De-Nesting Diaries: Sunday, March 10th

What a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness. -Leo Tolstoy, novelist and philosopher (1828-1910) 

Thomas Hobson

Hobson's choice:

MEANING:

noun: An apparently free choice that offers no real alternative: take it or leave it.

ETYMOLOGY:

After Thomas Hobson (1544?-1630), English keeper of a livery stable, from his requirement that customers take either the horse nearest the stable door or none.

NOTES:

Hobson had some 40 animals in his rent-a-horse business and a straightforward system: a returning horse goes to the end of the line, and the horse at the top of the line gets to serve next. He had good intentions -- rotating horses so his steeds received good rest and an equal wear, but his heavy-handed enforcement of the policy didn't earn him any customer service stars. He could have offered his clients the option of choosing one of the two horses nearest the stable door, for instance, and still achieve nearly the same goal. More recently Henry Ford offered customers a Ford Model T in any color as long as it was black.

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  Bruno Sterckeman I asked to be your friend years ago. I got used to the idea that it's normal red tape. I am now applying to be your visitor in Cornwall this first week of July. Is it still time to enroll or did I miss the cut-off date?
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  Patrick James Dunn You have always been my friend, Brunello, facebook notwithstanding! As far as Cornwall goes, we won't be there until the beginning of August. We will be flying to London on July 10th to spend time there, in Yorkshire and Somerset before making for just outside Truro. Not sure what your dates are so let us know and we'll plan accordingly. Hope we can connect. Cheers!
  
  

  

  Great Big Sea at The Orpheum!

Polylemma:

MEANING:

noun: A choice involving multiple undesirable options.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek poly- (many) + dilemma, from lemma (proposition). Earliest documented use: 1856.

Hi All,

Every once and a while i do indeed answer my e-mails and this is the occasion..

Really enjoyed the message and i love being kept in the loop of what you guys are doing.  Happy to hear that the condo is coming along and that chloe will soon be able to move. Sorry to hear Maggie isn't doing so well.  The kids were home for a brief period of time on Friday pm but have all gone their own way again.  Kimbo is starting to get ready for her world travels, first 2 days of skiing at Russell and then she jets off to London on the 21st of March.  She needs to clean her room and get all the laundry sorted. Never ending job in her life.  She claims if someone ever broke into her room she would be fine because they would never be able to get her.  I believe it.  Had some really awful weather since coming home, Dallas has been out snowing blowing a couple of times this week and we are running out of room to put it.

Thanks for your time and home when we were there. Really loved the visit. Take Care and talk to you soon. Judy and Family 

Hi Judy and Family!

Kimbo must be related to Cora Lee. "She needs to clean her room and get all the laundry sorted. Never ending job in her life." Truer words have never been spoken about Madame Coriandre!!! Don't trust me, just ask Chloë. She's at her Mom all the time to do her laundry or put things in the dryer. Unfortunately, Coramandel is not one for task completion, unless it is finishing off a bottle of wine!!!

Guess you might wish to trade our weather for yours, especially if you have nowhere to dump your snow! It was raining reasonably heavily when we drove home. For my part, I probably won't go for either a ride or a swim, even though drizzle seems to have stopped now. Have scads of things to do here so I'm hoping I can make some headway before we go for dinner next door. Looking forward to the curling final as well.

Once again, crack the laundry whip over Kimbo's head and plug in the vacuum! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

PS: Maggie seems to be returning to her "normal" self, inasmuch as she is complaining the way she used to do and her appetite has improved markedly!

 P,

Sorry I missed your high wire act. Maybe you can do a short version for us at the next book club. I have some track lights that need cleaning and a very rickety ladder.

It looks like now is the best opportunity for me to ride so I will head out hoping to do most of the Hope Princeton and back before dinner.

Kerry’s aunt Bella died just after midnight this morning. From what I understand this was merciful – she was in a lot of discomfort.

Thanks for your note to Kerry yesterday. She was quite touched.

Forecast looks dismal over the week but when has a forecast ever held true? W

Hi Whirlster!

Sincere sympathy to Kerry and family on the death of her Aunt Bella, merciful though it was.

I just returned from the loft, with Dusty. Cora Lee and Chloë are still there, painting trim, baseboards and some other touch-up jobs. This morning, Dusty, Chloë and I spent about an hour or more at Home Depot picking up two light fixtures and other needed bits and pieces. Then to the loft. While Chloë started painting, I worked on dusting and cleaning remaining duct work while Dusty busied himself with last bit of flooring. Did as much as he could as we need to find the appropriate edging to finish off the flooring. Pieces used were for carpeting and the flooring is thicker so we need some wider strips.

You made the right decision to ride when you did as it was raining reasonably heavily when we drove home. For my part, I probably won't go for either a ride or a swim, even though drizzle seems to have stopped. Have scads of things to do here so I'm hoping I can make some headway before we go for dinner next door. Looking forward to the curling final as well.

I'm an expert on track lighting, the higher the better, especially if I'm high on maltage! The ricketier the better, as far as ladders go, it goes without saying! I'm probably free all this coming week. Perhaps we can combine a ride with a high wire act over Capilano Suspension Bridge. I spit on safety nets! Anyway, let's see how the weather behaves and plan accordingly. Looking ahead, however, would you be interested in playing a few hands of bridge, later on Friday afternoon, if timing works out, with Milionaires? Kerry and Tia are welcome. Lurchesca doesn't play so The Sisterhood/Sorcerer's Apprentice can scheme while the Lads bid. No big deal but let me know so I can try to arrange things.

Once again, sincere condolences to Kerry. Fondestos, Patrizzio! 

It is that time of year again. The Writers Fest Scotch Tasting is on May 31st, this year at Hycroft Manor. As well as being fun, this is an important fundraiser for the Festival. And yes, there are plenty of libation options if scotch is not to your taste. I've got tickets at the discounted price of $95 if you and yours want to join in the fun - just let me know by email. And please pass the word on to any other who might be interested.

    Details here:  http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/events/dram-come-true

    Cheers....Paul  PS - Corinne, I'm not sure if Pat's Interchange address is still functioning. Paul 

Hi Paolo!

Thanks for the invitation/offer. We are off to LA, around the middle of May, to attend Alexander's, our youngest grandson's, graduation from U Cal Northridge, on May 21st. However, we plan to be back to attend the malt tasting. I'm hoping to purchase at least four tickets myself but if various friends are not able to make the event, I might well take you up on your kind offer. Nonetheless, don't hold on to your extra tickets if other friends are keen to take advantage of your discounted price.

My new email address is pdunn@mail.ubc.ca but the old one, pdunn@interchange.ubc.ca, is supposed to redirect. Nevertheless, I'm using the new address.

Trust you and Joan are well. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

 The New Deputy:

The local sheriff was looking for a deputy, so Tommy - who was not exactly the sharpest nail in the bucket went in to try out for the job.
"Okay," the sheriff drawled, "Tommy, what is 1 and 1?"
"11" he replied. The sheriff thought to himself, "That's not what I meant, but he's right."
"What two days of the week start with the letter 'T'?"
"Today and tomorrow." He was again surprised that Tommy supplied a correct answer that he had never thought of himself.
"Now Tommy, listen carefully: Who killed Abraham Lincoln?"
Tommy looked a little surprised himself, then thought really hard for a minute and finally admitted, "I don't know."
"Well, why don't you go home and work on that one for a while?"
So, Tommy wandered over to the pool hall where his pals were waiting to hear the results of the interview. Tommy was exultant.
"It went great! First day on the job and I'm already working on a murder case!"

Hi Christine and James!
 

Trust you are both well! I do apologize for not sending along a message sooner. As it is and has been, ever since returning, we seem to be busier than ever and have simply not had a moment to catch our collective wits. Primarily has to do with working on the loft so that we can finally de-nest Chloë! With respect to this coming summer's visit, we plan to arrive in London on July 10th. Imagine we will spend a few days there and then, if it suits you both, we would train to York where you would meet us with two bicycles and The Lads would cycle home, followed, in the support vehicle, by Les Domestiques! Anyway, this is the first plan of attack so let us know what you think and we'll plan accordingly. If this time does not suit, don't worry as we have all sorts of other possibilities.

Of course, you are more than welcome to visit us in Cornwall, over August, so please think about that. As well, I'm trying to stitch together a week or two, in Languedoc, cycling from a rented farmhouse as base, at the beginning of September. Robo Man thought that you, Jim,  might possibly be interested in joining the Peleton, with your extensie knowledge of French wine and cheeses. Cora Lee and The Sisterhood will be lollygagging around Italy for three weeks, after Cornwall, so I have arranged to have some nubile Swedish masseuses stay to work out the daily cycling kinks! Whirlygig is interested in the massage end of things but Robo Man feels he cannot leave his students in the lurch! Let me know what you think, (blonde or brunette), and I'll do my best!

Trust, as I mentioned earlier, that all goes well in The Land of the Dales. Fondestos from Cora Lee and Chloë. Cheers, Patrizzio, High Wire Artiste Extraordinaire!!!

Pics: Redding, California, outside our favourite steak house, on way home, February 15th; Thursday night, The Sisterhood, (Cora Lee and Teens) vs The Brotherhood, (Trevor and Sarge)!

Hi Movie Starlet!

I was quite disappointed that you didn't win an Oscar!!! Nevertheless, trust you are well!   Fondestos from Cora Lee and Chloë. Cheers, Patrizzio, High Wire Artiste Extraordinaire!!!