Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, I know, shocking.  Another post already.  But it is Thanksgiving (at least for the American lot), and a time for reflection.  Later this afternoon, I will be joinging 13 friends for a feast at the Four Seasons Resort and Golf Club (pictures to follow).  For now, though, I am sitting on my patio, reflecting on past, present and future.

Past.  I have had a good one, I have been very lucky in life, with work, love and friends, and although I still think about David every day, I still feel lucky to have had him for as long as I did, and he is with me in spirit still.

Present?  Well, for those of you who haven't been here, or don't remember the previous pictures, here it is:

(yes, this is a real Wurlitzer Juke Box.  Come see!!)

.
So, having worked out this morning (yes, this morning.  This is America; the gym was open on Thanksgiving)

(friend Howard - and many others - were there too)

I am back at home, drinking coffee, and reflecting....

...and this is what Thanksgiving in the desert looks like.....

(yes, this is the view from my patio...)

Future?  Hopefully, more of the same.  Work (I love it, and it and it pays for my other, expensive, habits), continued good health,  travel, concerts (rock and opera both), bridge, and time with friends.

And I hope that you are remembering the things that you are thankful for, and that you have many more of them in the coming year. 

Welcome to the Promised Land!

Ah, but one needs to suffer more rain before getting to the promised land!

And more work, too!  Actually, it seemed like more fun than work.  I had done the training last year so that I could teach the administrative law courses that I first took as a student lo these many years ago.  When I was finally given the opportunity to teach, I jumped at it.  Those of you who knew me from the old banking days know that I taught, briefly, at the banking school in North Carolina, and loved it.  David liked to tell the story of passing by my classroom, looking in through the peephole in the door, and seeing me sitting on a desk in the front of the room, swinging my legs, and having everyone in stitches.  Nothing quite so risque here, but everyone seemed engaged, and it was really exhilirating!  Maybe I missed my calling.  No, not teaching children, but maybe history in college?

Anyway, as a reward, Gerry (otherwise known as The Juke Box Man) took me for a lovely Japanese dinner in White Rock.

It was a really pretty plate - too bad I didn't think to take a picture until I had almost demolished it!  One of those places you sometimes find in strip malls, nicely decorated little places with good food and a cheap price!  It is one of the things I love about Vancouver!

And for all my bitchin' about the rain, we did have a lovely fall in Vancouver.

I waited too late to take those pictures too - the trees were much redder a week ago - but you get the idea!

Friend Arlene came up from Seattle for the weekend.  We hadn't seen each other for a while, and talked and talked - and walked and ate too, of course - and on Monday morning, she dropped me off in Bellingham on her way home.  And, finally, off to Palm Springs!  The plane was three hours late, but otherwise uneventful, and neighbor Michael, god bless him, was there to pick me up at the airport.  (The wonders of being able to track planes on the computer!)

The deal was airport pickup in exchange for dinner, and I kept up my end of the bargain as well!

Michael's such a creature of habit!  Bagels and lox at Manhattan at the Desert it was!  (Not that I was complaining, altough matzoh ball soup is my habit of choice!)  Michael had put the heat on (it is the desert, folks; it may be 80 during the day, but it gets chilly at night!), and it was good to be home.  As neighbor Vinnie (and no, I didn't make that up, and yes, he is from New York) said to me the next morning, "Welcome back to the promised land!"

It doesn't take too long to get used to the new surroundings....

(that's my house, to the right of the flagpole!)

.....and the neighbors....

(Yes, Marilyn!  Isn't she great!)

Oh, and not to mention a completely different set of activities.....

From the sublime (listening to Jazz at Melvyn's on Sunday nights)

....to the ridiculous (playing bingo with the trailer trash, as we fondly call ourselves!)

...and being served a cake in the shape of a turkey at bridge!

Welcome home!  It doesn't take too long to settle back into a routine; the gym in the morning, bridge several afternoons a week, the occasional lunch or dinner with friends (Laurel, friend from Salt Spring days, is here, and invited me to lunch at the Seven Lakes club, and Art and Wally took me to the Twin Palms, both to be recommended, but then you foodies know I am not too fussy!), and afternoons at the pool.

Life is good!

The World Does Turn Faster as You Get Older!!!!

I swear, it is true!  I often feel that the days are very long, and then - whoosh - two weeks have gone by since I've written!  Not too much to report, but nevertheless, the time flew by!

When last we spoke, I was heading into the office on a wet and rainy Sunday.  I did that, but the day was saved by appies at a neighbor's when I got home.  We were sending off a neighbor, one who actually sold her house in this stalled market, but wine and appies and good conversation turned it into a happy occasion!

....Karen, our hostess....

...oops, I didn't mean to say that!

As you can see, my neighbors are just the way I like them, too old to have small children!

On Monday night (yes, I know, I know, who goes out on a Monday night, but it was the only night that all three of us were free - we have been trying to do this for months!), Robin, Debbie and I went out for our annual birthday dinner!  My birthday is in July, Debbie's is in September, and Robin is in October, so somewhere in there, we go out and treat each other to dinner, and have been doing it for many, many years.  This year, as last, we went to The French Table, a wonderful restaurant which manages to serve French food without the attitude (it is amazing how much better it seems to taste without the attitude!).

Debbie, Robin and Nora...

We have known each other since we started law school, and we graduated law school 35 years ago - you do the math!  Debbie is still the one with the common sense, Robin is still drop dead gorgeous, and Nora - well, Nora is still Nora - people don't change all that much, do they?

And the week continues with still more food, lunch on Tuesday with former colleague and friend Mickey.  We do that from time to time, to catch up with our now-separate lives and the gossip from the office.  Always fun, but we were too busy talking (and eating Vietnamese food at our favourite dive) for pictures!

Wednesday, current colleagues who live in Victoria stayed over at my house (we had a meeting the following morning and the early morning ferry doesn't get in on time - I played hookey to play bridge, but that is another story).  We decided to get Chinese delivered - all the better for drinking wine and not driving, don't ya know - and once again, a lot of talking going on.

Lois, elegant in black as always...

Deidre, still the flower child after all these years...

And yes, bridge on Thursday.  No points this time, but our playing is getting better and better, I think, and I still love it.  As far as I'm concerned, an hour at the bridge table is a happy hour, cocktails or no!

And Friday night, I finally caught up with friend Donna, who dragged me to see Argo (okay, repeat after me, friends are meant to drag you kicking and screaming to places you wouldn't otherwise go).  I am sure you have all heard of the movie; it is about the Iran hostage taking in the 70's, and the rescue of the 6 Americans who had hidden out in the Canadian embassy.  Again, this is not a movie I would ordinarily see, but I have to say it was very well done.  I doubt highly that it is historically accurate, but the spirit of it surely is!  Thumbs up!

Donna and I debriefed over drinks at the nearby brew pub, our usual haunt.

(that passes for Nora being pensive)

And Saturday and Sunday I played bridge.  Robin and I were supposed to play this tournament together, but she has already decamped for the desert, to the bridge club fixed me up with another partner.  We got our conventions and signals straight, and actually played really well together.  The competition was stiff, and so only a few (albeit silver) points came our way, but it was better than nothing, and (see above) I had a great time.  Gordon, my partner, is 84 years old, and still plays a damn fine game of bridge.  It does give one hope!

And poof, another week goes by!

Last week was more or less all work, with the usual kitchen bridge on Wednesday night (which enabled me to, thankfully, totally avoid Halloween, a holiday I thoroughly loathe, probably because there are too many children!)

 But on Thursday, another cultural bit of business (haven't had any culture for a while, really, I have to keep reminding myself that I still do more than most).  The National Theater of London filmed their production of Timon of Athens live in HD, and it was showing in movie theaters on Thursday night.  Friend Heather, her husband Jack and I try to see these as often as we can, and this one was especially gripping.  It is a pretty depressing story in any event, and the staging made it particularly stark.  In short, rich man - Timon - spends all of his worldly goods on his friends, bailing them out of jail and debt, showering them with presents.  When his money is gone, however, they leave him in the lurch, and....well, I won't spoil it for you.  It is one of the ways that you know that Shakespeare is timeless and universal.  Done in modern dress and setting, and it looks like something that could have happened in New York to the masters of the universe in 2008.

Again, if you ever get a chance to see it (check out National Theater Live on the internet for their schedule), or any of the other ones they do, do it.  It is what theater should be about, it is what I live for - and it is what, some would say, has spoiled me for real life!

Another rainy, wet, windy, cold weekend, when being at work did not seem like a bad option.  Work was interrupted on Sunday morning by dim sum with colleagues.  I adore dim sum, as most of you know, but it is one of the few meals that can't be eaten alone (that and all you can eat sushi!).  So, I didn't!

Our little neighbor, above, was very curious about me.  No wonder - I was the only "round eye" in the place, and trust me, it was full!  Just so you know, it is called Fisherman's Terrace, and is my current favourite place for dim sum.  You too can try it - you need but visit!

But in the spring, because in one little week from today, I am heading for Palm Springs.  I will catch you up (as they say here) when I get there.

Meanwhile, be safe!

Back to San Francisco, and Beyond

When I left you, I was still in San Francisco.  At this point, it seems like a million years ago - now, where were we?

Oh, right, It was Sunday, and Hank and I had gone to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.  Monday was a holiday, Columbus Day, in San Francisco, so Hank had the day off work.  We couldn't work up the energy to drive down to Santa Cruz, so instead, we went to the movies, seeing two movies I would never see but for Hank dragging me kicking and screaming to them.  This is sounding familiar - have I told you this before?  I know, I know, if I were more technologically savvy, I could go back and check the previous blog without worrying that I would lose this page, but I'm not, so bear with me.  We first saw Perks of Being a Wall Flower, one he Hank's favorite genres, coming of age movies.  Usually not my cup of tea, as mentioned, but this one was really quite good, with some good dialogue and acting, and, for a change, some unexpected twists and turns.  Thumbs up again, and the same for the next one, Frankenweenies, a Tim Burton extravaganza, quite witty (I love his subtle - or not so subtle, since I caught them - references to old movies).  Not as good as some of his others, but worth seeing nonetheless.

On Tuesday, I shipped Hank back to work, and took myself off to Golden Gate Park.....

.....and the De Jonge Museum....

....visiting some of my old favourites there, as well as seeing the special exhibit about Nureyev (no pictures allowed - sorry - but the costumes were fabulous) and on Paley (of CBS fame)'s collection, under the heading of Modernism.  Both were quite interesting, and took me where I had never been before - just what a museum is meant to do.

I even had a chance to treat myself to a milk shake at Mel's Diner...

On Wednesday, I took Bart (everyone thinks that I am against public transportation - I love it, actually, when it works, as it does in San Francisco) to the East Bay to have lunch with Jim, David's brother.  Jim was always very supportive of us, and has been good about keeping in touch since David died.  We try to get together whenever I am in the Bay Area. Since I have given up on fighting with him over the bill (that ship has sailed, I am afraid), we generally have a good time, and I get to catch up on all the family gossip - and not to feel guilty about talking about David too much.  Jim's 81 years old now, and getting frail, I am afraid, but his mind is as sharp as a tack, which is a wonderful thing!

In the evening, I managed two more belt notches - a new restaurant and a new opera.  The new restaurant is in the Inn at the Opera, which is, as you might expect, right across from the opera.  It is Scandinavian (I don't remember the name - see above for why I am not looking it up for you) but I can say that the food was interesting - I had pickled herring for an appetizer and Swedish meatballs for a main course - as well as tasty, and, if I could remember its name, I would recommended it to you.  (Someone please send me a teenager to help me manage this computer!!!)

As most of you know, San Francisco City Hall is right across from the opera house on the other side, and I couldn't resist taking a picture before we went in.

As it turns out, I should have waited until intermission - it is bathed in orange light at night right now, in honour of the San Francisco Giants making it to the playoffs!  For sure, that is an "only in San Francisco" story!

The Opera?  Well, first let me "Qvell"  (for those uninitiated in Yiddish, that means "crow") about getting a rush ticket, for 14th row center - a $200 ticket - for $30!  (one of the few benefits, besides retiring, of getting old!).  The opera itself was Moby Dick, with music by Jake Heggie.  It premiered a few years ago in Dallas, and, unlike most new operas, it is incredibly melodic, hugely powerful.  Jay Hunter Morris as Captain Ahab was stellar, as was the all-male San Francisco Chorus.  Staging, costumes, all were brilliant!  Friend Peter and I thoroughly enjoyed both dinner and opera - and have confirmed that if we don't get tickets for Bayreuth this year (and it is not likely that we will, because there is a ten year wait and we have only been in the lottery for two years), we will go to the Glynbourne Opera Festival in England this summer.  That is a big bucket list item for me, so I am very excited that we are going to nail it down. 

And you guys wonder why I keep working whenever I can?

Thursday, Hank and I had arranged to meet friend Carolyn and husband George in Marin for dinner.  Carolyn used to work with David in the Bank, and, more recently, with Hank, at a different bank.  Husband George, who is in his 80's had several falls in recent memory, and as a result, several hospital stays.  Neither Hank nor I had seen them for a while, so we were anxious to do so.  We decided on the Buckhorn Roadside Inn, a Marin county tradition and their favourite restaurant.

We were very much relieved to see that they looked great, and felt great.  Once again, both food and drink were wonderful, and a good time was had by all (although, I much admit, there was considerably less drinking than we used to do when we got together - probably a good thing, too!)

And Friday, I came back to Vancouver.  Once again, the trip was as it should be, uneventful, but it was long, and I was glad to get home.

Not that I did much lazing about.  I had signed up for a knitting seminar/trade fair on Saturday.  (No lectures, please, about how the last thing in the world that I need is more yarn!).  I actually was too late for most of the lectures - they were sold out, would you believe - but I did get to see a lot of beautiful yarn, buy a bit of it, and get some tips from some experts on the fly.  (One of the things I am trying to do in retirement is up my knitting game, taking it to the next level, pick your sports metaphor...)

And Saturday night, I went to a colleague's 60th birthday party.  Kathy and I both lost our husbands from the same cancer within 6 months of each other, and it brought us closer than we might otherwise have been.  She has found a new partner, and started a new life.  Ken clearly adores her, and worked very hard to make the party a grand success, from the food....

...to the people....

....to a bagpiper playing and singing Happy Birthday...




 .......to the birthday girl herself.

There were a lot of people I hadn't seen since her husband Keith's memorial 7 years ago, and a lot of former colleagues, who had either not had their contracts renewed or had retired, so there was lots of catching up do do.  Very classy, great fun!

The rest of the week has been spent working (see above -noted expenses for why), and playing bridge - my usual bi-weekly kitchen bridge with the boys on Wednesday (where I came in first for a change!), and  by now regular weekly duplicate with friend Robin on Thursday (once again we placed, making master points in the process).  I am really not all that competitive - I don't care if I win as along as I play reasonably well - but I must say winning is nice!

Which brings me to the weekend, the time when most people go out, and I go to the office to catch up for the work I didn't do during the week!  I don't mind, though - it is once again rainy and miserable in Vancouver, and the office is as good a place to be as anywhere.  I can't wait to get to Palm Springs, though - a little more than 2 weeks from now!  However, you will hear from me before then!