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Things I Found in my Mother-in-Law’s House: Souvenirs
Notes for this week's CBC radio segment of Things I Found in My Mother-in-Law's House.UPDATE: Listen to the actual interview!****Souvenirs seem to have some strange mesmeric power over travelers. You visit a place with beautiful scenery, a long and fascinating history, great restaurants and a vibrant night life, and somehow you decide the best way to remember it is to buy a dish towel.But hang on to those souvenirs long enough, and they become interesting in their own right.So, Ed, that’s a very odd collection of objects you’ve spread out on the table here. Is that really a cream pitcher in the shape of Winston Churchill’s head?...Things I Found in my Mother-in-Law’s House: The Kitchen
Here are this week's notes for the "Things I Found in my Mother-in-Law's House" segment that will be on between 4:30 and 5 p.m. today on CBC Saskatchewan's Afternoon Edition. In the radio version, the segment about the aluminum coffee pot got left out, so that's your special blog bonus for the week! (And again, I hope to add photos soon.)***Ed Willett has been exploring the recesses of his mother-in-law’s house, which has been in the same family for almost 70 years, in a kind of archaeological expedition into every-day life of the early to mid-20th century. Last week Ed took me down into the basement, but this week we’re staying on the main floor ..."Things I Found in my Mother-in-Law’s House…"
...which I've long talked about turning into a book (and maybe a CD, and a stage show, and...) finally became a reality in one form today: I've started a new limited column series for CBC Saskatchewan's Afternoon Edition, hosted by Colin Grewar, with that as its title.So here's today's entry, more or less (these scripts are guidelines, not read, so what we actually say on the air differs; in other words, this is NOT a transcript). I'd still like to turn this into a book. (Any publishers reading this, that's your cue to give me a call...)***Two years ago, Ed Willett moved into a house in Regina’s Crescents that belonged to his wife’s parents, ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
All the advantages of a gas cooker with none of the disadvantages, this oil cooker promises it "Cooks the Food without Cooking the Cook," and who could argue with that?I find it interesting how many of these old ads try to connect something that would seem to be merely a matter of simple preference--cooking with gas or oil--and try to convince you that had a connection to your health. Although, come to think of it, that's not exactly an unknown approach to advertising products today, is it?Interestingly enough, there is an Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd. today, but it ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
Gordon & Dilworth's doesn't appear to be in operation any longer, but I found the old ad at left, also from Gordon & Dilworth's, at the British Library's site: it rhapsodizes even more effusively about the glories of tomato catsup. "This is the popular national sauce of America," it proclaims, and ads, "It is made but once a year, in Tomato Season, from whole Fresh Tomatoes," which makes it sound more like a fine wine than what we today think of as the cheapest and tawdriest of ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
I can't find out much about this--it mostly shows up on Google in the form of vintage bottles of ink being sold to collectors (I didn't know there were vintage-ink-bottle collectors until now!), but I did find an interesting mention in an old scientific paper online, called Herring Investigations at Plymouth, written by E. Ford, A.R.C.Sc., Naturalist at the Plymouth Laboratory. (That's a massive PDF file and I've had trouble loading it to completion, just so you know.)It seems Mr. Ford wished to discover "upon what year-class or year-classes of herring was the season's fishery of 1924-1925 concentrated," and "Did ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
A public service announcement by the British Commercial Gas Association, telling you in no uncertain terms it is unfair to blame the cook if she is forced to cook on anything other than a gas stove.If she does have a gas stove, of course, you may say what you like about her, since she obviously can't cook her way out of a paper bag.Is this where the phrase "now we're cooking with gas" comes from?(By the way, search for the British Commerical Gas Association these days and the majority of Google hits are about the films ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
Yes, John Oakey & Sons, "the pioneers in introducing the concept of coated abrasives to the world," live on...in a company called John Oakey & Mohan Limited, incorporated in 1962, "manufacturers of high performance coated abrasives."From the first link above: John Oakey who was born in 1814 founded John Oakey & Sons Ltd in 1833. As an apprentice to piano manufacturers one of his tasks was to prepare sanded paper to rub down the wood and coatings. Pages from old account books were coated ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
Another company that's still around, although now in addition to being a food retailer they have "interests in financial services."Their history is online. The section called "The Early Years," below, takes the company right up to the time of his 1915 ad:Sainsbury's was founded in 1869 by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury. They opened their first small dairy shop at 173 Drury Lane, London. Drury Lane was one of London's poorest areas and the Sainsburys' shop quickly became popular for offering high-quality products at low prices. It was so successful that further branches were opened in ...Mrs. Beeton’s Ad of the Day
Borwick's was founded by George Borwick sometime in the 19th century--there are old ads for it all over the Web, including at the British Museum--and you can still buy their powders today.It was obviously a successful business: George Borwick got a barony out of it.
Edward Willett is a Subscribe to my weekly science column for free!
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Magebane
“Spectacular” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Evil wizards, multi-level conspiracies, hidden kingdoms…Lee Arthur Chane…has done a marvelous job…Magebane is a very entertaining book and well worth the time.” – A.M. Donovan, Night Owl Reviews
I happily recommend Magebane and I’ll certainly give Chane’s next novel a try based on this one.” —Bill Capossere, Fantasy Literature
“…an original and delightful tale of epic fantasy and magic, steampunk science, adventure, tragedy, and love…” – Errant Dreams Reviews
Eight centuries ago, the world changed. A devastating war swept the lands, and the MageLords, who had long ruled by virtue of their spell powers, were driven to a distant place, separated from those they had ruled by a magical Barrier. With magic banished from the rest of the world, the MageLords became mere legend and people turned to science to improve their lives. But if one man has his way, all that is about to change….
Written as Lee Arthur Chane (the middle names of my older brothers, Jimmy Lee and Dwight Arthur, and myself, Edward Chane Willett).
Marseguro
Winner of the 2009 Prix Aurora Award for Best Long-Form Work in English
Water world Marseguro is home to the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created from human DNA. When an unmodified human seeks revenge on a Selkie by activating a distress beacon taken from the remains of the original colony ship, a strikeforce is sent from Earth to eradicate the genetic abomination. Yet Marseguro will not prove as easy to conquer as the Earth force anticipates…
Terra Insegura
Finalist for the 2010 Prix Aurora Award for Best Novel in English
Marseguro, a water world far from Earth, is home to a colony of humans and the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created from modified human DNA. For seventy years the colony has lived in peace. Then Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force is sent to eradicate this “abomination.” But Marseguro has created a genetically tailored plague to use against Earth’s Holy Warriors. With the enemy defeated, the people of Marseguro feel they are safe. But Chris Keating, the traitor who signaled Marseguro’s location to the Holy Warriors, has fled to Earth, unknowingly carrying the deadly plague within him. The people of Marseguro feel they must send a ship to Earth with a life-saving vaccine. Only time will tell what awaits them when they reach their destination.
Lost in Translation
Kathryn was a human empath whose world and life had been destroyed when the alien S’sinn slaughtered her parents before her very eyes. Jarrikk was a young S’sinn, an unproven warrior who’d seen his flight mates slaughtered by the humans who’d sought to colonize his world.
As humans and S’sinn found themselves on the brink of war, these two Translators had to work together to find a common ground and avert catastrophe. But whether their Translators’ oath and training could overcome the enemies leagued against them was very much in doubt…
Archives
Song of the Sword
My new YA fantasy novel from Lobster Press
Before the Lady called her, Ariane’s life was a mess. Two years ago, her mother disappeared. She bounced around different foster homes until her aunt finally took her in. The meanest clique at her new high school has decided to make Ariane their prime target. And to top it all off, she is having frightening premonitions, and they are becoming more intense. The moment water touches her skin, she sees visions of a lake, a lady, and a sword. When a staircase opens up in the middle of Wascana Lake and the water begins singing to her, she has no choice but to answer the call….
Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw
Ten walks to points of historic and architectural interest in the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw (eight walks for Regina, two for Moose Jaw).
Johnny Cash: The Man in Black
When country music legend Johnny Cash took the stage at Folsom State Prison in 1968, he solidified the public’s perception of him as a rebel who followed his own path. Born in Arkansas during the Great Depression, Cash endured poverty, the death of his older brother, and a difficult relationship with his father. He turned to gospel and country music to express the pain, and after many years of struggling, his songs of hardship and hope would finally reach the ears of those waiting for an artist who represented them, ordinary people fighting to survive.
Andy Warhol: Everyone Will Be Famous for 15 Minutes
“Paintings are too hard. Machines have less problems…” In the 1960s, Andy Warhol became the most famous creator of a new style of art called pop art, which transformed mass-produced items of popular culture into fine works of art. From Campbell’s Soup cans to photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Warhol’s willingness to use anything and everything from the mass media in his work expanded the range of subject matter available to artists. His avant-garde films, artistic usage of American icons, and unconventional social life made him a controversial figure, both greatly admired and deeply reviled. A trendsetter rather than a trend-follower, a dispassionate observer of both the seamy and celebrity sides of life, Warhol was a true American rebel.
Disease-Hunting Scientist
The true stories of six real disease hunters. Epidemiologists travel the world trying to keep us safe from deadly diseases—from high-tech labs in Canada to remote villages in Africa. Learn how these “disease detectives” are coming up with new ways to fight disease, and find out if you have what it takes to become an epidemiologist, too!
The Bounty Mutiny
The Bounty was a British ship visiting Tahiti in 1789 when some of the crew overthrew the captain, William Bligh, and set him adrift in a tiny boat with sailors loyal to him. The mutiny resulted in a number of trials–both of the men who mutinied and of Bligh for losing command of his ship. These fascinating events have been the source for numerous Hollywood movies, most recently The Bounty. The Bounty Mutiny: From the Court Case to the Movie explores the famous case and the movies it inspired.
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