Moving Day Is Here at Last, Here at Last, Here at Last Blues: Wednesday, August 8th!

When we have the courage to speak out -- to break our silence -- we inspire the rest of the "moderates" in our communities to speak up and voice their views. -Sharon Schuster

Why do your cats have more pictures from their childhood than your own children?? LOL Far easier-going creatures, perchance? Also, work for crunchies and pumpkin, not shoes! Pic: Guard Cats!
 
Hi Zircon! Pleased to know you are home, safely and soundly. We certainly enjoyed seeing you and spending time together, along with Linda, of course. As well, quite enjoyed your six volume History of Bread: From Ancient Babylon to McBride Bakery! I imagine it will be on the New York Times Best-Seller list shortly. We look forward to hearing you on Writers and Company this Fall! Say hello to Eleanor for us!

On the bridge front, enjoyed wonderful pot-luck and two tables yesterday afternoon/evening. [Carol, friend of one of the players, happened to walk by joined us to provide a much needed fourth, at Table Two!] It was bruited about, as we packed up, that Skaha Lake Park might well be next week's venue. Are you available, Duplicate/Inflicto Man?

Up at 6:30 am this morning to feed the felines their morning's ration of pumpkin. Both licked their bowls clean! After I'd sent a few messages I headed into garage to start moving bits and pieces around to make access to Chloë's large storage tubs and box spring as accessible as possible for movers, scheduled to arrive at 11:00 am. Before then Lady Dar will accompany me, at 9:30 am, to Dr Specs Optical, to choose the frames for two pair of glasses. I am not allowed to choose on my own! [Had an eye exam yesterday and my distance prescription has changed slightly and I now need reading/computer glasses!] Then a quick trip to recycling depot. I loaded the MarriageMobile with boxes and bags of bottles/cans last night so that there would be relatively free passageway for the aforementioned movers this morning. Should be an interesting day! Stay well. Fondestos from A Still Miffed Gluten-Free Lady Dar! Cheers, Patrizzio, Ancient Grains Advocate and Saskatchewan Wheat Lobbyist! Pics: Prague Café Beach and Bridge! Sleepy felines!

Good morning, Pat. So great to start my busy work day with a newsy letter from you. And very glad that you have recovered from your traumatic/dramtic European vacation. Your kitchen renovation looks fantastic (though I never did see the original except in photos). Chloe's place looks so nice. She was pretty excited about when we saw her in June ( a bright spot in her news about you and her cousin). You are so busy I always wonder that you and Corinne ever had time to work!!

I do want to visit you some day, soon, hopefully. I had a fantastic time in Naramata with 5 pals in May. We stayed at this amazing house on Resevoir Road (just up from Perseus). And then in June (when we saw Chloe) Dermot and I stayed at a house just above Lang. A couple of weeks ago, I went for my annual mad-cap lake cabin weekend with gal pals in Prince George. Dermot flew up after the weekend and we got to spend some more time at my friend's cabin. Went to Barkerville on the way home, stayed in 108 then had a leisurely drive back to Vancouver. I'll be going to Toronto at the end of August to visit my sister. We will probably go to Montreal for a few days which I'm very excited about.

On the long weekend, I climbed Grouse with a friend (not Dermot's deal at all) then swam in the ocean. Then went to the Ambleside market and the Harmony Arts Festival. It was a grea day. Dermot and Jake are fine. Jake is 20 now and is just completing his 2nd Gap Year. Hopefully off to BCIT one of these years. All for now as the Salt Mine beckons. Hi to Corinne and Chloe and the Kitties!! 

Hi Jet-Set, Eastern Canada/Grouse Grinder! From your break-neck itinerary, I'm the one who needs must wonder about you having time to work, my Darling Mad-Cap Goil! Pleased that your men are fine given the fact that they must survive all alone, for more than goodly periods of time. Took us aeons to be de-nested so don't hold your breath about BCIT! Buona Fortuna!

Up at 6:30 am yesterday morning to feed the felines their morning's ration of pumpkin. Both licked their bowls clean! After I'd sent a few messages I headed into garage to start moving bits and pieces around to make access to Chloë's large storage tubs and box spring as accessible as possible for movers, scheduled to arrive at 11:00 am. Before that Lady Dar accompanied me, at 9:30 am, to Dr Specs Optical, to choose the frames for two pair of glasses. As you might imagine, I am not allowed to choose on my own! Then a quick trip to recycling depot. I loaded the MarriageMobile with boxes and bags of bottles/cans night before so that there would be relatively free passageway for the aforementioned movers.

Back home movers were already loading the truck, Chloë directing traffic! Two chaps were very efficient and I helped by taking out bits and pieces to our back driveway, near to where truck was parked in lane, so items could be loaded, when appropriate. In between, we filled our three cars, [Lady Dar bought a convertible VW bug a few months ago!], and once truck was loaded we headed to Sendero. Again, process went very smoothly, in large part because Chloë doesn't have any large pieces of furniture. She sold most of it before moving to Penticton. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but being amazed by amount of stuff that we had been living with for almost a year. Felt like being at the circus and watching seventeen clowns emerge from a VW bug!

Once truck and cars were emptied I borrowed a wrench from owner of moving truck and set up Chloë's dining room table. A very simple operation as but one sturdy bolt at the top of each leg. Left The Sisterhood to unpack and went home to start cleaning up our place. Flamin' and Sarge are back this evening so bedroom Chloë was in badly needed vacuuming, etc., to ready it for next set of Freeloaders! As well, son of another friend will be arriving on Friday to attend Peach Festival and Rumpus Room needed a good scrub. Julien will sleep on the cabinet Murphy bed there, now that there is access to it. Before yesterday, it had a wall of boxes in front of it!

About 4:00 pm The Sisterhood returned and we loaded up our three cars, once again. Mainly Chloë's clothes and seventeen cubic metres of toiletries and some foodstuffs! Back to Sendero to mule all the tubs and boxes up or or two long flights of stairs. With each trip both Lady Dar and I rejoiced in the fact that we live on one level! Once this cartage was complete, we put together her patio table. Only needed four screws in the support legs but of course we put them on wrong way round first time! Long, long day!!!

Just as we finished, Rebecca phoned to say she and Corey and kids were coming around with wine and dinner so we waved goodbye and returned to Burns Street. Was so warm that I suggested a swim and Lady Dar was more than ready for it. After we changed into our suits we headed back to beach at Prague Cafë and water was simply wonderful. Didn't stay long as it was already close to 8:00 pm by then but wonderfully refreshed we headed home. Lady Dar threw one of her wonderful pizzas together while I put a few things away on the glass shelving that is now ready to accept wine glasses. Priorities! Priorities! However, until we have a kitchen sink, we'll still be using plastic as it is too difficult to wash glass in the bathroom sink!

Enjoyed the quiet of the late evening while we ate and after meal Lady Dar finished recovering third seat of Chloë's dining room chairs. [Close friend gave them to her as his cats had badly scratched covers. Otherwise in near perfect condition. When not a Marriage Officiant Lady Dar is a furniture  upholster extraordinaire, having learned from Dusty, her Dad!] While she was stapling away, I did the dishes and tidied up. By this time it was close to 10:00 pm so I "lured" the felines in with promises of food and once they had been "corralled", [We keep them in at night, to our detriment, as they insist on being let out at 4:00 am!], we flopped into bed, reading but for a short time as we were both pretty tired. All the best. Stay well, Sarah Jane. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: A real salt mine, the  Wieliczka Salt Mine, not far from Kraków, visited two days before my first fall! Prague Café Beach and Bridge. The Sisterhood showing off new dining room table chairs! Glass cabinets and first wine glasses, etc. At this point not sure where everything will go, most efficiently, as we are simply trying to empty out boxes. Microwave will go here but there is a finishing kit yet to be put in place. Sleepy kittens, yesterday, late morning, on back patio.

Hi Kathleen, Looking forward to seeing you. I thought Patrick's email was vague re timing. You are welcome anytime that suits your schedule. Chloe moves out on the 8th so that will free up the Queen bed where you stayed last time. Also the kitchen should be closer to being done. Floor is being laid as I type. The hold up is the sink which might arrive in 2 weeks. We need the sink before the counters can be installed. We are living very well out on the patio. Had friends over last night for dinner. So anytime after the 8th works. Hope to hear from you soon, hugs Corinne

 

Hi Corinne Lovely to hear from you. We've been thinking of you and Patrick and Chloe ... and of course getting regular news updates from your alt lodgers the Sutherlands. I have been following the emails between P and S but I was pretty sure that you and I had agreed that we weren't likely to visit you at home until next summer, given your kitchen reno / wedding gigs / new condo move / other visitors. S and I have just now reviewed our commitments for the time we have left (leaving 25 Aug) and we definitely won't be able to get to the Okanagan now. So let's look forward to seeing each other in 2019, or as always, any time you like at Old Oak..Heaps of hugs Kathleen 

 

Sorry that we won’t see you again this year. Chloe is coming to stay at Wayne and Michele’s tonight on way to funeral in Portland. Her move went well. There now helping To organize. Hugs Corinne Hello Old Oakites! Sorry to learn that we won't see you before you wing your way home. Understand how busy things can become towards the end of a prolonged stay. Too, too bad, of course, but we will have plenty of other Freeloaders to contend with! Fondestos from Lady Dar, to you both. Stay well. Travel safely. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello beach lovers, food junkies and wine tasters and ...bridgeplayers, I can play Tuesday. Not sure what I will bring, maybe I get inspired later in the week when I do groceries. Hope Cloe had a smooth move today. Cheers, Jos Patrick, I am in the Maritimes until Aug 20 so I won’t make Bridge next week. Looks like you are having lots of fun👍😎 Pam I can play on the 14th and will bring a dessert 😊 Fabulous pics , Patrick! See you all next week Enjoy peach fest Judy