Cross My Fingers Bike Shop Blues: Friday, May 4th!

Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. -Horace Mann, educational reformer (4 May 1796-1859)

Not up until just before 9:00 am this morning so the lazy country life, filled with French wines and cheeses, is obviously getting to me. When I looked out the sliding door of the Ĝite this morning I thought I saw Andre already working in the garden so I went outside to say hello. Turned out it was somebody else so although I said  "Bonjour Monsieur", individual didn't reply. He may well not have heard me. Anyway, I assume it was Guillaume , a local chap that Andre and Rosemary employ for various things at various times. 

Gaelan Rescigno I hope you're having an incredible adventure in Europe!! 
Patrick James Dunn Thanks Gaelan, indeed I am. This is where I'm staying, at the moment. My Ĝite is through the sliding doors on the ground level. Dine on second floor, enjoying Andre's wonderful meals with vegetables straight from his garden or frozen/preserved from last year's crop. Cheers! [Gaelan Rescigno Patrick James Dunn beautiful!] Andre will give the bike shop a call later this morning to see how work is progressing. While bike was promised at the end of the working day on Saturday, I now think I will take the train to Bern on Sunday. Should it be ready earlier than that I would rather take it for a a couple of spins here, especially if I can reserve a ticket reasonably early on Sunday morning to put me in Bern, mid-afternoon or so, rather than after 8:00 pm. Once Andre has made the call and I hope I know more I'll send a message to Heinz to see if he thinks this latest plan works at his end. Much much earlier in the "negotiations" Heinz had suggested arriving on Sunday so this may still be better for them.

Whether Andre decides to work on draining and cleaning the pool today, or not, my top priority is packing/re-packing my panniers and large knapsack. It would really be terrific if bike was ready today, or early tomorrow, as then I could actually walk with a full load, mimicking going to the station, boarding train and such and then, sans knapsack, seeing what it is like to ride with two full panniers and a camel-pack. When I used to shop at Young Brothers on Broadway, in Vancouver, I'd often have both panniers stuffed with heavy vegetables, (potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and the like), as well as a decent sized knapsack filled with tomatoes, grapes and green onions, per esempio. Had to be careful about my balance as weight behind would/could make the bike wobble. Clothes I'll be packing this time won't be nearly as heavy but still need to take having full panniers into account. The life of an itinerant Freeloader 'ain't easy, Dear Reader!

Hello from England. On the move again.  Today we head to Brighton.  Portsmouth was great.  Saw the Mary Rose and the naval museums.  Also the D-Day museum.  Took a ferry over to the Isle of Wight for a look see. Below photos are of the Queen's Hotel breakfast room, the dog from the Mary Rose, and the view from our room. Hi Queen's Hotel Aristocracy! Very nice life indeed! Quite enjoyed the snaps. Guess you are en route to Brighton. Fondestos to you both. Stay well. Cheers, Patrizzio!Pics: Some more snaps of house and immediate area outside my Ĝite. Couple of Andre's lemon trees, under cover for now but I assume ready to be moved into front yard soon.  During the winter he has them inside a large storage room where he has grow-lights set-up.

Roll Out The Barrel

Saturday, May 12th 12-4pm - Complimentary.

 
Hello Black Widow! Just received notice of your upcoming events so thought I'd say hello. Trust everyone is well. Corinne is actually in Winnipeg for the next week, visiting her Mom but I forwarded the notice to her so she might call if she's back in time. Of course, I know reservations are on a first call basis. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio! Hi Chloe are you interested in any of the tastings? Mom

En-Primeur Barrel Tasting Event

Saturday, May 19th & Sunday, May 21st 10-11AM.

Hi Ski! Glad you had a chortle or two! Fond Fondestos to you and The Great Ronaldob. Stay well and take care of your  Supraspinatus and Gluteus Maximus! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello again, Manitoba and beyond! As you Pentictonites will presumably already know, I mentioned to Dick that I had forwarded the notice to you both and suggested you might call if back in time. Of course, Lady Dar knows that reservations are on a first call basis but I'm sure Dick would be fine if PQ Woman called, if interested. Fondestos to one and all. Hello from Andre. Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio!

Whether Andre decides to work on draining and cleaning the pool today, or not, my top priority is packing/re-packing my panniers and large knapsack. It would really be terrific if bike was ready today, or early tomorrow, as then I could actually walk with a full load, mimicking going to the station, boarding train and such and then, sans knapsack, seeing what it is like to ride with two full panniers and a camel-pack. When I used to shop at Young Brothers on Broadway, in Vancouver, I'd often have both panniers stuffed with heavy vegetables, (potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and the like), as well as a decent sized knapsack filled with tomatoes, grapes and green onions, per esempio. Had to be careful about my balance as weight behind would/could make the bike wobble. Clothes I'll be packing this time won't be nearly as heavy but still need to take having full panniers into account. The life of an itinerant Freeloader 'ain't easy, Dear Reader!

He will serve a quiche for late lunch, using some of the overleft asparagus from last night's dinner. To tide me over I'm having a couple of pieces of toast slathered with peanut butter and his really tasty home-made gooseberry jam!  
Andre had asked me to turn off the oven at 12:45 pm and he came inside shortly after 1:00 pm when he called me upstairs. He had made a small mixed green salad and we ate it with the most delicious quiche. Around 2:00 pm he called the bike shop and the woman who answered the phone thought that my bike might be ready by the end of today or at least mid-morning on Saturday.

Shop is open until 7:00 pm so I'm hoping we'll receive a call before I send Heinz a message about date and time of my arrival in Bern. Looking at the so-called Schedule Explorer on Google Maps it seems I can catch a train at 9:51 am on Sunday morning to put me in Bern at 2:26 pm that afternoon.

Once we've collected my bike tomorrow, (No real point in going into Valence tonight even if bike is ready this evening.), we'll go the TGV station and make a reservation. All going well, I'm going to go for a "test ride" once we are back in Chabeuil. Onward!

Hello Falcon and Penticton! How is everyone? No word on my favourite kittens of late. How are Etta and Duke? Has weather warmed up? Not unpleasant here but certainly not warm. Has been cloudy and overcast. Andre still ahs heat on. I don't really need it so am wandering around in bare feet and shorts. Might put on a vest in the evening. I urge  you to go to some of the free events at Black Widow, Chloë. Lovely people and you might make connections! Perhaps you are too, too busy studying to take a break!
 

Andre did decide to work on draining and cleaning the pool today. I heard him outside loading the small boulders on top of the wooden palettes he places over the edges of the pool cover, to keep it from blowing away in the winter gales, into his wheel-barrow before removing the small wooden platforms. I put on my sneakers and went to see if I could be of any help. He thanked me but insisted it was simply easier for him to do this part of operation himself. He'll need me tomorrow after the pool is almost completely drained. At that point it is far easier and more efficient for him to fill up buckets with water that remains and then pass them up to me and I'll dump then into field beside pool. Must away is calling me to come for dinner. Love and Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio!

Pics: Andre built this greenhouse onto the side of the garage that was just finished when we were here in 2013, with some help, last fall, I believe, but it is not quite finished. Some of the gorgeous Iris he has everywhere. Side wall of summer kitchen; pool with cover and then ready to be drained and power-washed; Living room rug is turned over as Rosemary doesn't want him to put his feet or shoes on it! Also has to have a cover over his favourite chair to keep sofa from being ruined!

Entre nous, I'm having more and more sympathy for Andre. You, Lady Dar, might remember the closets and closets of clothes, most in plastic cleaner's bags. well, there are even more now, rows and rows of metal, wheeled clothes racks, along with boxes and boxes and boxes of bottles of hotel bathroom mini-shampoo, conditioner, soap bars, etc., I guess from all her travels, business or otherwise. I plan to take some to have a few on my bike trips. I'll be doing Andre a favour! God knows Rosemary won't know the difference. 

It is difficult, if certainly not impossible, to find any free surface, anywhere in the house, other than the kitchen, as tables, even chairs, chaise lounges, the snooker table, already, have pots and serving dishes covering them. Absolute madness. 

You think I'm a hoarder. I actually shudder when I walk through any of the rooms as they are so cluttered that you can't see anything or use anything. I'm almost glad she won't arrive until after I leave as I'd hate to think what she would think about me moving some of her things so I can actually use the small tables in the Ĝite. I took pictures so that I can place then back in exactly the same spots! Andre's gooseberry jam and then quiche and salad for lunch.
 

Progress on my home!! Looking from my living room at the kitchen then dining area That is exciting.  Nice to see progress.

Hello Fartograms,For this Monday May 7, we will be exploring the hills east of Vaseux Lake on the north end of the Provincial Park. Our Mountain Guide Extraordinaire Tony will lead the hike! As usual, we will meet at 9:00AM at HH in Penticton. Summerlanders should get together at 8:40AM at the IGA then carpool to Penticton. Hope to see you there! Grandpa Aarturo Have fun, see you in a few weeks Hanneke

Hello Sendero Canyon Hoi Aristoi! When did you drop in? Terrific that you are keeping a close eye on construction progress. Did you take the kittens to check out all the nooks and crannies? Just downstairs now after a lovely dinner with Andre. Will head into Valence tomorrow to collect my bike and then to the bank as I need cash since have not had a single pfennig donated to The Help Patrizzio in Europe fund! Cannot understand why. Anyway, the packing of my panniers and knapsack is starting to take shape so I'm pretty happy with what they will hold and what I'll need and be able to carry, efficiently and comfortably. 

Last bottle of Gravas this evening. Unfortunately the Beetle Juice, Escaravailles, was a dessert wine not a dry red so as soon as we tasted it we opened the Gravas and savoured every drop. My goodness it is divine, especially with Andre's incomparable fare! Will keep an eye out for it when I'm back in France, at the tail end of my Grand Tour. Had The Beetle Juice for dessert so all was not lost. Must away as it will be a busy, busy day tomorrow, especially as I want to go for a decent ride when back from Valence, picking up bike and booking a seat for Bern, beforehand. Listening to Astral Weeks as I scribe as there is a CD player in the Ĝite. Found all sorts of interesting albums upstairs in the media closet. 

Listened to a number of Paul Simon and Eric Clapton discs I'd never heard before this afternoon. Congrats on your town house progress. I trust the fact that I've already spent most of your down payment will not affect anything! Fondestos, Love and Cheers, Dad/Patrizzio, Sendero Canyon Underwriter, along with the Talented, Extremely Beautiful, nay Deliciously Seductive, Lady Dar! Pics: Chabeuil and some shots of Sendero, (already sent to many), for my deep-pocketed, gullible investors! Unreall!!!!!! When am I moving in??????? Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 
Patriçio, What a brilliant idea! Given the way you dress when you ride, I’d say its a sure thing!! Try to look sad and tired, and slow down when passing pedestrians. This may be a necessary form of income, after leaving Lady Dar & Chloe alone at home, with no doubt, uncancelled credit cards! in envy//bjp
Branko Dear Peddling Poppa, Maybe if you put a little basket on the back of your bike people will toss coins into it as they drive past! Love, Your favorite Tinsel Town family members 
  

Dear Tinsel Town and Envious Croat! For your information I don't have to try to look sad and tired, this demeanour comes quite naturally given the pointed lack of financial support from family and friends, forcing me to dress the way I do, not by choice but rather by force of circumstance. Furthermore, I spit on your specious suggestions, offering but faint hope of improving my precarious lot, completely divorced from any pecuniary offerings. In lieu of any humanitarian aid arriving I have decided to pilfer Rosemary's wine cellar, stuffing my panniers with expensive bottles, discarding the garb you have so little regard for, and selling the hootch when I need gruel and stale bread to keep body and soul together. Must away to boil some grass for breakfast. Cheers from Pauper Patrizzio!