The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, "The
children are now working as if I did not exist." -Maria Montessori,
educator (31 Aug 1870-1952)
El Diablo was making enough fuss around 5:40 am to warrant me clambering out of bed to open the patio door to let both he and Miss Etta out. Left it slightly ajar so that they would be able to come and go as they wanted. Back to enjoy a great snooze until just after 7:00 am when I woke without any prodding from Duke.Found Miss Etta curled up against Lady Dar's exposed ankle so went into the living room to collect my camera for a snap. Didn't realize I'd not taken the chip out of my computer after downloading yesterday's snaps so when I took what I thought was a wonderful shot I was informed that there was no memory card! Hoping to insert it and return for another try I was too late as Miss Etta was up, following me into living room, agitating to be fed! Too bad as it was such a good example of how she curls up with her mistress.
Dear Kranky Editor at Scribner's Sons, aka Cut-and-Paste Polizei! Sorry I've ruffled your sensitive editorial feathers! However, do appreciate your advice in spite of the fact that I spit on it! I don't correct your grammar and syntax although I have numerous opportunities to do so, Maxwell! [William Maxwell Evarts "Max" Perkins, was an American book editor, best remembered for discovering authors Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe.]
Furthermore, I've not responded sooner as we have been burdened by yet more unreasonably demanding Freeloaders, from this past Sunday to yesterday afternoon, during which we have had to endure a harrowing schedule of wine-tasting, beach swimming and late night bbq dinners on the back patio with copious quantities of craft beer, [Cannery Brewing], and local wines, Rosés, whites and reds, practicing our bar-tending skills for coming volunteer shifts at Vancouver Writers Festival, October 16th-22nd.
This being the case, we will probably be in town a few days before the start of the Festival, if only to help Chloë pack up her place. She must be out at noon on Friday, October 20th. However, we may well be in Vancouver before that as she may well have to be "moved" by the first week of October, depending on when she is to start her new job, working with a strata management company, here in Penticton. Consequently, we'll need to "synchronize" the dates of your visit. At the risk of being too, too pushy, if it works, on your end, perhaps we can cajole you into muling some of the larger pieces of furniture, [Bed/mattress, a couple of large chairs and dining room table], and leave the Chilliwack cabinet on hold for now. Guiseppe said it can stay in their garage until we are ready for it and I think we can actually put it in our car, if needs be. Of course, we would cover your gas, mileage and any other incidentals, (malt, craft beer, garlic scape salt, etc., etc., etc!), I am sure you will be quick to remind us about!
From what you mentioned about your Dad's medical appointments, as well as your own, it would seem that there is a pretty good window of opportunity from latter part of September into early October to realize Have Ragin' Van Lines, Will Travel and unending omelletto breakfasts! To keep you from becoming bored, while lollygagging hereabouts, there are endless tasks: hooking up two water barrels to down spouts, before rains begin, to attaching Lady Dar's extendo- clothesline to garage wall to re-jigging shelving next to garage door, above small bench located there, affixing small shelf below hanging cabinet in our bedroom and tweaking stereo system. Enough?
However, if you want a project worthy of your new table saw, the fence between the duplex and our place is in dire need of having a number of the existing "flimsy" panels replaced! Wild Bill is just back in town, from being in Yukon for past two months and I hope to reach an agreement with him about sharing replacement costs, particularly since the rock cover developer placed there has pushed the aforementioned panels away from the posts. As far as I can tell, the original posts are reasonably well seated so any new fencing can be attached to them, without having to introduce additional posts. Hope this is enough to chew upon. Still planning to visit?
With respect to above-mentioned Freeloaders, we had a terrific visit with Colleen and Big Al. Went for two rides on the KVR over the course of their stay. First to Naramata Road and back along it, home, and second along west side of Skaha to OK Falls and back. Wanted to hit The Little Tunnel yesterday, before they left, but Big Al begged off, in spite of insisting that he wanted to start riding regularly again!
Well, must away as i want to have a spot of breakfast, fuel for coming ride. You will see from some of the attached snaps that we are still suffering from the effects of wildfire smoke. However, today sky is bright blue and believe forecast is the same for the rest of the long-weekend. Take care of yourself and let me know what you think about what I've written above. Fondestos from Lady Dar,off to a continuing round of meetings. Cheers, Patrizzio/Il Conduttore!
Dear overly sensitive recipient of constructive criticism and only the best intentions, You raise an interesting point. I always proof read my emails, as I hate spelling errors and grammatical inconsistencies. However, as you see it is virtually impossible to edit your own work. The brain knows what you think you wrote, and even more than one proof read can fail to catch all.
I have a solution for unwanted freeloaders. Get a cheap *really* uncomfortable pull-out couch. One that when lying down on it will make you seriously worried you will wake up with a coil spring in your kidney. Guaranteed they won’t stay for more than 1- 2 nights. This strategy can be fortified by buying really cheap wine and decanting it into the empty bottles of the good stuff - and of course expound on its excellence while consuming. Food off the BBQ can also be make inedible by simply cremating it. Empty malt bottles can also be refilled with jet fuel.
With respect to your hugely unreasonable and far too pushy mule-age demands, that will work only if you do not follow the afore mentioned advice. Be aware though, that I have a small truck, and from what you have already mentioned, we may have trouble fitting everything in the bed. I do however have a trailer hitch, so we should look into renting (probably) a U-Haul, especially if we can return it in Penticton (ie, on way rental). That could facilitate doing the Chilliwackian cabinet at the same time. I’ll leave it to you to do the math … the mattress btw, will travel fine strapped to the roof rack on your suv.
The tasks that you have mentioned, do not require a table saw, so there is no point hauling it over. The table saw is really for precision work, or as I noted, ripping planks. If you need plywood slices & diced, best to get the guys at the lumber yard to do the main cuts - they have a jig that makes short work out of slicing up an unwieldy and heavy 4 x 8. Your fence is, I seem to recall, cedar - ie, no “solid" panels(?).
On my end, I have been watching the US Open with more than the usual amount of interest(!). Watched two incredible matches. Round one, Maria Sharapova, squeaking in on a wild card spot, knocks off the #2 seed(!!). Sharapova was back from a 16 month suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. Probably a bit unfair, as the drug was prescribed for a medical condition that blocks an optimal distribution of oxygen to the muscles, and was only banned recently, and its “performance enhancing" is debateable. Anyway, I immediately check the registrar of Russian mail order brides and was devastated that Sharapova was not on it! At 6’ 2” she is a bit tall for most guys, but she comes with a net worth of $135m, so that compensates considerably.
In the other exceptional match, Čorić, (pronounced “Chorich") a nice Croation boy, after losing the first set, takes out the #4 seed with 3 straight tie-breakers! It’s tough watching when you really care who wins! Čorić, of course is no slouch, at world rank 33. You could tell Zverev was fussed because after the wining point, the players usually meet at the net and exchange hugs and niceties - Zverev headed straight for the referee’s chair and was barely able to manage a long range handshake with Čorić.
So, between my Dad's issues and the Cabinet Restoration Project my cycling has suffered in consistency, but I hope to get back into the saddle to prep for the Little Tunnel run - this time with a spare tube. You do realize, the only two flats I have had in years, was cycling with you. Hmmm ... Branko
Dear Author of Freeloader Proofing for Dummies! I like your informed approach to a really uncomfortable pull-out couch but would intertwine razor wire to springs so that the barbs do puncture the sleepers kidneys! I also make it a practice to serve the home-made wine we receive at open houses, bridge gatherings, and the like, to Freeloaders, right from the get-go but have yet to refill expensive bottles with porch climber. However, I can well imagine such a strategy, in the not too, too distant future when a repeat Freeloader returns this Fall!
Talk about being "overly sensitive" in the face of "constructive criticism" delivered with "only the best intentions"! As Baudelaire would say: “Hypocrite lecteur, — mon semblable, — mon frère!” Just as you pay attention to your fine cabinetry, no whining about proof reading. It is a constant battle! Onward!! Fight!!!
Your suggestion regarding a trailer is a good one. Big Al has quite a large, open one with very high sides so he might be willing to let us use it or else blackmail him into making a quick moving run! Will know more once I have a better idea of what Chloë is actually intending to bring with her and when, to coordinate everything. As of this writing I believe she is thinking about selling her sofa so that would make moving life a lot easier. Mattress could go on roof rack but I think I'd prefer to have it where it is not quite as susceptible to wind lift.
I just mentioned your table-saw out of table-saw envy but realize that you probably sleep in the same room with it now! If we should need one, if, if, if this should all come about, Stormin' Norman has one and it is accessible since his garage sale. On the exercise front, don't let anything interfere with your fitness regime, riding or something else, as that makes everything else go better and it i critically important given the familial stress you find yourself having to deal with. Straight from the prescription pad of Dottore Patrizzio!
Speaking of which, went for a most enjoyable ride, around 1:00 pm this afternoon, especially invigorating after all the carousing of the last few days. Gorgeous day instead of a smoke filled sky for a most pleasant change. Wind was only out of the North at around 11 kph but decided I'd still stick close to home and not have to worry about fighting it on long exposed stretches, whether along 97 to Summerland or on return from OK Falls, along Eastside. Furthermore, I've "honed" my basic Hamster Loops of late, using three circuits of a given mini-loop to build up the distance and not succumb to boredom or nausea! Started off by heading down Ellis to PTC and then along Lakeshore. Once on Riverside I looped back to Lakeshore to gerbalize the loop, three times, off Power/Dynes. When these were finished did another three sets using Burnaby and Westminster, followed by much the same around the large, empty parking lots of the Penticton Memorial Arena complex so that when I was back at the PTC I had around 28 km on the clock.
Then it was time to literally criss-cross all the side streets, closer to home, bounded by Wade, on the north, and Ellis, using the start of the KVR, on Pickering, as my turn around spot to sling-shot myself, back into the wind, eventually back down to PTC when I had enough distance on my trusty odometre. Quite pleased with outing as temperature was around 28.7º C and much of it was in the shade, more or less, given overhanging trees on many of the quieter, residential streets, and often sheltered, for the same reason, from the head wind. Miss Etta happened to be close to our lane entrance when I rode up but she dashed under Amanda's fence as I approached, calling out her name. I suppose she hasn't figured out this helmeted creature bearing down on her! Cheers!Map and Stats for ride:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1950870463#.WaibjuyL-00.email
Sorry to hear that your fabulously wealthy mail order bride isn't up for grabs but pleased that your fellow countryman chewed up Zverev. I gather he plays out of the Lawn, given he is such a sore loser! Like someone else we know, he probably only plays for fun! Well, must away to watch an episode of The Tunnel before dinner. Take care of your red pencil and yourself, Ragin'. Fondestos from Lady Dar, relaxing in the air-conditioned comfort of the Rumpus Room! Cheers for now, Il Conduttore/Patrizzio! PS: Don't Lay No Punctured Tire Blues on the King of Road Bike Rock 'n Roll!
Hi Kids! Trust everyone is well and that you had a safe ride back home. Thanks again for wonderful visit. Only complaint is from Lady Dar about cat bag! El Diablo was rolling around it at 5:30 am this morning and disturbed her beauty sleep! He has also been worrying the mice which only pumps more adrenaline into his already hyped system! Thanks for planting more seeds of feline mayhem!!! After we waved goodbye I cleared out the shelves in the washstand as I wanted to shut off the water to change one of the rubber washers, to stop the drip before tackling the larger "faucet" issue. Thanks for snap of fitting, by the way, Al! Where is Big Molly/ Mr Plumber when you really need him? Well, must away as I want to have a spot of brunch, fuel for coming ride. Probably south to OK Falls. Cheers, Patrizzio!
