tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703706690625306888.post5908804450287774555..comments2024-01-27T13:59:05.876+00:00Comments on hissyfit: Hopeland (Notes from Corsica): 18: A Pocketful of StarsHissyfithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06865300919319235353noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703706690625306888.post-57987522744784916532013-11-16T12:40:26.327+00:002013-11-16T12:40:26.327+00:00Sorry to hear about your sickly 'snowbird'...Sorry to hear about your sickly 'snowbird'. They sound tight up my street; the kind of folk to cherish... Great that your little miracle is dancing around that challenge; proof of the benefits of a courageous spirit...<br />Good luck with the golf TT; keep 'em straight and long.Hissyfithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06865300919319235353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703706690625306888.post-78324000937081781622013-11-16T06:45:43.690+00:002013-11-16T06:45:43.690+00:00Bittersweet/moving piece. Cuts mighty close to the...Bittersweet/moving piece. Cuts mighty close to the bone...<br /><br />Got together today with one our dear "snowbird" friends (Malcolm) also from Canada. One of the smartest, talented and I'm sure wealthiest folks we've ever met. Mal (58) is early-retired CNR exec, and his wife Leslie works as a bigwig at the CBC. However the couple go completely against stereotype. They drive a rusty 10 year old pick-up truck, ride ratty old bicycles everywhere, and live on one of grungiest streets of our little seaside community here. The antithesis of the snooty pretentious characters you'd expect to hail from Toronto high society, and an absolute joy to share time with. Although they've travelled the globe, they love it here (as we do) and their enthusiasm and spirit of adventure is infectious. <br />Meeting today, Mal's normally hyper-enthusiastic demeanor somewhat tempered. He revealed that wife Les (54) had been diagnosed with the "Big C" 3 weeks ago, and he was just down to the cottage for a quick week to do maintenance, before returning to TO for what will likely be a long gruelling winter of treatment. Although the disease was caught early, we could sense an unbearably wounded soul's pain seeping between his ever present grin... But if anyone can encourage and assure, it's my wife. She's a little miracle, having experienced the worst you can imagine of the cursed plague, and come out the other side in pretty nice shape so far, and her bubbly personality can cheer up the most grumpy curmudgeon. It was rather heavy conversation, but Mal learned a lot, and was eternally grateful to be able to spill his guts with folk who can identify & empathise. We had a nice dinner at a local redneck greasy spoon and some suds & tiramisu at our place later. Tomorrow we'll share a round of golf which should be fun/infuriating. We're gonna miss their company this winter... <br /><br />Sorry captain, this is awful personal stuff to be blabbing on these pages, even if they are in the margins...<br /><br />PS: My proof-reading of your notes not quite as focussed as should be, but you're pretty much flawless the last few entries. <br />Only correction here... "his eyes fixed of the next [run] of the ladder." > rungTim Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01089890504560756715noreply@blogger.com