My intended CC contribution sat half-finished for six weeks... ok, really just half-started... ok, for six weeks there was this otherwise white screen with the words: "cc049 - job #1 tomorrow morning." Yesterday the much anticipated package from the Overaa@Ridge.rd arrived. I guess this means I really did miss the deadline this time. I hope this late breaking news finds its way to some of you.

                                        
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cc049_eric&family_june-2005

The work space on Catherine's desk (homework space?) is rapidly being crowded out by the stacks of teen celebrity and fashion mags, while her I-pod is just as quickly filling up with music from Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas and Green Day. Every morning there is a fashion show in front of the hall mirror, and it has to be said that Catherine does have a real sense of style. But as we all know, beauty comes at a price... Catherine has decided that what she really needs to support her fashion habit is more cash in her life, and her path to prosperity has become cleaning the dinner dishes. She gets $2 and permission to pump up the volume for the duration of the job. Meanwhile Siân and I have been slipping out for evening walks.

It would be misleading to leave the impression that Catherine's life is all about fashion and loud music. Lately she has begun to read voraciously. She browses Siân's paperback book shelves for offerings from Stephen King, and is also keying in on Siân's impressive collection of action thrillers featuring implausible highly-destructive amoral mutants with a thirst for Armageddon. When Catherine is curled up on her bed or the sofa reading, it reminds me a lot of Kelly as kid. And Siân is reminded of herself when she was Catherine's age.

Patrick's focus at school continues to be the performance arts. He was in two drama productions this spring - the junior play was "Village of Idiots," a comedy penned by a local playwright, and the senior play was Guys and Dolls. In both cases he had decent sized parts for a grade niner. At the school's spring band concert Siân and I were very surprised to find that Patrick was the featured soloist (on the trumpet) in an extended Count Basie medley suite. It was surprising not only because he neglected to mention that he was the soloist, but also because there was absolutely no at-home practicing. He is practicing the piano at home, however, and continues to improve.

Siân's mild foot injury was just serious enough to prevent her from running her 6th Vancouver Marathon this May, but fortunately she remains healthy enough to run comfortably if she avoids the big training distances. This year she became president of MAP (Medieval Association of the Pacific) and survived her first conference in the position a few months ago in San Francisco. She's still on sabbatical until September and continues work on her major book project "Printing the Middle Ages." Then it's back to the salt mines... the rumour is that she will back in the classroom (part time) in September.

Last weekend my spring randonneur cycling season concluded with an old favourite - the 600 km route to Cache Creek and back. This season's Lower Mainland "brevet" (ride) series has a singular distinction - it's the first year that it rained in all seven scheduled events. My next event is one that I am organizing: a new 1000 km route, Vancouver-Vancouver(WA)-Vancouver scheduled for the solstice weekend, June 18-20. One final word on cycling. I was honoured by BC Randonneurs this year with the Roger Street Award for my volunteer contributions, mainly for my work on the BC Randonneurs web site. It was nice to be appreciated, and it makes my efforts feel worthwhile.

Hip update: Since the last cc I have had two more x-rays, and have had my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. He describes my condition as "quite advanced," but insists that the timing of replacement surgery is up to me, and that if I'm coping ok, I could consider putting it off. This is more or less what I was hoping to hear - I'm doing ok, so for the moment surgery can wait.

Everyone have a great summer.

Eric