Hello Jet-Setting Jugos Dom Pedro et al!
Wonderful weekend, this past Saturday and Sunday in the sunny Okanagan. Went for my first ride since moving here, yesterday. Left about 5:00 pm after scads of errands and more, still more, seemingly endless unpacking. By this time the sun was not as bakingly hot as it had been earlier in the day, although the Farmer's Market, shortly after noon, wasn't too, too bad, especially when one walked along the shadowed side of Main Street. At ant rate the ride down to OK Falls, along Skaha Lake was very pleasantly cool. Took McLean Creek Road, swooping downhill past Meyer Winery, into OK Falls itself, continuing to Wild Goose and Stag's Hollow before looping back on Oliver Ranch Road to take Eastside Road home again. Bit of a strongish headwind on return leg but I was so happy to be back in the saddle again that I didn't mind much. Needed a bit of a dipsy-doodle past Burns street to achieve the distance I had settled upon but a wonderful excuse to explore one of the wonderful neighbourhoods east of Penticton Creek. Stats for ride:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/797529733#.VXTmc155L_s.email
On Sunday, we had arranged for Lynne to drive to our place, around 12:30 pm and then we would go in one car to Orofino. Cora Lee and I were struggling to assemble the compost bin we had picked up at Rona the day before, when she arrived, so we left what is probably and inordinatley simple task for most people, but which we found to be an extraordinarily complicated task for our mechanically inept interpretive cortexes!
Drive down to Keremeos was more than a delight as the countryside is showing its true beauty at this time of the year. Stopped at Peach King Fruit Market first, to buy cherries, (from Osooyos as local crop won't be ripe for a week or so), asparagus, nectarines, bee pollen for Lady Mary and Ogopogo Habanero Butt Burner Mustard for myself! Two sister-in-laws, Jessi and Soni, who served us, are originally from India, so I told them about or coming trip there and will arrange to stay with some of their relatives in Delhi! On to Orofino where the pizza party was in full swing, in a lovely shaded area behind tasting room. Turned out that Lynne knew a number of fellow Naramatians so she introduced us to them. We ended up sitting at a table with a couple from Bowen Island, Catherine and David. They are very good friends with Francis and Max Frost, acquaintances of mine from the squash circuit! They were staying at a B & B near Upper Bench Road and David rode to Orofino! I had contemplated doing much the same from our place but wasn't organized enough to do so but hope to try this pretty challenging route in the not too, too distant future.
At any rate, the pizza was delicious, (Even had gluten-free pizza dough for Cora Lee!), as well as the complimentary, free-flowing wine, of course. We were literally the last group, but one, (Kevin lives near Kelowna but he and his wife spend half of the year in Newcastle, Australia. He was on his way back from Vancouver, on his Harley!), and I was just about to collect our case of wine when Lynne asked if I could open the car as she was feeling a bit woozy and wanted to lie down in the back seat. I gave Cora Lee the keys and the two of them left while I finished off my glass of 2010 Red Bridge Merlot, 14.5%, and continued chatting with Kevin. Next thing I knew, Allison, one of the staff helping out with party, came running out to say that my wife had tripped on the way to the car. Poured myself another stiff shot of Merlot, ate a few more slices of pizza, took a few more snaps, and then, reluctantly, went to see what all the fuss was about. Turned out that poor Lynne, not Mme Coriandre, was one who had collapsed. Corinne had gone to driver's side to open car and just as she opened the door she saw Lynne buckle and fall back onto the gravel of the parking lot, just short of the paved road.
When I arrived Lynne was stretched out on the ground, Corinne shading her with her body and purse. John, owner/winemaker, had left a few minutes before, to take his son to a soccer match in Penticton, but Virginia, his wife, along with Allison, responded very quickly to bring out cold wet cloths, for Lynne's forehead and throat, and a towel to place under her head. She was bleeding, but not profusely, from the back of her head, more of a shallow cut/scrape, than a nasty wound. However, she had obviously given herself a significant crack on the head when she fell backward, although we presume it was not a fall from a full standing position, thankfully.
A woman passing by, in a car, stopped, and called 911 just as Virginia was doing the same. By the time the operator responded Lynne was feeling a tad better and was able, with a bit of help, to sit up. Since the ambulance had to come from Oliver, we, (taking into account Lynne's feeling that she was able to get into the back seat and lie down), decided it was better to drive her to Penticton Emergency, rather than waiting at Orofino. Thanking everyone for their assistance and concern, we took off. I had turned on the air-conditioning even before Lynne curled up on the backseat and she felt much better out of the sun and in the cool air. A few minutes later she felt well enough to sit up and she used the towel as a cushion to lean against the window for the rest of the drive.
I dropped The Sisterhood off at Emergency around 5:00 pm. Cora Lee found a wheelchair just inside the door and once Lynne was seated I returned home to await a call. It was just after 7:00 pm so when Lady Mary called to inform me that Lynne was fine, having been thoroughly poked and prodded. She had a staple in her scalp to close small gash but otherwise was feeling as well as could be expected, under the circumstances. The doctor who treated her didn't want her to be left alone for the next 12 hours or so, so I suggested that Cora Lee spend the night in Naramata to be the night nurse. Given the state of disarray of our place and the fact that the spare bedroom would probably not be as comfortable as her own bedroom, this seemed like a better scenario.
Once back at Burns Street Triage Station, Lady Mary put together an overnight bag, grabbed her book and then I bade farewell, yet again to The Sisterhood. Coriandre pulled a Branson and drove Lynne's car, both waving fond farewells as they peeled rubber up Burns to Eckhardt and The Naramata! Soon as I post this message, I have a very long list of chores, barked out by Lady Mary as she was choosing her wardrobe and shoes, to accomplish before Lynne drives her back to Penticton, en route to tomorrow's dental appointment.
At any rate, all's well that ends well. So rest easy, Dom Jugos, your darlin' wife is now feeling pretty chipper and is in good hands. I'm sure she'll be in touch once she and Cora Lee knock back the bottle of 2011 Beleza, [Bordeaux blend comprised of 40% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Franc.], 14.8%, she picked up at the winery before she fell off the wagon, so to speak! Fondestos, to one and all, from Penticton Ambulance Services. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: John and Aaron baking delish pizza; Virginia and Cora Lee; Lynne with the circle of Naramatians; Lady Mary's personal gluten-free pizza, with jam jar water glass and an empty bottle of 2014 Riesling, 13.3%; The Naramatian Sisterhood; Bowen Island Catherine and Mme Coriandre; mugging/purse snatching gone terribly wrong; attending emergency doctor had had too, too much Beleza before starting his shift and put staple in Lynne's scalp instead of through her left eyebrow as she had originally requested!
Thank you, again, for all your help and concern! After we left, drive back to Penticton went smoothy. I had turned on the air-conditioning even before Lynne curled up on the backseat and she felt much better out of the sun and in the cool air. A few minutes later she felt well enough to sit up and she used the towel as a cushion to lean against the window for the rest of the drive.
I dropped them off at Emergency around 5:00 pm. Cora Lee found a wheelchair just inside the door and once Lynne was seated I returned home to await a call. It was just after 7:00 pm so when Corinne phoned to inform me that Lynne was fine, having been thoroughly poked and prodded. She had a staple in her scalp to close small gash but otherwise was feeling as well as could be expected, under the circumstances. The doctor who treated her didn't want her to be left alone for the next 12 hours or so, so I suggested that Cora Lee spend the night in Naramata to be the night nurse. Given the state of disarray of our place and the fact that our spare bedroom, at the moment, would probably not be as comfortable as Lynne's own bedroom, this seemed like a better scenario.
Once back at Burns Street, Cora Lee put together an overnight bag, grabbed her book and then I bade farewell, yet again, to The Sisterhood. Mme Coriandre pulled a Branson and drove Lynne's car, both waving fond farewells as they peeled rubber up Burns to Eckhardt and The Naramata! Soon as I post this message, I have a very long list of chores, barked out by Lady Mary as she was choosing her wardrobe and shoes, to accomplish before Lynne drives her back to Penticton, en route to tomorrow's dental appointment!
At any rate, thanks to everyone, including Cooper, for the more than wonderful gathering. The pizza, olives, strawberries and cupcakes were simply delicious, (particular thanks for the gluten-free pizza dough for Cora Lee), as well as all the complimentary, free-flowing wine, of course.
At any rate, all's well that ends well. Sent a message, earlier, to Peter, in Paris, on business, to let him know that his wife is now feeling reasonably chipper and in good hands. Told him I thought that Lynne would probably be in touch once she and Cora Lee had knocked back the bottle of Beleza she picked up before she fell off the wagon, so to speak! Fondestos, to one and all. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: John and Aaron baking delish pizza; Virginia and Cora Lee; Lynne with the circle of Naramatians; Lady Mary's personal gluten-free pizza; The Naramatian Sisterhrood; mugging/purse snatching gone terribly wrong; attending emergency doctor had had too, too much Beleza before starting his shift and put staple in Lynne's scalp instead of through her left eyebrow as she had originally requested!
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