I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to
be seen, heard, understood, and touched by them. The greatest gift I can
give is to see, hear, understand, and touch another person. -Virginia
Satir, psychotherapist and author (26 Jun 1916-1988)
Early Morning Greetings from Dresden: Hi again, Bike Locker Man! Too, too early to have results of CT scan. I presume dottore will be in touch after long-weekend to let us know if anything is amiss, either with chest x-rays, blood work or CT imaging. That being said, I awoke at just before 4:00 am, this morning, feeling like I'd had a most refreshing sleep, not groggy as I have felt for past few days, so decided to head to my office to try and reply to some of the many concerned messages I've received.
Don't worry, I certainly will not be over-doing anything, although I do feel I need to start walking a tad further each day to help my body on the road back to Niels Bohr and his "relative normalcy", Patrizzio Through The Wormhole/Looking Glass, say Duke and Etta our very own Cheshire Cats! To this end I'm still planning to enjoy a short stint at Farmers' Market this morning, from about Front Street where I'll have one of my "nurses" drop me off. Will use my hiking poles for extra stability as I make my way, mainly past the vegetable and fruit vendors there and on down to Lakeside where I can easily rendezvous with my chauffeur for ride back to Burns!
While we don't need any more bike lockers, at a certain point want to re-use the shelving in garage that was removed, a day or so ago, to make room for washer and dryer, relocated there from hallway, off old kitchen. Not a top priority, at the moment, but something that will need to be done, at some point, once appliances are in place and hooked up. Want to have a place to hang any garments that really don't need to go into dryer, as well as a place to hang coats, and such, when one enters house from back door. Maybe I'll contract you and Ragin' Bull while I sit back and supervise/criticize the unskilled, grossly overpaid, grumpy workers!
Have attached a number of snapolas, just received from Patrizzia, eldest in cycling group at 73, from Sunshine Coast, of a fabulous wine-tasting evening we had in Brno, day or so before cycling tour in Czech Republic finished. Happier Days but Onward, Fight, notwithstanding latest hiccups! Fondestos from Nurse Darjeeling, still abed. Hello to Zoe and Matt. Cheers, Patrizzio, The Penticton Patient! Pics: Wonderful, wonderful wine tasting in Brno, in front of winery door; with Pat and Lorraine, two of the other Sunshine Girls on bike tour; wine-maker/owner, Jaroslav, with Katarina, et al, bike tour leader, at the start of underground tunnel, beneath winery, where much of the bottled wine is stored.
Hello Patrizzia, et al, The Sunshine Girls Extraordinaire! Thank you so much for the wonderful snapolas, Patrizzia, as well as for everyone's concern. I trust everyone is well. Thank you, Sweet Lorraine, for the message and I do hope you might have time to drop in, at the very least, when you are up our way. I'm sorry to hear about your terrible jet-lag, Merrily. For my part I really didn't have any. I surmise that my poor body, with everything else it had had to deal with put time-change way down on list of issues to worry itself about! Yes, I did receive your "Happy Travels" note, left on my bike, and had fully intended to reply, had not things turned out the way they eventually did. Pat, I assume you are back on the pannier route in The Netherlands but you may well be back. Not sure of your trip dates. At any rate I hope you are enjoying/enjoyed the riding and the countryside. A country that is high on my list for one of next cycling tours when I'm ready for such a holiday! Onward!! Fight!!!
For now, I'll be sticking pretty close to the various beds and couches still accessible, given massive kitchen renovation Lady Dar has undertaken! Removal of existing kitchen cabinets, counters, appliances, etc., started on the Monday before we flew back from Berlin, this past Tuesday. Should be a wonderful new space when everything is installed, new appliances, new island, new cabinetry, wall oven and a huge wine fridge, top priority, it goes without saying! Hip Hip Hooray!!!
Lady Dar and Chloë will head down to the Farmer's Market this morning and I'm planning to join them for part of the outing. I'll ask to be dropped off near Front Street so I can wander for a bit, where most of fruit and vegetable vendors are set up, down to Lakeshore. I'll take my hiking poles for extra stability and then can easily be whisked home. I know I need to start increasing the level of my physical activity as sitting and napping during the day is really not contributing to a gradual return to relative normalcy. Anyway, one day at a time. Must away as I'm going to have a bowl of yogurt with fresh raspberries. Fondestos from Lady Dar and Chloë as I've told them all about The Gang of Four. As I might have mentioned, we have quite a few friends on the so-called Sunshine Coast and it would be wonderful to have a reunion, at some point, with all of you, busy schedules allowing. Until next we chat or see one another, stay well. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello Ragin' Bull, Glasgow, Santiago, Pickle-ball Men, Whirlygig, Calamity Jane, Denise Dangereuse and Wild Bill, Dom Marcello, By The Ocean Goil, Soon-to-be-Officially Retired Head of Dunbar, Offically Retired UBC Librarian, The Deer Hunters and Sunshine Valley Folk!
I apologize for the "Christmas Letter" approach to replying to all of your messages of concern and most welcome wishes for a speedy and full recovery. I trust you understand. At any rate, I awoke at just before 4:00 am, this morning, feeling like I'd had a most refreshing sleep, not groggy as I have felt for past few days, so decided to head to my office to try and reply to some of the many caring messages I've received.
Ragin', terribly sorry to learn of your Dad's fall and subsequent hospitalization. When next you are able to visit, plan to stay for months as how much shelving is still left in you! Pickle-ball? How the Mighty Have Fallen! Will tiddly-winks be next, Cudgel Man and Pulled-Calf-Muscle Man? we'd love to see you, Mick and Polly, in September, when you re here with Rosie and her husband. You can all stay in our new kitchen there will be so much room! Salish Sea People, I trust your mini-music fest will go off well. Would have been grand to make it and finally see your stunning abode. Perhaps later in summer, all going well, we might be able to visit with you and The Courtenay/Sidney Island Folk in a grand tour of the Gulf Islands and VI. Sorry we will miss you when in town for Folk Fest, July 13th-15th, Janet, but I know you will enjoy your trip to Newfoundland. What great news that your Mother is able to travel. Best wishes to her from both Lady Dar and I.
Thanks for offer to stay, DD and WB, but Lady Dar has already arranged for us to be with Elaine Keating while in town. However, the offer of a dinner with endless bottles of your expensive wine sounds wonderful! Trust your coming eye surgery will go smoothly and ever so successfully, Denise. Sorry to hear about your blackberry vines back, Wild Bill. No laughing matter, especially after your history of back trouble. Enough room for you two, along with Clan carter so come on up in September for some lower back lubrication!
Terrific to chat on the phone, Stanchion Man. Trust all goes well in Sunshine Valley this Canada Day long weekend. Look forward to seeing you at Spirit Ridge in July, after we return from Folk Fest. Thanks, Miss Marpole, for our obvious concern. While I trust I was not truly on the brink of extinction, as you worried I might be, from the certainly serious pneumonia, I was very, very fortunate indeed to receive such wonderful medical care and intervention when I did. Feel badly for the shocked Germans as their collective hopes for a back-to-back World Cup win were dashed by the South Koreans. While in the Adina hotel, after being discharged from the Charité, I watched about four or five matches, quite enjoying the play. Our taxi driver, to Tegel Airport, this past Tuesday, predicted Belgium to win. What say the rest of you fans?
Again, thank you all for your kind concern and, it must be recorded, not so gentle criticism! From Mick: "I was sorry to hear about all your troubles and the story of your “Good Samaritan“, Ulrike, is quite uplifting. Why she would help a scruffy looking, beaten up, old tramp like you is remarkable! (And give you money!)" Must away as I need to bind my ever so deep emotional wounds and then I'm going to have a bowl of yogurt with fresh raspberries, with a dash of the arsenic Lady Dar insists will improve the taste! Stay well until next we chat or our paths cross. Fondestos from Lady Dar and Chloë to one and all. Cheers, Homeless Tramp Patrizzio!
Pics: Day, in Poland, I had two pinch flats and then a catastrophic handlebar stem shearing. Had I not being going slowly, at the time of the fracture, who knows what might have happened. Can hardly bear to think about it, even now! The story of the aftermath is another truly remarkable tale which must wait for another day or until we meet, face to face. Glasgow had a roll of medical tape which I was able to wind around stem, to stabilize handlebars so that I could at least push bike, laden with heavy panniers, about 3 km to start of village, Rytro, where we were staying that night.
Hi Pat, Well, you certainly have had an eventful couple of months. You really don't need to go to that extent to rouse our attention! The main thing is that you are on the road to recovery and surrounded by people who love you.
Kjell is arriving in a couple of days and I'm in my usual pre-arrival panic, making lists of things to do and get done before he gets here. We would really like it if you came here and did a Vancouver Island visit to all and sundry in this neck of the woods. Have you ever been to Ross and Julia's place on Sidney Island? It is quite the place.
Kjell and I would like to do a road trip this summer. I'd like to go over Railway Pass to Bralorne, then along to Pavillion and up to the Chilcotin Plateau and to Cache Creek, then down through the Okanagan and back along the south. I'd like to do it in the van but Kjell is nervous about the van, so we'd probably have to take the SUV.
Summer has been a long time coming, or rather it has come in fits and starts, with an absolutely gorgeous May and a cooler, wetter June. Kjell is bringing some good weather though. Must off to the Saturday market before it ends and some town errands. It is always nice to receive your long epistles. I always read them right though! Am less good at replying though. In the meantime I hope you are better and better every way in every day. Fondestos, (as you would say!), Jane
Hey Patrick. Just heard about your near death experience(s). Believe it or not, I feel deep sympathy. ...Partly because of your injuries and partly because Housewives of America will try to confiscate your bicycles and relegate you to a walker. I’ll call to get the gory details. As for Sidney Island, yeah let’s make it happen. Maybe early September? -Ross
Heard about your misadventures. Hope you are on the mend. You have to take it a bit easier and stop pushing yourself. Was the bike tour group all 20 and 30 year olds that you were trying to keep up with?
Our wild trip was 7 countries and 14 cities in 24 days. I now feel like a whacked weasel. Driving in Ireland was hairy. The coastal road between Limerick and Galway has no shoulders and was very narrow. Instead of shoulders there are rock walls. Plus areas like "corkscrew" hill. Needed much Irish holy water after that. Anyways, take care Colin Hi Irish Holy Water Man and Miss Marpole! If
it's Tuesday, it must be Galway! Wow! What a pace you set for
yourselves! We'll have much, much to talk about when next we are able to meet.
Lovely to hear from you, Colin, especially when you feel like a "whacked
weasel!" I sympathize entirely with your description of narrow roads
and rock walls. Reminds me of the nerve-wracking lanes, in Devon and
Cornwall, when we were there in 2013. My main fear was that I'd have to
back up, for a mile or more, if we ever met an oncoming vehicle as there
was simply no room to pass. Fortunately, for me, at least, never
encountered such a daunting situation. Glad you survived and am sure
Holy Water helped unwind! At any rate, thanks for your best wishes.
Stay well and take care of each other until next we chat or see
each other, face to face. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio
Wow you had quite the trip! You are lucky to arrive back to Canada still alive!! Hope you are on the mend now. How did you make out in Poland? Did you like that part better then the Republic? More hilly? I came back with a very sore knee, torn miniscus . I think I got run down after biking every day and not enough training. But the good news is I am retiring soon! I took a temp job in oliver cooking, but quiting hospital and Oliver, this summer! More time to get in shape! hope you feel good soon, and back on the road soon, see you on the trails! PS we have a mutual friend, Mike and Mariola, you play cards with apparently! Judy
Hi Patrizzio, thank you for the email. We are glad to hear you feel better now and back home in the beautiful Okanagan. You had good luck meeting Ulrike, after such an experience! Happy Canada Day. Stay well. Happy Trails,
Carol & Tom
Hello Naramata and Summerland! Thank you both for the good wishes. I enjoyed Poland very much, except for the really rough and muddy bike trails that I don't think Katarina should have lead us over. For my part I was more than happy and comfortable on the regular roads. Anyway, sorry to hear about your very sore knee, Judy, but congratulations on your coming new freedom! Yes, Michaelo is in hiking group and we do play bridge together, although not Mariola.
Thanks again for bike lock, Carol and Tom. It was very useful at The Ginger Hostel in Kraków as I used it to lock my bike to stair railing while I was there. I have it here so if you are passing by 611 Burns Street, drop in to say hello to the Penticton Patient. Otherwise, send along your street address and we'll drop it off at some point, convenient to you. How was rest of your trip in Germany? Unfortunately, as you know, my trip to Denmark and then back to France was cut short. At any rate, great to be back home with Guardian Angel Ulrike's considerable help!
We had a short time at Farmers' Market this morning, from about Front StreetLady Dar parked near Cannery Brewing and we walked over from there. Had a lovely time chatting with many of the vendors we have come to know and even bumped into Nancy and Bill, neighbours from further down Burns Street. After about an hour and a half I was ready to go home so Chauffeur Cora Lee went for car and I waited on seat across from Bus Depot.
Must away as I'm going to have a bowl of ice-cream, with fresh raspberries. Stay well until next we chat or our paths cross. Fondestos from Lady Dar and Chloë to one and all. Cheers, Homeless, Within His Own Home's Kitchen Construction Zone, Tramp Patrizzio! Pics: From Farmers' Market this morning and Duke waiting for us to return!
Hi Old Farts, Great work on the Sheep Rock trail. There were lots of deadfalls and loads of brush beside the trail. Now there are less of each, particularly on the first half of the trail. Now, about this Thursday…….
I will likely not be available or, if so, I will have a little person in tow, So, it is best that I not plan on being there. Someone is needed to lead a hike. If you are available and willing, I would be most appreciative. Hikes were suggested to Apex or Dividend but, if you are willing to lead, the choice is all yours. I will even put out the information blurb for you. Please let me know soon if you can. Many thanks, Jim
No comments:
Post a Comment