Day 90, Post-Op I-5 to Williams Blues: Friday, December 16th!

One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don't come home at night. -Margaret Mead, anthropologist (16 Dec 1901-1978)

Up at 6:05 am to have a quick shower while Lady Dar remains abed. Will start loading car as I'd like to get away as soon as is reasonably possible. Long drive ahead!

Potluck Christmas Dinner and Swim:

Patrick James Dunn Wouldn't miss it for the world! Will Joey be there? We've brought Etta and Duke and they are simply desperate to meet their California cousin! Duke obviously learned this from Joey!

Hello Dearest Portlandians! Thanks, again, for the wonderful, wonderful visit, brief though it was, and the unbelievable dinner! What a roast!!! As well, the hearty breakfast held us in good stead for many, many miles, so thanks, as always, for that. 

For our part, we had a very pleasant drive from Portland. I-5 was clear almost as soon as we were out of greater Portland. Arrived in Williams at just after 6:00 pm to find lodging at the "up-scale" Stage Coach Stop, Lady Dar moaning that she wanted to return to the luxury, sheer luxury of your place! After we unloaded what we needed we enjoyed a 2012 Coffaro Lagrein, 15.5%, from our dwindling/non-existent US wine cellar! At any rate, the Lagrein is a stupefyingly elegant blockbuster! When we'd posted a few messages, (and finished watching first Hallmark movie of the night), we strolled over to Granzella's, [A wonderful Italian restaurant/deli/sports bar, with a huge stuffed polar bear!], for dinner. They are extremely gracious about corkage, (We have never paid but I always say I own a small, boutique winery in Sonoma!), so another bottle of Coffaro, Mourvedre, I suggested, would be the choice from our travelling cellar.

Clear crisp evening but not far to go so we were there a minute after 9:00 pm. Didn't realize that the kitchen closes at 9:00 pm, on the dot, so no food to be had. Even deli was shut so we couldn't purchase anything there! Nothing to be done but return to our lair and open the 2012 Mourvedre, 14.5%, so that warmed us up quite quickly.

Fortunately we had a few "roadwiches" left so we snuggled down in bed with them and our hootch to watch two more of Ayn's Hallmark Channel Christmas movies. Rather sappy but it was fun, especially since we knew some of the "backstory" to how these are made, in terms of name actors, etc. 
Thanks again, Marilyn and Michaelao, for your ever warm, ever more than generous hospitality. Lovely to see you both. Fondestos from Lady Dar, watching The Young and The Useless, as I scribe. Will be in touch before we head north, [Tuesday, December 27th to overnight in Redding.], and, all things going well, we plan to be Portland late afternoon of Wednesday, December 28th. Happy Christmas to you both, and family. All the best. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Pics:  Lady Dar captured this, with her iPhone 7, of Mt Shasta as we sailed by! 

Hello Grumpy Raiders Fan/Winemaker! In the first instance, I do apologize for being so tardy in my reply. As I have said so often, in the past, no excuses, but plenty of reasons! Thank you so much for your lovely Christmas card and letter. Aside from anything else, sounds like exciting times ahead for the winery! Bravo! Onward!! Fight!!!

At any rate, we will wend our way to West Dry Creek tomorrow, probably arrive at your small, boutique winery around 1:00 pm, +/-, so hope we can connect with you and your beautiful, long-suffering Patrizzia! Fondestos from Lady Dar, (Her tongue is permanently stained and she will be forwarding a dental bill for teeth whitening shortly!), to you both! Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Pics: Lady Dar with Etta and Duke night before we left. She is currently experiencing separation anxiety so, upon hearing what I wrote, (above), she is definitely insisting upon the 2012 Mourvedre, 14.5% for dinner!

Pat, Hope all is well with you and Corinne and that the fracture you suffered has not hindered your recovery. Cold here, so not much cycling other than to the gym and back. Work is almost finished, so I finally have some time on my hands. We are off to the Carters' tonight for dinner and to Ken and Lisa's tomorrow (you met Ken once cycling), so it's an unusual whirl of social activity for us. Jenny arrives Christmas Eve, providing her flight isn't cancelled due to a British Airways strike and possible picketing. I have been doctoring my Christmas cakes with a 12 year old Demerera rum which certainly has a nice smell and hopefully a good flavour.

I think we have 8 people for Christmas dinner, so a large turkey is on order. I think I'll spend the rest of the afternoon reading the recent Peter Robinson book which is especially interesting as it involves a village near Stockton where Arthur lived and near where I grew up. The jacket is addressed to, 'The former Constable Banks.' Merry Christmas to you and Corinne. Ray

Hi Sylvia and Raymondo! In the first instance, I do apologize for being so tardy in replying to your newsy message of December 16th, Robo Man! As I have said, so often, in the past, no excuses, but plenty of reasons! Sounds as if you will have a lovely time with Jenny home for Christmas.
 

[Rae Tanner Joe and Chandy will be tucked away in their luxury suite so that Winston can have the run of the place! Ayn P Winston has the best cousins a little dog could ever hope for xo felines included]
 
We left Penticton last Thursday, crossing over into US just south of Osoyoos. Took 97 all the way to I-84, along the Columbia, and roads were terrific, no snow at all on the highway. However, driving was a bit dicey once on I-84 as the passing lane was still covered with snow and icy. Nevertheless, we are sporting snow tires so I felt like Sterling Moss racing past everyone going no more than 35 mph, (No joke!), hunched over their steering wheels, white knuckles visible in the failing light. Stayed with close friends, Marilyn and Michaelo Oliver, first night and enjoyed a fabulous time together. I had completely forgotten that I had left almost two full cases of Coffaro wine there! Christmas comes early to good little boys, obviously! Marilyn is a fantastic cook and had done a pork-rib roast to perfection.

We left Penticton last Thursday, crossing over into US just south of Osoyoos. Took 97 all the way to I-84, along the Columbia, and roads were terrific, no snow at all on the highway. However, driving was a bit dicey once on I-84 as the passing lane was still covered with snow and icy. Nevertheless, we are sporting snow tires so I felt like Sterling Moss racing past everyone going no more than 35 mph, (No joke!), hunched over their steering wheels, white knuckles visible in the failing light. Stayed with close friends, Marilyn and Michaelo Oliver, first night and enjoyed a fabulous time together. I had completely forgotten that I had left almost two full cases of Coffaro wine there! Christmas comes early to good little boys, obviously! Marilyn is a fantastic cook and had done a pork-rib roast to perfection.

Waved goodbye to our hosts just around 9:30 am next morning and had a very pleasant drive from Portland. I-5 was very clear, but a bit of blowing snow, until we were out of greater Portland. Huge dump two days earlier literally shut city down. Quite surprised that there was no snow at all, on highway, some beside, going over Mt Ashland. Arrived in Williams at just after 6:00 pm to find lodging at the "up-scale" Stage Coach Stop, Lady Dar moaning about my choice. She wanted to book into Granzella's Inn but when she discovered rates started at $125 US she changed her tune! Our room was $62, $68 with tax so with conversion, approximately $91 CAN With tax, for more expensive room, say $130 US, we could have spent $175 Can!

Chloë will fly into LA on Thursday and we will leave after Boxing Day, same day she flies back home. We will head north to overnight in Redding, and, all things going well, we plan to be back in Vancouver, on the 29th for three nights with Flamin' and Sarge, before driving to Penticton on January 1st to be reunited with Etta and Duke! Happy Christmas to you both, Sylvia and Ray, and family, as well as a Healthy New Year to one and all! Cheers, Patrizzio!

We had a great time, good OF company, good food, good singing ... can't
wait til next year ...Happy Holidays to you all! Aart Dronkers

Don't miss Ron’s Pop-Up Art Show wind up party 7 PM Saturday Dec17 at 868 East Hastings in Vancouver! The show is open this week 5-9 PM weekdays and Saturday and Sunday from 11AM-6 PM, exhibiting work of 15 artists and sculptors. Will feature the best of the Culture Crawl - great young artists from the Parker St. hive plus some Strathcona veterans from the Sculptors Society of BC of which I am a member. Artworks range from painting, photography, electronic media and collage to classic bronzes, stone carvings and pop art. See James Fletcher’s erotic stone carvings! Sponsored by Low Tide Properties Ltd. Hosted by the Sculptors’ Society of BC. https://www.facebook.com/events/376834929334043/

Boy is it cold! And it's still going to be cold next Monday so dress appropriately if you are coming on the hike which is going to be Bald Range in Summerland,. We will be starting at km 2 on the Summerland/Princeton Rd, with the slow farts. The slow farts may do something different from us, but we will start at the same place and end at the same place, same time. Coffee at Tim and Marian's. So meet at the IGA in Summerland at 9am and Pentictonites can carpool at 8:40am at Home Hardware.