Proud Mom moment!! Corey got OIC award for bravery and recognition!
Hello Queenslanders all!
Trust everyone is well. Sorry I've not been in touch sooner! How go your busy lives now that you area almost a month-free of the Caknuckleheads!
Thanks Patrick, Japan sounds as if it has been a highlight - I very much hope to persuade Greg to take a trip - your reflections may help to persuade him. [ Greg has just walked in and said that your reflections have already enthused him so job done].
The year seems to be going very slowly, now that we are all set to retire and travel in the second half of 2013 we are both impatient to be free. We have no idea what year we will visit northern hemisphere as the round Australia Camper tour is definitely rising in the priorities as Greg finishes the last touches on the camper and is intent on buying a car to tow it before the exchange rate changes again. Greg has also taken a shine to the idea of the St James trail in Spain, which some of his mates from work are organising, so we may be cycling pilgrims in Spain in 2014.
On the home front I have just made some green tomato chutney which is very yummy.
Cheers and love to Cora Lee Claire and Greg
Hi Patrick
I
presume you are now back with the pelaton after your excursions and
wine tasting tours. Our son is recently back from Japan- mainly off
piste skiing but also some touring of the island including Okinawa and
the south. He has been there twice recently and is impressed by the
Japanese compared with his Chinese experiences. How was Australia, the
weather, the prices etc? Rich does say the Australians somewhat spoil
the skiing ambience when they are around- I make him sound prudish . We
have fortunately, and by accident, avoided the Oz "schoolies" week
when we have been back late in the year.
It is drizzling outside and we have had
particularly poor weather after March- a friend of mine recently
commented " we are going on a cruise to get away from this land of
perpetual winter".
Christine and I as you may remember
have just done a bus tour of parts of Croata, Bosnia and Montenegro. The
weather and scenery were excellent as were the tour guide, prices, sea
swimming ( only me). We found the long days on buses quite tiring even
though we were, believe it or not, younger members of the groups. We
visited or stayed in Omis, Krka National Park, Split, Trogir, Dubrovnik,
Kotor and Budva some of which you will know. Quite an easy place to be
in terms of no problems with food or water, English spoken, prices
reasonable, cleanliness etc. As you would expect very much on the cruise
ship itinerary between Venice , Corfu and the Greek islands.
Laura is about to stop work and her
baby is due late June so we are expecting to be doing some duty up in
Newcastle whilst we are preparing for my mother to be removed from
hospital- no space or time for geriatric patients in NHS hospitals these
days. Apart from visiting every other day - a 70 mile round trip, my
sister and I are fighting the NHS funding structure for my mother which
takes time and effort.
Cycling journeys are getting shorter on
account of other distractions and coldness and I am relying on my "High
Intensity Bursts" on the exercise bike for some of my exercise. I hope
the theories are correct about this time saving measure.
We had the pleasure of Sylvia staying
for a few days whilst over seeing Jenny and we explored York, Leeds(
since the train dropped her there), and Wharfedale where she and I had a
pleasant walk and latte stop while Christine worked at Pool Primary
school. She also visited Harrogate again with our mutual friends the
Taylors.
I hope you will be getting Ray back to
serious riding as I fear he will have been slacking in your absence.
Please give my regards to George when you see him next. Ray told me he
had seen Arthur who appeared to be in good form and enjoying his golf
which I was pleased to hear.
We hope Corinne enjoyed your holiday
and managed the travelling without discomfort. Please pass on our best
wishes to her and Chloe.
I await to hear how your fitness has held up through your travels.
Regards Jim and Christine
2007 Ford Escape Hybrid due for service!
Hi Mable!
Greetings from Japan. My wife and I have been travelling since March 6th, in Hong Kong, Australia and now Japan. We return to Vancouver on May 31st so I'll give my Service Manager, Slammin'' Steve Cobin, a call to make an appointment the following week or so. Please say hello to him for me. Thanks. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Hi Patrick,
how's the merlot in Japan? I hope your travels keep you well. I cant wait to hear about your trip. stay safe
Steve.
18 May at 09:21 via BlackBerry ·
Patrick James Dunn
Spent last night with Toshi and her Mom. Had simply wonderful sushi for dinner with a delightful sparkling white Japanese wine, Delaware varietal I'm not familiar with, followed by a bottle of Snow Monkey Sake. Sushi, Sake, Sushi Sake, is now our refrain! Toshi sends her regards to you and Los Horridos. Her Mom loved the pictures of her and Pierre taken in Everrett in June, 2011, when he was looking after Ryan. Toshi also said that Alejandro looked very handsome in the pool at Vegas! Tonight, she has organized a party for about 25 of her friends and work mates at an Italian restaurant that is one of her favourite spots. We can bring our own hootch so it will now be Sake, Single Malt, Sake, Single Malt! She just printed off name takes with the national flags of each wearer, as well as icons indicating interests. Nana has twelve wine bottles! About eleven of the guests speak English, (Laura is from the UK), so we won't have to point and gesture all evening. Time for breakfast!
Canadian Visit and More Greetings from Japan!Hi Patrick, Sounds like you're having a great time in Osaka. I love it there but my favourite place in Japan is Kyoto. We saw Geisha there last year! Thanks for the instructions for using the key. I hope we can remember it all. I will print out your emails just in case! I will leave the single malt for you & a couple of gifts from the UK. Regards, JuneHi June:
Chloe works in the Sales Room at the Granville Island Brewery. It is a very small, boutiqyue operation, not something like Guinness in Dublin, for example. If she is working when you arrrive and you talk to her you can actually drive right to the brewery and park near the door for long enough to get the key from her. You have to drive onto Granville Island and the road leads right past the brewery. Anyway, you'll need to arrange this with her but it is another option. I'm sure everything will work out.
We went out for an incredible French meal tonight. Young chef trained as an architect but his passion was food. Quite a wonderful pairing of French and Japanese. Five course meal with three different wines, one apperatif, a Japanese plum wine, delicious, then a SB and a Sangiovese. All very respectable. His parents work in the small restaurant, serving, etc. Lovely family. Off to Nagano tomorrow. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Greetings from Japan Rail, Car #8, en route to Shin-Osaka!
Hi Ann!
Your trip sounded wonderful. Sorry we'll miss you in Vancouver but hope, as Cora Lee mentioned, to hook up in August. Losing coverage as we are passing through tunnel after tunnel after tunnel, all of them very long, so better send message along. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Thursday, May 17th:
Awake at 5:05am but didn't rouse myself until 6:10am. Cora Lee opened her eyes when I clambered out from under my duvet but rolled over and went back to sleep almost immediately. I went down the hall to our shared bathroom to empty my bladder and then came back to digitate until 7:30am when I roused Sleeping Beauty. We had arranged to have breakfast downstairs at 8:00am so as soon as Coriandre felt she was presentable, we took the stairs to see what awaited us in the nook opposite the Reception Desk.
Two gorgeous looking trays awaited us. So attractive, in fact, that I returned to our room to retrieve my camera as I wanted a snap of the lovely arrangement:
Miso-based soup with vegetables of some kind, tuna with grated radish, diekon, a selection of pickled vegetables, a large slice cold omelette, a couple of slices of ham atop a small cabbage salad, garnished with a quarter of an apple, part of the skin artfully peeled back, soft cube of tofu, garnished with a hot chili compote of sorts and steamed rice. Cora Lee drank green tea while I sipped a cup of java. We watched part of Japanese soap, set before WW II from the look of the western clothes and the odd vehicle, as well as some sort of regional cooking/local dish show, mixed in with following a bride-to-be in search of the perfect wedding dress and hairdo!
Back to the room to send more email while Coriandre read her latest eBook, Stuart McBride's Birthday Wishes for the Dead. At about 10:30pm we collected ourselves and went downstairs, intending to walk to the train station to catch a bus to Joshin-Etsu Kogen National Park which houses Jigokudani Monkey Park, where the Japanese Macaque, approximately 200 of them, inhabit the steep cliffs surrounding the natural hot water pools in this area. When we said hello to the innkeepers and indicated our intentions, the husband dashed off to fetch their car and insisted on driving us to the start of the Yumichi Promenade, about ten minutes away. For much of the route we followed the Yokoyu River, terraced at regular intervals with concrete stepped spillways. Yudanaka is relatively close to the base of Mount Shiga Kogen, part of the mountainous area of central Japan. The park is at an elevation of 850 metres so the drive was all uphill.
From where our kind chauffeur dropped us off, we had about a 30 minute trek to the so-called Monkey Spa. First hundred metres or so was up a set of reasonably steep concrete steps but the trail soon leveled off and we found ourselves in a deep red cedar forest. Obviously reforested, from the regularity of the plantings,but still very, very impressive trees. Well over a hundred feet high, if not much more, their trunks were literally as straight as an arrow and as devoid of branches, except towards the crown of each tree. Very precipitous drop-off to our left so we stayed well away from the edge. Track was quite muddy and slippery at times so if one lost one's balance and fell over the side it would have been a rather nasty fall, if not a fatal one, so steep and unbroken was the terrain at times. On the opposite side of the trail, for most of its length, was a rushing stream, contained within an attractive concrete and stone race. Numerous signs named various birds, mammals, (a goat-antelope, or Serow, being one I had not expected, although I don't know why, given the terrain), and at least three poisonous snakes to be found hereabouts. On the way up we encountered a cheeky Woodpecker, we surmised, from its markings and similarity to one shown on one of the aforementioned signs, but no snakes, poisonous or otherwise.
Passed a number of other tourists coming back from the Monkey Park and one couple assured us that there were many monkeys to be seen. Never sure, in these situations, if what brochures and other tourist literature suggests will turn out to be worthwhile. Heartened, we proceeded along the path to come upon a few small outbuildings of one sort or another and then the one which functioned as the Park Office. we paid our 500 yen apiece and were told to enjoy the monkeys. From the deck of the Office we could now see a multi-level, older, wooden building, with numerous concrete pools, of varying sizes, on the opposite side of the river, a fairly wide, swiftly flowing torrent at this point, its sound a quiet, muted, background roar. This could be reached by a small bridge, large enough to support small vehicular traffic.
Ahead, upstream, about halfway down the bank, on our side of the river, was what looked like a small geyser, surrounded by a stubby concrete fence. On the guide map it was named the Jigokudani Big Fountain as it jetted water about five metres into the air. Further along we rounded a slight bend in the track, now more of a concrete walkway and encountered our first troop of monkeys, some on the path itself, others on the embankment to our right. Quite a sight, let me tell you, particularly since one is literally within easy touching distance. Of course, one is well advised not to do so!
"Precautions for observing the monkeys:
Do not touch or scare the monkeys.
The monkeys here are not lovable animals. In the monkey's society, looking at each other directly, is an expression of enmity. If they feel threatened, they will try to scare or bite you. Because there is the situation the monkeys do not like, please be careful. Observe quietly and from as far back as possible.
Do not feed the monkeys.
They will try to steal hand bags, gather around people's legs and cause danger.
The monkeys do not mind camera flashes."
Not quite knowing what to expect and how closely we could approach, we were both a bit unnerved, at first, as to how to proceed past the first few creatures. Many of the larger ones are about the size of a raccoon but slighter of build, while the smaller, younger ones about the size of a cat or small dog. They possess fairly heavy, glossy, fawn coloured coats, heavier in winter, needed in this harsh environment where snow covers the ground for one-third of the year. Their faces are a startlingly bright pink and unsettlingly human in appearance, in an almost universal indigenous peoples way, at first glance. Like all monkeys they are incredibly agile and spend a great deal of time grooming one another. Of the first two we passed, one was stretched out on its back, sunning itself on the warm rocks of the embankment, eyes blissfully closed against the warm sunshine, while another groomed it's exposed belly with microscopic attention, dexterously plucking and daintily eating its finds. Emboldened by another tourist who was taking close-ups of one of the smaller animals on the path, we walked by, circling as far as possible, and made it to safety! Rather quickly one adapts to the being in such close proximity to these entertaining, nimble creatures and settles in to enjoy the behaviour and activities of both individual animals or family groupings: youngsters wrangling, topsy-turvy, wrestling like tiny furry sumo wrestlers, many sunning themselves on the rocks and steep cliff outcroppings, ktwo or three hundred metres from where a small bridge crossed over the river to a fairly large flat, open area, bordered by a medium sized, man-made, shallow hot spring fed pool. From time to time a number of the monkeys would enter the pool and splash around.
Happened to pass a chap with a fairly sophisticated amount of photographic equipment, small tripod with a huge telephoto lens on an expensive looking digital Hasselblad-type camera, fluffy feather duster baffle around a microphone, I presumed, taking some close-ups of a mother carrying a new born. When I asked him if he was doing a documentary he said that he was indeed. Joe Pontecorvo, (we introduced ourselves), has worked as a freelance photographer for last 20 years and PBS, NY, and National Geographic approached him to do this shoot on the Snow Monkeys. Project stretches over 18 months and he and his Thai wife, Tim, are here for five weeks, third of their four or five shoots. (He passed along much of what I have included.)
Quite a demanding schedule as they are up at 3:00am every day to trek into the mountains to film the monkeys where the overnight in the trees well up the steep slopes. During the day they download their material to a computer and take naps as they follow the troops back into the mountains at the end of the day, for as long as the light holds. When talking with Tim she said that they don't even have time to go into Yudanaka, given the demands of the shoot and the time needed for back-up. They live and eat at the Onsen I described above.
Our conversations were interrupted quite frequently as they were here, principally, to attempt to capture the birth of a monkey and knew, from the local park rangers, that one of the females was pregnant and soon to give birth. Joe and Tim communicated via walkie- talkies. Tim kept an eye on the pregnant mother, as best she could, while Joe was busy filming elsewhere in the area. Whenever the female in question showed certain patterns of behaviour, known to them, they would try to,stay as close as possible. No easy task when one sees just how quickly they can move, over every possible surface and gradient.
In fact, two mothers had given birth recently, one two days earlier, the other the previous night. This mother still had the placenta attached, both to her and the newborn and we could see her nibbling at it as she moved about the open compound, in and out of the pool and on the bridge deck. The other, larger newborn, clung, upside down to its mother's belly, often cradled or patted by a younger sibling when mother and child came to a stop.
Apparently, the Alpha Female rules the troop and the Alpha Male, along with a few subordinate, younger males, are there as guards, and on her sufferance only. Of course Cora Lee thought that this arrangement was the way human society should be ordered! The Snow Monkey Sisterhood! From time to time the Alpha Male would chase some of the younger monkeys who wasted no time in beating a hasty retreat, gibbering shrilly all the while. At one point Joe pointed to the cliffs above as he had spotted two Serow, the Japanese goat-antelope, making their way across the boulder strewn slope. He had never seen them this close before so we were more than delighted to have witnessed this rare event.
Fairly soon you can follow specific patterns of behaviour and it is fascinating to watch the myriad interactions. One of the park rangers was present and he spends his time recording the activity of the troop, shoveling up monkey droppings, distributing food, (type we witnessed was grain or pellets of some kind), and answering questions posed by Japanese tourists as he didn't speak any English, according to Joe. It was quite funny to watch a number of the monkeys keep a very sharp eye on him when he approached the large wooden locker where the food bags were stored. One very young monkey tried to climb inside but could barely scrabble up the side of the box when the lid was lifted. The ranger simply brushed it aside before closing the lid, much to the consternation of the affronted explorer!
Said goodbye to Tim and Joe and they mentioned that the documentary is due to air sometime in 2104. When they leave Japan, at the end of May, they are home, Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, for those of you not familiar with the area, for six days and then off to Indonesia to begin work on another documentary, orangutans this time, again for PBS/NG. When we were ready to leave many of the monkeys had moved down river, on the opposite bank, using the large plastic water piping, suspended along the river bank, as a slide, zipping along it like an amusement park ride. We presumed, from what Joe had mentioned, that these were other family groups within the overall troop. We met quite a few western tourists on way back and now that we were Snow Monkey "experts" we gave them an idea of what to expect.
Taking our time, we strolled back to the start of the trail, stopping once for a few minutes at a shelter with benches, to give Cora Lee's foot a rest. Once back at the local bus stop we decided to walk to the Roman Museum, about ten minutes further downhill, even though the bus was idling there. When we reached the museum we discovered it was closed so made for another bus stop across the way. Bus came along a few minutes later but it was not headed for Yudanaka. This being the case, we decided to walk for a bit, especially since it was downhill all the way home! We used the sidewalk which followed the main road but when we noticed a side street that looked interesting, we decided to investigate. Turned out that it led to another street which paralleled the busy road. This quieter venue was lined with shops and hotels and all manner of other enterprises so very pleasant to walk along. From time to time we would come upon a pipe disgorging hot water, great for washing one's sticky hands after eating an orange!
Street signs indicate distance to railroad station, (3.8K from where we started), and when we were about half-way there, we came to the sake brewery which our host chauffeur had pointed out to us on our way up. Felt like a bit of rest by then so went inside. Originally founded in 1805, Tamamura-Honten, is a family brewery specializing in producing a local brand of sake called "Engi".The brewery, constructed a hundred years ago, has been tastefully renovated with an extremely attractive interior, (massive tree trunk roof beams, highly polished plank flooring), and functions as both a gallery and a tasting room for the sake and beer brewed on site. We were welcomed inside, told that we could taste all of the sake produced and invited to pour our own samples!
Decided to take a look at the gallery upstairs first and enjoyed the very fetching water colours and prints, mainly contemporary subjects to my untutored eye, weavings and carpets, on display. Through a low doorway, one had to almost kneel to make one's way into the small gallery beyond, one could see into the Brew House where eight or more large stainless steel tanks were housed.Downstairs, more prints, a number of quite whimsical collages, and paintings adorned the walls. Of particular interest was a collection of hollowed-out stones, along one wall, about the size of large planters, with glass tops. Inside were different sake services, exquisite glass bottles and drinking cups, some coloured, some not.
Very pleasant young man behind the tasting counter spoke some English so he was quite helpful explaining, as best he could, the different types of sake we tried. Had thought that we would try one or two but by the time we were finished we tried each one as well as the draft beer of the day, one of about six that are produced. Named for the mountain, Shiga Kogen, at whose foot the brewery is situated, the beer was delicious and I wished that we'd known about it sooner as we could have enjoyed it back at our room the day we arrived.
The different price ranges, (about six or seven), are produced from "home-made" rice, (rice from paddies owned by the family), and rice purchased from other producers. Sake fermented from home-made rice is bottled, here, in green glass. A number of other, speciality sakes are produced as well. With the help of an information sheet, copied by the young man who helped us through the tasting, put out by the Japan Sake Brewers Association, we learned a bit about this delicious beverage. In particular, Koshu, (aged sake), which has been aged for a couple of years, or for upwards of five years or longer. We both liked this expression and felt it did have a subtle sherry flavour, spices and nuts, more so than the others we tasted. Genshu is sake with a higher alcohol content because it has been pressed but not diluted with added water, 17%-20%. The Snow Monkey sake, (basically for tourists), Nigorizake, is milky white since the mash is only lightly filtered using a coarse textured cloth. Bought a bottle of their most expensive home-made, one of their home-made Koshu and a small bootle of Nigorizake as we both found it extremely palatable.
Loaded the bottles into my backpack, thanked the attentive and helpful young man and set off down the hill once more. Building next door housed the brewery and we could see tubs of malt outside. Further along I spied about a dozen eggs in a pool of hot water just outside the door to a small hotel. Went inside and the receptionist followed me to put two of the eggs in a small plastic bag, 100 yen=$1.30. Was feeling a bit peckish after the wonderful sake tasting so the two soft-boiled eggs went down very well. Too, too undercooked for Cora Lee, as I had to slurp them out of the shell, like eating a fresh oyster. She wrinkled her pretty nose and pretended she wasn't hungry, Dear Reader.
Back at the Inn by just before 4:00pm to take a quick look at a small unattended gallery next door. Some very attractive hangings, behind glass,mostly Bhuddist themes, monks, waterfalls, and the like. I was drawn to a number, just a few brush stokes to realize a blood red sun and a lone pine or the hint of a river gorge shrouded in mist. Both of us were feeling a bit stiff after the reasonably long walk so we changed into our kimono and made for the outdoor Onsen. Lovely, lovely setting, a large, shallow pond, about knee depth, with flat stone seats set around the edge, larger ones beneath the surface, against each of the four sides and one large bench, above the surface, in the middle. Huge boulders formed a horseshoe ring around two sides of the pool, beautiful trees and shrubs completed the enclosure. We showered and then luxuriated in the soothing water for half an hour or so. Much refreshed we returned to our room to read and scribe.
Just before 7:00am we changed and made our way to another small restaurant, not as far up the slight hill from our place. I had poked my head inside on our way home and determined that it would be acceptable to Her Majesty. A small pond, completely covered by water lilies, some in bloom, graced the entranceway. Slightly larger than place we'd eaten at the night before it was equally as inviting. Once again, we opted for seats at tthe counter and were shown a menu which consisted of pictures of the dishes available. This was just fine by us and we soon had our order placed: chicken yakatori, a tofu dish, gyoza, a Japanese vegetable, quite salty, predominantly stems, similar to crunchy asparagus, Japanese grilled potatoe and a small tumbler of house sake apiece. The appetizer arrived shortly, chunks of tender bamboo in a slightly sweet sauce. Rest of the dishes arrived in quick succession and we had an opportunity to chat with the owner/chef as we were the only other customers.
He had lived and worked in LA as a chemical engineer but came back to Yudanaka as his mother was from this area. Had run the restaurant for last 28 years and is extremely happy doing so. He confirmed that this was an extremely quiet time, exactly the impression we gathered from the quiet streets and empty stores and hotels. At such times he is the chief cook and bottle washer, laying off all the other staff until such time as business picks up. He explained the great number of identical bottles on the bar shelves. Apparently it is a common practice for regular customers to buy a bottle of Sochu and leave it, to be consumed on subsequent visits. Each bottle is identified with the owner's name and date purchased, 1/15, January 15th. Sochu is the liquor of choice as it is relatively cheap and highly alcoholic, 25%.
Once we'd finished our food and sake, we felt like a bit more of the delicious preparations so opted for another order of gyoza and the fried chicken pieces with cabbage salad. Share a glass of sake although I'm sure we could have managed one each. Terrific food and sake and just around the corner at one's own private restaurant. Really nice thing about being only customers was that we didn't have to endure any second-hand smoke. Most everyone in bars and restaurants seems to smoke and we reminded ourselves to ask Toshi about the restrictions, if any, which pertain here. There are designated smoking rooms at some of the airports and train stations we've passed through. All of the trains we've been on are designated non-smoking, as are the hotel rooms we've booked.
It had started to rain about halfway through our meal but by the time we had finished and paid, (¥3,000 yen=$38.70), the proprietor insisting we not leave a tip, it was just spitting a few drops. We thanked him for the more than tasty meal and made are way back to our home away from home, the Yadanaka Inn rather than the Island Inn. Cora Lee went straight to her tatami bed to read while I downloaded my pictures. Brushed and flossed while waiting for the download to complete itself. (Seems to take an inordinately long time now as I don't erase pictures from flash card as I want to load them onto my desk-top when back home and find this, from past experience, the easiest thing to do.) After I'd attended to my dental hygiene I completely forgot about my camera and went straight to bed to read myself. Turned out the light at 11:00pm as we were both quite sleepy by then.
Started to rain quite heavily around 1:30am as I looked at my alarm clock, awakened by the sound of the rain on the roof. For some reason I thought about the download and realized I'd not completed the process. Went back to my iPad and sure enough iPhoto was patiently waiting for me. Hit the Skip Duplicates option and a few minutes later was back under my duvet, listening to the soothing sound of the, by now, gentle rain.
To be continued...
Hi Goils!
Terribly sorry to hear about George. Difficult situation indeed. Please give our love to Gaelan and Steph. How is Mom? Your Mom heard from Michele that she is becoming even frailer. Did you hear from June and arrange for key placement? Looking forward to,meeting Toshi in a couple of hours. Nana is quite fussed as we have to change trains at Nagoya in about 45 minutes. We only have 9 minutes to find right platform. From past experience, in some stations there are not always elevators between levels and even if they are, it can be difficult to find right one! We are changing to a bullet train which will have us in Osaka by 6:03pm. Had we known, we could have stayed on this slower train, a Limited Express, to arrive at 7:19pm, but we arranged to meet Toshi at 6:15pm. Fortunatley I have five bottles of expensive sake in my case if we miss connection! We'll just have to send you an email to phone Toshi as Nana will never be able to use a cell phone here since she can't even make a local call at home. Keep losing coverage as we are passing through tunnel after tunnel after tunnel, all of them very long, so better send message along. Fondestos, Love and Cheers, Nana No-No Technology and Poppa " We Don't Need No Stinking' Bullet Trains" San!
PS: She was snoring so loudly a few minutes ago, that the passengers around us asked the Conductor to throw her off the train! Nana got quite nasty when he tapped her on the shoulder and, thinking it was me, grabbed him by the throat, and gave him a good shake. We now have the entire car to ourselves with all the cokes and chips we want. Pays to be assertive! The Alpha Sisterhood reigns!
Hi Big Al!
The German daughter should have given the iPad to one of the orangutans at the zoo, somewhere in the States, using them in an interspecies communication project, I gather. Just like their human counterparts, the young primates take to the new technology while the older "apes" will havenothing to do with it!
Hi Chloe,
Would it be better to collect the key from you at the Brewery? If so can you give me the address so I can put it into the sat nav? I can phone you when I arrive at the airport. If I need to use my English mobile I have to dial 001 and then your 10 digit number. The number you gave me is it your mobile number or work number?Looking forward to the big trip! Regards, JuneHi June,
I do work that day but will leave a key under the mat just like my Dad described, if you have problems you can call my cell but I can't check it at all times if I'm busy. The number at work is 778.371.8337. The key I will leave you is actually for the suite beside my parents place, it's my grandparents place but they are at their summer place so it's all yours. When you are on our patio there is a door on your right down a few steps the key can be a little tricky sometimes. I will also leave you a clicker for the garage on the dining room table you can park your rental car in stall B4, it's the stall straight ahead when you pull in, but unfortunately you can only park there the first night as I am able to park my car elsewhere that evening only. From the garage there is a door up to the left of where you will park that leads to your suite, use the grey fob to open the door and your suite is on the left down a short hall #26.
I'll check on you when I'm home from work, if your around that is, sounds like you have a long list of things to do. Safe travels, ChloeHi June and Chloe!
Great instructions! Just one word about the lock to The Annexe! As Chloe mentioned, it can be tricky. We find if you push the door when turning the lock, it is easier to engage the mechanism. Once door is unlatched. put a finger on the area immediately around the key hole as this seems to make the withdrawal of the key easier. Other guests have had to come next door for help, being unable to take key out of lock. Not all that difficult, as you'll discover, if you play with it as mentioned. Also, the door into the hallway will lock behind you so make sure you have the key and fob whenever you leave. Don't worry about engaging the dead bolt as it isn't necessary, unless you simply feel more comfortable with it on. We never use it.
Spent last night with Toshi and her Mom in Osaka. Had simply wonderful sushi for dinner with a delightful sparkling white Japanese wine, Delaware varietal I'm not familiar with, followed by a bottle of Snow Monkey Sake. Sushi, Sake, Sushi Sake, is now our refrain! Toshi sends her regards to you, Chloe. Her Mom loved the pictures of her and Pierre taken in Everett in June, 2011, when she last visited. Toshi also said that Alejandro looked very handsome in the pool at Vegas! (Our grandsons, June) Tonight, she has organized a party for about 25 of her friends and work mates at an Italian restaurant that is one of her favourite spots. We can bring our own hootch so it will now be Sake, Single Malt, Sake, Single Malt! She just printed off name tags with the national flags of each wearer, as well as icons indicating interests. Your Mother has twelve wine bottles! About eleven of the guests speak English, (Laura is from the UK!), so we won't have to point and gesture all evening. Time for breakfast! Safe flight June. Enjoy Canada! Cheers, Patrizzio-San!
Thanks for writing to June D, your instructions are always so good!!!
As for Grames every day is different, a couple days ago they were dressing her and she was sitting in a wheel chair with oxygen but eating in the 3rd floor lounge then wednesday she was back in bed and they were not dressing her. So its hard to say what her status is day to day. Off to the hospital now, George woke up today but is very confused, he is on drugs to keep the swelling in his brain down and so that he won't have more sezures but he probable at best has a couple months so they are hoping he will be allowed to go home and be there till the end, there will not be treatment as it is too late, they found seven lesions on his brain.
love you and mom, love to toshi chloe and mags xxxxx- Patrick James Dunn Chloe thought that you were the Wicked Step-Sister, teling her that she was adopted!
Chloe Alexis Dunn yup i did, can you blame me, you left me by a dumpster, for the garbage collectors!!! on my birthday no less!!!!!
Chloe Alexis Dunn so it was funny, but not to me, and i was the one sitting in the ally waiting for the dump truck, yeah no sister of the year award for you.........;-/
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