British Summertime Blues: Monday, March 31st!

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. -St. Augustine (354-430)

Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it. -Rene Descartes, philosopher and mathematician (1596-1650)  


Hello Post-Mortem Petros! Glad you enjoyed snail photos and "amusing" message! Truly sorry I was not able to join you for dissection of Byron's bidding and more sparring with the Twisted Twin Sisterhood! 

As you know, my Gran Fondo training regimen would not allow me to partake of more of your more than generous hospitality. However, I was hoping for some "overlefts", at least a couple of sandwiches made from the wonderful bread and pork of Saturday's divine dinner, but my pathetic support crew leaves much to be desired!
 
Stopped Bliss Bakery & Bistro in Peachland for a bite of lunch, thank you very much! Had a great roast beef sandwich, Sarge a turkey one, Flamin' Black Bean Soup but poor Coriandre had to make do with a gluten-free cookie and a Chai Latte as soup wasn't GF. Smooth sailing home although snow flurries on Coquihalla approaching summit. Home by just a few minutes after 5:00 pm. Unloaded car and then I had a quick shower. Went next door to have tasty dinner prepared by Clarisse. Back home around 8:00 pm to watch Foyle's War and then a fairly early night to read in bed before turning out light and dream of party and bidding Two Diamonds!
 

Trust Lynne is starting to feel better. Gang said she had a nasty cough. Perhaps you need to rub her chest with single malt! Thanks again for fabulous party. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: More of evening. Will send along remainder in following, text-free messages!

Patrick, Thanks for all the wonderful photos and also for the Bookers. Fred, Byron, Anne and I sampled it last night, celebrating my match play victory over Byron. Do you want me to pick up your clip-ons from the winery? Peter

Hi Booker T. & the MG's! Glad you liked rest of snapolas and that Bookers served you well as a celebratory drink. Congratulations on your golf victory over Byron. [Before I forget, please pass along his phone number/address as I can include him in our weekly bridge gathering if he is interested.]
 
We must belong to a mutual courier service society! Thanks for offer to collect clip-ons. Much appreciated. However, unless you plan to be in Vancouver before early May, Flamin' will be back in your neck of the woods on May long weekend with friends from Dartmouth and she said she would mule them back. I'm certain she will probably want to go to 8th Generation to taste and buy so please don't put yourself out. I popped up to MEC this morning, right at 10:00 am when store opened, and picked up another pair. Good to have a second pair to rotate using, from one ride to the next, as it allows them to dry out and thereby extends the usage life of both pairs. Did the same with my court shoes when I played squash and I still have a couple of pairs, (almost new), I use with my non-clip-on pedals, for errands and such.

Had arranged to go out with Robo Man and Whirlygig at 11:30 am, (To give me time to get back home with new shoes.), and we had a wonderful ride, (Missed the stunning views of lake, hills, mountains, however!), to Stanley Park. Gorgeous day and finally feels warm! Did an up-and-over of Lions Gate and then back, after a short jog along Spirit Trail into North Van. I accompanied lads back to intersection of Point Grey and Macdonald and then waved goodbye to dipsy-doodle my way around Kits Point to give me the extra distance I wanted to push me over 50 km by the time I was back at Bookers B & B! Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/471314243#.Uznmin8A07M.email
 

Coriandre has her Book Club this evening so I'm hoping to make significant inroads into my own "homework", Bernardo Atxaga's Obabakoak, Stories from a Village. He is a Basque writer and this work was suggested by Jon Artano, Basque himself, a very interesting young man I met at the VWF last year. Invited him to join our Book Club and he did so. As well, just had a message from Dermot Shirley, husband of Sara, [Young woman I worked with at UBC and who now is Whistler Wonder Woman with two Gran Fondos there, under her belt, and a third ride to Seattle, charity for cancer, coming up in June!], and he is on for this Sunday's gathering. We had them for dinner a month or so ago and I invited Dermot to join book club as he is an avid reader as well. Think he will be a wonderful addition to an already diverse and interesting group of chaps. Even have an engineer, Moe Tootoonian, from Iran!
 

One of NRBCers, [Non-Readers Book Club as Whirlygig and I are often only two who have read selection!], lives in Nanaimo and comes over to attend. He usually stays with Giggster as they have been close friends ever since they met, back in the '80's, in Toronto, when they were both working for McClelland & Stuart, I believe. Anyway, he is a bridge player so we often have a table Sunday afternoon of the gathering. Start playing shortly after Whirlygig collects Kurt from Horseshoe Bay.  Plenty of hootch, of course, so everyone is in fine fettle by the time the NRBC convenes at 7:00 pm!

 Must away as I need to make a salad to have with the cheese and tomatoe macaroni "overlefts" Rosita brought over earlier today. Cora Lee is not very happy as it isn't gluten-free and she has always loved her Mom's version of this simple but scrumptious dish. Fondestos to our still Favourite Naramations! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Flamin' "practicing" her nefarious skills at Black Widow on Friday! Cora Lee relaxing after an arduous afternoon of tasting; my mirror "selfie" with workstation; dinner that evening!         Hello St Ives People!

Thanks for last news-filled message! [I picked up a Vintage Railway Posters 2014 Diary somewhere in Cornwall and one of the nostalgic posters for March is of St Ives, Carbis Bay and Lelant so I am quite jealous of your  two-day break!] Sorry to hear about Sydney House but understand completely. In fact, I think you are quite right to make the difficult decision before you are "forced", for one reason or another, to do so. Much looking forward to Camel Valley's 2013 Bacchus but please hold the moths! [You wrote: "It was good but needs a couple more moths in the bottle." I understand that some wineries are adding moth-balls to speed up maturation process!

We certainly had a terrific two day break ourselves, [We both lead such busy, demanding lives the we obviously need "breaks" of this sort, much to our long-suffering children's annoyance!], in the Okanagan this past weekend.  Left at 6:45 am to drive the Hope-Princeton to arrive in Keremeos by 10:45 am only to find one of our favourites, Herder, closed, For Sale! Next one, Orofino, another favourite, closed as well. Later learned that most of the smaller places don't open until after Easter. Passed on Crowsnest as I have found their offerings "spotty" in past. On into Osoyoos to find Young & Wyse closed but owner would return in an hour if we could wait/return. Too thirsty to stick around so on towards Oliver where we finally struck it rich at Road 13, formerly Golden Mile until 2003. Wines very much improved since then and Joe Luckhurst, son of owners, now General Manager, once worked with Nicolina at Village Wines on 1st and Burrard. We had a grand time chatting and when I mentioned that we would all be going to Mexico in a few weeks for her wedding, he gave Flamin' a bottle of 2010 Sparkling Chenin as a congratulations gift!

On to Hester Creek for another lovely tasting. Vivacious young woman behind counter noticed Skate Canada logo on Sarge's jacket, (wind-cheater!), and we discovered she'd figure skated where Prince Valiant had done some of his training in Burnaby. She is now judging some competitions so Flamin' and Sarge both had much in common. AS a result we managed to recieve preferential treatment, ie., more and larger pours!

Into restaurant there for a very tasty Antipasto Platter, (cured meats, roasted vegetables local artisan cheeses, cremona mustard, fresh focaccia bread), which we all shared. Flamin' and I both had a bowl Tuscan White Bean Soup, (wilted greens, padano petals), and everyone had water as we needed to save ourselves for tastings ahead.

Onto Gehringer Brothers, almost immediately across road, to have a very enjoyable tasting with delightful Portuguese lady, (just back for a month visiting family), there. Then across valley to find both Stone Boat, (wonderful Pinotage!), and Qunta Ferreir, (another Portuguese grape-grower turned vintner), closed. Continued north into Oliver to find Fairview Cellars closed as well. Since were Sutherlands had cycled a few years ago, Sarge drove part of the route and then we made for Narmamata where we wanted to stop at Poplar Grove. Enjoyed another wonderful tasting here, (View is simply spectacular and building itself is a marvel.), and by chance couple beside us turned out to be up for 70th birthday party we were attending! Not only that but Byron and Ann Stuart live down the way from us at Leg 'n Boot Square!

Earlier, we had decided to have dinner at the Naramata Heritage Inn so we invited Ann and Byron to join us as they were staying there. Place was fully booked before we could make reservations so we were at Suite Dreams B & B, not al that far away, from either NHI or Lighthall's home where party was to be held. However, after checking into our quite comfy B &B with a stunning view of Okanagan Lake we decided to cook in as nobody wanted to be the designated driver and NHI was a bit too far to walk to and from, in the dark, up hill and down dale. Obviously, we had plenty of hootch and unit was well fixed in terms of kitchen utensils and very efficient bbq. We phoned the Stuarts to invite them but they felt much the same as we did, preferring not to have to leave the comfort of their lovely establishment either.

As you can well imagine, we had a wonderful evening and even managed to polish off four bottles of recent acquisitions while preparing dinner, with dinner and after dinner: Gehringer Brothers 2012 Sauvignon Blanc, 13.3% and Road 13 2011 Stemwinder, (Chardonnay & Viognier), to help with mixed salad, (Patrizzio), vegetables, (new potatoes done with sliced onions, in foil, Coriandre, on bbq, Sarge), and green beans, (Flamin'); 13.0%, Hester Creek 2011 Cabernet Franc, 13.8%, poifect with bbq'd steaks, Sarge and then a Poplar Grove 2013, Pint Gris, 13.5%, magnificent compliment to fresh strawberries we enjoyed for dessert!
 

Must away as I need to get organized to go to MEC for clip-ons as Whirlygig has propsied a ride out to Iona this morning. Day looks cloudy but dry. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

P, Sounds like a fun weekend and some good riding. Will catch on on the next therapy ride. I am good for a ride this morning for a couple hours -- maybe Iona? 10:30 start? W

Hi Driving School Instructor! Thanks again for tailoring your schedule to allow me to fit into outing. [Before I forget, I've asked Jugos dom Pedro to pass along Byron's phone number/address so we can include him in our weekly bridge gathering, if he is interested.] While I missed the stunning views of lake, hills, mountains in and around Naramata, it was such a gorgeous day here that the pain was assuaged somewhat! Let me know about Wednesday. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Stats for today's ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/471314243#.Uznmin8A07M.email

Hi Pat,

Sorry for the delay in replying, but I am in for Sunday. While the many messages appear to be in Byzantine code, I am guessing The Islay Inn is chez vous? What time? Other than charm, what else might I bring?
 
Hi Dermot!

Grand that you will join us this coming Sunday, April 6th at 7:00 pm. Yes, The Islay Inn/Island Inn, (Byzantine Code is necessary to keep our meetings secret from The Dreaded Sisterhood Malt Extermination Society!), is our place so I assume you will remember how to find us, once again. Come oozing charm and that will be all that is required unless you haven't finished reading Atxaga's Obabakoak. If this is the case you might want to stuff plenty of $5's in your wallet to pay any fines that might well be levied! I'm sure this will not be the case with someone as conscientious as you, however! See you Sunday. Regards to Whistler Wonder Woman! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Got the book from the fine bookworms of VPL yesterday. I will video myself reading as a preemptory strike against the tyranny of fines. See you Sunday

Hi Televideo Man!

I like your attitude! The best defense is offense! Actually, with technology available, perhaps you can just Skype us showing you finishing last page. Will still need to cross-examine you, however, face to face, to determine if you really read book in its entirety. See you in Kangaroo Court on Sunday! Cheers, Patrizzio, Il Giudice Impiccagione!
 
Please add me to the "regrets" list; I've just been assigned a last minute hearing in Chilliwack. Regards to all, Al

The patient has been discharged! I'm back at lunch.  Great; see you Thursday. 

Hi all, I hope you’re well. Here’s a scan of a full page that appeared in the Globe and Mail today, after David was interviewed. We’re quite pleased with it. Jonathan 

Hi Ayn!

Thanks for forwarding article. Please thank Jonathan as well. Also, didn't have time to comment on Vancouver Island musical. Perhaps we can take it to Minack next! When do you arrive in Bellingham? If things work out perhaps we could spend Friday night at Madroña Manor. Ferry might not be as busy later in evening and drive from Parksville to Tofino would probably be a more enjoyable trip if we didn't have to leave so early from Vancouver. Anyway, just a thought.
Love, Fondestos and Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio!

Hi Lisa and Jonathan!

Just a quick note of thank you to you and the rest of family for your generous invitation to join the Vogt Tofino Weekend. Certainly much appreciated and we are all looking forward to it and to seeing everyone. Thanks, as well, Jonathan, for Globe & Mail article which Ayn forwarded to us.

On the matter of Ayn's shawl/wrap, Lisa, I will be at UBC this coming Thursday and was wondering if anyone might be at home, some time mid-afternoon. If not, perhaps it could be left on the front porch somewhere and I could simply pop by and collect it. Not a big deal, in any event, and if not on Thursday, we can arrange another time that suits.

Again, thanks so much for wonderful invitation. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Thanks Patrick. We’ll really look forward to seeing all of you. - Jonathan 

Hi Steak Man!

Sorry to take so long to reply to your message, Jarek. We spent the weekend in Naramata, wine-tasting and attending the 70th birthday of a close friend. Look forward to seeing you soon. Thanks again for lovely invitation. My mouth is already watering. Will try to arrange something before April 15th as that is when Durstons fly back to Winterpeg! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello parents, could one of you lovely retired folks call Casey from Dunbar lighting and see where he is now located and arrange to pick up the new shade, aka Grandma Dunn's lamp shade!! it should be $200? I believe how about the money will come back to you when my taxes are done or the first 15th of the month after Mexico. Love you!!! thank you!!

Hi Pushy De-Nested Child!

Your Grandfather said it was $100 just for house call! Which bill are you paying first? Cheers, Knee-cap Collection Agency!

Yeah I just discovered some pretty bad scratches on the bathroom counter that Crusty is not gentle. Thanks for coming but the place needs to be padded before he enters. xx

Hi Ms Obsessive!

Those "scratches" must have been there before as I took the cover and placed it on kitchen counter so it wouldn't get broken. No tools present either as Dusty said he wouldn't need any. Even put the small metal box which was on the cistern cover on a magazine on bathroom counter. Maggie's spirit claws? Cheers, Plumber's Assistant!

Hi Elly and Antonio!

Sarge forwarded your last message. Sounds like a pretty busy life, let alone full travel itinerary! Really looking forward to seeing you both. Take care of each other until we see you. Keep ironing your T-shirts, Antonio!!! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello Saint Filmer!

Not sure if you are trying to convert me away from the Church of In Vino Veritas but I'm a True Believer in this faith so try selling your bibles elsewhere, Mormon Man! Enjoyed clip but it doesn't really appeal, prefer jazz.

On the other hand, the four of us had a terrific time sinning this past weekend, in the Okanagan. Take care of each other until we see you, some time in late July. More details later. Keep praying and drinking holy rum! Cheers, Patrizzio!

PS: Forgot to mention that John Wigle was at 70th party as he is a good friend of Birthday Girl's husband, Peter. He asked about you and David, Sally. Pic: John on right.