St Patrick's Day Blues: Tuesday, March 17th!

We open our mouths and out flow words whose ancestries we do not even know. We are walking lexicons. In a single sentence of idle chatter we preserve Latin, Anglo-Saxon, Norse: we carry a museum inside our heads, each day we commemorate peoples of whom we have never heard. -Penelope Lively, writer (b. 17 Mar 1933)

Sign promoting the drinking of Guinness beer on Saint Patrick's Day at Dublin's Guinness Storehouse

Hello Sisterhood! Happy St Patrick's Day!

Ron Chestnut, 89 years of age, was stopped by the police around 2 am and was asked where he was going at that time of night. Ron replied, "I'm on my way to a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects it has on the human body, as well as playing bridge and staying out late." The officer asked, "Really? Who's giving that lecture at this time of night?" Ron replied, "That would be my wife."  Post-lecture quiz to follow! Cheers, Patrizzio!

 

17 March 2015 Dear Patrick Dunn, Corinne Durston has sent you a Jacquie Lawson e-card. 

Patrick James Dunn You should have tasted your Mother's fabulous Irish stew! I'm sure Pat would have approved, along with the whiskey she served!

Cora Lee dropped Dusty and I off at Chloë's Loft, en route to taking Rosita to have her partial-plate adjusted, and he replaced two of the broken straps on the Eames Chair there. He had already done a complete refitting of similar straps on the large matching stool, of the same design, using men's white leather belts, on sale, from Canadian Tire, of all places! I functioned as his helper and when he finished replacing the broken straps we re-attached the cushions and job was done. I phoned Cora Lee and she was on her way back to collect us so timing was poifect.

Back home to have a bite of lunch and then I suited up for a ride. Pleased that rain had not materialized as I wanted to log a bit of a longer jaunt. Started out with what has become a route regulare, dipsy-doodling around Olympic Village with a loop along Seawall to Granville Bridge and then back to Kits Point. Rather than continuing to ride out to UBC I decided I would inaugurate, so to speak, a bit of a training run, trying to keep my AVG above 22 kph, on the relatively short stretches afforded around Kits Point and on Point Grey to Brock House run and back. Heading along Spanish Banks I would have had to fight the considerably strong head wind. Staying on the aforementioned route, I was sheltered, much of the time, and when not, wind's force was somewhat ameliorated by houses, etc. 

The plan worked well and although I started to feel "gerbalized" around 50 km, I persevered and managed to return to the Heartbreak Terrace with an AVG of 23.3 kph on the clock. Would have clocked 23.4 kph but had to make an emergency avoidance dipsy-doodle when a dope driving a BMW blocked, at the last second, the intersection to the back lane I regularly take to bring me near entrance to Granville Island. Nevertheless, pleased with results. Stats for ride:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/722538337#.VQjOxmh9Acc.email 

Back inside to find a note from Cora Lee, instructing me to  put the Irish stew she had prepared back on the stove to start warming it up. Delicious smell soon filled kitchen and a few minutes later Mme Coriandre, chef extraordinaire returned from her University Women's Club meeting and I was off the hook as scullion so I had a quick shower and change. Back to set up table for bridge with Rosita and Coat Hanger. 

They came over once Jennifer Jones had defeated the Norwegians in one of the early rounds of the World Women's Curling Championship in Sapporo. I sipped a number of Irish Whiskeys while the rest were happy with wine, white and red. Dusty and I played together and took a quick rubber before dinner was served.

What a fabulous stew!  Cora Lee outdid herself with this new recipe, (mashed potatoes instead of spuds in stew itself.), and with Clarisse's fresh biscuits were were all basking in the pot of gold at the end of the Leprechaun rainbow! Held off having dessert, Rosie's divine Angel food cake, with fresh raspberries and whipped cream, until after we played a bit more bridge. 

The Sisterhood took first game but Norman Glen and I stormed back to take next one. Break for dessert then, followed by a hard battle for a slow rubber. In the end, The Brotherhood triumphed so we called it a night. After Durstons returned to The Annexe, I loaded dishwasher and then we watched a few more episodes of The Killing before repairing to bed ourselves. One of the best St Paddy' Days we've enjoyed since being in New Orleans with Lynne and Peter! 

Same to you! Hope you and the family had a good one! Alas, we didn't celebrate here. Liked your little story/joke. I'm anxious to know, what *is* wrong with that photo? Pat Sorry, have been super busy but wanted to say we're so happy that you've found the perfect place to relocate to. We are hoping to see it one day. In the meantime, good luck with the packing and moving - such an arduous chore, but with satisfying results! Keep us posted. Patrizzia
   
Hi Patrizzia and David! Thanks for quick reply. Know you have been very, very busy with winery of late. Trust all went well.
 

As you mention, packing and moving will be arduous chores. At the moment, we are arranging a rental truck, (Sarge has volunteered to drive vehicle!), and moving help, both here and in Penticton. Plan is to load everything on Thursday, May 28th, and then drive to Okanagan later that afternoon, evening. I'll follow Sarge with my car. Cora Lee will stay until noon on May 29th, for hand-over, and then drive up to Penticton with Chloë. Sarge and I will stay overnight with friends, Lynne and Peter, and then begin unloading process, on Friday morning. Chloë will take Sarge back with her on Sunday. At least this is the logistical plan as of this writing!

"What is wrong with this picture?" [The gin bottle?????] Bottle of Long Table Cucumber Gin! For St Patrick's Day dinner, Cora Lee outdid herself with a fabulous Irish stew, new recipe, (mashed potatoes instead of spuds in stew itself.), and with Clarisse's fresh biscuits were were all basking in the pot of gold at the end of the Leprechaun rainbow! Dessert was Rosie's divine Angel food cake, with fresh raspberries and whipped cream! Pic: Non-Gin assemblage for last night's tipplage! [

• [Roger Darrow Really you had to do that...Patrick hide the good stuff me and Big Den there soon! Patrick James Dunn Hi Roger The Dodger and Big Den! Don't you worry, Lads, all the good stuff is secure until you arrive. Even Kid Chelene and his sniffer dogs can't locate the stash as it's all buried somewhere. Any guesses?]
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Hi Eagle-Eyed Donna Maria! Glad you managed to spot out of place bottle! You've certainly come a long, long way from the person who only drank copious amounts of java when we first met to the Blood Hound juice-head of today! Welcome aboard!!! 

You win a weekend for two, any time after May 30th at the Burns Boarding House. Prize includes three meals a day, cocktails and all the hootch you can consume over the course of your stay! Money back guarantee if you can answer a simple skill testing question: Which brand of tonic is used by Long Table in their G/T's? Include a label from any of LT's products with your answer, post-marked no later than March 17th, to be eligible for this and countless other fabulous prizes! Hurry as the clock is ticking!

Still basking in the recent glow of new house but must shuck off this counter-productive day-dreaming as packing and moving will be arduous chores, as you can well imagine, having recently undergone this overwhelming process. 

Gold Coast!

Do hope you'll be able to visit, however, as I'll need you, Donna Maria, to help organize my malt cabinet and our wine cellar once we have moved, given your obvious sense of what should go where!  Fondestos from Cora Lee, bogged down with reports to Presbytery. Think she plans to limit, and severely so, her involvement in church politics at any congregation in Penticton she decides to join! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

[Michele Darrow-Sutherland Doug I know there are flowers under 20 feet of snow !!]

Cheers to our very own SMS -- single malt saint Hi Ruthless and Gander Man!
Thanks for the new sobriquet! Adore it! However, saint or otherwise, I'll need you both to help organize my malt cabinet and our wine cellar once we have moved, given your obvious sense of all things related to hootch!   Cheers, Patrizzio!                Thx for sharing. U sure do have a lot of girlfriends, Patrizzio!! Enjoy the Okanagan! There is certainly much wine to enjoy! Maggie Hi Maggie! Can never have too many girlfriends! Or bottles of wine, for that matter!  Cheers, Patrizzio!     Cute joke, ron laughed! Is there Gin in the picture and that is causing you anxiety? Hi Ski and Funny Bone Man! Do hope you'll be able to visit as I'll be great to host you two for a change! Cheers, Patrizzio!

[Patrick James Dunn My you have such big ears, Grandmother! Which one is Little Red Riding Hood? Which one, The Big Bad Wolf?]

Hi Colin and Hop-Along!

Thanks for St Patrick's Day greetings, as well as the informative explication of the "Y" chromosome! Cheers, Patrizzio!


Elly Cornelius Autumn here.
32degrees Celsius today Michele. 34 tomorrow & Friday..

Michele Darrow-Sutherland

Granville island curling champs !! Marvin Angelo MercadoVancouver curling club league champions!!! Second year curling for me and Nicole... Not too shabby! — with Wayne Sutherland, Michele Darrow-Sutherland and Nicole Marie.

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Patrick James Dunn Congratulations to you all! Bravo!! Onward!!!