- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 153
So I've been a little too preoccupied with the news, and, as I will argue, the very real threat on our Sovereignty and Democracy (or what passes for it), and not enough time has been spent ignoring the news or getting stuff done.
The stuff that needs to get done: Well, there's the deep clean of the apartment, a mess since I was 5 weeks down with pneumonia. It was a mess before, but it didn't clean itself. Pull out the bed, the dust-bunnies grown into buffalo, dust off the crystals, rocks, wipe everything down, it was bad.
Then there was the shower drain, not draining. Standing water every shower. So I get in there with a hook and fish out clots of matted hair, filth, like dead rats, haul it out, fish again, haul again. Eventually it seems clean, pour boiling water down it, fine.
But where does all this hair come from? I have no guests, my hair, on my head, certainly isn't this long, on my chest, well, coiled up springs of grey like shock absorbers, maybe, but the culprit, I suspect, is my ass. If I stood on my head I'd be Rapunzel. I have to start shaving, but there's no incentive in that direction...
After a few days the standing water comes back, and as I can't seem to fish out any more hair I resort to Drano. Which, after 2, 3 treatments, works fine. Mission accomplished.
Left: Well, lots, time to clean the rest of the bathroom (again!), the tub - polish off the soapy scum, I replace the toilet brush (a year and a half hasn't left the old one looking pretty), behind the fridge, stove, inside the fridge, stove, ...
Boring day to day chores, but I'm getting it done early so there's no panic when it's time for the general inspection. It's amazing how much dirt can build up over the winter, but I'm starting to get into the spring clean...
***
Books, my desk, piled high, impossible to get any work done, difficult to part with, especially as so many were ordered online, and what with shipping and my obtuse tastes and everything else I'll be lucky to see pennies on the dollar. But - time to swing the axe, I need a place to write, work, think, and this isn't it. I need shelving, but rarely do I see anything I could live with, and this small apartment - a godsend in a way (come time to clean), and as well in that it's time to make the tough choices and live lean...
***
Thrifting, I volunteer to pay gas to a friend with promises of untold riches to be discovered, am off to the Rossland thrift shop, a few shirts, a jacket, the wardrobe was in need of refreshing. And on Saturday an "afternoon tea" at the *** church, in line with the blue haired ladies, jewelry, books for sale, there are no books I want to read, but I find an old Wittenaur "Pegasus" - Kitsch, but a good brand, but overall not worth the price of admission. Not the Omega black-dialed moonphase "Cosmograph" I'd been visualizing, or the handful of other watches I'm missing...
And my belly's arguing and the crones are all catching up and there's not a chance that I'll get into the washroom, a cold day and I'd thought to wear my red one-piece long-johns, they're a bit tight, and when finally I find a washroom I discover that the bum-flap is riding somewhere up around the middle of my back, impossible, have to strip completely down at a time when the urgency couldn't be more dire...
***
The culprit, of course, the one that escaped with more velocity than a Space-X rocket trying to leave earth (but with far more success), was the subway coupons that came in the mail and made me think that somehow all those fresh vegetables, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, olives, onions, etc, were healthy. In real life, probably, but something about the dim lighting and suspect quality of Subway, about the taste of it all, well, probably not. And then on Friday, in the afternoon, I'd taken a chance on a cafe next to the bookstore, Austrian food (nope, but it's what they advertised), always busy, tried out their spatzle...well, I'm sure it tasted about the same going out as it did going in. I knew it even as I ate it that this was a bad idea, that I need to be a little less lazy and cook for myself more...
***
Work, it's picking up. There's a lot of Americans in town, taking advantage of our dollar, (or on reconnaissance), brave (or stupid) given the political climate they're extra polite, tip well, they know where this is going. I'll come back to that.
***
Talking to the daughter, catching up. She's asked me for book and film recommendations, the dutiful daughter, and so I'd recommended "Stalker" and "Pale Fire". Surprisingly she's taken in both. My last book recommendation had been "The Razor's Edge" by Somerset Maugham - (she pronounced "Somerset Mum"), she claimed to enjoy, so I'm trying gradually to raise the bar. And she's talking about it with some knowledge, and ... it comes out, she doesn't confess, but I guess,she's been Chat GPT(ing) my recommendations and I'd be furious only we're laughing too hard, it's funny, that she wants the knowledge or the credit for the knowledge without doing the work, and the work, it's not at all unpleasant, it's enjoyable, a real pleasure, but clearly not her thing.
I send her a link: https://futurism.com/neoscope/human-intelligence-declining-trends and note the correlation between reading chapter books and attention span/general intelligence. She's not impressed.
***
Rumours about the last restaurant, the 'ole "Cock 'n' Suck", that it's sold, that it's not sold, all from a hundred people better informed than me. Last word that it didn't, deal fell through, and so it goes.
***
Eyes out for Jeeps/4WD/Toyota Land **** on Facebook, a dull material existence but I need a jeep, the pedestrian bit’s gone on too long, some look reasonable.
Old Volvos, Nostalgia, one of my favourite cars, for a mere…2, 3, $4,000, and while I have fond memories of their reliability and their aesthetic unfortunately they won’t take me up the mountain.
I click on too many in the $5,000 to $8,000 dollar range that tell you they’re “fixer uppers” - bring your own tow-truck. Preposterous.
So now I’m committed to the “Death on the Instalment Plan” bit, $500 a month payments are about what I’d pay in repairs on any of my other wrecks, and for once, these past few years, I’d like to be driving something I actually like. That will come down the mountain with me after the big trip up. That alone would be worth the expense. Now to get financing.
***
Then there was the discovery that there's 2 rival poetry slams in town, 2 venues, 2 different hosts, not affiliated, which delights me, why not? Tomorrow I'll see how the other slam compares...
***
The news from Alberta, arguing with a friend that they're all idiots, pointing out that Danielle Smith won the majority by a landslide, she demands proof, easily provided. I'm amazed at how many other parties there are, it's not just the NDP vs the UCP, why there's quite a few "independent" parties that failed to win a single seat and hence are never heard of. I've an idea to set up a few political parties of my own, split up the vote, “Hey there, I’m Cleetus from the Christian Conservative Coalition Party (CCCP for short)” or “Dumbford from the Alberta First Party”, travel the province in a 'Uncle Jed' style jalopy with photos of fetuses on top, an old-school rattlesnake handling evangelical preacher on back, loudspeakers, maybe a chaste group of Christian cheerleaders, "Alberta First" could fly a US flag with the 51st star a Maple Leaf, they'd pretend to hate each other and perhaps take back enough of the vote from the treacherous Danielle Smith and UCP...
Alberta, Alberta, Alberta.
***
Now to the news and the source of much fruitless anxiety:
The Tanker Crash off the UK, Russian ship carrying Sodium Cyanide into a US owned Tanker, probably to help with the Measles Outbreak. Accident or ???
German Spy agency says with 80-90% confidence that Covid leaked from Wuhan Lab as result of Gain of Function tests. Note the source here is Reuters, a reputable news agency.
Measles outbreaks in the US, Ontario, Edmonton...and then the Tyee reports: https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/03/14/BC-Measles-Vaccination-Rate/
How are people so stupid? Well, see earlier link on the decline of intelligence. Society is grooming idiots, it's by design. Smart people don't vote for Danielle Smith, Pierre Poilievre, or Donald Trump. Smart people know the limits of their intelligence, do their research, and trust established medical science.
This, of course, around the same time that Musk/Trump (MUMPS for short) cuts funding to USAID, and consider the good work they do and clear understanding of foreign threats - no, not Muslims or Mexicans, but Ebola and a myriad of other extraordinarily communicable diseases that without monitoring or containment will without a doubt make their way to the US to be dealt with by the extraordinarily capable Doctor and Scientist Robert Kennedy. Maybe Ivermectin or Vitamin A?
Zelensky’s appearance on “The (Mc)Donald” Show”, in which The Donald and his Henchman Vance attempted to humiliate him. No link provided, it's too dark, it's easier watching videos of Darwin Award Winners.
The ceasefire in Gaza, another 7,8,9, 300 people plus killed since it began. Perhaps I'm not understanding the word "Ceasefire"? It doesn't seem particularly sporting to be murdering innocent women and children under the auspices of "Truce" but - here we are. And of course, there's Trump's brilliant assistance to Israel in this genocide, the "President of Peace" sending forces and strikes to Yemen to assist. Gaza is excellent real estate, and you could build a fine resort there.
There's the attempts by the highly esteemed Lauren Boebert to have Fentanyl declared a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Given Trump's other remarks this would provide a convenient pretext for war with Mexico or the Invasion of Canada.
Then there are the Airplane Crashes, Teslas for sale on the White House Lawn, the uprising and protests in Serbia, in Hungary, (barely reported), the Mass Illegal Deportations of Americans, the threatens of annexation, more tariffs, the gutting of American infrastructure, the seizing and deportation of Canadians, the interrogation of innocent "Vacationers", the ostentatious gilding of the Oval Office, The severe weather and storms with videos to accompany, the news cycle so rapid-fire fast, distraction, diversion, and wherever you're looking isn't where it's happening.
I haven’t doom-scrolled like this since the Pandemic,
On the CBC - Mark Carny - so boring, unassuming, his acceptance speech, calming, almost - almost - reassuring; the right person at the right time and so far he seems to be doing everything right.
Then there's the inanity of other news, celebrity crushes, dream houses, sports, horoscopes, it’s all fluff, there is no “OTHER NEWS”, I want to scream, this is the news, pay attention, your life, your children’s, parents, siblings neighbours, friends, freedom, liberty, and maybe even their lives depend upon this.
...
So that's where I am at the moment. Now to go scrub the bathroom tub, floor, maybe the fridge and make some dinner before embarking upon other projects.
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 195
Called in to work, we've a big booking, the Civic is doing a Oscars Screening, we have the large screen TV they require...
Complete and utter bollocks, but I knew that. No surprises there, and a day off thwarted to work this, well...
Playing to an audience almost exclusively of women within my age range, who for reasons of taste will be completely, entirely off limits, just their presence at this event is a red flag, hell, it's a full-on stars-and-stripes, and the vacuity of the ceremonies can't distract me from the very real fact that the rest of the world is gone to shit, and maybe that's why they're all here, in need of some diversion from the real world at the moment, but somehow it all just seems a little extra trite...
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 193
Monday, head out of town. The weather's fine, as good as it'll get, there's been a lot of snow, a lot of rain, it's warming up, out to Balfour to look for artifacts.
It's been a few months since I made the trip, the trees, stripped of leaves, show how much the lakefront is filling in, 2nd, 3rd properties on lots that once held a single lakefront property.
The character of the lake, the town, it's changing, has been for a while. Not for the better.
Arriving at Balfour, first thing I notice - the property 2 lots down from the restaurant has been sold. Maybe 150 meters of lakefront, now cleared of trees and being built up by excavators. Asking around, apparently it'll be a trailer court for 55+ retirees.
It's ugly. Ugly as fuck and the lack of trees mean that it's a least 20, probably 30 years from being presentable.
Then there's the restaurant and it's neighbour. The neighbour, I've mentioned him before, a local "Character", by which I mean hostile abusive drunk. He's been banned from contacting any number of people on Facebook, he's the kind of ass that thinks threats of violence and Nazi salutes are funny. His property, it's been improved after his own mind and model of self improvement, more grey modular homes, garages, the property is now filled with them, side by side, garages filled with vehicles - how many does anyone need? More and then some it would appear. And other buildings, rentals perhaps, or guest accommodations, all so closely packed you'd wonder how they get in. It's a dump, formalized with a lot of crummy and probably unauthorized buildings.
***
Then there's the restaurant. Smoke coming from the chimney, somebody's home, garbage piled high outside the staff accommodations. That probably can be attributed to SR's absence this summer, he was responsible for the management of the property, without him it's gone to shit. JR will have done nothing.
Apparently the restaurant has sold. Or is about to sell. Soon. There's a bidding war. I see posts on Facebook by the customers it never had looking forward to the new, better owners that will win back their business. And I've heard from acquaintances that it's sold, or is selling,...
All this talk of it's selling, it selling, it's proof it hasn't sold. That it didn't sell, that it'll be that liability on their hands again this summer and thank god I'll have other plans and won't have to go back there and work.
***
The Ferry landing, the strike tent in the middle of the traffic lanes. The washrooms, at the top of the landing, they've finally gotten fucking smart, gendered the bathrooms. A men's and a women's. And where the mens (ungendered) used to have a single stall they now have 2 stalls and a urinal. 3 times the capacity. I can't speak for the women's but safe to presume it's doubled. This, 2 years after the improvements, could have been done at a fraction of the cost and double the quality when they were building it, but they were too much the fuckwits.
That said, the strike, ongoing, US/Canada relations, well, ....all these improvements to infrastructure, the uglification of Balfour, to what avail? The people are disappearing, the world is changing, and no ferry means we need no improvements to the landing, why would we, things are not what they once were...
***
Change, that spotted over the past 4 months, since last I was out here, it's startling. Things have been going on. Not good things, but things nonetheless.
I head down to look for arrowheads. 3 1/2 hours spent stooped, bent double, crouched, looking at rocks on the foreshore. The lake is low, there's lots new exposed. That said, no great treasures. A couple of worked pieces of flint, an old scraper, nothing to photograph or write home about. When the bus comes to take me back to Nelson I'm pretty grateful. When I get to Nelson I stop at the candy store, treat myself to $10 worth of school chalk (Licorice), the last they have. And then at the Kootenay Bakery for a half dozen salted chocolate cookies. I have no idea where this sweet tooth has come from but I'm doing my best to accommodate it. And damn if it isn't all just tasting mighty fine...
***
And in the days following I'm realizing I need exercise, yoga, this bending double for a few hours has seriously wounded me, my every muscle, and summer's coming, summer's soon, and I can't be this out of shape...
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 173
Now, again done the medicine prescribed, giant gobstoppers of Amoxicillin, 6 per day, now used up. The rest is to nature, and I’m exhausted, feeling as if I’ve stood against the ropes while Mike Tyson took 6 or 7 rounds and got it all out of his system. I’ve still a cough, but the expectorate has lost it’s malignant hue.
Outside, since I’ve been sick, perhaps 3 feet of snow and now a continual drizzle. On the dark asphalt, slick, still a couple of moist yellow spots where I spat on the first days of my sickness, bits of the plague in the flesh, clinging to the asphalt as if waiting for spring when they can begin to grow and crawl and evolve into something else…
I’ve been subject to strange cravings, cookie dough, Pillsbury croissants, dark chocolate and salted caramel ice cream. Shanghai noodles, I’ve stocked my fridge, Asian food, it’s a small town, there’s no going out for this, better to make it for oneself.
Now, time for a walk, and then a longer one, this convalescence will demand some energy I don’t have but a walk, a longer walk, perhaps tomorrow try and get out of town, head out to Balfour and see what all this rain and snow have brought to the surface….
My apartment, a complete and utter mess, ankle deep in salt and sand, the heater failed a couple of weeks ago, still waiting on a repairman, thinking it would be sooner, thinking it would be courteous I pulled all my furniture away from the heat pump, there it’s remained, the repairman, due every day and never once shown up. Fortunately the apartment keeps reasonably warm without the heat, 17 or 18 degrees, nothing a blanket and sweater can’t handle.
And for the moment that’s it…
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 168
The week leading up, reservations. All told maybe 60, 70 people, 2 1/2 turns of the restaurant. Not too crazy, we should be able to manage fine.
A few days before, customer comes in for soup to go. She can see I'm unwell, not the best, and so is insistent that I get the chef to dish her soup to go out. I can touch nothing. Single-handedly I'm the plague, poisoning babies, killing villages, ...
I'm too sick to argue.
The same day, another lady, has a friend, can't eat gluten or rice, what do we have? I answer nothing. Not entirely true, but - close enough, and my patience for this is expired.
***
Valentines comes and it's a shit-show blown up beyond belief. Clearly and without precedent, without even a near comparison the worst Valentines I've worked in the industry. Ever.
There's a line up at the door all night. People without reservations, who thought they wouldn't need them, couples, families with strollers, people looking confused that a reservation might be required, "Why?", you can see it in their perplexed, offended faces.
The busiest day of the year, and why would you need a reservation? We manage to fit in perhaps 40 walk-ins, another 200 are left grumbling to go and try elsewhere.
***
Feb 14th, Saturday. Busy again, this time with people out to enjoy the live music and a few mocktails. A young couple come in, don't like their table, try and switch to a booth for 5. I tell them we're reserving that for a larger group, they get offended, leave, write an online review that calls me a "racist" for not letting them have the booth.
***
This industry, it's peak entitlement. Every idiot feels entitled to have their every idiocy pandered to. I'm done with it, maybe, at best, I've another 3, 4 months left, but I can't do it anymore. Now to begin looking for a way out...any commonality, of good manners, breeding, it's vanished and I'm exhausted.