So I began to look at the :”What Am I Doing, This Is Vancouver And I Am Going There?” with more jaundiced eyes. I sent the following email to the Niece’s Nexus: “I have begun to look at this email with new eyes. I think that Gail took this picture last year or something and just now sent it on to discourage me from coming. I am onto you! It is probably sunny, cloudless and warm in Vancouver. I am neither fooled or discouraged.” Cousin Gail snappily sent back a picture of the yard with no visible snow whatsoever. To the uninitiated, this “Dryburgh family”, my female cousins were not by any measure a close or connected group. Gail, Carol-Ann and I met six years ago, I have never seen cousin Pat in Australia, I met Faye for the first time a year ago Christmas and have not seen eighty year old Janet since I was eight. We all came in contact with Gail’s help, on the internet. A device I strategized to help me get some family history for the biography of our uncle. The book, Dave Dryburgh: A Relative Found, A Family Born, will be completed on my cross country Canadian train journey that will begin on April 21, 2017. Stay tuned.
In looking at the other March 6, 2017 posting I realized that I had neglected to mention one of Matthew’s jokes at the Rex Whistler. In each and every restaurant I continually and tirelessly drop the napkin from my lap onto the floor. It happens everywhere and every time. Matthew dutifully picked the napkin off the floor on Sunday but said that he was not going to give me napkins instead he would wait until the end and then let me use the table cloth. I have this actually extremely brilliant idea to make a movie, rather like My Dinner with Andrea, but film it in the Rex Whistler starring me and Matthew and our jokes. I will play myself but Matthew is not good looking enough to play himself. (joke). I am a lawyer and so therefore am a a tiny bit worried about someone stealing this idea but if I mention it in the blog I think I could use this as evidence in a copyright infringement lawsuit. Once a lawyer, always a lawyer. When I am in Marin County, California I will check this all out with an intellectual property lawyer. I have better connections to the legal community in Marin as I practiced law there for eons. Prior life and the source of my retirement income.
I got the sweetest telephone call yesterday. It was from the office of one of my posh doctors. The receptionist said that the doctor wanted to see me. I said: “Does he miss me already?” She laughed but said that he, on reflection, was worried about me because my ‘mind was racing.” I calmly sat down and told her that it probably was because I was undertaking another major move in my life with absolutely no one around to help me. She told me that was what the doctor wanted to help me with. I was so touched, told her so and we made an appointment for today. There are two deranged lonely woman wandering around the walkways of Dolphin Square. I worry a little that I would turn out like that because I am alone. For one thing NOT because one is younger than I am and for another thing I have a wonderful doctor who is worried about me and calls to make an appointment.
I was laughing with my personal trainer Brian at our last session together as I leave for Canada on March 15, 2017. I told him that the doctor was probably confused as he had not seen the other side of me before. I am usually pleasant and funny. The doctor was an hour behind and I was more than a little irritated. I complained about paying 135 pounds for a test. The physician responded saying it was a ‘clever’ test. For that much money I rejoined, it should get the Albert Einstein Award. He was not amused. I said to Brian that he, my personal trainer, had seen both sides of me and many others as well. Brian agreed and said he had seen my racing side, my sports side, my four wheel side, my hibernation side, my all systems off side and others he could not recall. We laughed. He gave me a card with a wonderful message of farewell. I cried when I read it, I was so touched. So I do not have a husband (right now) but I have a doctor and a personal trainer. I am better off.
I had a fascinating conversation yesterday morning in the Dolphin Fitness Club ladies locker room with a woman who had lived in Dolphin Square for ages. The conversation began with a discussion of the current mismanagement of Dolphin Square but she told me about a history of massive corruption and fraud involving Westminster council in the past. It concerned the conveyance of the property. Men went to jail for fraud, as it was found to be illegally conveyed and then there were even more shenanigans I got very excited about the prospect of writing a book about these events. I did want to do a book of investigative journalism for my London creative non fiction writing program but the head of the program was too lazy to encourage such a foray. The first step for me is to go to the British Library and research all that has been written about Dolphin Square. A small hitch to that plan is my planned departure from London in two days. I could perhaps come back to London on a visitor’s visa and do the research. Another brilliant idea: first a movie, now a book of investigative journalism. First the Uncle Dave book, first the Uncle Dave book, stupid.
The end of the day found me indulging in a pedicure and manicure at my favorite place on Lupus Street. I love them there. After my pedicure and manicure the wonderful woman gave me a shoulder massage. I was so grateful, the tension I am enduring is incredible. It finds his home in my neck and shoulders. So relaxed and glamorous I headed back to Dolphin Square. The photographs you see are the shop, the other my nails on the engagement ring hand. Canada here I come.
I spoke to genius Chris Jackson. He told me that London and Beyond gets an average of 300 hits a day. I cannot believe it but apparently it is true. I do not know what telling you all will do, so it is done with trepidation. It could well be that each and every one of you will say to themselves: “I do not need to bother, someone else is going to do the job.” I guess we’ll see.
