Dictionary: A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a
language and making it hard and inelastic. This dictionary, however, is a
most useful work. -Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914), [The Devil's Dictionary, 1906]
What a place....looks as if you folks have been kept busy......wonderful plants, etc. The venting should be perfect. Great works......Keep it up....AS ever, A & S xxxx You are landscape artists! What are they building next door? Very cold,-12 & strong wind. Welcome home!
Hello Sub-Zero, Wind Chilled Manitobans, et al! Supposed to go to 22º today! Aren't you sorry you left? Building next door is a New York Skyscraper duplex! One very good thing is that it will help keep our house much cooler during the fierce heat! Lady Dar is re-arranging furniture as I scribe. Quite a bit of "Dusty" in her! Can't wait a moment!!! Must away as I can now hear her yowling! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Last night after roof was finished; Sunset; Washing down patio surface; Exterior Designer, Lady Darjeeling, posing for Vogue, this morning, after first phase of patio re-decoration and furniture placement.
Just a quick note to ask if my E-mail is going all the way out there? Been having problems since we returned...somehow my “servant” is not serving properly. So will have to check things out again.....Thanks.....A Hi Arv! Have been receiving everything! Cheers, Patrizzio!
Good day Patrizzo Mad cap calling 5pm in Franschhoek at 21 Roux St-wonderful setting. You would love all the great vine yards so cheap Like the budgie-cheep. Went for a great meal at a premier restaurant La petite ferme. 8 Had a wine Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Battonage Very nice 2 bottles £8 There is every chance I will take up this alcoholic drinking Any way hope u r all ok keep up your blogs they r great I don't read them myself because I am under therapy to stop killing myself and your blogs have been highlighted as a possible source of my depression but I don't believe it I have Faith in you Patrzzo you will bring me back from the brink Must go probably getting boring Love you lots Pat Madcap XGreetings Madcap, [I am currently on annual leave until 18th April.], and Duhlink Penelope! How delightful to have had you call, if only inadvertently, in one of the drunken stupors you seem to have fallen into of late! Ridiculously "cheep" price of wine where you two are traipsing your merry, peripatetic ways is main reason my liver will not allow me to visit! "Pickled Patrizzio" would take on a whole new meaning! Perhaps I should take up reading my own blog to bring me, never mind you, Madcap, back from the brink! On second, sober thought, I realize I don't have to worry as Lady Darjeeling's constant stream of barked orders dispel the clouds of depression more quickly and completely than my poor scribblings could ever do!
Before I forget, I must apologize, dearest Penny, for not sending along a message of thanks for the archival photos you sent along, goodness knows how long ago now! Sylvia and Jamie and Noble Ridge, quite the gamut of memories! Funnily enough, just had a brief message from Jamie and he is off to Cyprus in early May for a week with a National Trust Group. He was wondering if he could stay with your friend in Paphos!
Coincidentally, an hour or so after we were so rudely awakened by the crank call from 21 Roux Street, we had another call, this time from London rather than dipsomaniacal Londoners! Rosemary Thorne is the friend who owns a gorgeous farmhouse, about 2 hours southeast of Lyon, and with whom we've stayed a number of times, as have Flamin' and Sarge. Her amore, Andre, is a friend from Vancouver and he returns, (from either England/France, depending on where they happen to be staying), every four to six months to see both his aging mother, [She was the closest friend of one of my mother's closest friends, Andy Findlay, mom's bridesmaid in 1943! I'll tell the whole story when next we meet, face to face!], and his cardiologist. At any rate, they will be flying to Vancouver next week and will drive to the Okanagan on the 17th to stay for a few nights. Furthermore, we have been watching Luther, of late, so we really don't need to travel to your great city anymore as it insists on coming to us!
Fondestos from Mme Coriandre, daintily sipping her Darjeeling on the front porch, surveying her garden handiwork! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Peter sent this snap of a marmot, [one of a number that make a mess of his vineyards], shortly after he left our place.
Hi Patrick, I have already graciously responded to you invitation, but probably you missed it as I, by mistake, addressed it to Peter, and cc you. So defenately I am in if the game is still on. Your louvered roof looks awesome !!! Cheers ,
Mike Hi Michaelo! Thanks for compliment on louvered roof. See you at 7:00 pm. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hello Champers Goils and Parents, (like us), who are too, too poor to drink expensive hootch like our offspring! Sorry I've taken so long to say hello, Cornwallians, but, on our home front, have been busy getting ready for your coming visit! (We hope!) Mme Coriandre spent much of today planting 11 English Lavender shrubs and re-arranging patio furniture. For my part, I fought with the various hook-ups for garden hose on back patio. Cannot seem to manage to have the various hoses, (Necessitated, in large part as the turn-off valve is under the steps, with a short extension leading to the garden hose reel apparatus. Section under the stairs is fine so after much frustration I returned to Rona and chap there suggested a can of Datey Great White Pipe Joint Compound. If that doesn't work I'll seal my eyes shut with it so that I cannot see the leaks, as well as fill my ear canals so that I can't hear Lady Dar's vitriolic comments!
Must away as I'm charged with making a salad. Last evening was first time we used the covered patio. Cora Lee bbq'd chicken breast wrapped in Prosciutto, topped with slices of Swiss cheese and, while grill was sizzling, we sat around the fire-pit enjoying the new space. Although the day was very warm, evening cooled off as we enjoyed the gorgeous sunset, Mme Coriandre sipping some of Peter's fabulous home-made Chardonnay, (Earlier, she quaffed a glass of 8th Generation 2015 Pinot Meunier Rosé, 12.5%, surveying her landscaping efforts in the front yard.), while I savoured a rum and Rose's Lime Cordial, one of my favourite mixed drinks.
We had planned to watch the next season of Happy Valley as we enjoyed dinner but decided upon an episode of Foyle's War, set at the beginning of the Cold War. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Left Aveiro after breakfast, and went to Vista Alegre to see the porcelain works. It was founded in 1824, and has a model worker's village like Owen's New Lanark in the U.K. Of course, they also have a shop. Got to Porto fairly late, so just went to the hotel. Had a Burmester 2012 vinho tinto. It wasn't as good as the Kopke, but still quite drinkable.
Today was the day of the port houses. Visited a few, but only had a tasting at two. The new thing with all the big port houses is a compulsory (and costly) tour before you get to the tasting room or the shop. Apart from not having the time (or money) for all those tours, if you have seen one, you have seen them all. Fortunately, Kopke did not force a tor on you, so we paid for a tasting (of a surprisingly generous size) and, of course, made some purchases. The other tasting room we went to even had free tastings if you made a purchase. Their ten year old white port was incredible.
After the tastings and a "light" lunch, we crossed the bridge Inti Porto and drove along the Ribeira to Foz do Douro (traffic was nuts). We were able to find the little coffee shop on the Atlantic that we went to daily the last time we visited Porto. After tea and coffee and dessert, we went back towards the hotel. We did have to make one stop, a grocery store, which happened to be in a mega mall - three stories plus underground parking. Don't know what keeps so many shops in business, especially as so many are selling basically the same stuff. Tomorrow we are off to to Douro Valley, where all the port wine grapes are grown. Should be interesting. Colin
P.S. - About that light lunch: we stopped in a place frequented by Portuguese, and ordered fish. Jo-Anne had grilled sardines, and I had fried cod. We asked for half portions. Six sardines plus potato and salad (large fresh sardines, too big to fit in a can) and a mound of cod with chips and onions arrived on the table. With a bottle of white, under 25 euros. Hate to see the size of a full portion. By the way, cod is a lovely fish, full of flavour abd with a nice firm texture. Lutefisk is an insult to cod.
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