Lake Whatcom Bellingham Blues: Wednesday, April 9th

Fiction gives us a second chance that life denies us. -Paul Theroux, novelist (b. 1941) 

P, sounds like a fun night at the Keatings. I really appreciate knowing those people and I am grateful for the introduction by you. Good on Dusty.

An echo of lasterday's theme: A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:Fiction gives us a second chance that life denies us. -Paul Theroux, novelist (b. 1941) 

That's one of the reasons I spent time (almost) every day of my teaching career reading aloud to my students. Mark
 

The Shrine of The Sisterhood!

I fully concur with your arrant musings on those you cannot allow themselves the head space to enjoy this simple pleasure. I am not sure where I would be without it. I expect I would be a wealthy self important lawyer or someone that ilk instead of the former publisher languishing in romantic notions of a cultured and caring world... Did I say that?

I will probably wait for you to ride. My window is narrow with the sisterhood out of town and my need conserve a little energy. I am escort for the MT (more like me being shoved around at gun point) and I play a league match at 6PM. We will connect before you depart for the pancake fest. W

Dear Monsieur Melancholia!

It doth seem to me that thou seemeth a tad beset by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune this goodly morn! Doldrum thyself away with a splash of the swych licour that will lift thine spirits, heavy tho they might be, and calm a troubled heart. Did I say that?

In fact, it occurs to me, with the recent spate of thought provoking quotations, that a very simple, elegant solution stares us in the face, with respect to the Ungrateful Unread. All we need to do is to have them sign up for A.Word.A.Day and surely they'd be able to read at least one quotation before each NRBC meeting! A bit like some of the Fringe plays, Hamlet in 3 Minutes, per esempio! 

It would leave far more time for the truly important matter of spirit analysis, (anaemic vs non-anaemic, malt over rye, etc.), although fine revenue might drop substantially. In a pinch, we could have virtual discussions, texting each other. That way we wouldn't ever have to see anyone, particularly unruly sorts from across the Wide Salish Sea! Some sustainable tofu fat to chew over on the next therapy ride. I'll call when back from Maple Syrup Heaven and we can see what might work for an outing at pump (shotgun) point.
 

Must away as I'm off to look for my copy of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. You can delete all the book titles appended to your NRBC messages as I'll bring compendium to next meeting and The Stumbling Unread can decide which quotation will be next. At least this way, we keep some semblance, some microscopically thin veneer of pretense that we belong to an old fashioned Book Club in which participants actually enjoy the pleasure of extended, other worldly contemplative experiences! Cheers, Pancake Patrizzio!

Dear Therapist, your brilliant suggestion to reform the NRBC to a Word Club may be the answer to our current malaise. I would not however assume that any of them would be capable of reading the one selection. Many have trouble reading a short e-mail.

I look forward to our session early this afternoon and to clearing the cluttered front halls of the mind of all scarcely worn and neglected shoes. W

Hi Patrick, It would be nice to get together if indeed the anniversary is in 2014. I have had a blue time of it. I miss my hubby. I have been trying to create a new life for myself. It is the only way to survive. I haven't even looked at my pictures on my camera since the reunion. Hanging in there and trying to do fun things. Hugs Gloria.

Hi Gloria!

Lovely to hear from you but am sorry to learn that things are difficult for you. Cannot imagine what it must be like, emotionally, to lose a spouse. Trust time and other pursuits, as you mention, will ease the pain and loss.

With respect to the anniversary, yes, it will take place this August, in Falcon Lake. However, Corinne and I will be driving to Winnipeg towards the end of July so perhaps we can arrange something before or after anniversary celebration. We will be back and forth, between Wpg and Falcon, a number of times, so let me know if there are any dates that might work better for you. First week of August will be pretty full from my point of view.

I was also wondering if you might want/be able to contact some other former classmates from either Isaac Brock or Daniel as it would be fun to see those people as well. You can reach me at my email address if that is an easier way to communicate. Fond regards. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Pat Trust I am not playing tonight, because tom is coming over to hook up our plumbing in the kitchen. Keep me in mind if there is a game next week, I could host and show off the new kitchen! Mike 

Hi Mick!

Thanks for the note. I appreciate your concern but had decided we'd probably not play tonight unless I'd heard otherwise from people. Whirlygiig and Fast Eddy are doubling this evening and we had a marvellous night of food and drink and cards at the Keatings last night. I'm trying to finish off our taxes so I've plenty to keep me busy. Next week would be grand, however, to celebrate the unveiling at your place! Will be in touch. Buona Fortuna with plumbing! Cheers, Il Conduttore!
 

Hi Nigella and Theodorakis!

Just a quick note to thank you both for the wonderful, wonderful, fun/food filled evening. Lovely to see Bill The Dishwasher and Marian The Card Shark again, as well as to meet The Mermanator and Ricardo. Rosita and Dusty were delighted, of course, to see you before heading back to the Snowbank Capital of the World. Thanks again. Fondestos from Coriandre. Cheers, Patrizzio!                                                   G'day Patrick and Corinne

Sorry about the slow response but as you rightly indicated it's been a bit busy here of late. While we are well ensconced in our new home we are still spending inordinate amounts of time looking through numerous unlabelled and mislabelled boxes trying to find the little necessaries and getting reconnect to life(web).

Once again you have excelled yourself in a detailed tome on your recent escapade into the wilderness, which was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I know it’s the wilderness because the first thing I do after opening one of your emails is open Google Maps so I can identify at least the general area you are describing. 

I particularly enjoyed looking at the photo’s on Google of Hester Creek Estate Winery Ltd. I’m a bit surprised or just misinformed about the extent of wine growing in this part of Canada. I mistakenly believed the climate would be somewhat harsh for grape growing and associated wine production. I now assume the region produces excellent cold climate whites and by the look of landscape some robust reds. I’m looking forward to testing the above theory during our brief sojourn to your homeland.  See you in about four weeks. All the best for now, Tony and Elly 

Hi Elly and Antonio!

Can sympathize with your struggles regarding unlabeled and mislabeled boxes! We lived with so many boxes, after we moved from our house to where we are now, that we started to use them as furniture. Much had to do with the fact that we didn't have any shelves for our myriad books but still felt a bit as if we were refugees!

Glad you took the time to take a look at the Okanagan. I think you will be quite pleasantly surprised at the whites, as you mention. I like many of the reds as well but feel, and strongly so, that the quality for price charged really cannot compete with wine from Argentina and Chile, the new OZ for the past few years, at least as far as our pocketbooks go. Nevertheless, some of the most beautiful wine-country scenery in the world, if I may be so bold.

I gather you won't have the time to visit this trip but well worthwhile another time. The vistas out over Lake Okanagan, from the "benches" of Naramata, in particular, are stunning. Landscape is much like Queenston in NZ, if you might have been there, but with vineyards now replacing many/most fruit orchards. Sad to say that competion from US and elsewhere has seen the demise of what was once a thriving apple, cherry and peach industry. Of course you can still buy such produce today but the national/international demand, export markets no longer exist. Fondestos from Coriandre. See you, as you say, in less than a month now! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Stats for today's ride, Up-And-Over:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/476853259#.U0XX09-spj0.email

Stats fot today's ride, Stormin' Norman: 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/476853249#.U0XYCntyEI0.email 

Hi Giggster!

Hope all the ferrying worked out. Assume it did as didn't hear from you. Thanks for waiting for me as I really enjoyed the outing. After I left you I decided I'd ride back to Olympic Village and thence across Main to Northern and then to FX Fashion to see Stormin'. Had a brief visit as he was busy with some colleagues arranging a trade show. Picked out three shirts and left them there. Will return on Tuesday as sale will still be on and want to try on a few other shirts as well, if the ones I liked are still there. Was too drenched to do so today. Stats for today's ride, Up-And-Over:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/476853259#.U0XX09-spj0.email
 

Headed back home around 3:15 pm and started digging up papers I knew I needed to put together our income tax returns. I had "estimated" certain figures on first run through but wanted, obviously, to have all my ducks in a row when I filed. When I went downstairs to recheck things I planned to submit my return via Netfile but system was down! Sarge came home as I was working through my return and told me that system had been closed down as CRA was concerned about The Heart Bleed Bug.  Supposed to be back up this weekend. Hope so as the sooner I file the sooner I'll be able to afford to bailout The Sisterhood!

I have to ambulance Coriandre to hospital domani, around 9:00 am, and then collect her at around 11-11:30 am as I she will be given something to help with procedure. Once again, head out if your schedule demands. We can confab on the morrow and see where things stand then. Cheers, from The Heart Bleed Terrace!

Stats for today's ride, after leaving Stormin' Norman: 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/476853249#.U0XYCntyEI0.email  

PS: Came across this rather interesting snippet, via delanceyplace.com, in Mary Poppins, She Wrote: The Life of P. L. Travers, Valerie Lawson, 1999:

Pamela Travers was the highly unconventional and slightly subversive author of the beloved Mary Poppins books first published in 1934. Unlike the saccharine version from Walt Disney, Traver's fictional Poppins is "as peculiar as she is kind, as threatening as she is comforting, as stern as she is sensual, as elusive as she is matter of fact."

Reason I mention it is that this really matches Vivian Maier's personality, as the "truth" behind this real-life nanny begins to emerge. Simply fascinating.

Pic: Filched from one of The Sisterhood's surveillance cameras! 


Rockford Wines is a true cult winery located in the Barossa Valley, established in 1984 it adheres to true artisan technique, hand-producing all wines from vineyard to cellar door. Wines are benchmark for the region and are made with minimal intervention and very traditional technique. The wines are uniquely styled and some of Australia's most sought after.