Bike coins

Not having found coins for so long, I've gotten out of the blogging habit. And now that I work in the suburbs, lost coins are far and few between. When I do find a coin or two, it takes a few days for the slug in me to get around to write about it.

On Monday (December 9), I took the day off work to write a test for an online course I'm taking. Part of the requirement is we have to write the final at the college. I took the GO train downtown and walked from Union Station to the college. Being the first to write the test, I discovered all the issues. I was sent away (since they couldn't find the test) and asked to return. This gave them time to figure out what happened. 

I walked from the college to my old work location to meet my former workmates for lunch. Enroute I found a salt covered penny (year unknown) on the south side of Front Street, just west of the St. Lawrence Market.

We had lunch at a place called Dazzling - good food, nice selection of lunch specials and not expensive. (I had a spring roll and red curry veges. It also came with a salad-very yummy). And best of all, I got to catch up with my workmates. On my walk back to the college, I found a 2008 quarter near the entrance to the subway on the south west corner of King and Yonge.

As you will note from the pictures, both coins were found near bikes, although one bike has definitely seen better days.

Total 26¢.

Down under

So in yesterday's post, I mentioned how I was housebound for almost two months thereby limiting my ability to find lost coins.

I'm back at work and this post is a wee bit tardy. Part of the reason is getting back into blogging, pre-occupation with an online course I'm taking, and the lost camera cable. I put it in a safe place, a place so safe I couldn't remember where it was. Yesterday, the safe place and the cable were located. I didn't want to blog without accompanying photos - how boring would that be. 

Now back to the lost coins.  I'm back at work as of 3 1/2  weeks ago. There have been some changes in the office and I've been moved to a new workstation. While packing up my belongings, namely the box I rest my feet on, I spotted some coins under my desk. Not sure how long the 2008 dime and 1995 penny were there but there was a sprinkling of dust on them.

Total 11¢

Back from my hiatus

Way back in September I had foot surgery - I had a bunion removed from my right foot. As per doctor's orders - no driving, no working, no gym, no walking for six weeks. This pretty well left me house bound. I ventured to very few places while my foot healed.  I had my weekly visits to see Dr. Nadal, the podiatrist who performed the surgery. He changed the bandages and checked to foot to see how it was healing. No coins found during these visits. I did a lot of hobbling around the house. Not a lot of lost coins in the house.

My daughter, who attends the University of Ottawa, was home for Thanksgiving weekend. We were driving her back (I couldn't drive but went along for the ride). Before the drive back home, we decided to get a bite to eat.  I was dropped off in front of restaurant (couldn't walk far and it was raining and I didn't want to get my bandage wet. It was near the restaurant in the Byward Market that I found a 2007 dime.

A couple weeks later, we went to a friend's cottage in Tiny Township. My ability to walk at this point had improved so we went on a quick walk to the beach. (My walking was kept to a minimum as my foot hurt if I walked too much). My dog had a great time. I let her off leash and let her run. Glad she didn't go in the water. It was there I found a  2010 nickel. The dog was checking something out; I went to get her and spotted the dime on the beach. And no, she wasn't checking out the coin, not sure what she was checking out. 

Total 15¢

Event-Full Day

Saturday was a sunny, crisp, mid-September Day and I had it filled with activities.

In the morning, I took my mom to a local farmer's market. We walked around a bit and bought some fresh veges and some fruit from local farmers. The prices at the market aren't cheaper than what the grocery store charges, but you know that what you're buying was just picked and you're supporting local growers.

I found a 2010 quarter near a melon stand. It was under the container holding watermelons. In case you're wondering, I did not buy any melons.

I found a 1968 nickel near a vege stand. I did buy a mix of green and yellow beans and they were yummy.





Later, my husband and I went to two local festivals. We went to the Polish Festival first. I didn't find any coins there but I did enjoy some pierogies, samosas, Polish desserts and other goodies. I also enjoyed the Elvis impersonator, busters juggling, the local musicians, the Polish dancers and musicians and the band Brathanki, who travelled all the way from Poland and performed at this event.

After fun and frolic at this event, we went to the Ukrainian Festival. It was also a hub of activity with merchants selling all kinds of stuff including Ukrainian style clothes. We missed the Ukrainian dancers but we did catch a Ukrainian band playing on the main stage. I didn't catch their name but they were great! We also caught a top notch Irish type band performing. I found a 2004 dime in front of a deflating carnival treat blow-up tent.

Total find: one nickel, one dime, and one quarter for a total of 40¢

Grocery Coins

I work in the suburbs now. There are pluses and minuses to this - being able to run errands is one of the pluses. Since I was away for the long weekend, there wasn't much in the fridge for lunch making. I decided to go to the grocery store (a Fortinos) that's about a seven minute drive from my office. Thought I would pick up some groceries and check out their deli department for a possible lunch.

I passed their flower department enroute to the deli department. Near the orchids I spotted a nickel (a 2012). This deli department has lots of goodies to chose from - salads, sandwiches, wraps, soups and an assortment of other goodies. After paying for my lunch (a grilled vege panini), I spotted a 2004 by the deli window.

Total find: 15¢

University Bound

Shoppers Doorway

Labour Day weekend. The last long weekend of the summer. My daughter is starting her first year at the University of Ottawa. We drove out to Ottawa with a car packed to the brim with her stuff. We left Friday morning. Her check in time was Saturday morning and leaving 4 am to make it for the 9 am check was not appealing, so we left Friday. We made it to Ottawa in good time, checked into our hotel and went wandering around the city, checking out some of the sites and buying last minute necessities.

One of our stops was the Rideau Centre. We went to the Shoppers Drug Mart at the mall to get stuff like toothpaste and vitamins. When we were leaving, I found a 2011 dime by the exit door. Later, we went to the Byward Market. Wouldn't you know it that it started raining. Good thing we brought umbrellas. In front of the drug store on the corner of Clarence and Dalhousie, I found a US penny. Both of these coins were found on August 30. And how coincidental they were both found by drug stores.

Byward drug store

Total find: 11¢ - 10¢ Canadian and 1¢ US.

Shopping Adventures

Saturday morning, we decided to go for a drive. We wound up crossing the boarder and ended up at the outlet mall. Seems many had the same idea. You wouldn't know we were in the States with all the Ontario license plates in the packed mall parking lot. We don't often go cross boarder shopping - once every couple of years. For the most part, I don't find the prices much lower than sale stuff here. Once in a while you get a really good bargain or you find stuff you can't get here.

Found in the USA

On the drive home, we stopped at Duty Free - not to buy anything but get a beverage at the Tim Hortons attached. There was an ATM near the door to the Duty Free. It was beside this ATM that I found a US dime.

Total 10¢ US

The Ex

Yesterday, I went to the Ex - my yearly excursion. (For those who aren't familiar with the Ex, it is also known as the Canadian National Exhibition, and is an annual Toronto that features a midway filled with games and rides, exhibitors, retailers, animals and assorted entertainment that includes live music, buskers, etc.). I enjoyed it all: the Super Dogs show, the buskers, the music, the merchants and of course the food - the ice cream waffles, pogos, the mini donuts and other goodies. It's my yearly junk food fill. And although a number of people got food poisoning there the other day, I did not.

When walking towards one of the buildings,  I found a 2012 loonie between the bingo game and the ice cream waffle place.

We continued strolling around the fairgrounds. In the mid-way, near the bumper cars, I found another 40¢: 2007 quarter, 2008 dime and a 2012 nickel.

Total find: $1.40

Waffle anyone?

A car ride?

There is a farm on the fairgrounds. There were a couple litters of piggies. One litter was born August 13, the other August 14. It's fun watching these babies crawl all over each other and their mom. Some fall asleep as they eat, some like to crawl on top of their siblings before they pass out. Here's a few photos of the piggies and one of a very sleep calf.

The litter

A close up

Sleepy head?

Parking lot

Recently, I started working at a new location (same company, just moved from downtown to the burbs). I'm closer to home now, which is nice but there isn't much around the office, unless you go for a drive.

The weather has been fabulous so I decided to for a walk in the area- just to see what's around. When I was walking out of the parking lot, I spotted a penny (1952-2002). It looked a little worn.

Total 1¢

An industrial neighbourhood

Burgers anyone?

On our drive home from cottage country, my husband wanted to stop off and grab a burger from Webers - a semi-famous burger place on highway 11 near Orillia. For those that are unfamiliar with this place, it is on the northbound side of the highway but there is a bridge that connects it to a parking lot on the southbound side so whether you're going to the cottage or heading home, you can get to the place and not get yourself killed.

I decided to wait in/by the car with the dog, while he crossed the bridge to get food. I was walking poochie to a grassy area so she could do her business when I spotted a dime (1989) in the gravel in the parking lot.

Hubby came back rather quickly - said the line up was too long and he didn't feel like waiting so we got in the car and continued our trek home.

Total 10¢

Cottage Country

Summer vacation time. Not that we've gone somewhere far and away but it's a vacation away from work so that's a good thing.

We got invited to a friend's cottage for a few days. They have a cottage on an amazing piece of land in Haliburton on Big Hawk Lake.  They have about 200 feet of lake frontage and the sun beams down on their property all day. Can't ask for better than that. I decided to be brave, slip into my bathing suit and go for a dip. I was acclimatizing myself to the "refreshing" water when I noticed a couple of coins in the water - a 2004 nickel and a 1999 dime.  (15¢ total)

If you look carefully at the photo, you can see a little fishy and just below the fish, slightly to the left, you can see the nickel. I had a photo of the dime but due to the sun's reflection, it was really hard to see.

By the Falls

The spot of the find

It's been a long time but I finally found a coin. Didn't think I'd ever find one again.

I was off work today and we decided to go to Niagara Falls for the day. Haven't been to the Falls in long time and today was a perfect day to go. It wasn't too hot so it - great for wandering around.

Tourists were all about - taking as many photos of the sites as I was. We were walking along the falls and I spotted a brand new shiny 2004 penny - Canadian no less. The penny looked like it was fresh from the Mint.

Total find: 1¢

Another tourist shot

Tourist shot 

 

Loose Change

It's been a while since I've blogged. Seems that people are more willing to leave pennies behind but not larger denominations.

Last few weeks (mostly in June, except for the one found today, I found some loose change:

- a 2007 quarter left behind in a shopping cart. Found this one when I was grocery shopping on June 11

- a 2004 nickel outside my local Metro. Found it on June 13 when I was out walking my dog

- a 1982 nickel at the Canadiana Restaurant on June 15. I belong to the Writers and Editors Network. We hold our monthly breakfast meetings at The Canadiana and this is where I found the nickel

- a 2004 penny on the east side of John Street, south of Adelaide near a lamp/bike post. It was found during my lunch time stroll on June 17

- 2011 nickel and a a penny whose date is hard to make out cause it's so green were found on June 18 in the parking lot (Front & Peter) where I like to park my car when I drive to work

- a 2008 dime at Wacky Wings on June 26 - all you can eat wing night

- 1984 and 1994 pennies found on July 2 near a mail box

And finally today, a 1976 quarter from Bermuda. Found it in the lobby of a hospital (took my mom there for an appointment).

Total finds: 54¢ Canadian (one quarter, three nickels, one dime and four pennies) and 25¢ Bermuda

At Last

Station Road

 It's been a couple weeks since I found anything. I thought my coin finding days were over. Lost coins were scarce. None were to be found anywhere until today. Was that because people were ok with losing a penny but not ok with losing a higher currency or are people less likely to pick up a penny?

My first find today was found at the end of the work day near the Station Road entrance to the GO station. It was a 2000 quarter. The road was still a little wet from all the rain we've been having.

Plaza coin

My younger daughter has her prom later this month. We bought a lovely dress that needs minor alterations. There was a call on our answering machine from the dress shop asking her to come to the shop and try on the dress, so we went. Alternation not acceptable - this minor fix has been screwed up so now they need to fix it. Good thing prom is a little over two weeks away. When we were leaving the shop and going to the car, I found the second find of the day (a 2007 nickel). It was on the bottom level of the plaza near the parking area.

Today's total 30¢

On the Stairs

I found these a few days ago (Thursday the 16th) but forgot to write about it.

It was the end of the work day and I was going home. I walked to the GO station and was climbing the stairs to my platform (Platform 27). On these stairs, I spotted two dimes (a 2003 and a 2004).

I think I annoyed the people who showed up behind me as I started climbing the stairs: I made an abrupt stop to whip out my camera and snap a photo of my find so they had to manoeuvre their way around me.

Total 20¢.

Two

Crazy weather day: cold, rain, hail, sun and warmth.

It's been a few days since I found something. I was tired and we had a gift card so we decided to have dinner at Jack Astors today. Yes, the restaurant can be noisy but they something for everyone. I was meeting my husband and daughter there. The Jack's near my house had a Canyon Creek beside it (maybe they all do).

When I was walking from the parking lot to the restaurant I found two dimes: 2001 and 2011.

Total 20¢

Three days in a row

Today, I drove to Kipling GO station. It's not my usual GO station but I drove in with my husband. He takes the subway to his job and I take the train. We don't usually drive in together - only if there's a problem with one of our cars or if one of our daughters needs a car.

Anyway, when I was walking to the end of the platform, I spotted a dime (2013) resting on tar near a bench on the platform - prosperous way to start my day and third day in a row when I found something. I like it.

Total 10¢

The last two days

You know, I can go days without finding anything and then I find stuff two days in a row.

Yesterday, I had the day off work to take my mother to a doctor's appointment and to do some errands for her. One of the stops we made was to Canadian Tire. She wanted to check out the garden centre there. She plants a vegetable garden and wanted to see how much some veges cost. While wandering around, I found a paper dime a.k.a. a Canadian Tire 10¢. It's not a coin but it does have monetary
value.

Today, I was meeting up with friends after work, for dinner. One of my work friends and I had to go to my car first - to drop off bags and stuff before we walked to the restaurant. In the parking lot I found a 1991 penny.

FYI, we went to a place called The Queen Mother. It's on Queen Street, east of University.  Food was good, company even better. It was nice to go out, have a couple of drinks, dinner and catch up on life.

Total find: 1¢ and one Canadian Tire 10¢.

School Cents

On the sidewalk

Today, Monday, started like any other Monday - alarm rudely awoke me, lunches packed, breakfast eaten.  I was ready to leave for work when my youngest called me - said she was not feeling well, could I come and get her. And so I did.

I signed her out (even though the school day had hardly begun). On the way from the school to my car, I found two coins, mere feet apart.

The first find was a 1998 penny. I spotted it on the sidewalk, not far from a side entrance to the school.  The second find, a 1993 dime, was found partially buried in the dirt by a tree (and yes, the sickly daughter did roll her eyes when I scooped this find).

Total find - 11¢


A buried treasure

Sunday Garden Cent

I took advantage of a warm, partially sunny Sunday to do some gardening. This time of year, this entails raking and pulling and putting some black earth on the flower beds.

A copper seed?

I was thinking I'd like to change around the flowerbed in the front yard (maybe change its shape), so I took the shovel and starting digging, not a lot, just a bit to get an idea as to what my idea would look like.  Stuck in the dirt in my flower bed was a 1991 penny.

Do you think if I planted it in the garden, I'd get a copper tree to grow?

Sunday's total: 1¢

And yes, I will change things around but that entails time, energy and supplies - a project for the next few weekends to come.

Stuck in the Road

Yesterday (Monday), I drove to work (one of those days). I parked my car in the usual parking lot at Peter and Front. I walk along Wellington to get to my office. I spotted a coin on the road (stuck in the crosswalk on the north side of Wellington between the east and west side of Peter Street). I didn't have time to snap a picture of it cause I was running late and cars were coming. But, I did know that the coin would be waiting for me. It wasn't going anywhere. It is permanent road fixture.

A little copper in the road

I snapped a photo of it on my way to car at the end of the day.

There's no way to make out the year or county (although it does appear to be Canadian).

Total find 1¢.

Parking Lot Change

Weekends always go too fast - always to much to do and never enough time to do it. Saturday (yesterday) I had some running around to do. My daughter came with me for some of them. We had to get some info from Peel Public Health. Turns out it's a busy place on Saturday with many people coming and going.

When I was walking from my car to the building, I spotted a dime (2011) on the road between the parking lot and the building. I had to snap the photo fast before I got hit my a car. There was some random person running into the building (cold and blistery day) so just as I snapped, there she was.

Total find 10¢

All Wet

Friday. Don't we all just love Fridays. The last day of the week but the start of a busy weekend. Yesterday was mild and we had a wicked downpour (in Toronto anyway) in the evening. North of here (in Shelbourne and East Gwillimbury), we had confirmed tornados touch down. In Toronto, today started off warm but now it's chilly and very windy.

Enough of the local weather review.

Parking Lot Puddle Nickel

I had a lucky coin day. I take the GO train to work. Here's a somewhat humorous anecdote. I was on the train, standing in my usual spot by the door, reading my book, when the GO Train police guy came down (with his ticket book open) asking if someone just ran past. Didn't see anyone run past (not that they could get far as this was the last car with no place to go and the train was in between stations). Guess this guy thought he could get away without having to pay his fare. Not sure if he was caught or not.

Anyway, on my way from the train station to my office, I cut across this parking lot (behind Joe Badalis).  In a puddle in the parking lot, I found a 2011 nickel.

Manhole surprise

Later, during my lunch time, I went to a book store (BMV). I was looking for something specific. They didn't have the book so I decided to check out Chapters. On my way to Chapters, I headed south along John Street. In the middle of Richmond and John (south west side) I spotted my second find -- a 1999 penny -- in a rain-filled crack around a manhole cover. It's a pretty new looking penny considering how old it is. It was in the middle of the street so I had to scramble to take the picture. Glad I was quick enough to take the photo before the cars started tooting their horns at me. And no, didn't find the book at Chapters either.

Total find 11¢

A Little Green

Scrawny Tree 

I am soooo happy that pennies are not as scarce as I thought they'd be given the fact they are being phased out. Today, I was walking from my office to the GO station. I took a slightly different route today. To get to Front Street and then the train station I usually walk through this courtyard on the east of the CBC building. Today, I walked through this little courtyard on the east side of the Ritz Carlton.

Near this scrawny tree growing there I spotted a 1980 penny. What's interesting about this penny is the side that was facing up was that lovely shade of green that oxidized copper takes. The other side (the side in the dirt) was copper coloured.

Total 1¢

Oxidized penny

For those interesting in the prom dress search, you'll be happy to know that the search is over. We (she) found "the" dress. We went to this dress shop (Nina's Boutique) not far from where I live. This cozy little shop has over 5,000 dresses. They had photos of their dresses on an iPad. All my daughter had to do was browse through the pictures, find a few dresses she liked, and try them on. She found a few she liked but only two she liked enough to try on. The one we thought would like nice on
did not and the one I was iffy on, looked fabulous on her and best of all it was not stupidly priced. She's happy. The search is over and that make me really happy.

Flip Side

Prom Dress Shopping

My daughter's feet

My daughter will be graduating from high school this year and you know what that means - prom dress shopping. Boys have it so much easier, they can either rent a tux or blow the dust off that suit hanging in the closet or buy another all purpose black or navy blue suit. Girls, on the other hand, need to buy a fancy gown that will be overpriced, worn only once and then sit in the closet where it will collect dust until it is bagged and taken to the local Goodwill. Anyway, it is my motherly duty to ensure my daughter looks stunning at her prom and therefore have to suffer through the dreaded prom dress shopping. By the way, my daughter enjoys prom dress shopping as much as I do.

Heading South

Yesterday (Saturday), we ventured down to Queen and Spadina. We wandered, she tried on and found a couple dressed she liked aspects of but she didn't find "the" dress.

On to the coin collecting. The first find of the day was spotted on Queen Street (east of Spadina, on the south side), in front of some retail clothing shop. It was a 2001 dime.

Later, when the shopping expedition was done and we were heading back to the car, I spotted a penny (2004) on the sidewalk on Clarence Square at Spadina.

Total find on a cloudy Saturday - 11¢

Lucky Mornings

Yesterday (April 10) , I drove to the Kipling GO station with my husband - I take the GO, he takes the TTC. I'm on the platform, waiting for my train to arrive and I spotted a 2013 (sorry, no photo of this find).

I work in an office tower that is adjacent to the one my brother works in. We rarely drive in together - he often works later than I do but the odd time, his schedule changes or he's carless, we'll go in together.

The last couple of weeks we've been driving in together the odd day here and there. Yesterday was once such day. We parked in the underground lot under my brother's work tower. When we left the car, I spotted a 2012 dime near the adjacent car.  Not a bad way to start my day.

Total find 20¢.