If only I may grow: firmer, simpler, -- quieter, warmer. -Dag
Hammarskjold, Secretary General of the United Nations, Nobel laureate
(1905-1961)
We are going to get brother Rod at airport in a few minutes. We presume you will be here for Friday dinner. Keep us posted about your peregrinations. Giants just won the World Series so there are some seriously delirious people around here...
Enjoyed the first ride of the road trip today. Whirlygig, Glasgow and I rode the Silverado
Trail between Calistoga and St Helena, looping back on the main
highway. Not too, too much traffic, decent shoulders, so very, very
pleasant passing vineyards with their changing Fall colours! Stats for ride:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/623159268#.VGUNEoJVJ8g.email
If you follow the link it will provide a map of area.On to taste at Vincent Arroyo as I fel that The Lads needed to sample wine from at least one Napa winery! Had a grand time and very friendly, knowledgeable young man who poured for us even gave me two barrel clasps, designed by Vincenzo, for David Coffaro. He had bought a number of them a few years ago and when I mentioned we were staying with the Coffaros he immediately went into the winery to bring out clamps in question.
Next headed off for Alexander Valley as I wanted to stop at Soda Rock to collect two cases of wine that were being held for me. Upon arriving we met a young couple, Ben and Angela Thorne, and their four boys. Parents were sipping wine while lads were playing a bean toss game. Turned out they lived near Bristol and Ben, an environmental/agricultural consultant, knows Durston Garden Products and their peat farm, not well, but is certainly aware of operation and issues surrounding peat farming. Great visit with them while we tasted a terrific range of wines, some reserved for Wine Club Members, so I was pleased to share the perks all around.
As things turned out, I only had to pick up one case of wine as an earlier shipment had been sold as person thought I wasn't coming in to collect case. I wasn't at all unhappy, given the amount of wine I have "stashed" all the way along I5 from Portland to Bellingham. With credit for case sold I only had to pay a trivial amount for the Fall offering, just released. Waved goodbye to the Thornes and drove to Coffaros. It was close to 5:30 pm by this time and gate was closed! Learned later that Pat had phoned Cora Lee to see if she kne where we were. David can get very fussy if things do not happen exactly as planned so when he came outside to let us in he didn't even say hello, just grunted, "You're late and Series is on!" Stomped off back to the house. He is sports nut. Pat came out and said not to worry as game was being recorded.
Anyway, she let us in to their absolutely fabulous guest quarters, top part of the building, across from winery itself, where they store the bottled wine, and oriented us to facilities. We thanked her and she returned to watch game with David. We had already planned to have dinner in Healdsburg so we decided to watch Final ourselves. Lads managed to get TV to work and while they were doing that I served the antipasto Marilyn had sent along when we left Portland on Tuesday morning. We had kept it nicely refrigerated so it was a terrific appetizer, along with a couple of bottles of Coffaro that we needed to keep us lubricated until the Giants finally triumphed over KC Royals!
Once Series was over, we headed into town to dine at Ralph's. Since I've been many times, over the years, I was prety sure that the Lads would enjoy place as well. Took along a bottle of Soda Rock Merlot for corkage and quite enjoyed our meal. Back to the winery to have a few snorts of malt before we repaired to bed. Giorgio and I were in separate bedrooms while Glasgow had a very comfortable pull-out couch. What fab accommodazzzione so we all slept very well indeed!
Hello, Patrick and Corinne: Notwithstanding the supposed efficiencies of technology, I find that
sometimes things seem to get away from me more than ever before.
The
last few weeks have been particularly fraught. Thus, I only just
properly read the message below, which I have to admit
I had merely skimmed when it first arrived. On this closer reading, I
am truly chagrined to have totally missed the invitation to trivia night
on October 18th. It was a working Saturday for me, but the evening
would have been possible. Sigh. I'm sorry
I missed it, but hope that you prevailed nonetheless. I would love to
be invited again, if there is a future opportunity!
Yes, busy of late, and too-little time right now for a full recounting
of recent activities and pre-occupations. But one thing that you might
be interested to know is that I spent Monday evening with our mutual
friend, Andre (Rosemary no longer in town).
Andre is actually my friend Dan's friend, and I've only spent time with
him on a few occasions (always with Dan as well), but we are all very
comfortable together and I enjoy these times. Dan's apartment building
was recently bought by a developer, and he
has moved onto his sailboat at a marina in Marpole -- he has a passion
for sailing and is fixing up the old boat and seems to be quite happy in
the current circumstances.
Anyhow, I called Dan the other evening and
Andre had dropped by the boat for a visit.
They were going to make dinner together using Dan's very limited
kitchen facilities. I felt much in need of company (long story), so I
suggested that they come over around 7, and make dinner while I went to
my tai chi class (practically next door, at the
Kerrisdale CC).
Which is what ensued . . . so I returned from tai chi
at 8:15 to a repast prepared by Andre (Trinidadian chicken and rice)
together with a couple of bottles of wine. The guys are very open and
deliberately (jokingly) crude at times (they
try to one-up each other I think) but not in a way that offends. At
least, not me. I feel somewhat honoured, actually, that they don't
find me too fragile to just relax and josh in their usual way when I am
around.
I am short on time this morning, but I have an ulterior motive! It's
another request to attend an author evening at Dunbar (6:30 p.m.) THIS
EVENING. It's a biography book -- about the last living (though now
deceased) Canadian to be awarded a Victoria Cross.
Despite a moderate effort, I am pessimistic that we will get a very
large turnout. I know your lives are very busy and that it's a
longshot, but if at all possible, I would be in your debt!!!! Here's
more detail:
Glen Lockhart: Last
Man Standing. I'll be there and would be delighted to see you. Have to run now (Halloween baking project_ but hope this finds you well; look forward to hearing from you again soon. Janet
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