Coquitlam Tree Lot Blues: Thursday, December 4th!
Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves off talking to those
who do not wish to hear it. -Samuel Butler, writer (1835-1902)
Hello Colonial Administrators! Trust you are gearing up for a another "lost weekend"! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pic/Doc: Article I've been meaning to send along for ages! Required reading for next foray into West Van! Xmas bamboo! Lights attract passersby and then we mug them, using stolen cash to replenish malt cabinet!
Sarge and I were scheduled to work at the Coquitlam tree lot from 12:00-4:00 pm so we left The Islay Inn at about 10:55 am as I wanted to drop off my cache of returnables at Go Green, en route. After we recycled, we took highway to Coquitlam and arrived at 2813 Glen Drive at a few minutes before our shift started. Colin is the lot manager and after we introduced ourselves we signed in and started to work. Our first task was to unwrap the Grand and Noble Firs trees that were still tied with twine. Many of them were still frozen so this is the first step in allowing them to "spread". The warmer temperatures will accelerate this, of course. Spent about an hour slashing and shaking and then I started to tidy up the lot, [raking and sweeping], while Sarge learned how to handle the cash-box and track sales.
Only a few customers and we had fully expected this to be the case, given time of day and day of the week. Nevertheless, the trees we sold were high end ones. One chap, the Manager at Roo’s Public House & Liquor Store, a nearbye pub, bought one for the establishment, a 10' Noble and it cost a pretty penny, let me tell you! After we'd trimmed stem, I helped him put it atop his car, (Tree was almost larger than car!), and then Sarge tied it down. While so doing he mentioned that his son, Cory, and family, lived not far away and Peter, for that was manager's name, said to come by at some point and he'd buy the first round! Sarge wanted to go over right away!
Fortunately, for us, it didn't start to rain until our shift was almost over. By that time we'd already tied the two trees we'd bought for our respective living rooms to my roof rack, so we barely got wet helping the last few customers we served befoer we said goodbye to Colin. Our volunteer replacements arrived a few minutes after 4:00 pm and we took off shortly thereafter as Sarge needed to be home in good time as he had to leave for curling by 6:15 pm. Traffic on the Barnett was very, very light and we had little trouble, even though it was rush hour.
Back home by a little after 5:00 pm and we unloaded our tree and carried it up to our patio. Cora Lee wanted to decorate it tonight so I knew it was beter to have it there in oder to trim stem befoer we set it in stand. Next I drove car to lower level of parkade and we carried Sutherland's tree inside to put it on their patio. Not sure when they plan to trim it. Once back at our place I dug out tree stand, cut an inch or so off trunk and then Coramandel held tree while I adjusted clamps to hold it in place. Gave tree a goodly helping of water before I struggled up of the floor!
Great dinner of salmon steaks, fried zucchini, mac 'n cheese, (courtesy of Clarisse, for me alone as not gluten-free), and mixed saladin, washed down with a 2013 Sandhill Pinot Blanc, 14%, a lovely, lovely drop of white if ever there was one! We watched an episode of Breaking Bad while we ate.
After that was over I did the dishes, Cora Lee returned to trimming the tree with lights. Chores done, I opened a bottle of Trapiche Broquel, 2009 Cab Franc, 14%, to help us concentrate on the next episode of Breaking Bad. Now I am "commanded" to trim top of tree for blue star which will adorn it in more than Wise Men splendour!
Hello Terrace, Granville Island Calling! Thanks
so much for your newsy Christmas missive. Glad you will be here from
the 15th to the 30th. Since this is the case, we hope you will be able
to make our Open House on December 23rd, 2:00-10:00 pm or the hootch
runs out!
Bring all the Kids if they are interested/available. Ayn and
Los Horrdios will be here and will be holding court, so please do come!
With any luck, we'll be able to connect a number of other times as well
but wanted you to know about when Tinsel Towners would be here. Fondestos from The Terribly Exacting Xmas
Dec Designer to you both! Cheers, Patrizzio, Yule Log Hewer and Mulled
Wine Expert!
Pics: New jacket! Picasso in his studio, churning out mass market Frosty's for Walmart; Sarge and Colin at tree lot!
Hi Sarge! Thanks again for all your help today! Much appreciated!
Here are some of the pics I took when you were recovering. Cheers,
Patrizzio!
Ideas for what you want please. Thank you xx Hi Pushy Christmas Presents Person! Speaking for myself, I am interested in most anything bike related, from clothing to light gadgets, elctrolyte replacement tablets, to lobster winter riding gloves, etc.
In terms of CDs I'm keen on Frazey Ford, of Be Good Tanyas fame, and her latest Indian Ocean, I believe. Jill Barber's Chansons or Fool's Gold or Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes. Very expensive malt is always a wonderfully viable option! Your Mom wants a new electric frying pan and her car back, but for the rest, I'll let her let you know. Talk soon, Love, Dad!
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| Coquihalla |
Hi Sarge! Thanks again for all your help today! Much appreciated! Here are some of
the pics I took when you were recovering. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Peter! I'm
one of the Elves who helped you with your tree yesterday and I thought
I'd send along a few of the snaps I took. Just wanted to thank you again
for supporting Aunt Leah's. Very much appreciated, indeed. Happy
Christmas to you and all the staff at Roos. Cheers, Patrick!
Pics:
Peter the Great and Colin; Sarge, (aka Wayne. Corey is his son who
lives in Coquitlam. Chloë is our youngest daughter and she is Volunteer
Coordinator for AL Tree Lots.); Colin.
Chloe Alexis Dunn Tree Lots For
20 years Aunt Leah’s Tree Lots have been raising money to fund programs
that help prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless, and
young mothers from losing custody of their children. Last year nearly
$100,000 was raised thanks to generous sponsors, buyers and countless
volunteer hour…
Go
Green Tree Lots, Go! Coquitlam sold a 10' Noble to Roo's Public House
at 2962 Christmas Way, Coquitlam!
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