Penticton Regional Airport YYF Blues: Wednesday, October 3rd!

Once a country is habituated to liars, it takes generations to bring the truth back. -Gore Vidal, writer (3 Oct 1925-2012)

Photo: Farouq Taj

Next week's game! ... ANNOUNCEMENT: Dear friends, Having been (again) enchanted by the Greek culture and hospitality for a while now, I feel I have to change my name once more. I have had quite a few names in my life (Moot, Dora, Daren, Traa, etc, some of which are in active use), Patrick honored me with yet another one, Aarturo, which I now feel has had it's better days and needs to be changed in AARTUROS! Yassas, Aarturos

Hi Jean! Thanks for great snap of you, Benson and Tess! I was up at just after 4:00 am, letting out Etta and Duke, and then staying up as Chloë will drive down from Sendero to our place, around 5:15 am, and then we'll head to the airport for her 6:00 am flight to Vancouver then Winnipeg. 

William III & Mary II receive the olive branch from Peace (detail)

Art: James Thornhill, c.1700

While I certainly appreciate your concern about my health and your wholesale suggestions for my improved state of well being, I must say that I won't be adopting your radical diet, at least as outlined in its full entirety. I'm pleased, of course, that it has had such dramatic effects on you but I feel that our diet is relatively healthy and while I could certainly do with making certain modifications, I don't believe, at this stage, that adopting yours will undo the necessity for a complete shoulder replacement, for example, your guarantee notwithstanding. Furthermore, what undeniable, current pleasure eating and drinking give me is not something I wish to relinquish. I don't expect to live forever and given the time span which common sense and luck, of course, suggest is left, I intend, and have for most of my life, to enjoy this precious gift as I best see fit.
   

Photo: Lawrence Wright

Whether I'm disciplined or not I do not wish to impose such a rigorous regimen upon myself, in great good part because I truly believe that moderation is far more effective than extremes of any kind. Sharktooth Annie ate a diet which included sugar and alcohol and she lived to within a couple of weeks of turning 99. While I may not live as long as her, her example is closer to the way I prefer to live than the one you suggest, for all your well-meaning.

A case in point: Olga Polga, one of friends in bridge group, brought a heap of wonderful grapes on Monday night. Last night I put them into the dehydrator and they should be ready later this morning. Not sure whether I'd be allowed to eat them, according to the strictures of your diet but I thought I'd bring end product to a bridge pot-luck we are having in a couple of weeks, arsenic infused raisins for all my partners who refused to explore their hands and/or left me in my second suit! Bidders Beware! 

Image: Amazon

Started this message before Chloë arrived and am now just back from the airport. Must away as I'm going to go back to bed for a couple of hours. Just let Duke in. Miss Etta came in at 5:00 am and is already keeping Lady Dar warm. Take care of yourselves. Stay well. Cheers, Patrizzio! No message!

Glad you're recovering from having all your stuffing stitched back into place Paddington Bear Sounds like Nurse Jean is on her way to Penticton to sell off all your sugary spirits and set you straight!! Is it getting cold there? I saw Calgary already got a little snow! Love to all Ayn. Hi Gunderbeck! [There was a man named Gunderbeck who invented a machine. It ground out perfect sausages, and it was run by steam/The pussy cats and long-tailed rats, no more they will be seen/They're all ground up for sausage meat in Gunderbeck's machine.]

Paddington is pleased to report that all his stitches are doing nicely, thank you! However, according to Nurse Jean I wouldn't have needed the surgery if I'd been swilling Apple Cider Vinegar! Below is the message I just sent her! Love and Cheers, Yellow Boots and Raincoated Paddington, needed yesterday afternoon, when we had a furious hail storm!

Image: Sean Davis

Dear Lower Mainland Bridge Players! Trust everyone is well. The Penguin is off to Portugal today so Bon Voyage, Flightless Bird! Have a grand time at Bridge Camp in Lisbon. On another, more important issue, given her work schedule when back she is wondering if anyone else could host. She can still play but as she is at a conference on the 24th it might be easier for her not to have to have bridge/pot-luck at her place. Fast Eddy are you in? Let me know so we can plan accordingly. Thanks and Cheers for now, Il Conduttore! I can host it if need be especially is it a one table evening. I’m off the airport in an hour 😄😄😄😄😄😄 J

Hi Scooter Woman! Trust your re-entry into home life proceeds well and that you are gaining strength each and every day. On the Martha Stewart front, I put three full trays of grapes into the dehydrator yesterday evening, for twelve hours, hoping they would be ready this morning. However, when I checked trays, a few minutes ago, they still need more time, probably about five more hours. I've found that some varieties need more drying time than others having more water content I assume. Anyway, have been pleased as punch with earlier results using grapes from other friends or neighbours. Have also done prune plums and various apples. We plan to have a marathon session pickling beets and making ripe tomatoe pickle, along with Chloë when she is back with Rosita, the true expert in such matters.

Must away as we are riveted to Line of Duty, a British BBC police procedural.  Before going to bed last night I watched one more episode than Lady Dar and she caught up this morning so now it's time for next episode! Stay well, dear friends. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre, in Rumpus Room, to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

[What they look like before the tops flatten out ...] Patriçio, I can host on the 24th, for a number f self interested reasons. I will be adored by others, and it will force me to put my living room into order. I will conjure a main dish of tofu, or Kraft mac&cheese. On another note, probably due to your hernia op, much less important than my needs, I am in desperate need of scape salt. I used the last of my supply yesterday making guacamole. If you could bring over 4-5 bags, I would be happy to repay you 1,000 fold. If you are looking for another Bridge player, I will check with the Shnoz - let me know.

Finally, for your entertainment, note the photo of the mushroom. These “Alice in Wonderland” mushrooms are in this part of the world,the most toxic/poisonous plants known. The British version, which looks identical, is merely hallucinogenic. This one, growing by my front steps, was merely 2 inches tall when I first noticed it, and less than 40 hours later, wow. You can literally watch these things grow. Time lapse photography not necessary. Branko

Hello Alice! Great that you can host and will be serving Jefferson Airplane mushroom soup as a starter. The high stakes bidding will be even higher! In fact, I've quite often noticed such mushrooms when I've visited your place in the past. Quite remarkable and some lovely non-time lapse photography!

Since Fast Eddy cannot play, [Hello gang, I am sorry once again...I will not be able to play that night..but one of these days I will and host.], but O Susannah can, I suggest, as an initial position, we just go for her, The Portuguese Penguin, Ragin' Bull and Il Conduttore. Clan Carter is out so we'd still need another player, (for seven), even if Snozzola and Sarge can play. If you want to contact The Sinophile I'll ask Sarge and try to contact Lord Byron, (one of Jugos Dom Pedro's friends who lives near Leg and Boot Square.), to see if he is even in town. If all these disparate pieces fall into place perhaps we can field two tables with Dummy moving. Probably these approaches should be made forthwith as we'll need to put a menu together. So let me know what you think and we'll plan accordingly. [Patrizzio, I agree, let’s go with the foursome. That’s on the 24th, right? That’s a weekday, for people with day jobs. Branko.]

With respect to scape salt, will look for kiosk on Saturday, at Farmers' Market but even if Farmersdottir is not there, we'll track your drug of choice down elsewhere in town! On the hernia front, am very pleased to report that my recovery is speeding along and I am virtually back to normal, other than the odd twinge, now and again. Still need to be quite careful about lifting, etc., using common sense, but will start back on stationary bike today. Saw my dottore on Monday and he gave green light, not only for moderate biking but also for deep water walking, so no excuses now for watching Netflix all day.

In this vein, last two days we have been riveted to the screen, devouring episode, after episode of Line of Duty. On Season Four now and I assume we'll polish it off by the end of the evening. Before that however, later this morning, we will begin the winterization program, turning off two outside taps, (requiring a trip into crawl space), and removing cover on gazebo in back patio. Lady Dar continues to use the bbq but given much cooler weather we are not really using patio for socializing. However, it is still a favourite spot for Miss Etta who curls up on one chair or another!

We are having our Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, in large part to accommodate Beckster and Kid Chelene, along with Double AA Kids, Avery and Ashlynn. Former has to work night shift that day so meal will be reasonably early to allow her to join us before she clocks in. Terry, neighbour from across the street, and friend Linda Ervin, will join us as well. Chloë is in Winnipeg, (I took her to airport yesterday morning at 5:00 am, after letting out felines at 4:00 am!), until the 9th when she will return with Rosie-the-Riveter, who will stay for a month.

Looking forward to her visit, for many reasons, but we are particularly glad that she will be able to take a bit of a break from all the on-going difficulties surrounding Marlo's horrendous treatment for terminal bone cancer. Get on with life, Ragin', no guarantees, my friend! Will be in touch as soon as I've heard back from Sarge, et al. Stay well. Cheers, Il Conduttore! PS: More Croatia! Pics: Monday's gang! Phillipo still thinks he's in Grade Three! Greetings from Miss Etta and El Diablo to Juno!

Hi Corinne and Patrick, First, Corinne, thanks very much for your suggestions re Argentina. Jim is definitely interested in Uruguay and we may try to have a few days around Colonia, Montevideo, and perhaps a little further up the river to Carmelo. Mendoza and Salta were also already on our list, so they are definitely in, and your details about them are helpful. ​Hope you have a great thanksgiving, and give that kitchen a good turkey workout. Cheers, and see you next time somewhere for sure, Jocelyn 

Hello Evita! Glad your trip to Argentina is coming together. Am green with envy as I'd love to return and spend more time exploring the wine country, not mention Uruguay. Stay well and travel safely when off to South America. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dear Patrick, My goodness you cease to amaze me with your endless energy being up so early attending to your feline friends and then on the road with Chloe considering you have just had surgery. I googled to find out more of your hernias as John had two hernia operations way back when. Definitely a guys thing and only wish you a speedy recovery. 

Earl Hines

I think it would be hard for most people to believe that sugar can cause so much illness and almost impossible for them to make the necessary changes in their diet with the hope that they would heal. One has to believe without medical intervention. Most people rely on their doctor for advice and medication. To me that has a bandaid effect supporting the drug manufactures. Never paying attention to the root cause of their illness.

Perhaps taking baby steps, behaviour modification to try and clear up your arthritis as again the inflammation as previous outlined is your guideline. I am more concerned and perhaps you don't know that long term memory problems, huge cognitive dysfunction you can have from having to much anesthesia. So making small changes in your diet might just work like taking Apple Cider Vinegar & upping your intake on Potassium to relief inflammation might work and motivate you to make more changes when you see your pain has been reduced.
 

We cannot compare ourselves to our mothers and feel genetically safe. My mothers youngest sister died of ALS at eighty. My mother being the oldest has outlived all eight siblings. My two siblings have diabetes and high blood pressure. Our mothers have a strong immune system being raised on farms & pesticide free. I believe what will give us a few more years is good nutrition and eliminating what is harmful. That takes our own research. My mother is a nutritionist she also makes her own chicken soups and drinks that every day. The collagen from the broth has made her bones strong. She has fallen four times this year and just fell again last week. In the hospital again for three days then discharged. No broken bones. That tells you something. We cannot know how long we will live but the chance to be pain free that is the goal. Love Jean

Hello Sugar Sugar, You are my Candy Girl!  Thanks for the good wishes on the hernia front. I certainly agree with you, in the main, about doctors and medical advice but I certainly try to pay attention to my own body and its signals first, trying to modify behaviour first, before seeking medication. In this regard, I still have most of my pain-killer medication from my first two hip replacements, (2010/2016), and have touched none form my hernia surgery. My experience with constipation following anterior cruxiate repair was far more uncomfortable than any post-op pain. I'm certainly no Super Hero but am fortunate in that I seem to have a fairly high tolerance for "normal" pain.

Also agree, with baby-steps. I think many/most people defeat themselves before they even get started on anything, (gym workouts, cycling distances, garage clean-ups, diets and the like), by setting goals so high that they are impossible to meet and provide a built in excuse for not doing anything. I feel that what is important is to do something, no matter how small and then build, incrementally. Per esempio, once yard chores are done, I plan to cycle for half an hour on very low resistance to start on path back to regular exercise, and then increase time and distance over next few days/weeks, until I'm up to two hours at maximum resistance, my goal for this stage. Then I should be ready to hit the road but for an hour, at most, at first. Then more distance and steeper hills as I feel my strength and confidence build.

Again, I agree with you about not placing one's bets on forebears. I only mentioned Sharktooth Annie as an example of moderation. My Dad died at 55, a victim of a stroke, a heavy smoker and no exercise, not to mention being a so-called "functioning" alcoholic. While I probably drink too much at times, my personality is such that I cannot abide not being in control, more or less, of my life. 

While hootch and all sorts of other drugs are interesting and appealing, to a certain degree, I honestly find "straight" life such an amazing, wondrous gift, that I'm just as happy to live it unmediated, especially since the time line is not guaranteed. Stay well, my Sweet Tooth. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Some of the grapes I turned in raisins, Presto! Pearse, cask strength, 59.3% and a clove of our Russian garlic.

Hi Patrick, apologies for my last message. My attempt at humour crashed with the technology. The property referred to in the photo was a hut in Ucluelet with "Hank's" wrotten on it which we thought might amuse you. All going well here with lovely weather, walking the beaches and trails and still over eating. Coming to the last round up on Friday. Keep in touch. Henry Howdy Hank and Fellow Grub Rustlers! Can't Trigger help you with posting pics? While you have been walking the beaches and trails of Ucluelet we have been riveted to the blue screen. Stay well, Riders of the Purple Sage. Fondestos from Lady Dar to one and all. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Hank in an earlier life! Will the real "Hank" sit down!