Coffee On Sale: Save $800 (Bay Daze 2)

When I make a cup of coffee it costs me nothing for the water, about 50 cents for the ground coffee, and perhaps 10 cents for the paper filter.

I make my coffee in a plastic pour-over contraption that cost about $25. The pour-over style of coffee-making has proven to be very popular with the coffee aficionados who have joined in java worship in our house.

You can imagine my shock and horror recently when I saw the Bay Days ad for a coffee-maker that was $800 off! This begged the question, what was the original sticker price is they could advertise it for $800 off?

$1600.

Yup, sixteen hundred smackeroos. One thousand six hundred. Fourscore times one score more. $1600.

Who, in their right mind would pay $1600 for a coffee-maker? Who in their right mind would pay $800 for a coffee maker. Sure, it can make espresso and perhaps froth a bit of milk, but $1600????

I do know one person who paid, I believe, two thousand dollars for a coffee machine. He has a penchant for the good life. His piano (justifiably) cost $90 000 and he drives an Acura that was reputedly hand made in Tuscany. Could have got a Japanese Honda for much less! There are also rumours that suggest he may be related to the uber rich Desmarais clan of Quebec, so perhaps money is not a problem.

I wonder if these coffee machines will just 'fly out the window' now that they're on sale. Or will shoppers fling themselves out the window when they realize their folly. Doubtless neither.

Bay Daze 1

For a person who lives in a province of 72 908 square kilometres, 80% of which is forest (ack), today's item of interest seems quite laughable.

The Hudson's Bay Company is selling a block of wood for $324.50. Amazing, really. Even more amazing, the original retail price was $649.

Can you imagine paying $649 for a stick of wood? Can you imagine paying $324.50 for a small piece of stumpage? I wonder how may 'city folk' did??

If the Hudson's Bay Company sold even one of these then I commend them for doing what I consider the impossible. It's akin to selling ice to Eskimos. Mind you, they've been doing that for sometime too!

I think selling a piece of old timber for hundreds of dollars speaks to the fact that people who live in the city have no idea about nature. I doubt there's anyone living in New Brunswick who would have paid that kind of money for one of these. You can get a cord of wood for $180!

Now, let's consider a scenario where Hudson's Bay is selling these things hand over fist. This makes me think about two very valuable places: Fortress Lousiburg in Cape Breton, and Paul's barn in Harvey. Both are made from sizable and similar timbers. Based on my estimates, Fortress Louisburg would be worth about $120 million and Paul's barn about $800 000.

Wait....what's that noise? I think I hear Paul starting his chainsaw!

Commenting On Commenting

I've developed the bad habit of reading the comments that people post on cbc.ca. What I have learned, more than anything, is that the vast majority of people who comment on news stories are either red necks, people who can't construct logical arguments, or rednecks who can't construct logical arguments.

There is also a sub-group who I would describe as mindless assholes.
It's clear that there are a lot of petty people who are unnecessarily negative, often bordering on cruel.

Occasionally someone writes something learned or eloquent, but like the olive in the martini, their words are drowning in a sea of toxins.

Comments are posted by individuals using their on-line user names which, I should add, are almost always pseudonyms. Accompanying the user pseudonym is a thumbnail image which, rest assured, is almost never an actual picture of the person. So, under the cloak of an on-line pseudonym and a bogus thumbnail picture, these anonymous 'blahvants' spew their brains out.

And I read this stuff.

Makes me wonder where I settle in on the sociological food chain. I know I'm not on the bottom. I know I'm not on the top,

Yesterday I happened to notice that one person's thumbnail image was text. It practically jumped off the screen. I've recreated it above as my image of the day. Though not likely the work of a future Nobel laureate, it was nevertheless playful and eye catching.

All I Do These Days Is Reflect, Or So It Would Seem (upon reflection)

I was driving down Route 695 into the Washademoak Valley, as I have done 3214 times before, when I was captivated by the glowing sight before my eyes. I'm so used to see the autumn colours when looking from my property outward, but this time I was looking from the outside inward in the late afternoon light. Just as I was about to cross the bridge i spied (with my little i) a scene of beauty, and luckily I had my camera with me.

I pulled down onto our lovely newly wharf, parked the car and got vertical. Click.

Click. Click click.

I took a few images. Who, with a digital camera, ever takes just one picture anymore? Pas moi.

Windsurfing...Living In The Past

On October 19 I 'celebrated' me Mootha's 86th birthday by going for a windsurf on Grand Lake. The highlight of the day was an 8 km run on one tack. I more or less went from Pop's Point (think Princess Park) to the southern shore of Mill Cove. It was sunny, warm and there was enough wind to keep me planing.

With a west wind on Grand Lake it's feasible that you could go on a 25 km run across the lake. I'm not sure I'd ever trust the wind to take me that far, and more importantly......back!

A trip like that is known as a surfari, and it's a tantalizing thought. Maybe next year. This year is all but done.

Reflectiing On Hardware Stores

Lately I've been going to a number of hardware stores to buy this and that. I seem to favour Home Depot at the moment, though not for any particular reason.

Last week while sitting down by the lake, with camera in hand, a Home Hardware truck passed over the bridge so I snapped its reflection in the lake, then pulled a 180 with the image...et voila!

It's a bit more interesting than a straight shot of the truck on the bridge. Reflections are often more interesting than reality.

It's Unthinkable, Unlikely, Bordering On The Paranormal

The odds of winning Lottery 6/49 are approximately one in fourteen million. The odds of dying in a plane crash in one of the world's top twenty-five airlines is one in ten point four six million. The odds of Air Canada bumping you off a flight are one in fifty-three. The odds of Air Canada bumping you off a flight that will subsequently crash....zero.

Of course I made those Air Canada figures up, but I have to have some fun with this blog.

Fun is good. Fun makes you laugh and laughing is healthy. Rarely have I laughed as heartily as I did yesterday. I went on-line to check the Environment Canada wind report for Saint John. The forecast was calling for west winds of twenty gusting to forty kilometres per hour. The five o'clock wind reading recorded winds of twenty km/h with gusts to forty km/h.

What are the odds? Seriously...what are the odds? About the same as pigs flying (see Air Canada). In fairness, no pigs fly with Air Canada, but there are a number who work at Air Canada's head office.

Wow...I dissed Environment Canada. I dissed Air Canada. Still, something seems missing. Oh, I know, I didn't say anything negative about Tim Horton's or Brian Mulroney.

Well, here goes (though I never said these words, they're borrowed):

Prime Minister Mulroney was making a speech to native leaders on the
anniversary of the Oka uprising. And like all his speeches it was short on
substance but long on wind.

 "I pledge a swift land-claims settlement," the P.M. said.

The crowd shouted "Oompah, Oompah!"

The P.M. paused and nodded in appreciation. "I pledge a better education
system," he continued.

 "Oompah, Oompah!"

"I pledge more money for native causes despite our current policy of fiscal
restraint."

 "Oompah, Oompah, Oompah!" the audience roared.

Finally Mulroney finished his oration and was given a tour of the reservation.
At one point the grinning P.M., obviously pleased with himself, almost tripped. 

 "Careful, Mr. Prime Minister," his guide warned him "Don't step in the
Oompah."

Sober Second Thought

"A weekend in Jemseg without drugs, drinking or Turner's sugar donuts is just like being a born-again Christian."

Re-packaged and attributed to Ian Varty

Awesome Autumn

Even the Dalai Lama would rate this image as 'yummy poo'.

Rose's Fan Club...I've Finally Joined!

There was a time in the Dark Ages when people worshiped false idols. Of course I'm referring to the late 1980s and the inexplicable appearance of the Rose Arsenault Fan Club.

Why anyone would create a fan club for a weather forecaster is beyond me, especially since they all spread lies (how about that overnight low of plus one that you forecast, petal brain? Remember? It went to minus eight and resulted in three hundred deaths...albeit of tomato plants). And let's not talk about wind forecasting.

Curious that no one has created a Peter Coade Fan Club. There must be enough lonely, horny, pathetic elders out there to get some sort of Peter Coade Posse going! Hello? Anybody out there??

Note: only Cindy Day replied. Coade blue.

We now preempt our regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you a special report...Rose: A Thorny Love...

I've entered my rose phase lately. In the past year I've planted a number of roses and I've encouraged the wild ones to flourish. I'm going to plant even more. Oddly enough, it never occurred to me that they'd be beautiful in the autumn, but they are. It's always nice to find a plant that spans the seasons, and rose may be my gal (figuratively speaking, not that I'm speaking of figures). Go figure.

I leave you with this rosy quote:

But he that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.
Anne Bronte (CBC News watcher)

Ian's Wall...Who Needs Hadrian?

It's not uncommon for me to be roamin' around my property. I often get ideas for my next project as I explore my property. Typically, my 'brilliant' ideas involve shovels, dirt, rocks and perennials, though sometimes my ideas involve trampolines and kilts.

My current project involves building a rock wall along the front of the estate. I've managed to scavenge rocks from the property though I'm quickly depleting the resource. I may have to bbbbb...bbbb....bbbbuy some rocks. Why was that damned word so difficult to say?

I come from a long line of rock wall builders. There was Gupious The First before me, and legions of Roman ancestors before him. Maybe one day Julian Caesar will build his own rock wall too. He's into alternative rock, you know. I hope you know, because I don't. What would an alternative rock wall look like?

Marrvelous!

Maquapit Memories

For over fifty years Paul and Linda have owned this cottage on Maquapit Lake. By the end of next summer that ownership will be passed along to someone else.All good things must come to an end.

We all have memories from Maquapit Lake, mostly good. I can remember Erik tanning on the beach, brown as a strip of cooked bacon...except the underside of his arms which were still snow white.

In contrast to snow white was Paul's barbequed hamburgers. They were often as black as the charcoal they were cooked over, the two being almost indistinguishable. Cooked to death.....and beyond. Julian, the vegetarian, must have been shaking his head in disbelief.

I remember the first time I ventured to the cottage. I sailed past in my Laser looking for the darned place hiding just behind the shore trees. I'm not sure that I spotted on my first attempt, but clearly I made it there eventually. Things worked out well.

There was a lot of swimming at Maquapit in the early days. That seemed to be an outdoor highlight. Thankfully no one ever drowned, though Justus tried repeatedly. Thank goodness that 'god' is a lifeguard!

Well, I'd better sign off before I say something stupid. Perhaps it's too late. What are your memories of the cottage?

From The Privy Council

"Beware the outhouse" was not exactly what Wendy said to me, but by mentioning the word 'outhouse' before my pending visit to Maquapit Lake, I knew that's what she meant.

We all fear the outhouse at Maquapit Lake, and why shouldn't we? There are three things to fear about the Maquapit cottage outhouse, as follows:

1) the likelihood that a raccoon will gnaw your genitals off if you (foolishly) dare to sit down.

2) Sit down? Are you crazy? You'll get splinters where you don't want them (see raccoon gnawing).

3) Have you ever looked down that hole? There's a mer de merde down there. Why would you enter a building that is the stunt double for the gates of hell?

Speaking of hell, did you know that there are some families in Newfoundland that rejoice in the last name Outhouse. Don't jump to any conclusions though. In Europe an outhouse is an outbuilding, not a sh___er (nod to Alton).

You might think that it would be odd to have a last name that #1) relates directly to an outbuilding, and #2) relates to #2. Well, it's not uncommon at all. For example, Jack and Ethel Baybebarn live on the Lower Cambridge Road. Hank and Mildred Toolshed live in Norton. It's a Maritime thing.

Getting back to the Maquapit cottage, I'm happy to announce that I didn't use the maison en plein air because the cottage now has an indoor composting toilet. There is one problem with that toilet, and it's that the 'room' which houses the toilet is minuscule. If you have shoulders, then there's no way you could fit inside... not a stumbling block for me.

Autumn Ad Infinitum

"Gawd", I muttered to myself, "what will I post on the blog when the leaves fall off?"

I've been milking the autumn foliage for some time now as it's easy blog fodder. The leaves are falling though, and there's wind in tomorrow's forecast. My well of inspiration is about to dry up. This can only mean one thing....

It's time to write about something else.

I think it's time to shoot another rock video, but I need HELP(!).

Help, I need somebody.
Help, not just anybody.
Help, you know I need someone.
Heeeelllllpppppp!

Maybe it's time to shoot the Walter video??

Dirty Old Town

I'm off to Fredericton today to spend the day.

More Fall Foliage

I wouldn't describe this autumn as a banner year for fall foliage, but it's still quite attractive. A sailboat reflecting in the water only adds to the beauty.

Another Autumn Scene

Here's another kayaking image from this past weekend. The orange/red kayak photographs well against the landscape, upon reflection.

Exposing The Oak

Here's a multiple exposure of one of my oak trees.

Northern Lights....On!

I wish that I could claim to have taken this picture for two reasons:

1) I like it

2) I wish I had seen the lights myself.

Dave Cuthbertson, a noted photographer from the Grand Lake area, was the one who made this image. Lucky.

The image was created from the Waterborough wharf on the edge of the grandest of the grand lakes found in New Brunswick. The red dot on the far left of the mid-ground, among the trees, is the lighthouse at Fanjoy's Point.

I find it interesting that this image was taken in early October. I tend to think of the Aurora borealis as being a cold winter phenomenon. I am wrong, clearly. I have only seen the northern lights in Cambridge-Narrows once or twice...in the depths of winter. Sadly I can't see them from my south facing, valley-bound home. Alas, one can't have it all.

Slash Goes Kayaking

You can only play the guitar so much. After a while, even Slash needs a change of scene, so she took to the water.

Guess Who's Back?

Guess who's back? Slash is back, Slash is back, Slash is back.

Yes, it's Thanksgiving with nary a turkey in sight (only because I'm behind the camera). We do have Slash though! Wendy flew in last evening and adopted her Slash persona this morning. Sure, it was staged for the blog...most things are.

It's a gorgeous weekend that will be full of thanks. Thanks for family, food and friends. Of course, no thanks to Environment Canada....not a speck of wind to speak of. Not a speck of wind of which to speak. Thanks for grammar confusion, dangling participles and dangling cigarettes.

Curious People Wondering About Curious People

Every now and then I'll be doing something in my house that could be embarrassing if seen/smelled by others. I usually hope that no one comes to the door when I'm singing, dancing, tooting, doing exercises on the stability ball, or cooking something that makes Alpo look comparatively appealing. These are but a few examples.

Usually things are pretty reserved at home, but every once in a while things get silly.

I'll bet there are some houses where chaos is the norm. I won't mention any names, mostly because I'm very discrete, but I've often dreamed about being a fly on the wall in certain Cambridge-Narrows homes. I know it's a disgraceful thing to admit, but I have a suspicious mind.

The World Revolves Around Whom?

There can be little doubt that our world revolves around Me Mootha these days. In the accompanying image I've added a crown to Queen Dorothy's royal noggin, as is only fitting. Note how her loyal subjects gather around, eagerly awaiting her next musing, royal decree or mischievous eye roll.

In this image (l-r): Prince Alexander, Prince Julian, Princess Franny, and Sir Gup of Tyne.

Belleisle Bay

Belleisle Bay as taken from the Belleisle ferry.

You...? Me...? Ack!

My big brother, though no longer the biggest, had a few fun kayak adventures while in New Brunswick. One morning he and I, as in we, took the yaks for a paddle around The Pines. T'was luv'ly.

Later that same morning Franny and Alex went for another paddle and they saw a beaver. Lucky!

Here's a question for you? Is there any difference between a umiak and a kayak? Methinks not, but I don't know much as I'm not really Inuit.

Wake Up!

Foghorn Cleghorn, from Tweedside, I believe, was known for his humour, not his rooster tail or his cock-a-doodle-do.

This turkey is known for his rooster tail....and his bird brain. I suspect he's a little shy in the cock-a-doodle-do department as well.

Ha ha. Sort of.

Recent Sightings

I assure you that I'm implying absolutely nothing <smirk>.

Photographers Everywhere

I was at the Freeman Patterson Gala Tribute last evening. Sitting next to me was a professional photographer from B.C. His name was Chris Harris. Nice guy, brilliant photographer.

Interestingly enough he took a photography workshop from Freeman in 1974 and it gave him the confidence to move forward.

I learned a lot about the B.C. interior from our conversations...makes me want to go there. You can view his work at http://www.chrisharris.com

Motts Landing Vineyard

Gup and Jim MacMillan had a nice tour of Motts Landing Vineyard last week. We were all impressed with the look of the vineyard.

CNN (Cambridge-Narrows News)

People often ask me 'what's new in Cambridge-Narrows'? I rarely have much to say in reply. Perhaps Raymond Sutton had another litter of kittens, or Blair hired a new 'hottie' for the store, but generally there's little or nothing to report

Well, this week something happened. Our newly renovated concrete wharf (dock) got a fresh coat of pavement. Looks pretty impressive and is a vast improvement over our beleaguered looking wharf of the past decade.

Danger! Beware Of Anger.

I'd be angry too...if I lived.