35 Letters Blues: Wednesday, March 11th!

The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be. -Douglas Adams, author (11 Mar 1952-2001) 

35 Letters

Hi Patrick. 2:00 would be fine. Hal will join us if he is able. Would you like to come to the office then we can go to Agro or somewhere? Ann
Hi Ann! See you at 2:00 pm, on Friday, then. Tehran is a bit far to go but I suppose you high-flyer, VWF types probably have a Learjet, or two, ready to go at a moment's notice! I do need some more duty free malt so an added bonus to meeting with you and Hal, if he can swing it. Cheers, Passport Patrizzio! At our office then?  Ann

Freeloaders you don't need.  The important question is whether or not there is room for a wine cellar.

Hi Colin! There is plenty of room for a wine cellar however we won't need one as we have already signed up for "Direct from Barrel to Home", a service offered by most of the Okanagan wineries. Plumbed just like gas service to one's bbq. With the simple flick of a switch you can fill up a gallon jug of Black Widow Pinot Blanc or same of Laughing Stock Syrah. Bulk buying saves so much that I can use extra cash to re-stock malt cabinet after inevitable influx of Freeloaders from the coast! Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dear Patrick and Corinne Home delivery of wine! You have found the right place. First off I love your new home. The kitchen looks terrific and the bathroom is very very beautiful. Nice to have a garage as well. The place looks move in ready--bravo what a great find. Doesn't look like you will have to paint right away at all.

With respect to your move, wouldn't you know it we will not be in Vancouver. On May 27th evening we are driving to Edmonton as my father is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sat. May 30th. My brother and I are planning the party and it will be held at my brother's home so we are hoping for a spectacular weekend. From Edmonton we are going to Ottawa for a wedding and will visit Colin's brother in Prince Edward County. We fly back to Edmonton and then plan on a leisurely drive through Rockies home. Maybe we could stop by for a coffee on our way home. However, you will be just settling in and a move really is an enormous undertaking.

Not sure if it is of any help but if there are some small items you want delivered then we could probably be of some help that way. I am now going to the pool but progress is very slow. Not full weight bearing until April 1st and that seems like it is so far away. Congratulations to you and Corinne. Let us know if you are free to pop over sometime. Also Gaz has prostrate cancer--not life threatening but he will have to undergo surgery., He is off to Ireland with Scott and Nick beginning of April.

And Peter Moody was awarded the Governor General's Medal for Bravery last week--for saving his wife, Susan's life when attacked by a grizzly. Cheers for now--also do you have an address for Bev Scott?? Your old broken colleague. Jo-Anne Naslund

Hello again, BBBnB! Appreciate news about Gaz and am pleased to learn that he is not facing something life threatening. His trip to Ireland with both Scott and Nick sounds terrific. Please wish him well from both of us, as well as from Clara and Dusty, next time you have occasion to chat.

Interestingly enough, I had heard about Peter Moody's award from another mutual friend, Ray Banks. Ray studied at the Faculty of Ed so he knew both Gaz and Peter. Furthermore, Ray's wife, Sylvia, is from Cranbrook. Her brother still lives there and is a close friend of the Moodys,. Their father was a New Zealander so that was another connection. In a strange series of 6º of separation, I met another close friend of Sylvia's, a cousin/uncle,(?), by the name of Paul Day. He did post-graduate work, at one point, at Oxford, I believe, in the mid-50's, and afterwards did a stint at Sedbergh, a fairly prestigious "public" school in Yorkshire. He became a close friend of the Gairdner family there, as Bill, the father was head of the French Department. 

At any rate, in the late '60's Paul, his wife and two of their daughters returned to Canada, stopping in both Cranbrook and Winnipeg, to visit friends and family. By this time I had become well acquainted with the Gairdners, (They had moved to Winnipeg after Bill retired from Sedbergh to teach at U of W), primarily through their youngest son, Jaimie. (He is now back in London and we see him every time we visit England.) I happened to be visiting the Gairdners one Sunday and the Days dropped by for afternoon tea. A few years ago, I met another cousin from Auckland, Faith, (Paul was her uncle, I believe.), when she was visiting Sylvia and Ray, en route to NZ, back from a  trip to London. Quite a network!

Thanks very much for your offer to "mule" some small items. At this point, not sure what we might have or if your travel dates will mesh with ours, as it now turns out. Just received a message from close friends in Melbourne, Stefano and Kathleen, (She, Lynne Lighthall and Cora Lee were in Library School together!), who will be in Vancouver, and environs in mid-June, or thereabouts. Not sure of exact dates yet but they hope to visit The Hinterland so should be fun if we can all manage to get together. 

However, need to coordinate dates inasmuch as we are heading to Manitoba for Rosita's and Dusty's 70th wedding anniversary on June 19th. (Dusty's 91st in on May 2nd!) Let us know what your June dates might be and we'll plan accordingly.

If you are able to move about relatively easily let's try to arrange something here. During the day is probably best as Cora Lee has meeting overload most week nights, or the weekend after next, perhaps. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Amigos, Congrats on the house. Send some pics or listing. Good to know the Islay Inn has a new life in the sun. All is good here in paradisio - way more than expected. More detail later. Love to all,  J & G

Saludos Habitantes del Paraíso! Thanks for your congratulatory wishes on acquiring the next iteration of The Islay Inn, Burns Boarding House is the working title! MLS 153012 so take a look. (Have written in Caribou head on garage wall! Need antlers to hang my cycling gear on!!!) Delighted to hear all goes so swimmingly in sunny climes. Much to relate on your part, from what you allude to, so look forward to hearing about your aventura mexicana. Thought I'd send along a bit of the back-story to purchase, which you can read, at your leisure, while swinging in a beach hammock, swilling Tecate, Modela Especial, Dos Equis Ambar, Negra Modelo, Pacifico or even a  Bruvado!

As things now stand, the move in date of May 29th, (originally set for May 16th), had been agreed upon so Lady Mary phoned RBC to tell them we didn't need any bridge financing. This being the case we will now have to arrange move with even more military, logistical precision, so please put "Mule Duty" on your day-timers from May 27th through May 31st, +/-! Basically we will have cube truck, or the like, at The Islay Inn on Thursday, May 28th, ready to be loaded, to drive up on May 29th, (Sarge has agreed to drive truck but we will need to investigate size, etc., beforehand, so still might need your services, if still available, Giggster!), to unload at Burns Boarding House. If it works and you are interested, you are both welcome to stay for weekend. You could go wine-tasting and/or riding while Cora Lee and I argue about furniture placement! Sleeping on boxes of books should prove quite restful! Anyway, a bit of time to plan.

Off to Reel Causes tonight to see 35 Letters. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, El Cobrador!

Pics: Apropos of my evening out, some of the snaps I shot this evening. I took Aquabus to Science World and then walked to SFU's downtown campus to take in 35 Letters. Very, very powerful, moving film.

Hi Lonely Homeless People from Soon-to-Be Proud Penticton Rancher Dwellers! Thanks for your congratulatory wishes on acquiring the next iteration of The Islay Inn. Not sure what our phone number will be. Most likely, we won't have a land-line but one of the many details that have yet to be decided upon. Email is best for now and will certainly send along phone number once we know ourselves. Best wishes and fond regards from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Did you send me a message? Got one through some messaging company. Hope all is well and I will call. Andre

Hello Rosemary and Andre! Yes, I did send along a message, via a Jacquie Lawson card, informing friends and family of the fact that we recently sold The Islay Inn and have purchased a "rancher" in Penticton! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi again, Diana! Trust you are well. I sent along a message on February 28th to inform you that my wife and I jut sold our condo, here in Vancouver, a few weeks ago now. We are planning to relocate to the Okanagan, BC's wine producing region! This being the case, we will not be visiting California with such frequency as in previous years so we have decided not to continue belonging to the Soda Rock Vineyard Club. I see, from my Visa bill, that I have already been charged for the March 2015 Cellar Club Red Wines shipment so I would appreciate a reversal of charges, at your earliest convenience.

Nevertheless, Soda Rock remains one of our favourite wineries in the Sonoma and we certainly plan to visit whenever in the region. Thank you for the all wonderful wines we have enjoyed in the past. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Patrick, Sorry to hear you want to cancel, but it would be difficult to ship to BC. I’ve credited your account as well. See attached. Diana

Hi Diana! Thanks for your prompt attention to this matter. Much appreciated. Trust we might have a chance to say hello on our next visit to Soda Rock. Thanks again. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hi Jean, thanks for the email. We really enjoyed Palm Desert, great weather and interesting scenery. Glad you like the house. It is small but comfortable. The furniture in the pictures belongs to the present owners not ours. So will look different when we get in there. We move in at the end of May. I really hope you and John can come for a long visit. Your garden sounds amazing I'm sure it will be popular on the garden tour. Lots to do here. Have to get Mom and Dad really to move back to Manitoba. They leave on April 16 and will be shipping some things. Love to you and John, Corinne


Hello Japanese Gardener Extraordinaire! Congratulations, Jean, on what can only be seen as a stunning achievement, obviously the jewel in the crown of your many, many artistic, creative endeavours. Trust all goes well with you two. Seems to be a bit of confusion about which house is which. Snaps from Palm Desert were of place rented by our friends, Lynne and Peter. If you saw any pictures of 611 Burns Street, (from MLS listing), as Cora Lee mentioned in her earlier message, furnishings belong to current inhabitants. 

Hope we might have time to "squeeze" in a trip to see you before leaving Vancouver. Will let you know as we settle many of the details which need to be attended to in order to make coming move as easy and as efficient as possible. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello Soon-to-Be Mad Packers! Congratulations on cramming most into your last few days in Paradise! I remember you mentioning gift certificate from owners of house. Enjoy your meal! What with your honed packing skills, perhaps we can lure you to Vancouver to assist with our own daunting task and then later for Inja!! Thanks for congratulatory wishes on our new home. To tell the truth, we are very, very excited about the move! At any rate, much to relate on our part, so thought I'd send along a bit of the backstory to purchase, which you can read, at your leisure, if so inclined.

Travel safely. Let us know when you are back home and settled. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Charred towel! Do you discern a pattern here, Lynne, a la bacon fiasco conflagration? Some of the snaps I shot yesterday evening. I took Aquabus to Science World and then walked to SFU's downtown campus to take in film.

Dear Patrick and Corinne Home delivery of wine! You have found the right place. First off I love your new home. The kitchen looks terrific and the bathroom is very very beautiful. Nice to have a garage as well. The place looks move in ready--bravo what a great find. Doesn't look like you will have to paint right away at all.

With respect to your move, wouldn't you know it we will not be in Vancouver. On May 27th evening we are driving to Edmonton as my father is celebrating his 90th birthday on Sat. May 30th. My brother and I are planning the party and it will be held at my brother's home so we are hoping for a spectacular weekend. From Edmonton we are going to Ottawa for a wedding and will visit Colin's brother in Prince Edward County. We fly back to Edmonton and then plan on a leisurely drive through Rockies home. Maybe we could stop by for a coffee on our way home. However, you will be just settling in and a move really is an enormous undertaking.

Not sure if it is of any help but if there are some small items you want delivered then we could probably be of some help that way. I am now going to the pool but progress is very slow. Not full weight bearing until April 1st and that seems like it is so far away.

Congratulations to you and Corinne. Let us know if you are free to pop over sometime. Also Gaz has prostrate cancer--not life threatening but he will have to undergo surgery., He is off to Ireland with Scott and Nick beginning of April. And Peter Moody was awarded the Governor General's Medal for Bravery last week--for saving his wife, Susan's life when attacked by a grizzly.

Cheers for now--also do you have an address for Bev Scott?? Your old broken colleague. Jo-Anne

Hi Battered and Bruised but Definitely Not Broken Jo-Anne! Thanks for congratulatory comments on our new home. To tell the truth, we are very, very excited about the move! At any rate, much to relate on our part, but just a quick note to say that I don't have a street address for Bev, simply her email: scottbev@shaw.ca

Thanks for all the news. I'm off for a quick ride as I have an interview with VWF later this afternoon but I want to address some of the things you mentioned. In the meantime, briefly, we'd certainly expect you to stay on your way back from Edmonton. Sleeping on boxes of books and empty wine bottles should be quite restful! Chat soon. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Took in a wonderful film today. Quite a wet evening so I took the Aquabus to Science World and then walked to SFU Woodward's for 35 Letters:
 

On Michelle Flowers' 35th birthday she received a bundle of letters from her younger sister Angelique. This was no humdrum correspondence; rather they were birthday wishes full of charm and wit. The letters expressed Angelique's love of nature, art and literature, and most of all her unique and joyful personality, despite suffering from a painful disease since her mid-teens. A year on, she's in the last phases of terminal illness, and is struggling to find a peaceful way to die - not in a hospice, but somewhere altogether more in tune with her spirit. Janine Hosking's innovative and moving documentary follows Angelique Flowers, a young woman in the last phases of a terminal illness, as she struggles to find grace in an inflexible healthcare system and explores the issue of death with dignity. 

What an incredibly powerful, difficult, yet ever poetic, (Angelique was a truly remarkable individual, courageous and feisty, witty and a very talented writer.), moving film. Had a chance to chat briefly with Michelle, sister of young woman whose struggle was the subject of the documentary, after screening. Interestingly enough she lives in Saskatoon. Old story, met a prairie lad from there and now has three children. Quite  change from growing up in a Melbourne suburb.

Alison Latimer, of BC Civil Liberties Association was part of post-film panel and gave a brief overview of fairly recent case which she argued in Supreme Court which has now made physician assisted suicide legal, for competent adults, in Canada. Still illegal in Australia, Angelique suffered the agonizing death she was trying to avoid, (Her brother Damien, describes her last moments when she literally vomits her own feces due to the massive bowel obstruction that physicians had predicted would end her life!), although she had managed to obtain Nembutal from Mexico, via Exit International, a story in itself. 

Her terminal illness and hospice situation prevented her from carrying out her careful plan three days after she received the bottle. She had intended to die alone, (yet another agonizing aspect of her struggle), so as not to implicate friends or family, at a B&B in the countryside that she and Damien had visited whenever she was well enough to do so, over the course of the last few months of her life. Again, according to Damien, she thought she had more time than she did and when her disease, unexpectedly, took hold with a vengeance she was so incapacitated that she was unable to do anything but suffer the unimaginable horror and pain she had been so determined to avoid. One can only weep for her anguish.

Needed the walk home, along the Seawall, after that. Rain had stopped by then and it was a very mild night, soft air haloing lights so return had a calming effect, quelling some of the anger and upset at what can only be described as legalized, institutionalized torture.