Continuing Saga of The Island Of Crimea Blues: Monday, December 1st!

I took a speed reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia. -Woody Allen, author, actor, and filmmaker (b. 1935)

Vasily Aksyonov

Hi Patrick, Wasn’t that a heartbreaking ending for Hamilton! The curler is great – yes, you’d sent me the cyclist before – very inventive sculptures. Wish I had some talent other than pontificating on tailings dams. Cheers, Peter

Chloe Alexis Dunn My Charlie Brown is up!! My Merry Christmas started at Aunt Leah's tree lot on 54th and Granville go get yours!!! 

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  Patrick James Dunn What about the elves who transported it and cut off the end of the trunk?
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  Chloe Alexis Dunn Thanks Poppa Elf!!
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  Patrick James Dunn Elves like rum and eggnog, you know!
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  Chloe Alexis Dunn Too early for nog you got tress to sell!!
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  Patrick James Dunn Happy Elves sell far more trees!

Hello Tailings Pontificator! A veritable Renaissance Man, be you, from Racking Specialiste to Pontificator Par Excellence to Bidding Duplicado Extraordinaire!
 

Evgeniya Ginzburg

On the Palm Springs/Desert getaway from Ice Station Zebra, have you made any concrete plans and, if so, do they still include a stay by us? We are contemplating leaving here around the 29th of January, (Cora Lee's brother, Giorgio, and wife, Barb, are thinking of coming out to Vancouver to stay at our place while we are holidaying with the jet-setters. We would wend our way, leisurely, through Oregon and the wine regions of California before stopping in LA for a few days. Depending on your plans we could be knocking on your door late in the first week of February. 

However, please do not feel obliged, one way or another. We have other friends in Yuma, Phoenix, and Mesa we'd like to visit so there are plenty of options regarding dates or even stays should you have decided not to go south, or not have room, for that matter. At any rate, we'd like to start planning, if we are going to take a break, so let us know your thoughts and we'll plan accordingly! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Vasily Aksyonov

Hi Patrick and Corinne! Thanks again for being such wonderful hosts. You are the best of friends and really appreciate our get-togethers. Let’s plan for something in Jan at our place, before you go away. Charlie

Hi Carlos! Thanks for lovely words, even if O Susannah made you write them! I'm still quite upset about your underbid. Had you gone to game I wouldn't have had to give up my precious shirts as I would have been top dog! Going to need lots and lots of travel promos at next bridge gathering. Something in January sounds great. We'll update our passports for journey!

Almost forgot. I was a very, very bad boy and opened my birthday present! Couldn't help myself after Calgary managed to bungle their way out of an almost loss! Thanks so much for the tasty 47 pound chicken. Had never come across Rex-Goliath before. Very thoughtful and much appreciated. Cheers, Patrizzio! Snapola: Champagne Charlie's Chicken Wine! Just a hint of barnyard/straw on the finish!!

Patrick, We would greatly enjoy your visit at that time. As travellers with a trunkful of California wine you will be specially welcome. Later in the first week of February would allow us to get the place up and running. Whoopee, can hardly wait to welcome you. Cheers from The Naramata

Hi Teeth Chattering Naramatians! Thanks for speedy confirmation of our reservation! Did you have to take off your mittens to send message? You are dead right about trunkful of California wine, (And all along we thought it was our friendship that counted! Silly us!), as I plan to stop in Bellingham, en route south, to collect four cases I've been storing, (If there are still four!), there with the grandmother of Chloë's close friend, Katie.

Obviously, we'll be in touch as plans for trip are refined. As I mentioned, we can tailor our arrival to suit your needs with respect to settling in, etc., but otherwise I think dates look pretty much as already outlined. Not to be too, too pushy/cheeky but we assume we'd stay for a week +/-, again subject to other visitors/guests/friends. Thanks again. Of course, over stay, we can really "hash out" any remaining details for Inja if needs be. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Chloe Alexis Dunn Thanks Daddi O!!!! Patrick James Dunn) xx

Aunt Leah's Independent Lifeskills Society

It was a great opening weekend for our Tree Lots. Thank you so much to our volunteers. Special shout out to our Vancouver lot who had to unload 500 additional trees! For more information on Aunt Leah's Tree Lots visit auntleahs.org/trees

Patrick James Dunn Your welcome, Dottir O!!!! However, you better thank your Mom as well. She almost froze to death handling all the cold cash while we were warm as toast with all the hauling! Patrick James Dunn She was so cold she had to huddle with five strong men!

Chloe Alexis Dunn via CBC Vancouver Have a look and listen, Aunt Leah's Paul Stewart is a tree whisperer.....

Christmas tree lots are open for business and families across the Lower Mainland aren't wasting any time picking out their perfect tree. 
If you're eager to bring the holiday spirit into your home with the perfect tree here are three tips you'll need to remember to make it last until Christmas.

1. Buy wisely
Buying a tree at the beginning of December may mean you'll need to splurge a little on a higher quality tree like the Noble Fir or a Normand Fir to make it last. Trees can vary a lot in price from $5 a foot for an Interior Douglas to $14 a foot for a Noble Fir. 

2. Water, water, water!
Get the bottom of your tree cut off when you buy it at the lot and put it in water right when you get home. To keep your tree from shedding needles it will need a lot of water. Do not let the water fall below the cut line.

3. Location
Place your tree in a cool place, away from radiators, heat sources and bright lights.

Gratitude party

On Aug 25th, 2014 our lives changed forever. Without the assistance of people like you, who responded to Wayne's distress, and continued support of our colleagues, familly and friends we would not be where we are today. 

To express our gratitude personally, we would like to invite you to a celebration of Wayne's recovery. The event will be held Jan 8th, 2015 from 3 PM to 7 PM at the Officer's Mess, "E" Div HQ. 14200 Green Timbers Way, Surrey, BC. Please RSVP by Dec 31st 2014 Wayne, Michele and family.The invite was for you and your better half. Wayne Hi Sarge! More than delighted to attend, for quite obvious reasons! Do you have any idea of how and when you and Flamin' are planning to get out to Surrey. Perhaps we can car pool, unless you both plan to go out a fair bit earlier than the rest of the guests, to set up, etc. On the other hand, we'd be happy to help with anything that needs to be done. We can talk beforehand and see what might work. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio, on behalf of His Better Half!