West Dry Creek Blues: Wednesday, November 20th

Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in. -Alan Alda, actor and director (b. 1936) 

19:00 Wed Nov 20
 
Things carry on with not much new to report - an ECG, lung X-Ray, many diverse pills and one IV feed (the one that makes me assume certain attributes of a race horse).
 
The "stair" review with the physios involved 2 of them leading me to a stair case and watching me walk up and down taking my oxygen intake before and after. I think I passed.

It is now a waiting game. My aspiration is to be home to watch the Grey Cup on Sunday. My sister in a humbling gesture is coming to visit from Regina on the weekend thereby requiring that she cancel attending several lead-up outdoor parties at 25 below. The sacrifice on her part is significant and much appreciated. She did not have a ticket for the game so don't ask about this. Onward. Cheers.....Paul 

• Patrick James Dunn Greetings from Berkeley! Was at Coffaro earlier today and picked up a case of Mourvèdre, (100%), that was on sale and four bottles of Matt's Zin that hadn't been released last time we were down. Cheers to one and all and to the cute Starbuck's Monkey!
• 

  Rebecca Frazier Pat say hi to David and Nancy. We would love to sample the zin!!! If you wanted to share bahahahah
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  Patrick James Dunn Nancy sends her best wishes and congratulations on Avery's birth! (David would too, I'm sure, but he is at a meeting. He'll be home shortly and we'll toast you!) Funnily enough, she is probably related to Avery as she herself is an "Avery"! Family surname way back in 1620-1700, Captain James Avery! Anyway, meet me at the border on December 3rd, walk over at Pacific Xing, with Avery in her stroller and we'll stash a case of wine in it! Baby muleage. Customs won't suspect anything. Could be a regular gig although you'll need to upgrade stroller so that we can bring over three cases at a time!
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  Corey William Haha good plan...
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  Patrick James Dunn Gather it will be you with the enhanced stroller!

Glad you made it safely through all that awful weather and road conditions. Fund raiser last night was fun. Sat with Lynette and Mya and David. Was there from 3 to 10:30 helping to decorate at first and then listening to bands. Did some dancing. Don't think Aunt Leah's made any money on the event. Not enough paying people. There were lots of staff as they made it AL staff appreciation night. Food was ok but not worth the cost in my opinion. The space was great for an event of that size. Very attractive and comfortable.

Chloe will be glad it's all over.Take care to day and say hi to all, Hugs and kisses, Corinne

Hello Darling!

Thanks for update on Chloë's event. I'm sure she will be relieved it's over!

Plan to leave shortly after 8:00 am as I 'd like to try, weather permitting, to go for a ride on Dry Creek Road. As I mentioned, I have to stop, en route to Healdsburg, at Soda Rock to pick up latest release and then on to Coffaro. Forecast is for rain in Bay Area, starting around 3:00 pm, so I'd like to complete drive south, via San Rafael and Richmond, beforehand. 

Just had two boiled eggs and a sweet roll so not a bad breakfast compared to some that we have experienced! Might stop in Calistoga for an early lunch to provide some soakage for tasting at Soda Rock and Coffaro! Must away as I need to pack and head out. Hello to Maggs. There was an attractive young cat near my car as I returned from Office. Even wanted to come in to my room! Fondestos and Love, Patrizzio! 

Hello Darling Marilyn and d'Artagnan!

Well, as of last evening I'm still alive and well and drinking rum! (Bottle of Whaler's Original Dark Rum, from Trader Joe's, that I had with my stash in Pat's Cellar! Really needed it as I can say, without qualification, that the last two days worth of driving have been the most taxing/nerve wracking that I have ever done on this stretch. As I mentioned, it rained, and heavily so, from moment I crossed border, (not too, too bad on drive to Pacific Xing), all the way to Cornelius Pass Road. Even had heavy fog there so I missed turn-in to Chateau Oliver but did see all the Christmas trees harvested at a nearbye lot, wrapped and ready to go beside the road. (Wonder if any are  destined for Aunt Leah's, charity where Chloë is now gainfully employed! Christmas tree lots are one of its significant fund raising activities.).
 

Again, as I think I mentioned, there was an accidento, earlier in the afternoon, somewhere near Boeing Field. Although I saw no actual evidence of same, the traffic was simply horrendous. Backup domino jam started just as one enters Seattle proper. Took me almost two hours to get past Federal Way. You will recall the drive, a number of trips ago, when we ran into similar filthy weather. We didn't reach your house until after 9:00 pm, (ETA 6:00 pm), and when you greeted us Marilyn threw her arms around us and kept repeating: "We thought you were dead! We thought you were dead!" over and over again.  I wasn't quite as late this time and I certainly appreciated that you very kindly waited to start the wonderful dinner, not to mention the more than tasty hors d'oeuvres!

I was up at 5:45 am next morning and had a quick shower. Once dressed I had most of my baggage ready to load before a groggy Marilyn stumbled into the kitchen. By her own admission she was nursing a pretty nasty overhang, (These Yanks just cannot keep pace with their Canadian neighbours!), and I felt badly that she was up at all. Tough lady and incredible hostess that she is, she made me a more than scrumptious breakfast: English muffins with her own delish apple butter, bacon and scramblage with home-made salsa. Michaelo, bless him, even struggled out of bed to say "Good  Morning", and see me off. Marilyn headed back to bed once she had turned out the delicioso fare. Again, I felt badly that you had gone to so much trouble as I had fully intended to sneak away before anyone was awake. Neeedless to say, didn't keep me from enjoying the Full American Breakfast! 
 

Now to the part that you don't know! I have never such traffic on US 26. Of course it was rush hour with commuters heading into Portland. Left at 7:22 am and I literally inched along all the way to I-5. Rain didn't seen too, too heavy when travelling so slowly but on I-5 it was a repeat of yesterday's conditions. Slight let-up after two hours of car wash highway driving but only for half an hour and then was literally in socked-in conditions all the way to Redding. Fortunately traffic thinned out further south I drove so not quite as tiring but still it was not a pleasant drive at all.
Thought that skies might clear after I made it into California but this was not the case. I think it rained harder as I was entering Redding than almost anywhere further north. Good thing as Lake Shasta looked far lower than in past years. Had toyed with staying in Redding for the night so that I could have dinner at Jack's. However, it was only 3:06 pm when I was there so I decided to push on and see how i felt by the time I hit Williams.

Just outside of Redding, a digital highway sign informed travellers that there was an accident about 4 miles ahead, advising drivers to use right lane. When I reached accident site, a few minutes later, I had a pretty complete view of of wreckage as cars had to slow to a snail creep to pass scene, although incident took place on north bound side of freeway. Not sure what happened or why, of course, (other than thinking that heavy rain was probably a significant contributing factor), but from what I saw I imagine something caused a semi and three other cars, (perhaps more), to collide. Smashed, although not too badly, cab of semi, with trailer still attached, was up against  the support of an overpass, in the median dividing the highway. Underneath the trailer was a Mercedes which didn't seem to have sustained much visible damage at all. This in contradistinction  to a mini-van, I think, which had  its front end completely accordionized, back to the passenger compartment. I shudder to think about fate of front seat passengers!) About half a block further south were a number of ambulances, emergency vehicles and police cars and I could see somebody on a stretcher, with medics surrounding individual. I wasn't able to take in any other details in terms of other vehicles which might have been involved other than to notice some torn car parts and other such debris.

I assume that the person on the stretcher might well have been in a vehicle which was somehow involved in the grisly accident, gruesome evidence of which I'd first seen a few hundred metres north. Given driving conditions I'd experienced over last two days, I thanked my lucky stars that I'd not been chosen by the Fates to suffer such a horrendous accident. While it is nothing, in comparison, to the lives which might well have been lost or so terribly changed, I couldn't imagine how long the people in the cars stopped, as a result, would be delayed before the highway was cleared enough to let traffic trickle past. Cars must have been stopped for at least five miles back before I was past ever lengthening jam.

Putting this disturbing event behind me, I continued on to Williams. By this time the rain had eased considerably so at least I didn't have that to worry about that aspect of the drive as the light faded. I then stopped at the first Rest Stop I came upon to relieve my full bladder, (Thanks for the wonderful java, Marilyn!), as I still hadn't decided/determined if I was going to stay in Williams or push on to Healdsburg. Once in Williams I stopped for gas and then I thought I should see what the rates for a Single might be at Granzella's. Around $90 so I decided I'd try the Stage Stop Inn around the corner. Half the price so this is where I will be for the night. (Think Coriandre and I stayed here once before, a few years ago, when Granzaella's was full.)

Once I'd brought the luggage I wanted/needed into the room I set up my workstation and had a hefty belt of rum. Not that I needed it but it tasted wonderful, nonetheless! Had quick shower and then I strolled over the Granzella's Sports Bar for dinner, decent Salad Bar and a very tasty tip steak. Even took a bottle of Soda Creek Merlot and wasn't even charged corkage. Back to my room to let Coriandre adn our Goils know where i was and how I was and then turned out light as it had been a full, full day.

Plan to leave shortly after 8:00 am as I 'd like to try, weather permitting, to go for a ride on Dry Creek Road. I have to stop, en route to Healdsburg, at Soda Rock in Alexander Valley, to pick up latest release and then on to Coffaro, just outside Healdsburg. I have half a case there and am keen to look at some of the Mourvèdre on special. I'm sure I can leave Titanium Green there while I go for a ride. Then, sweaty and stinky, on to Berkeley to Casa Vicente! Forecast is for rain there, starting around 3:00 pm so I'd like to complete drive south, via San Rafael and Richmond, beforehand. 

Thanks again, both of you, for your wonderful hospitality and lovely, lovely, though brief, visit. Will be in touch once I'm settled in Simi Valley. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics: d'Artagnan Tuesday morning.  Bridge/dinner at close friends, the Keatings, on Sunday, evening before I left.

 
Sub rosa:

MEANING:

adverb: Secretly, privately, or confidentially.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin sub (under) rosa (rose). Earliest documented use: 1654. The English term "under the rose" is also used to refer to something in secret.

NOTES:

In Roman mythology, Venus's son Cupid gave a rose to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to ensure his silence about Venus's many indiscretions. Thus the flower became a symbol of secrecy. Ceilings of banquet halls were decorated with roses to indicate that what was said sub vino (under the influence of wine) was also sub rosa.