Southward Bound Singin' The Spirit Ridge Blues: Wednesday, September 26th!

Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm but the harm does not interest them. -T.S. Eliot, poet (26 Sep 1888-1965) 

Hello Fellow Bidders! It turns out that Olga Polga cannot host on October 1st so we are happy to do so. Let me know and we'll plan accordingly. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio! Thanks Corrine and Patrizzio for hosting on Monday. Our place is under construction and the front yard grounds are all dug up as the water lines are all being replaced....one big mess for several weeks. Poor Craig was been working in the trenches while I have been enjoying dining and wining with family and friends. I’ll be home in time for Bridge though so see you at C & P’s. Hugs, Olly 

I would like to join the funny bunch on Oct 1. Regards Carol Yes thanks Olly Phil and I will be there Oct 1st 6.30 hugs Gill We could come round 6.10 to take you and Patrick to Olly's Count me in. Susan Thanks you guys. yes Phil and I are good for Oct 1st. Probably only see you once more before we leave on 15th - hopefully all can come to our pot luck then. bye Gill Thanks you guys. yes Phil and I are good for Oct 1st. Probably only see you once more before we leave on 15th - hopefully all can come to our pot luck then. bye Gill


Joan and Paul Whitney, along with his lovely cousins, Una and Henry, from Dublin, are staying for two nights. They arrived, from Kelowna, this afternoon and after we enjoyed a fab Lady Dar meal, (delish ribs, wild rice, [Manitoba!], and corn-on-the cob, done on the bbq, in their husks, after soaking in water for an hour and tomatoe/fresh Basil and Upper Bench Belle Marie.], ended the evening with a very spirited game of bridge as everyone except Joan plays. Needed a couple of extra shots of single malt, [Henry and Una brought me a cask strength Irish Whiskey, Pearse, % after Henry doubled me. Of course, I redoubled and we were vulnerable, going down four or five, I think. Fortunately we were only playing for a hundred dollars a point!

Hi, All. Things are looking good (relative to the past several weeks, anyway....) Julia came home on Monday. Hooeee was she glad to see real daylight after 26 days in the hospital! We took the scenic route, through Stanley Park, with the windows and car skylight open, Julia filling eyes and lungs. After a home cooked meal and evening sojourn Julia had a long sleep, uninterrupted by nurses checking her vitals every few hours. Yesterday her son Jack made her some delicious Thai soup (who knew he could do that? Maybe we never asked.)

This morning the public nurse came for her first home care visit. She examined and cleaned Julia’s skin grafts (i.e. the donor sites on her leg) and the flap and graft on her foot. Everything looks very healthy and on the (admittedly long) path to mend. Tonight before dinner, Julia and I went down to the West Van seawall and she tried out her knee scooter. It was a middling success given that Julia’s legs are pretty weak after 3+ weeks of doing pretty much nothing, but it has great potential.  

We have been very lucky with Julia’s medical outcomes to date, and fortunate in the extreme to have quality medical care available. Many, many thanks for that. And many, many thanks for all of you: Julia and I are very grateful for all the thoughts, prayers, good wishes and general support that you have provided.

As an afterthought, although things look good, it has been hard. Poor Julia is truly hobbled at this time. Seeing her slowly approaching the front door on her return home, using her walker carefully and laboriously, I was for some reason reminded of Andrew Wyeth’s painting “Christina’s World” which we recently saw at a Wyeth show in Seattle. I guess it’s because Julia, like Christina in Wyeth’s picture, displays true strength of character. I have attached pictures, probably to Julia’s irritation, but so be it. All the best, Ross

Hi Stormin'! Trust you, Janet and Lucy are well. Sorry I won't be in town for your Sample Sale. Have seen quite a few of the squash gang over last few weeks. Grogg and Lurch arrived two weeks ago, today, for two nights. Ragin' arrived Friday afternoon for our Open House. The Millionaires left Saturday morning, headed for Lake Chelan. Open House, celebrating our new kitchen renovation, was a blast and the following Tuesday we were invited to have dinner with Mick and Polly Carter,who were up, staying at Sandy Beach Lodge in Naramata, with Mick's sister, Rosie, and brother-in-law, Allan, from Philadelphia.

Ragin' drove back to Vancouver on Friday.

Will be fairly quiet, for next little while, until Rosie-the-Riveter, my mother-in-law flies into town with Chloë, coming back from Winnipeg, on October 9th. When are you coming to visit? Fondestos from Cora Lee to everyone. Stay well. Cheers, Il Conduttore!Pics: Ah-hooo, werewolves of Penticton, Ah-hooo! Chloë and Cora Lee in new kitchen; Van Westen; Terravista; Bridge before dinner; Arrivederci; Sandy Beach Lodge; Ragin' hits the road!

 

Hi Sara! Trust you are well. Thanks for the invitation to your book launch, Swelling With Pride! Bravo! Unfortunately, we won't be able to make what I'm certain will be a terrific event. Too, too much going on here, among other things. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you, Sara. Cheers, Patrizzio!