All Alone Am I With Just The Bachelor Blues: Thursday, January 3rd!

Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest. -Douglas William Jerrold, playwright and humorist (3 Jan 1803-1857)

Good Morning Patrick, How are you doing as a "bachelor" again? Things have sort of slowed down since Christmas but now we are redoing our downstairs bathroom, so between that and hiking, snowshoeing and pickleball, we keep pretty busy. We were wondering if you would like to join us for Jazz Night on Jan. 24 at The Barking Parrot? Jos, Aart, Paul and Charlotte will also be there. We can have a wonderful pub meal before the music starts. Let us know if you are interested and we can send more detailed info. You can purchase a ticket at The Lakeside Resort front desk. Looking forward to hearing from you, The Cousins

No animals on the mantel. Hedgehogs are outdoor creatures only. Just had lunch by the beach with Joanna, Agneta and couple that came down with them.

Matt and Mica not feeling well so back at the house they rented.
 

Now for a lazy afternoon of doing the dishes as I finally got dish detergent. Rug for the bathroom, more hangers, and dish cloth. Also got charcoal and will BBQ my hamburger for supper. Plus lovely black and white bowl for salad. Will finish my first mystery in the hammock. Hola, Corinne

Hello Cousins! Thank you for thinking of me regarding Jazz Night at Barking Parrot. I assume it is another GFA fund raiser. I think we met Carlotta and Paolo at same event a number of years ago. [This is a Grandmothers for Africa fundraiser. Glad you are going! Hugs Lady Dar] Yes, Chloë and I would certainly like to join you. Event is on Thursday, I believe, and she doesn't have a strata meeting that evening so will be able to be my date! What time do you expect to go? Would you all like to come here, beforehand, for a drink? Let me know and we'll plan accordingly.

Pleased to hear downstairs renovations are proceeding. I'm planning to start hiking/snowshoeing next week although I haven't had time to be lonely since I took Lady Dar to Kelowna on New Year's Eve. Not sure if Josinta and Aarturos are back from Calgary or not. Do you know? Anyway, look forward to seeing you both soon, one way or another. Stay well.  Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Patrick, Wow, it sounds like you are keeping pretty busy! That's good. What an amazing place Corinne has in Mexico! Hope she's getting lots of R&R and you're not messing up her household organization too much.

Great news that you and Chloe will join us for The Thursday Night Jazz Band on Thursday January 24th! Tickets are $15 per person and are for sale at The Lakeside Resort front desk. Paul and Charlotte already have their tickets and I have tickets for Aart, Jos, Tim and me. So you simply need to pick up a couple for yourself and Chloe. I will phone a few days ahead to reserve a table for the eight of us. Thank you for your kind invitation to have drinks at your house before going to The Barking Parrot. I will send an email out to the others to see if that works for them. The Jazz performance begins at 7:30, so I'll reserve for 6:30. What do you think of people arriving at your house around 5:30 for a drink? Or should it be earlier? Let me know and I'll email the other four. 

On another note, Tim asked me to ask you where you and Corinne got your beautiful kitchen cabinets? As you know, we plan to put a kitchen into our basement. Cheers, Marian Hello again, Forgot to mention that Aart and Jos are back. They were back from Calgary before New Year's. I know this because we hiked together New Year's Eve day.Cheers,The Cuz Hi Kissing Cousin! I'd suggest we gather, if that is what folks would like, anytime around 5:00 pm +/-, as that will give us plenty of time to have a drink and visit before making for Lakeshore for 6:30 pm. Just let me know and I'll plan accordingly. With respect to kitchen cabinets, Lady Dar engaged New Generation Cabinets, on Ellis, just up from round-about near PAG. Must away as I need to run a few errands and will stop at Lakeshore to pick up tickets beforehand. Thanks and Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello The Sisterhood! I suppose you can take the girl away from the messiness but you can't take the messiness out of the girl! I shudder to think what the apartemento will look like after Chooch and Lady Dar fly da coop. Poor landlord won't be able to make place available to long-term renters either! Ha! Bruno is the hoarder not me!  The only reason my closets aren’t better organized is because our house is too small. 😂 We started watching La Nante and quite like it. Keep the Netflix reviews coming paprika! Carol]

[Christina Tassel And so the adventure begins....my room at Adelaide Airport!!]


I finished La Mante last night and am all set to watch Suburra: "Inspired by real life events, Suburra is focused on power clashes and corruption in Rome and the Vatican City, among organized crime, politicians and churchmen." First Italian Netflix production, apparently. Second season is scheduled fro 2019 so plenty to watch and look forward to. It seems second season of La Mante is still not finalized but it looks like production will go ahead, at some point.

On the feline front, just in case you think Miss Etta is Little Goody Two Shoes, here is evidence to prove otherwise. When I clambered out of bed this morning, Duke was curled up on "his" blanket at the foot of Lady Dar's side, pining for her, while Etta was on the chair, just inside the door. She hasn't been able to sleep there for months, covered as it usually is with purses, scarves and loose $100 US bills, scattered carelessly everywhere! 

Collider

Out into kitchen to zap my java and while I was sitting at my computer Explorer Girl investigated shelves opposite! I gave them a small spoonful of soft food before their crunchies this morning and Miss Mooch was obviously looking for more! Unhappy, she is now gazing out the front window trying to decide which neighbour she will approach next! Must away as I have to read Lady Dar's new printer manual, [I gave her a printer/scanner for Christmas.], and need to hook it into wireless system after I feed the hedgehogs. They seem partial to Rosita's shortbread and Mme Coriandre's tarts! Fondestos and Love, Patrizzio Geek, Closet Organizer and Zoo Keeper! Pics: Let Sleeping Felines Lie! Happy Hedgehogs, soon to be joined by more and more of my Mexican Menagerie! Pretty soon the living room will be a jungle!

Leda and the Swan (detail), c. 1532

Art: Antonio da Correggio

Patrick and Corinne, Happy New Year! All the best in 2019:). My apologies for my tardy reply. All the children came home for Christmas with their significant others. They arrived on different days and left on different days so lots of chauffeuring, meal making and cleaning not to mention lots of laughs and walks with Meg’s 6 month old black labradoubledoodle, Roo. The weather was spectacular while the children were here. Good marketing for Penticton. We are getting ready to depart for Hawaii. We will spend a month living just outside of Kona. Hawaii wasn’t on my bucket list so I have no expectations. It’s the longest that I have spent away from home save for my 3 month trip to Europe after university. I am looking forward to hearing Corinne’s tales about the little town in Mexico where she is spending 3 months and whether she found 3 months just right or too short/ long. 

Happy to hear that you enjoyed the Wyatt whiskey. BC regulations require that any whiskey produced in BC has to be made of raw materials grown in BC. Doug, the distiller, can get his hands on a little rye but he uses mostly wheat because that is what is available in BC. I’ll look forward to being in touch when we return in early Feb. Pamela

Hi Kona Bound Folk! Nice life indeed! Not sure if you have flown da coop yet or not. We have never been to the Big Island, only Waikiki, as a close friend had a small apartment there and she let us have it for a month, only charging us strata fee which was a ridiculously low, about $120 if I recall correctly. I quite enjoyed the times we spent there although I must admit I find the Mexican culture much more interesting, to the extent that I know both. Obviously, you were extremely busy over hols but pleased to learn that you enjoyed such terrific visits with your offspring and significant others and Roo!

I haven't had time to be lonely since I took Lady Dar to Kelowna on New Year's Eve. [Too, too many projects I've wanted to work away on and too, too many series on Netflix and Amazon!] Must away as I've plenty of kitchen drawer re-arranging to figure out. One of the projects on my list as I've never been happy with where we placed cutlery, etc., initially. Not most efficient locations once we actually started using the kitchen but no time, until now, to re-think things.

Have fun in Hawaii, Pamela. Not sure when we will have next book club gathering so will send out a message to see what gang would like. I imagine it will be in February as quite a few people are away, like you and Wild Bill. I'm hoping bridge will start again this coming week. Judy Blue is back from Quebec City, where she spent Christmas with her daughter, Vanessa, on Sunday. Not sure if Josinta and Aarturos are back from Calgary or not. Anyway, I'm sure we can muster at least one table. Stay well. Travel safely. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Imelda's closet and some of her trillion pairs of shoes! Explorer Girl! Attack of The Killer Hedgehogs! 

Starving meeting over soon! What have you got that’s not turkey soup!!

Dear Corinne and Pat, I trust this finds you both well and enjoying the holiday season. We are having a fairly relaxing time, seeing friends and keeping up with the new movie releases. Joan is scheduled for hip replacement surgery on Jan 31st and it can't come soon enough from her perspective. She is having increasing difficulty walking any distance. As a result of this, our travel plans for the late winter/spring are on hold until we get a sense of her recovery period. We are making a brief excursion to Victoria and Sidney mid January for a friend's 70th birthday.
 

Speaking of Victoria, word is circulating here that Lynn and Peter have bought a condo there and are selling up in Naramata. Remind me where our coveted red Taipei Public Library bag is at present. Is it still in your possession or was it left with a friend of yours in Vanc? Have a great new years celebration and best wishes for a healthy and happy 2019. We will see you here or there at some point. Cheers...Paul & Joan

Hi Paul, I’m in Mexico for 2 months enjoying the sun and Patrick is back in Penticton snowshoeing and messing up my kitchen arrangements. Your bag is at our friends the Sutherlands, Wayne and Michele. In our former building. Glad Joan is getting her hip down. Lynn and Peter are still undecided about Victoria but I wouldn’t be surprised if they went there. I don’t think they have found anything in Penticton that they are happy with. I’m home March 7 having a week stop over in LA on way back to meet our great granddaughter who is due Feb. 20th. Patrick gets his shoulder replaced on March 12. So that should keep him out of trouble for a while. Hope to see you both this summer. Speedy recovery to Joan, Best Corinne
 

Hi Paolo and The Hipster! Pleased to hear that Joan is scheduled for a hip replacement. I'm embarrassed to say that I had your coveted red Taipei Public Library bag in my car when I visited you last Fall but simply forgot it was there until I was home again! You can call Sarge to arrange to collect it. Funnily enough, you received a far longer, more detailed message from Lady Dar than I have, to date at least! Stay well. Travel safely to Victoria. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio!  Just you and the cats, Patrick.  Could be a long winter!!! Jugos Dom Pedro, leaving for the sunshine and warmth of Palm Desert!!!!!!!!!!!!