- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1983
For the moment, while deflecting the onslaught of bills, car repairs, insurance, lockers, phone, many, many others, I take refuge in the staff accommodation. Temporary, a dark basement, no sunlight whatsoever, fluorescent lights that only occasionally work, no internet, a good night gives you stop-motion pornography - a mere one bar on the computer, on the phone none, a shower that jets steam and ice water alternately despite the tap, the clutter of bad furniture, bedding, finding a place here, it's been a constant battle and it's wearing me down, this getting settled, and time is passing...
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1776
Forest Fire east of Harrop, smoke billowing over mountain. It's about 5 or ten km up the valley...the sky's still blue. The next morning though...
The other side of the lake has disappeared into the haze, the smoke, you can't really smell it, but it's clammy and clings to your skin...
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1947
When I think about it, they all do here. A stark contrast to Alberta. You can buy cigarettes, liquor, lottery tickets, all the major government subsidies, at a single store. One trip. This is amazing.
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1713
A hot day off, early drinking to beat the heat. Ferry over to Kootenay Bay, then the drive down to Creston, I gotta hit the prospecting shop...
I get what I need, a hand dredge and crevassing tool, good for sniping, that's my next day off's goal...
A local mural:
Absurd. Brings to mind the phrase "The road to hell is paved with good intentions", to which I'd append "...and bad slogans and murals...".
Now to check out a few of the antique shops.
1, owner or employee grumpy, behind the counter, hates the foot traffic, a lot of junk, reasonably priced, but junk, he's not getting out of his chair to show you anything, just grunts and sullenly suffers your shopping...
But a couple of other shops and I get lucky:
A vintage microphone, perfect for podcasting, just need a plug adapter to make it fit my computer, very cool.
And:
Classic piece of bad retro, spin the wheel to find the cocktail you wanna make, most I've never heard of, the ideal accessory for the hipster bar as ridiculous cocktails return to vogue...
From here to check out a couple of wineries, good, looking at the menu of one - "We politely decline all substitutions:" and steak: "Served Medium Rare".
Nice. It's good, heartening, especially in hospitality, to see a chef doing things his way. Serving you note how many people try and fuck with the food, have ridiculous special requests, "dietary allergies", ridiculous, where I work - ok, doesn't matter, but if you're trying to cook for the higher end and educated populace it doesn't hurt to remind them. Want your steak well done? Go someplace else. Can't eat this? Order something else. It made me happy, the crowd that needs to have a say in every detail of their burger, they're not the easiest to serve. This place, with it's no-nonsense menu, this would be a better clientele...
Now the thrift shops in Creston, they open 4-7:00, ridiculously busy, lineups of thrifty shoppers, never seen this in my life, it's not a sale day, an ordinary day, they're opening a bit later than normal and for some reason that's drawn them all out like zombies...no finds here.
The drive home, it's early yet but the pall from the smoke and the fires casts a sunset glow on the side of the road...
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1808
3 Mice now, in as many months.
I sweep. Only once a week or so, I'm not here so much, but there's been no trace of mice. No shit, no nibbled food, no nothing. Yet, in that 3 months, I've found 3 mice dead in the toilet. Lid down, they crawled through, first through the chink in the plaster, second through the lid-down toilet, the rest you know...
Find them in the morning, double take, "Did I wake up in the middle of the night and...", nope, ears, whiskers, I'm not the only one to report this. Other tenants have reported the dead mouse in the toilet, only they thought it was a rat, nope, not big enough, it's a mouse, and it's dead, flush, good-bye, a poor end.
This is curious to me, I've had mice (up to 30 odd, a certain house), but never have I found one drowned dead in the toilet. Let alone 3. And no signs of them around the flat, no turds, nibbling, etc, I've only ever seen one (found him dead, in the toilet, the next morning), so, like, what's-up? Really?