70th Birthday Bash/Naramata Bench Blue Mountain Blues: Saturday, March 29th!

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. -Joseph Addison, writer (1672-1719) 

Thank you for your email and snaps of Vancouver skyline. Looking as stunning as ever!
 

We just returned from a two day break in St Ives. To explain, we will be putting Sydney House on the market later this year and Gayle and I have been thinking about life after Sydney House! I am closer to 70 than 65 and we no longer want or need all the maintenance and upkeep associated with this place. Maur and Bill also want to move on. After a lot of soul searching both Gayle and I agree we need to declutter and move to a place where we do not have to think of maintenance, gardening and high energy bills which continue to escalate in England. 

My gorgeous grandson - 2 days old! No name yet x, Penny!

We also, quite frankly, just have too much 'stuff'. Anyway to cut a long story short, there is a company over here that builds retirement apartments in various parts of the country for, shall we say, the more mature of us! They have just built a new one in St Ives and were offering a two day stay free of charge in one of their furnished suites. Consequently, Gayle and I took the opportunity to see what the building and apartments were like. We had a great couple of days poking our noses around the place and talking to various existing owners and the on site Manager about life in one of their buildings. 

Funnily enough I was chatting to one of the first people to move into the building, a chap called Brian. Turns out he is a retired police officer and used to be Steve Cothey's partner on patrol car duties! Small world. The apartments are extremely attractive but quite small. A two bedroom is probably half the size of where we are now. You don't get a lot for your money! But I have to say suites are more than adequate for Gayle and I. Whether we move into one of their adult apartments remain to be seen but it gave us a good idea of how our scaled down life would be! We and if we do sell Sydney House we have decided to move to Southampton, Hythe to be precise. It makes perfect sense since we will be within walking distance of Marnie. Hythe town is a level 15 minute walk and we can take the ferry across to Southampton without the need of using the car. We will also be closer to Heathrow and, of course, all the main cruise ships leave from Southampton. Another plus for me is the cycling. No more ghastly Cornish hills!!
 

Black Widow, Upper Bench, Misconduct

While we were in St Ives we went for dinner at a seafood restaurant that Gudrun recommended. You select your own type and size of fish from their fresh display which they cook to your liking with a variety of seafood sauces. Very delicious.

Gayle is without her girls for Mothers Day tomorrow so I said I would take her out for breakfast and cook a nice Thai meal for her (which is what Krissy used to cook for her!)

We went to Camel Valley last week to try their 2013 Bacchus. It was good but needs a couple more moths in the bottle. I have bought you a bottle so will bring it over in September. All good wishes, Derek 

Stats for today's ride: 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/469825976#.UzdcOYImlk4.email

Sarge opened another Poplar Grove 2013, Pint Gris, 13.5% to have while we readied ourselves for Lynne's party. 

Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon - $135.10

Everybody loves bourbon, that’s a fact, and Blanton’s makes you love bourbon just that much more. A sour mash of corn, rye and malted barley aged in white oak barrels in warehouse “H”, this powerful bourbon has a nose of honey and heavy rye, followed by a peppered and honeyed palate. Best served straight, it has a long and delicious finish. Lukas Sopuch|Spirits Team|Legacy Liquor Store