Garbicians in the Back Lane Blues: Monday, January 23rd!

If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin. -Samuel Adams, revolutionary (1722-1803)

Tummler, great that you are reviving the NRBC. If you want more non readers, I will join you you when I can - assuming the fees are not too onerous. Chiapas – San Cristobal de las Casas Monday, January 23, 2017 Na Bolom Na Bolom is a Hotel (of sorts) as well as a research institution and museum dedicated to the work of Franz Blom and Gertrude (Trudy) Duby – a Swiss born socialist, photographer and later environmental activist and - committing her life to the welfare and preservation of the Lacandon Maya people. Blom was a Danish born cartographer and archaeologist. He and Duby bought this huge colonial house, formerly a convent, in 1950 and developed it into a scientific research centre. 

Na Bolom means house of the jaguar in the Lacandon Maya language and is a pun on Blom’s name. The house is huge and rambling and has seen better days – could use some work in that characteristic Mexican fashion. Also predictably Mexican it somehow carries on both as a museum and hotel with noticeably absent management or administration.

We learned of the house from travel guidebooks and inter-web listings and were intrigued by the history. Trudy died in the early nineties and her surviving daughter inherited Na Bolom but subsequently died prematurely at age 55. We have yet to learn the current history – ownership, mission, etc. 

Our quarters are spacious, with 15’ ceilings and ancient wood beams and lintels. The floor is coated cement with tile in the large bathroom. Furnished with antique wood furniture and cluttered with what look to be artifacts, large and small, seemingly precious including indigenous weaving on huipils hanging on the walls. The room Includes a fireplace which looks more modern than the house. The only incongruous furnishing is the large soaker tub in the bathroom which of course has plumbing challenges.

The rooms are unheated and the temperature in San Cristobal dips close to freezing overnight – reaching highs in the daytime of 18 degrees Celsius in the sun. The copious number of blankets and quilts – some handmade locally, could barely keep us warm through the night. In fact I was awake very early awakened by caffeine abuse the previous morning. My standard double espresso at the chain Tostador was the volume of a small Americano. Strong enough to rot your socks.

When we had walked here some days ago from central San Cristobal in order to view and book the room and learned of an artist in residence musician that was giving a recital Friday evening and Sunday at 4PM. We checked in at 2PM and showered – in the soaker tub because the plug malfunctioned. We showed up as the only audience at the recital by Richard Piece Milner, an Albuquerque born composer and musician who knows our good friend Susan McGrath.... Big small town. What day is it and where are we…? Fond regards to you and C., W&C

Hello Jaguar People! Absolutely delighted to hear from you and enjoy your most interesting description of the latest hardship posting! You both look extremely well but such a shame, (the fine irony is certainly not lost on me), as I gather the last two pics were taken shortly before the firing squad let loose. I applaud your bravado in spitting on blindfolds! Will dedicate first NRBC gathering in your memories! I'll make sure that nobody, but nobody reads the selection, [Death of Two Accidental Tourists: Memoirs of Ragin' Bull, spared, by the jubilant crowd after goring Jefe de la Policía Lexus], as our mark of respect. Unlimited cheap porch cleaner so what more could you ask for a fitting sendoff?

That being said, I suggest the Executor of your estate learn a bit more about sizing the images you have taken to date. The snapolas are simply wonderful but embedded, as they have been, take up about sixteen trillion gigabytes of memory to process. Have you ever heard of attachments or Zip files or are you not up to speed on the Mayan calendar? Mescal, okay, but peyote is a bit much or are you searching for the ghost of Carlos Castanada, perhaps following The Teachings of Don Juan?

We will see Silence this evening when Lady Dar is back from her knitting group. Listing says film starts at 9:40 pm and it is almost three hours long! Way, way past your caffeine fueled bedtime! Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both. Take care of each other. Continue to travel safely. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Jaguar Cat, hunting and at rest! Miss Etta, always resting!

Alas no time to reply properly... just getting ready for a trip to Mexico aka trip to Gills dentist and then to spend remainder of week in Joshua Tree Nat park. We're also entertaining visitors, Joe and Camille (from Alaska) who are going to visit Penticton in June for a 10 day bike tour!

It's dam cold here with forecast down to an unheard of minus 11 for Wednesday. Arctic air made it past the US Border Patrols! It's warmer where we're going with lows just above freezing. Will get back to you when we return (assuming we do!!) from Joshua Tree. Cheers. Phil

Hello Down Mexico Way People! Buona Fortuna with dentisto! Hard to believe that your temperatures are colder than ours! Fine drizzle, last few days and today continues to be quite warm. Can ride the KVR. Snow is pretty much all gone, except from the surrounding hills, so hard-packed surface of KVR is great, from our place all the way up to the Little Tunnel! I probably won't be riding my Trek until the street shoulders are cleaned of all the sand and gravel but my Brodie, with its wider tires, is fine. Might even ride to pool tomorrow, if rain quits.

Have you been to Joshua Tree before? We visited two or three years ago when staying with The Naramatians, Lynne and Peter, now in Florida until beginning of March, in Palm Desert. I assume you may well be camping and/or hiking there. If I ever have the chance to revisit, I plan to ride there as one could traverse the park, from one entrance to the other, more or less, over the course of day, stopping to enjoy various vistas, etc. Found the Park Centre to be very interesting, as it gives one a good overview of topography, geology, flora/fauna, etc. By chance, when we visited, it happened to be on President's Day so entry fee was waived!

As far as I'm concerned, don't really need a fire but Lady Dar insists! She is just off to yoga so I'd better set about laying a fire, with fabulous Spiller Road wood, for her return! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Attic, before and after NASA insulation installation yesterday while Duke slumbered!


Hi Patrick, Thanks for the interesting pictures of the Art Gallery openings. We'll have to visit these. Paul certainly does a great job curating at our little gallery.
Best wishes to both Dusty and Clara. I'm sure they'll appreciate Corinne's visit.

Sounds like you social whirl continues. Not too much to report here. Weather continues fine and warm, although we had big winds and a bit of rain last night, complete with tornado warnings that didn't materialize here. I've been golfing a fair bit, we were boating on a pontoon boat on the weekend, socializing with family and friends, and doing quite a bit of relaxing. 

Off to see La-La Land this afternoon, remembering to take our Arctic gear for the over-air conditioning theatre. We're driving to St. Augustine on the weekend to stay a couple of nights at the home of an engineering colleague I met in Brazil. We're missing Netflix, so having to tape shows on Direct TV. We watched Forrest Gump one night, followed by Saving Private Ryan. Pretty good old shows. Cheers, Peter

Hello Tornado Watch People! Glad you enjoyed the Art Gallery snaps. Will pass along your greetings to Falcon.  Pleased that your temperatures have warmed up. Hard to believe that our temperatures here, and in Manitoba, if you can believe it, are warmer than those in Arizona! Heard from Phillipo/Gilliana, in Sedona, that this is the case. They are off to visit Joshua Tree, in a week or so, and I was reminded of our wonderful outing there with you.
 
Next movie we would like to see is Silence: "Two 17th-century Portuguese missionaries, Father Sebastian Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Father Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver), embark on a perilous journey to Japan to find their missing mentor (Liam Neeson). While there, the two men minister to the Christian villagers who worship in secret. If caught by feudal lords or ruling samurai, they must renounce their faith or face a prolonged and agonizing death."I'm reminded of The Mission, with Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons. I hadn't remembered that both Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn were in this '80's movie. Quite enjoyed former in Love Actually and latter in Elementary, now. Plan to go tomorrow but need to figure out timing. Listing says film starts at 9:40 pm and it is almost three hours long! I'd watch both Forrest and Saving again. I agree, some of Tom's more interesting roles, as opposed to Philadelphia. I think Denzel deserved the Oscar for that film! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Trevorino! Lady Dar is planning to make lasagna for Friday evening's meal but before she does, she would like to know if you would prefer shrimp & scallops or ground meat for the filling. Either suits us so please let us know your preference. Furthermore, I gather you have either a stove or a microwave as we'd need to heat up the dish.

Just chopped a bit of kindling. Lovely day so it was a delight to be outside with my feline supervisors. Amanda, next door, came into back lane, when I was out. Garbage day today so she was moving her bin back inside her fenced back yard. Jasper, their dog was with her and Duke and Etta were, by this time, across lane in our neighbour's yard. Etta was on a low fence but Duke was on the ground, in front of their recycling bin. Jasper gets along with cats as his roommate is Roman, a large ginger cat. He just wanted to be friends with Duke but when he approached, Halloween Cat appeared, although Duke held his ground and didn't dash away. 

He is always next door, in their yard, climbing their apricot tree so I think he is relatively comfortable with Jasper. Furthermore, Amanada mentioned that she has seen Duke exploring our roof. There is a small beam from a fence post, part of front gate construction, so he has easy access, just a hop away. Nothing for such an acrobat! Must away to ride the stationary bike now hat fire is laid and ready for a match! Cheers, Patrizzio!

"Sullen Swede" perhaps? But this becomes too negative. I'll settle for "gloomy" for now until inspiration strikes. Cheers...Paul Hi again, Paolo!

Skeptical Scandinavian might satisfy both alliteration requirement as well as not being overly negative! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hello You two, Wanted to wish you both a very happy new year and check in on how life is going? Are you happy with your new house and enjoying the peace and quiet? Are you missing Vancouver at all? I hope you are both well and staying healthy with all the sickness that is going around. Our family wast absolutely decimated with the flu and strep throat two weeks ago. This year the mantra is health and vitality! Take care, Dave & Tracy

Hi Oscar Man! Which role have you been nominated for? We didn't see you on any billboards in Tinsel Town when we were there over Christmas, [Will be back in July for our youngest grandson's wedding!], but assume you'll be on all the talk shows soon! Lovely to hear from you. I gather, via JT, that life in Tswwassen goes swimmingly! Do you miss Vancouver, let alone us! We miss our friends, it goes without saying, (although people we've met, since moving, are a wonderful, incredibly interesting, vibrant group), but not the city, although still think Vancouver is remarkable. This being said, for our part, life in The Okanagan couldn't be better.Fondestos from Lady Dar to you, Dave, and to Tracy and family. Come and visit. Plenty of room. Nana Corinne can take care of your brood while we, overly sophisticated, discriminating adults, wine-taste and ride like the wind! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Good morning Patrick and Corinne I see that you are still keeping yourself reasonably busy with reading, films and freeloaders! Here in beautiful Adelaide it is a balmy 28C with fluffy white clouds dancing across the horizon. Last night we had 6mls of rain which keeps the garden happy. Have you seen the movie “Lion” yet, it is on my holiday list. Also the musical “La La Land”, Trevor and I went to see before Christmas and both enjoyed it , a really good happy movie. Books on my reading table have included The Tea Chest and The Chocolate Promise both by Jennifer Moon, great light reading. I have also read The Bee Keepers Secret, can’t remember author but also a great light read.

At the moment I need light reading to keep my mind off the emotional roller coaster that I am feeling over these last few weeks, when I have had to sell the contents of my mums home. We have decided that anything which we have left from me selling on GumTree will go in a garage sale on Saturday then all left from that will go to our local Op shop. It is absolutely heartbreaking, as you may well remember Patrick, to see the things that my mum loved and cherished go to strangers for a pittance!

On a lighter note Kirsty is over from Victoria for a few days looking for a home to buy as she and Chris will be retiring very soon and coming back to SA to live. I am taking her to see mum this morning, then I have my bags packed for a girly few days at my friends beach house at Balgowan on the west coast of York Peninsula ( in 1946 her father bought an old tram and converted it into absolute beachfront accommodation, my friends have recently extended and renovated it) I will send you some pics.

By the way Patrick, whilst in Canada, Trevor has a different email maybe add this to your contents. Must go and have some brekkie and make ready for visit to Residential Village. Warm regards Teens Christina Tassell Oz Harvest Volunteer

Hello Ms Thermomix! One more day and we are off to Sun Peaks on Friday to visit see Trevorino. We are both terribly sorry that you are not along,Teens, although with your dear Mom's failing health there is not much to be done. I know it is heart-breaking to see many of her once treasured possessions go but as long as you are ale to keep some meaningful mementos for yourselves and children/grandchildren that is what is important, at least as far as I can see. After all, it is the relationship which counts, not the material objects.

Nonetheless, an extremely difficult time, for you and Don, especially, but from my point of view, I understand that your Mom had a truly wonderful life and, in my experience, seemed to enjoy it to the very fullest. Really, what more can one ask or expect? Please pass along our tenderest regards and heartfelt thoughts to her. I can remember, in much glowing detail, the time we had afternoon tea at her place. One of a kind, both she and Sharktooth Annie, and we, as offspring, are blessed, truly blessed to have had such mothers. It is painfully sad, of course, that she is in the last stage of her life but I think one should rejoice in the sheer vitality and exuberance that was hers for so much of her journey. She certainly lives on in you and Don so the circle of family and love continues in spite of painfully cruel circumstances.
I trust you enjoy your time at Balgowan. Sounds  like a wonderful spot. Would love to see snaps of it. Fondestos from Lady Dar, to you Teens. Take care of yourself. Loads of love. Cheers,Patrizzio!

Conductoré, Dropped an envelope (three checks in it) in the mailbox this afternoon and the pick up guy was right behind me. I also encountered this video … would a cat do this to a buddy? cheers//bjp