the walk

There is a photo shoot coming up a week from today. My client is celebrating her 50th birthday. The house will be decorated and she is expecting all her siblings to come from various parts of the British Columbia interior. I went for a walk this afternoon. The first part was to time the route necessary to the photo shoot location. Its a 20 minute walk, 30 minutes if I doddle! We're all excited! She gets to see her brothers and sisters and I have my first shoot with people. Its a departure from just doing land and seascapes, flora and fauna and the like.

After that initial route I took 16th Avenue from Cumberland Street and on to Robert Burnaby Park in Burnaby. There are lots of photos that resulted, including some surprises for me, but I'll post the best ones soon. Meantime, be patient!!!

On the way to the park I saw a hot-looking guy crossing Newcombe Street as I got closer to the park. On the way back, I saw another hot guy, this one crossing Cumberland Street with his hands full, a backpack on one and something else in the other. He was wearing a purplish t-shirt, shorts and fit to model! I took a couple of looks he was so awesome. You can see hot guys anywhere, you just have to be observant!

When I finally got home, after sorting things away, I filled a glass with Astica, a white wine from Mendoza, Argentina. Its a blend made from Sauvignon blanc - Semillon grapes produced and bottled by Bodegas Trapiche. The name Astica means "flower" in the local native language and very fitting. Supper consisted of sandwiches (jalapanos-cheese focaccia with cheddar cheese slices), some fruit and a couple of glasses of wine to wash everything down. I try to keep my suppers light and have heavier meals during the day. Mendoza is also where my father's younger brother married during the early 1940s, so there's a family history there.

Now I've finished reading emails and sending out replies. Once I finish this post I plan to get ready for bed. I'll work on the photos in the morning! Have a great night!!! - V.

The hound question

It seems that I may have answered my own question (or questions). There is such a breed as the Irish Wolfhound but the dogs being taken for a walk aren't them. Rather, it turns out that they are Afghan Hounds, a breed brought back to Great Britain by officers returning from India, which at the time also included Pakistan, Afghanistan and Persia. They are just great to watch as they walk aristocratically with their heads up high looking forward into the distance. I just wish I got more photos of them. Perhaps another time. - Volker

Sunday walk

Today (Sunday) I was in Vancouver to meet up with a friend near Science World on False Creek about mid-afternoon. On our walk toward Granville Island we saw someone taking these dogs for a walk. We were nearly at Granville Island at the time. Anyone have any idea what breed these dogs are? For some reason I am thinking Irish Wolfhound (if there is such a breed) but I may be off the mark. They appear to be all the same breed, just three different colour variations. There will be more photos from both Saturday's trip to Burnaby Mountain and today's walk along False Creek. Meantime, enjoy this one! - Volker

Saturday

This past week has been rather routine with nothing of great interest happening. Wednesday I made the mistake of having crumpets for breakfast before heading into work. What an error that was. I paid the price later in the afternoon with frequent trips to the washroom. Since I'm lactose intollerant or don't have enough enzymes to metabolize milk sugars, anything that has any milk in it will give me grief. The last time that happened was a couple of weeks ago after consuming a small piece of chocolate! I certainly didn't have that problem when I was younger but it is an issue now that I am well into adulthood. I am learning but I do have the occasional weakness for chocolate and such. Some old habits are hard to break!


Other than that, the work week was routine, so when the weekend came, I was so happy to do something that had nothing at all to do with work. After a glass-topped computer desk was delivered Saturday morning and some laundry was out of the way, I walked over to Braid SkyTrain station to catch a train to Brentwood station on my way to Burnaby Mountain. I walked up Willingdon to Hastings Street to catch the 135 bus to Simon Fraser University which is located on top of the mountain. From the campus it is a short walk to the western end of the mountain where the Horizon Restaurant is located. Great views of the lower mainland from there! On my way back to the bus stop I was eating salmonberries and huckleberries, both in season now. Both are a bit on the tart side, just the way I like them!

I arrived home exhausted and ready for bed but was back at it again on Sunday when I went into Vancouver for a walk along the seawall from one end to the other starting at the entrance off West Georgia Street. I ended up at the main beach at English Bay and was ready to return home afterwards for a short rest and then some supper. Now I am ready for bed once again to get ready for another work week. Hope you had a great weekend where you are and that your week to follow will be filled full of interesting things to keep you from getting too bored! Meantime, I am looking forward to Brad's arrival here in the west! Have a great week! - Volker