Dirt Music Blues: Friday, April 8th!

Life is short, short, brother! / Ain't it the truth? / And there is no other / Ain't it the truth? / You gotta rock that rainbow while you still got your youth! -Yip Harburg, lyricist (8 Apr 1896-1981) 

Dear Corinne and Patrick, Thank you both for your swift responses. Life sounds as busy as ever for you both now you are officially retired and living "out in the country". If it is acceptable to you both, I think we will plan to arrive mid to late Sunday afternoon (17th) and leave again on the morning of Tuesday 19th. Saturday night will no doubt be a late night so we will not be planning to leave North Van until after noon. Looking forward very much to seeing you both and catching up with all your news.
 

I did not call last night since with you eight hours behind us so 6pm your time is 2am ours but will try later today around your breakfast time before you both go out and about for the day. If we miss each other I will ask Andre to call to finalise details once he arrives in BC and is on the same time zone. Much love, Rosemary XXX

All well in the undeveloped bush of Flores ... but after seeing your photos I realize that you have actually forgotten me! Great photos, great story. Thanks.
Hugs, Your bridge lover Josinta & guitarra Aarturo

Dearest Amore Josinta and Guitarrino Aaarturo! Gone, but certainly not forgotten! Delighted that all goes swimmingly in the bush of Flores. Michaelo filled in for Josinta last Sunday and will do so this coming weekend. Hurry back, Amore, as I love you as a bridge partner best! Fondestos from Lady Dar, readying herself to surpervise the indentured servant. Cheers, Patrizzio!


Thanks Patrick!! Sorry I had to miss the Monday morning hike!!...the rain was a blessing in disguise for me as I would have probably gone but then aggravated the wound on my leg which resulted from a silly accident in my own kitchen last Wednesday evening!, It appeared to be healing well until Tuesday evening when it started showing sighs of infection...Because it is so near the bone I have been taking precautions to limit my activities and speed up the healing..which is successful..hopefully I can join you on Monday's hike Have a great week-end...!! Elle  

Hi Murielle! Terribly sorry to hear about your nasty accident! Sounds pretty serious. Trust wound is now healing. Cheers, Patizzio!


Tummler, glad you enjoyed the Ian Brown. I concur with much of your response - I did not always share his urbane concerns about what others think but I enjoyed his exploration and how he expressed his thoughts on life and the aging process. I also share your sentiments on writing. Whether anyone reads it or not I need to write especially when the therapy rides are so few and far apart.

I found an old mountain bike at the recycle and dusted it off. Morita and I ride the trails to the park (Dionisio - you should look at Google earth - I am at 48 degrees, 59' 48"N, by 123 degrees 34' 2" W - where I sit now at Ukiyo) - ten minutes downhill to the water and a long grunt back up (almost 60kms!). Look forward to doing that with you sometime soon. I will have a clunker here, like the gawdy Trek, that you can ride. Or snowshoes if you prefer. Fond regards to you and C, W 

Dearest Dionysius and Calamatous Jane! I knew that your predilection for porch cleaner would eventually earn you the name of Bacchus! Thanks, as well, for pointing out all the "handicaps" of riding on Galiano, seemingly a KVR course, à la The Grouse Grind, all the way to the Little Tunnel and beyond! The fact that you have a derelict, three-speed, lead-framed clunker for me to ride concretizes my suspicion that you speak with a forked -tongue, regarding your insistence that we visit Ukiyo! You obviously need a new PR person!

Funnily enough, with respect to Ian, I thought of you and your Hotel New Hampshire connections, his being in the same relative region. Furthermore, you probably read the latest Word.A.Day, "sheeple". While I don't think he is such a creature his "worries" push him in that direction. As well, he seems to be able to take quite a few extended, expensive holidays, enjoy high-end meals, etc. No wonder he worries about finances. Bit too, too much of the St George's/'Orrible Ungie crowd-thinking for me. Cudgel Man is the man I respect, although even he, (unlike us, of course!), needs a bit of compromise on some issues! Unfortunately, for Ian, (And I think he admits that this is the case, hence his obsession with aging.), he didn't come to realize what the Yippster wrote, "Life is short, short, brother! / Ain't it the truth? / And there is no other / Ain't it the truth? / You gotta rock that rainbow while you still got your youth! -Yip Harburg, lyricist (8 Apr 1896-1981)", soon enough.

To more mundane matters, spent a goodly part of the late morning and early afternoon, yesterday preparing the front yard for to earth berms Lady Dar has decided will "soften" the xeriscape yard. Needed to move some of the small rock and peel back some of the heavy plastic sheeting, (retards weed growth), underneath to allow the new plants to send their roots to China! On the Easter Weekend Lady Dar bought a number of lovely cactii from a large nursery near Osoyoos as water is an issue, as you can well understand. We also assembled a cedar, raised vegetable bed, as we want to grow everything from green onions to garlic, herbs to tomatoes, and whatever else catches our fancy, at least until we see how green our thumbs are! Peter very kindly offered to bring his utility trailer by today and we'll collect a load of soil from the City Works Yard and, once home, create the berms, fill the garden surround and then collapse!
 

Must away to don my labourer's togs. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you three. Cheers, Patizzio The Peon! Pics: First section of louvres; Lady Dar in landscaping mode! Empty raised vegetable bed! Lilies from Dusty's garden in Falcon. He gave them to Corinne last June and she planted them here once we were back PS: Are you now in possession of your army boots, GI Jane?

Hola Patrizzio and Corinne, Thanks for your notes. Yes thank you, I have my boots. I met Branco last night and he passed them along and gave me a ride to LD. We had a quick chat. He was very friendly.
 

I had a nice weekend in Victoria. Great to catch up with my Mom and Dad. Weather was stunning. Tonight George, Morita and I are rendezvousing in Victoria to have a visit with them. It is supposed to be lovely and warm. We will share some good food and get out in the weather. Amira will probably pop by with her beau. It should be gorgeous at your place. What are you up to? The gardening looks like fun. Enjoy it. We will save you some to do at Ukiyo! Happy weekend! Best wishes, Jane xo          Hello again, GI Jane and Chain Climber! Glad you are now in possession of your boots and that you and Branco had a friendly chat. However, not sure what "LD" refers to. Cheers, Patrizzio!

The mighty marmot trapper strikes again. This little guy was waiting for me when I got home.  He really fell for the parsley root I put in the trap.  He now lives some distance up Naramata Road.

 He looks like he's had a great meal plan on your tasty plot. Too bad he is addicted to parsley root. Thanks for all your help today. I'm putting up a plaque with your name on it. Cheers Corinne

Lunch was all I needed.  Save the plaque for Patrick's ashes.

Dear Great White Hunter! Now that Lady Dar has abandoned the idea of a commemorative plaque, she has decided she might put my ashes in your empty wine bottles. However, before she proceeds she instructed me to ask whether you wished her to save them for more refills! Please advise, at your earliest convenience. I'm off to sweep the back patio with an old toothbrush as punishment for my remarks yesterday! 'Yer ever 'umble, downtrodden servant, Much Maligned, Under-appreciated, Terribly Treated Patrizzio! PS: I hope I am reincarnated as a marmot. At least I'd get to eat parsley root instead of arsenic!

Steve says hi Just spent close to a grand!!!!!!  Hi Moneybags! Welcome to the club! Just spent more than ten times that amount on rear patio louvres so that you and your girlfriends won't sunburn this coming June!

On another matter, do you want to go to VPL on Thursday, April 21st, 7:30 pm to hear Nick Bantock, in conversation with Hal Wake, about the joys of letter writing, storytelling through art, and what it’s like to revisit the story of Griffin and Sabine? Let me know and I'll plan accordingly. Love, Dad!  

HI Patrick Thanks for your thoughts - it is very helpful. It is painful to see a vibrant person lost in the mists of dementia! But we're taking the best care we can. That's all we can do :) Yes i think your idea for focus is a good one! Not sure when we'll get in but will figure that out and get back to you - we still have to figure out where to go for a nice dinner for Dave's B'day! Luise

Hi again, Luise! Yes, a very difficult time. Not sure if this might be helpful but there is a very powerful documentary, Alive Inside, which explored the use of music therapy with individuals suffering from dementia/Alzheimer's. 
 

Using headphones and an iPod, loaded with music that the individuals in question might have listened to, at some point in their earlier lives, the results were quite incredible. I'm sure such therapy does not work with everyone but who knows if it might reach or touch something in you Mom. I know I would have tried it with my own Mother had I known about it at the time she was slipping away, mentally.

On a brighter note, you might wish to ask Pam about restaurants. We'd suggest Bogner's of Penticton, Theo's, (Greek), and the Hooded Merganser. All are within walking distance of our place. Theo's is closest, about three or four blocks, and the HM is in the Lakeside Resort, right on the lake, about a 20 minute walk, much of it along Penticton Creek. Bogner's is further along Eckhardt about four or five blocks beyond Theo's. 

There are a number of wineries, Liquidity, out of OK Falls, 20-30 minutes by car, and Poplar Grove, but 7 minutes by car, towards Naramata. Both have gorgeous views. The Vanilla Pod, at latter, in undergoing reservations so I'm not sure if it will be ready when you are here. I spoke to someone there and they said they hoped restaurant would be open by the end of next week. Liquidity is only open until 8:00 pm so that might be a limiting factor. Anyway, when you have a moment you can take a look at websites/menus to help you decide, unless Pam has some other favourites, of course. Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Pics: Just to let you know that we are madly trying to ready both front yard and patio for your visit! Lady Dar and Jugos Dom Pedro working on berms; Day-labourer Patrizzio! First plantings! Louvres closed and open! Almost finished!!

Dear Sir Patrick and Lady Corinne. Tanks for the lovely ecard.Sorry not to have replied earlier.Generally all well and had various scans which proved negativr except for wear and tear! Off to Cyprus on May 10 with a National Trust Group for a week and then to France for 5 days. Busy singing and have rejoined local leisure centre. More news later. Love Sir James and Lady Patricia. 

Hello Lady Patrizzia and Sir James! How delightful to hear about your coming trip to Cyprus, Sir James! Wish I could join you! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Penny and Madcap in SA.

Hello Steinbach! Was starting to worry about you falling into depression, having to attend so many funerals, but then the last two jokes disabused me of that notion!

Friend, Peter the Naramatian, very kindly offered to bring his utility trailer by today and we made two trips to collect loads, (two yards, total), of soil from a large landscaping operation, and, once home, created the berms and filled the garden surround. 
 

After lunch Lady Dar spent the rest of the afternoon putting in most of the plants/shrubs she bought. Must say we are both extremely pleased with how things are taking shape. Certainly softens the look of the front yard. Not nearly as stark as it was when we moved in. However, we knew we wanted to change things so this suited our future plans quite nicely. 

Lads are almost finished with louvres so now all we have to do is figure out how to pay for roof! Will probably spend much of tomorrow starting on vegetable garden plantings and re-arranging patio furniture. Lady Dar already knows where everything is to go so all I need to do is follow her barked orders! Fondestos from Mme Coriandre, reading her mail on the front porch, surveying her garden handiwork! Cheers, Patrizzio the Peon and Indentured Servant!