IIDD, Winter Solstice: Sunday, December 9th

The raw material of possible poems and histories. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist and poet, on dictionary (1803-1882)

Al fishing the Canim river trail!

 Hi Big Al!

Great snap! Trust you are well. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Invite Your Friends to
STOP killing the EARTH - не убивайте Земята! 

Patrick James Dunn Onward! Fight!!

 

Work Order Completed:

We have completed your work order (120912124036) at West Point Cycles - West 10th Ave. Please stop by at your earliest convenience.
Total:$232.94

Notes:3 month tune-up completed. erplaced missing fender pieces. installed new chain. Test ridden, chain slipping in highest gear (big ring/small cog) due to worn cassette cog. Replaced cassette, test ridden, slipping eliminated.

Thank you, Jacob Service Team at West Point Cycles - West 10th. Ave.

Hi Paul!

Thought I'd send along these snaps of last Sunday! Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year to everyone at Aunt Leah's. Cheers, Chloë and Patrizzio!

 Hi Ruth and Randy!

Sorry, once again, for not replying sooner, but I didn't have Ayn's address until Friday. Thanks for sending yours along as well.Rest of dates:
Dec 12: leave Vancouver for Portland
Dec 13: Redding or Williams
Dec 14-15: Healdsburg
Dec 16-17: Berkeley

Dec 18: Fresno
Dec 19-25: Van Nuys
Dec 25-Jan 10: Simi Valley, leave LA

Jan 10: Yuma
Jan 11: Sun City
Jan 12: Mesa
Jan 13: Van Horn
Jan 14-15: in Dallas (Tornadoes in Colorado)

Jan 16-23: in New Orleans

Jan 24-28: in Dallas

Jan 28-Feb 7: in St. Maarten

Feb 7-11: in Dallas?

Just a word about dates as listed. For the most part, the ones, up to and including Jan 11th are fixed, barring unforeseen circumstances. After we leave Sun City we may well not stay in Mesa. Sandy and Arvyl, close friends of Clara and Dusty, from Falcon, may not be there, depending on other family commitments. Basically what that means is that we may well drive further east sooner. I've divided drive between Mesa and Dallas roughly in half but depending on how we feel we could drive for more than eight hours to be closer to Dallas for next day's drive.

 At the other end, for last stay in Dallas we can leave sooner if you two need time together, alone! Cora Lee would like to be back in Vancouver by Sunday, February 17th so leaving on the 11th would be fine or we could leave a day or two earlier, again, depending on your schedules, etc. Anyway, let me know what you think and we can adjust as dates are pretty flexible other than around flights and accommodation in New Orleans. Thanks again for allowing us to stay at your condo. Please include keys to wine cellar and malt cabinet!!!

On the cycling front, I had thought that I'd just do a quick run out to UBC yesterday but when I was on Marine Drive, leaving campus, traffic being as light as it was, I decided I'd try for Cambie Sky Train Bridge and Iona without dump trucks. The new post office is being built there to be close to YVR. It was more than a pleasure to ride without any heavy vehicle traffic at all, it being the weekend!
 
Once back home, had a quick shower and change and then Sarge and I drove over to West Van. Tapas party at one of The Sisterhood's Book Club's member's home, Heather Fraser. (Cora Lee, Flamin' and Robyn were in Seattle for weekend.) Lovely gathering, fabulous food and drink, although Sarge didn't imbibe as he was driving. Meet some interesting folk and got to know Heather's husband, Rick. He had a heart transplant 10 years ago, something of which I'd not been aware! developed complications after surgery and was in n induced coma for 5 days! Said he had wonderful, morphine induced dreams but that is all he can remember!

Back to Kits we ferried their daughter, Erica, to 13th and Granville, as she needed a ride "overtown" as Sarge would put it. Lovely young woman. She helped prepare many of the dishes. We dropped her at her brother's place. Scott just graduated from UBC with an MA in Public Health. Both bright young people so it was a delight to meet them, if only briefly. Home and downstairs to enjoy a few snorts of malt. Sarge was dry after abstaining all evening!

Today, from 10am-2:00pm, Chloë and I sold Christmas trees for Aunt Leah's at their Burnaby lot and had a blast. Very busy for most of shift and then she dropped me off at Vancity Theatre, downtown, where I took in 56 UP. Do you know this series? Simply fascinating, time travel really! Back home to have dinner at The Annexe: roast and potatoes/carrots, pickled beets and salad. Banana cream pie with Oreo crust for dessert! Dusty cut down and only had whipped cream on his second slice! I had Cora Lee's crust as it wasn't gluten-free! Very, very kranky Coriandre, let me tell you, in spite of just having spent the weekend in Seattle with The Sisterhood!

[A quick note, Patrick & Corinne, as it is 11am and I just got in the office on Monday morning.  Flew here from SA on a 7am flight.  Took public transportation (light rail!) for the first time from airport to the office, then to realize that I had left my laptop in Dallas condo, but key to the condo in SA!  A few mishaps, but got to start the work asap!

The dates are helpful.  We love for you guys to stay as long as possible, especially to overlap with weekends when Randy is here.  Calling to have locks installed on wine fridge next.  We have some OLD Cal wines ready to clean out – they will be either fabulous or drain-worthy.  Will be fun to find out.

Will send keys to Ayn in a few days – after I chart out detailed instructions so that you can whip in and out of our building like residents!  (On-site manager Mary “the witch” is there Monday – Friday, 9-4)

We had an Argentine/Tango party Sat in San Antonio.  Had a fabulous time!  I may follow Randy’s advice to buy a new bike, as your tune-up costs more than my bike. P.S. We can’t do New Orleans as Randy’s semester will have just started …  

Hi Ruth!

Sorry about New Orleans but we'll just have to make up for it in Dallas! Haven't even started to pack, probably at 3:00am Wednesday morning, before we leave for Portland, at the rate I'm going! Running around like a chicken with its head cut off! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!]

We savoured a Nine Hats, Columbia Valley, 2008 Syrah, 14.5%, which Coramandel brought back from trip. Blackberry bramble tempered by a touch of smoke. Good length and acidity, soft tannins that compliment the fruit on the finish. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Some of the tapas, as it was a Spanish theme; Rick and his daughter, Erica; Heather, her cousin, and Erica; Sarge; Lynne and Peter, last guests to leave Open House on December 2nd!