Lunch at The Sylvia yesterday with Maureen!

It was great to be back at The Sylvia having lunch while viewing English Bay and my freighters. A limited menu but I got salt and pepper chicken wings since I've been so missing those from our University Golf Club happy hour. And a real treat...a Red Truck Pale Ale. We just can't seem to get that anywhere except The Sylvia.

All photos taken from inside the Sylvia's dining area. I took these photos just before noon when I arrived. They had pretty much a full house in about an hour...well, as full as it could be. It felt about the same as normal dining here as on a weekday afternoon not in the summer, it usually wouldn't be full.  Good idea not to take the tables out that weren't in use.

Normally, the English Bay slide would be in view now.

This is our favourite table but it had a "not in use" sign.

Hot off the press....VPL is doing takeout!

VPL Takeout

You can now order takeout from select VPL locations across the city. Tell us your interests and library staff will select books and movies for you to enjoy at home.

Thanks, Susan K. for passing this along.

https://www.vpl.ca/takeout

Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory reopening....

Now, how cool is this! It's such an amazing library and to figure out a way of reopening...wow!

I googled "what libraries are open" and only picked up these little free libraries that are in neighbourhoods around the world. Well, these are pretty cool too. I wondered if any public library in the world is open now. I checked on the New York Public Library and it's closed.

But I did notice that some metro Vancouver libraries like New Westminster and North Vancouver have been open for "take-out" services. Our Vancouver Public Library is rather slow to do this but apparently it is coming. In fairness, there are a lot of branches in the VPL system so probably more complicated.

“I was made for the library, not the classroom.The classroom was a jail of other people’s interests. The library was open, unending, free.” 

-- Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me

Since we can't drive around Stanley Park anymore....

I hope they will change this soon so all the people of Vancouver can take advantage of this wonderful park.

Thanks to David N. Phipp and the photos he posted to FB group "I grew up in Vancouver, B.C."At leastI  got a virtual journey round the park. He took these while walking around the park. That's something Jim and I used to do too and then have lunch at Ferguson Point Teahouse. Not possible now with our knee situations. We were often staying at The Bayshore since we were living in Victoria.

Well, they didn't come up in the order you see them as you walk around but no matter. I know exactly where they all are.

Ah...I love NYC. So sad what's happening in the US but not surprised this positive thing happened in NYC.

(CNN)In the midst of protests and destruction around the nation, a moving scene unfolded Sunday in New York when some of the city's police officers knelt with protesters.

Aleeia Abraham shot a video of the officers taking a knee during a march in Queens calling for justice for George Floyd, who died while being arrested in Minneapolis, and in protest of the senseless killings of other black people.

In the video, the protesters are kneeling and you can hear the crowd's surprise when some of the officers take a knee as well.

From the Palm Springs police:

Once again we’d like to thank our community for respecting the peace and complying with the countywide curfew tonight. Nothing but quiet empty streets on this warm June day. 
Stay home and stay safe.

Riverside County which includes Palm Springs city had a curfew imposed from 6pm Monday to 6am Tuesday. They seem to have respected it.

Just when restaurants were able to open and now this. 

And it looks like Vancouver wasn't unaffected with protesters downtown and not social distancing. It's a mad, mad world everywhere.

Some humour

Dating during Covid19 is like dating in Jane Austen novel

Yes, I think there is something to this.  And I've felt that if I need to read something comforting in these times, I can always read Jane Austen.

As all the commercials solemnly inform me, we are living in An Uncertain Time. If it is not Uncertain, it is definitely A Trying Time. Or nothing short of An Unprecedented Time. 

Apologies to all the brands, but I do not think this is an unprecedented time. I’d say it is very precedented indeed. It reminds me of a place I never really wanted to go but was forced to venture often as an English major. It reminds me of a Jane Austen novel.

In a Jane Austen novel, there’s always a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, right at that giddy, exhilarating stretch when your life really starts to happen. But instead of getting to travel the world, galavant about with friends, go to a university, maybe get a job so her entire financial future doesn’t hinge on her fiancé’s estate situation, our heroine just…hangs out at home. With her parents. And her siblings. And then: She waits. Her life is constrained by an endless list of things she is not allowed to do, like go literally anywhere without it being a whole production, or enjoy so much as a friendly hug with a potential love interest.

Rest of the article:
https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a32699248/dating-during-covid19-jane-austen-novel/?fbclid=IwAR2Uotk2ZMLFO2ePGJXU2C2Ob2UWifwp4y7pQM_hCk09qZ9L74f0xzZlQWA

Susan K.'s lovely sketch of my Mother's Day flowers

I may even get inspired to do something myself...

Afternoon tea with Donna and a great sunset

A lovely afternoon with Donna and then Jim cooked dinner and then a great sunset...

Itty Bitty Book Review: A Start in Life

A Start in Life by Anita Brookner

Susan Carr has been reading Anita Brookner in Yorkshire while under lockdown. I'm quite sure Susan introduced me to Brookner many years ago when we were both living in Victoria.  I did read quite a few of her novels but haven't read anything by her for a long time. Susan mentioned this one but I didn't realize it was actually her first novel. Wow...it's pretty impressive for a first attempt at novel writing. I think I will wait until libraries get pick up service to read more. I really feel I need a real book for her writing as it's difficult with a Kindle to go back and relook at passages.

Linda and Cec didn't waste time getting back to a favourite local restaurant

I would love to have this restaurant close to us. I'm jealous of that wonderful mushroom soup! Linda made me even more jealous by adding this comment by email.  I don't think Campbell's Cream of Mushroom is going to cut it...not that it ever did.

"The only other soup that came close was on a Silver Sea cruise ship"

"This picture doesn't do the soup justice.  It's the best cream of mushroom soup I've ever eaten.  Today, it was the soup of the day!  We love all their home made soups.  The burgers are fantastic and their dinners are excellent.  On the weekends in the evening, they have wonderful entertainment.  

It's family owned and been in business for 23 years.  It's a great place for a home made breakfast, lunch or dinner."

Some humour

An oldie that always remains funny to me!

Corny but I laughed. Here is one I heard on CBC. Tom Powers told it I think. So a slug goes into a bar and the bartender says "Get out of here!" He picks the slug off the counter, goes to the door and throws it across the street. Ten years later the slug returns. It looks at the bartender and says "what did you do that for?

Wildlife taking over Mexican beaches

I was talking to Maureen yesterday and she said The Sylvia's bar and pub areas were open for business so that's great for people. We will probably wait a bit before venturing into a restaurant.

She mentioned she has a friend who has a place in Puerto Escondido and seems to be stuck there for the time being. The beaches are all closed and heavily patrolled by police and apparently the crocodiles have taken over.  

I wouldn't want to meet one of these fellows!

The crocodiles of La Ventanilla, Oaxaca, have taken to the beach for the first time in decades in the absence of human activity during the Covid-19 emergency.

The popular ecotourism destination is home to a lagoon in which the crocodiles normally spend most of their time, avoiding visitors who come from nearby Mazunte, Zipolite, Puerto Escondido and other destinations to snap photos of them from tour boats.

But when the tourists are away, the crocs will play, and a photo of five large reptiles enjoying the otherwise empty beach made the rounds on social media on Sunday.

We had a wonderful time at Donna's last night...

It was so wonderful to see each other and we shared many, many funny stories.  We kept our distance and enjoyed our favourites from Minerva's....fabulous as always.

Thanks so much, Donna. The evening gave us all a lift we all needed.

Donna looking very lovely...she got a hairdressing appointment Friday.

Jim got a real haircut too.

I cut my bangs myself LOL!

Yum, yum, yum

California approves re-opening of restaurants and malls

That's good news for business owners and I really hope things go well. I'm not comfortable going to a restaurant or mall at the moment. We're loving Doordash and we don't shop much in malls anyway.

One of our favourite places in PS reopened prematurely and got a fine but it was cancelled. So glad for them!

My post yesterday initiated an enormous amount of support from literally thousands of people. I want you all to know how grateful I am and that the City of Palm Springs reached out to me and ultimately cancelled the $1000 citation. An hour later, they announced that restaurants could open again - so, we’re back friends! We’re offering a limited menu until we get the kitchen fully pumping again, and this time of year, the patio is just awesome. Thanks again and come visit!

I got this email from Maureen today in Germany:

Breaking news to-day,   a church service in Frankfurt beginning of May (after lock-down) most of the members are now infected with corona.................... a restaurant North Germany,  all guests  are now under quarantine   CORONA .   people don`t understand Corona is still with us,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..

  

Keep alert and safe.  maureen  xx

A few fleurs on our walk yesterday....