Zircon's Bridge Bidding Blues: Saturday, August 23rd!

In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences. -Robert Green Ingersoll, lawyer and orator (1833-1899) 

Hello to The Travelling Sisterhood! Seems as if you enjoyed ferry trip and stay at Madroña Manor! Trust all goes well in Tofino. Fondestos, Love and Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio! Pics: First snaps taken with new camera!

Hi Patrice, Hope you and Cora Lee are well and enjoying the dog days of summer.  I just caught up on your last email as for some reason I hadn’t seen it earlier. Sounds like you guys had a wonderful time in your jaunt back to Manitoba and I guess the fact that the weather was so cooperative helped a lot. I have been very busy trying to get lot’s done at home as well as the cabin before the window of opportunity for painting etc. closes and am heading up to the valley this morning to continue working on the place in preparation for paint on the side facing the river.

As you know Colleen had her surgery a week ago Friday and I have been looking after her trying to help her recuperate. She had a tough time as the surgery was quite extensive and complex according to her surgeon, the good news is that he says they got all the stuff they needed to and once she has healed up she should feel way better. she has suffered a long time from this issue and we are both thankful to finally have it dealt with.

Although I have been busy with multiple projects i have also had time for rides here and there in the local area as well as walks and generally enjoying the beautiful summer we are having! Colleen mentioned you were asking about the Gran Fondo and although I like the idea very much I’m afraid I do not feel I would be ready as I have not spent enough time training up to that level of endurance and I’m sure I could actually make it but would probably pay dearly for having done so!. On top of that I don’t have a suitable bike..I don’t know if I had mentioned it but my lotus was stolen from under the deck along with Jacob’s BMX bike much to our dismay. I do believe that it was an inside job as nothing else was taken despite the fact that there were ample empties, jerry cans of gas, pressure washers etc. that they passed over. I think someone knew we were away and came looking for Jake’s bike and decided to pinch mine as well. Not a huge loss on mine I suppose as I bought it for $1.00 at a yard sale , however I did put new tube and tires on it and liked it’s vintage style.

Another highlight of late is that I did manage to make it up to the Lion king glacier with our friend Steve as my guide up in the Valley weekend before last and was awed by it’s beauty. A mere twenty five minute ride up the road in front of our place. Although a rough ride in spots it was well worth the effort and can’t wait to get up there again and spend some more time.

Hopefully you guys can get up to the cabin while the weather is still nice and you and I can do some Hope slide loops. If I don’t see you before, best of luck on the fondo and we will talk soon. love to Corriandre and yourself pics, lion king glaciers, marmots, unusual alpine plant life, Colleen pre surgery. Take care, Al         Stats for today's ride: 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/572886873#.U_opMVj6kWg.email

P, with sadness I must inform you that I finally received the Dear John letter: Kerry and I are formally separated. Not my choice, nor entirely unexpected -- but still difficult to reconcile in its finality. Feeling a little blue but I have this place (Ukiyo) as solace -- and it gets more beautiful by the moment.

I fully expect to be swarmed by all the single women in your circles. I am done with love.-- I just want sex and money. Look forward to Sunday. Fond regards, G

P, I have a friend Susan coming here from Seattle on Wednesday so will need to return on that day. Her schedule is fixed. If she keeps to her plan I will need to ride back from Squamish on Tuesday morning. There is a good chance she will renege on her visit, already fraught with complications so we may yet be able stick to our riding plans. 

Susan is the niece of old family friends from Nw Hampshire​. She is now the owner of the NH farm we visit regularly -- and have done so since I was a teenager. All of which is to underline why I feel I must accommodate her schedule. ​W​

Dear Johannes! Sorry to learn that your estrangement from Kerry is now a formal separation. I understand you are suffering from the Salish Sea Blues but Onward! Fight! Have posted a message suggesting you are interested in mindless sex and lottery winnings. Will screen offers as they come pouring in!!!
 

Also understand about Susan and her visit. While I would certainly, dearly love your company to Whistler and back, appreciate your need to return on Tuesday, if needs be. Thanks for Grandfondo information. I'm pretty sure I can fill it in but think I'll wait until you are here to walk me through form as I don't want to enter the wrongly named, ever-reluctant Peloton as a Team!!! That being said, I might take a look at it beforehand. Seems I've not stopped to think for even a minute since being back.  Guess I'll have to join you in hermit exile on Galiano and do nothing but turn pages and tipple!

Going to go for a ride after Jim leaves for memorial service. Having Land-Lubber Peric for dinner and bridge. Sarge will join us for cards/malt after he golfs in North Van with Marvinator. When I phoned to invite Ragin' he told me he had sold his boat. Took a bit of a "hit" as I understand it but he seems happier living at his Dad's, caring for him, etc. Trust all goes well until we meet again. Cheers, Il Conduttore!

Hi Patrick, Good to hear from you..I am still in Vancouver..Sorry to hear about your mom..how old was she? My mom died too..last November and we buried her ashes at Chapel Lawn too..beside my Dad..It would have been her 100th birthday yesterday..lots to process when a parent dies as you probably know too.

I had been in Winnipeg a few times last year just for a few days at a time because she had deteriorated so much, mind wise, with Alzheimers..It was really really cold for her funeral, the beginning of their brutal winter..so I didn't enjoy my time there like you did..glad you found some joy there..
 

Would be nice to see you sometime..an email address I look at more than this one is one I used. I am sorry to hear about Andy.. that's so sad..Does he have people around him there? I was thinking about him the other day..wondering if he had moved out here yet..wasn't he going to live on one of the gulf islands..

Hi Barbara! Condolences on the death of your mother. Quite a coincidence that both sets of parents are buried at Chapel Lawn!

I'm taking a friend to the airport tomorrow at around 9:00 am so if you'd like to have a java somewhere afterwards, let me know. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

P, sorry to learn of your misadventures in the patch. The Cudgel is losing his touch and lucky for the nimble fingered thief -- I suspect one of those West Van matrons trying to get back at snarky cyclists. Her miniature mutt is chewing the pack as I write this.

Thanks for pics of the gardner and his patch. Amazing. I should throw in the towel now and rent my plot to some someone with his thumbs. Tell Ray he can pick 5 pounds of blueberries in the common garden here in about 20 minutes -- and no thorns. W

Arrived in Tofino to fog. Very misty but the ocean sounds lovely. Had a very pleasant evening at G&F. Very warm night and lovely to sit out. Bought a cabinet bed on sale today in Parksville which I will pick up on Monday. It was $500 less than in Vancouver. Off to dinner soon. Beach is now visible and sun is coming out. Really sorry to hear about your camel pack what a drag. Have a safe ride on Monday give my love to Jim. Love Corinne

Went for a decent ride after Jim left for memorial service. Left just before 2:00 pm to head out to UBC. Took 4th instead of Spanish Banks route as I didn't want to fight all the traffic along Marine as I knew it would be very crowded, day being so glorious. Once past campus I followed one of my regular routes: up Crown, 29th and Discovery to 16th and then back to Marine. Then along Marine to Wesbrook Mall and up and around Wesbrook Village. Once back on Marine, up 16th with a foray into campus and then back on Marine, around campus to take Chancellor Blvd back to 4th and so home. Stats for ride:
 
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/572886873#.U_opMVj6kWg.email

Back close to 5:00 pm and time for a bit of vacuuming before I put the finishing touches to the meal I was serving that evening: chicken thighs, twice-baked cauliflower, roasted kartofellage and a mixed green salad. Zircon was back about 5:30 pm and Ragin', (He asked if you'd be over as he has your winnings! I had to pay him the $5 entry fee as I'd not given it to him the night of the VWF malt tasting!), arrived shortly thereafter. I had invited him for dinner and bridge. Sarge was to join us for cards/malt after he golfed in North Van with Marvinator. When I phoned to invite Ragin' he told me he had sold his boat. Took a bit of a "hit" as I understand it but he seems happier living at his Dad's, caring for him, etc. No longer Admiral Barnacle but Loutish Land-Lubber!

Had a great time, chatting, tippling, (Started off with a snort or two of Bowmore Tempest Small Batch Release No.3, 10 yr old, 55.6%), and dining, al fresco. Zirc contributed a very tasty 2011 Vinum Africum, Stellenbosch, Chenin Blanc, 13%, amazingly floral and flinty at one and the same time, and Ragin' a particularly tasty 2012 Solanera Viñas Viejas, Yecla, 14.5%, (Monastrell, 70%, Cabbage, 15%, Garnacha Tintorera, 15%), deeply coloured with ripe, rich flavours. 

As it turned out Sarge never turned up until after 9:30 pm so we ended up playing three-handed bridge which provided scads of laughs so bridge was fun, if not really "bridge", more like poker as one bids not knowing what "dummy" hand contains. Sarge did stumble upstairs to have a malt, (Bowmore Laimrig, 15 yr old, 54.4%), before we all turned in so he had a chance to see Zircon.