First Day of Lent Blues: Ash Wednesday, March 5th!

Avarice, envy, pride, / Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all / On Fire. -Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) [The Divine Comedy] 

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar, directly following Shrove Tuesday. Occurring 46 days before Easter, it is a moveable feast that can fall as early as February 4 and as late as March 10.
 

According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting or abstinence. Of the 46 days until Easter, six are Sundays. As the Christian sabbath, Sundays are not included in the fasting period and are instead "feast" days during Lent.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a celebration and reminder of human mortality, and as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered from the burning of the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday.

Scrutate:

MEANING:

verb tr.: To investigate.

ETYMOLOGY:

rom Latin scrutari (to examine). Earliest documented use: 1882.

Thanks, this clarifies many things. We will feel comfortable staying at the
annexe on the 18th and 19th. We will be staying in Bellingham the night before so we could be in Vancouver by mid day and meet at your place before checking in at L'Hermitage. A quick ride around would be nice. We could even take the Tesla Model S:-) . I made reservations at the hotel already. Like I said we will have a kitchen so we may cook in but I doubt it. Pat likes walking around during the day.........I like
relaxing more but we will see.........Thanks again so much.............Dave

 Buon Giorno, Tesla People!

Cora Lee is even now placing the chocolates on your pillows in the Annexe! The fact that your are staying overnight in Bellingham is terrific. Probably take you about two hours to drive from there to our place, depending on border line-up. That will be the determining factor. Can be as along as an hour or more, particularly during weekends, holidays, etc. Monday should be a good day but one can never tell. At any rate, as you drive closer to the 49th parallel, overhead highway signs will note projected crossing waits. (Sometimes the nearbye Truck Crossing offers a better option than the Peace Arch so keep a lookout for this turnoff if posted times are significantly different.) We always carry reading material of one sort or another. (Your own domestic situation may mean that you talk to each other. Cora Lee, once in a car, for any distance, immediately buries her head in a book and becomes very, very grumpy whenever I try to engage her, meekly asking her to open my coffee thermos, hand me a carrot stick or the like!) Not trying to cause you undue concern but simply trying to alert you to possible delays.

Timing will be such that your arrival will allow for a bite to eat, coffee, etc., if you'd like, and an orientation ride. While we'd like to experience your Tesla Model S I think it would be better to take our vehicle so you can focus on city rather than worrying about following directions. If you have a mobile you could phone us, (604-734-9200), when you are a few minutes away and we'll meet you at our parkade entrance. I assume you have a GPS which will lead you almost to our doorstep. If no cell then you can follow directions I have attached to send Pat, on foot, to our patio, while you wait in Tesla in small parking area adjacent to our building If worst comes to worst you can always stop and use a pay phone although those are fewer and farther apart these days.

Anyway, I'm making this sound like a highly sophisticated military operation when it really isn't all that complicated. You will soon discover that Vancouver isn't a huge city and it is relatively easy to drive around. Basically, the highway you will be on, once you enter country, you remain on and it will take you to within blocks of where we live.

Following is approach I would suggest:

You will be on Oak Street once you enter Vancouver proper and stay on it until you cross King Edward Ave, (25th), then move into left-hand lane as you will be turning left, at at W 19th, (turning light), onto Wolfe Ave which will curve around o allow you to bear right onto Hemlock. Proceed south along Hemlock. Once you cross W Broadway move into left hand lane . This will allow you proceed to the left of the Granville Bridge on ramp to come to the lights at  W 5th. Stay in the right lane and simply follow curved road ahead and this will take you under the Granville Bridge to the entrance to Granville Island. Do not proceed through this intersection but turn right onto Lamey's Mill Road. We are a block or so along Lamey's Mill Road, Harbour Terrace, technically the fourth possible entrance on the left. The Tesla has Landed! If you see a small store called Dean's, you have gone too far, so simply turn around and retrace your steps.

I'm sure you will be fine. Piece of cake compared to SF or rest of Bay Area. Let me know if this makes sense. Cheers, Patrizzio!  

You are a wealth of information........I meant you could drive the Model S, but I know you won't want to, though it practically drives itself.........We will leave early from the US and be prepared to wait. What is so neat about the Tesla is we don't use any energy while stopped, no gas fumes displaced.......I was in Vancouver years ago and remember it was easy to get around and yes my navigation is Google so I should have no trouble. Soon I will put in all the addresses and see if Goggle finds them..............We will have fun!!! 

Still incapacitated. Frustrating. Will be back. Cheers, Kjell

Had a quite a wonderful ride today. Was pretty wet most of the morning, so things did not look too, too good for cycling. However,  stopped, here, around 10:30 am, and, looking at forecast, I thought I'd be fine for a reasonably lengthy ride. Left at just before 11:00 am and headed for Stanley Park. Really like this new "warm" weather as no need to worry about cold fingers! English Bay looked very picturesque with about 14 freighters outlined against the horizon.

Hadn't really thought about how far I'd go but once I was on my way, following, by now, my standard loop, Prospect Point circuit, I felt as if I could, without too, too much difficulty, especially since I'd not ridden since Monday, attempt to break the 100+ km mark, if I just chiseled away at the distance. Did just that and was rewarded with sunshine and blue skies at around 1:30 pm. On the fourth loop, I even noticed the spot, near the Brockton Point Lighthouse, where the car that had jumped the curb, last Monday, had come to rest against one of the concrete pillars, an integral part of the fence there. Bit of yellow warning tape draped over it as the base had a number of large cracks in it, caused, I assume, from the force of the impact. Wonder who will have to pay for repairs?

Such was my delight in the glory of the day that I didn't even mind the head wind, whenever I encountered it, as it wasn't all that strong, except on last leg between Stanley Park and Science World. Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/455859723#.Uxfawxel2xo.email

 

Home by 4:30 pm to give the Trek a quick rinse and de-greasing. Chain was in pretty good shape as road/seawall was fairly dry but there was still a fair bit of sand/grit on frame. Showered and changed by time Coriandre was back from short Ash Wednesday service at Heartwood. She raised a few eyebrows at liquor store where she had stopped, after service, to pick up a bottle of cheap wine for dish she was making for lunch, next day, having forgotten about the black cross on her forehead! Cashier said to her: "Lady, you have a tack in your forehead!" Recovered quickly, replying that she often wanted to hammer one into her husband's head!

That evening we had been invited, by friends, Matt/Catherine, to have dinner at Point Grey Golf Club, off Marine Drive, near Blenheim. We met them there at 7:00 pm and had a wonderful evening. With everyone's busy lives and travel, we had not seen them since well before Christmas. At any rate we had a plenty of time to catch up while enjoying the lovely meal. I had the lamb steak, slices of perfectly done, melt-in-your mouth, tenderloin. Place was fairly busy and when waiter brought us our bottle of white, a delicious NZ SB, he said that kitchen had just finished serving a very large gathering and that our orders had been delayed. In jest, I countered that we didn't mind as long as the chef sent along a complimentary bottle of wine. Everyone chortled, waiter included, and we kept on chatting. Few minutes later, the hostess arrived, with another bottle of white, saying it was compliments of chef, on account of the delay!
 

We were all a bit flabbergasted as we certainly weren't upset and were only kidding about wanting a free bottle. Nevertheless, staff insisted so we thanked them but went one further by asking if we could have a red instead of white proffered, the better to go with the red meat we'd all ordered. More than happy to oblige, we ended up with a very, very rich Cabernet from Margaret River. Due to way one pays for meals/drinks here, Matt couldn't even tip the servers. Must say, we were all quite impressed with the way in which the matter, (Again, we really were not at all upset by the delay.), was handled so graciously. When we left, thanking all concerned, Matt reminded our waiter to make sure that service was slow next time! Lovely evening all around.

Nice to hear you're warming up out there. Temps tonight will be -20 with windchill of -35. Not a tulip to be seen in sight. All is well here. Had some minor surgery on my foot last week but recovering well. Presently renovating a bathroom and near finishing. Our son Mark is in your fair city this week for the BC dental association conference. He's there until Sunday. If you see him say hello.
 
Here visiting mother at the seniors home. She is doing fairly well. Slowing down considerably, bug she is 94!!! Tea is ready. My turn to serve. Take care and our best to coriandre. Cheers, Me. F