Day 91, Posr-Op Dry Creek Coffaro Blues: Saturday, December 17th!

Fortune does not change men, it unmasks them. -Suzanne Necker, author (1739-1794)

Hello Donna Florida and Cactoosian! In the first instance, I do apologize for being so tardy in my filed reports from the road! As I have said, so often, in the past, no excuses, but plenty of reasons! Depending on traffico, etc., I assume we should be scrambling up Hacksaw Ridge between 5:00 pm-6:00 pm, perhaps earlier. Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Lady Dar with Etta and Duke night before we left. She is currently experiencing separation anxiety! 

Hello! Well it is finally snowing like crazy and it is Saturday afternoon! We have had a week of super cold weather and Damian announced that he doesn’t like school anymore because they never get to go outside anymore :( I haven’t been able to get any Christmas Cards done this year so it looks like they will travel to Sun Peaks with me and maybe a few will get in the mail over the next two weeks.

Anyway, if you want to check in with me via FB or follow me on Twitter or Instagram you can find me on those platforms now. Hope you enjoy the school photos of the boys :) They are now in Grade 3 and will be out of Booster seats when they turn 9 next May! I am really looking forward to that!!! Damian is no longer playing hockey. He loves Rock Climbing and had a great 10 week session of that this fall. Corben is enjoying hockey and is trying out for Spring hockey. Snow is falling and there will be a POWDER DAY tomorrow! Have to keep moving so I can get to the mountain :) I think I will stop here and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Lots of Love, Ariane

Dear Patrick, Your love of cast strengths is fulfilled. We did the pickup today. Stuart said that the bonus bottle, which is 5 parts scotch, 1 part rye, is delicious. Hope your drive went well and that you're enjoying California sunshine. Cheers from minus 10-land. Peter

Hello Jugos and Lurkin'! What fabulous, fabulous pre-Christmas presents! Thanks so much for pick-up, etc! This morning, we wended our way to West Dry Creek, after breakfast at Granzella's, [Fab Prosciutto/spinach omelletto for me!], to arrive at Coffaro around 1:00 pm to  connect with David, [Patrizzia was in SF for the weekend, visiting with their eldest daughter, Katie, so we didn't have a chance to see her.], for an hour or so. Then south to Villa Vicente. Traffico, for area, moved very well, so we were scrambling up Hacksaw Ridge, [Ironically, driveway is non-driveable it is so steep!], just after 5:00 pm. After we unloaded, we enjoyed another wonderful, wonderful meal, courtesy of Cactus. Plenty of wine and single malt so no complaints on the hootch side. 

Following the scrumptious dinner we watched, The Mystery of Van Gogh's Ear, an August 2016 BBC documentary, on YouTube. Fascinating story, if you don't know the details behind it. This is taken from the blurb describing documentary:

It is one of the greatest and bloodiest mysteries in art: what happened on the December night in 1888 when Vincent van Gogh took a blade to his own ear?
 
Jeremy Paxman joins art sleuth Bernadette Murphy on her amazing quest to discover the truth - what exactly did the artist do, why did he do it and who was the unknown girl he is said to have handed his severed ear to, her real identity kept secret by her family for over a century? It is an event that defines van Gogh, who created his greatest masterpieces including the sunflowers at the same moment as suffering mental torture, but what are the real facts?
 

This revealing detective story travels from Vincent's home in the south of France to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and uncovers key evidence hidden in a Californian library that has created an art-world sensation, as we finally solve the mystery of Van Gogh's ear.

Our friend, David Kessler, figures, very briefly, although most significantly and importantly, in film, as he worked at The Bancroft and "found", [It took a goodly number of painstaking searches of the folders in question as it was folded and tucked inside some other documents or letters!], the small drawing made by the doctor who attended Vincent after he cut off most of his left ear, in December, 1888. Van Gogh was taken to the hospital in Arles and placed in the care of Dr. Felix Rey, a 23 year old intern at the time. The drawing was done many years later, sometime in the 1930's, for Irvine Stone, when he interviewed Rey as part of his research for Lust for Life. 

Many of Stone's papers are held in The Bancroft and when Murphy discovered this she contacted the library and David happened to be the staff member who caught the request! Quite a story, on many levels! Fondestos from Lady Dar to you both, and a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year! See you January 3rd! Looking forward to it. Cheers, Patrizzio!

My old organization USAF......again, this year; but entertaining.....Arv:

Click here: USAF Band WWII Holiday Flashback - YouTube Pat is in the City for a few days and I am here waiting for you!! I hope you are talking about stopping by today Saturday since tomorrow I will be glued to the Raider game at 1pm........Dave