Off to the Huxley conference and Santa Fe

We're looking forward to getting some warm ocean swimming in Santa Monica, then the Huxley conference in Pasadena, then to New Mexico. This is the official poster for the conference. The sketch of Huxley is by Don Bachardy who we visited last winter in Santa Monica at his fabulous house and studio overlooking the ocean.

It was worth the price of gas!

I was filling up yesterday and a nice young man was across from me filling up his motorbike. I asked him if he "wanted to trade gas bills". He replied that his was four dollars...mine was over fifty. I told him I used to fill up my Honda 50 scooter for 20 cents and added that that was over 40 years ago. He replied, "Wow, I must compliment you...you're looking really good for being over 40 years old!" Like I said, he was a really nice young man...

I bought my Honda 50 the summer I graduated from high school and it was great to have wheels for such little cost. The 20 cent tank of gas took me 200 miles, insurance was $35 a year, and the sticker price was $195. I bought it from Sears so got my 10% employer discount as well.

Mine was a sky blue colour but this is the model:

The sign everyone wants to see...

Great news this morning that the Curling's deal had gone through! A great sigh of relief and now they can sort out and do all the stuff one needs to do when moving without having to worry about keeping everything pristine for people coming through.




We're really looking forward to enjoying the view in their new condo!

Mid Century Modern in Victoria

Victoria is beginning to identify some of its mid century architecture...a good idea! A few examples I took photos of:


Odeon Theatre at 780 Yates.



Toronto Bank Building at 630 Yates...this has been wonderfully preserved.


Royal Bank at 1501 Douglas.


B.C. Electric Compan building at 1515 Blanshard.

Itty Bitty Book Review: Before You Know Kindness

"Before You Know Kindness" by Chris Bohjalian

A pretty engaging story about families that deal with a tragic event. I think the characters could have been developed with more depth. They fit a little too much into stereotypical roles.

A bit of local colour...

A few photos I took while out and about.


Penny Farthing Pub in Oak Bay.



Volkswagon van on Fort Street...quite an oldie.



Duck's building downtown.



Even the hydrants are sprouting flowers.

Another great photo from Don

Don sent me this with the message:

"Oscar working on his tan...notice the stone pillow!"

Tuk Tuks

Coming out of the bank the other day I saw a Tuk Tuk parked outside the Baan Thai restaurant. I took a photo but it didn't turn out. When I went back to get another it had disappeared. I was surprised it was licenced to be able to drive on the streets but perhaps it isn't.

Tuk Tuks are these three wheeled vehicles that are so popular in Thailand and seeing it reminded me of the many wild rides we had weaving in and out of traffic in Bangkok. After every ride we vowed "never again" but we always ended up with them since we could bargain the drivers way down below the taxis. They were a pretty wild ride too but at least you weren't quite as exposed.

Traffic in Bangkok was pretty crazy all the time...eight lanes going one way suddenly turned into twelve or more. There did seem to be a system the locals understood which was based on a lot of honking of horns and giving way. The drivers always pretended they understood English but invariably stopped beside a young fellow on a motorcycle and got us to repeat to him where we were going and had him translate. Almost everyone of these motorcyclists did speak English. Perhaps that's why we got such good deals because the fellows didn't really know where we were going and we kept putting up fingers bargaining down the price.

This was over 20 years ago so perhaps things have changed.

This is a photo of a tuk tuk I picked up on the internet.

Many garden volunteers this year....

These marigold like flowers turned up in droves everywhere in my garden this year...guess they liked the cool damp Spring.

Cacti in Victoria

Succulents are big business these days so I bought a few to remind us of Palm Springs....they are doing well even with all the rain!

Some cool posters

Richard is playing sax in a band called "Role Mach"...I liked these advertising posters

The Curlings' roses this year.

Don took some fabulous photographs of their roses this year...wow!

First swim in Coles Bay....Brrrr

We went for our first swim in Coles Bay yesterday with Monique and it wasn't exactly the Mediterranean but bearable. The weather was great, we began with a pastis, and finished the paella with a rose wine so we got some of the south of France experience....

The best paella ever....

It's the best paella ever because Don was well and able to enjoy it....and it also was the best I've ever made! I added a few ideas to my recipe from Eric Akis' paella recipe. And it was complemented perfectly with two wonderful Spanish wines the Curlings brought over from their cellar. Wow!

Elaine had told me that they had bought something funky for Jim for this birthday (which is today....Happy Birthday, Jim!) but I could never have guessed a scarecrow! It's absolutely wonderful especially with his Osh Gosh outfit and we have named him Hamish. He has pride of place in our garden...a perfect gift as Jim is always discouraging crows with water hoses, pretending to throw things, etc.



We began with rose de Provence, tapenade, and saucage...very south of France.



Mouths are watering..



The star of the show...my paella.



Jim and I with "Hamish".

A moules-frites day at the Grand Pacific...

Elaine and I have a weekly Wednesday outing to the Hotel Grand Pacific...first a swim, hottub, and steamroom. Then lunch where we are treated royally by all the staff. With the weather on Wednesday it had to be a moules-frites-caesar salad day.



Elaine and I.


Elaine and one of our favourite servers, Tina.


Donna, another favourite server.


Elaine surveying the moules-frites.

And one last photo from Saltspring....

I got a kick out of this photo John sent me today entitled "As others see you"!


Photo by John Denniston
Miscellaneous photographs

More Saltspring Photos...

John showing us how he can go over stumps...


Doors.


New paint.


Old paint.


Carol's roses.


Beach at Vesuvius.


Heading home on the ferry.

Only Elaine could find such a present...!

This is Elaine and Don's birthday present for me...a wonderful painted tile of les pointus boats that I always manage to find a way to put in many paintings. I put one in the painting of Lake Sutherland most recently. I think I found the perfect place for it above one of my pointu paintings.

Thanks, guys!

A great birthday on Saltspring!

For my birthday today we went up to Saltspring to visit John and Carol and had a fabulous lunch as usual...to die for salmon with a fresh ginger topping and raspberry cheesecake...wow! Carol, you could open a restaurant. Then a wonderfully warm swim at Vesuvius Bay and basking in the sun. A really perfect day...thank you John and Carol!



Heading over on the ferry.



Beachtoys.



Garden shoes.



Bedroom window.



Kathy's garden.


Red van.

Tall Ships and Fishermans's Wharf

I was driving along Beach Drive when the Tall Ships were leaving and also went into Fisherman's Wharf which has changed since I was last there. Seem to be new businesses but Barb's still has all the lineups...what a goldmine that must be!