Post-Anniversary Blues: Thursday, May 15th

When you re-read a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in yourself than there was before. -Clifton Fadiman, editor and critic (1904-1999) 

Ayn P with Corinne Durston

39 years ago today I was waking up at the Empress Hotel in Victoria...it was the first morning of my parent's wedded bliss so I strolled down to have a Shirley Temple...which was, at the time, how I rang in all important occasions ‪#‎whotakesthekidontheirhoneymoon‬ ‪#‎hippielove‬ ‪#‎wickininishinn‬'76

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  Patrick James Dunn Nana hasn't changed, one iota, as she is still snuggled up in bed, as I scribe. I'm "instructed" to bring her tea in half an hour. Over and out from The Kitchen at #TheIslayInn2014!
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  Ayn P Nana must believe she is still at the Empress and you're just a lowly scullery maid!!
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  Ayn P Happy Anniversay xoxo!!!
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  Patrick James Dunn Thanks! Had a wonderful meal last night, at Edibles, ate outside. Nana loved it as she could people watch to her heart's desire. How right you are about Empress Syndrome!
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  Chloe Alexis Dunn Also it was 38 years ago not 39. Your aging me!!! xx
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  Catherine Lord Surely then that makes you 37!
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  Chloe Alexis Dunn sadly yes!
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  Frank Thetank Happy anniversary and I thought chloe was 28
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  Patrick James Dunn Thank you, Gall Bladderless Man! Trust you are recuperating well. Had a fab meal last night, at Edibles. Cheers!
  

  
  

  

   

See you riders at Kind Ed and Maple around 9:30.  Hi Lads! See you there with horseshoes on! Cheers to The Riders of Stink Island and beyond!

May I suggest that we meet at Craft. http://vancouver.craftbeermarket.ca/ If we can get a head count for those attending I would make a reservation.

85 West 1st Ave - Salt Building, Olympic Village Vancouver, BC   V5Y 0C4

The book we will discuss at the next gathering is Hubert Aquin, Next Episode (Kurt). Moe and then Pat are next up to recommend reading for us.

Two new books on the list for the great Unread: Decoded. By Mai Jia (Mark) To follow that: The Island of Crimea (Ostrov Krym)', by Vasili Aksenov (Misha)

Excellent suggestion. Do they have Labatt Cinquante to go with notre livre? DS                                     eu peutetre Brador? Unibroue!

Gentihommes!Est-ce que cela signifie à la fois Dermot et Guy lira Prochain épisode dans l'original ou est leur bilinguisme limité à étiquettes de bière?  À la votre, Patrizzio!

Count me in along with the other dipsomaniacs.--Kurt 

Dear Wrathfelder! Yes, but are you still a Nicotine Fiend as well a being an Island inebriate? Cheers, Tippler Trizzio!

Dear NRBCers! I see the proposed venue has unleashed a flurry of beer aficionados. Malt and hops, what wonderful substances! Cheers, Piggy Bank Patrizzio!

Unibroue? C'est certainement une 'BrewHaha" qui a été commencé par cette discussion...George, Count my head, por favor. 8^) cheers, Mark

Dear Recording Secretary! I am delighted to attend the next NRBC at Craft and will be sure to bring along the Thirsty Piglet as well. Should it not be possible to book something, The Islay Inn is always available as a back-up locazzione. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dear fellows, I discovered I am scheduled for working the 25th. I will try to switch my shift with a co-worker, and hopefully I will join you for some enlightening beers and some, more obscure, beers. Keep in touch jon  

Hi Giani! Trust you are well. Do hope you can make next NRBC gathering. As well, if you are around GI this long weekend, pop by to say hello and have a coffee or something stronger. Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Hi Patrick, No doubt that I will pop by if I had the chance. Cheers! jon

Hi again, Giani! Look forward to a visit. If you have an inkling of when you might be by, give us a shout beforehand to make sure we are in. Otherwise, just come by and if it works, it works! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Thank you for the card, you are Trés thoughtful! I was wondering if you could give me Michelle's email address. I wanted to ask her about her friend who works with youth in Ker. I have her card but left it in my purse at Al's house.
I rode. Yesterday, I rode one of Al's bikes from swartz Bay to Victoria and didn't I get a flat! I couldn't believe my bad luck. The day was a perfect cycling day so I was so disappointed. dinao picked me and we took the bike into victoria to fix the tire.
 

 Now I am Victoria and it is so beautiful. I hope I get to see you once again before I leave. thanks for dinner the our night, it was DELISH! Take care
Rhoda Alias Ski

Hi Ski, (I've included Chloë as she wants your email address, Ski, and Flamin' as Ski wants yours, Michele!), and Riders of the Purple Sage!

Really sorry to hear about your flat! (Between Swartz Bay and Victoria!) A drag at the best of times but when it was such a grand day makes it even worse, as you said. Glad Dinao was able to pick you up. My Trek needs a tune-up so perhaps I'll let you ride it when you are back from Victoria, break a spoke, jam the chain and get another flat and that way you can foot the bill! Still cheaper than a vet bill so why worry!

Had a glorious ride yesterday, perhaps around same time you were at Swartz Bay and environs. Cycled out to UBC, along Spanish Banks, and then on Marine to Cambie SkyTrain Bridge into Richmond. Then went with wind behind me to River Road and Westminster Hwy. More of a cross wind on return leg so I made better progress than I had feared. Sailed east along Kent and dedicated bike path once I was back over CSTB and only had to ride past Boundary as far as Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park before I had distance I needed to give me my 100 km goal by time I was home. Again, head wind wasn't too, too bad on return along Kent and once I started up Cambie I made all the lights so I was able to maintain my 23 km AVG. Lost a bit on way down Cambie, having to dipsy doodle between Columbia and Yukon to cross Broadway but managed to gain it back once I was on home stretch, even pushing it to 23.1 km/hr when I pulled up at the Heartbreak Hotel!  Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/499660755#.U3QIxBYXbtU.email

Quite pleased as this is my first 100 km ride since being back from Mexico and highest AVG for that distance ever! I was able to toast the ride when Flamin' and Sarge came up for a drink to celebrate our 38th anniversary. Michelle Lavigne, (another of the Great Ronaldo's paddlers!), and her husband, Doug, came as well. 

They just flew into town from Halifax as Michelle is attending a conference. The four of them left for Osoyoos for the weekend, staying at Spirit Ridge Vineyard and Resort until Monday. Nicole came upstairs as well. She was over to pick-up Molly to take care of her while her parents were away. Somehow she invited herself and Marvin to join gang in Okanagan, on Friday, so Cora Lee volunteered to dog-sit Molly!

Anyway, we were toasted, with Prosecco, by assembled company, on the occasion of our 38th wedding anniversary, [Another friend of ML, Colleen Fitzpatrick, was along as well. They knew each other back in Dartmouth and she now lives in Burnaby. She works for a non-profit, Leave a Legacy, so I have her email address for you, Chloë. Figure the more connections you have the better!], and had a most enjoyable time before Cora Lee and I headed to Edibles, on GI, for dinner at 7:30 pm.  
It was such a lovely evening that we sat outside on the covered patio. Had a high table with bar stools right on the far outside corner so Cora Lee was delighted to be so well positioned for people watching. As well, divider walls have planters atop them and they are filled with herbs, chives, rosemary, Swiss Chard or Beets, (Disagreement number 1,256,989 on this point!), and the like, so that is a rather nice touch. As soon as we sat down we were presented with glasses of Stellar's Jay Brut from Sumac Ridge as I gather Cora Lee mentioned it was our anniversary when she made reservation. 

Enjoyed a wonderful meal. I started with the Carrot & Coconut Soup,toasted cumin, parsnip chips and followed with the Grilled Pork Chop, apple & barley risotto, sauteed rainbow chard, lemon thyme jus. Both were absolutely delicious. Coriandre opted for more Spot Prawns ordering Whole fried prawns, rice flour, green chili aioli, cilantro & thai basil. While they were very tasty she said that ones Chloë prepared on Mother's Day were just as good! With meal we had a very, very quaffable red, a 2010 Moon Curser Border Vines, 14.6%, a mouthful of blackberry and cassis from start to finish. A felicitous blend of Cabernet Sauvignan, 35%, Merlot, 33%, Cabernet Franc, 15%, Malbec, 7%, Carmenere, 7% and Petit Verdot 3%. We'd visited winery, in Osoyoos, two years ago. Tried this past March but it was closed when we were by. Finished off with dessert, a fantastic milk/cream concoction, Posset, speinkled with chopped hazelnuts! Corinne said she only wanted a spoonful of mine but knowing her, after 38 years, I insisted on two!

More than pleased with friendly, attentive service and terrific food we toddled back to Harbour Terrace and stopped in at the Sutherland's to pick up Molly's food and leash. Had a nightcap there before bidding everyone goodnight. Grand day and a memorable anniversary, shared, in part, with good, good friends.

Coriandre wanted to watch a few recorded shows but I convinced her that she was too tired to do so. In fact, she was asleep before I had finished brushing and flossing. I know her like the back of my hand, Dear Reader!!! Anyway, she had to get a good night's sleep as she had to install the Apple TV box I received for "my" anniversary present. I gave her a pair of earrings, tiny keys. On the card, a great reproduction of pulp fiction covers, this one for Butterfield 8, I wrote: "Before Y & R there was Butterfield 8! Love, today and forever and a day! PS: After all these years you still have the keys to my heart!!!

Had arranged to ride with Whirlygig and Robo Man so we met at King Ed and Maple and proceeded down Cypress to cross over Arthur Laing to head out to Iona. It was another simply glorious day and we enjoyed the backdrop of the stunning mountains as we cycled parallel to YVR, the shadows of the jets landing passing over us, quite regularly. 

Once back in Kerrisdale I waved goodbye to the Lads on 37th and Pine Crescent and headed on to UBC. Once back on Marine I was about half way between 41st and turn-off to Wesbrook Village and another rider pulled up alongside me, saying he recognized me, or at least my bike! Turned out he was chap I had chatted with, near Jericho, when I was waiting for you, Ski to catch, day we rode to UBC. On that occasion he was making for Cypress. He had seen the three of us earlier when we were returning from Iona and he was making his way there! Introduced ourselves and Ron and I chatted until I turned off to make for Wesbrook while he continued along Marine. 

Ron mentioned that he had been cycling in the area in the French Alps but a few days before the Tour was through. He said it was over 40ºC and he crowds were already gathering. People on the roadside would hand him water bottles which he simply emptied over himself to try to keep cool! Hope I meet him again as I'd like to follow him to Cypress at some point, at least get his suggested approach route.

Back at UBC I did a few "necessary" extended dipsy-doodles so that I'd break the 80 km mark by the time I was back home. Stats for ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/500192381#.U3U3oahFQ9E.email

Once I was inside I saw Flamin' at recycling bins. I thought they had planned to leave earlier. Anyway, shortly after I was inside our suite phone rang and it was Flamin'. She had decided to take Molly to the Okanagan so Cora Lee was off the dog-sitting hook! Must away as we have to go to Simply Computing for an HDM1 cable for "my" present! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Mom and Dad taking kids for a swim! You, Dear Reader/Gardeners, identify plant varietals!

Hi Chloë! Did you receive message with Ski's email address? Here are the contact details for Colleen. When are you away? Cheers, Dad! 

Dinner looks like it was Fab!!! Those spot prawns are HUGE!!! xx

Hi D, I did get Ski’s email yes, thank you! Sorry who is Colleen? And why am I email/calling her? I leave tonight on the 7:20 ferry and back Monday. xx

Hi Chloë! Colleen is a friend of Michelle Lavigne's, Flamin's friend from Nova Scotia. She was over with gang this past Wednesday. Colleen now works for Leave A Legacy and I thought you might wish to talk to her about possible fund raising suggestions for Aunt Leah's. 

She works out of her home in Burnaby and said she would be happy to chat with you if you give her a call. Not sure if anything will come of it but it seemed like a good opportunity for you to network. Love and Cheers, Dad! 
 
I am busy tomorrow (Fri) as I am the chief chef for Shnozola’s BD dinner, and have a date Saturday a.m. If you are home Saturday any time after 12ish I can hobble over, or whenever.

Dear Super Hero, masking as a Rabid, Limping Chef!

Glad to learn that your considerable culinary skills are being put to such good use at Johnny The Schnozz's birthday bash. Please pass along congratulations to Jimmy Durante's proboscis lookalike! Hip Hip Hooray!
 

On the techno house call matter if you don't have dinner plans on Saturday, hobble over around 5:00 pm, change into your superhero costume in the storage locker on the patio, (Unfortunately, for quick change artists, a paucity of telephone booths exist near The Islay Inn), Shazaaaaaaam, diagnose the Black Box mystery matter and once Mac TV is operational, stay for drinks and dinner, watching Breaking Bad and such, all the while. Let me know, via Kryptonite Courier Express, and we'll plan accordingly. Cheers, on behalf of CoraLoisLane, Y&R junkie! Go Genoa City!

Pics: Which costume will you be wearing? Dinner will be a formal affair!

Technophobikoman! See you Saturday 5:00ish! Branko

Hi Barb! How are you? Missed you at The Isaac Brock reunion a year ago! It was great good fun. Barbara Best was in Vancouver, (I think), ironically, at time. 

We live near Granville Island. Will be in Winnipeg this July/August for my in-laws' 69th wedding anniversay. Hope to see Barb then as Gloria Forrest was at IB reunion and we are in contact now. All the best, Cheers, Patrick!

Hi Patrice , Thank you for the mother's day greetings. Fyi here is Marilyn's email if you want send her anything directly.Hope you have a wonderful day! Cheers, Al