IIDD, May 29th

Hi Whirlygig!

Thanks for ride, indeed! Great way to eat up the miles without hardly noticing distance involved!!

Here is what I sent to Paradiso Perdito, in response to his email informing me of his purchase of a new bike rack:

Hi Genralissimo!

It is with much pleasure, not to say sheer delight and much anticipation that we look forward to the oft promised collection of said bicycle from our deck where it has been languishing at great inconvenience, (not to mention the unsightliness of the panorama it presents to occupants and passersby alike), to both The Sisterhood and Maggie for lo these many days! That being said, you were sorely missed when Whirlygig and I pedaled, strenuously, (perhaps it was best that you were not along!), out to UBC and along Marine, over Arthur Lang, to Steveston. Barnacle Branko wasn't at the marina so we proceeded towards home, via , CSTB and Cambie, dipsy-doodling to the Seawall where I chaperoned Whirlygig to his turnoff, returning, via The Seawall, past Science World, making for Stanley Park, to just under the Granville Bridge, and thence to Legacy to supplement my malt collection with Clan Denny a vatted, Speyside. Haven't purchased vatted malt in the past but Daryl, whom you will remember from our visit to Legacy, on the ill-fated day of your abandonment of bicycle, has convinced me to try some of the ones available there. 82K on the odd meter by time I was in front of store, not having stopped once during entire ride! Of course, I had Whirlygig along, for the sole purpose of activating Pedestrian/Cyclist signal buttons at all the traffic light controlled intersections en route. Next to Mario's, down the way, for dessert: coconut and mango gelato, a small tub of each. Mildly annoyed that one is charged 25 cents to use a debit card on top of paying such a hefty price for their product. I still fuss about having to pay $2 for parking at Costco, downtown, when we usually spend $300 or more at each visit. Drives me to drink, so to speak! In fact, I never drank malt until we started shopping there a few years ago!

Back home, (87K but can only, in all conscience, record ride data at 82K!), to prepare dinner: spudolinos, salt and pepper encrusted; wild, wild salmon, (Costco, ironically); zucchini, fried in oniones, garlic and yellow pepper, topped with parmegiano, and saladin: butter lettuce, radishes, cukes, and feta, topped with sliced tomats and chopped green oniones. Joanne, another babe from 4th Floor, together with Ann and Robert Hughes, (her son, an aspiring actor), made guest list. We know Ann through her mother, Betty, a very close friend of Clarisse and Dusty, Cora Lee's parents, who summer in Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

We were enjoying a Pastis before Joanne arrived and when neighbours, Kareen and Peter Zebroff walked by on path outside, I hailed them and they joined us for a drink: 2006 Trivento, Golden Reserve, Malbec, Mendoza, 14.8%. Fab bouquet, full bodied, smooth, cherry and plum on the palate, dry finish with noticeable, pleasing, lingering tannins. I had also opened the 2009 Juno Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa, Western Cape, 13%, that I had picked up at Legacy, along with malt. Quite an earthy expression, (I would have said "herbaceous" when we lived in Upper Kits but now that we live close to the docks, I use far fewer high-falutin' adjectives and adverbs, not to mention nouns!), of the varietal, much different from most Californian, Chilean and New Zealand SB, or those that I like from BC, for that matter. More green grass as opposed to grapefruit or other citrus on the palate. Still, a tasty drop and a tentative foray into South African wine. I tend not to be overly fond of many of the ones in the price range which provides such wonderful product from both Argentina and Chile so I really know very little about either their reds or whites. One small step for Patrizio, a giant step for Readers of The Island Inn Diaries!

Both Kareen and Peter are truly lovely people, warm and friendly, full of life and humour. In case you didn't know, (and I only came to know much of this in dribs and drabs over the last few years), Kareen is/was something of a celebrity, a German yoga teacher and author. Apparently she is considered a pioneer of yoga in the Western world and became well known through her numerous published books and TV shows, in the 1970s, in Canada, the US and Germany. She is in her early 70's now and still very, very attractive. After she learned that Robert was hoping to make a career in acting, she asked Peter to fetch, (The Brotherhood are always sherpas!), one of her portfolios. She wanted to show a picture of herself that she thought would be a useful example, to Robert for his own self-marketing with agents, etc. She really didn't want to "parade herself", other than using the one shot but everyone else wanted to see many of the other pictures in the portfolio and she was a "real looker", let me tell you, in the good ole days!

After the Zebroffs left we sat down to dinner. There were only the four of us as Coriandre and Flamin' were at their last Book Club of seasione. Everything went more than swimmingly until Cora Lee and Flamin' returned from the Gathering of The Sisterhood and started to tell me what I had done wrong with the food! I survived, mainly because I was in charge of dessert. Mario's overpriced but delicioso gelatii went over rather well, I'm pleased to say, in spite of my earlier grislings!! Finished off with a few snorts of Clan Denny. Just to remind you, you bourbon guzzler you, a vatted malt is a whiskey that consists of two or more single malt whiskies added together. The major difference between a vatted malt and a blended whiskey is that vatted malts only contain single malt whiskies, whereas blends contain a mixture of single malts and grain whiskey.

From the information provided on the label, this vatted malt contains single malt whiskies from four Speyside distilleries: Dufftown, Glendullan, Linkwood and Mortlach. Pale gold in colour and to my tastebuds, vanilla and dried fruit on palate, with lemon or some such citrus on the dry finish. The latter, a characteristic of the Speysides I know, really just a smidgeon about, not the honey or caramel of some of the fuller Highland drops. Quite pleased, overall, and it found quite an audience with The Sisterhood as well, judging by the measures they each poured, more than once, just to be certain of this or that flavour! A good time was had by all. Of course, Scullion/Sherpa Dunn loaded dishwasher and did dishes which were left after it was full, Coriandre abed, bedside light still on, snoring softly, gently, an open book and a feline dropped/draped on/across her chest/tummy! The Bliss of The Sisterhood continues!

Come and collect your stinkin' bike! Cheers, Il Conductore!

This, plus pics, from Barnacle Branko, so I know he is alive, but not necessarily well:

Patriçio,

Barnicalés would be correcto. Note photos of prop & rudder were taken after debris on the ground!

Join me for a meal at the Fisherman's Boot café.

With respect to Sunday, Cora Lee and I can take her Smart Car so don't worry if Kerry's Mom will be joining us. Just let me know when you know and we'll plan accordingly.

I'm up for all the ride days but will have Toshi, our former Japanese boarder here until Thursday. (Am picking her up at YVR later this afternoon.) She is happy to wander GI and downtown, etc., without us so her presence isn't a restriction, with respect to my cycling. However, we are taking her to Everett on Thursday, to see and stay with another friend, (and then fly home, a day or so later, out of Seattle), and will pick up Pierre, our eldest grandson, to bring him back here for weekend. Not sure when we plan to leave but I'm hoping to get at least a Stanley Park before we head for border. Will know more when we confab with both Toshi and Pierre. Will send an email or give you a call later tonight to confirm tomorrow. Cheers, Il Conductore