If you’re curious about the out-of-town guests whose company Pater and I have enjoyed this week. . . .
It’s eight years now since Sue/Une Femme and I firstmet, here in Vancouver, and more than two years since we last got together, in Seattle with our spouses. Lisa (of Amid Privilege) and I hadn’t seen each other since she showed Paul and Iaround San Francisco (Hello, Carnitas Goodness!!) at the beginning of 2011. Between those times, of course, we’ve followed each other’s blogs, commenting back and forth, occasionally emailing, even once or twice a phone call, but man, we were overdue for the visit Lisa and I had promised ourselves way back when.
These photos were taken Tuesday evening when our Californian visitors came for dinner and checked out the terrace garden I’ve been figuring out since our move last year. After that, to be honest, I put the phone down and concentrated on catching up as well as trying to show Sue and Lisa our city, see it through their eyes. Wish we could have done something about this incessant rain and grey and cool temperatures, but they claimed to welcome the weather as a pleasant antidote to Too Much Sun (oh, just to imagine. . . . ). And honestly, in their company, I didn’t think much about the weather as well — we all talked a mile a minute and laughed and hooted and might have hollered once or twice, wiped away a quiet tear or two at the powerfully moving First Nations exhibit at the Museum of Anthropology. Plotted world domination with the fabulously stylish and dazzlingly hilarious Mel of Bag and a Beret (over coffee at Thierry, where the rest of the coffee-drinkers must have been dying to join or table — or perhaps just move theirs out of striking distance. Heh heh, as Mel would say)
Sue has posted about our days together, and she has included a few photos, so hop over there, if you haven’t already visited. Pater and I have a session with our personal trainer this morning, and I’m hoping to get back on track after our three weeks away. Also hoping to get back on track with some more sustained posting, but I’m trying to be patient with myself and to remember that blogging isn’t supposed to be an obligation.
Besides the blogpost or two I hope to write over the weekend, and the words I’m going to add to my ongoing personal writing project, I’m excited about an Art Show Opening we’re going to tomorrow afternoon — a good friend had two watercolours accepted into a group show in a cool gallery here. Also excited about the possibility of a break in the weather, which would allow us to get out on our bikes. And then next week, I have another friend arriving from (way) out of town, so I’m excited about that as well. . . Oh, and speaking of being excited, my daughter in Rome has (finally!) posted again on her blog about adjusting to life in Italy/Italian, and her cringe-worthy account of using the Italian word “eccitato” is pretty hilarious.
What about you? What are you excited about these days? What’s on your activity horizon? Or maybe you want to tell us what guests you’ve hosted or whose guest you might have been, and where (and yes, I still have more to tell you about our visit in Zagreb with the wonderful hospitality of Dottoressa).
I just read Sue's blog and it looked like you had a lot of fun. The Museum of Anthropology is wonderful. I'm excited about my parking lot gardens (I now have 3) and I am developing ideas about encouraging younger owners to participate. Maybe a children's garden! We're off to the Methow Valley for our annual trip. I hope it stays dry. I really enjoyed Ageless Pursuits last week. We were told that funding was uncertain for next year but received a reassuring letter from the Director of Extended Learning (formerly Continuing Studies). My daughter has now lost almost 90 pounds so we are thrifting. Sue's blog led to Melanie's blog and I'm looking forward to visiting My Sister's Closet with my daughter. I'm pretty busy just now which is good! enjoy the day.
Oh, what fun about the children's garden — that would be a great project! And good news about your funding — you've done so well with that program. I bet you and your daughter will have fun thrifting together — and I really need to get to My Sister's Closet! Enjoy your cabin time; bet you have a great stack of books.
Yes,I agree with Madame (and congratulations to her daughter! It is a great achievement indeed!)-you looked very happy and like you had a lot of fun! That must have been an exciting event!
I went to drinks and to see Churcill movie yesterday
After a period of very warm,sunny weather,the blustery spoiled visit to our orchard today (we have problems with-quite new!- roof of the garden house,so I have to plan the repairments and don't like procrastination)
We will celebrate my friend's birthday tomorrow,with coctails in a very posh,new restaurant, opened on the ground level of the apartement house where they live
So,I'll skip coffee at "spica" tomorow (even we in Croatia can't drink coffee all day :-))
Dottoressa
Well,after reading Rhiannon's post (hilarious,she writes sooo good),I would like to change the description of your meeting-maybe "nice event" would be fine?
D.
Was that Churchill movie worthwhile?
Too bad about the garden house roof — hope you get those repairs lined up without too much trouble.
Happy Birthday to your friend — enjoy the celebration!
And yes, I guess we all need to watch how we use that word — luckily, it doesn't have the same connotations in English! đ
Yes,I liked it very much,although it was quite different than I expected
D.
Ahhh… that looks like such a fun visit, Frances. Hi to Lisa and Sue. Wish I were there. But can't complain. I'm on the train home from Toronto where my friend Elizabeth and I had a great two days, wandering, eating, drinking, doing some vintage shopping, and meeting a mutual friend for dinner. Retirement life is tough, eh?
It would have been so fun to have you here as well, but yes, I was following your To. visit on IG, and it looked so much fun.
Hi Frances, I commented on Sue's post that it was lovely to see the three bloggers who had helped guide me into my fifties enjoying some time together.
Not too much excitement at this end ….
I saw that comment, Patricia — sweet of you to say that, even sweeter that you came over here and took time to comment again.
Oh, it sounds like you all had a wonderful visit! Also, the three of you seem very simpatico. Vancouver is one of my favorite cities, too – so many great restaurants, sights, fun things to do, and so much beautiful scenery. The time that we visited we had to buy an umbrella but the rain didn't dampen our enthusiasm. Thank you for sharing! P.S. Great photo!
I forgot to sign – slf đ
We do have a great city, imho, although we rely heavily on our hoods or umbrellas đ
How lovely to see you all together in one of my favorite cities. It makes me teary-eyed to think of you three teary-eyed at the Museum of Anthropology. As I think I have written to you, I consider MOA one of the most successful combinations of geographic location, building, and art I've encountered. It moves me every single time I walk from the low entry area out into the soaring great room. Two wonderful memories related to MOA are attending the reopening after the renovation, and finding Anthony Shelton a charming and passionate advocate for Pacific Northwest art, and a year later getting a backrooms tour of the Pacific Northwest collection from the now Pacific Northwest Curator Emeriti Bill McClennan. Sometime soon, maybe in the dead of winter to make it more interesting, and since that is when I usually come, I'd love to see you when I next visit Vancouver and Victoria. May you have sunny days soon.
I know you have special feelings about the MOA — I love it too, and I'm increasingly aware of how important it is to any hope of making sense of our city. . . And if you do make it up here one of these days, we'll have to meet.
All of you look very elegant. What fun to show off some special places in your hometown. I just realised that typing that word made me aware that you are still adjusting to Vancouver as your primary home, even though it has been your home part time for many years.
Next week will bring some warm weather and a the lifting of spirits that always accompanies that change.
Glad to see you went to Thierry. It's on my list for lunch next time I am in Vancouver. Perhaps we will meet there! Brenda
Yes, Vancouver's my adopted hometown, with us only being back on the Lower Mainland for a while after almost four decades away — but both Paul and I grew up in small neighbouring cities, visiting Vanc'r regularly, so it feels pretty close to a hometown. Yes, we should get together at Thierry. I've never had lunch there, but love to have coffee and one of their delicious pastries.
Frances, it was such a delight to spend time with you and Paul and Lisa! Thank you again for that scrumptious dinner at your place, and all of the great recommendations for dining during the rest of our stay. I'm still just buzzing from all of our conversations!!!
It was such a good visit, wasn't it?!
Frances, when we were at Thierry's I only heard about your adventures with Lisa and Sue and Paul. The warmth I see in these photos brings it much more to life. I really enjoyed seeing you again and meeting these fabulous women. Thanks for including me in the plans!
I only wish I hadn't faded too quickly Thursday morning — Jetlag robbed me of a chance to participate in some guerrilla improv, I hear — Holt Renfrew will never be the same! đ
Oh you all look so happy and it sounds like you had a lovely time. I need to scoot over to Sue's, and Lisa's as well. I so enjoyed meeting Lisa last summer.
We did have a lovely time. I remember that you and Lisa met up — funny how much I enjoyed knowing that, the strengthening of a net that I feel connects so many of us…