Avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which,
under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are
to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty. -George
Washington, 1st US president, general (22 Feb
1732-1799)
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| Clover enjoying the snow! |
Everyone knows a guy like Jared: the burnout kid in high school who sells weed cookies and has a scary mom who's often wasted and wielding some kind of weapon. Jared does smoke and drink too much, and he does make the best cookies in town, and his mom is a mess, but he's also a kid who has an immense capacity for compassion and an impulse to watch over people more than twice his age, and he can't rely on anyone for consistent love and support, except for his flatulent pit bull, Baby Killer (he calls her Baby) — and now she's dead.
[Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cupid complaining to Venus, National Gallery, London] Jared
can't count on his mom to stay sober and stick around to take care of
him. He can't rely on his dad to pay the bills and support his new wife
and step-daughter. Jared
is only 16, but feels like he is the one who must stabilize his
family's life, even look out for his elderly neighbours. But he
struggles to keep everything afloat... and sometimes he blacks out. And
he puzzles over why his maternal grandmother has never liked
him, why she says he's the son of a trickster, that he isn't human.
Mind you, ravens speak to him — even when he's not stoned. You think you know Jared, but you don't. (From
Knopf Canada)
Educated - Tara Westover
An
unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves
her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge
University. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she
set foot in
a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that
there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no
one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When
another brother got himself into college, Tara
decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed
her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to
Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too
far, if there was still a way home.
 |
Meet Rana catesbeiana.
Bloody noun!
Photo:
Jen Goellnitz
|
This acclaimed, bestselling collection also contains the celebrated stories that inspired the Pedro Almodóvar film Julieta.
Runaway is
a book of extraordinary stories about love and its infinite betrayals
and surprises, from the title story about a young woman who, though she
thinks she wants
to, is incapable of leaving her husband, to three stories about a woman
named Juliet and the emotions that complicate the luster of her
intimate relationships. In Munro’s hands, the people she writes
about–women of all ages and circumstances, and their friends,
lovers, parents, and children–become as vivid as our own neighbors. It
is her miraculous gift to make these stories as real and unforgettable
as our own.
An intensely beautiful, searingly powerful, tightly constructed novel, Brother, explores
questions of masculinity, family, race, and identity as they are played
out in a Scarborough housing complex during the sweltering heat and
simmering violence of the summer of 1991.
With shimmering prose and mesmerizing precision, David Chariandy takes
us inside the lives of Michael and Francis. They are the sons of
Trinidadian immigrants, their father
has disappeared and their mother works double, sometimes triple shifts
so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home.
Coming of age in The Park, a cluster of town houses and leaning concrete towers in the disparaged outskirts of a sprawling city, Michael and Francis battle against the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry -- teachers stream them into general classes; shopkeepers see them only as thieves; and strangers quicken their pace when the brothers are behind them. Always Michael and Francis escape into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness that cuts through their neighbourhood, where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.
With devastating emotional force David Chariandy, a unique and exciting
voice in Canadian literature, crafts a heartbreaking and timely story
about the profound love that exists
between brothers and the senseless loss of lives cut short with the
shot of a gun.
GOOD MORNING MR. PATRICK: THANK YOU for hosting last night’s book club. Fabulous, as usual. I’m for reading EDUCATED by Tara Westover. Cheereo and have a great Friday. Von Bingen…….😊😊😊 I vote we read Educated.
Thanks Patrick That was going to be my vote to. I’ll get one ASAP. I’m going to get personal with you and share my neurosis -oh dear- I love your photos but I don’t like having my picture taken ;(Can we agree not to include me in your photo journal. Thanks Xoxo Michelle Hi Cousin! Hope you are feeling better. We missed you last night. No snapolas of you is fine with me. Cheers, Patrizzio! Sounds good to me! Louise Sounds great! Nice photos Patrizzio! Dame Judith
Happy that you found some one Judy Hi Patrizzio, Monday or Thursday night sound great. I can have the Bridge eve at my house. Just let me know. Hugs, Olly Monday for me, please. Susan Hello Patrick, Monday night works the best for me! Cheers, Jos Hello Bridge Sisterhood! Everyone who can play would like Monday evening so we'll convene at Olga Polga's around 6:30 pm. Thanks for hosting, Rolly Polly.
Hi Patrice, Great to hear about all your socializing with
bridge, bands and hikes!. You are an inspiration and I believe that
someone that other more idle types should aspire too, after all how can
one sit around and do little or no activities outside
of their comfort zone and thus let life pass them by? I’m with you in
that there are so many things I want to do, places to see and misc.
adventures to embark on that I feel I would need several lifetimes if
not an infinite amount!!.
Finally ready to turn on the water around 4 p.m.
and nothing came through which seemed very strange and made some calls
to see if anyone else had any water issues but they did not. After some
deduction I found that the water main coming
into the house was still frozen even though it was in an area where I
had a heater going for some time. I set a hair dryer on the pipe and let
it sit for a couple hours, Meanwhile I drove Colleen to our friends
Vern and Jill’s as they were going to music bingo
down at the Holiday trails r.v. resort for the evening. I had decided
to pass due to the situation at hand and didn’t feel too much like
socializing.
After going and mixing myself a stiff rum and coke I
went and had a closer look and feeling there was no time like the
present and driven by the thought of another night without cold or hot
water and peeing in a bucket I proceeded to grab
a crowbar and start demoing the wall!. I did this with as much surgical
precision but as hastily as I could and soon discovered a broken pex
pipe. It looked like it had been shot from the inside out but
fortunately was in a relatively easy spot to access and
even more fortunately was not the very expensive shower valve beside
it.
By this time it was 9:30 and did a quick tidy up
and had a long hot well deserved I thought hot shower. Colleen arrived
not too long after and very pleased to hear of the progress. Sunday was a
very relaxed day and we just went for some
nice walks in the snow with Clover and in the afternoon attended the
winter fest over at the skating rink put on by the ratepayers
association. There was a bonfire, hot chocolate, chili and prizes as
well as some hot apple cider with fireball concoction that
Colleen had dreamed up. This really hit the spot and I had a chance to
catch up with a bunch of people I had not seen in some time.
I took today off to look after some personal stuff
such as a little repair job on the security gates of my friend Glen’s
apartment building which he manages. We are charging a hefty rate and
think it will only take a an hour or so and then
will head to an Irish pub on the corner for a late afternoon meal and
pint. Happy trails, take care for now and talk soon.
Al Pics, spare toilet and parts, broken pressure valve, The boys at Winter Fest, Clover enjoying the snow, makeshift toilet!
At any rate, Toshi, our long-term Japanese boarder is in Whistler, on business, herself, and will be flying up to Penticton next Wednesday, to stay until Saturday. House has been empty ever since Lady Dar left and soon will be bursting at the seams. May well have Toshi sleep at Chloë's place but will make that decision when I know more about how long other relatives will be staying. Unfortunately Toshi will miss seeing Lady Dar as she has to return to Japan before March 7th, date Her Royalness returns home.
Other than that I've been pretty busy with wonderful boot hikes, snowshoe outings, [Monday's below], and deep-water walking at pool. Sauna, steam and hot-tub are simply wonderful after invigorating workout. Once my right shoulder replacement, [surgery on March 12th], recovery, [six weeks +/-], is complete I'm hoping/planning to start swimming regularly again. Especially when weather doesn't allow cycling. Had a fab snowshoe outing yesterday but haven't had time to put album together yet as I hosted our book club last night. Grand time with plenty of wonderful hootch, delish appetizers and lively, spirited discussion about Michelle Obama's Becoming.
Flamin'
had invited me for dinner tonight. [She and Sarge were in town for long
weekend. He drove back to Vancouver on Sunday but she is staying until
this coming Sunday.] She and Chloë were over for dinner this past
Tuesday and we had a great visit. At the end of the night she asked me
to come for dinner tonight. However, just received a message and she
said that Rebecca and Corey had invited
her to go out with them to the Cannery Brewery tonight, [live music],
as they had a babysitter lined up. She wondered if
we might get together tomorrow so I've invited Greg along, if he
arrives! Always a Freeloader!
Must
away as I want to hit pool again and then have to do quite a bit of
grocery shopping for coming hordes of visitors, Japanese and Manitoban
Freeloaders! Stay well. Fondestos and Cheers to you both, Marilyn and
Big Molly. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Flamin' and Duke and Chloë; Bridge Sisterhood on Monday; Nickel outing; Book Club, Senka is owner/winemaker at Terravista.
Olivia is on her way!! Heading to the hospital at UCLA Santa Monica. Sam went into labor this morning and is at 5cms!! More to come xoxo Soo exciting!!!! Chloë Yay! Sending lots of positive vibes to Sam and Alex.Here’s hoping it’s a quick labour 🤞Thanks Marlo!! Xoxo Ayn So exciting! Anymore news? Love The G Nana Contractions are coming right on top of one another. Sam is calm and doing well. She is hoping to not need an epidural and do it naturally. Good for her. How is Alex doing? Mom 7Alex is being a great labor coach! Congratulations to them both. Trust all continues to go well. Love Patrizzio, Great Grandfather in Waiting! What is happening on the baby front? Just got back from dinner. Love Mom At 8 cm!! It’s a lot of work this getting born!! That's for sure Does Alex get triple time?
Patrizzio, Thinking of and then came across these pictures. Glad times in the green room. Rita has returned from the east and we are getting reaquainted! Chat soon. Bill Hi Wild Bill! Bumped into Gordon Pasha at the pool a few days ago and had a brief chat with him. I'm just back from spending a few hours there this afternoon. Third time this week so pleased to be getting back into deep-water walking routine.
Lady Dar is enjoying her last few days in Mexico before heading to LA for a week or so. Had word from Ayn, our daughter there, that she is at the hospital, UCLA Santa Monica, where contractions have begun for Sam, wife of our youngest grandson, Alexander. Olivia is on her way! All going well so far. Fondestos to Rita the Returnee! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Patrizzio, Thinking of and then came across these pictures. Glad times in the green room. Rita has returned from the east and we are getting reaquainted! Chat soon. Bill Hi Wild Bill! Bumped into Gordon Pasha at the pool a few days ago and had a brief chat with him. I'm just back from spending a few hours there this afternoon. Third time this week so pleased to be getting back into deep-water walking routine.
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