Blue Blue Caribbean Blues: Post-Canada Day/World Cup Rest Day Blues: Wednesday, July 2nd!

The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis. -Thurgood Marshall, US Supreme Court Justice (1908-1993)

Bon vivant in the bike lane

Photo: VJ Beauchamp

Bon vivant:

MEANING:

noun: One who enjoys good things in life, especially good food and drink.

ETYMOLOGY:

From French, from bon (good) + vivant (a person living), from vivre (to live). Earliest documented use: 1695.

Hello Garage People! I'm truly impressed that you soaked up so much Canadiana in your brief time here! Can hardly imagine what you'd be like if you'd stayed any longer. Living in an igloo powered by solar panels! (Thanks for Canada Day wishes, by the way!) Congratulations on achieving 100% Solar as well as celebrating your 20h anniversary of making wine! Bravo! Hip Hip Hooray! For They are Jolly Good Fellows!!!!

Had a grand time yesterday and weather couldn't have been better. All we needed was a couple of cases of Coffaro Zin!!!!

Would love to attend your celebratory bash but we will just be back from Winnipeg, August 19th, and getting ready to head to Vancouver Island, Pacific Sands Beach Resort, August 23rd, guests of the Vogt Family. Ayn will be flying up to Bellingham on August 20th and we will go over to Parksville, just north of Nanaimo on Thursday 21st or Friday, 22nd, to stay with friends, Lurchesca and Grogg, for the night, before driving to Tofino on Saturday morning. Have to have Ayn at Bellingham Airport for a 7:00 am flight back to LA on Wednesday, the 27th so that she can go to work straight from airport. Probably have to leave The Islay Inn at around 3:00 am, border crossing, security at airport, etc. and all!

This week is almost over and I'm probably heading to Naramata this coming Monday, July 7th. Will think of you frolicking and cavorting through the vineyards s on July 4th! Fondestos from Cora Lee, watching the Young and the Restless, as I scribe! Cheers! Patrizzio!

Pics: A few snaps from the Harbour Terrace Canada Day BBQ!

Hello Allied Van/Box Cutter/Packing Tape People!

Trust this missive finds you all knee deep in bubble wrap and Styrofoam chips! Know how very busy you are so thanks for suggesting the 7th.

Unfortunately, that date won't work for us. Cora Lee has an important Church Council meeting that evening. Otherwise, I would have been more than happy to delay my departure for Naramata until the following day. Given your all-consuming, frenzied packing/unpacking activities this coming weekend, might you consider coming here for an early dinner on Sunday evening, if that might make life less kranky in case you can't find any cooking implements at either your new or former residences? I assume you will still need/want to have dinner or sustenance of some kind, at some point. Timing would be up to you. I'm sure the NRBC wouldn't mind watching us eat! Anyway, please consider this but only if it does, as I mentioned, make things easier for everyone.

Presuming Giorgio will be attending the NRBC, (If not then perhaps we need to rethink that gathering.), after meal Kerry and Tia Maria could leave whenever they, (Mom, actually!), felt the need to so do, or stay and visit with The Islay Inn Sisterhood. Cora Lee has asked me to add that everything will be very casual so nothing to worry about in terms of bringing anything other than your appetites. You can even set the sustainable menu! Again, let us know and we'll plan accordingly.

P, thanks for the offer of early dinner Sunday. Typically thoughtful and generous of you both. I will get to the sisterhood and back to you shortly.

Sounds like a wonderful ride lasterday. How were the celebrations? Regretfully, I will have to defer the ride again until Friday. Today is not my own and tomorrow I play for the Cup Sucker at noon -- always a barn burner. Hope you can get out on the bike today and make up for my internment. Ciao, W

P, I assume you would like to have this back. I will return it with the books. W

P, thanks for the offer of the bridge table -- if I understood your message correctly. I would gladly take it but I think you will get more use out of it with your wide circle of card sharks.

I was planning to attend the NRBC but I am also happy to reschedule -- likely to September. That decision will be unilateral - duo-lateral -- made by you and me, since getting a prompt answer from any of the unread is dang near impossible - less efficient than sending smoke signals. W

P, Sunday works great for us. Please let us know what we can bring. I will be coming from at 4PM match at VRC so should get there just after 5:30 -- if that works for you guys. If we nix the NRBC then maybe there is no rush...?
Look so forward, as they say, W

Hello No Fixed Address People! Fabuloso, "as they say", that you will be able to come for dinner! Please, no need to bring anything, other than your tired of packing/unpacking/squash exhausted selves.

With respect to the NRBC, I'll let you make the decision, Recording Secretary, about Nixolog but I suspect there will not be a huge outcry if date is postponed, especially if Marcus Aurelius is threatened with exponentially increasing fines! I "so look forward" to your sober decision so that we might plan accordingly. Cheers, Il Conduttore!

Hi Everyone, As many of you know, I've become a loyal fan of our Portland Timbers (MLS) soccer team. I have been to almost every game with Elizabeth, Katie and the grandkids. We generally sit at the MAC (Multnomah Athletic Club) in their stadium seats on the balcony adjacent to the main floor lounge. The photo on the cover of this month's magazine features us as a multi-generational family of soccer fans.

Mike is missing because he is quite happy to stay home and not be exposed to my sometimes rowdy behavior. Marilyn
Hi Matriarch of Multi-Generational Family of Soccer Fans and Stay-at-Home Beer Guzzler!

Great cover shot! When will you be in Sports Illustrated? You must have World Cup fever! Have you decided if you are planning to stay at The Annexe when you visit Vancouver? Let us know so that we can plan accordingly. Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both.

Attachment: Recipe for Avocado salad. By the way, I had nothing but rave reviews for your Antipasto, Digitale. Made it for a large gathering when we had a farewell bbq for Pat adn David Coffaro, winery owners in Sonoma who were visiting from June 16th-20th.

Hi Gayle and Derek! Thanks for Canada Day wishes and the wonderful snap. Dining Al fresco I see! Very, very nice!!! Had a grand time yesterday and weather couldn't have been better. All we needed was a couple of cases of Camel Valley! How is Krissy? Better, I trust.

Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both. We just finished watching an episode of Endeavour, Season Two. Cheers! Patrizzio!

Pic: Latest on bike lanes here! Cyclist is sipping a Cucumber Gin martini from Long Table Distillery, a place we'll take you to right from the airport!

Hi Jo-Anne and Colin! Thanks for Canada Day wishes and the video! I did receive it twice but liked it so much that I watched it again so all worked out well! Had a grand time yesterday and weather couldn't have been better. All we needed was a couple of cases of Zin! Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both. Cheers! Patrizzio!

Pic: Cyclist is sipping a Cucumber Gin martini from Long Table Distillery, a place, at the foot of Hornby, you must visit!

Hi 4% Person! Thanks for Canada Day wishes! Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both. Cheers, 100% Person! (I'm plugged in!!!)

Sounds like a wonderful weekend has been planned. I like that we’ll have time during the day to explore, read on the beach, have lunch etc. too

Love to all and very happy to have two summer trips planned with the three of you this summer…I know I am very lucky indeed to have you all to call my own xoxoxo

Hi Tinsel Town! Thanks for Tofino itinerary. Like you say, sounds like a wonderful time. Just a small group with only 40 or 50! I think we should leave as early on Friday, August 22nd as reasonably possible. What is your schedule, Chloë? As well, could you send me passages you plan to read with the Lost Burritos, Ayn. Thanks. Fondestos and Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio!

sounds like a great time!! can't wait, how many nights do we have a place for? Maybe i can get off the friday and monday? I want to go for as long as possible!!!

Um….you get your wish! We’ll leave early Friday morning, sleep at Greg’s….then spend Saturday and Sunday nights at Tofino…and make our way home to Vancouver on Monday after the breakfast hosted by the Manitobans…home Monday night

Hi Goils! Yes, Chloë, Friday and Monday, both off! Ayn, passages to read, NOW! Cheers, Little Dictator Dad!

Tofino plans Hi all. We’re all looking forward to seeing everyone at Pacific Sands Beach Resort beginning on August 23.

Thanks especially to those traveling a long way to be there—including one newborn and two newlyweds. They’ll be between 44 and 50 of us. Below are a few details about our plans, and a few links. Please forward this to anyone who could use it; I’m sorry I don’t have everyone’s email address.

Dinner is provided each night, usually starting with drinks at around 5:45, at Party Central—Lisa’s unit, the Pacific Beach House—Unit 36—and we’ll spill out a bit into adjacent units if needed (e.g., Robert’s Unit 35, David’s Unit 37). On Aug 23, a caterer is supplying dinner, and Peter will pay for our wine and beer that night (we’ll also ask Peter to tell us about his speech in June at a memorial session of the annual Canadian physics convention). On Aug 24, Lisa and Chris will prepare dinner. On Aug 25, Tracy and David will cook for all (and for their son Eric’s birthday). On Aug 26, Eleanor and I are organizing a pot-luck, and if you would like to contribute a dish, please let me know.

An annual tradition, Mary and Keven Greenfield prepare a fabulous breakfast, this year on Monday Aug 25 as a drop-in between 9 and 11, likely in their Unit 170.

Ayn and our family are planning to scatter John’s and Erich’s ashes on Sunday morning, possibly at 9 am—more details will follow.

Daytime before dinner is unstructured. Several readers cluster together at the logs on the beach. Several people like to surf, and rentals are nearby. Some favourite short hikes include Cox Bay (at Pacific Sands), the adjacent Chesterman Beach, Schooner Cove, Combers Beach, and the Rainforest Trail. Some favourite lunch spots, with links below: in Tofino, (1) Sobo, (2) the Tacofino Cantina, a catering truck (3) Wickaninnish Inn, for a splurge. 25 minutes away, there’s also the Kwisitis Feast House, with a spectacular view.

Getting there: the ferry from Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver to Nanaimo takes just under 2 hours, and then the drive to Pacific Sands, about 6 km before Tofino, takes about 2.5 to 3 hours without stops. You can buy advance ferry reservations at under $20 (the ferry itself is almost $100 each way). Eleanor and I really like to stop after 60 minutes at the Old Country Market in Coombes, which has many lunch possibilities, and groceries for lunch and breakfast. Others like to stop 30 minutes later at Pescadores in Port Alberni. Also, in Tofino, the Co-op is a big supermarket.

If I can help with anything there, we’ll be at Unit 173, and my cell-phone is if you have questions or need any help in planning, especially for Vancouver. If you’re planning to spend any time in Vancouver, please let us know. Jonathan

http://www.pacificsands.com/?gclid=CJ-IxIOpp78CFZJbfgodIEMAqA

http://www.pacificsands.com/location/getting_here.php

http://www.bcferries.com/travel_planning/

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/activ/activ12.aspx