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 |  Re-dedicated - April 1, 2021, Brother Nature's views from the Winnipeg River SE Manitoba |
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My Writing.com experience continues...30 Day Blog Challenger, Andre the blog Monkey's Banana Bar Founder, Aging Baby Boomer. Here you'll find a warm welcome, maybe I'll make you laugh out loud - That's my goal. Thanks for visiting. |
The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Disappearances In 1900, three keepers of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse off the west coast of Scotland disappeared under the strangest of circumstances. The lighthouse was manned by a three-person team (Thomas Marshall, James Ducat, and Donald MacArthur), with a fourth man rotating in from shore. On Boxing Day (December 26) of 1900, the relief keeper arrived to find none of the lighthouse keepers present. The only sign that anything was amiss was an overturned chair near the kitchen table. No bodies were ever found, which has led to endless speculation. Theories range from drownings to abduction by foreign spies, a ghost ship, or a giant sea monster. Whatever happened back in December 1900 at the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, we may never know. So, tell us what happened to the lighthouse keepers! I'm only going to make a few points that may in fact add to the mystery of the lighthouse three. The significance of the number three appears in the joyful mysteries of the bible. And on the third day, he rose again, so when they returned to his burial tomb they found Jesus gone. the relief keeper arrived to find none of the lighthouse keepers present On the day Jesus was born he was visited by three magi from the east, who followed a light in the sky. A little bit of a connection there, three lighthouse keepers, lighthouses create lights in the sky. Then there's the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Speaks for itself. One from Charles Dickens - Eboneeser Scrooge was visited by three spirits on Christmas eve. A bit of a stretch, I'll admit it. And finally, One, by Three Dog Night. Now I'm just making shit up. I'm fairly certain there is a pattern here. It is a pretty boring job, being a lighthouse keeper, they probably just buggered off for a Christmas drink and decided to keep on drinking. |
Prompt: Tuesday, April 6 Ghost Ship: The Mary Celeste On December 4, 1872, a British-American ship called “the Mary Celeste” was found empty and adrift in the Atlantic. It was found to be seaworthy and with its cargo fully intact, except for a lifeboat, which it appeared had been boarded in an orderly fashion. But why? We may never know because no one on board was ever heard from again. In November 1872, the Mary Celeste set sail from New York bound for Genoa, Italy. She was manned by Captain Benjamin Briggs and seven crew members, including Briggs’ wife and their 2-year-old daughter. Supplies on board were ample enough for six months, and luxurious—including a sewing machine and an upright piano. Commentators generally agree that to precipitate the abandonment of a seaworthy ship, some extraordinary and alarming circumstance must have arisen. However, the last entry on the ship’s daily log reveals nothing unusual, and inside the ship, all appeared to be in order. Theories over the years have included mutiny, pirate attack, and an assault by a giant octopus or sea monster. In recent years, scientists have posed the theory that fumes from alcohol onboard caused an explosion that, as a result of a scientific anomaly, did not leave behind signs of burning—but was terrifying enough that Briggs ordered everyone into the lifeboat. Give us your opinion of what happened. Maybe you were even there?! The ship was built in 1861 at Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, and named the Amazon. I know, I was there. She was built of pure evil, and the breath of Satan himself powered her sails. No captain could ever control such a vessel, such a vessel controls its own destiny and charts its own course. Dead is the first captain who tried to sail her and buried at the bottom of the ocean are the ships that met her bow. She came aground on Cape Breton Island in 1867 and was severely damaged, only to be rebuilt and renamed, The Mary Celest. My monkey friend, Andre bragged about building the ship himself, even though he really only painted the name on the bow. (and he misspelled it twice! It was supposed to be called 'The Amazing' and then 'The Celine Dion') "The Celine Dion! You painted The Mary Celest that's not even close Andre!" "I know, but I'm saving that name for something else," Andre explained as he gulped vodka from a leaking keg. It was Andre who talked me into joining the crew for the voyage from New York City to Genoa, Italy. That slick-talking monkey convinced me that the "built of pure evil, and the breath of Satan himself powered her sails" was just drunk monkey talk. Andre promised me the opportunity to someday join his dream of owning a cyber bar on the internet, as soon as the world wide web gets invented. I had no idea what he was talking about most of the time, but you can't beat fun, so off we went. Captain Benjamin Briggs welcomed us to the crew and made Andre first mate. Andre gave out the jobs to the crew members and assigned the sleeping quarters. Captain Briggs had his wife and 2-year-old daughter on board for the sailing. It's scientific fact that women are bad luck on a ship. Andre made sure to separate the women at night by sharing his cabin with Mrs. Briggs. I was cabin mate with Smitty, who Andre stationed below deck for the entire voyage. Andre assigned himself the job of ship's pianist even though he didn't even know how to play. I leered at him as he bashed randomly on the keys. When he looked up he shouted to me, "grab that mop matey, the deck isn't going to swab itself." The other two crew members were brothers Jack and Joe Jet. Besides Captain Briggs, Jack and Joe were the only crew members that could actually sail a ship, and nobody ever heard from Smitty again, once he went below deck. Things were going pretty well, we were a few days out to sea, and everyone was getting along fine. I enjoyed a good game of patty whack with the young Briggs girl, she was a sweet little girl who loved to play, laugh, and sing. Yep, things were going good, smooth sailing... that is until Andre learned what our cargo was... Booze! Tons and tons of alcohol. I don't want to sound like I'm blaming Andre for everything that happened, but everything that happened was completely Andres's fault and doing. Andre starting drinking first thing in the morning, Mrs. Briggs mentioned it was kind of early to be drinking, don't you think? Andre's response, "You can't say you drank all day if you don't get an early start." That night we were all tired, but Andre was playing piano and singing at the top of his lungs. Luckily the little girl was able to sleep through the whole thing. At one point Andre pointed at Captain Ben, as Andre started to refer to him as, and brothers Jack and Joe Jet. I got it Andre slurred, "lissen to dis." He started bashing the piano keys and sang loudly, Benny...Benny...Benny, Benny, and the Jets. Benny...Benny...Benny, Benny, and the Jets. It was unbearable, he just kept going, it was driving us all mad. Benny...Benny...Benny, Benny, and the Jets. Benny...Benny...Benny, Benny, and the Jets. I helped Captain Briggs, his family, Jack, and Joe into the lifeboat then went to look for Smitty but couldn't find him. A few hours later the piano fell silent and so did Andre. I went to sleep as well. I thought that I only slept a short time, but when I awoke Andre and I were riding dolphins at a mall in Dubai. Weird or what? |
5-Day Mystery Challenge by Lilith of House Martell   Prompt for Monday, April 5 The Crooked Forest Location: West Pomerania, Poland This Polish forest lives up to its name, with hundreds of peculiar pine trees. Several hundred pine trees were planted there in the 1930s and grew with an almost 90-degree bend at their base, making them look like fishing hooks. Some believe that a technique or human tool was actually used to make the trees curve this way, while others speculate that a winter snowstorm or some other damage could have given this fascinating forest its interesting shape. Give us your own creative reason why the trees are this way. In one word - Agrarianism What is Agrarianism? Well, let's try to figure this out. It might have something to do with something. We know that seven out of ten of the people worked on farms as peasants. Polish agriculture suffered from the usual handicaps of Eastern European nations: technological backwardness, low productivity, and lack of capital and access to markets. Technological Backwardness! Ah Ha! They have that in Saskatchewan,(technological backwardness) my neighbor to the west, where people work on farms as peasants. I called the Mayor of Saskatchewan, and he hung up on me, but not before confirming that they too have a crooked forest, but they call it a crooked bush and it's comprised of Aspen trees, not Pine trees like in Poland. So we know that Agrarianism, technological backwardness, and trees have something to do with it, so really the question is... What is it? I'm thinking German tanks. They rolled over the newly planted trees, flattening them. But the trees refused to die, and continued to grow, horizontally at first but then they corrected themselves. Glad we got that all sorted out. |
| This is what I remember about the dream I had last night. I'm not going to try to analyze why I dream or what dreaming is. I'm only going to write what I recall and leave it at that. It begins with me and Leslie walking down a busy downtown street, we're holding hands. The street looks like a street in the Exchange District in Winnipeg, with older 'heritage' buildings. There's a commotion up ahead, looks like something is going on across the street from us. As we get closer I can see and hear a person or maybe two arguing or talking loudly. One of them, an adult male appears to have a gun and is shooting it, maybe at someone, I'm not sure, so I continue to walk closer for a better view. A second person appears to be shooting a gun into the window of a parked car, and a third person also has a gun and is shooting back at the first shooter I saw. I believe they are actors in a movie, and Leslie and I are luckily getting a chance to see the production of this scene. Other people are running from the area, I believe they are actors. I begin to look around for the camera crews and lights and the trailers that usually surround a film shoot, but there are none. Police cars appear, and officers are now taking a position and being fired on and return fire. For the first time, I feel that I may be in danger, so I turn a corner to get out of the line of fire. I turn to say something to Leslie but realize she's not with me any longer. I recall now, that she pulled her hand out of my grasp earlier to flee the scene with the other people. This night's dream was a double feature I guess. The next scene is Leslie and me together at a swimming pool. There's a guy present who apparently runs the pool. He's showing us around. Leslie is interested in the tour, but I opt to just jump in the water. A few moments later Leslie joins me in the pool. The guy running the pool walks to the pool's edge and says, "Hey, watch this." Then he dumps a bucket of bugs and worms in the water. What's that for? Leslie asks. Watch! he says. Then these very large frogs appear and start eating the bugs and worms. We're swimming alongside bugs and worms and frogs feeding on them. I'm feeling pretty uncomfortable, but I can see Leslie is enthralled and enjoying the experience immensely. I wonder how the frogs can survive in chlorinated water. So I ask the guy. And he says, "Oh we don't clean the pool." That's it! I'm outta here! Fully awake. |
| Happy Good Friday Easter is only hours away. I should confess. Forgive me, for I have joined a Toastmasters Club. I deserve it, I did a lot of stupid shit when I was young. Toastmasters was sent to punish me. So it is written, so shall it be done. That must be why I was randomly called on to give an impromptu 2 -4 minute speech to answer the question, What is your favorite part of Easter? I spoke for 3 minutes 58 seconds. I started by saying, "Most people who know me don't know I'm a Christian in fact if you asked most people who know me, to guess my religious denomination most people would guess, Atheist or Satanist before even considering Christianity." I added, "and I'm talking about people who have known me a very long time." I went on to describe the entire season of Easter as it's set out in the liturgical calendar. I ended my speech by reaching over and grabbing some dried-out palm branches from Palm Sunday years past and shook them in front of my laptop camera. (It was a ZOOM meeting) I knew this nasty old drunk, his name is Patty. Every time he spoke he ended his statement with the phrase, "And now you fucken Know!" I almost said it, but I saw my time was about to expire, thank God, so I nodded my head then smiled and said, "Happy Easter!" That's not what I was going to write about - the Happy Good Friday greeting just got me going. I want to write about the Musicology Anthology Contest - I signed up! I picked the Album, The Wall by Pink Floyd. The way the contest works is you have to write a story on every song title of the album you choose. Pink Floyd the Wall is a double album. WTG, Joel!  OH MY GOD! LOOK AT THE TIME! It's Holy Saturday already. Packed and loaded, until next time, cheers. Joel |
What a difference a year makes. We got the keys to our new house in St.Georges, Manitoba. Today was Leslie's first time seeing the yard, which had been hidden by the snow on prior visits. She's always wanted a fountain, now she has two. The yard is pretty much a park. I took a few photos, and wouldn't you know it, my camera battery died before I got to the front yard. That's okay, we'll be going back tomorrow. We have the entire month to relocate. Tick-tock, the time will go by fast. I'm keeping a journal, which will most likely become a satirical look at the area and its residents both real and imagined. St. Georges is a French community, the perfect setting for Jean Dough, one of my imagined serial blog heroes. E will love it dare! The people that we bought the house from left us a bottle of wine, two wine glasses, and a lovely note which said. 'We hope you enjoy your home up on the rock as much as we have for the past twenty-five years.' I don't mean to brag, but I felt like we won the real estate lottery today. Don't get me wrong, we loved our place in the woods by the lake, but so does everybody else, and the community has become very busy. We thought we would like to move someplace a little quieter and we did. How quiet is our new location? Our neighbor is, get this, the local public library. I'm not kidding, at the end of our driveway is the Allard Regional Library. Shhhhhh We agreed that the couple could leave behind items they had no use for. Leslie wasn't keen about this, but I insisted it was okay, because I had my eye on a certain area of a large shed, hoping this would be what they might leave behind... and they did! So now I have a shed full of Garden Gnomes. Leslie hates them, haha! Wait until Clown Boy and Mr. Monkey meet the Gnomes. Hold my beer! When things get back to normal, I won't even remember what normal is. I'll leave you some photos and links. Come sign up for the Mystery Blog Challenge in the Banana Bar if you haven't already. Stay safe! https://www.villagestgeorges.ca/en/
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| Date: March 30, 2021, 11:59 PM ... Crap! Date: March 31, 2021, 12:00 AM What happens to all the blog entries that don't get written for the 30 Day Blog Challenge on the 31st of the month? I hope you're not expecting an answer. I don't have one. This is something I wonder about, maybe a little too much. I can't figure it out, and I blame Wayne Gretzky for that. It was Wayne Gretzky who said, "You'll never score a goal on 100% of the shots you don't take." MIND = BLOWN So, it looks like March is going out like a lion in my part of the world; We got hit with a spring blizzard. I'm not even sure what that is, but that's what's happening outside, and we don't go outside anymore. That's not true, we still go outside, we just don't know what to do out there anymore. The day after tomorrow will be April 1st - April Fools Day. Last year April 1st was the strangest (In a bad way) day in my entire life. It was like a dream, but more of a nightmare. The dream feeling was because nothing was like it was supposed to be during your waking hours, yet you were fully awake, which made it less a dream and more a nightmare. Looking back... I can't... I have to look ahead. Tomorrow, April 1, 2021, will be another day like no other day. Andre the Blog Monkey's Blogging Banana Bar will re-open under new management. (change #1) Leslie and I will get the keys to our new home, in St.Georges Manitoba. We bought a big granite rock with a house built on it. (change #2) I was going somewhere with this, but now whatever I thought I was going to write escapes me. Oh yeah, another thing that is going to be different but the same is, I have a new job starting May 1st working on the grounds crew of Pine Falls golf course. Same job - different golf course. I can't seem to shake this feeling of uncertainty. Although the future looks new and exciting, I still have this feeling like we're moving forward only in an attempt to escape the past. I learned something about myself a few years ago. I learned that when I was faced with a problem and having difficulty solving it, I discovered that I could write my way out of it. It's true! Not that I'm any good at writing, but I'm a better writer than my problems are a reader. This is a perfect example of what I'm getting at. It's still, not where I was going, but it's where I ended up. Re-set - Beginning April 1st I'm renaming this blog and journaling my new adventure. Unprompted blogging, mostly. I may sign up for the 'Mystery Blogging Challenge' over at the Banana Bar if they'll let me in. I'm going to blog about the new house, the new township of St.Georges, (that place has got to be full of interesting characters) the new golf course, and dream journaling (It's something I've always wanted to try, and right now seems to be a good time to start) So, even though Wayne Gretzky is one of the best hockey players of all time, and doesn't lose a moment of sleep not knowing that I think he's a dick, I'm going to take that shot. I'll probably miss the net, but no, but yes I'll probably miss the net. Come and join me in April. I'll be hanging out at Lilith of House Martell 's Banana Bar,
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PROMPT March 28th We need your help filling the Challenge War Chest with prompts! In your entry, today, write three of your own 30DBC prompts and then choose one to respond to. I. Find the latest copy of your local newspaper, (paper or online) read the headlines until you find the first headline with a person's name in it. Don't read the story! Rewrite the headline, but insert your own name in place of the person's name. Now, write the news story. 2. You win a date with your favorite celebrity, who is it, and write about the date. 3. It's said that we shouldn't tell about the good deeds we do for others. (Don't let the right hand know what the left hand is doing) Today is an exception, write about a good deed you have done for someone. I would like to write on all three of these prompts, but I can't right now. Hopefully, they will come up in a future challenge. Bonus prompt: Tell us what you remember about your most recent dream, if that's not possible write about dreams, what do you think dreaming is? Do dreams have meanings? |
30Day Blog Challenge .Write about your earliest memory. Try to describe it in as much detail as possible. I love this prompt, makes me feel welcome enough to barge back in and drop another blog. I'm older than two years of age, not by much though. This memory is tattooed on my brain's title page of my life's memory bank. When you hear the expression, My life passed before my eyes, this is the memory that begins my life story. It haunts me in fact. I'm standing outside my home, 346 Aikens St. in the North End of Winnipeg, MB. Maybe it's the first time that I'm outdoors and left to my own amusement. I'm standing at the end of our sidewalk looking through the closed wire-gate. I spend a little time trying to open the gate and free myself from the front yard, but I'm unsuccessful. I can see my older siblings playing across the street with some of the other neighborhood kids. I sense that my mother is watching me from inside the house. It's a warm day, which is odd, I only know cold. The sky is clear and deep blue, there's an ever so slight hint of a breeze. I'm dressed in a heavy woolen sweater that buttons up the front with big brown plastic buttons, the pockets are teddy bear faces. The sweater makes me itchy. I see that my siblings are wearing t-shirts and shorts. I feel hot and uncomfortable. I start to pull at the buttons but I don't know how to work them. I get frustrated and pull the sweater off, over my head and toss it to the ground. The air feels good on my bare arms; I'm not feeling itchy anymore, and I'm cooling down and becoming comfortable. Then my mom shows up behind me, I knew she was watching. She picks up my sweater and starts telling me that I have to put my sweater back on because it's too cold for me to be outside without it. I protest, but she's already pulling the thing over my head just like I took it off. Mom was smart, she wasn't going to mess around with those buttons if she didn't have to. So, there I was, at the gate with that itchy sweater with the big brown buttons back on, watching my sibling at play while penned in the yard. I remember thinking... "so this is outside, I'm hot, and itchy and getting bored." I did not possess the vocabulary to think, "What the fuck?" but that was exactly how I felt. I was getting warmer, uncomfortably warm. Then it occurred to me... it's the sun that is creating this heat. I looked up in the sky, directly at the sun. Nobody had told me, "don't look directly at the sun." I didn't know! I stared right at it. Not for long though, because of the extreme pain I felt in my eyes and head. I looked away, then I looked again. I felt that same pain again, so I looked down at the sidewalk. I was thinking..."If this is going to be like this every day, I'm not going to enjoy my life. This totally sucks. I took one more look at the sun to confirm that I hated living on this planet and the sun hurt my eyes and head one more time. I turned my back to the sun, the gate, my siblings, and went back into the house. I did not possess the vocabulary at the time but would have if I could have said, "fuck it!" ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Made in Canada  |
Hello, again 30 Day Blog Challengers. I popped by the forum to see what the blog prompt was. I wasn't going to drop another blog on you, then I read the message written on Kåre Enga in Udon Thani  's forum post. His message is true and inspiring. You don't have to hit it out of the park every time, just get on base, be a team player. Like in NASCAR you have to make it to the end of the race in order to give yourself a chance at winning.What’s your favorite board game or card game to play with friends? Texas Hold 'em. Thanks for reading.  |
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your comment. I've done some time curled up. The thumb-sucking never gets old, but the games get boring, and once you've seen all the videos the real world becomes a welcome lifestyle change.
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