A few years ago I featured a doors post from one of Toronto’s oldest neighbourhoods, Cabbagetown. In the 2016 post I talked a bit about the neighbourhood’s history which dates back to the mid-1800s. You can read about it here.
Coincidentally, that trip to Cabbagetown was the same time of year as my most recent excursion this past weekend.

I wasn’t expecting to be enchanted by a charming little home tucked away hidden behind a nondescript fence and a pair of rundown doors.

Uber drivers have been known to be uneasy letting off patrons at this sketchy-looking address, but the doors open to an enchanting garden and tree-lined walk to the small semi-detached home at the back of lot.


Our ‘adopted’ son, Trevor, had chosen to host Thanksgiving dinner this year, and we all descended on his new residence for food, drink, conversation, and frivolity.
Trevor is house-sitting while the home’s owner is out of the country for 2 years and his timing for hosting this year’s food-fest couldn’t have been better. I don’t get sick very often, but when I do, it usually kicks the stuffing out of me. I’ve been a coughing, wheezing, snotty mess for the past 3 weeks, and trying to pull off Thanksgiving dinner would have been just short of a miracle.
My regret is that in the fading afternoon light, I didn’t try to capture more of the unusual features of this property … from its beautiful French doors in the master bedroom with etched fleur-de-lis in the glass, to the stunning copper chandeliers, and the beer taps in the kitchen.
I blame diminished mental capacity on my part.
Even the resident cat, Max, had his own little outdoor hideaway tucked away in the garden.

Then all too soon it was time to go home.

I’m still not 100% health-wise but I have my normal voice back, most of my energy has returned, and I can string together a number of sentences without coughing up a lung.
I’m grateful.
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Thursday Doors is a weekly photo feature hosted by Norm 2.0.
Beautiful photos!
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Thanks 🙂
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Hi Joanne,
What an odd name, Cabbagetown…great doors, though!
And, BTW, I HAVE BEER TAPS IN MY KITCHEN. Just sayin’
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NO!!!! Really?! That’s awesome!! There are more of you walking the earth!!
Just to be clear … we’re not talking about your boat, right? 😉
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Joanne I’m sorry to hear you have been so sick. Hopefully by now you will be feeling better. Lovely to have someone else take care of Thanksgiving and especially in such a unique setting.
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Thanks Sue. Except for this annoying throat irritation, it’s all good.
Are you back now from Barcelona?
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Yes we have now been back a week. Glad you are getting better! Xo
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I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling better and happy that you didn’t have to host dinner while sick! I think I’m hosting our Thanksgiving this year…eek! I prefer to be the piemaker. That beautiful house would be distracting. Those worn down gates sure have quite the character. It sounds like the entire place had tons of character!
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I will happily pour my attention into making dessert but a full meal – especially a feast like Thanksgiving – leaves me feeling stressful for days beforehand.
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I’m glad you’re feeling better, and that Trevor was able to provide the feast.
The property is gorgeous, GATE WHOA, Hello Beauty!
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We find treasures in the most unlikely places when we’re least expecting it!
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Belated Happy Thanksgiving, Joanne! I’m glad you were able to just sit and enjoy being fed with your cold and I hope the bug is ending its run this week. The fancy iron gate is gorgeous, but I enjoyed the quaintness of the doors and path to Trevor’s temporary home. It seems like a hidden treasure.
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Thanks Mary. It was a lovely day and being a guest for a major dinner like this is a big treat!!
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I love Max the cat’s little hideaway. Fabulous photos, Joanne. What a great place to house-sit.
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Thanks Jean 🙂 Max was a little sweetheart of cat … not to mention a little mooch when he realized there was cheese to be had 😉
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I do hope you have fully recovered. Such a lovely treat to have someone prepare the holiday meal, especially when you’re not feeling well. The first photo is my favorite! Wonderful gate! =)
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I’m happy to say I’ve come through the rough stuff to the other end. Now I feel like I have so much to catch up on!!
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I’m glad you are feeling better Joanne, and had one of your boys cook Thanksgiving dinner for you. And what a gorgeous place to eat it. Hope you’re fully recovered soon.
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I am virtually back to normal now … or at least my version of ‘normal’ 😏
I feel like I have so much to catch up on now!
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I’m pleased to hear that, though the “catching up” feeling isn’t fun.
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I’m starting to resign myself to the fact that many things I had planned to do – like transplanting some shrubs for next spring – just aren’t going to happen. I ‘wasted’ another perfectly beautiful autumn weekend indoors doing art instead of yard work. I understand my priorities 😉
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It’s tough when art and gardening are facing off against each other, but I so understand your priorities!
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Enchanted and charming are great words to describe this little home. Deceiving as to what you find in the back. I cannot even imagine beer taps in a kitchen. I truly hope you feel better fast, Joanne.🙂
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We all think the beer taps are a hoot. The pragmatist in me however thinks about all the wasted under-counter space used to store the beer kegs. One has to really like their beer!!
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I did not think about the beer kegs. I thought the taps were possibly for show. I would need another category for types of friends: A friend who REALLY likes beer:)
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hahahaha!! I have a motley crew of friends 😉
Come to think of it, that also applies to my family 🤣
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Every time one of our daughters cook us a wonderful dinner, I’m grateful that I let them in the kitchen as kids lol Sounds like your dinner gave you much needed sustenance towards further recovery. 🙂
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It’s nice to pass the reins over to someone else for a change. I’m hoping for more of these role reversals.
Hint, hint … guys are you listening? 😉
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Yes, Joanne, that place is impressive. Even the run down cottage.
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What a great place to visit! I so love Toronto, but it’s been so many years since I visited… I must save up for another trip.
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I feel the same way about so many places I’ve been to. The funny thing is that the city keeps changing and even though I live here, there is always something new/different happening.
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I’m glad you’re feeling better! Three rousing cheers, for your having the strength to raise the camera and click off any shots at all. Isn’t that just the perfect residence? It’s like the Tardis, only with beauty: It’s nicer on the inside. Really, isn’t it like a fairy tale? You approach the forbidding, foreboding exterior … you open the rickety, weathered door … and enter a wonderland of comfort and brightness. What a treat! Hope you can visit again when you feel well. HUGS
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You’ve just made it magical! I agree wholeheartedly. The interior had more of a Harry Potter kind of feel. Maybe it was the small ‘room’ under the stairs 🙂
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Ouch. That’s no way to spend a holiday. I hope you feel better soon! – Marty
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Thanks Marty. I’m happy to say I’m much, much better. Trevor is an excellent cook so I was more than happy to turn over hosting duties 🙂
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Awww man, sorry to hear you’ve been sick! I hate being sick!! I would love to house sit for a place like this…just gorgeous. Glad ya had a lovely thanksgiving 💕💕
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I hate being sick too. Usually I just have a day or two of feeling ‘off’, but this time I didn’t dodge the bullet. I’m so glad to put this one in the rearview mirror.
Which reminds me, I need to get a flu shot soon!!
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I meant to get a flu shot before we left in our trip and I forgot. I’ve been paranoid all week!!
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Stay healthy!!
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We are running away from the runny noses and hacking coughs!!!
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Quirky and fun!
Just like life.
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… if our eyes are open to see the quirky fun. Sadly, so many people don’t.
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That part requires a heart full of gratitude and an ability to see the glass as half full – even when we are coughing up a lung! Happy Thanksgiving
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HAHAHAHA!!! Thanks 😆
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The return to health definitely is reason to be thankful! Glad you are on the mend, Joanne!
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Thanks 🙂 I read one of those quirky sayings yesterday that said ‘I thought I was dying, but it turned out only to be a cold’. How true is that? Something as common as a cold can leave one feeling so miserable!
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And apparently colds and flu are so much more horrendous for us men… 😀
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We women have always suspected that 😉
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😀
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OMG that first picture is so intriguing! I’d love to wander around there. Hope you are better! It’s no fun traveling sick.
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Like many people, I don’t do sick very well. I’m a mopey sniffling mess feeling sorry for myself at every opportunity. I’m not sure who is happier that I’m feeling better – me or my husband 😏
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Sorry to hear you have been feeling rough and I hope you make a full recovery soon. Seems as we grow older these illnesses take longer to shrug off. You already know how much I loved Cabbagetown and seeing that first house and fence and gate makes me want to return! And how quirky to have a house number with 1/2 in it!
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When I was re-reading the original 2016 post, it reminded me that it was you who triggered my foray into Cabbagetown. I thank you for that!! Being back there again reminded me of how lovely this neighbourhood is!
Which reminds me that you had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. I hope it was a good one 🎂
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Ah, thanks Jo. A quiet birthday as the OH was away visiting his daughter and seeing old friends in London. My son cooked me dinner though which was a treat 🙂
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Awww. That is special!
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Sorry you’re not feeling well but thanks for sharing photos of this lovely spot. 🙂
janet
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Thankfully I’m a lot better now. It’s been a rough ride this month!
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Your post reminded me of the delightful gardens and patios that are often hidden behind dilapidated old gates in Mexico. An excellent example of not being able to judge a book by its cover. Hopefully (for us) you’ll have an opportunity during the 2 years that Trevor is house sitting to take a few pictures of the home’s inside (hint, hint). I hope you are well on the mend!
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It’s not something you see very often here, but yes, it’s also prevalent in Europe. We stayed at one such place in Rouen, France earlier this year. A nondescript wall on the outside and a delightful little garden on the inside. I loved to sit out there sipping a glass (or two) of wine at the end of a day that involved a lot of walking. Ahhh, good times!
I will definitely be making the effort for a return visit!!
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If you have to be sick, turkey time is the best time – as long as someone else is cooking the bird! I’ve been doing Thanksgiving dinner for the crowd for most of my adult life, so it is absolutely wonderful to see the event has moved on to the next generation! Of course, I’m going to have to cook a small bird myself soon so that I can have unlimited quantities of turkey and stuffing to make sandwiches…
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A friend and I often commiserate with each other about how it’s not fun being the family matriarch. Especially during the holidays, there is so much responsibility and effort involved. I wish I could go back in time and be more grateful and supportive of my mother when I was younger!
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Maybe this is what they meant by country shabby or is it chic? Very interesting and lovely in it’s own way.
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To be honest, I’ve never really understood the whole shabby chic thing. Which one is it because it can’t be both.
Although having said that, I have to admit I’ve seen places where it just works so well!
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I know what you mean. It never works when I do it. It just looks shabby! 🙂
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Thank God it’s not just me!!
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Oh Joanne, I hope you continue to feel better. Toronto is full of nice residential pockets. I like how the doors are deceptive and then you discovered the house with its nice interior features that you mentioned.
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Thanks Natalie, I’m so much better now!! You and I have had this conversation before about how much we explore this interesting city and yet there is still so much to be explored!!
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Oy, I have a friend who has been suffering from a bout of bronchitis for the past 3 weeks….brutal! Hope you continue to feel better as the days go on.
The decrepit doors kind of remind me of that old game show, Let’s Make a Deal. Remember when you had to choose which door you wanted for a grand prize? Not thinking I would have chosen this one but what a delightful surprise.
What a great opportunity for both Trevor & the resident he is housesitting for. I honestly think if I could do a long stay like that, I would just sell my house & go live someone else for a wee while!
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I have a tendency towards bronchitis so I have to be careful when I catch a cold that it doesn’t get away from me. I feel for your friend because it’s not fun. Luckily, mine turned for the good before I descended into that particular hell.
I’m not sure what I’d do if given the opportunity to go overseas for a couple of years. I like the idea of having a trusted friend care for my home in my absence. I think I would want to have a place to come back to rather than starting over.
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Nothing worse than not feeling well during the holidays. There is something very charming about the garden path and the joy is always in the details.
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I’m so glad the worst is behind me and I’m feeling more like my usual self.
I don’t however miss the stress and chaos of pulling together Thanksgiving dinner. After being the hostess for so many years, it was a delight to a guest for a change and Trevor is an amazing cook!
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Glad to hear you’re on the road to recovery Joanne. Take care of yourself so you can head back there and capture some of the nice interior features you mentioned. For now I’ll have to content myself with the through-the-gates shot of that glorious old home next door 🙂
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Which reminds me, I really need to get back down to this area and do some exploring. It’s been a long while and it is such a lovely area.
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What a delightful hidden secret! Hope your health is improving – sounds miserable what you’ve been through.
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Aren’t colds awful? I’m really hoping that this isn’t the kind of winter I can expect!
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Dreadful! Maybe that’s you had your share now.
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I sure hope so. I hope we all manage to stay healthy through this winter.
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Hi, Joanne – That looks like a perfect Thanksgiving (minus the illness). I hope that you are feeling better soon.
I am just setting out to meet Erica and WBA to see what adventures we can get in to. We’ll keep you posted!
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I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving with the family. It sounds like the 3 of you had a great time together!
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Glad to read you are on the road back to good health, Joanne! We need to make up that hike we missed out on. And now you’ll have to go back to Trevor’s house-sit and get pictures of those great features you teased us with in this post! 😉
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Yeah, we have a hike to make-up. Sadly we will have missed the peak of fall colours but let’s get something on our calendars when you get home!
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You must invite yourself back when you’re feeling better, Joanne. That place sounds amazing and I love the glimpses you gave us. Glad to hear you’re on the mend. ❤
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I’m sure I will be back. This is such a lovely neighbourhood. I wonder why I don’t go there more often. Wait – yes, I do. The traffic! … and the parking!!
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Wow, what a beautiful place — both places. I’m glad you’re feeling better. Keep getting well. It always takes me awhile. So be patient and gentle with yourself. Hugs on the wing!
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It always takes me a while to recover too. I may feel better but the energy stores are quickly depleted. Let’s just say I’ve been doing a lot of reading 🙂
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Damn. Full-blown colds are miserable. I’m glad you’re on the back side of it.
It always amuses me that you Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, rather than November. I wonder how this disparity between our two countries developed. Anyway, a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you.
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Maybe because our growing season is so much shorter? I do love this time of year for all the fresh produce in the markets.
There’s nothing quite like a bad cold to make one appreciate being healthy!!
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This looks like a great place to explore. I like how ramshackle it is, your photos do it justice. Hope you’re feeling better soon. Hot tea, my dear. It cures all that ails a person.
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I’ve been drinking gallons of herbal teas for the past couple of weeks. If nothing else, it feels comforting … like a warm hug in a mug 🙂
I didn’t ask but I suspect that fence has been deliberately left decrepit so as to give the impression there is nothing to see here.
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Wow, Joanne. I kind of stopped at ‘out of the country for 2 years.’ Can you imagine?!
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I know. That’s one of my big bucket-list dreams. In this case however, the owner is actually from Ireland and had an opportunity to go back to Ireland for her job.
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I first fell in love with Cabbagetown many years ago when commuting in to my first job. A fab neighbourhood. Glad to hear you’re feeling better — I don’t get them often but nasty colds always knock me sideways too!
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Cabbagetown has transformed significantly in the past number of years. It really is a gorgeous area of the city – although still has some ‘unsavoury’ pockets.
When I get a cold and it moves into my lungs, I’m usually toast after that. It takes so long to recover! I’m hoping this isn’t a sign of what kind of winter I can expect to have.
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🤞🏻🤞🏻🍷🍺💉
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How nice to have the meal prepared for you when you weren’t up to the task. It’s a beautiful location (I love the photos). I hope you get back to 100% soon. Early and late illnesses are the worst, I think. Not that I ever want to be sick, but it doesn’t seem so bad in winter.
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I’m not a big fan of cooking (although I do like to bake) so anytime I can be a guest, it’s a big treat for me 🙂
I’m surprised by how much energy having a bad cold takes out of me. I still tire easily but it’s SOOOO much better. It’s a reminder that I should be getting a flu shot as soon as possible.
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Sometimes, that tired feeling hangs around for a long time. Take care.
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Thanks 🙂
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I’m glad you’re on the road to recovery, but what a gift to have someone special offer to host holiday dinner at this charming home. It reminded me of that old saying, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’
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This truly was a hidden treasure. Even after we opened the gate and started down the path, I couldn’t see the house.
Old homes like this one have so much character … although the upgrade costs can be a non-starter for so many people.
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Toronto is full of exquisite gems tucked just out of sight! I hope you feel better soon . . .
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The more I explore this city, the more treasures I seem to find. Since the city is constantly evolving, I doubt I’ll ever run out of interesting things to explore.
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What a wonderful way (and a beautiful place) to share your Thanksgiving with loved ones. Glad you’re feeling better. I love little hide-aways like this one, where the doors are deceptive, making the inside even more magical.
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I agree. It made me think of The Secret Garden 🙂
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Beautiful neighbourhood. Hope you get well soon!
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Thanks Bob 🙂
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Feel well soon. Wish I had a home like Max does! How great is that place?
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This really was a very cool place! Max has a good life 🙂
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Well I hope you feel better soon. I’ll have to put Cabbagetown on my list of places to go the next time I’m in Toronto!
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Toronto is full of quirky little neighbourhoods 🙂
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