Dinner with Mary
It is a cloudy Tuesday morning as I segue into my routine. The temperature on the island is 14 degrees with an 80% chance of rain! It is still only 7:39 a.m. though it looks like return to sun for the rest of the week.
Chaya delivered my coffee right at the top of her tasks and today she returns to the café. She has just left for work, which I guess means Dylan goes to Meghan/Matt in the short term at least. She stopped to let me know before she went.
Last night we went to dinner at Rick’s mom’s place. I was not sure what to expect but I am very glad we went. It was an unexpected pleasure. I had even suggested to Chaya that I stay home, but Chaya was having none of that.
I remember the road there as being the one to Rick’s place as well, as his house is next door to his mom’s. I remember the ride because the wound on my neck from the biopsy kept opening and freaking Chaya out to the extent she kept exclaiming “Dad, I can see RIGHT INSIDE your neck!” And it was not a happy exclamation.
We arrived around 6 p.m. and it was looking more and more like rain. We mounted the low rise flagstone steps to the front door, and it was one of those heavy doors that defeats the knock on it by cancelling all sounds.
To give Chaya due credit though, she only knocked once before opening the door herself.
Mary, Rick’s mom, is a heavy set and dignified {not pretty} woman but the house she lives in could be the California mansion of a Hollywood Star. I have never seen that type of single frame construction here in BC before, but the climate and environment support it totally.
It reminded me of buildings I had visited at Big Sur.
From the outside it is rustic and unpretentious but inside the lines are clean the timbers clean and it has all the hallmarks of the ideal artist cottage and retreat.
The living room floor was solid wood (oak?) and augmented by a huge stone fireplace with the stove built into it.
There are technical terms for this style of building but I can’t seem to find them for this entry.
The dining room table was set for at least 7 people…so I knew Cathy (Rick's sister) and her husband Mark would be there as well. Chaya mentioned their names as we entered and so I was not caught off guard. But we met them here about 2 weeks ago when Cathy stopped to do some computer work using Chaya’s laptop.
I wasn’t sure what they were doing then but both girls seemed totally at ease which impressed me. Whatever Cathy’s expertise she had no problem negotiating Chaya’s Apple notebook.
At Rick’s mom’s dinner she was using an iPod that looked like an old fashioned notebook in a binder. Rick’s mom was doing the same thing. The large screen TV answered a whole other question in terms of services for residents.
They had a huge box of Lego toys set out for Dylan so he was as happy as a lark.
The next thing I noticed was the view. We immediately walked out onto a balcony that overlooks the Strait of Georgia a pristine view with a billion dollar value. The house is right on the water surrounded by ancient firs and arbutus.
It was cool outside so we retreated to the living room. I had to use the washroom and Chaya led me there. It was small and basic. Once finished we went back out to the living room where a conversation was ongoing.
Because my ears remain blocked with wax [as they were for part of my sister’s stay with me in Vancouver] I just sat and watched. My silence didn’t appear to offend anyone but I think Chaya had forewarned them.
I noticed that Cathy and Mark sat barefoot comfortably in the space, Chaya had removed her shoes but I didn’t attempt to remove mine…no one seemed to mind at all. I have severe mobility issues lately.
I also kept my warm fleece jacket on all through the dinner and until we left. Dinner was simple but right to the point. Mary served a delicious comfort casserole with a fresh garden (arugula with green apple) salad. I started off with a single small portion but wound up accepting second helpings of both.
She served lemon squares for desert (a 90 year old recipe she said) and asked if we would like coffee. None of us did.
I was stunned speechless by the space and the energy there. It was the house of an older lady but so very stylish without pretense. I had expected a ramshackle beach house at most.
I tried to be polite and say the right things but that is so very difficult when you are in a cone of total silence.
Chaya delivered my coffee right at the top of her tasks and today she returns to the café. She has just left for work, which I guess means Dylan goes to Meghan/Matt in the short term at least. She stopped to let me know before she went.
Last night we went to dinner at Rick’s mom’s place. I was not sure what to expect but I am very glad we went. It was an unexpected pleasure. I had even suggested to Chaya that I stay home, but Chaya was having none of that.
I remember the road there as being the one to Rick’s place as well, as his house is next door to his mom’s. I remember the ride because the wound on my neck from the biopsy kept opening and freaking Chaya out to the extent she kept exclaiming “Dad, I can see RIGHT INSIDE your neck!” And it was not a happy exclamation.
We arrived around 6 p.m. and it was looking more and more like rain. We mounted the low rise flagstone steps to the front door, and it was one of those heavy doors that defeats the knock on it by cancelling all sounds.
To give Chaya due credit though, she only knocked once before opening the door herself.
Mary, Rick’s mom, is a heavy set and dignified {not pretty} woman but the house she lives in could be the California mansion of a Hollywood Star. I have never seen that type of single frame construction here in BC before, but the climate and environment support it totally.
It reminded me of buildings I had visited at Big Sur.
From the outside it is rustic and unpretentious but inside the lines are clean the timbers clean and it has all the hallmarks of the ideal artist cottage and retreat.
The living room floor was solid wood (oak?) and augmented by a huge stone fireplace with the stove built into it.
There are technical terms for this style of building but I can’t seem to find them for this entry.
The dining room table was set for at least 7 people…so I knew Cathy (Rick's sister) and her husband Mark would be there as well. Chaya mentioned their names as we entered and so I was not caught off guard. But we met them here about 2 weeks ago when Cathy stopped to do some computer work using Chaya’s laptop.
I wasn’t sure what they were doing then but both girls seemed totally at ease which impressed me. Whatever Cathy’s expertise she had no problem negotiating Chaya’s Apple notebook.
At Rick’s mom’s dinner she was using an iPod that looked like an old fashioned notebook in a binder. Rick’s mom was doing the same thing. The large screen TV answered a whole other question in terms of services for residents.
They had a huge box of Lego toys set out for Dylan so he was as happy as a lark.
The next thing I noticed was the view. We immediately walked out onto a balcony that overlooks the Strait of Georgia a pristine view with a billion dollar value. The house is right on the water surrounded by ancient firs and arbutus.
It was cool outside so we retreated to the living room. I had to use the washroom and Chaya led me there. It was small and basic. Once finished we went back out to the living room where a conversation was ongoing.
Because my ears remain blocked with wax [as they were for part of my sister’s stay with me in Vancouver] I just sat and watched. My silence didn’t appear to offend anyone but I think Chaya had forewarned them.
I noticed that Cathy and Mark sat barefoot comfortably in the space, Chaya had removed her shoes but I didn’t attempt to remove mine…no one seemed to mind at all. I have severe mobility issues lately.
I also kept my warm fleece jacket on all through the dinner and until we left. Dinner was simple but right to the point. Mary served a delicious comfort casserole with a fresh garden (arugula with green apple) salad. I started off with a single small portion but wound up accepting second helpings of both.
She served lemon squares for desert (a 90 year old recipe she said) and asked if we would like coffee. None of us did.
I was stunned speechless by the space and the energy there. It was the house of an older lady but so very stylish without pretense. I had expected a ramshackle beach house at most.
I tried to be polite and say the right things but that is so very difficult when you are in a cone of total silence.
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