100 Years of Armistice Day Blues: Sunday, November 11th!

I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center. -Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., writer (11 Nov 1922-2007)

Hi Sandee and Arv! Trust all goes well. Enjoyed all your wonderful snap. Lovely to see your grandson, of course. Fondestos to you, Sandee, and Arv, from Lady Dar and Rosie. Cheers, Patrizzio!  

pat: much delayed contact… have meant to drop a line since i heard of your mis-adventure in europe earlier. bad me. how are you? have you recovered? any lingering effects?

as you may know i’ve been on the island (courtenay) for 4 plus years now and do drive back to wpg. with some frequency. i end up on the southern route occasionally so perhaps at some point i could touch base and if the stars are aligned, we might connect and catch up in person. one might even hope to avail oneself of the “fruit” of your no doubt, considerable investigations of local wine production…

btw: got a new puppy (cane corso) which i brought back from wpg. this past week (had him flown in there from the breeder in ontario). had gone to dad’s grave for the ceremonial pouring of whisky (he and my maternal grandfather, both known to enjoy a drop now and again [read: when allowed by their respective controllers]) splashed the balvenie on their gravestones and the puppy proceeded to immediately lick it up. as is said to colin he passed the initiation. trust the girls are both in fine form and good health. best regards to all kevin sanders

Hi Kevin! Absolutely delighted to hear from you and know all goes well. We did know your were in Courtenay. We have very close friends there, [as well as Lynette], and in Qualicum Beach and I love to ride the Old Highway between these towns. Haven't been on VI for a number of years so it is time for a Grand Tour! Certainly, please stop by and stay if you are taking the Crowsnest, or even if you plan on using The Trans Canada, not much of a detour. We have taken this route last few times we've driven to Winnipeg as it leads right to Medicine Hat, as you probably know, and we have a very good friend there with whom we stay, play bridge and drink malt!

Pleased to hear that your new pooch is going to be in the remake of The Hound of the Baskervilles! Quite some animal from the pictures I've seen! Not sure how Etta, [Etta James], and Duke, [Duke Ellington], will take to such a presence but who knows how the felines will react! Glad that the pup lapped up the malt as a toast to Rocky. Lady Dar, [aka Corinne, another nickname suince we spent six weeks in India towards the end of 2015], was actually in Winnipeg, visiting her Mom, when she received news of my hospitalization, for pneumonia, in Berlin, late June.

Many friends and relatives believed I was under care after falling off my bike. While I did suffer two falls, earlier in trip, in Poland, these occurred while I was walking, sober, I might add! Fortunately, for me, I'm pretty much back to "normal", [Whatever that is, according to my controller!], other than the fact that the "bump", from five stitches in my forehead and same number on the inside of my top inner lip, have almost subsided, I'm fine, given that I had day surgery to repair two small hernias, this past September. Back riding my road bike although when it was raining a week or so ago, I used one of my Brodie's that I've set up with an Allu-trainer, under our covered back patio. I plan to move it inside to our so-called Rumpus Room where I can exercise and watch Netflix or read as I pedal away.

Depending on when you pass through, more and more wineries are remaining open during the winter so there will probably be enough to give you a decent impression of local wine. We belong to about a dozen wine clubs so feel we are in heaven! Lady Dar undertook a fairly major kitchen renovation, this past summer, and as part of it we are now the proud owners of a wine fridge that can hold almost twelve cases of wine, just short by ten bottles, at 134.

Nor sure how much you have heard from the grapevine but Chloë lived with us for almost a year before moving into her condo this past August. Great place and certainly far, far more luxurious than any place we lived in when we were just starting out. She seems to be enjoying life here although she still misses friends in Vancouver, and environs, of course. In fact, she is there this weekend and seeing Maya, at Horseshoe Bay, this morning, I believe. Ayn is doing extremely well in LA, Vice-President of Programming and Acquisition for the Hallmark Family Channel, producing and showing those warm, fuzzy Christmas movies that I abhor but which are extremely lucrative! She just closed a deal on buying her first condo so she is excited about that. She moves in on December 6th, my birthday as it turns out.

Pierre, her eldest, will live with her while he is completing his degree in Engineering. Alexander, our youngest grandson, was married a year ago, in July, to high-school sweetheart, Samantha. He graduated from the LAFD last January and is doing very well so far. We attended the ceremony as we spent a month in Costa Rica afterwards. They are expecting a girl this coming February and Lady Dar will spend a week in LA after two months in Mexico. I'm driving her to Kelowna on New Year's Eve for her flight to Calgary and then Puerto Vallarta. She has rented a small apartmento, about a hour north, in Guyabitos, for Jan/Feb but I will stay here to snowshoe. 

Love the winters as they are so mild, compared to Manitoba, that I have to laugh at the locals! Ayn is flying up this coming Thursday, to see her grandmother. She was here, in early September, but has not been to Winnipeg/Falcon, for some time so wanted to see Clara. Must away as I'm planning to go for a ride now that the sun has melted the frost and I need some kindling to stoke fire before I set out. Have a number of oak logs which need a bit of help to get well and truly going. Again, do hope you will pop by. Let us know when you know about a trip and we'll plan accordingly. Until then, stay well. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you, Kevin. Cheers, Patrizzio!Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Apple rings for sale at Winter-market; Last night at the Penticton Art Gallery Soup Bowls fund raiser, with neighbour, Amanda, Rosie and Lady Dar. With ticket, one chooses a soup bowl, [donated by local potters], and tries about seven or so different soups, prepared by local restaurants, caterers, etc. Lady Dar insisted on vetting our choices as bowls had to fit new kitchen colour scheme

Hi Monday Nighters! So far, Lady Di and Carolina have indicated that they are on for Monday's gathering. With Rosita, Lady Dar and I we have enough for one table so if Judy Blue and Polga are interested we can host two tables here at Burns Street, Dummy to move. There was some talk that Olga would host but since you did so last week we are happy to do so. Any others interested in playing? Michaelo? Spamela? Let me know and we'll plan accordingly. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio! PS: Had a lovely reunion with two of the couples I rode with, this past May/June in Czech Republic and Poland, on Friday night. I know some of you know Judy and Jim Holtjer, from Summerland, and Carol and Tom Hoenisch, from Naramata, so thought I'd include a few snaps.

Thank you Patrick, but I can not attend this time. It will be a while, because we are leaving for Cuba ���� (libre including 😉 ) on Thursday. We should be back around Dec. 03. Asta la vista. Mike Hi Hemmingway! Sorry you won't be here to play but what a grand reason! Enjoy your holiday and travel safely. All the best. Teach Mariola the basics of bridge when you are sipping rum on the beach! Bon Voyage. Cheers, Patrizzio! Thank you Patrick, I doubt we will have enough time for bridge, but I will try my best between Spanish coffee, and Havana Club ☕️😉 Mike



Hi Patrick, I can't make Bridge on Monday evenings. Have fun tomorrow night�� Pamela Hi Naramata Goil! Sorry, I suspected you were not available but Monday night seems best for most for next little while. We missed you at Soup Bowls last night. We had a fun-filled evening. Stay well. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Patrick, Thanks for your email. Bill and I chose not to attend the Soup Bowls fundraiser this year…we decided to spend our $$ elsewhere. For example, I am going to the Charles Ross performance next Weds. The PAG is putting on this event too. Charles is excellent. We went to his performance last year. We are also taking in Joshua Brown’s performance at the Dream Cafe on Friday. I really enjoy his singing.

Have you been to the new bakery on Main St (Petrasek)? Bread is pretty good…better than Cobs or Wouda. There is a new chocolatier in town too, Mulnati. The shop is on Eckhardt down towards the SOEC. I also recently checked out the wine experience centre in the new part of the Lakeside. Very nice. No charge for tastings. I think that will be a nice place to take the children when they are here for Christmas. Also of note, the Vanilla Pod (at Poplar Grove Winery) is doing a tapas Happy Hour from 3-5 each day ($6/tapa/glass of wine). A great idea I say:) Check out the new theatre in town, The Tempest Theatre. It’s located close to you at the corner of Eckhardt and Ellis. So many new things in Penticton. Exciting!

We are having a lovely fall. I am not surprised that you are still riding. I just had my e-bike repaired. Matt’s girlfriend crashed while riding it in September. Hey, I am cheering for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup run. I actually called it early in the season. Time will tell if I have an eye:) What is the date for the next bookclub meeting? If it’s Dec 6 I am good to go. Cheers Pamela

Went to see Free Solo last night. Very good film -- I was on the edge of my seat much of the time. Also recently saw Star is Born with Lady Gaga. Enjoyed thoroughly. Next up will be Bohemian Rhapsody. Good for you getting out riding. I've been sitting around depressed and only today got out for a hike which blew the cobwebs out somewhat. Something I need every day or at least every second day. to keep the endorphins up. Tomorrow, raking leaves! Ross

Hello Raker of Leaves! It is amazing how many leaves we have in our yard and not a tree on our property! Come from a large oak in back lane and our next door neighbour's Acacia! Whirlpool effect and they swirl around our back door and along north side of house. I filled our yard waste bin, almost to overflowing, for today's collection. Hope to see Free Solo after watching trailer I sent along although I suspect Lady Dar will not go with me as she is a dyed-in-the-wool acrophobe! While I was never a true Queen fan, I'd like to learn more about Freddy Mercury. Quite enjoyed the sound track in A Star is Born, [I think Lady Gaga's name is ridiculous but I think she has an incredible voice and range. First paid attention to her when she paired with Tony Bennett.], but found the plot too, too predictable. Insensitive New Age Male that I am I find it hard, if not impossible, to sympathize with stars who cannot handle their fame. I know I oversimplify but there is just to much to do with this gift of life to waste it in a wash of alcohol and drugs. Do something useful, suds the supper dishes or help others. From the 17th-century Anatomy of Melancholy, “Be not solitary, be not idle.”
 
In a somewhat similar vein, I have no sympathy at all for the likes of the Kardashians and their threatened or lost homes in Malibu. Burn Baby Burn you obscene, mindless consumer, spokesperson for much/most of what is wrong with contemporary society. The citizens of Paradise, however, are another matter and their devastating loss is unimaginable. Rant over I must away.  Cheers, Patrizzio!

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