From the Frying Pan into the Kitchen Fire Blues: Wednesday, June 27th!

It may be observed that the English language is not a system of logic, that its vocabulary has not developed in correlation with generations of straight thinkers, that we cannot impose upon it something preconceived as an ideal of scientific method and expect to come out with anything more systematic and more clarifying than what we start with: what we start with is an inchoate heterogeneous conglomerate that retains the indestructible bones of innumerable tries at orderly communication, and our definitions as a body are bound to reflect this situation. -Philip Babcock Gove, lexicographer (27 Jun 1902-1972) 

Michele Darrow-Sutherland I want to introduce you to the newest Sutherland - Alexandra Celeste - Alexandra after Wayne’s dad and Celeste after my grandmother . Megan Ryan and Grace are ecstatic!! I am very blessed. Patrick James Dunn Congratulations, indeed, Megan and Ryan! Hip Hip Hooray! Cheers!
 

Dear Corinne and Patrick: Oh my goodness -- such startling news! What a super-stressful time for both of you. And how disappointing to hear that the European adventure has gone sideways in such a manner. But it's good to know that you are both safely back in Canada. The thought did occur to me that if one is going to be sick in Europe, Berlin is a good place -- the Germans are so very, very professional, efficient and clean (if I can be allowed to engage in such
generalizations). Actually, I am expecting to be in Berlin again in October -- I loved it so much during my first visit last fall.

 

I'll miss you both on Canada Day . . . but I certainly appreciate the difficult circumstances. We won't be able to connect during the folk festival either, as I will be in Newfoundland. Karen, Mum and I are flying to St. John's on July 11th, to meet Sandy and her daughter/my niece Anna (who is completing teacher training at Memorial). Apart from Sandy and Anna, we have never been to Newfoundland before, so we are looking forward to it. We fly back to Vancouver on July 19th and I expect that you'll be back in Penticton by then. But now that I am retired, the possibilities for getting together are so greatly expanded that we should be able to find another opportunity in the relatively near future. All the best and stay well! Love, Janet 

Hello Patrick, I was just thinking of emailing you and asking where the hell you were and what you were doing? What a crazy adventure you have had!! Happy to hear that you are safe and sound and back in Canada and home. Take care of yourself and enjoy your time back home!! Best wishes, Lorraine  OH my goodness Patrick!  What terrible things have been happening to you since the Poland trip!  I was so shocked to hear about your accidents, the damage to your face and hospital visit in Krakow.  If I had known all that was happening, I would have at least visited you in the hospital as I was still in Krakow at the Ginger Hostel till the 12th.  (Rented a bike on the 11th and rode along the Vistula to Shindlers Factory (closed) and then out towards the kayaks again.)  Instead, as I was leaving for the airport on the 12th,  I left a note in your bike basket saying Happy Travels! 

After I arrived home, I had the worst jet lag ever and it lasted for a solid week! Never experienced that before.  During that week I barely looked at emails or did much of anything except take George for his shoulder surgery, back and forth on the ferry.  That was about all I could handle.  so I didn’t really know of all your troubles till just a few days ago.  I hope you are on the mend and getting back to life as you would like it to be.  So good of your Lady Dar to come to your rescue.  Sounds like you have the best of the best taking care of you.

I discovered a Polish bakery in North Vancouver today and  found Lindon tree honey there!!  Of course I bought some and some Polish saurkraut too!  Can’t wait to try them! I love reading your journal reports, as they bring back great memories of the trip!  Even with all the little calamities it was an awesome adventure with an awesome gang!  Now working on trying to organize my pictures! It would be fun to have a cycling reunion one of these days! Happy healing Merrily

 

Glad you made it home safely. Take care. Pat, Sorry to hear about your accidents and pneumonia. Nice to know that there are public spirited people willing to help in other countries. You look to be recovering well. Give yourself a proper break in order to recover completely. Painting the house at the moment. Non too sprightly on the ladder, I must say, and lying down on the roof to get to the places I can't reach isn't much fun. Mike Carter and I are really enjoying pickleball. Once a week at Kits Community Center for the past several weeks and we are intending to play outdoors at Dunbar tennis courts next week.
 

Patriçio I am glad you are back safe in the bosom f your loving family. Tough break in Europe! I was hoping to drop by just to say “hi” - I could use a road trip - but I found my Dad on the floor this a.m. and he is in the hospital now, very weak, aery dazed & confused. I will get on the phone mañana and look into upping the home care. Until then, I will be sleeping on the pull-out in his LR in case he gets up in the night. I hear muchos renos happening? Women eh? Anyway, talk soon, take care, and please start considering touching the burning ground on a bike ride! A java at the half way point is a good thing!!! Talk soon bjp Branko  Look after yourself. Ray
  

Pat: We have not had news from you since the accident. How are you making out? All better I hope and back at home. Drop us a short note when you have the time. Cheers Ben Hi Santiago, et al! Thanks for your concern. Much appreciated. Had been in Berlin since last Sunday, June 17th, when I was hospitalized for pneumonia for a week. At the time I was en route to Denmark to spend time with close friend, Margareta. Obviously that part of the trip didn't happen, as well as my return to Chabeuil, France, to leave my bike. More to the story than that but this will have to suffice for now.

To help me home, Lady Dar flew to Berlin, arriving on Saturday, June 23rd, to make sure I got home safely. She came to the hospital as soon as she had checked into the hotel which was only about ten minutes away, [planned by her], so a truly  unbelievable amount of good luck in this regard!

Lady Dar collected me, Sunday morning, around 10:00 am. After I was discharged she walked my pannier-laden bike back to the hotel and I followed. Fortunately the rain had stopped so it was quite pleasant to be out in the fresh air. We were comfortably ensconced here until Tuesday, June 26th, when we flew to Toronto. 

Plane was three hours late so we knew we'd miss original connection to Vancouver but fortunately we were booked onto a flight that put us in Vancouver with twenty minutes to make connection to Penticton, at 11:15 pm. Staff announced our plight and that of others with same connection, and we were able to leave plane first. Landed shortly after midnight and Chloë, wearing her pajamas, collected us! About twenty-four hours, what with delays and waits in various airports so we were both pretty tired but more than delighted to be home, as one can well imagine, without having to spend a night somewhere.

Back to Berlin, on Monday, Lady Dar insisted I have a haircut and beard trim as she claimed I looked like a wild, mountain man. Sarge said I could pass for Grizzly Adams when he saw a picture of me. Barber, Jake, was a terrific chap, from Bristol, so it was a treat to chat as he snipped and buzzed. Afterwards we tried to find a soft case for my folding bike but to no avail. 
 

The one store Lady Dar found that would likely have had the sort of carrying case Air Canada required was closed and we knew we wouldn't have time, next day, before flight to pick one up, even if they had one, which we didn't know for sure. This being the case, we arranged to have the bike shipped to Maggie, in Denmark. So I guess I'll be cycling there when next we are back in Europe! Perhaps rest of cyclistii need to join me to make sure I'm fine!

Unfortunate way to end what had otherwise been a remarkable month's worth of cycling in the Czech Republic and Poland, latter with Glasgow. Not sure if my pneumonia would have surfaced anyway but to add to my woes I tripped on an uneven paving stone at Auschwitz on Monday, June 11th, knocking myself out, and spent two days in hospital there. Once back in Kraków, I fell again, trying to avoid a pedestrian who suddenly moved right in front of me, coming back from train station where I had had to change my rail reservation! 

Landed on my poor face but didn't lose consciousness and after about six hours in hospital, (five stitches in my forehead, five in my right hand), I was released. When I left, made it as far as Prague where I had to spend two nights as no train reservations for my bike for two days. On to Berlin where same was true when I tried to board for Hamburg. Probably a good thing, given my increasing pneumonia. Unbelievably, a complete stranger, Ulrike Blaschke, "saved" me and called the paramedics when I couldn't board train. She arranged for my bike and baggage to be stored at the station until I was ready to collect them and I was whisked off to the hospital, the Charité, but ten minutes away. 

Hospital stay was fine but I had no internet access and my phone was with my knapsack at station. Eventually I was able to phone Maggie from hospital and she alerted Lady Dar who set everything in motion for my Escape from Berlin!

Furthermore, this past Saturday, Ulrike and her boyfriend, Thomas, came to visit me. Earlier that week one of my doctors had called her when I knew that she planned to visit, (Lady Dar called her from Canada to thank her on my behalf, for everything and Ulrike mentioned the coming visit to her.), and the station so that authorities knew she had permission to collect my bicycle and baggage. 

Unfortunately, they were not able to meet Corinne. It was shortly after 7:00 pm when she was able to walk from the hotel to the hospital and they had to leave by 6:00 pm to catch their train home.

Furthermore, unbeknownst to me, (until I read a note left with paramedics), she had put €50 in my knapsack in case I needed a bit of cash and couldn't get to an ATM! I suppose I was still not thinking as clearly as I should have been as I had fully intended to return the €50 her when she visited but completely forgot. This being the case, when we were out on Monday we stopped by a post office outlet and picked up a small box. 
 

I still had three tea towels, (with indigenous designs I'd brought as small gifts for friends, along the way), and Lady Dar packed them, together with money, to mail to Ulrike before we left. I had asked her to send me her street address so that we could post the small gift, (along with the money), as a tiny measure of thanks for simply everything she did, for all her selfless kindness and remarkable assistance, rendered to a complete stranger!

Overall, I feel reasonably well, given my week in hospital, but still not a lot of energy, due to the pneumonia, of course. To add to all this Lady Dar has contracted to have a fairly major renovation to our kitchen, (more later as project proceeds), so we arrived home day after things were being ripped out, in preparation for new appliances, cabinetry, counter tops, etc. 

Her original wish of removing wall behind existing counter/sink, has come true so after washer/dryer are moved into garage, kitchen will be considerably enlarged. Until plumbing is changed and new sink installed, our bathroom will be where we will do dishes.

Sarge and a friend, (when they stayed overnight a few weeks ago), put together a new bbq which is now hooked directly into gas line which feeds our on-demand hot water unit so all cooking will be done here until new gas stove top, on new island, is ready. A wall oven and new microwave are also part of expanded kitchen and I'm assured everything will fall into place, probably in three weeks, if all goes well.

Most of the rest of the house is quite a mess with boxes everywhere, most from having to decant kitchen but also some things that Chloë has acquired for her new place in Sendero Canyon. Great good news here is that townhouse is coming along very nicely and it even looks like she might be able to move in before end of August, date given to her this past winter. Not that we mind having her here but she herself is looking forward to being in her own place. Anyway, she is quite pleased with work which has already been completed as she has visited site a number of times, over last few weeks.

Poor Etta and Duke are quite fussed by all the noise of kitchen work but think they are happy Lady Dar and I are home now and around during the day and evening. [Etta curled up on me when I went to bed last night.] Chloë has been extremely busy for last few months, if not more. She leaves for work reasonably early and isn't home, with AGM meetings, etc, often until well after 9:00 pm.

So there you have it! Will say goodbye for now as I want to go and have another lie down. Lady Dar is off to Book Club, [one I started when not allowed to join her The Sisterhood Only!], this evening, hosted by Senka, winemaker at Terravista. Sorry I haven't read book as I wasn't going to be here, according to original itinerary but I really don't have a taste for alcohol of any kind at moment. I really must have smacked my head!!! Wonderful, wonderful Nurse, Lady Nightingale, sends her very best wishes to one and all. Fondestos and Cheers, Pneumococci Pugilist Patrizzio!

Pics: Morning I left Penticton, for Vancouver, April 12th. Lady Dar beside her "MarriageMobile"! Chloë drove me to Vancouver as she was going there for the weekend. What I looked like after fall in Auschwitz and then near Castle in Kraków, two days later! Wild Mountain Man no more, this past Monday! Glad you are back at home and on the mend Patricio!!!!! Ben/Santiago!