To have great poets, there must be great audiences. -Walt Whitman, poet (1819-1892)
Pat, thanks a gain for hosting. Great evening -- one of our best I would say. Wonderful hospitality as always.
Kudos to Moe for choosing a book, Catherine the Great (Sleeps with Horses) -- that seemed to get everyone engaged. As it happens
the weekend of the (4th - 5th) of May
does not work for me (or Mark either).
The following week (11th - 12th) the Sunday is Mothers Day. The weekend to follow that is the long weekend Victoria Day (18th - 19th - 20th). I could meet on either of these weekends. I believe Pat is away later in the month. Perhaps the 1st weekend in June (1st - 2nd) is preferable for everyone.
The following week (11th - 12th) the Sunday is Mothers Day. The weekend to follow that is the long weekend Victoria Day (18th - 19th - 20th). I could meet on either of these weekends. I believe Pat is away later in the month. Perhaps the 1st weekend in June (1st - 2nd) is preferable for everyone.
Kurt is okay to host any of those weekends at his home in Nanaimo. Please let me know which if any of these dates works for you. Thanks, G
The book is The
Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt (Guy). We will read Indian Horse by
Richard Wagamese (George) after the DeWitt. Kurt has chosen Muddy Waters
(The Mojo Man), by Sandra B. Tooze; published
by ECW Press to follow the Wagamis.
"B.C.-based Ojibway author Richard Wagamese has written much, both fiction and non-fiction, about the horrific impact of those schools on former students, and the pain and hurt victims often pass on to their own children. Wagamese’s parents survived the residential school system, but emerged so damaged by the abuse they witnessed and experienced that they were unable to raise their son themselves.
In his new novel, Wagamese confronts that legacy head-on, bringing a depressingly believable 1960s residential school to life through the story of Saul Indian Horse, an Ojibway boy from Northwestern Ontario. This stark, moving novel makes clear that residential schools were, in Saul’s words, “hell on earth,” with the priests and nuns’ “night time invasions” of the dorm rooms to molest their favoured victims merely one (albeit particularly degrading) form of abuse."
Hi Lads!
A rousing evening indeed! Thanks to one and all for the brouhaha and particularly to Moe for delicious biscuits and Vittorio for chips and dip. Cora Lee was delighted by the lovely flowers so sends her thanks, Vittorio.
Given our travel schedule in May, the weekend of June 1st/2nd would seem to be the best time for me.
Onward! Fight! Cheers, Il Conduttore!
"B.C.-based Ojibway author Richard Wagamese has written much, both fiction and non-fiction, about the horrific impact of those schools on former students, and the pain and hurt victims often pass on to their own children. Wagamese’s parents survived the residential school system, but emerged so damaged by the abuse they witnessed and experienced that they were unable to raise their son themselves.
In his new novel, Wagamese confronts that legacy head-on, bringing a depressingly believable 1960s residential school to life through the story of Saul Indian Horse, an Ojibway boy from Northwestern Ontario. This stark, moving novel makes clear that residential schools were, in Saul’s words, “hell on earth,” with the priests and nuns’ “night time invasions” of the dorm rooms to molest their favoured victims merely one (albeit particularly degrading) form of abuse."
A rousing evening indeed! Thanks to one and all for the brouhaha and particularly to Moe for delicious biscuits and Vittorio for chips and dip. Cora Lee was delighted by the lovely flowers so sends her thanks, Vittorio.
Given our travel schedule in May, the weekend of June 1st/2nd would seem to be the best time for me.
Onward! Fight! Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Thank you again Pat for the moonshine and hospitality.
June 1st/2nd works for me, assuming Kurt is willing to welcome a
young heretic like myself into his abode (although, I assume if I bring a
6-pack that will change his opinion). I overheard last night that
biking is a travel option?
As a minor request, if it is to be held in Nanaimo, are we able to
hold it earlier in the day just in case one would need to return to
Vancouver on the same day i.e. catch the last ferry back? If that's ok,
then Saturday for the actual meeting would work
best for me. Sorry for all of the requests, I know I have yet to earn
my rank in the NRBC Best, VL
As well, maybe a bit premature, but I would like to add a book to our list for future reading:
"Saul’s young life is overshadowed by the system before he even enters St. Jerome’s Indian Residential School in 1961 at the age of eight. His parents are school survivors, his mother “turned so far inward she sometimes ceased to exist in the outside world.” Having already lost one daughter to the schools, Saul’s parents take him and his older brother, Benjamin, into the bush to live off the land with an uncle and Saul’s grandmother.
The extended family manages to elude the authorities for awhile, but Benjamin is eventually snatched by government agents and placed in a school in Kenora. He escapes a few years later and returns to the family, but is so badly stricken with tuberculosis that he soon dies. Saul’s parents disappear into an alcoholic, nomadic existence in Northern Ontario mining and mill towns, leaving their remaining boy with his grandmother in the bush, a short-lived idyll that ends when the old woman freezes to death and Saul is sent to St. Jerome’s.
The scenes inside the school are often harrowing, but Wagamese’s even tone, propulsive storytelling, and sharp eye for reportorial details render the regimen of beatings, rapes, and ritualized humiliations both believable and shocking. What becomes clear to Saul is that the school was not built to teach native children to thrive in a new world but to break the students’ spirits and sever any ties with their old ways of life. Those who resist are beaten, tortured, and starved until they submit, succumb to the abuse, or commit suicide."
Hi Gaelan!
Fab picture, Blondie! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Blood's A Rover (by James Ellroy) I checked and there are a few hardcopies floating around the VPL, as well as audio books for the illiterate VL
Blood's a Rover is a 2009 crime fiction novel by American author James Ellroy. It follows American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand as the final volume of Ellroy's Underworld USA Trilogy.
Hi Vittorio et al!
I second your choice of Ellroy's Blood's a Rover. He happens to be one of my favourite American crime/noir writers. Cheers, Patrizzio!
I second your choice of Ellroy's Blood's a Rover. He happens to be one of my favourite American crime/noir writers. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi to all,
Absolutely right. Happened much earlier. Wonder, why E. Jenner got all the Credit. Interesting. Moe
Thank you Patrick for your graceful hospitality and lively evening. All days are fine for me. Cheers Moe
There are ranks within the NRBC (other than Sarge)?
Who is Amir Maleki?
How many sleeping non-readers can Kurt accommodate in his home?
Pending persuasive answers to these questions, I can confirm that June 1/2 is okay with me.
Finally, I can't resist the temptation to respectfully draw to the
attention of my brethren that according to that authority on all things
medical, Wikipedia, the English royal family first received small pox
inoculations in the outbreak of 1721 (after
first testing it on condemned prisoners, an option perhaps too inhumane
for her serene imperial sumptuousness).
The English ambassador to Constantinople described the practice when back in England, as it was already in use among the Ottomans and Persians for some years by then. In China even earlier than that. Of course you might have read of that in Winchester's The Man Who Loved China. Cheers, Guy
The English ambassador to Constantinople described the practice when back in England, as it was already in use among the Ottomans and Persians for some years by then. In China even earlier than that. Of course you might have read of that in Winchester's The Man Who Loved China. Cheers, Guy
"Saul’s young life is overshadowed by the system before he even enters St. Jerome’s Indian Residential School in 1961 at the age of eight. His parents are school survivors, his mother “turned so far inward she sometimes ceased to exist in the outside world.” Having already lost one daughter to the schools, Saul’s parents take him and his older brother, Benjamin, into the bush to live off the land with an uncle and Saul’s grandmother.
The extended family manages to elude the authorities for awhile, but Benjamin is eventually snatched by government agents and placed in a school in Kenora. He escapes a few years later and returns to the family, but is so badly stricken with tuberculosis that he soon dies. Saul’s parents disappear into an alcoholic, nomadic existence in Northern Ontario mining and mill towns, leaving their remaining boy with his grandmother in the bush, a short-lived idyll that ends when the old woman freezes to death and Saul is sent to St. Jerome’s.
The scenes inside the school are often harrowing, but Wagamese’s even tone, propulsive storytelling, and sharp eye for reportorial details render the regimen of beatings, rapes, and ritualized humiliations both believable and shocking. What becomes clear to Saul is that the school was not built to teach native children to thrive in a new world but to break the students’ spirits and sever any ties with their old ways of life. Those who resist are beaten, tortured, and starved until they submit, succumb to the abuse, or commit suicide."
Hi Gaelan!
Fab picture, Blondie! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Thanks
Pat! Am starting to look for work again so wanted an enticing enough
picture to check out the rest of my profile. Whatever works right?
Buona Fortuna with job hunt. Onward! Fight!! Cheers, Patrizzio!!!
Hi Raymond!
Trust this missive finds you back to normal. With respect to the kale recipe, one whole bottle, apparently, hence emphasis on "cheap"! With respect to biking, in fact, I was thinking about the Robiaux model line you mentioned. As I expressed to both Jim and Derek, I know I'll want to wait and see what is available, (models/price), and test ride before I buy anything, that is a given.
"Hope arrives in the form of a seemingly idealistic young priest who introduces the older boys to ice hockey. The priest takes Saul under his wing, even though the boy is younger than the other players on the team. Saul has a natural talent for the game; like all great players he sees complex plays before they unfold on the ice and exploits that vision to master his opponents. He is soon outplaying the older boys and seems headed for a potential career in the game. Wagamese employs lyrical, imagistic language to capture the joyful exuberance, speed, and unselfconscious camaraderie of hockey in particular and team sports in general."
Saturday evening Elaine had organized a retirement, (second one, this time
from TRU, finally!), party for Ted. Started out at VCC where she had rented four
sheets of ice, from 5:00pm-7:00pm. Most of their friends had never
curled so I was asked to skip, along with Flamin',
Sarge and Dusty and a few of the guess who had curled in the past. It
was great good fun and I think those who had never thrown a rock came
away with a much better appreciation of just how difficult the game is.
Afterwards everyone repaired to the Keating's
house where Elaine served sushi and two turkeys. Those dishes were just
a few of the many. Most people contributed appetizers and salads and
desserts so it was a sumptuous feast indeed.
Sunday was just a social day, no exercise! Played bridge at Giorgio's
with Sarge and Kurt, friend of Whirlygig's over from Nanaimo for our
Book Club that evening. We had a solid three hours worth of cards so it
was a most pleasant afternoon. Book Club started
at 7:00pm, at our place, and we had one of the most well attended
evenings ever, I believe. Discussed Massie's Catherine The Great and had
a terrifically lively discussion so that was great good fun as well.
Decided I'd take advantage of the dry weather today so thought I might try for Horseshoe Bay. Giorgio was taking Kurt back to Horseshoe Bay in time to catch the 3:00pm ferry so he was not able to join me. Decided I'd try for 100 K, overall, so once over LG I followed Spirit Trail and then Harbourside all the way to Bewicke Avenue and then retraced to Ambleside. Once I hit West Van the wind was so strong that it really dissuaded me from heading out to HB. Thought I'd rather do a number of circuits of the Prospect Hill Loop so after riding along Bellvue to about 31st and MD I turned back to make for SP.
Was at the bottom of PH at about 2:30pm with about 52 K on the odometre
so I dipsy-doodled around Coal Harbour, after my first loop, to set off
on the 2nd with just over 70 K on the clock. By this time the sun was
out from behind the clouds, most of the time,
and it was very pleasant. Wind was still blowing quite hard and
steadily around Brockton Point but certainly not the gale force of a few
rides ago. I stayed on the road, other than the time I made the foray
towards the Convention Centre, and was pleased that
I did. By 3:30pm, with the sunny skies, the crazy cycling tourists were
out in droves.
Made it home with 103.3 K over 5:00:55, AVG 20.6 KPH, MAX 52.2 KPH, so was pleased with ride as I've not really had a chance, of late, to break 100 K. Anyway, looks like rain until Thursday so plan to swim over next few days. Do you think you might like to ride on Thursday? Let me know and we'll plan accordingly! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Dusty's most recent painting!
Hi Raymond!
Trust this missive finds you back to normal. With respect to the kale recipe, one whole bottle, apparently, hence emphasis on "cheap"! With respect to biking, in fact, I was thinking about the Robiaux model line you mentioned. As I expressed to both Jim and Derek, I know I'll want to wait and see what is available, (models/price), and test ride before I buy anything, that is a given.
"Hope arrives in the form of a seemingly idealistic young priest who introduces the older boys to ice hockey. The priest takes Saul under his wing, even though the boy is younger than the other players on the team. Saul has a natural talent for the game; like all great players he sees complex plays before they unfold on the ice and exploits that vision to master his opponents. He is soon outplaying the older boys and seems headed for a potential career in the game. Wagamese employs lyrical, imagistic language to capture the joyful exuberance, speed, and unselfconscious camaraderie of hockey in particular and team sports in general."
Decided I'd take advantage of the dry weather today so thought I might try for Horseshoe Bay. Giorgio was taking Kurt back to Horseshoe Bay in time to catch the 3:00pm ferry so he was not able to join me. Decided I'd try for 100 K, overall, so once over LG I followed Spirit Trail and then Harbourside all the way to Bewicke Avenue and then retraced to Ambleside. Once I hit West Van the wind was so strong that it really dissuaded me from heading out to HB. Thought I'd rather do a number of circuits of the Prospect Hill Loop so after riding along Bellvue to about 31st and MD I turned back to make for SP.
Made it home with 103.3 K over 5:00:55, AVG 20.6 KPH, MAX 52.2 KPH, so was pleased with ride as I've not really had a chance, of late, to break 100 K. Anyway, looks like rain until Thursday so plan to swim over next few days. Do you think you might like to ride on Thursday? Let me know and we'll plan accordingly! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Dusty's most recent painting!
Pat,
Hope to ride Thursday. I have an
appointment at the Pacemaker Clinic on Wednesday and I'm sure I'll get a
clean bill of health, so should be able to turn the pedals the next
day, although it might have to be a bit shorter
and slower. I'll respond to your e-mail in more detail later. Ray
Hi Raymond and Giggenheimer!
Hope all goes well at Pacemaker Clinic. Let us know how things fare and we'll tailor a ride, probably just lattes and sticky buns every 5 K, at an AVG of 10 KPH, on a level surface, no wind, either way. Sounds like a recipe for all future rides, now that I think about it! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hope all goes well at Pacemaker Clinic. Let us know how things fare and we'll tailor a ride, probably just lattes and sticky buns every 5 K, at an AVG of 10 KPH, on a level surface, no wind, either way. Sounds like a recipe for all future rides, now that I think about it! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Ferry Man!
Taking advantage of the dry weather I thought I might try for Horseshoe Bay after we chatted.
Quite a coincidence to see the Deli! I thought it must be you honking when I first heard the horn. I had wondered if we'd cross paths when I was leaving Ambleside as I assumed timing would be about right, placing me somewhere on bridge, given when you probably dropped off Wrath Fiend to make 3:00pm ferry. Was quite disappointed that you didn't wait at Propect Point to tell me to ride over Burrard and meet you on Macdonald for a jaunt out to UBC. I would have done just that as I needed the distance, one way or another. Not overly unhappy, however, as I really didn't want to buck the considerable head wind on way out to campus along Spanish Banks!
Once I'd determined that you had an other agenda, I spit on the ground and vowed to double your next One No Trump bid! You will have seen my message to Robo Man about a ride on Thursday so let me know what you think and we'll plan accordingly! Cheers, Il Conduttore!
"Saul’s brutal journey through the racist ranks of minor-league hockey
and into an alcohol-ravaged adulthood is surprisingly inspiring and
often funny, without downplaying the indignities suffered by Saul’s
counterparts in native communities across the country. Saul is portrayed
clearly enough to function as a believable, engaging narrator, but he
also operates as a kind of allegorical figure in a larger, spiritual
drama of personal and communal trauma, endurance, and recovery.
Wagamese pulls off a fine balancing act: exposing the horrors of the country’s residential schools while also celebrating Canada’s national game."
Hi History/Food Channel People!
Where next/ Paris? Trust this missive finds you well wherever you happen to be. Happy Trails and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: Original flower arrangement, Sunday's dinner and Dusty's most recent painting!
Hi again, Morana!
Would be delightful if we can manage to arrange meeting somewhere this coming September. Just confirmed our flights to London, (July 10th and October 17th), today so now just have to worry about everything in between! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Tinsel Town!
Can hardly wait for art show in LA! Fondestos and Cheers, Dad!
Hi Rosemary and Andre!
Wonderful to see you both. Trust Saltspring is treating you well. See you in a week or so. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pic:. Last Thursday evening.
Hi Bridge Players!
Thought You might like to see Dusty's latest! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Elaine and Ted!
Thanks again, to you both, from all of us, for the fabulous curling and even more wonderful feast afterwards. We all can hardly wait for Ted's Third Retirement! Great to visit with many of your friends we'd not seen in some time as well. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Chiune Sugihara saved 6,000 Jews from the Nazis.
Taking advantage of the dry weather I thought I might try for Horseshoe Bay after we chatted.
Quite a coincidence to see the Deli! I thought it must be you honking when I first heard the horn. I had wondered if we'd cross paths when I was leaving Ambleside as I assumed timing would be about right, placing me somewhere on bridge, given when you probably dropped off Wrath Fiend to make 3:00pm ferry. Was quite disappointed that you didn't wait at Propect Point to tell me to ride over Burrard and meet you on Macdonald for a jaunt out to UBC. I would have done just that as I needed the distance, one way or another. Not overly unhappy, however, as I really didn't want to buck the considerable head wind on way out to campus along Spanish Banks!
Once I'd determined that you had an other agenda, I spit on the ground and vowed to double your next One No Trump bid! You will have seen my message to Robo Man about a ride on Thursday so let me know what you think and we'll plan accordingly! Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Wagamese pulls off a fine balancing act: exposing the horrors of the country’s residential schools while also celebrating Canada’s national game."
Hi History/Food Channel People!
Where next/ Paris? Trust this missive finds you well wherever you happen to be. Happy Trails and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: Original flower arrangement, Sunday's dinner and Dusty's most recent painting!
Would be delightful if we can manage to arrange meeting somewhere this coming September. Just confirmed our flights to London, (July 10th and October 17th), today so now just have to worry about everything in between! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Tinsel Town!
Can hardly wait for art show in LA! Fondestos and Cheers, Dad!
Hi Rosemary and Andre!
Wonderful to see you both. Trust Saltspring is treating you well. See you in a week or so. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pic:. Last Thursday evening.
Hi Bridge Players!
Thought You might like to see Dusty's latest! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 |
| Chiune Sugihara saved 6,000 Jews from the Nazis. |
Hi Elaine and Ted!
Thanks again, to you both, from all of us, for the fabulous curling and even more wonderful feast afterwards. We all can hardly wait for Ted's Third Retirement! Great to visit with many of your friends we'd not seen in some time as well. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Chiune Sugihara saved 6,000 Jews from the Nazis.
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