The Capital City

My husband and I had to drive to Ottawa on a rainy Saturday to pick up my daughter from the university and bring her home for the summer. (We also had to move her out of res and move some of her stuff into her new place - the stuff she didn't need to bring home for the summer). It was a profitable adventure for me.

She seemed to accumulate a lot of stuff during the year and we were out of room in my car. She didn't want to leave it all new place since the landlord was still doing some finishing touches to the place so she was leaving a few things with a friend. In front of his apartment building, stuck in the muck I found a penny. Pennies have been out of circulation for a while so I have no idea how long that coin was stuck there waiting for me to un-stuck it.

Next coin was found at the Odessa OnRoute. We stopped in for a gas fill up and a "restroom" break.

Not sure why they call them restrooms. Not a lot of resting goes on there. Anyway, when we were leaving the OnRoute centre, I spotted a dime (2006) near the exit (or entrance door).

Total: 11¢

It's been a long, long time

It seems forever since I last wrote something. Fewer coins are lost these days. How sad is that. And then when I do find out, it takes me a bit of time to get back into the blogging groove.

I was out one night a couple of weeks ago walking my pooch around the neighbourhood.  Poochie and I were one our way home, about half a block from home when I noticed a nickel (1980) at the end of someone's driveway. Since I don't normally take my camera with me when I walk my dog in my neighbourhood, I had to take note of the driveway and area of the driveway that I spotted the coin,  go home and get my camera, return to driveway and then re-find the coin and snap it's picture.

The next thing was hoping that anyone who spotted me with my flashlight looking for that coin and then taking a street photo didn't call the police to report suspicious behaviour. I'm guessing no one was peering out their window cause no police cruiser came looking for me.

Total: 5¢

A Little Gassy

Driving home from work, my car made a noise letting me know it was hungry. Not only was my car hungry but it was also dirty. I detoured to a local Petro Canada gas station and car wash.  They have this deal that if you buy two car washes you get a discount on the gas. At my last fill up at the same gas bar, I bought a couple car washes and received a 5¢/l discount.

During this visit, I selected the wrong type of gas in error and went into the gas bar to get the clerk to fix it for me. (No discount on gas today). While waiting to speak to him, I noticed a dime (2012) on the floor under the candy bar tray. Of course, I didn't have my camera with me to take a photo of the coin in its resting place, so I snapped a photo of the area outside instead (just before I left the gas bar area for the car wash). Now, my car is not only full but also clean.

Total: 10¢

Milling about

A couple Sundays ago, a friend and I took a mutual friend out for her milestone birthday. We took her to Sunday Brunch at the Old Mill. They sat us in the sunniest part of

the restaurant which was nice but not so nice. There are no blinds on the windows which means we got to enjoy the beautiful sunshine. It also meant the sun was beaming down on us and as the late morning became early afternoon, I started melting (because I had the sunniest seat). Good thing we were finished eating our marvellous meal. 

To work off all those calories we consumed, we decided to take a walk around the premises. We checked out the Old Mill Inn and Spa - fancy smancy. There's a park in the area so we went wandering down there as well. In the park, I found a 2012 dime. Nice to finally find something after this long draught.

Total: 10¢

Work out cent

We had a hint of spring today - sunny, warm, melting snow all around - the calm before the storm which is apparently coming our way. Will winter ever end?

So I went to the gym today. I think I mentioned before that the gym I belong to (GoodLife) is upstairs in my local Loblaw. There's a cafe kind of set up just outside the gym. I climbed the stairs, passed by some tables and just in front of the entrance door was a penny - a 1981 US penny. What's an American penny doing in a Canadian grocery store? I'm sure the girls sitting at the table by the door were wondering what I was taking a photo of  (I had to put my gym stuff on the floor and blocked the door as I took the picture).

Total: one US penny.

Check out

It's been a fattening winter. Seems I've put on a few pounds and I'm not sure what or whom to blame - age, the never ending winter, my husband, etc. In any case, the weight has to go.

I blew the dust off my gym membership and went to work out. It was a good workout (some weights and cardio). The gym I belong to (Goodlife) is upstairs in my local Loblaw, so after my workout, I went grocery shopping-- I needed a few items (milk, bread). When I was paying for my stuff, I spotted a dime (2012) on floor. I had to take a quick picture and snap up the time before the person behind me ran it over with her cart.

Total: 10¢

On the job

 I was talking to a couple of co-workers today about some stuff. I looked down, there, in between

both their desks (and chairs) was a dime. I picked it up and asked if it belonged to either one of them. Both said no so I pocketed it. My lucky find today was a 2011 dime.

Total 10¢

In the neighbourhood

I take my dog out for a walk every night . We usually walk around the neighbourhood -- I have a route that I like to take. With all 

Can you spot the coin?

the ice everywhere, I've been walking with my head down, being careful not to slip on the ice which can be hard to spot at night.  As I'm walking, looking down, I spot a quarter (2006) at the end of someone's driveway. The end of the driveway was lit by the street light. Some of the grass was exposed thanks to vigorous shovelling (or snow blowing). It was a glint that caught my eye and I spotted the quarter partially buried in some brown grass. And of course, I don't have my camera with me cause I'm not expecting to find anything. I go home, get my camera and come back to take the photo of the exposed coin.

Total: 25¢

Shopping

During Reading Week, I took the week off work to spend a bit of time with my daughters. One of the days we went to Vaughn Mills. When we were at Fruits and Passion, buying some nice smelly shower gels, I found a 2011 nickel near the cash.

Total 5¢

Family Day weekend

Family Day weekend marked the start of reading week. One of my daughter's goes to Ottawa U. We drove to Ottawa to pick her up, spend the weekend there and enjoy a bit of Winterlude and then bring her home.

I found a couple coins in our hotel room. We stayed in Les Suites-nice room (much like a mini-apartment with a kitchen, dining, living and separate bedroom area) in a central location. Only draw back was the previous occupant had or cooked curry in the place and so when you walk in, that's all I could smell (the smell was not noticeable after a bit). And we couldn't switch rooms cause the place was fully booked. I found a 1980 quarter by a chair in the dining area. Later, I found a 2010 quarter in the bedroom.

We went wandering to check out the ice sculptures. Did a bit of skating on the Rideau Canal. It was frosty but lovely. We also did a bit of shopping (or more like looking). I found a 1975 US dime in Urban Outfitters.

Total: 50¢ and 10¢ US

Hospital cents

Early this month (February) my mother wasn't feeling well so on Sunday, February 9th, I took her to emergency. She forgets that she's in her 80s and can't do all that she's used to doing and rather than wait for someone to come and shovel her driveway (and she had many offers), she shovelled the light snow that had fallen herself. Her stubbornness resulted in chest pain and a visit to the emergency room.  The hospital decided to admit her. When I was leaving, I found a 2009 dime.

The next day my brother and I went to visit her. They moved her from emergency to a room - more tests were needed. Her room was in a new wing in the hospital. The new wing was quite nice - if you have to stay overnight in a hospital, a new wing is definitely a nice place to stay - cheery looking room. When we were leaving, I found a 2010 nickel and a 2004 dime near the pay station.

In case you're wondering, thankfully she did not have a heart attack; she strained some heart muscles. And the nurses and doctors all lectured her about not shovelling her driveway.

Total find: 25¢ - two dimes and nickel

Recital

One of my daughters attends McMaster University in her third year. She joined the school dance club. On February 8/14, my husband and I drove to Hamilton to take her out for lunch and watch the matinee performance. We went to this great sushi place in Hamilton called August 8. The place was busy, the sushi fresh and delicious.

The recital was held at Sir John A. MacDonald Secondary School. She was in a tap routine in act 2. It was nice to see her dance again. When we were leaving the school, I found a 2009 dime by the back door we used to leave the building.

Total 10
¢

Winter blues

The thing about winter, especially this winter, is that snow makes it really difficult to spot lost coins. This is compounded by the fact that I work in the burbs now and don't have an opportunity to go for lunch time walks like I used. When I do find a the rare coin, I remember to take a photo of it but don't always remember to write about which is why I am playing catch-up yet again.

Back on January 22/14, I was attending a training course at 605 Rogers Road. There's a nice bakery in the plaza. I went there with a friend/coworker during our morning break and found a 2009 dime.

On January 31/14, I went to a Fortino's about a 7 minute drive from my office. In the parking lot I found a 2005 very worn penny.  (I was walking from my car to the store and it was on the ground between my car and the adjacent car). Interesting that I'm still a penny considering they are no longer in circulation.

Total: 11¢

Beautiful Sunday

Last week we were freezing with temperatures dropping to as low as -31 Celsius, today the temperature was 6 Celsius -- melting snow and slippery sidewalks everywhere.

My sister-in-law got married yesterday. It was a second marriage for both bride and groom. They had a lovely ceremony at a downtown wedding chapel.  Both my daughters came home for the weekend from their respective universities to attend. One was driven back to Hamilton last night. The other one was flying back to Ottawa today. We went out for lunch before the trip to the airport. Her choice to was to go Jack Astors (it is right next door to a Canyon Creek). In the parking lot I found a 2009 nickel. Lucky for me the melting snow revealed a nickel for me to find.

Total: 5¢

Subway Dime

I work in Rexdale now. There isn't much around my office - not like when I was working downtown and had many options for going on lunchtime strolls, even in winter. In Rexdale, if I want a lunchtime adventure, I have to drive.

Today, I drove to a grocery store not far from where I work. I picked a few things but still needed to get some lunch. I slept in so didn't have time to make my lunch so I decided to pick up a sub. I paid for my lunch and noticed a dime (2005) on the floor by the counter and quickly scooped it up.

Total: 10¢

All frosty and wet

Happy New Year. My first find in 2014

I've been off work for the last couple of weeks. I save my vacation time so I could be off between Christmas and New Year. Today was my first day back. It was nice to see my co-workers. The work on my desk was not as nice. So much paper work to do and so little time to do it all. 

I like to go out at lunch time - gets me out of the office and I get some fresh air. Today my lunch time adventures took me south. I wandered around HomeSense. I had a mission. I am looking for a lampshade for a lamp in our rev-room.  They had lampshades but nothing that would match the lamp.

When I returned to the office, I found a well-worn penny in our parking lot. The year and country of origin in not clear as this penny was flattened and a bit green. I think I made out a faint outline of a maple leaf. Interesting that I would still be finding lost pennies even though the Canadian government took them out of circulation. The penny was soggy, cold and wet but it dried and quickly warmed up in my pocket. :)

Total 1¢

Busy Saturday

Can you spot the dime?

I did a lot of running around today (Dec 21/13). Christmas a days away and there is so much to do and so little time to do it in. And stores and malls are jam packed full of people.

I took my mother shopping in the morning. There was a number of stores we had to hit and one of them was Loblaw. It was in the Loblaw parking lot I had my first find - a 2009 dime. Lucky for me it wasn't in a puddle, just beside a puddle.

Later, I was at my local Dollarama buying some gift bags and stuff. When I was leaving the store, I found my second find of the day - a 2010 dime.

Total 20¢

(Another post delayed due to the missing camera cable)

Appointments

Thursday, I had the day off work to do stuff. The day started with a visit to Dr. Sheldon Nadal. He's the one who performed my bunionectomy and it was my three month follow up visit. He needed to check out how my foot was healing and it's healing well.

Next, I took my daughter to her doctor's appointment. From there we drove to Brampton to get my husband's Christmas gift. A friend's sister (Kelly McNeil) is an artist and has a studio in Beaux-Arts in Brampton. I found what I was looking for and needed to get to a bank machine to get some cash to pay her. 

There was a bank just up the street from the studio. At the bank, I found a 1975 dime just under the ATM.

Total 10¢

(I wrote this post a few weeks back but couldn't find the camera cable to upload the picture - cable found, picture uploaded and blog posted - sorry for the delay)