Friday dawned with clear bright skies, but, of course, cool temperatures. I am so sick of being cool or cold outside! We went walking with our friends and then I went into the village for some groceries for tonight’s dinner. When I got home, I did some preparatory work for the dishes I’ll assemble tomorrow.
My heart is not into hosting dinners anymore. All I wanted to do all day yesterday, was sleep. I know that I’ll enjoy seeing Nancy, Bryce and Stacy tonight, but I’m just not into all the work that it takes. I am too, too fond of doing little-to-nothing all day. It’s a huge change from the guy I used to be.
It seems like yesterday that I was in my condo in Vancouver where, for over a year, I was getting up at 4:00 am and working until late at night on my paper dresses—all day, every day, and with endless energy and enthusiasm. As soon as I finished one dress, I began another, each one taking hundreds of hours of work. That was then….
Once this dinner is done, I can relax again. My next big thing is going to Nanaimo on Thursday to have some pulmonary tests and to see a doctor about my difficulty with swallowing. I get lung testing every two years and it always makes me nervous because sometimes it leads to having do a biopsy of my lung tissue and I’m not a fan of the procedure.
The following Monday, I go back to see if a biopsy is required and to have my pacemaker checked and adjusted, and then I’m done with all my medical obligations—at least for a while. As soon as I get an ‘all clear’ from the pulmonary lab, I plan to go to Vancouver to lunch with Nicola and dine with John and Bunny.
And speaking of medical things: I hear that the clinic has secured the services of two locums for one year and that I’ll be lined up with one of them.
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The Kitchen, an island restaurant felled by the pandemic, is undergoing major construction work. Rumour has it that it will become a wine tasting (and selling) facility. And Robert’s, another island restaurant, is closed for good, but soon new owners will be opening a breakfast and lunch service. When that will be is unknown.
And The Surf, my favourite place to eat on the island, is closed. They can’t find a cook and so the facility has closed temporarily. Sigh. Only Woodfire restaurant is operating, and it only operates four days a week due to staffing issues—all the more reason to get to Vancouver and binge on good food.
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Today will be busy with cleaning and getting ready for my guests. It’s pissing rain. Stacy and Bryce got here at 7:30 this morning to walk their dogs with Sheba and I, then they went home, and I came in to get out the vacuum and sponge mop to do some serious cleaning. Dinner’s at 6:00.
I’m rather glad it’s raining because it’ll allow me to chill part of the day, and not want to be outside mowing the back lawns. Despite of my shite cake, I expect the evening will go just fine. It’s being together that matters, and there’s lots of food.