April Fool's Day Blues: Tuesday, April 1st!

A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be. -Abraham Maslow, psychologist (1908-1970) 

P, I am good to play Wednesday but I will need to host the evening. Kerry is out (her first book club meeting) that evening and Tia will be at home. If that works for everyone, it is a go. Lemme know. W

Hi Lads! I have left Sarge a phone message. From what we discussed earlier, I'm sure he is on but if not, I'll rustle up Mick or Admiral Barnacle. See everyone at 7:00ish tomorrow. Cheers, Il Conduttore! 

Sorry Pat.  I am not available.

Iamthere@7             Fast Eddy: Is that your Twitter handle? Should probably be "Iamthere@7NoTrump! Cheers, Patrizzio, Doubled!           Who is the 4th?

Hi Gorenites! Mick "The Hearse" Carter and he is looking to bury all opponents! Cheers, Gravedigger Dunn!  A rematch!      A re-burying of the hatchet, so to speak!


My dear friend You should be righting a books . I'm happy that you had a good adventure And finely you all comeback safely . Let make this breakfast or lunch as soon as you put yourself's together and organize The time with rest of the gung. Regards Jarek

Hello again, Jarek! Thank you for the welcome back! I was a bit worried that you might be hoping I wouldn't return so you wouldn't have to pay for a large steak breakfast for me! Too bad, my friend, as looks like we can all make it for Wednesday, April 9th, at 9:30 am, at the Broadway IHOP! Let me know if this location, date and time are suitable for you and your long-suffering, beautiful wife, Grazyna! Fond regards and Cheers, Patrizzio!

PS: I plan not to eat for the next week so that I'll have an ever better appetite!

OK, we're on, if the day and time suits you, Jarek.  Looking forward to it!!  I too will save up my appetite! Janet

Looking forward to Tofino! And yes, Thursday is good Patrick…if the kids are in classes, I’ll leave the shawl in a discrete bag on the front porch. Lisa

Hi Lisa! Thanks! I'll wear sunglasses and a nondescript coat to make the pick-up. Cheers, Patrizzio!  ….:)

Hi Lads!

I have been using more garlic scape in my various food concoctions and really like the flavours it imparts. Another delicious use for kale so might be raiding your garden at midnight, Raymondo!

I thought you both might like to take a look at the following recipe sites, passed along by Chloë. YUM!!!  Check these out!!

http://cookingbylaptop.com/wp/garlic-scape-pesto/

http://cookingbylaptop.com/wp/kale-pesto/

I have been using more garlic scape in my various food concoctions and really like the flavours it imparts. Another delicious use for kale so might be raiding your garden at midnight, Raymondo!

Being presented with such a gorgeous day thought I'd better try to take advantage of it so after my breakfast fuel, (yogurt, cereal and a sliced banana), I set out, at 11:30 am, for Iona, via UBC. Head wind brutale from get go so I wasn't looking forward to stretch out to Iona. Nevertheless, didn't complain about push along Marine and I was soon clocking 22 km/hr. Bit of a bottleneck just past top of two small rises, opposite Maple Grove Park, as traffic was backed up almost all the way from Macdonald. I was able to squeak by, on the shoulder, to discover that there was a movie being shot. Looked like crew was using one of the mansions along there. Breathed a deep sigh of relief as it had never entered my mind that I'd be forced onto The Burning Ground for the filming of a B movie made for TV!

Continued to hurtle along all the way to Foreshore Fraser Park and surrounding industrial parks and even managed to achieve an AVG of 23 km/hr. However, knew full well that that would drop, precipitously, once I turned around and headed back into the malevolent westerly. Still, I struggled away and was more than pleased to ascend the CSTB, the climb much preferable to the constant battle of the constant head wind, with even more maddening gusts at times.  

The thought of continuing the fight out to Iona dissuaded me from exercising that option, preferring to delay the inevitable and continue east along River Road. Felt I would have a chance to rest my legs all the way to the intersection of Westminister Hwy. Did just that although I was starting to tire by then so the weight of the return leg weighed heavily on my mind.

However, gearing down, after I turned around, made the wind tunnel gauntlet manageable and even allowed me to maintain the 22 km/hr AVG+/- by the time I was at the bottom of Cambie and making the long ascent to 41st. Caught all the lights, more or less, and was soon enjoying the run downhill, past Queen E. Dipsy doodled onto 29th as I didn't make the light there and then onto Yukon to 25th and thence to 16th and then east to Ontario. 

Had "found" Domestiques at both 12th and Broadway but needed to dipsy doodle to Manitoba to cross 2nd and then I was home-free, so to speak. Had managed to achieve 22 km/hr on long descent but that dropped to 21.9 km/hr having to circle at various lights. So as soon as I was on Charleson, I pulled out all the stops and managed to register 22 km/hr just before small rise at Alder Crossing but knew I could maintain speed, from past experience, although head wind tried to thwart me. To no avail!!! Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/471936994#.UztRBGvX0w0.email

Forecast looks promising for domani so anyone keen to ride? I'm open as far as time, distance and destinations are concerned so let me know and we'll plan accordingly. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Since I cannot stop to take pictures of gorgeous trees in blossom, along bike route, I have included ones off our patio! Pre-ride photos!!!

Pat/George, That reminds me - haven't planted any kale yet. I'm probably going to spend several hours in the garden tomorrow as I did today. I need to seed carrots, parsnips etc. at this time of year. So unless you hear from me, carry on and enjoy your ride. Ray 

Hi Kids!

Cabbage steaks, scape and kale pesto! We don't need no stinkin' bacon! Cheers, Patrizzio "Leaning Towards a Raw Vegan Diet". Does malt qualify? Cheers from a Once-Upon-a-Time Ovo-Lactarian!!!!

I have had a wee bit of difficulty sending out the link. Let me apologize for the last attempt that takes you to some odd dating site.  I have ever confidence I will do better this time. We are off on Thursday. First hiccough was the pilot strike at Luftansa. Now sorted with some new flights.

Correct link.     http://creilkoff.tumblr.com      Catherine  

Hi Catherine! Thanks for link to your Blog! Will cetainly follow your exploits, especially now that things have been sorted out! Bon Voyage and Buona Fortuna! Cheers, Patrizzio!

I am moved by your tribute to Suzanne Cates Dodson in LibFOCUS April 2014, and I am sure she would be very proud that the flag was lowered in her honour. But I missed in the obituary, and in others I have seen, any reference to her contributions to her profession as innovator and activist.

I think especially of her internationally recognised work for standards in microforms and for user accessibility to both microforms and government documents. Late in her career she pushed for excellence in design and maintenance of the library physical plant.  Few of her colleagues and students will be able to match the Dodsons' tangible gifts to the university, but we can at least try to follow the example of her professional dedication and excellence.

Suzanne could have chosen several careers other than librarianship. For her achievement as botanical artist, see UBC Reports v.25, n. 13, July 4, 1979. I am fond of the accompanying photograph of her sitting in front of my favourite of her paintings, the Lysichiton americanum  or skunk cabbage. She joked that her appreciation of this plant was enhanced by her defective olfactory sense.

http://digitalcollections.library.ubc.ca/cdm/compoundobject/collection/ubcreports/id/2532/rec/27Phyllis Reeve