"Honest Eds" in Toronto

Last Thursday Shelia Ludlow drove Shirley Hadley (temple matron) and myself to a liquidation store in Etobicoke, The store opens for three days only in the spring and winter. There were people lined up at the check out with shopping buggies full of everything from kitchen gadgets to floor fans.
From that store Shelia drove us to 581 Bloor Street in downtown Toronto to shop and visit "Honest Eds" Shopping Centre. The place is a very very old two-story, two-building variety store a city block long and joined by a walkway on the second floor. It was made famous by people from all over the world, coming to Toronto - going to the "must see" "Honest Eds Shopping Centre". Ed Mirvish was a jew, who opened the doors of his store 62 years ago and advertised selling everything from wine to twine. Ed also owned a resturant called the "Warehouse" and several of the asian artifacts, a rickshaw, budist temple and much more, from that resturant are for sale in his store. Covering most of the walls of this block-long store are life-size photos of movie stars and royalty. All signed "to my friend Ed." The outside of Honest Eds is covered with lights, similar to what you see in Las Vegas. Newspaper clippings showing people lining up outside his store in anticipation of the shopping for bargains are up on many bulletin boards. Ed would give out free turkeys at Christmastime. He was a great man to share his wealth and one of his ways was in building threatres for the performing arts in Europe, United States and Canada.

Today Honest Eds is still the place to see in Toronto. Up staircase and down staircase, not at all difficult to loose your way amid the bins of t shirts, pj's, blouses, trousers, suits for $50.00, pots and pans, dishes, souveniers, groceries, childrens ware and hardware. I purchased a small bank for Grant's lose change. I never have any loose change, I always spend all I have.

Friday after our computer class we went to the Mission President's home for a couples dinner and games. The food was delicious and the games were fun. We look forward this coming friday to a zone conference in our Stake building in Etobicoke in the morning and then we drive to town for our computer class in the afternoon.

Sunday after our meetings, we had Jackie and Eric O'Toole with us for a ride to and from church, we drove around the church area to see the many trees in blossom. We came upon a conservatory that was open to the public. What a surprise on a drippy rainy day to be amongst so many sweet smelling flowers, several budgie birds, a squawking parrot- angel and a tiny field mouse. Also there was a room full of cactus.

Elders from the YSA had supper with us last night and tonight, Marie, Katherin and Christian, our little family from Mexico will have dinner with us. They are going back to Mexico on Friday. Soon it will be the end of april and the beginning of a brand new month. The lovely month of May!

Sunday we will drive to London where we will meet with three bishops and their employment resource specialists then to dinner with Grant's friends from Edmonton, the Jude Bunnages.
We will have our career workshop the first part of next week and womens conference the end of the week. I like to keep busy. Love to you Mother and to all who read this. (I would be interested in knowing if anyone is following my ramblings)