Jack's Bar and Grill Blues: Thursday, February 19th!

Architecture is inhabited sculpture. -Constantin Brancusi, sculptor (19 Feb 1876-1957)

There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept. -Ansel Adams, photographer (20 Feb 1902-1984)

Hello Team Rio: My name is Patrizzio Aloysius James Dunn! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

So you have been fighting the pavement again. Don't you know that the pavement will always win! It's for this reason that, as I approach the 70 mark, I am seriously thinking of giving up road cycling. May do the odd bike trail with Gayle but after falling and fracturing a vertebra 18 months ago I really don't want to end up with broken bones or worse. I think I will now do more hiking and walking which I really enjoy. I do hope you are now completely mended and back to normal again. Your break down south sounds great and it must be nice to be basking in the warm sunshine.

Gudrun and Steve are back from Denver. We went out to dinner with them the other evening to catch up. The National Trust were giving a candle lit tour of Trerice House near Newquay with dinner in the hall afterwards. Trerice is a lovely early Tudor property which has a resident ghost! No one as ever seen it but some workers at the house have felt a distinct chill and a strong smell of lavender every so often! Gudrun is fine and, in a way, I think she is a little relieved since her dad's Alzheimer's was getting quite bad and she was worried that it would get to the point where he no longer recognized her. In fact when her sister went to see him a few weeks before he died he thought she was one of the nurses. Not pleasant. I believe Gudrun is planning a trip to Tenerife with her aunt from Germany in the next couple of weeks. Her aunt lost her husband a few weeks before Gudrun went to the states and I think is feeling quite lonely so said to Gudrun she would pay for the trip if she would go with her to keep her company. Sad situation since she is estranged from her grown up children.

Maur and Bill may have a buyer for their apartment. A very nice lady in her late 50's who is interested in opening an English tea room! We have no objections provided our solicitor can build in the appropriate restrictions. She had a second viewing yesterday with her son and her sister. Her sister asked if we would be interested in selling our apartment to her but we declined since we have now made up our minds to stay put.

You probably know from Chloe that Mark has a new job. He has accepted an offer from Mill Brewery of Toronto as a Territory Manager covering Vancouver, the Okanagan and Whistler. He is quite excited about the new challenge! I think the main attraction is that he will get free beer! He hasn't approached them about the fact that he has arranged to go to Scotland in September but he said he may have to reduce the amount of time he can spend over here.
 

Spuddy is here trying to climb onto my lap as I pen this! He has become very clingy of late! Enjoy the rest of your stay in the states. Hopefully Spring will soon be arriving in Vancouver. It would appear from the news we have from my brother on Toronto and Gayle's brother in Ontario that it has been unbelievably cold out east. Over minus 40c with the windchill. Horrendous! Best wishes Derek 

After we left foggy Tinsel Town this morning, we had a safe drive, through even  heavier fog, at times, although when sun did manage to burn its way through, around Modesto, we were treated to acres and acres and acres of almond trees in blosson, on both sides of the freeway, stretching away as far as the eye could see. No wonder the Central Valley is the Almond Capitol of the World! 

Not surprisingly, also noticed many signs having to do with water, as you can well imagine. Most of the large overhead freeway traffic advisory displays we passed touted "Serious Drought Help Conserve Water", although none offered any practical suggestions. Raising awareness, I suppose, is the point. Countered by "No Water, No Jobs" posted at the end of numerous almond tree rows. Both sides of the issue/ends of the political spectrum so a challenging issue to be sure.  

Into Redding to check in to The Americana Lodge, a place we've usually stayed at since the early '80's. Unfortunately, it has become rather seedy of late so this marked last time we will stay. When I went to register I asked if WiFi came with room, ($50 USD, including tax), and woman at desk said it did, although system had been down. I insisted I needed to know if we could connect as we wanted to be in touch with Dave. A phone call later and I had the password and after we'd brought what we needed into room I was able to log on successfully.

Decided to bring my Trek inside as I was a bit concerned about some of the down-and-outers congregated at the far end of the parking lot, shouting out horrible obscenities at one another, obviously fueled by alcoholic rage or other nameless manias. When I checked-in a sad looking, down-at-the-heels chap came in to say he wanted to move in the following week so I assume much of motel might well function as low-income housing. The outdoor pool, where we'd once spent many pleasant hours, cooling off, from the baking heat, has been filled in, its gravel surface now littered with cigarette butts and malt liquor cans. The once proud Americana Lodge has certainly fallen on hard times.  

Quick showers and change of clothes, while sipping a 2012 Vincent Arroyo, Napa, Petite Sirah, 13.4% before heading to Jack's. Strolled the few blocks and quite enjoyed seeing the fairly recent renovations to the mall one encounters on the way. Seemingly a very attractive face-lift so pleased to see that parts of the historic centre have been revitalized. We walked in the door just before 7:00 pm and were seated immediately. Not usually the case here as it is a very popular, busy, busy spot. Time of year, day of the week and early evening probably had much to do with this but made us happy, of course. Not hard to decide what we wanted so waitress took our orders for 16 oz filets, fries for me, baked for Cora Lee, and we were soon enjoying our lettuce salad with Blue Cheese, our favourite dressing.

Chatted with our waitress when she brought our mouth-watering steaks. Recognized her from past visits. She has been at Jack's for 28 years! When we mentioned we were from Vancouver, she said she would be there this coming June/July. One of her daughters plays for the US Women's Soccer Team so she will take part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, there and elsewhere in Canada, I gather. After the more than wonderful dinner we each diced up our remaining steak, (for tomorrow's lunch on the road), putting them in the doggy bags provided and returned to our less than salubrious room.

Not much before 9:00 pm and I had hoped to send quite a few messages before hitting the hay. Of course, could not connect now. Back to complain to manager and after a few phone calls, chap, Trey, who looks after system came to the empty room, a few doors down from ours, opened for the time I needed, to help me sign on. Router is located in a laundry room at the far end of the building so range improved once I was closer. 

However, Trey, (nice enough chap but reeking of tobacco), had changed password and couldn't remember what it was, or more correctly, what the sequence order was. It consisted of the first two numbers of the year of his birth and that of his wife and three children. [Cannot imagine five of them living in such crowded quarters, if indeed they inhabited a room such as ours!] Finally hit the winning sequence and I was able to send a few messages before heading back to our room.

Close to 11:00 pm by this time and even though I was able to connect in our room now I was simply too tired to think so brushed and flossed and flopped into bed to watch some news before we turned off the lights.

Hi Goils! Just a quick note to say we had a safe drive, through very heavy fog, at times, to Redding and a wonderful dinner at Jack's. No time to elaborate many details as WiFi is wonky. Love from both of us to both of you! Cheers, Dad! Pics: Bye Bye Winston; Shasta snapped by Nana just before Redding; Jack's; a doggy bag in each hand! Glad you made it safely xoxo great pics!

Hi, hope the steak was delish!!Drive carefully, if it's not too much trouble maybe with that 500G's on your mind you could grab me an Angel refill bottle 😁 as an "it's the Oscar's" present!!!! Love you, possibly see you Saturday as my washer is more broken then before and need clean clothes!!! Oh and Michelle is hosting Oscars as I don't have enough seats with strapping on leather pieces broken. Love you!

Hi Patrizzia and Grumpy Winemaker! Standard line: No excuses but plenty of reasons for not being in touch sooner! In fact a small avalanche of them! As you can tell, we won't be stopping by this trip, unfortunately, as we'd really have liked to connect. Had been meaning to send a message from Palm Desert but I had a nasty tumble off my bike this Friday afternoon. I consider myself an extremely lucky individual, not to have been seriously injured, or worse, under the circumstances.  

 

Giyo-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan

Photo: Damien Douxchamps

Felt pretty battered and bruised for next few days and, originally, we were planning to stop in Berkeley on Wednesday night and then pop by your place today, that being something that would work, then on to Redding for the night. However, on Saturday, (Glad you liked the virtual chocs and thank you for the delightful card!), we received and offer on our place and then with all the backing and forthing we had to send a counter-offer from Ayn's Hallmark office yesterday. So that was what we did after leaving Palm Desert yesterday.

This meant that visits to Berkeley/Famiglia Coffaro were not possible. We need to be home by Saturday, now more than ever with the certainty of a sale.  I do apologize for not dashing off a note sooner but I kept thinking I'd have time and then even that evaporated! [Can't even go into the fact that I'm actually sending this message form a vacant room closer to router as WiFi doesn't work in our room!]

At any rate, I'll be in touch once we are back in Vancouver. Must away before even this tenuous connection quits! Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

External! Definitely external! You can probably Google them and learn more that way. I never leave home without my castor oil - or my Amexcard, for that matter! Cheers! Deborah 

Hello Castor Oil Woman Trust all goes well with you and your Amex card!  Fondestos from Cora Lee, to you, Deborah! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

North Vancouver Community Players Presents

Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii

Clare Froud a Sensational Star!!!Dear Clive Much enjoyed your very lively farce last night. Clare was utterly brilliant: she stole the show marvellously. Many Congratulations on a Triumph; sold out too! All Best David

Hi All - the early bird tickets for the Scotch tasting are half sold ($10 saving). Let me know soon if you would like one or more and I'll be happy to get them and we'll sort things out closer to the time. Details here:http://writersfest.bc.ca/events/dram-come-true  Cheers, Paul Got mine. Looking forward. Lynn Paul, Thanks for the reminder. I just purchased my ticket. Cheers, Brenda