WIndow Cats Blues: Wednesday, August 31st!

The fingers of your thoughts are molding your face ceaselessly. -Charles Reznikoff, poet (31 Aug 1894-1976)
 

We enjoyed seeing the photos of Chloe's birthday and the new additions to the family! Our 40th milestone seems an age away! I assume Chloe is back in Vancouver now.

We returned from our Baltic cruise on QE2 two weeks ago after having a thoroughly relaxing holiday and seeing some very interesting places throughout the Baltics. Russia was particularly interesting although, because we didn't have independent visa's, we had to be chaparoned on our independent walks around Saint Petersburg! We have booked a cruise next year with Maur and Bill on Queen Mary to the States and Canada.  Anyway when we returned to England it was straight into two weeks of hectic activity. 

[Gayle and Tris at Glendurgan gardens] After our shipped docked at Southampton we picked up Tristan and brought him back to Cornwall since his pre school had broken up for the summer and Marnie still had work to do at the university. We arrived back to a sad looking greenhouse and overgrown garden so with looking after Tris and trying to get everything else shipshape its been non stop. Friends of ours from Stoke on Trent came down to look after Spuddy but I'm afraid they are not gardeners in any way! It was good of them to come all that way to look after the cat who they immediately took to. Think we now need another holiday!

Marnie joined us last week with dog in tow so she could have a few days to work on her PHD and complete writing the end of a chapter to a book one of her university colleagues is writing on primary education. I was usually on the beach walking the dog at 6.15 am each morning and, apart from Gulls, the beach was deserted. They all went back on Sunday. Phew…! We did have a great time with Tris. He is so entertaining and no trouble to look after and, of course, he loves his little holidays in Cornwall on the beaches.

Last couple of days I have been busy making tomato chutney's and passata. I overdid it with the tomato plants and have a glut of them. I also have chilli peppers and sweet peppers in abundance so next year I will have to rethink the quantity of plants. As soon as I have harvested everything I will give the greenhouse a good clean and start some quick salad crops for the autumn and winter.
 

[Another batch of tomatos ready for the pot!] In amongst all this we have also been doing our volunteer stints at Trelissick doing bug hunts, snail racing and bug hotel building with the visiting children.

Krissy probably told you that, shortly before we left on our cruise, Brian (my sister Audrey's husband) passed away from congestive heart failure. He has been sick for some time and, fortunately, Gayle and I were at Audrey's having a coffee when he passed. (He never went into hospital). So at least she was not on her own.

Krissy sent me a photo of her new (used!) pick up truck. She could have passed for a cowgirl standing beside it in her jean dress. If she had a Stetson she would feel very much at home in Calgary! I will attach the photo in case you haven't seen it.

I'm determined to get my bike back on the road next week when things have calmed down a bit but at the moment I'm not looking forward to tackling these Cornish hills. Next week is the end of the holiday season so the roads should be a lot quieter. Cornwall has been inundated this year with tourists. I think this is mainly due to the fact that after the Brexit vote the pound devalued quite a bit against other currencies so a lot of people vacationed at home. Best wishes to you all

[Krissy's pick up truck!] Good luck with the hip, Pat.  We are leaving for England and Italy on the 11 so will miss you.  Hope all goes well.  Will contact you on our return.  Maybe make a visit with some of that jam and bread!  Prolly Hi Pauline, Enjoy your trip. Would love to have you visit in the Fall. Best Corinne

Pat, Thanks for the recent photos and news. I can never believe how old I look but I'm very fortunate to be able to remain active. Doing a lot of riding over the last 10 days with my friends Jim(London) and Ken(Kimberley). Even rode over Second Narrows and up to the Seymour Demonstration Forest and reservoir on Monday. Heading to Kimberley on Sunday and Kelowna the following Thursday. Intend to do an easy ride around the Myra Canyon one day and we are planning a bike tour of the wineries around Oliver on our way back to Vancouver with a couple I know from UBC days, so it doesn't look as though we have time to do the Skaha ride you and I were talking about. If there's anything I can do for you when you come down for the hip replacement, please let me know. Ray

[Tris with his "friend"] Aart has kindly agreed to lead another hike, this time up Fire Mtn, off McLean Rd. So we will again meet at Home Hardware in Penticton at 9am, and Summerlanders can carpool at 8:40am at the IGA parking lot. Post hike debrief location to be determined, but likely KVR pub at the Ramada. Pam

Hi Patrick, According to Dave there are several SMWS events throughout the year, so we’ll be able to accommodate your surgery recovery. On a side note, we are expanding the size of our Dram Committee for this year’s event (which is at Performance Works on March 10th this year – announcement to come soon) and we were wondering if you’d be interested in taking a role on the committee. You’ve been a strong supporter of both the Festival and the Dram, so we wanted to ask if you or anyone you know may be interested in joining the committee. Cheers, Andrew Forshner Development Director Vancouver Writers Fest

[Marnie and Tris at park in Falmouth] Hi Patrick Sorry we missed your last visit and were not able to share Polly's bread and wonderful peach jam with you. We head of to the UK and Italy on 11 September so will not be in town when you come down for your hip operation. We are gone for a month returning on 9 October .
 
Good luck with the hip, Pat.  We are leaving for England and Italy on the 11 so will miss you.  Hope all goes well.  Will contact you on our return.  Maybe make a visit with some of that jam and bread!  Prolly Summer has flashed by but has been very enjoyable with several visits from friends and family , which has not helped reduce my waist-line , but has significantly reduced my wine cellar , including all my Terra vista! Hopefully we can make a trip to the okanagen in the fall to replenish stocks and see you and corine. I do hope the op goes well and that the recuperation process is not too painful. I will be thinking of you as I sip a glass of Barolo. Cheers Mick

[Gayle's brothers son, daughter in law and two children were visiting them from Sweden in August]