Feld of Wrath: Thursday, May 30th

On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow. -Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher (1844-1900) 



Hello Duhlink!

Glad you are well and travelling the hills and dales of Dorset and enjoying Luxury, Sheer Luxury of 5 stars hotels. Just back from Winnipeg, where I attended the 100th Anniversary of Isaac Brock Junior High School, this past Tuesday. Had more than a wonderful time re-connecting with friends and classmates, many I'd not seen since 1962, (Junior High School graduation), or 1965, (graduation from Daniel MacIntyre High School), or a few from university days, 1965-1969.

Have attached brochure and rate sheet for Beau Soleil. Have scads to do and July 10th is rushing towards us! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Taken from the the former Art Room. We lived in the duplex on the corner, right hand side. Note flamingos on door! At banquet last Saturday. Everyone, except chap with his thumb up, were classmates. His younger brother was in our class. Deer on the sidewalk outside house of friend I was visiting last Sunday. Bit like seeing one strolling down your street! Plenty in countryside but not usually in such a neighbourhood. We speculated that it might have wandered along the river from Assiniboine Park quite a bit further west.

Ho Chi Minh in Paris 1919

Thank you my sweet - can you resend the email re when you will be there and when the house is empty and costs involved.  Have you already paid and booked for several weeks ? x

Hi Duhlink!

I have rented Beau Soleil, the property in Languedoc, for the month of September. I will pay deposit, (€250), to owner, (He lives in Vancouver.), before we leave in July. I'm planning to arrive in Neffiès on September 1st. I've attached the rate sheet but I wouldn't expect you to pay since we will be "freeloading" at your place. However, if other friends of yours are interested we can work something out. Since place is able to accommodate up to 10 people, (Three bedrooms, loft, couches, etc., but I don't expect that many at any one time, however), what I plan to do is to figure out costs, (based on €1300/month), and work out a rough daily/weekly cost once I know who is coming and when. Basic, overall rate is about €44/night so depending on occupancy that could drop even lower, excluding €50/per person cleaning/laundry charge, regardless of length of stay.

You are also welcome to visit us in Cornwall as well. We are there for month of August, house exchange. We are meeting Flamin' and Sarge, and two other couples, in Agen, about three hours away from Neffiès, on September 28th, to start our two week Canal du Midi boat cruise. If you decided to come to France towards the end of September you are welcome to stay for last two days even though we won't be there. Just a thought.

Cora Lee will be in Italy until about the 20th, with some of her Book Club Sisterhood so she will only be able to spend one week in Neffiès. Here, Whirlygig and Robo Man, are still "toying" with the idea of joining me. Anyway, let me know what you think and I'll book you, (and Paolo?), in! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi again, Penny! Sorry, forgot to attach rates! Cheers, Patrizzio The Forgetful!

Just a quickie before I go to bed - it's not Paulo it's michaelo!  Catch up soon x

Hi Naughty Nightdress Lady! Which "quickie" are you alluding to? Is Michaelo Ashmolean Patio Man? Cheers, Patrizzio!  

Hi Joan, Myrna, (This was the spelling when I knew you!) and Bob! Had a simply wonderful time at the reunion so am more than delighted I was able to attend. Great to meet you, Bob, and thank you for being such an accommodating chauffeur! Goes without saying that it was simply wonderful to reconnect with two neighbourhood "babes" after all these years!

I hope we might have a chance to get together again when Cora Lee and I are back in Winnipeg. (Joan, I trust we'll see you here in Vancouver.) We usually drive and plan to return next summer to celebrate Corinne's parents' 69th wedding anniversary, probably in August, if not  earlier.

Please feel free to forward any of these snaps to people who you think might wish copies. Unfortunately, I don't have email addresses for many classmates and friends met over the course of the weekend. All the best for now. Thanks again for a wonderful, wonderful time-machine trip down Memory Lane. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! (See, I changed the spelling of my name as well!!!)

P, just riding Tia to school and then ready to ride. We can start here or at the HB terrace -- 9:30 ish. I need to be back here by noon. No word from Ray so I assume he is unavailable. W

Hi Giggenheimer and Robo Man! If it is all the same, I'd like to leave from The Heartbreak Terrace in memory of the poor cards you and Sarge were dealt last evening, Whirlygig! Please feel free to join your mates, Raymond. If we don't see you soon we'll start to call you Ragin' or Big Al, ghosts of the Peleton! Leave your kale to fend for itself and brave the considerable dangers awaiting on the Seawall! See one, or both of you, at the Parkade entrance where we will observe a  minute of silence for the thwarted One No Trump bids, before setting out! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

G/P

    Thanks for hanging around for me this morning. The weather held quite well for you over the bridge. Felt quite sore in the legs after such a short ride. Shows what happens with a couple of weeks of inactivity. One of my mother's old expressions was to blame it on 'old age and infirmities'. Can't join you tomorrow. Enjoy the ride to Nanaimo. 14 day forecast looks very good. Ray

Hi again, Corinne--

I hope that you had  not gone out already and killed the fatted calf in anticipation of our arriving June 25 at the Island Inn?! After a little more research and careful digging at the Chinese visa website, I discovered that we are NOT supposed to apply 3 months in advance but rather "within" 3 months and actually closer to one month in advance of our departure. This means we do not need to apply until some time later in the summer and we do not need to come to Vancouver on June 25. We'll come down now on June 26 and stay with you that night and also the 27th … if that's okay. Hope so. Cheers, Lynnie XOXO P.S. Will keep you posted on our ETA on June 26.

Hi BBQ King and Greek Salad Queen!

Just a short note to thank you both for your wonderful hospitality and generous chauffeuring over the course of my more than delightful stay. I trust things went well as far as Travis' departure was concerned. What an adventure!

Everything went well with flight, etc., and it was even drizzling when Cora lee picked me up so I felt I was still in Winnipeg! Yesterday it was still heavily overcast with a lighter drizzle so I was able to go for a decent ride around Stanley Park, (My standard Prospect Point Hill Loop, three times), for 55.3 K over 2:40:43, AVG 20.6 KPH, MAX 51.3 KPH, so was pleased to be back in the saddle again.

For dinner, Cora Lee bbq'd lamb ribs and a loin of pork, served with polenta. I did iceberg lettuce wedges with a blue cheese/mayonnaise/lemon juice dressing, topped with chopped green onions and parsnips with maple syrup in the frying pan. Greg, our brother-in-law, from Winnipeg, joined us for dinner and then I left them to do dishes as I went downstairs to play bridge with friends, Sarge, Whirlygig and Mick. Mick and I had all the cards so our opponents were rather grumpy by the end of the evening! Today Robo Man and Whirlygig met me at our place and we cycled around Stanley Park. Robo Man had a tutoring session at noon so he left us near Prospect Point while we continued over Lions Gate and followed the Spirit Bike Path for a few kilometres before retracing our route back over bridge. 

I accompanied Giorgio to Point Grey and Macdonald, close to where he lives, and then made my way back towards Granville Island, logging about 25K, doing circuits around Kits Point, before heading home with 75.5 K over 3:54:41, AVG 19.3 KPH, MAX 52.8 KPH, on the clock. Was spitting rain from time to time but nothing serious so was glad to avoid a soaking as forecast was for heavy showers. As I'm writing sun has broken through and it looks like it might clear up. Hope so as Whirlygig and I are riding out to Horseshoe Bay on Saturday to catch ferry to Nanaimo. Our Book Club is meeting at the home of one of the members there. Most of lads are coming over on Sunday, just for part of day, for discussion, but we will be playing bridge on Saturday so going over early. Cora Lee is pleased as punch as she enjoyed respite while I was in Winnipeg!

Thanks again for everything. Very much appreciated. Take care of each other. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Have attached snaps of some of reunion photos of people you knew from hockey, etc. 

David Kessler

Our pool has been down for a couple of days with chemical issues, but we're looking forward to heading back tomorrow morning. In case you haven't seen Hearst Pool....
http://recsports.berkeley.edu/facilities/pools/hearst-pool/ I hope the images come through....

Hi Cactus!

Enjoyed seeing Hearst Pool again! Sorry to hear about recent closure. I was able to swim three times in Winnipeg's Pan Am pool while there over reunion weekend. Everything went well with return flight this past Tuesday and it was even drizzling when Cora lee picked me up so I felt I was still in Winnipeg! Poured earlier in day but I was swimming so missed worst of thunderstorm. Yesterday it was still heavily overcast, here, with a lighter drizzle so I was able to go for a decent ride around Stanley Park, (My standard Prospect Point Hill Loop, three times), for 55.3 K over 2:40:43, AVG 20.6 KPH, MAX 51.3 KPH, so was pleased to be back in the saddle again. 

For dinner, Cora Lee bbq'd lamb ribs and a loin of pork, served with polenta. I did iceberg lettuce wedges with a blue cheese/mayonnaise/lemon juice dressing, topped with chopped green onions and parsnips with maple syrup in the frying pan. Greg, our brother-in-law, from Winnipeg, here on business, joined us for dinner and then I left them to do dishes as I went downstairs to play bridge with friends, Sarge, Whirlygig and Mick. Mick and I had all the cards so our opponents were rather grumpy by the end of the evening!

Today Robo Man and Whirlygig met me at our place and we cycled around Stanley Park. Robo Man had a tutoring session at noon so he left us near Prospect Point while we continued over Lions Gate and followed the Spirit Bike Path for a few kilometres before retracing our route back over bridge. I accompanied Giorgio to Point Grey and Macdonald, close to where he lives, and then made my way back towards Granville Island, logging about 25K, doing circuits around Kits Point, before heading home with 75.5 K over 3:54:41, AVG 19.3 KPH, MAX 52.8 KPH, on the clock. Was spitting rain from time to time but nothing serious so was glad to avoid a soaking as forecast was for heavy showers. As I'm writing sun has broken through and it looks like it might clear up. Hope so as Whirlygig and I are riding out to Horseshoe Bay on Saturday to catch ferry to Nanaimo. Our Book Club is meeting at the home of one of the members there. Most of lads are coming over on Sunday, just for part of day, for discussion, but we will be playing bridge on Saturday so going over early. Cora Lee is pleased as punch as she enjoyed respite while I was in Winnipeg! Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Isaac Brock classmates at dinner last Saturday. Deer on sidewalk outside close friend's house. We suspected it came up from river bank following it all the way from Assiniboine Park quite a few miles to the west of this neighbourhood, River Heights. Steaks done on the bbq at my cousin's home, (where I stayed), this past Monday.

Lares and penate:

MEANING:

noun:
1. Household gods (the benevolent gods in an ancient Roman household).
2. Household goods (a family's treasured possessions).

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin Lares et Penates, from Lares, plural of Lar (in Roman mythology, the deity or spirit who protected a household) + et (and) + Penates (deities of the household that were believed to bring wealth), from penus (provisions, interior of a house). Earliest documented use: 1616. 

A lararium from Pompeii. In an ancient Roman home, a shrine for the guardian spirits was called lararium.

Photo: Patricio Lorente


Hi again Patrizzio!

It was fun to see you and hang out at the reunion function....  enjoyed the drive to and from the INN...

Thanks for the pics of the dinner..  some of me are deletable. (made that up) You did a great job of picture taking though! I hope Merna sees them as she really ignores her computer and once in a blue moon looks at the emails..  but..  I shall phone her to let her know.

She took Linda C. and I out to Stead (the farm) and showed us their buildings and old cars (must have been 20 old cars there) We went to Grand Beach too and walked down the boardwalk..  I have some shots on my phone but they are not too good and I have no clue how to send them to anyone. Perhaps next time I see you,  I can show them..

We went for a walk in the woods by Merna & Bob's "farm" and then got into the car to go back to Wpg.  That's when the fun really started.  Linda found a wood tick on her, then another one and then one crawling toward me in the front seat...  The screaming and the carry on was something to behold!! We screamed at Merna to stop the car and we jumped out , with Merna laughing so hard I think she peed herself!!  We were laughing and screaming as well..  arms flailing around and clothing coming off..  Linda took her tops off and had us check her over....all the while we were in hysterics!!

She found about 8 ticks and I had 2 on me (found them when we returned to Merna's house)  More screaming and yelling and running to the bathroom to strip down!!  Bob thought we had all lost our minds!  Merna was again killing herself laughing! It would have been a good Monty Python skit.!!  I had a rental car and put $8 into it to top it up to full.. so obviously did not use it much.  Merna was the "driver"  most of the time..So, hope to see you soon and thanks again for the great picture taking!!!  J dubya

Hi again, Corinne--I hope that you had  not gone out already and killed the fatted calf in anticipation of our arriving June 25 at the Island Inn?! After a little more research and careful digging at the Chinese visa website, I discovered that we are NOT supposed to apply 3 months in advance but rather "within" 3 months and actually closer to one month in advance of our departure. This means we do not need to apply until some time later in the summer and we do not need to come to Vancouver on June 25. We'll come down now on June 26 and stay with you that night and also the 27th … if that's okay. Hope so. Cheers, Lynnie XOXO P.S. Will keep you posted on our ETA on June 26. 

Hi Kath, we are around on June 4, 5 7 11 12 13 Hope we can see you one of those evenings or we could do lunch.Love to Steve, Corinne