January 16, 2012
I had a beautiful walk last night and learnt that even those who wear snow boots take a tumble. A new addition to my tradition of falling over! Tho’ this tumble had the dignity to relate to a weather event. I was exiting the petrol station with my packet of chocolate buttons in hand ($5, they’re imported from Birmingham), it was snowing and all was peaceful and delightful til Whamble! down on my arse, the buttons took flight in an incredible arc into the air and flew two petrol pumps over.
Weirdly no one remotely noticed, so I was able to scramble up and over to them sans molto embarrassment. They were retrieved and with a bit of a batter to the kidney I took my snowboots onward.
I have to say the walk before the tumble was so beautiful and quiet it was worth falling over. I was stunned at how redundant cars are once everyone is asleep and had the whole road to myself, the snow was coming down, turning or rolling nearly in the light of the lamp posts and floating down to me. Perfection. I had to keep stopping to admire it. You can see the photo of one such stoppage below.
January 16, 2012
On trying to find La Nuit
The companion volume, La nuit (Buchet-Chastel, 1961), is long out of print and has not been reissued or translated.
January 15, 2012
mainly I walk
“No,” Gilles said, “I walk, mainly I walk.”
All The King’s Horses par Michèle Bernstein
Traduction par John Kelsey. (Semiotext(e))
January 14, 2012
It sounds like snow.
There’s a sound with snow even before it begins.
Muffled.
*
Probably our most significant weather event of the season has passed me by unnoticed because I have been so consumed with my book and work. A sorry forecaster indeed.
The other day a woman gave me impending news of the weather and the cold drop. Unheard of! I am always ahead on the weather. Except I’m not. Now I am officially behind.
But I have managed to triumph in the area of cooking omelettes. Thanks to Jamie Oliver’s how to cook an omelette section and amid a chorus of cynicism from the small male, who has finally, 3 successful omelettes later, conceded it’s a triumph.
Alas he’s requesting I cook omelettes at completely unGodly hours.
*
January 12, 2012
Distinguishing features: gloves
In this extract from Fruit Ranching in British Columbia (1909) by J T Bealby in Chapter XVI entitled Canadian Life and Manners: gloves play a starring role in cultural differences. (There is hope for the cardigan and hoover yet)
“In the matter of dress there is not much difference observable between England and Canada. Many of the working men in Canada habitually wear gloves, in summer and winter alike. In winter gloves are necessary because of the cold, and in summer they are almost indispensable for certain kinds of work, because of the parching quality of the atmosphere, which soon causes the skin to crack. Overalls, covering a man from the chin to the toes, are generally worn, not only by working men, but also by all sorts and conditions of men, even by a merchant in his store or warehouse.”
A few paragraphs on the following weathery (1) fashion tips:
Protection for the ears is indispensable in sharp frost, especially if the wind is keen. It is good to wear very coarse, thick woollen stockings, known as German stockings, outside the trousers, and over them coarse rubber shoes, loosely laced, or else high boots, into which the bottoms of the trousers are tucked. School children wear knitted toques, which in shape are something like the old-fashioned night-cap of our grandfathers, only they are more pointed and more ornamental. In sharp weather these can be pulled down over the ears. It is good to see a party of young Canadians with their bob-sleighs, flexible fliers, and what not, gliding down a steep incline with the speed of the wind, filling the frosty air with their crisp shoutings and their merry laughter. Their happiness is irresistible; it sweetens the heart, it beautifies life.
Before we return to the hot topic of gloves:
“Now, the wearing of gloves must not for one moment be taken as a sign of effeminacy. Whatever faults may be alleged against the Canadian character, effeminacy is the very last that anybody who has had experience of it would dream of imputing to it.”
Then things deteriorate into even more foreboding tones (2) that I’ll save you from.
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1. at mrsokana we take all things weather related very seriously. We do not mess about with the weather. You get noticed if you pay attention to the weather. You are respected for it. We are weather vain.
2. Mr B is pretty down on the telephone.
January 11, 2012
Collage
We did some photography this weekend, along with help from our friend Katrina. I liked how in this photo my head almost seems collaged into the picture. The light in that corner of the studio was quite something. This shot was taken unbeknownst to me. (photo credit: Jeremy Isao Speier)
January 10, 2012
Mary Rafferty
Very sad news today about Mary Rafferty’s death. A huge loss to truth and journalism and determination.
And made all the sadder by the recent death of Caroline Walsh. (RIP)
January 10, 2012
Q&Q Spring Preview 2012
Quill and Quire included my novel Malarky in their Spring Preview 2012 article today :
Biblioasis is comparing Irish-Canadian writer Anakana Schofield’s debut novel, Malarky ($19.95 pa., April), to Brecht’s Mother Courage and Beckett’s Endgame. When Philomena discovers her son canoodling with another man and is informed of her husband’s (possibly invented) indiscretions, she embarks on a journey of discovery that involves grief, resilience, and something like madness.
Malarky will be published in March, the publication date has been brought forward a tad.
I am also looking forward to Anne Fleming’s short fiction collection, Marie-Claire Blais novel (Mai at the Predator’s Ball), Teresa McWhirter’s stories and Tim Bowling’s unscrupulous salmon canners practices and numerous others books this year.
January 9, 2012
The clock on my computer stopped working today at precisely 3.38pm. Since that minute it has been 3.38pm each time I looked at it.
It sometimes catches my eye as I have fed hundreds of pages into my scanner.
Left hand picks up page on left hand side of the table and swings it across. My right hand lifts the scanner lid and left removes one sheet and drops the next one in. Perhaps the right hand too is involved with the placement.
On and on this movement — 169 of them thus far — has marked and kept it’s own time.
I am listening to a Michel Foucault lecture (in English) as I undertake this task. His accent is remarkably clear and punctuated. It reminds me a bit of a melodious lawnmower. I have been listening more to his sounds and navigation of sound that I am not sure I have much clue what he’s talking about and will have to listen to it over again. (P176 has just arrived in the scanner )
The weather is also locked into a repetitive event. It rains! and rains! Tho’ right now (P179) it is not raining and there is no wind at all. The trees are absolutely still.