Rob – The Annekenstein Monster

How’s Your Morning Going?

Woke up way too early this morning. Like, still dark early. Because of a pain in my hip and lower back. Likely need a new mattress.

Because I use a CPAP machine -it really works well for me, i sleep much better – I find I can only sleep on my back. Being ‘stuck’ in this position likely exacerbates the back/hip pain. Sometimes, like this morning, when the pain and stiffness is pronounced, I take off the CPAP and move my body onto one side or the other to find relief. I am so used to the CPAP machine that I find it hard to sleep without it. This morning – this too-early dark morning, lying on my side and finding no relief, I reluctantly decide to get up.

First task in the morning is the Doughall dog walk. This morning it is raining and blowing hard. Dog walk soaks me to my core. Drenched and dilapidated with hip pain.

Sitting in the living room, with the rain pelting against the front of our house, streaming down the picture window, I hear a drip drip drip drip that is out of place. The sound is coming from inside your home! Turns out there is a steady and consistent leak emanating from the top of the picture window.

So that’ll have to get fixed.

So does the roof where several of the asphalt shingles have blown away. getting an estimate next week.

So does the siding on the exterior of the house which is in desperate need of a paint job.

A bit of good news: I got an email from GFL telling me the rates for getting a roll-off dumpster delivered so we can get rid of the junk that’s accumulated over 65 years of our family living here, and it’s less expensive than I was expecting.

And now the rain has stopped and so has the aggravating drip drip drip.

Hip pain has dissipated significantly too.

So the day’s getting better.

How’s your morning treating you?

Someone Stole My Rowboat!!!!!!!

I hope I’m alive
In ten years time
When friends share posts
About Gus’s boat
Concerned it’s missing and “oh what a shame
That someone could steal such a dear thing
And pass it along, let’s find this boat!”
Not realizing of course it’s old-time news
In fact, by then, a one-score old
Twenty year memory algorithmically refreshed anew
Like some dementia-addled brain
Insisting that the past is now

Killer Bees

Killer Bees

Attila the Hun never had no fun
Until he raped and pillaged
But just like dope
You take one toke
Soon you have to screw the village

Burn all the trees
Get on your knees
Screw who we please
We’re killer bees

For leather and whips
And pierced lips
We thank Marquis de Sade
We’re decadent and au currant
And not some passing fad

Burn all the trees
Get on your knees
Screw who we please
We’re killer bees

Join the bee hive
Hear the bee cry
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz

This time around
We make no sound
Just swarm into your kitchen
We're drinking tea
No apology
Let's bring back prohibition

Burn all the trees
Get on your knees
Screw who we please
We’re killer bees

Join the bee hive
Hear the bee cry
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz

Gobbledygook has been mistook
For a great philosophy
No wonder why that number pi
Goes for infinity

Rob’s 7-Word Review of Superman

Bright fun action supersedes daft chaotic plot.

All Aboard! A Glimpse of Tignish in 1886

Railway Station in 1886 Tignish Prince Edward Island

Take the train back to 1886, when the Tignish Railway Station stood as a bustling hub of activity at the western terminus of the Prince Edward Island Railway (PEIR). Built as part of the PEIR’s ambitious development, which began in 1871, the station became operational by 1886, connecting the vibrant community of Tignish to the rest of the island—and beyond.

The railway station wasn’t just a building; it was the lifeline of Tignish, bringing goods, news, and passengers to this westernmost corner of PEI. Farmers relied on the railway to ship their crops, local businesses thrived with improved access to markets, and families welcomed visitors or embarked on their own adventures.

Tignish itself has a fascinating history. Founded in 1799 by eight Acadian families from Malpeque, it later welcomed Irish immigrants in 1811, creating a unique blend of cultures and traditions. The town’s name, derived from the Mi’kmaq word Mtagunich (meaning “paddle”), reflects its deep connection to the natural world and its Indigenous heritage.

By the time the railway arrived, the town had already established itself as a thriving community, with landmarks like the iconic St. Simon & St. Jude Catholic Church showcasing its growth and resilience. The railway station became the heartbeat of the town, enabling commerce, connection, and opportunity.

Though the the trains stopped running in 1989, and the Tignish Railway Station is no longer standing, its legacy remains alive through the Confederation Trail, which follows the old railway route. This trail is now a cherished recreational path that invites Islanders and visitors to explore the beauty of PEI while tracing the footsteps of history.

Rediscover the spirit of Tignish! Today, Tignish is a charming community that honors its rich history while continuing to thrive in the present. Next time you visit, walk or cycle along the Confederation Trail to experience the history and charm of this vibrant community.

Mangez Ma Poutine

I was browsing through my google drive and came across some lyrics I had written years ago. They were for a song called “Mangez Ma Poutine” by a fake Acadian band named Pota-trois, from the fake album entitled ‘Taber-Nickle-Nacle”.

I think my purpose was to create a rather banal song, written in French and badly translated into English. I’ve always been a fan of poor translations. Of course, since I don’t speak the language hardly at all, the French lyrics were initially translated from English, using Google Translate, and I am sure, there are likely all kinds of bad or poor French grammatical things going on there, so to the French, I apologize for any butchering of the language that may have resulted.

Rob’s 7-Word Review: Juror #2

Flawed script? Underdeveloped caricatured characters? Verdict: Guilty!

Rob’s 7-Word Review of the movie Carry-On

Positive Reviews, you lied to me. Ridiculous.

View on Instagram https://instagr.am/p/C84bkoeu5nC/

Earle’s Paintings

My oldest brother, Earle, passed away in December 2023.

For as long as I knew him – which, for those who don’t want to do the math, is my entire life – Earle was an artist of sorts. A dabbler of creative concepts. A painter of paintings.

I don’t know much about art or artistic styles but I suppose Earle’s paintings would fall under the umbrella of ‘abstract’. I also don’t know what qualifies as good art or what is considered bad art, so I wouldn’t dare to place any of Earle’s paintings anywhere on that spectrum. I will say that the more I look at many of them, the more I seem to like them.

I’ve been cleaning out Earle’s house over the past couple of months, and have been putting aside most of his paintings. Some were in too bad a condition to keep and had to be tossed. Most of what remain are in some form of disrepair – dirty, dusty, torn, grimy, or worse. They all could use a good, gentle cleaning. They come in all sizes, from a few inches by a few more inches, to a few feet by a few more feet. Some are painted on canvas, some on other types of material, some on cardboard, and some are painted right on the walls of his house.

Other than a couple of guitars, a few odds and ends and personal mementos and possessions, a Bop-It, his paintings are all that really remain of Earle, as far as tangible things go. We all who knew him, of course, will have our memories.

I don’t know what to do with his paintings. But I thought it’d be a good idea to photograph them and post them onto the internet.

Here, then, are the paintings by Earle Bruce MacDonald: