Beach(es) Beat

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Well that's what happens when you blink your eyes. By the time you refocus, the summer has sped past and we're busy stocking up on potatoes as we prepare for the winter that lies ahead.

At least it didn't rain much in the blessed part of the greatest city on earth. It is true that we had a few what I would describe as mature showers, but they were nothing compared to the deluges that swamped other areas. The fact that winter is getting ever closer should not be a cause for dismay because there is a bright side to all this.

The Maple Leafs remain unbeaten in the 2007-2008 NHL season and the Argonauts are still in the running for the Grey Cup. Getting to the social scene, Sturdy Gert McCurdy dropped by for a visit the other day and even that lovable old sourpuss has some good news.

Evidently, she had a falling out with a male friend and they didn't speak to one another for years until a third party persuaded them to sit down and get the dispute sorted out.

The slow pace of negotiations began to irritate Sturdy Gert and eventually she leaned across the table and gave the fellow a good clout right on the chops. When the paramedics finally revived him he fervently agreed that he was wrong and she was right so they are friends again.

Now she's running around bragging about her negotiating skills, which strikes some of us as a bit of an exaggeration but nobody's saying anything because we don't want to risk a clout from Sturdy Gert.

In other news, we often hear it said that Toronto is a city of cars but it is also a city of escalators. I and The Wife are big fans of escalators because they are fairly quiet and they move people about without a lot of pollution.

But on occasion they do break down and we don't have a problem with that because they are only human. Well, they're built by humans and if humans can break down then why can't escalators, we always say.

But when that happens, why is it always the up escalator that has the problem? Walking up long flights of stairs is something of a strain except for teenagers who have the climbing ability of mountain goats and an inexhaustible supply of energy except when they are asked to do something around the house but that is perhaps a matter for another day. The fact remains broken down up escalators are a vexatious problem and I would like to see somebody do something about it.