Wild and Woolly Reese Witherspoon Blues: Saturday, January 17th!

It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars. -Garrison Keillor, radio host and author (1942- ) 

Happy New Year to all at the island inn! We have just booked our flights to Canada and will arrive in Calgary on 12th September. Plan to hire a car there and spend c. 5 days around Banff etc but would love to meet you in the Okanagan, say around 18th September - would this work for you both?
 
Would we need to book somewhere to stay in Kamloops so we have a base to meet at? Not sure how long it would take to visit wineries etc. but I would like Mike to see Vancouver too - need to book flights from Vancouver to Toronto so thought of leaving Van on 24th September so we get 9 days in Toronto before heading back home on 3rd October. Will leave off booking flights until I hear from you re your plans.

We had a great holiday in New York and the Bahamas, getting back on 7th January. On the 10th Jan we had a Xmas meal for 10 as Carol was in Oz and Lisa was in Hereford over the Xmas period. It was lovely having everyone there including Lauren and her folks.

Not sure if I told you the sad news that Leon and Anna have split up although thank God they are still amicable and he visits often. He has rented a house in St Albans and sees a lot of Max. Must away now as we are going to The Hare for dinner - a lovely pub near Stanmore. Love and wishing you all the best Penny & Mike xxx

Hi Penny and Madcap! Thanks for New Year's wishes! Same to you two! Grand to hear that you've booked your flights to Canada. September 18th+/- should be just fine. What I suggest, as of this writing, is that we meet at Ruth's/Rick's cabin on Little Shushwap. It is right off #1 so you will be travelling that highway from Banff, about an hour east of Kamloops. (Directions later once we finalize itinerary.) Obviously, I need to talk to them first but I'm sure they would be delighted to have us stay, even if they are not there at the time. If things don't work out with respect to their place we would meet you in Salmon Arm, about an hour east of their place. [Trip from Banff to either Salmon Arm or Little Shuswap is about 5 hours +/-, depending on traffic, so a relatively easy drive.] Driving to Kamloops doesn't make sense as it is farther west and north than one needs to be in order to drive south to The Okanagan. 

Two nights, somewhere in the Okanagan is probably enough time to give you an overview/taste of the wine country. About a five hour drive back to Vancouver from there so you can spend a few days in the city before flying to Toronto. So that is what I suggest. Completely open on all the dates and where we spend time so you decide what you would like to do. However, we also have a fairly new development to report. [Very sorry to hear about Anna and Leon but glad that separation wasn't poisonous. Please pass along fond regards to both and best wishes for working things out as best one might expect. Love to Mad Max of course!] We are thinking seriously of moving house and home to The Naramata! Well, at least, that is the unfolding plan. The long and short of it is that Mme Coriandre has been mulling a move over for some time now and my position has been that since I don't really wish to live anywhere else in Vancouver, if we move it might as well be to the Hinterland!

So there you have it. Still early days and many other variables to consider but at least we have a plan, of sorts. If we do sell and move the four of us will have to stay with Flamin' and Sarge in September. They have plenty of room now that all their children are de-nested! Clara and Dusty will not renew the lease on The Annexe once they return to Winnipeg this April. They plan to sell their place at Falcon Lake over the next year or so and then move into a small unit in Winnipeg. Clara turns 90 next week so it is time for them to think about having a place that doesn't require so much maintenance, etc. Corinne and her siblings have been urging this for a number of years now so our proposed "move' has helped to precipitate thoughts of their own. 

Well, let me know what you think about what I've suggested. Whether we have managed to sell by then or not is really not an issue so please don't fret about that. When you first visited in '98 you had to sleep in a room with stacks of unpacked boxes so I assume you are still as flexible! Have no doubts that Madcap is even easier going than I am! Anyway, let me know what you think and we'll plan accordingly. We can always fine tune things, even after you have landed in Calgary, depending on what you feel you wish to do, etc., as trip unfolds. Cora Lee and Chloë are at the cinema for the late screening this evening, seeing Wild with Reese Witherspoon, part of their homework for the Oscars! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

FCCC to elliptisize the afternoon away, or at least 70 minutes worth of it, for 1064 calorifics over 3.4 milos with 14,084 feet climbed! 

Patriçio, The highest priority, is of course, management of your malt cabinet. Malt will go stale if left too long! Can’t answer the email issues you lament, except to say that when you send pictures at camera resolution you create a very, very large email message and there are a number of gates that can choke. You may have noted that when you click on “send", it takes a while? Ditto when receiving. Email was never intended for transferring large files, although it usually succeeds at a huge cost to its cardiovascular system.
 

No worries, I will sort you out. Maybe I can drop by early for the next Bridge night and at least set up the groundwork. As a persona non grata (to UBC) I don’t have the resources to check into certain features, will need to use your account. Branko [*] Algunas tiempos, el toro gane [*] Some times, the bull wins!

Hi Ragin'! As far as Mme Coriandre is concerned, malt cabinet needs de-cluttering! Not sure what is happening this week as it is Clarisse's 90th birthday and Cora Lee's two sisters are flying in for celebration. Let me know what might work for you to pop by, at some point, over the coming days, and we can plan accordingly. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! La Toro que ruge siempre gana! The Bull which rages always wins!
   

The Invisible Man in Crocs!

Hi Patrick, We really enjoyed the evening with you two and with Dusty and Clara. What great parents for 90 years old. Great pictures Patrick. A pity that there aren't any of you.
 
Hope you weren't too discouraged by your winter visit to the Okanagan. We'd really love it if it your move could become a reality. Re Inja timing, I'm going to see if I can pin down with my colleagues the Madagascar visit for the week of Oct 18 to 24. I could then fly directly to India and meet the 3 of you there, all of us arriving about October 27. We would get home about Dec. 10. How would that suit you? Cheers, Peter

Hi Peter, just off to see Wild. Oct. 27-Dec. 10 sounds good. I will get back to Luxe India and we can arrange deposit. Will do in next day or so, Cheers Corinne

Hi JDP and Lurkin'! As Mme Coriandre mentioned, dates for Inja look fine. With respect to the move to The Naramata, still early days and many other variables to consider but at least we have a plan, of sorts. Not at all discouraged by "winter visit"! On the contrary, I was more than delighted to see it under such conditions. Not at all unatractive by any stretch. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Took a snap of bench, through window, at Poplar Grove, for Dusty as he liked design! I always like to keep a low profile, as you well know!
 
Hi from NZ Arrived in New Zealand after spending a wonderful week and a half with Laura & James. Auckland seems much like Vancouver was before 1986. Very small and quiet - unlike Melbourne. Streets are empty very early evening, whereas Melbourne streets are packed day & night.

Overlooking Bay of Islands near Paihia - more hiking but worth the view

Took a ferry from Auckland over to one of the islands and hiked up to a winery for lunch. Wine tasting reasonable at $10 for 5 tastings. However, lunch (which Ted & I shared) consisted of 1 lamb shoulder chop in romesco sauce, 1 small bowl of fries, 1 beer & 1 glass of wine (no salad or veggies) total cost $68.00. Welcome to NZ. And we thought Australia was expensive! Note to self - always check the price first!
 

Hole in the Rock

Back to Auckland to pick up our rental car. Decided to walk to the car rental. Not sure if it was the 31 degree temp, the 1 hour uphill climb or the glass of wine at lunch - but this was a bad idea. We realized later that the car rental was situated on the highest peak in the city. Drove north to Paihia and the next day went on a cruise to the Hole in the Rock. Amazed to come across a pod of Orca whales off the harbour. About 5 minutes later we sighted Dolphins heading straight for us.

Definitely worth a visit was the glow worm caves. A short hike up to leave the caves through some bush land before a six hour drive south to Rotorua, famous for its hot springs. Today, we're off to take in a dip in the geothermal pools and later we experience a traditional Maori "hangi" dinner. So far our opinion of Northern NZ - a definite 👍! Returning to Melbourne to take in the Australian Open before heading back to Van with suitcases full of Laura & James belongings. Hope all is well. Cheers, Elaine

Hi Elaine and Theodorakis! Thanks for the lovely snaps and update on NZ. Sounds as if you are really enjoying the country. We certainly did back in '92! Your descriptions bring back very fond memories although we weren't fortunate enough to see Orcas or dolphins. Fond regards to Laura and James. Cheers, Patrizzio! 
 
Dear All, Please reserve the following date if you wish to attend the lunch this year: THURSDAY, MARCH 26TH 2015, 11:30 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Barber Library, Dodson Room. More details will follow later. Cheers, Nadine 

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