I have obviously not been blogging for a few days. After so many years, you might expect to deserve more. But I’m engaged upon an Enormous Task, punctuated now and then by increasingly bitter Tweets about the slaughter in Gaza.

Briefly, I’m cleaning my basement from top to bottom. And I’m beginning to think that Hercules (above) had the right idea.

It’s like penetrating layers of limestone and tracing the evolutionary path. Ancient poems (not good) and political effusions from literally a half-century ago. My first literary publication, in the McGill Daily. Yellowed newspaper clippings by the score. (Did you know the US and its pet ARVN used waterboard-type torture in Vietnam? In those days they simply stuck you headfirst into a bucket.) A pamphlet called “Local control is fascism,” co-authored by one L. Marcus, who went on to gain notoriety as Lyndon LaRouche. A copy of Fact magazine, wherein hundreds of psychiatrists claimed Barry Goldwater was unfit to be President of the US. Many copies of the legendary I.F. Stone’s Weekly.

Photos by the score. My beautiful late partner. The kids. Our wonderful dog.

Hundreds of books now destined for shelters and the second-hand shops.

The contents of four filing cabinets, most of it in my driveway in garbage bags now, along with two of the aforesaid cabinets.

Much grime and madness. And the struggle continues.

Give me another week or so and I’ll be back. Hoping maybe my co-bloggers will fill in a little, but no pressure. :)