Forgery League

Above: the ring, made by Sean, my sweetheart of nine years and given to me one week ago, on the beach at Ashbridges Bay, at midnight, while the remnants of Hurricane Ike whipped by.

The awesome Michele, who counts metalworking among her many talents, had invited him by her studio to learn some of the craft and create a piece of jewellery that day. Acting on a deep impulse he decided to make this for me - knowing that even though I never wear jewellery, I’m a big DIY nerd, and if there was one thing I’d never want to take off, it would be something made by his own hands. He made me a freaking ring. For about three days I couldn’t look down at it without starting to cry again.

It was pitch black. We had to use the light from my cel phone to see it. We sat with the hot winds buffeting us, eating pretzels and watching birds fly backwards. And then we got caught in a sudden downpour as we pedalled up Woodbine*, and ate terrible

Brekwiches at an all-night coffee shop. I spent equal time crying and laughing my head off.

The long and the short of it: we are engaged. Life just got a bit stranger and much more wonderful.

* Oh, did I mention? We got bikes a few weeks ago. It’s been great, and the wounds from our respective first accidents are almost healed!

Municipal elections are on 13 November. I suppose it goes without saying who I’m voting for mayor - he ain’t perfect, but I trust him to do right, a hell of a lot more than Jane Pitfield… But what about locally?

A couple more candidates added to the register in our ward (29: Toronto-Danforth, North), according to the big candidates list at Who Runs This Town?

Case Ootes, of course, is the incumbent - an able enough deputy during Mel’s tenure as mayor, but among other things, he’s Mister No Bike Lanes In My Ward (he’s continuing to press for the removal of the new lanes on Cosburn). “People won’t get out of their cars,” he told the Town Crier. “It doesn’t happen. This isn’t that kind of city.”

Tammy Thorne of Spacing Votes asks: “What kind of city is it then? Perhaps the better question is: What kind of city will it become if we continue to let people who think this way run it?”

At the other end of the spectrum, stalwart cycling advocate Hamish Wilson is now on the ballot as well. But the challenger with the best chance would seem to be Diane Alexopoulos - at least, she’s got the nod from Jack Layton and Peter Tabuns (MP and MPP respectively), and is positioning herself as a supporter of David Miller’s. This is one to watch, as they say.

Which leaves us with a dilemma. As new arrivals on our street, do we dare get a sign and risk alienating our possibly Ootes-lovin’ neighbours? Hmmm…