Back in the Saddle Before Lens on Lent Blues: Tuesday, April 11th!

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom. -Theodore Rubin, psychiatrist and writer (b. 11 Apr 1923)

You have to fall in love with hanging around words. -John Ciardi, poet and etymologist (1916-1986)

Sir Patrick and Lady Coriander. So sorry. I have just realised I did not send a reply to your very amusing card. Thank-you so much. All well and very busy singing this time of year. Sadly funerals too. Hope all well with you. Keep in touch. All our love. Sir James and Lady Patricia. 

[Colleen Teahan Waldron· Circa 1977]


Dear Patrick We hope you are doing well and you enjoy the warm spring weather. As you know, we are planning our autumn holidays in Canada. From 5th to 12th September we will visit Vancouver Island. We would like to visit your friends, the Millonaires….Are they on the island at this time and where do they live exactly? Are they alright.. and maybe they would look forward to seeing us again? Thank you for your feedback. Kind regards Annemarie and Rudolf Hi Rudi Rudenheimer and Anna Maria Tremonte! Trust you are both well. Here, Spring hasn't really arrived yet but nevertheless weather is gradually warming up and our garlic shoots are coming up in our tiny vegetable garden. Nevertheless, have been for some great rides of late. Today, per esempio, I went for a 101 km ride so am pleased about that, of course. 
 
[Douglas Dickerson After Madrid, Burgos, Bilbao, then on to Oviedo. Lovely spring weather so far. — at Museo Guggenheim Bilbao]


With respect to The Millionaires, (aka, Lurchesca and Grogg, Francesca and Gregg), they are both well and live in Parksville, about half an hour north of Nanaimo, with ferry from Horseshoe Bay. You can reach them at this email address. I'm sure they would be more than delighted to see you. However, you need to contact them with your potential dates as they do a fair bit of travelling. As well, we hope to see you here in Penticton. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hello Lady Patrizzia and Sir James! Lovely to hear from you and learn that all is well and that you are busy as ever. Life goes on apace here. Lady Dar is spearheading a caroling fund-raising project for this coming December for Grandmothers for Africa. Local choirs will perform downtown. You both should come over and put on  show like the one back at Hotel Kits! She and Flamin' worked on a similar project in Vancouver before we moved and Michelle brought it to fruition after we left. Last year Caroling for a Cause raised $35,000 for the two hospices she is responsible for managing.

 Sara Jane McGillivray My wedding day. 1996.

As far as cycling goes, had a simply grand one today, [See below, if interested!], while Telus technician was hooking us up to new fibre optic service. Now I send messages at twice the speed of light! Friend from Vancouver, (Did you meet Ragin' Bull?), is driving up in a week or so and will help me with a number of projects, both inside and outside the house. One of them will be to build a small platform for the clothesline I want to string in the back driveway. Wish to take advantage of the sun to dry our clothes, just like Sharktooth Annie, back in both Rivers and Winnipeg! Must away as I want to have a bite to eat. Happy Easter to you, Sir James, and to Lady Patrizzia. Take care of each other. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Miss Etta napping. 

Nemesis, Copehhagen, Denmark

Photo: Thomas Noble

This morning, day broke gloriously, with a fair number of clouds above, but otherwise sun was shining. After looking at AccuWeather, I decided I'd ride to Oliver as wind was reported to be out of the SE/SSE/SSW between 11-18 kph, over the time I would be out. However, when cycling along Lakeshore it became quite obvious that it was blowing out of the W/NW, at least in this micro-region, so I changed my destination to conform with the new data. This being the case, I chose to put myself back on the Hamster Treadmill until I had logged 41 km by the time I'd made one trip back to PTC and then back to 97 and into Red Wing East.

Once I'd dipsy-doodled through the development and was back on 97 I had clocked 47 km and was then riding right into the wind. Not too, too bad, however, and once I'd reached tiny Kickinee Park the highway changes direction, slightly to the west, and becomes a bit more sheltered, hugging the cliffs there, so going was pretty good and I even managed to keep my AVG above 21 kph. 

Felt pretty optimistic when I made Trout Creek and did three loops from the RV park, at the north end, back to Oak and then around onto Landry/Thornber, before heading for Crescent Beach. There I did three loops of this quiet community so that when I started the homeward bound leg I had just over 74 km on the clock. I knew my odometre would read 85 km when I crossed the highway at Wharf Street and this is exactly what transpired, so precise have been my exact calibrations, Dear Reader!

Was able to hurtle along, aided by the wind now, and so I zipped into Red Wing West with an AVG of 22.2 kph. Two loops later I was heading towards Riverside and then last section awaited. Wind presented a bit of a battle along Lakeshore but I held the AVG until I was climbing Ellis where it dropped to 22.1 kph. By dint of a determined push, on White I was able to keep it there until I was at our garage door so pleased as punch, both about distance and AVG, best of the new year. However, no hill climbs, basically all on the flat, so that puts the ride into perspective. Still, a wonderful outing on a wonderful day so ain't life grand! Map and Stats for ride:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1672088241#.WO1wkcEQ1Kg.email

Dad, I appreciate your apology and of course we can move forward from this but it does make me realize some things that I feel are important in any relationship, especially one between family members: No matter the topic of conversation I expect to be treated the way I would treat someone that I choose to spend my time with, with kindness.

I consider us to be a very close family or hope we are but it surprises me still that you don’t understand the way you speak can be very hurtful. I would not continue a friendship with a person who was mean and hurtful to me so why would I let a family member hurt me. Having had you as a parent, I don’t expect you would want me to be friends with a hurtful person and you and mom did not raise me to be insensitive but to be a compassionate and caring individual so I really feel you need to also conduct yourself with those same values you instilled in me.

Yes you lack sensitivity but that’s not an excuse nor should you feel that you can fall back on that, you need to make an effort to change and I don’t write that as a threat I write it as a person who might possible move my life to be closer to you and mom, and if I am lucky enough to have a child I would want them to be close to you and I do not want to have to explain your behavior to them or regret my decision to move because we are unable to converse in a pleasant way so much so that I don’t want to speak to you.

I hope this email clearly explains to you my feelings, I love you, and i'll see you in May.Have a Happy Easter, send my sibs lots of cuddles. Chloe Alexis

Hi Patrizzio, I do it this way, because we are running out of time. Thank you for your email. Indeed we were in quite a squeeze yesterday & today & tomorrow .... I am fine with what you have done, certainty do not want you to do more work on it or spend (more) money on it unless you actually broke something but I assume you didn't. I will look at it myself at some point. Your Superman thighs were probably too much for my bike and it started squeaking because it was suffering! They have souls you know ... So, no problemo! Talk soon, Aart

Sorry guys, but things has changed for me at the last moment, and I can not attend, my apology. Till next time. Cheers. Mike