Arrivederci 2015 Blues: Thursday, December 31st

The most important discoveries will provide answers to questions that we do not yet know how to ask and will concern objects we have not yet imagined. -John N. Bahcall, astrophysicist (30 Dec 1935-2005) 

Dearest Janet! Thanks so much for your lovely Christmas card, marvellous letter and  New Year's wishes, which just arrived, most fittingly, this morning! At any rate, I wanted to thank you again, for making India such a wondrous, wondrous experience. As you mentioned in your note, we certainly want to have an extended palaver about our adventures so hope this will take place in the not too, too distant future.
 

[Margareta Maunsbach Enjoyed this very nice wine with a couple of friends this evening. Only drops brought back from okanagan but fully worth it HAPPY NEW YEAR!! XO Margareta Patrick James Dunn Hello Dottore! Buona Fortuna and Healthy, Exciting New Year, from Lady Dar. Glad you enjoyed the Ice Wine. Stay well, dear friend. Love to you and the Lads! Cheers, Patrizzio!]

There will just be the two of us this evening, to bring in the New Year. Not that we mind as we plan to eat and drink our way to midnight and not have to worry about driving anywhere. Earlier this morning I reminded Lady Dar of a similar New Year's Eve, back in the early 2000's, when we drove back from California, after spending Christmas with Ayn and Los Horridos. We thought we might bring in the New Year with good friends in Portland but somehow wires managed to become crossed and they were not at home when we knocked on their door! Since it was early afternoon we decided we'd just continue on to Vancouver. Thought we'd be home by around 8:00pm as I5 was clear and dry. However, hadn't counted on border being as unbelievably busy as it was. I suppose scads of Americans were heading to Canada to bring in the New Year. 

[George and Barb came for supper at seven then went home Cody and Dustin coming out tomorrow. Love Mum]
 
At any rate, we pulled into The Islay Inn around 10:00 pm and set about preparing our late dinner. Had plenty of California wine from the trip so we were well set on that account. I think we had a few steaks in the freezer and while they thawed we made a salad and ate appetizers, toasting each other and pleased that we had decided to celebrate at home. Mom lived next door at the time but she and Fernando, (Alfred/Alfreddo, actually but I liked to tease him!), had been invited, for the evening, to a friend from bridge/church so we phoned to wish them well. Brought in the New Year watching events in Times Square and elsewhere around the globe. Plan to do much the same this evening. What are your plans? 

Just before I started this message I put our "bubbly" on ice. Actually, in a small snowbank on our back patio! Neighbour across the way, Terry, gave it to us at our Boxing Day Open House. It's a 2011 Noble Ridge One, a very tasty sparkling wine we've had a number of times before, although not this vintage.

Not sure if Chloë has been in touch yet but I asked her to deliver, (either to you or to a branch library), the adapter plug, (which we used every day), and 2 ₹ten notes, (Managed to spend rest of our rupees at Duty Free in Delhi!), along with a small present/souvenir from our trip, as a tiny thank-you for everything. Best wishes for a Healthy New Year to you, Janet, and family, from both Lady Darjeeling and I. See you here in Penticton, very early in 2016 I trust! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Pics: Lady Dar in her easy chair, in her slippers, in front of the fireplace, waiting to be served a spot of tea; "Champers" beneath the watchful eye of Angel Frida Kahlo! She doesn't seem to feel the cold. Guess she's been poundin' heavenly hootch already!!!

Hello Brisbanites! Thanks so much for your New Year's wishes! Seems as if Father Time works his ways in the Southern Hemisphere as well as the in the North as there will just be the two of us "oldies" this evening, to bring in the New Year. Not that we mind as we plan to eat and drink our way to midnight and not have to worry about driving anywhere, unlike you, I gather, up at 6:00 am or earlier! Best wishes for a Healthy New Year to you, Claire de Lune and Grievous Angel Grogg, and family, from both Lady Darjeeling and I. See you here in Penticton, in the not too, too distant future, we trust! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello to the snow belt! Thanks for the email. We returned to Cornwall on Dec 28th after spending a great Christmas in Southampton. It was a bonus having Krissy and Mark here as well. Mark flew in on Dec 23rd.  His sister picked him up from Gatwick airport and they drove back to Tanya's place in Winborne. We pass Winborne on the way to Southampton so picked Mark up on the way up to Marnie's. Mark returned to Winborne on Christmas Eve to have a 'German" Christmas with his folks, who were spending the holidays with Tanya and Charles, then returned to Marnie's early Christmas morning to spend Christmas day and boxing day with us. 

We had a great time and, of course, Tristan adored having all the family around apart from Ant's mum who is still very poorly and couldn't make it for dinner.  We returned to Cornwall on the 28th and Krissy and Mark went off to Scotland. On route they stayed a day with their friends in London then took the train to Glasgow to spend a couple of days with Rhona and Laurie (who you have met). They are off to Edinburgh today for Scotland's Hogmanay New Years street party celebrations and returning to Southampton on Jan 3rd. They have such good times together but I'm still not sure what their future plans are. Kids eh?! We will also be going up to Southampton for a couple of days to see them off. Krissy has her flight booked on the 5th and Mark on the 6th. Fortunately there are direct trains from Southampton into Gatwick airport so we don't need to worry about driving them.


Ant, Mark and me  went to see Star Wars at the 3D IMAX in Southampton on boxing day. Certainly put the screen at our local cinema here in Truro to shame! Everyone else went for a walk at Lyndhurst and we joined them later for plenty of leftovers from the Christmas feast!

Marnie, Ant Tris and the dog were supposed to have joined us for New Years but Ant's mum was taken into hospital yesterday so that won't be happening. She is getting frailer by the day unfortunately. Because of the hectic Christmas, Gayle and I have decided not to join the other revellers here on New Years Eve and will go to our favourite Italian restaurant for an early dinner and back home to open a bottle of champers and chill in front of the fire. It is highly unlikely we will still be awake when the midnight hour approaches!
 

Unlike yourselves this is the mildest winter I can remember. We have daffodils blooming already and I have even seen some spring blossoms on the trees. Our shrub roses are still throwing up flowers! Looking across at the field opposite as I write I see the sheep munching on the lush grass. They have had a very easy winter so far. Although we have had some wet weather we have missed the very heavy persistent rainfalls they have been experiencing up north where there has been substantial flooding. I do feel for the hundreds of people who's homes have been inundated with flood water.

Our new neighbour, Stella, moved in some weeks a go. She is a very charming 76 year old living by herself with her 19 year old cat! Her son (a retired police officer) and daughter in law live near Perranporth. They will be selling there house and looking for a place in the south of France. Stella has been cat sitting for us a couple of times and she will again when we go up to Southampton on the 3rd. When we are away this summer we have some friends from Stoke on Trent house sitting for us so they will look after Spud. We didn't want to impose on her good nature for extended periods.
 

I have finished the base for my new greenhouse and waiting for it to be installed which I hope will be in January ready for seed planting in February. Very much looking forward to growing my own heirloom tomatoes etc this summer. Gayle and I wish you a very happy New Year.

Pics: All of us at Christmas dinner, yours truly and Krissy, Spud trying to be helpful!, Sheep grazing in field opposite, flowers still blooming in the garden!and, base for my greenhouse  [Pics didn't come through!] 

Hello Daffodil, Early to Bed People! Thanks so much for your wonderfully informative Christmas account, Green-House Man! [I'm jealous. I hope to have some raised garden beds this spring but  I can only dream about my own greenhouse!!!] Sounds like a veritable whirlwind of social activity. Can't argue with your plans for this evening. Best wishes, again, for a Healthy New Year to Gayle, Derek and Spudnik, from both Mme Coriandre and I. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Gaudeamus!

great to hear from you guys, we are in Sedona, since Nov 17th, after staying with Kelsey, our daughter, in Pocatello for 6 days on our drive down. Kelsey, her boyfriend and new puppy dog came Dec 20th and she's here till Jan 9th. Her boyfriend has another friend staying here for a few days before the 2 of them leave to visit Grande canyon and other national parks. Kelsey too busy with her studying to go and also tent camping too cold for her at this time. The puppy is adorable and extremely well behaved.

We drive back to Penticton around mid Feb but won't decide exact dates till the last minute as it will depend on weather conditions. We fly out of Kelowna to New Zealand/OZ Feb 24th and not back from there till April 27th. May be able to see you before we fly to NZ but depend on when we get back.
 

Weather here has been mostly sunny, temps a bit colder recently and have had a little snow but usually melts by next day. I've got a new second hand road bike and already done well over 1000 miles so it's been good for biking. Only problem here is that hardly anyone bikes except for extreme mountain biking but have got 1 friend who lives close by so good for this year. She's from Alaska and only here this year.

Anyway all is good healthwise for us both and hope same for you. Look forward to seeing you both. Take care, keep having fun and a very happy new year to you, Cora Lee and Chloe hugs form Gill and Phil

Hello Sedona Folk! Thanks so much for your last update. I thought you might have been off to NZ from Sedona but do hope we'll see you in February. I'm really jealous of your cycling miles, Giliana, as I can only dream about logging such distances, given our weather! Best wishes, again, for a Healthy New Year to you Giliana and Filippo, from both Mme Coriandre and I. See you, here in  Feb, we trust, so we can ride the KVR together, I dearly hope! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Pic: Aarturo popped by this morning to drop off the "surprise birthday cake" for Jos' 65th on the 2nd. We are to bring it over so she doesn't suspect anything.
Hi Aarturo! Great to see you this morning! Best wishes, again, for a Healthy New Year to you, Aarturo, and my udderly favourite Jos, from both Mme Coriandre and I. See you soon in 2016, we trust! Cheers, Patrizzio! 
Dear Dunns, Thank you for fulfilling your social obligation by sending us your progress report from the Knockyournoggin. Thanks also for the standing invitation to visit you all out there in Fruitville.

Here's a photo of us, taken on Christmas day by our gracious and gregarious next door neighbour, Caitlin Whitmore, who captured the Canon moment. from left to right: Scott, Kaitlyn's sweetheart, looking as tough as a viking berserker, which he well might be. Koda, their rescue mutt, who I believe suffers from a form of canine ADHD. Travis, strong and confident as ever, wearing his thousand dollar expedition parka. Sally, laughing behind her colour-matched scarf. Me, being held up by 2 of my women. Kaitlyn, wearing her turquoise toque, the only bright colour in the pic. Gotta' go now and decide what to do with over left toirkey. Happy New Year! Filmer and Sally 

Hello Parka People! Thanks so much for your group photo and New Year's wishes! Best wishes for a Healthy New Year to you, Sally and Toikey Man, Clan Hubble, et al, from both Lady Darjeeling and I. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pics: Lady Dar in her easy chair, in her slippers, in front of the fireplace, waiting to be served a spot of tea or a slug of Old Monk rum; "Champers" in snowbank, beneath the watchful eye of Angel Frida Kahlo!

Hello Kentonites! Have you moved again without letting us know? Haven't heard  squeak for ages.  What are your plans for tonight? Best wishes for a Healthy New Year to you, Judy, Kimbo, Caitlyn, Alejandro, Conspiracy Bill and Peachman from both Lady Darjeeling and I. See you, here in Fruitvale, in the not too, too distant future, we trust, so we can knockyournoggins with wine bottles! Cheers, Patrizzio! Picture from Clan Hubble, commentary by Filmer

Hey Patrick and Coriander have a happy New Years evening sounds very pleasant we on the other hand are going to a social tonight which will be less relaxing but should be ok going with a good friend of ours and her new man.

The social is for a girl that grew up with Alexander and the friend we are going with is her aunt. Alexander and the Hurricane are going as well so we will see them there. Kimbo and Chris are the only children at home Katy has to work tonight she is living and working at Wawanesa Katy passed her Lpn course and got a permanent position at Wawanesa.

We have started renovating the basement Chris has been helping I have very much enjoyed them being here we are both very fond of Chris and he is glad to help, but with some of the things he says I feel that I and the Pig Islander have been less of a positive influence on him. He is the son of the local Penticostal minister so we have turned him into a heathen , I don't think he minds. Thank you for the many greetings from India hope you enjoyed it though it sounded a bit sketchy at times. Must sign off as dinner is calling talk soon will send pics of new dog Maggie and basement.

Pics as promised Kimbo and fiancé Christopher (God boy) Maggie new puppy black as a boot a perfect angel like me and my children. Explanation might be required to explain Maggie our previous dog Addy had always had some issues with the occasional seizure but with a strict diet and tlc seemed to be okay for a long time then all of a sudden he started having seizures on continuous basis so I had to put him down it was a sad day because he had finally settled in and wasn't so insecure. Who knows what went wrong anyhow decided to give the dog thing one last try so we adopted Maggie even though Alex said that this is where other people's pets go to die. Other pics are the basement renos west wall ready to tape and paint north wall half done and east wall not yet deconstructed (remanents of Bill and Norma) 

Hi Renno People! No word for aeons and then messages galore! Great snaps. Keep up good work and when all is finished head west. We need cheap, (aka "free"), skilled labour, here on Burns Street! Have to go but just wanted to send along more wishes for a Healthy, Exciting New Year, from Lady Dar, busy in the kitchen, preparing a feast, and I, tending the fire and the keyboard, sipping on a 2014 Township 7 Un-oaked Chardonnay, 12.8%, the first bottle to be cracked this long winter's evening! Stay well, dear, dear cousins. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello Harbour Terrace, Newfoundland et al! Great that you will be staying at the end of January, Flamin' and Sarge! Trust everyone is well. Best wishes, for a Healthy New Year to you, Flamin' and Sarge, and rest of Clan Sutherland/Darrow/Mercado and to Connors/Trueman/Woodbury/Traugutt families, from both Mme Coriandre and I. See all of you, here in Penticton, in the not too, too distant future. Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Pics: Lady Dar in her easy chair, in her slippers, in front of the fireplace, waiting to be served a spot of tea or a slug of Old Monk rum, from India; Friend, Aarturo, from hiking group, popped by this morning to drop off this wife's "surprise birthday cake" for Jos' 65th on the 2nd. We are to bring it over so she doesn't suspect anything; Tonight's "Champers" in snowbank, beneath the watchful eye of Angel Frida Kahlo! She doesn't seem to feel the cold. Guess she's been poundin' heavenly hootch already!!! Welcome plaque awaits Freeloaders!!!

Hi again, Kurt! Sorry to hear about your cold but wonderful to learn that you will be a Pirate in the Caribbean soon. Envy you New Orleans! Travel safely and send us a few updates from your various ports of call. Buona Fortuna, Bon Voyage and a Healthy, Exciting New Year, from Lady Dar, busy in the kitchen, preparing a feast, and I, tending the fire and the keyboard, sipping on a 2014 Township 7 Un-oaked Chardonnay, 12.8%, the first bottle to be cracked this long winter's evening! Stay well, my friend. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Pic: Above mentioned Chardonnay and the 2013 Township 7 NBO, (Blend of Cabbage and Merlot from Blue Terrace Vineyard, North Bench Oliver), 13.1%, to go with our grilled lamb chops, later this evening. Cheese is a Baby Grey from Upper Bench, to be devoured as soon as I send this messagio! 

Hello Dear, Dear Friends! Trust everyone is well. Best wishes, for a Healthy New Year to one and all, from both Mme Coriandre/Lady Darjeeling, and I. See everyone, here in Penticton, in the not too, too distant future, we trust. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hello Murielle Merveilleuse! Trust you are well. Thanks for the stunning pictures! Best wishes, for a Healthy New Year to you, Murielle, from both Mme Coriandre/Lady Darjeeling! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dearest Floridian and Cactoosian, Quasi-Ukrainians! Thanks so much for your lovely, lovely Christmas card, marvellous insert and  New Year's wishes, which just arrived, most fittingly, this morning! At any rate, I want to thank you again, for reminding me of part of my Iro-Ukrainian background! Glad the concert was so special. Trust you are both well. Best wishes, for a Healthy New Year to you, Naughty Nancy and you, Flour Man, from both Mme Coriandre/Lady Darjeeling and I. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dearest Island Folk! Trust everyone is well. Best wishes, for a Healthy New Year to all four of you, from both Mme Coriandre and I. Cheers, Patrizzio!   

Hello Dottore! Glad you enjoyed the Ice Wine. Stay well, dear friend. Love to you and the Lads! Cheers, Patrizzio!

Happy New Year everyone. I look forward to a great year and wish the same for you. I would love to be there with you to drink the bubbly but only for a minute after I look at your snow!!  Went out to buy a ham for tomorrow's dinner for the kids and now tucked in with Netflix.  Enjoy! Hi Netflix Woman! Come on up and I'll endeavour to keep you warm!  Cheers, Patrizzio!

 

Hi Patrick, Happy New Year to you two! Tell Corinne that we adaptable Aussies are able to sleep anywhere even on blow up beds(Ayn’s), or in windowless dens(the Sutherlands) so a swag on the veranda will be poifect! My plan is to be at your place any time between25/26/27th January so I will not take up any space reserved for free loading rellies and friends!!! We are still sweltering in 38C every day with air conditioner going full blast.

Last night we went to Semaphore to watch the fireworks, along with many thousands of others, it was a typical balmy Adelaide summers night. The fireworks were spectacular.

I should take a photo of Trevor’s reorganised garage, which he calls his shed as we have never parked any vehicles in it. He has done a major decluttering of much stuff, 4 weeks of full rubbish bins, recycling bins and many trips to the Op shop later and he has space in the middle. He then decided to get rid of the dusty, rusty shelves and purchased closed in cabinets, this means when he is doing wood working jobs then the sawdust will not attach itself to everything! It is now looking very schmick! Must go and have some brekkie. Cheers, Tina 

Hi again, Sweltering Adelaide! Soak up the sun, Teens, as you'll be in a snowbank, with a thin blanket! Congrats on garage, Trevor! My hero!!! Stay well, dear friends until next we meet. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hello Alberta! Best wishes, for a Healthy New Year to you both, dear, dear friends Cheers, Patrizzio! Hello Snobby Bobby! Thanks for the wonderful, wonderful card! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Hi Patrick, We are really happy to welcome you to Beer Crafty. Once a week we will send you reviews of great locally brewed beers and news about craft beer events happening in BC. Rest assured that we will never sell or share your email address with anyone and we won’t send you anything that isn’t about beer. Beer Crafty will be at as many local craft beer events as we can and hope to meet you in person soon. Thank you for joining us. Cheers, Robert French Chief cook and bottle washer The Beer Crafty Team.

Hi Crafty Man! Can hardly wait for first posting! Buona Fortuna with new venture and may all your hands be openers! Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Hi again, Joan! Meant to send this along earlier when I happened to come across it. Still trying to "tidy" up my email. A year later!!! How time flies!!! Cheers and Happy New Year, Patrizzio!

Hi Pat! Thanks for the email and the newsy info on the bike ride and the movie..  I am going to forward your pics on to my brother Murray just to make him jealous of us here in Vancouver while he is in Saskatoon! So,  Joanne and I made it to Indio and the time share ..  she is a great driver and of course I know my scintillating company was enjoyed by her.. tee hee.
 

I only drove for about an hour , if that, I chickened out at the entrance to the freeway into LA..  Night time and several lanes of highway going to god knows where..So kuddos to Joanne! The date is now Dec. 23rd and I have just arrived back today from Palm Springs where the sun was shining in 80 degree weather…  Oh well..  we have some too. Merry Xmas to you and Cora Lee and I hope to see you around in the near future! Joan
 

Thanks for the email from last year! I almost didn’t recognize the details on our trip to the states.. how time flies!! Great pictures of your home and the bubbly out in the snow!!! Purrrfekt place for it! Am ensconced here at my place tonight and hope to be awake at midnight.. for the New Year. All the Best! Joan (spoke to Merna yesterday.. she is well and her new hip is healing nicely) 

Late night as we didn't go to bed until around 3:00 am! After we had enjoyed our salad and then the remarkably tasty lamb chops, broiled to poifection by Mme Coriandre, along with grilled haricots verts and fresh carrots, it was close to midnight so we popped the cork on our Noble Ridge One and toasted each other and the New Year, watching some of the coverage from New York. The highlight for me, in terms of entertainment, was a clip of Jimmy Buffet singing Wasted Away in Margaritaville, on stage somewhere in Brooklyn, I believe. I still own his third album, an LP, A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean! Another terrific clip was Stephen Colbert singing, along with James Taylor, on guitar, a deadly, curare tipped skewering of today's culture to the most cleverly, wittily changed lyrics of Fire and Rain.

After we said goodnight to Vacuum Land, we sat on the couch, side-by-each, in front of a blazing fire, enjoying both its warmth and the spectacle of flame and ruby coals, the crackle of logs and the whiff of wood smoke when adding another piece of fir to the inferno. Sipping our very, very tasty Noble Ridge sparkling, we talked, at length, about our move to Penticton and our hopes/plans for the coming year. All in all, an extremely pleasurable way to welcome 2016. Now, all we have to do is act on on thoughts and dreams! Onward!! Fight!!! 

Great to hear from you. I'm polishing off the tail end of the Roederer Champagne which we uncorked after our Golden State Warriors won short-handed in Houston, and have the DeLoach Chard that I watched the game with waiting for me to finish off when the bubbly is gone.  We are also planning to have a quiet evening at home (and a roisterous party up near Wildcat Canyon tomorrow afternoon) but we will settle for celebrating New Year's in New York or perhaps Chicago before tucking it in. 

[My scarf from India matches my top perfectly...thank you xoxo!! Here is to 2016 and all it will bring! Love to all, Ayn Gorgeous!!!!]

I hear Ms. Nancy upstairs lecturing her miscreant brother (not husband) Dave on the phone, he is no doubt plastered (*not like her husband a sober citizen if ever there were one).  The sad news for us is that tomorrow morning I will be driving our "Chinese daughter" Lin, who has been here most of the holiday, to SFO where she takes off for Chapel Hill to resume her day job as a visiting scholar.  Our home will feel empty after she abandons our guest room.  She did research here on Ferlinghetti 8 years ago.  She was to meet her husband in Honolulu, he's a chemist in Chengdu, but his visa did not come through. That sounds terrible, but her love for him is pretty much gone (they have a 12 year old boy) and she is looking forward to seeing an old crush of hers back in the South. She is also contemplating a conversion to Christianity, although those two impulses don't seem a good combination.  In any event, we love her and will feel like empty nesters when she's gone. 
 

Our adventures this holiday included Asian Arts Museum (Japan and West, special show) the DeYoung (Art of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition), the fabulous play "Disgraced" and thanks to Lin, "Three Idiots," a sensational Bollywood film that I heartily recommend.  Not sure what distresses me more, Nancy dealing with her brother's recurrent relapses into drunken disorder or the sounds of Lin packing.  Luckily, there is Mozart to mollify the tortured soul....

Glad to hear you are swimming again and I hope the arms are working.  Time to recount our physical woes to each other next time we deprive a Zin bottle of its contents.  Also delighted that you enjoyed the idea of the Ukrainian concert-wish you could have been there as it was just an amazing and unique event. As for your snow, you are welcome to it, although Berkeley has been colder than we can remember (almost) so I've even had to abandon my shorts and sandals. Happy New Year, we will be thinking of you and I raise my champagne flute in your collective honor even as my fingers roll over the keyboard on Nancy's I-Pad.  Love to Chloe as well! Cactus

Thank you and Corrinne for your friendship in 2015, we have enjoyed every moment with you and look forward to many more in 2016 & beyond! Happy New Year and ... indeed ... see you soon! Aart & Jos  Hello Aarturo! Looking forward to seeing you both in 2016! I've signed up for the Monday Boot Camp with Big Al! Cheers, Patrizzio!