couch while Patrick pokes around in the kitchen.  He really does need to make a list and do a real grocery run – although he appreciates David’s efforts to save him the trouble.

David grumbles at his phone and stands up.  “Do you mind if I deal with this?  There’s a problem with a supplier, it’ll go faster if I just talk to her instead of sending endless e-mails.”

“Of course not, go ahead.”

Patrick watches David head back towards the bedroom, his phone already up to his ear.  Patrick’s glad that David is still involved with Rose Apothecary, even if it’s not what it used to be.  At least it means that some part of what they created together survived.

Patrick heard about what happened with the store itself from Stevie, how David relocated it near Toronto, but eventually closed down the physical location.  Stevie told Patrick that David’s heart didn’t seem to be in it anymore, but now that Patrick knows that David was depressed, he wonders how much Stevie knew.  Patrick wouldn’t have been able to do it, either – have the store, but not David.  It was always about the two of them together, left brain and right brain working in tandem.  If he had to run Rose Apothecary by himself, it would definitely have lost its heart.

Patrick finishes up the grocery list, the act of neatly putting down everything he needs soothing in its own right, and sits down on the couch with a glass of water.  He’s tired, again.  It seems like he can’t go ten minutes without wanting to lie down.  It’s been a week since he was hurt, and he thought he’d feel better by now.

Patrick remembers David scolding him, on the plane, for traveling so soon.  He probably has a point, but if Patrick hadn’t decided to get out of town, he wouldn’t have run into David, and that’s worth a lot more than sore ribs.

He leans back on the couch and closes his eyes, wincing as his muscles relax.  If he concentrates, he can hear David’s voice as he talks on the phone, the cadence familiar and reassuring.

Patrick wakes up to the tantalizing aroma of garlic sizzling in a pan.  He grabs his phone, dismayed to find that it’s almost six o’clock, the whole afternoon having gone by while he napped on the couch.

“Hey there,” David says, leaning down to press a kiss to his cheek.  “You’re up just in time.  Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes or so, I was just getting ready to heat the water.

Patrick reaches for David, and David’s face lights up as he sinks onto the couch next to him and pulls him into a hug.  “Hi,” Patrick says, still half-asleep.  It feels too easy, to have David right here with him, to be breathing into his shoulder like nothing ever went wrong.

“Hi,” David responds, rubbing his palms over Patrick’s back.  “Have a good nap?”

“Sorry I slept so much.”  He almost resents missing the time with David.  Time with David is far more interesting than sleeping.

“Not a problem,” David says.  “Gave me the chance to take the Camry out for another spin.”

“Ugh, you did the shopping again?”  

“I did, and thanks, by the way, for the detailed list.  Although I’m not sure that you needed to specify back-ups for each of the items. I’m pretty sure I could figure out what brand of tomato sauce to buy if your top choice wasn’t available.”

“That list wasn’t meant for you,” Patrick grumbles.  “I just like having a plan.”

“I know, sweetheart, I know.”  David kisses Patrick again, and stands up despite Patrick’s grabby hands.  It feels so good to have David close to him, he doesn’t want to let go. “You go freshen up while I finish, if I don’t get the water going it’ll be forever until we can eat.”

Patrick uses the bathroom and puts some after-sun lotion on his face, where a bit of color is just appearing on his nose and cheeks.  It doesn’t take much.  He needs to remember to use sunscreen down here, or else he’s going to turn into a lobster.

When he comes out, David is working on the Bolognese, and there’s a large pot of water heating on the stove.  

“That smells great,” Patrick says, leaning around David to check out the sauce.  He lets his hand linger on David’s waist.  David has put on a pair of his own black jeans, but he’s still wearing Patrick’s dark green t-shirt from this morning.  It stretches enticingly across David’s shoulders as he stirs the pot.

“You still like this, right?”  David asks.  “You haven’t become a vegetarian, or anything like that?”

Patrick laughs.  “If didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have put the ingredients on the list.”  

David has set out dishes and silverware on the kitchen island where they had their breakfast.  The room also has a small round table, but it’s covered in piles of all the junk mail that has been delivered since his parents were last here, and the groceries David bought this afternoon.

There’s a bottle of wine there too, the one Patrick had listed as his top choice on the list he made earlier.  It’s an easy to drink table red that he remembered being able to buy when he was visiting his parents last winter, with a very high class screw top.  He thinks David will like it, and it will pair well with the tomato sauce.

Patrick opens the bottle and searches around in the cabinets for two matching wine glasses.

“Oh, um, none for me, thanks,” David says as Patrick sets the two glasses down next to their plates.

“You sure?  It’s not fancy, but it’s not as bad as Herb’s fruit wine, either.”  Patrick is surprised, but not particularly so, not until he turns and sees the deer-in-headlights look on David’s face.  “David?  You okay?”

“What?  Oh, yeah.  It’s fine.”

Patrick watches David as he slowly empties the box of pasta into the boiling water, giving the task quite a bit more attention than it needs.  Deciding not to push, he screws the cap back on the bottle of red and puts it down on the table, and exchanges the wine glasses for water glasses.

David turns to him, his face scrunched up and pained.  “You can have wine.”

“Nah, it’s okay.”

“No, I mean, just because I’m not having any, it’s okay if you do.”  

“I get that, thanks.”

David shakes his head.  “So why did you put the wine away?”

“It’s not as much fun if it’s just me.”  Patrick realizes that this might not be the best thing to say as soon as the words leave his mouth, but he can’t quite figure out how to fix it.  

After a few moments of awkward silence, David speaks up, keeping his eyes on the stove.  “I’m not an alcoholic.  And I’m not going to fall off the wagon if there’s a glass of wine in my vicinity.”

Patrick thinks back to the many evenings they spent curled up on the couch with a glass of wine, whether something cheap from Brebner’s or a reserve vintage they nabbed from the store.  He’s never known David to have a problem with alcohol.  Between the two of them, Patrick was the lightweight, and much more likely to get tipsy.  Clearly there has to be a reason for David’s decision to abstain, whether it qualifies as alcoholism or not, but given how nervous David looks, Patrick wants to tread lightly.

“You can tell me as little or as much as you want to about why you’re not drinking, David.  It’s okay no matter what the reason.”

Patrick’s standing close enough to David that he can see him swallowing hard, trying to keep his composure.  The last thing he wants is to send them off the rails into another emotional meltdown.  David clearly feels put on the spot, and that’s not what he meant to do.  He certainly doesn’t want David to feel like he’s being judged.  It would be the worst kind of hypocrisy at this point.

Patrick clears his throat a little, not sure how to launch this discission, but then decides to jump right in.  “You know, the night I was attacked, with Jamie, I was hammered.  Wasted.  I made some bad decisions that I probably wouldn’t have made if I was sober.”

David steps away from the pot of boiling water and stares at Patrick.  “What are you talking about?”

Patrick recognizes David’s “I need a minute to catch up” phrase, and understands.  He wishes he could have found a way to work this into conversation more smoothly, but there is a connection, and he needs to get it out.  However he goes at it, the explanation is a rough one, and Patrick’s been stumbling over it in his own mind for a week now.  At least if he manages to spit it out, he might be able to come to terms with it.

“My aunt had asked me to get together with Jamie to check in on him, saying he was having a hard time at university.  But really she was asking Jamie to check in on me.  I wasn’t doing well – I hadn’t found a new job, wasn’t even really looking, and I was pretty miserable.  So I let Jamie convince me that going out with him and his college friends was a good look for a thirty-something guy, and I sat at the bar all night and drank tequila shots.”

“But you don’t even like tequila,” David says, breathless.

“No, I don’t.  It’s disgusting.”

“It is.” David nods sympathetically. He takes Patrick by the arm and pulls him out of the kitchen, sitting him down on the couch and letting his hands rest on his shoulders.  “Okay.  Tell me the rest.”

Patrick is almost thankful that David won’t let him end the story there.  It’s time to get it out.  “Jamie was flirting with another guy, some other kids started talking shit, and I got up to intervene, thinking I would save the day and defend him.  I imagined myself some kind of hero.  But I was so drunk, whatever I was saying was just making it worse.  I wasn’t being clever, I was just being loud and aggressive.  Jamie dragged me outside, trying to avoid trouble.  But the asshole kids followed us out, and that’s when it got physical.”

“Patrick.”  David’s eyes are wide, and he stares at Patrick for a long moment, then pulls him into his arms.  “I’m so sorry,” David says, holding him tight.  “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry too,” Patrick says.  “It’s fucking embarrassing.”

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong-”

“I kind of did,” Patrick corrects him, squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his face into David’s hair.  “I’m not blaming the victim here, but this was more your run-of-the-mill bar fight than a hate crime.  I was blitzed off my ass, I said some stupid stuff to some hyped-up kids practically half my age, and I got beat up.”

“You only got in a fight because you were defending your cousin,” David says.  “Who was the target of homophobic animals.”

“I’ll accept 90% bar fight, 10% hate crime,” Patrick says, sinking into David’s embrace.

“At least fifty-fifty.”  David’s big hand is holding Patrick’s head against his own.  Patrick shifts a little, and then he’s sitting in David’s lap, surrounded by David’s arms, his scent, his breath.

“I feel like an idiot,” Patrick says softly, and David shakes his head in denial.  

“You’re not an idiot.”

“Wouldn’t you be embarrassed if you got yourself into that situation?”  Patrick asks.

David rubs his hands up and down Patrick’s back, and his sore muscles twinge, but Patrick doesn’t pull away.  It feels too good to be wrapped up in David like this.  “Maybe a little.  But they <i>assaulted</i> you.  No matter what you said to them, that’s criminal.”  David turns his face and his nose presses into Patrick’s hair.  “Did you talk to the police?  Do you want to talk to our lawyer?  Now that my family has money again, she’s returning our calls.”

“No, I reported it, the guy who kicked me is probably pleading out.  I didn’t want to have to deal with it.”

“And so you booked a flight to Florida.”

“I did.”

The timer on the stove goes off and they both jump, Patrick regretting it instantly as his ribs protest.

“Oh, god, sorry, are you okay?” David babbles, his hands reaching to steady Patrick as they untangle themselves.

“I’m fine,” Patrick says with a smile.  He gives David’s hand a squeeze and then they make their way into the kitchen to deal with their dinner, Patrick searching for a strainer for the pasta as David turns off the heat.  They work together easily, plating their food and digging in, and their conversation returns to mundane things like whether Patrick’s version of Bolognese is appropriate even though it’s made with ground beef, and why flat pasta tastes better than round pasta.  

They’ve finished loading the dishwasher and putting away their leftovers when David stops wiping the counter and turns to Patrick, one hand on his hip.  “So, you don’t care if I don’t drink?”  David’s face is studiously neutral, but Patrick can tell he’s nervous about Patrick’s answer.

“Nope.  I really don’t.  It’d be good for me to stop, too.  At least for a while.”

David holds Patrick’s gaze, and for a moment Patrick thinks he’s going to argue, but then he just nods.  “Okay.”

“Okay.”

They migrate to the couch, and David turns on another cooking show (this one has the contestants running through a grocery store to find their ingredients, and it makes Patrick think about David at the nearby supermarket this afternoon, patiently going through Patrick’s ridiculously detailed list to find the 15 oz cans of organic, fire-roasted petite diced tomatoes), and before he knows it Patrick is nodding off.

“Hey.”

Patrick opens his eyes, finding David looking at him from the other end of the couch.

“Want to go to bed?”

Patrick squints to see the time on the clock in the kitchen.  “It’s not even nine.”

David shrugs.  “So?”  He stands up and holds out his hand.  “I’m open to an early night.”

It should bother him, this coddling from David, but it doesn’t.  After he got beat up, Patrick had quickly turned away his parents’ suggestion that he come home to recuperate.  At the time he was too upset about where he had ended up – alone, unemployed, and frankly feeling like an idiot for having let his life turn into such a mess – to let his family take care of him.  He can’t believe it was only a week ago.  And it was only forty-eight hours ago that he ran into David in the Milwaukee airport.  It’s crazy how quickly everything has changed.

Patrick takes David’s hand and lets him help him up off the couch.  He leans into David and tucks his face in the crook of his neck, and David hums reassurance and pats his shoulders.  David smells like garlic and onions and Rose Apothecary body milk, and Patrick wants to stay here forever.

“Sorry, you’ll fall asleep on your feet, and that won’t work for either of us,” David says, and Patrick realizes he must have said that last bit out loud that.  No harm done, it seems.

They take turns in the bathroom, and get changed into sleep clothes, David wearing the same striped t-shirt Patrick remembers from way back at Ray’s house.  “Okay if I read for a while?” David asks, propping a pillow behind himself.  He blinks at Patrick, his dark lashes hypnotizing, until Patrick rouses himself enough to respond.

“Of course.”  Patrick slides under the covers and tucks himself against David almost automatically, his drowsiness letting him get away with it without even feeling awkward.  David curls his arm around Patrick’s body, holding him close, and Patrick drifts off feeling better than he has in a long, long time.

[foodrunnerca]

Reasons to Try Groceries Delivery London

One of the more popular reasons to try groceries delivery london ontario is because many of the stores deliver. This includes both corner and nationwide grocery stores. Most people are used to having supermarkets close to them, as it is where most of the food that they eat is prepared. But even if they don't have a superstore close by, grocery delivery can be arranged for those who live in the surrounding area.

Grocery stores that deliver can be found in most cities in the world. But perhaps there are few places in the world that have as many different kinds of grocery store delivery services as London, Ontario does. Its home to Canada's famous Toronto Zoo, and a number of museums. It doesn't matter what kind of grocery store delivery service you need, the chances are good that there will be at least a few options within driving distance.

The costs associated with grocery store delivery to London aren't cheap, but they are certainly worth the price. One reason to consider trying grocery store delivery is the fact that you will always have fresh produce. When you eat food that is left sitting around, it can go bad or develop chemicals that can make it unpleasant to eat later. And when you order food online, you can be sure that it will arrive fresh.

Another reason to consider grocery delivery is that many types of foods are delivered to you in different parts of the day. If you're not accustomed to eating certain foods all day long, this can be a great way to introduce healthier eating into your diet. Groceries delivery allows you to sample new foods as you would like. This means that you don't have to starve yourself while you await meals from your order. You can sample new foods and find out which ones you prefer. While it doesn't happen very often, if you try grocery store delivery in your area, you may get to sample healthy foods before other food options become familiar to you.

If you don't like foods that you find already in your refrigerator, there is no reason to keep them there if you can find grocery delivery services that deliver fresh frozen items. Some of these items can even be shipped to you in regular packages, so you don't even have to pay extra for the food. When you are expecting food from a delivery service, you should check to see what kinds of foods are available. Sometimes you might find something that you didn't expect. Other times, you might find foods that you never thought you would like for quite some time!

Many people wonder where they will find grocery store delivery london ontario, and the answer is right under their noses. Your local supermarket will likely have at least one branch that offers this service, and you might find that some locations offer the service free of charge. You can use the same kind of coupons you typically use at the grocery store to save money while shopping. You should also look for deals at the store so that you can get even more for your money.

Before you head out to the grocery store, you should make sure that you know how many packages your local delivery service offers. This can help you to better plan out what you need ahead of time. If you have any bulky or large items, you can usually call and get them sent out free of charge through your local DPD. However, the DPD does not usually deliver to doorsteps.

One of the best reasons to try grocery delivery london ontario canada is that you won't have to waste time waiting in line for the mail to arrive. Even if you are living in the city, most delivery services deliver throughout the Canada. They might deliver the food to your doorstep in the middle of the night, but they will still usually take days to deliver it. So, not only are you getting great food, but you are also getting it quickly.

[arshinquarantine]

online shopping

To be honest, I don't really care for online shopping. A million little neurons fire off in my brain when I give someone money and they give me an object instantly. Who I was with, how I looked when I first tried it on, what I felt when I first tasted it, how much of a bargain it was, the feel of seams on my fingers or the weight of deckled pages in my hands, the caution I threw to the winds or the impulse that I permitted to seize me all combine in a few seconds to inject one simple emotion into my simple brain: buying shit feels good. Until recently, online shopping was utterly devoid of any positive emotion for me. I don't like computers, and they particularly irk me when they ask me to punch my credit card number or (worse) save it. I don't like waiting for boxes to arrive or dealing with going to the post office to pick them up or the endless amounts of recycling I'm going to have to do. I also absolutely do not have the time or the will or the discipline to return roughly half of what I buy because I'm picky and women's sizing for anything is a hot mess, so piles of unwanted shit pile up in my tiny apartment taking up valuable real estate. So I generally go out of my way to avoid the whole business of it all. 

For the first few months of the quarantine, I lived like a purist, buying only what I absolutely needed to online. Unfortunately for me, I was living in an unfurnished apartment (the sum total of the furniture I owned was a mattress, a shitty dollar walmart desk, and a shittier dollar walmart chair) so I actually needed to buy a lot of stuff and I dragged my feet miserably through it all. It took me weeks to pick out basic white Crate & Barrel plates for my kitchen, another few months before I committed to a bookshelf that held only about a third of the books I own, and far too long to buy a bed frame. The worst crime of all was my sofa; when I think about how many months I lived with only my mattress or my floor to sit on, I genuinely wonder how far my propensity for masochism can truly go.  Ordering my groceries online was simply out of the question, I remained staunchly devoted to buying them in store even when I had to wait 40 minutes in line for my turn.

Soon, the early alarming but novel weeks of covid gave way to the later mundane, claustrophobic ones. After a few weeks of regularly working out, I realized that there was no world for me to emerge into with my newer, hotter body. The comfort I got from my group chats and zoom hangouts soon petered out, and I returned to cooking my usual 20 minute weeknight meals. Stuck in a new apartment, in a new city, without a car (I can't even drive so this is actually moot tbh) my world quietly shrunk to the 600 odd square feet of hastily, partially furnished space I could call my own (now shared with a sibling) and a few blocks in either direction. I wore the same clothes, called the same people, walked the same walk, shopped at the same Shoppers, made the same complaints and wallowed in the same worries, and then I woke up and I did it all over again.

And then I decided that it was time for something new, and I've been searching for newness ever since. A "resurfacing" night cream that promised to make my skin brighter. A houndstooth blazer from an online vintage store that fit like it was tailored for me. A monstera plant that unfurled leaf after leaf under my distracted care before I finally succeeded in killing it. A bluetooth speaker to fill my home with the sound of qawwalis my dad taught me to love. The boxes would arrive days, sometimes weeks after I make the actual purchase, feeling more like a gift from an unknown benefactor than something I furtively paid for. I used to dislike online shopping for its delayed gratification, but soon began to covet it for exactly that reason, like the steady cadence of a few minutes of excitement made me feel like I was accomplishing the impossible task of feeling an emotion. A cheap rug. An expensive sofa. Baking equipment. Painting equipment. Exercise equipment. Books about best friendship, books about love, about a dying earth and dying mothers, set in Syria and Detroit, Naples and Busan, some devoured, some discarded, all read in hot pursuit of staving off how utterly dead I felt on the inside. Each box that landed on my doorstep neatly filled a hole in my life, a void that never seemed to shrink.

It felt reckless and frivolous—childish even—to allow myself to keep getting things that would make me happy. It contradicted everything I wanted to believe about myself: that I was unaffected by anything money could buy, able to achieve complete inner peace by simply "thinking good thoughts", and minimalist to my core. How positively pathetic of me, I'd think, to need a "thing" or an "item" to be able to feel happiness. Even as I searched within myself for gratitude at my good fortune, my good health, I often came up empty, and the answers to all my questions seemed for lie, for however brief a moment, in whatever Instagram thought I should buy that week, silently delivered in recyclable packaging, with a return label and a promise of brief delight.

Most people my age, my peers haven't lived through an event as seismic as this. The idea that life being irreversibly changed even after this, that it already has changed feels alien to me, a square peg trying to jam itself into the round hold where my brain used to be. Life as it used to be feels right around the corner, just a week away, just a month away, just a season away, and soon, I tell myself, I will get back the normalcy of buying four americanos in three hours to keep my internet access at the cafe I've been working at, the fun in an afternoon spent mindlessly window shopping, the stupid joy in dancing the night away in a sweet and sticky club, the relief in resting my head against the shoulder of a friend, the discomfort of getting on the subway at rush hour, the ordeal of a 15 hour flight home to see my little sister.

I lost family members this year, and I spend my weekends flitting between my numb grief and a website that sells silk pyjama sets. Sometimes, I don't speak to my father for days, afraid that he might see right through my false cheer. Sending him pictures of the first snow, my meals and paintings seems enough to me. Lately I've been waking up from dreams that range from bad to fully qualified nightmares about my mom's health. I haven't seen her in nineteen months. I ruminate over where I want to live, if I want children, who I want them with, new questions that have cropped up and firmly planted themselves on my brain. I find myself rejecting the companionship of the friends on my phone. I want them here in Toronto, so we can laugh at the past, and marvel at the present, our warm bodies pressed against one another. And I crave the thrill of deep conversation with new people who remain interesting to me for only as long as I know nothing about them. Loneliness seems to run like a thread throughout everyone's twenties, I suppose, and I'm unable to tease out where the disorientation of being 24 ends and the isolation of living in a pandemic begins. But tangled up, they are stronger together and frighten me everyday, and I surround myself with boxes and yet more boxes to ward them off.

[msbarrows]

Out and about in Toronto, on a rainy day - on my way back to my sister’s place after making a grocery/snack food run to the nearest Loblaws.

What was supposed to be a brief stay to give her a hand for a few weeks post-surgery is stretching out to probably the end of November and possibly longer, as what was supposed to be her final surgery has ended being a penultimate surgery instead (ack), and the final surgery, while necessary, is of low enough priority to be considered ‘elective’ for scheduling purposes, apparently.

Don’t mind the visit, especially as I’ve been able to schedule in my own already-delayed-once-thanks-covid cataract surgeries for early to mid November, but damn. I miss my own bed, desk, and desk chair, etc.

Also, I only packed for early fall (mostly tshirts, along with a flannel shirt, a light knit hoodie, and a heavier fleece-lined fluffy hoodie). I’ve already had to make a shopping trip to pick up a new fall jacket (which I've been meaning to get around to purchasing for a few years anyway) and a couple more fleece hoodies for layering options. Depending on how long this stretches out, I might end up having to get my brother to ship me a box of sweaters, more socks, and my winter coat.

And yup, I’d only packed enough tea for a few weeks, too, so I’ve also been running around to different grocery stores to buy a stock of teas.  And when you buy all your preferred teas at the same time instead of spreading them out to when you’re either out or spot them on a good sale, they add up fast. At least I can get stuff like white and oolong teas in-store here at fairly cheap prices, instead of having to brave the costly hellhole that is Amazon third party pricing.