Devil's Kitchen Cloudburst Blues: Wednesday, April 16th!

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. -Anatole France, novelist, essayist, Nobel laureate (1844-1924) 

P, sorry I missed the movie but probably a good thing. Nothing gets me more wound up than the notion of missionary zeal (period any type) but this hateful heinous creepy... 

The rain is steady over on this side of the tracks right now. I will pass on a ride this morning and hope for a break in the clouds sometime today. My schedule is fairly open so I am prepared to dash out there when the showers let up. W

Hi Whirlissimo!

Pretty steady rain this side of the GI rail tracks as well. Looks like I might be hunkering down with Hubert until the Rain Gods see fit to smile on us. Give me a shout if you catch a glimmer of blue otherwise I'll see you at Michaelo's Kitchen Table and wind you up when you are my opponent! Cheers, Il Precipitazione Patrizzio!

Was referring to John Thompson. Yes, I do remember John Trelevyn and Harriet Dixon but wasn't close to either as I recall. I remember Paul Hart very well. He was one of Herb's Nine, aka Herb Robertson. Paul might remember me. I dated Ken Frederickson briefly at UC, one of the Nine; he passed several years ago. To compete with that group, a few of my girlfriends & I formed Hel's 12; our leader was named Helen. Do Harriet & Paul not have any grandchildren? I don't think I would want to be permanently that far from my three girls and the 7 grandkids. Was Gordon related to Jack Carnegie, do you know? Jack was my Chem teacher at Silver Heights Collegiate. Small world!

Snowed last evening, the grass a blanket of white! Cooled down quite a bit but not cold. It's interesting how all your friends have nick names. How did Flamin get his name, Sarge, Dusty? 

Do give us a call if you are in the neighbourhood. We have our condo on the market so having house guests a bit difficult until we sell. Would love to meet for a meal however or have you over for drinks. Will be at our time share in Nanoose in July for 3 weeks with a brief break in the middle to visit my brother & his wife in Victoria. Won't do any stopping en route depending on what is happening at this end.

Hi Maggie!

Quite steady rain here so biking for next two days looks like it will be on hold. Corinne's parents flew back to Winnipeg yesterday. Wonder how they are coping with the mountains of remaining snow! At Falcon Lake, where they live, their son, George, who lives immediately next door, reported that there was so much snow that the snowblower literally blow the snow over the snowbanks which had grown over the course of the winter!

Before going on, just curious what you are doing up at 2:30 am? Anyway, didn't know John Thompson or Paul Hart from university days. I think they both must have left UC before I arrived. Harriet and Paul don't have any children together and he and his first wife, (can't remember her name), didn't have any offspring. Don't know if Gordon is related to Jack Carnegie but I suspect not. Form what I know of Harriet's first marriage, Gordon's family was extremely dysfunctional, mainly alcoholics and jailbirds! It is a wonder that Gordon was able to escape such a chaotic, hostile environment to pursue post-graduate degrees in English Literature and then to become a practicing lawyer,. now living/working in Cambridge.

With respect to nicknames, I've always enjoyed assigning monikers. Probably started, in earnest, when I used to write a silly, weekly account of the league squash matches the team I captained played, back in mid-'80's. Just grew, like Topsy! "Dusty", Corinne's Dad, was always called that, after a cowboy character called "Dusty Roads" when he worked as an usher back in Dauphin as a kid.

"Sarge" is actually a fairly high-ranking Superintendent in the RCMP but I like to remind him of his origins. In 2007 we drove from Vancouver to St John's together and stopped overnight in Regina to stay with colleagues he had trained with. They were quite amused when I referred to him that way as by this time they had all advanced in their careers. "Flamin'" is simply a reflection of her fiery character. Her grandfather was a Darrieux from St Pierre et Miquelon, later transformed into Darrow, and she obviously inherited his Gallic fire. You could be "Steel Magnolia", per esempio, for your obvious toughness in the face of all the various health battles you have waged. I italianize most everything, (I simply love the exuberance of the language and the wild gesticulations of its native speakers.), hence "Patrizzio". 

"Il Conduttore", a play on words, stems from squash days when I was the "bus conductor" who took the entire squash team down to the farm team to play in the minor leagues in Abuquerque after a particularly poor showing one league night. Includes a reference, of course, to what some, (Cora Lee, Drama Queen, [Ayn, in Tinsel Town], basically all The Sisterhood), believe is my "pushy" personality which insists on directing others! Not a shred of truth, however!!!

Thanks for phone numbers. Will certainly call/email beforehand should our time/travel route allow us to take northern route. For your part, be great to see you, if only in passing, when en route to VI. I know exactly what is involved when travelling thus but if things change, let us know. Where, exactly, are you in Nanoose? Our friends live just outside Parksville, Madroña Drive, so we are quite familiar with the area. When we were there this past January I used to ride around Fairwinds Golf Course quite regularly, down to Red Gap and the intersection of NW Bay Rd and the Island Hwy. Would turn around at the PetroCan station and start all over again!
 

Anyway, small world, as you mention. Best wishes from Mme Coriandre. Fondestos and Cheers, Pushy Patrizzio, Il Conduttore, aka The Little Dictator by unkind family members!

Pics: Whirlygig being fitted by Stormin', originally friends from squash days. "Whirlygig" for his windmilling, erratic racquet swings, "Stormin'" for his "full steam ahead" character. He is another hot-blooded individual of French extraction, Cardinal his surname. Giorgio and I popped in to see Stormin' at his showroom, (He used to work for Woodwards as a buyer before he went out on his own, carrying a number of different clothing lines.), yesterday. He has Sample Sales two or three times a year and he usually gives friends great "deals". 

Giggster had just come from playing squash and we met at Olympic Village to ride short distance to FX Fashion Exchange, not far from the Rocky Mountaineer Train Station, along Terminal Avenue, and not all that far from Vancouver Pacific Central Station. Latter is where my Mom and Grandmother used to arrive when visiting from Winnipeg. Grandma had a life-long pass as my Grandfather worked for CN out of Rivers, about 20 miles from Brandon.  

Hi Flight Centre Independent Contractors! Trust you are both well. All the best from Cora Lee to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Thanks for the congrats and updates! One of our work projects this next little while is improving our presence on LinkedIn. Stop picking on Dusty! Wait til you get his age! Charlie  

Hi Champagne! I'm not picking on Dusty, I'm applauding him! Couldn't have a better role model for everything in life: marriage, bridge, white wine, rum, you name it! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Just trying to be funny. Didn't mean anything else by it. Dusty and Rosie are 2 of the most amazing seniors I have ever met!                         Elders, my friend, Elders!

Ok but not to let you get the last I perhaps could have used mature citizen 

Hello again, Politically Correct Champagne Charlie!

If you are referring to The Dustman, "immature citizen" is the phrase you are looking for, according to Rosie-The -Riveter. "Dusteeeeeeeee, stop wiping your fingers on your socks! Dusteeeeee, comb your hair! Dusteeeee, stop eating the dessert before it's even served! Dusteeeeeee, stop spooning the peanut butter out of the jar directly into your mouth! Dusteeeeeee, stop swilling the white wine, sip it slowly!!!"

Get the picture, Last Word Man? Cheers, OneUpmanShip Patrizzio!
 
Hey Patrizzio,
 
I couldn't sleep so to the computer is usually where I head when that happens. Our daughter woke us up at 9:20. The alarm had gone at 8:15, but obviously Frank said, there's the alarm, rolled over & turned it off. Having been up in the night for a couple of hours, I needed the extra zees! It's a good thing Alli called as we were expecting the Realtor at 9:30.
 

It is interesting the names you have given your friends/family, Pat. Thx for the explanation. I never did like the name 'Margaret' although I still get called that from some and even 'Margaret Anne'. I always loved the name 'Maggie' and introduced myself as such as soon as we moved to Ottawa in July of '71, a year after we married. Frank continues to call me 'Marg', a name I hate but he is too old to change. It is 'normal' to hear that name from him. It does confuse some people though as he does introduce me as 'Maggie' and then refers to me as 'Marg'. I was Marg at Uni. All my siblings except for brother Shawn and some of Frank's family continue to call me 'Marg'. A couple of my friends call me 'Mags', not sure I like, but I am okay with it. Magnolia, is that Italian? I'm okay with that too, although Frank would think it odd!

I was thinking about 'Herb's Nine'. When next you see, talk to or visit Harriet (a name I hate, btw!), you must say hi to Paul.He was a redhead in college, clean cut, kind of preppie looking, very nice. I was trying to remember the names of the other guys in that group but can't recall all- Herb Robertson, Paul Hart, Ken Frederickson, Bob Pollock, Dave Hempsall, .....????? There may have been a Bob Pruden.
 

As for the ladies of Helen Lee's 'Hel's 12', there was me, Janice aka Jan Graham, Marilyn Johnson, Sheryl Porth, Jackie ?- a short little spitfire & very popular- think she dated Dave H, and that's it for the gals in my memory. I would check my yearbook but it is packed away.

Speaking of UC folks, boy, did you rattle my cage and pause me to think of many former college friends/acquaintances! Do you ever hear news of Bart Sackrule? He used to call my Mom now & again. It;s been 4 years since she passed. Bart called her Mummy and she loved his charm with that British/Caribbean accent & all the lavish attention. I had heard, not sure how, (maybe from him), that his marriage was breaking up/broke up a few years ago. Bart always did have a wandering eye for the ladies, not sure if he ever really acted on it though. He used to travel on his own for long periods of time to Trinidad, not sure why. 

Bart married a pretty, petite redhead whose family disowned her after their marriage. They had a son & dtr together who would definitely be in their late 30s by now. Bart was an ADM in the govt. Mom visited him once at his spectacular home, I believe, in Scarborough perhaps. Good thing you never met my Mom. She tended to adopt people if she felt a connection and then call them, visit, write them regulatory. I called Bart when Mom was in palliative care but when I tried again later, the number was disconnected. Obviously, he has moved on.

We have just dropped the price on our condo for the second time, hopefully for the last time. It is now just above the County assessment, much to Frank's chagrin!! We definitely want to move, to get rid of the mortgage which was a line of credit after a bad business experience several years ago. 

With us gone for almost half the year, we don't need the space nor the responsibility of such a large space It's amazing how one's priorities change at this stage of our lives. I wish it were warmer with no snow so I can put flowers on the balcony! Soon!!!!! We have lived in this condo for 12 years now and I am ready for a change!

Our time share is at Pacific Shores, just south of Parksville, not too far from Craig Bay. The resort is well known for its fabulous restaurant and amazing fish tanks, huge and most entertaining! You are more than welcome to come visit us there. There is a pullout in the living room if you need to overnight. Email is the best way to contact us, cell phones or Skype, good anywhere we live.Thx for staying in touch, Maggie aka Magnolia

Decoded by Mai Jia: P, don't buy this one. I will purchase it and we can share it. Library copies will be a while in the queue. I can consider it my token contribution to my ever growing malt debt at the Islay Inn. G

Tentative New Book to the List:

Four Shades of Grey/A Pictorial Autobiography

Great, great shot of Felix's brother, Andy! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Another Tentative New Book  for the List!

Four Shades of Smokers/A Pictorial Obituary!

or an autoerotic memoir?  I'd read this! because it's by Kurt, I'm assuming it's strictly a picture/pop-up book?  VL The denouement of Four Shades of Smokers is quite dramatic I must say VL                            Vittorio, et al!

Nanaimo Man might be a nicotine fiend but he's not an illiterate nudnik, just a garden variety nudnik, although, I must admit, he might not know what "denouement" means. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dear Victor: If, as Guy suggests, the book should be re-classified as an “autoerotic memoir” then maybe—just maybe—the book would contain pop-ups. --unknown author  

Giorgio! Don't be silly. It's my turn to buy. Please don't even think about malt. I'll let you pick up book and then I'll reimburse. I insist on paying for it.

Great evening. Sarge would like to ride on Good Friday so we should figure out who else might join peloton. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Lads! Thanks for hosting, Mick. Loads of fun. A few snaps of evening. Next week at my place so let me know who can attend. Cheers, Il Conduttore!                        Hi Steel Magnolia!

Buona Fortuna with selling your condo! You sound just like Cora Lee. She becomes restless after ten years or so, in one place. I'm happy to stay wherever we happen to be forever!

Just back from playing bridge with the lads. Loads of fun and I even managed to come out on top. More Good Luck than Management, however! Nonetheless, very enjoyable.

As I might have mentioned, it was a deplorable day, as far as weather . Around 3:00 pm sky finally brightened and rain stopped after pelting down all day. Took the  opportunity to suit up and ride around Stanley Park. More heavy mist than anything else until I headed into wind and then it was more of a light drizzle. Still, I was delighted to be out and since it really wasn't all the nice, Seawall was almost completely deserted. had taken my workhorse Brodie so only have manual stats: 51.23 km over 2:25'12 for an AVG 21.1 km/hr. Still, I was pleased that in spite of strong easterly head wind and heavier bike I was able to achieve a reasonable AVG.

Home to shower and change while Coriandre prepared a lovely dinner: baked yam with tender steaks and an avocado/lettuce/bocconcini salad. We chatted about the cominf Easter weekend over our delicous meal and then I took off for Mick's house as he was hosting.

More rain forecast for entire day tomorrow so we are planning to have lunch downtown and spend goodly part of afternoon at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Although we are members we haven't been in some time. Looking forward to seeing the Lawren Harris exhibit as well as the photographs of Edward Burtynsky.
 

Funnily enough, your time-share is but minutes away from where our friends live! If we do manage to come over to VI when you are at Pacific Shores, we'll certinly be in touch. They have a huge place so we would probably stya with them but thanks for the generous offer to bunk with you.

Have not had any contact iwth Bart since UC days and the other names you mention are not familiar. I think most of these people were a year or so older and consequently we wouldn't have connected. Must away to bed as I'm sleepy. Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Pics: Bridge earlier this evening: L to R, Whirlygig, Mick, Fast Eddy. Me with a bottle of malt!

"Crucifixion, [the favored form of public execution in the region], said Josephus, was 'the most miserable death,' designed to demean the victim publicly. Hence Pilate ordered Jesus' placard to be attached to his cross --KING OF THE JEWS. Victims could be tied or nailed. The skill was to ensure victims did not bleed to death. The nails were usually driven through the forearms -- not the palms -- and ankles: the bones of a crucified Jew have been found in a tomb in north Jerusalem with a 4.5-inch iron nail still sticking through a skeletal ankle.

 

Nails from crucifixion victims were popularly worn as charms, around the neck, by both Jews and gentiles to ward off illness, so the later Christian fetish for crucificial relics was actually part of a long tradition. Victims were usually crucified naked -- with men facing outwards, women inwards.

"The executioners were experts at either prolonging the agony or end­ing it quickly. The aim was to not kill Jesus too quickly but to demon­strate the futility of defying Roman power. He was most probably nailed to the cross with his arms outstretched as shown in Christian art, sup­ported by a small wedge, sedile, under the buttocks and a suppedaneum ledge under the feet. This arrangement meant he could survive for hours, even days. The quickest way to expedite death was to break the legs. The body weight was then borne by the arms and the victim would asphyxiate within ten minutes." Jerusalem: The Biography, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Alfred A. Knopf, 2011.