For someone who is not supposed to be doing much, it certainly seems like it has been a busy week. It started with the long-awaited (by some of you1) visit to my doctor. He gave me a lecture, of course, about not going to the hospital when I was sick with pneumonia. I had to assure him that a doctor was a phone call away, and would have been at my bedside faster than a a doctor being paged in a Canadian hospital. In any event, following an ex-ray and an examination, he was reassured that I would actually live. That being the current prognosis, let's not talk about it any more. (There is nothing more boring than listening to other people's ailments, unless it is listening to other people's descriptions of their medical treatment.) Case closed.
I know it probably didn't make much news - if any - outside of Canada, but Tuesday was our provincial election in British Columbia. It was an exciting one for us, as it directly pitted the Liberals (read small "c" conservatives) against the New Democratic Party (read socialists), and the New Dems went into the election with a 20 point lead. In a stunning upset, the Liberals pulled off a huge win, returning with a greater majority than it had prevviously, back in office again after 12 years in office. I usually don't pay all that much attention to Canadian politics, but this one was a nailbiter, and lots of fun to watch. (And no, I won't tell you who I was rooting for, although most of you can probably guess!)
Wednesday was another bridge night, preceeded by dinner at Cardero's, a trendy joint close to John's, and thus handy for bridge addicts who also need to eat.
For those of you paying attention, the new face (far left) is Jules, a sometimes fourth when Tom can't make it. This actually works out pretty well, as Jules spends a lot of time in China on business. (I mention it only because it is such a Vancouver story.) You'll be happy to know that I am - slowly - remembering how to play bridge again!
Thursday, work consisted of our quarterly "interorganizational training" at a local hotel, the interorganizational consisting of a number of organizations working in the workers' compensation field. I usually find these things excessively boring; this time, though, it was like Old Home Week, seeing people I haven't seen since my (supposed) retirement, and getting lots of complements (always nice).
I have mentioned before, I think, the National Theatre of London live streaming some of their productions. (They are doing it in 60 movie theaters around the world, no doubt in a theater nearr you - see www.nationaltheatrelive.com) This is some of the best theater going - I can't recomend it enough. Anyway, on Thursday night, a few friends gathered for dinner at the local pub and a viewing of the latest offering, a play called This House. This is a new play by James Graham, and is about th machinations in the Houses of Parliament in London between 1974 and 1979. (For those of you who have forgotten, this was when Labour was hanging in by its teeth, and Thatcher was the leader of the Tories.) This was a spectacular piece of political theater. They will probably do an encore; if you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it. Next up is The Audience on June 13, with Helen Mirren reprising her role as the Queen, and, on September 26, Othello. Do this!
Still catching up with friends, I had lunch with Eric on Friday (I had texted him on Tuesday to congratulate him on his candidate's win - he was the campaign manager for one of the candidates - running as an independent - who was successful).
Eric is a neighbor, former colleague and friend, and we hadn't seen each other since he visited in Palm Springs ages ago, so we had lots (besides politics) to catch up on. We ate at our new favorite local joint called Two Chefs and a Table. It is in an industrial park, a very unlikely place for a restaurant, but it is having great success (perhaps because of the decadent hanburgers and the tater tots fried in duck fat! And yes, appetite has returned, although I still couldn't finish the hanburger!)
The sun finally came out after work, so I took a walk to the village. Just in case you think I exaggerate the picturesque nature of the place, all the roads were closed off to traffic because they were filing a movie - again!
Apparently is is some sort of Godzilla movie. Stay turned for details.
Okay, by this time, even I was worn out, and besides which, it was raining again, so Saturday was a stay-at-home Dottie-Domestic kind of day,you know, books, magazines, knitting by the fireplace, doing the laundry between chapters kind of day. It was actually lovely.
Today (Sunday, if you've lost track), I was back at it, catching up with yet another colleague/friend at Dim Sum at previously mention Fishrman's Terrace.
(I don't need to explain dim sum, do I?) Anyway, great fun, great food, and all I could manage for the day. Having picked up the Sunday New York Times I headed for home.
Oh, I also picked up some books. (Yes, real live books, the paper kind; this is a raspberry to all those who have lectured me about putting independent booksellers out of business by having a Kindle!) I got a hard copy of Jerusalem by Simon Montefiore (previously downloaded); a book called Suite Franaise by Irene Nemirovsky (I had started another book of hers, The Wine of Solitude last night, and it was so wonderful that I had to get another. By the way, this is a woman who died young in 1942 in the concentration camps, having been rounded up and sent there by the French); another in the Flashman series (see previous post); two Elizabeth Peters mysteries centered around Egypt and the tombs (and therefore timely); Ian McEwan's newest novel, Sweet Tooth (I am quite fond of McEwen); and, just for fun, a history of the Borgias. Oh, and I ordered Lawrence Durrell's The Alexandria Quartet (about, of course) Aleandria and therefore also timely .
This is the Victoria Day Weekend here in Canada, celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday. That means tomorrow is a holiday, although I might go in to work if it's raining. But that is for another week.
I know it probably didn't make much news - if any - outside of Canada, but Tuesday was our provincial election in British Columbia. It was an exciting one for us, as it directly pitted the Liberals (read small "c" conservatives) against the New Democratic Party (read socialists), and the New Dems went into the election with a 20 point lead. In a stunning upset, the Liberals pulled off a huge win, returning with a greater majority than it had prevviously, back in office again after 12 years in office. I usually don't pay all that much attention to Canadian politics, but this one was a nailbiter, and lots of fun to watch. (And no, I won't tell you who I was rooting for, although most of you can probably guess!)
Wednesday was another bridge night, preceeded by dinner at Cardero's, a trendy joint close to John's, and thus handy for bridge addicts who also need to eat.
For those of you paying attention, the new face (far left) is Jules, a sometimes fourth when Tom can't make it. This actually works out pretty well, as Jules spends a lot of time in China on business. (I mention it only because it is such a Vancouver story.) You'll be happy to know that I am - slowly - remembering how to play bridge again!
Thursday, work consisted of our quarterly "interorganizational training" at a local hotel, the interorganizational consisting of a number of organizations working in the workers' compensation field. I usually find these things excessively boring; this time, though, it was like Old Home Week, seeing people I haven't seen since my (supposed) retirement, and getting lots of complements (always nice).
I have mentioned before, I think, the National Theatre of London live streaming some of their productions. (They are doing it in 60 movie theaters around the world, no doubt in a theater nearr you - see www.nationaltheatrelive.com) This is some of the best theater going - I can't recomend it enough. Anyway, on Thursday night, a few friends gathered for dinner at the local pub and a viewing of the latest offering, a play called This House. This is a new play by James Graham, and is about th machinations in the Houses of Parliament in London between 1974 and 1979. (For those of you who have forgotten, this was when Labour was hanging in by its teeth, and Thatcher was the leader of the Tories.) This was a spectacular piece of political theater. They will probably do an encore; if you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it. Next up is The Audience on June 13, with Helen Mirren reprising her role as the Queen, and, on September 26, Othello. Do this!
Still catching up with friends, I had lunch with Eric on Friday (I had texted him on Tuesday to congratulate him on his candidate's win - he was the campaign manager for one of the candidates - running as an independent - who was successful).
Eric is a neighbor, former colleague and friend, and we hadn't seen each other since he visited in Palm Springs ages ago, so we had lots (besides politics) to catch up on. We ate at our new favorite local joint called Two Chefs and a Table. It is in an industrial park, a very unlikely place for a restaurant, but it is having great success (perhaps because of the decadent hanburgers and the tater tots fried in duck fat! And yes, appetite has returned, although I still couldn't finish the hanburger!)
The sun finally came out after work, so I took a walk to the village. Just in case you think I exaggerate the picturesque nature of the place, all the roads were closed off to traffic because they were filing a movie - again!
Apparently is is some sort of Godzilla movie. Stay turned for details.
Okay, by this time, even I was worn out, and besides which, it was raining again, so Saturday was a stay-at-home Dottie-Domestic kind of day,you know, books, magazines, knitting by the fireplace, doing the laundry between chapters kind of day. It was actually lovely.
Today (Sunday, if you've lost track), I was back at it, catching up with yet another colleague/friend at Dim Sum at previously mention Fishrman's Terrace.
(I don't need to explain dim sum, do I?) Anyway, great fun, great food, and all I could manage for the day. Having picked up the Sunday New York Times I headed for home.
Oh, I also picked up some books. (Yes, real live books, the paper kind; this is a raspberry to all those who have lectured me about putting independent booksellers out of business by having a Kindle!) I got a hard copy of Jerusalem by Simon Montefiore (previously downloaded); a book called Suite Franaise by Irene Nemirovsky (I had started another book of hers, The Wine of Solitude last night, and it was so wonderful that I had to get another. By the way, this is a woman who died young in 1942 in the concentration camps, having been rounded up and sent there by the French); another in the Flashman series (see previous post); two Elizabeth Peters mysteries centered around Egypt and the tombs (and therefore timely); Ian McEwan's newest novel, Sweet Tooth (I am quite fond of McEwen); and, just for fun, a history of the Borgias. Oh, and I ordered Lawrence Durrell's The Alexandria Quartet (about, of course) Aleandria and therefore also timely .
This is the Victoria Day Weekend here in Canada, celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday. That means tomorrow is a holiday, although I might go in to work if it's raining. But that is for another week.
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