I will join the cycling contingent despite the fledgling (unhatched?) nature of my bridge skills.
Also, rest assured that despite the [minor] detail that I haven't
read the book, (whatever book that is), I will be pleased to opine upon
it... Kurt, do I need to bring a sleeping bag?
Mark, Great that you will join us. I don't know the
exact plans yet. Likely getting on the road to get a noon ferry. Leave
9:30 from Pat's? I assume you will be up for playing some bridge Saturday? If not, Kurt needs to find a 4th? G
I am certainly up for playing bridge. How "up" should I get? Is pharmaceutical assistance permitted? 8^) cheers, Mark
Hello Dope Fiends!
Glad to learn that all goes well with plans for a debauched weekend. I'm happy to leave The Heartbreak Terrace at 8:00am on Saturday morn in order to catch 10:40am ferry, in spite of malt overhang from Dram Come True, night before. We can talk about the peleton before then if Marcus Aurelius plans to ride to Horseshoe Bay as well.
Have been having a more than splendid time at the Isaac Brock 100th Anniversary reunion so am very pleased that I decided to attend. Visiting with other friends and family over next few days. Back Tuesday afternoon so will call The NRBC Secretary then to be apprised of any unanimous decisions! Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Pics: This is how I plan to cycle to HB. (Practice for getting blind drunk at Dram Come True! Have managed a couple of pretty good preliminary workouts so far. Almost ready to peak!) I know the route so well I can do it with my eyes closed! Everyone, except chap with thumbs up, was a classmates from Grade 7-9.
Hi Goils!
Trust all goes well. Great snaps of wedding, Ayn! How is painting coming, Coriandre? Did you buy me a Mumford CD, Chloë? Dinner with Spumoni and Grogg late this afternoon and then once we take Greg to airport Pam will drop me off at Noreen's place. She invited me for dinner as Nora, (Shauna's daughter), is in from Toronto, along with some others I can't keep straight! I had called Noreen a number of times, left messages, but didn't hear from her until I had already accepted Pam's invitation. Noreen understood but suggested I drop in for dessert and have a visit, given timing mentioned above. Should work out well so glad I can squeeze in a visit with her and some of extended family.
Will see Jim Sutherland for lunch tomorrow, probably downtown as he has a medical appointment there anyway. Last few days I have been dropped of on Pembina Highway and taken bus to Isaac Brock. Great service on new express lanes so I'm on Portage, near The Bay, in about 15-20 minutes, to Valour Road in another 10. Former classmates have very kindly given me rides home so don't miss having a car, although I probably would have gone to Falcon today, to stay overnight, had I a vehicle.
Hi Jean and John!
Thanks for the lovely email messages, Jean, and the wonderful pictures of your family, in particular. I don't believe I've seen some of the immediate family before so those were terrific to see. Appropriate, given that I'm in Winnipeg myself, as of this writing.
I arrived here at about 2:00pm this past Thursday. My cousin's husband, Filmer, picked me up and was waiting so we made for home as soon as my bag showed up on the carousel. As you know came especially to attend the 100th anniversary of my Junior High School, Isaac Brock. Another classmate of mine, Joan Woodbury, was on same flight. In fact, she was the one who told me about the reunion. Just by chance we met at a friend's party last summer. Up until that point I hadn't seen her since the end of high school in 1965!
Pleasant day when we landed. I was planning to go for a swim at the Pan Am Pool but there is a swim meet on this weekend so Training Pool was only facility open and it closed at 4:00pm. It was shortly after 3:00pm when I discovered this so it wasn't worthwhile to make the trip, given time left.Spent time visiting with Filmer until Sally, my cousin, returned from work.
On the other hand, coffee Filmer brews/makes is simply fantastic. Vietnamese style. Filmer prepared a cup shortly after we were back at their home and it was even more delicious than I had remembered from last time I visited.
Friday morning I was up fairly early, 5:30am, as Filmer rises at 5:00am! Sally leaves for work by 7:00am so I had arranged to catch a lift with her to the pool. She works close bye so she dropped me off on her way to the school where she is the manager of the day care facility. I found a coffee-shop and read there until public swim started at 9:00am.
Not many other swimmers in Training Tank so I quite enjoyed logging two miles. Longest distance since I started swimming in LA this past weekend/week. I had hoped to do that distance at the Van Nuys pool not far from where Ayn, our eldest daughter, lives but was at just over 1.75 miles when life guard told me pool was closing for vacuuming! Anyway, enjoyed the swim and then after showering/changing walked back to shopping centre to buy some wine and spirits.
Found a great selection of Malbecs, Carmenères, Tempranillos and Priorats so was very pleased. Much more attractive prices than in BC so even better! Also picked up a single malt, Bruichladdich 1998 Sherry Edition, (aged in Oloroso Jerez Sherry wood), 46%, on sale so saved about $20. Original price was about $20 cheaper than back home so I'll have to leave all my clothes here in Winnipeg to get all the booze home!
Grog then dropped me back at my cousin's place and I got ready to go to the first planned event of the reunion, a wine and cheese reception at the school itself. My nephew, Travis, dropped me at a bus stop about ten blocks from the house and I caught an express bus downtown to change to another which took me but a few blocks from Isaac Brock and my old neighbourhood. Bus itself stopped at Valour Road, so named to honour three Canadian soldiers in WWI who received the Victoria Cross. Interestingly enough, they all lived in the same block of then named Pine Street. When in Grade 9 I was voted by my classmates to place the Canadian Legion memorial wreath at a commemorative plaque on the corner of Valour Road and Portage Avenue on Remembrance Day, 1961. After snapping a few pictures of plaque, I strolled towards school, reminding myself of some of the houses and churches and stores that were part of neighbourhood I lived in from 1959 through 1967.
Reception itself was loads and loads of fun and I met about ten classmates whom I knew very well, and scads of others from neighbourhood, older/younger siblings, community recreation centre, mainly hockey, on my part, acquaintances/team mates, etc., as well as high school friends. Isaac Brock was a feeder school for Daniel MacIntyre and I knew many students there that I'd not known in Junior High as being older than me they were ahead of me. In many instances I "caught up" with them when they ended up failing a grade or two! Or else they were married to someone who went to IB.
One couple, in particular, I never expected to meet as I didn't even know that the wife attended IB: Elaine and Dick Archer. They are probably about five to seven years older. At any rtae, I played handball against Dick and his partner, Norm Armstrong, for years, when I was at University Of Winnipeg. Cora lee even came along to tournaments that were held in North Dakota, in Grand Forks, so it was simply wonderful to see them both after more than thirty years at least. They spend about half a year in Sarasota, Florida, and have invited us to visit. Hope to be able to take them up on the offer in next year or so as we'd both love to visit that part of the US.
Anyway, it was a fun-filled time machine trip down memory lane. Last person I bumped into was a chap named Warren Brooke and I knew him very well although he is seven years older. My Dad owned a small corner grocery store in the neighbourhood, at the time, and I delivered groceries, by bike, to many of my classmates' homes. In fact, I actually knew many of their mothers better than my own peers through this activity. Jack Weremy, a close friend of Warren's worked for my Dad, delivering groceries by car, until I could drive myself, and so I came to know Warren. When I went to U of Wpg, (then United College), I had all these "connections" with the "big guys" on campus, myself still a freshman, so I was accepted into the "inner circle" from the very beginning. What it meant was that i had a whole set of "older brothers" to help me find my way in a new world. Probably accounted, in large part, for how much I enjoyed my studies there.
Warren and his wife, (I didn't know her as she is not from Winnipeg),
now live in London, Ontario, so hope to visit them there at some point
as we plan to drive east in a few years, all the way to Nova Scotia.
Event was over just after 9:00pm and since Warren
had driven to Winnipeg he offered to drop me off. He and his wife were
staying with his sister in the same part of the city, not too, too far
from my cousin's home. I wasn't unhappy to climb into bed around 10:30pm
as it had been a long but delightful day.Wandered the halls of Isaac Brock Saturday afternoon and then attend the reunion dinner that night at the Canad Inn, a hotel near Polo Park, not far from the school/neighbourhood itself. Was more fun continuing to catchup up with classmates. Speaker was Ted Irvine who played fro NHL for ten years or so. I knew him quite well, although he is three or four years older. He was ahead of me at IB but since he attended Daniel we crossed paths there. Also knew him because of his hockey reputation at IBCC. Another classmate, Andy Van Hellemond, was there. He became an NHL referee and has been a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1999. His NHL officiating career began in 1969 and included 19 Stanley Cup Finals. I didn't realize it but in 1984 he became the first NHL on-ice official to wear a helmet.
I can still remember my two coaches coming into the locker room as we were changing out of our equipment and uniforms to stuff about six mickeys of Everclear, (not available in Canada then), into the bottom of my kit bag. I didn't understand why they were doing this but later learned that you had to be in the US for a week, I think, before you could bring any booze back, even if you wanted to pay duty. Incident held me in good stead once we started to go to California with you and John!
Will see university friend, Jim Sutherland, for lunch tomorrow, probably downtown as he has a medical appointment there anyway. Last few days I have been dropped of on Pembina Highway and taken bus to Isaac Brock. Great service on new express lanes so I'm on Portage, near The Bay, in about 15-20 minutes, to Valour Road in another 10. Former classmates have very kindly given me rides home so don't miss having a car, although I probably would have gone to Falcon today, to stay overnight, had I a vehicle.
Pan Am Pool isn't open for public swim today, (Golden Plains swim meet
is still on), so I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning. Spumoni said either she
or Grogg would collect me from here whenever I am ready to leave. Their youngest son, Dustan, has a Driver's Ed session
this afternoon so she wasn't sure who would
be taking him. Thank you so very much for the invitation to stay. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be able to visit before we fly to London on July 10th. Cora Lee's sister, Patti, and family arrive for a little over a week on June 5th and we already have social engagements for the following weekends, (wedding, overnight at friend's cabin in Sunshine Valley, near Hope), and that is without even trying to get our place ready for the couple doing the house exchange in August. Granted, not all that much to do but we have to clear out closets, clean, etc., etc. At the moment, Cora Lee is painting our bedroom as she claimed it is easier to do when I'm not around! That being said, we'd dearly love to visit, that goes entirely without saying, so watch out, we might just appear on your doorstep! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Look forward to seeing you on July 30th. Will give you our telephone numbers nearer the time if you haven't already got them. Hope Cora Lee is successful pleading poverty to her long lost wealthy relatives. People tend to be well healed in Somerset! Only problem is you will probably be staying in some magnificent house and then will have to rough it in our apartment when you arrive in Cornwall!
One of my sisters turned 72 this week so we took her out to lunch to celebrate. Not that there is much to celebrate getting older! Picture attached of my three sisters at the lunch. Maureen is the one that lives in the apartment below us. Gayle thinks I am far too pessimistic about age and should be more positive about the advancing years!
Not much news this end. It was a beautiful day today so managed to complete a few chores in the garden then Gayle and I walked to the beach at Porthtowan. Had a beer and a lazy hour people watching then dropped in on some friends on the way back. I am now going in to make a Prawn Diavola with Squid ink pasta and a Cesar salad while Gayle relaxes on the sun bed with a Spritzer. Where did I go wrong! Best wishes Derek
Audrey on the left age 81, Margaret centre age 72, Maureen age 70
Hi Derek! Great snap of three sisters! I think I can see Krissy in Margaret, if I'm not mistaken! Don't have your address or telephone numbers yet, I don't think, but you can send them along when you've a moment. I shouldn't worry about some magnificent home in Somerset as I think it more likely to be a peat bog! Apparently one cousin owned a peat farm but not sure if that is still in family. Anyway, we'll need to conserve cash so will be sleeping under a haystack if we don't locate any rich relatives!
Pics: This is how I plan to cycle to Horseshoe Bay next Saturday as I'm off to Nanaimo for my Book Club weekend. (Practice for getting blind drunk at Dram Come True night before! Have managed a couple of pretty good preliminary workouts so far. Almost ready to peak!) I know the route so well I can do it with my eyes closed! Everyone, except chap with thumbs up, was a classmate from Grade 7-9.
Chloe Alexis Dunn Sunday night view from the roof.
Patrick James Dunn Nice Life, indeed! How much rent do you pay for the million dollar view?
Chloe Alexis Dunn Clearly not enough, good thing I know the owners.
Mumford & Sons
They're on the Face Place Nana By the way...Pierre delivered an amazing speech at the wedding...made us
all laugh and cry and you would have been so proud...our boys are on
their way to greatness as they clearly seem to be turning into wonderful
young men Love to all
Secondly...and this is random. How does Alex Prince
have the new Galaxy S4 that basically reads your mind now (you actually
wave your hand like Harry Potter over the screen or nod your head to
scroll!!!) but his e-mail is still @aol.com from '96???? #oldskool
| Elly Cornelius |
Hello Patrizzio.
Glad to receive your message. You lead a very busy life. We have our first open inspection this weekend, it has been a couple of stressful weeks trying to get the place shipshape. At the moment we have no idea when we are coming to Vancouver, so much going on. We will definitely let you know, it might even be went it's cold. It seems all of you are very very busy in the next few months travelling to so many places. Give our love to Cora Lee. Lots of cheers Elly & Tony
Glad to receive your message. You lead a very busy life. We have our first open inspection this weekend, it has been a couple of stressful weeks trying to get the place shipshape. At the moment we have no idea when we are coming to Vancouver, so much going on. We will definitely let you know, it might even be went it's cold. It seems all of you are very very busy in the next few months travelling to so many places. Give our love to Cora Lee. Lots of cheers Elly & Tony
The pics got me thinking that the idiom must now be changed to: FOUR sheets to the wind. --Kurt
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