whereisbasil.com

Basil Is Coming Back - He Hasn’t Disappeared Completely

Ben — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:46:58 +0000

It’s been a few months since I’ve written anything here - but I hope you haven’t all forgotten poor Basil, the traveling donkey and the Fawlty Towers DVDs.

Turns out Basil did make it to Belarus, but it took a very long time.

Eugene Filimon has Basil there and the Fawlty Towers DVDs. He’s ready to send them to the next person on the list.

Because of the long delay, I’ve emailed Bob LeDrew to see if he’s still interested. I haven’t received a response yet. I’ve just now emailed Susan Reynolds.

Given the delay, I’d ask that everyone on the list get back in touch with me via email. I’ll reach out if need be, but I’m hoping you’re all watching, waiting, listening and you’ll ping me to let me know you’re still interested in a visit from the code-writing donkey!

If Bob or Susan reply to my email and either is still interested in having Basil visit them, I’ll instruct Eugene in Belarus to send him over along with the DVDs. Then we’ll keep going through the list from there…

I’ve had a few more people express interest in receiving Basil and the DVDs, and in the New Year I’ll be adding them to the list and resurrecting this fun project. There’ll be a few changes (working them out still) but Basil lives and he’s ready to rock!

The Montreal Halloween Fiasco

Ben — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 15:30:25 +0000

Well…I promised pictures of Basil at Halloween (and I do have some) but the night didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked. It all started when my son decided he didn’t want to wear his costume. My wife was working late so it was up to me to entertain him for the night.

I picked him up at daycare but he didn’t want to get in the car. I promised him everything under the sun — visiting his friends, chocolate, my life savings…nothing worked. Then I mentioned one particular friend and he said “YAY!” So, desperate, hungry and tired, I rushed over to that friend’s house, my son under my arm. Rang the doorbell.

“Will you help me?”

They were kind enough to take me in, and my son was pleased as punch to play with his friend. But, that meant no real trick or treating outside (he still refused to wear his costume.)

Basil didn’t want to sit inside all evening, he wanted to go out. So, I let him go…

Have you ever seen a donkey dressed up for Halloween? I’d be a bit frightened if the answer was “yes” so let’s assume you haven’t. I have. And, as Basil says, “I didn’t have a lot of time to put a costume together, ya know!

So there you have it — Basil the vampire space cowboy.

Basil will be in Montreal for a few more days working on some things for me, and then I’ll be sending him to visit Eugene in Belarus.

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween!

Tags: halloween, basil, travel, tourism, costume, humor, silly, fun, where is basil, montreal

Basil’s Back in Montreal, Getting Ready for Halloween

Ben — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:42:53 +0000

Joe Hauckes in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania had some emergency stuff he had to take care of, so instead of keeping Basil around watching TV, eating chips and getting fat, he sent him back to Montreal for a return visit with yours truly.

Basil’s here now, and yes, I’ve got him working already!

Actually, he’s cobbling together a Halloween costume for tonight. It’s probably going to rain and it’s barely above the freezing mark but he’s a donkey…he can hack it right?

So Basil will stay here for a few days and then he’s off to meet Eugene in Belarus! That should be pretty darn exciting, and I know Basil’s looking forward to the trip…

Tags: basil, travel, tourism, montreal, halloween, where is basil

Basil Detoured to New Hope Pennsylvania

joe — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:11:20 +0000

I don’t know how he missed Philadelphia, but he did. He just kept on going and going up the Delaware River.

When I heard from the police from New Hope, my heart dropped. They assured me that Basil was fine, but very lost.

As it turns out, he heard somewhere about Washington’s Crossing and wanted to participate in the yearly celebration. The officer had tried to explain that Basil was a little early, as the re-enactment is on Christmas Eve. Since that was when the crossing actually happened during the Revolutionary War, they only do it once a year.

In explaining how he ended up in New Hope instead of Washington’s Crossing, Basil said he couldn’t figure out how to get past the waterfall in the river. Never mind that he was already 5 miles north of the park near Lambertville, NJ. So, he backtracked until he saw some signs of life. Hence, New Hope.

Some very nice people who run a Bed and Breakfast in New Hope have offered to put Basil up for the night gratis (hear that Ben?) after hearing his story of sailing all the way from River John Nova Scotia. How nice is that?

I am supposed to meet up with Basil in the morning for Breakfast at the Inn. I hope he doesn’t try anything silly like trying to find where the Battle of Trenton was fought…

I promised to stop by Valley Forge on the way home, but he had to promise to behave and not cause any trouble with the young ladies that own the B&B.

Tags: philadelphia, pennsylvania, travel, tourism, basil, donkey, nova scotia, washington’s crossing

Basil Spotted Off Cape May

joe — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 13:08:14 +0000

Just to give you a little update. A friend of mine who lives in Cape May, NJ saw a sailboat with a “Gray Four Legged Creature” rounding the point and heading into the Delaware Bay.

I’m not sure, but I think this could be Basil. I haven’t heard anything, and it’s really hard to tell from the picture, but the timing is right.

He only has about 25-30 miles left and if the winds are right and he knows how to tack (the winds are from the north), he may, just may make it here sometime tomorrow. (I hope he has my phone number).

I’ll let everyone know if and when I hear anything.

Tags: where is basil, basil, travel, tourism, philadelphia, cape may, new jersey

Basil’s Gone Missing Along the East Coast of the United States

Ben — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:16:22 +0000

Does it shock anyone at this point that Basil’s gone missing? On Wednesday, October 18th, Basil left Nova Scotia to head south towards Philadelphia where the intention was to meet up with Joe Hauckes. I should have asked someone how long a sailboat trip would take, but I didn’t. And, so far, I haven’t heard from the traveling donkey.

I’m not overly worried. This isn’t the first time he’s disappeared. And, if he’s still on that sailboat, it’s unlikely that he has a great way of communicating with me.

If I don’t hear anything in a day or two, I’ll start to worry. But really, what could possibly happen to a code-writing donkey on a sailboat from Nova Scotia to Philadelphia?

Tags: basil, nova scotia, philadelphia, joe hauckes, travel, tourism

Basil Takes the Slow Boat to Pennsylvania

seafoam — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:34:58 +0000

Basil left Pictou this morning. I had hoped that he would be going by sail boat, but when we arrived at the marina there were none to be found, so Basil is travelling by motor boat instead.

After leaving Pictou harbour his route will take him around Cape George and through Canso Lock. This is part of the Canso Causeway which was built in the 1950’s to connect Cape Breton Island to the mainland. From there he will travel down the southern coast of Nova Scotia and on to the USA.

Bon voyage Basil, it’s been great meeting you. Have a great time in Philadelphia. If you have time, go check out The Wood Turning Center and tell them about your first experience with a lathe.

Tags: nova scotia, travel, tourism, basil, pennsylvania, philadelphia

Waiting for Basil

joe — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:20:32 +0000

Well, I have just been notified that Basil is on his way here.

He seems to be taking the long way around to get to Philadelphia from River John, NS. He is apparantly taking a sail boat down the coast. Hopefully, he makes a right turn at Cape May and comes up the Delaware River. Then I will just pick him up at Penns Landing in Philadelphia. (If it was good enough for William Penn, then Basil should be Ok with it.)

I thought it would be much easier just to take a Jet and be here in an hour or so. I guess it’s just as well, I haven’t even tried to get the Cats used to the idea of a Code Writing Donkey sharing their room yet.

Oh, well. I have a lot of planning to do, and reservations to make, in order to show Basil some of the history and sites around here. Not to mention at least one EAGLES game.

Basil, call me when you land.

Tags: philadelphia, travel, tourism, basil

Basil Enjoys Fall in Nova Scotia

seafoam — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:09:10 +0000

It has been another nice fall in Nova Scotia. We weren’t able to make it to the Celtic Colours festival, but Basil did enjoy a walk with Jenny in the woods:

Basil also met some new friends in River John:

“They aren’t very talkative,” noted Basil. What a joker that donkey is!

We are in Bissell Park in the middle of the village where the main road crosses the river. This park gets its name from Anna Sutherland Bissell, who was born in River John in 1846 but moved early in life to Michigan with her parents. There she married Melville Bissell inventor of the Bissell carpet cleaner company. Upon her husband’s death she refused to sell the company and became America’s first female corporate CEO.

Also in Bissell Park is a memorial to Chalmers Bigney, the River John strongman. At the age of 22 he reportedly lifted 3800 pounds with his back. He traveled all over Nova Scotia and PEI giving demonstrations of his strength at festivals and local gatherings. He had a great love for animals and risked his life on more than one occasion to carry out rescues. At one time a horse was attempting to cross the river and fell through the ice. John immediately set about placing himself under the horse, lifted the animal and carried him to the shore.

Tags: where is basil, basil, river john, nova scotia, bissell, pumpkin people, travel, tourism, anna sutherland, chalmers bigney, strongman, fall

It’s Raining, So Basil Learns More About Woodturning

seafoam — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:11:08 +0000

It started raining today and Basil has been kicking his hooves in the workshop watching me turning bottle stoppers. After the tenth one he says “This is getting boring. Can’t you make something else?”.

That wouldn’t be very efficient I tell him, so I take him into the office and show him the blog post I had just written on The Tool Rest. “It’s a collection of videos from YouTube about woodturning. Have fun!” I say, and leave him to enjoy the show.

I thought that would keep him happy for a while, but within minutes he was back wanting to know where the popcorn was. So I go make popcorn and fetch a couple of cold ones from the fridge.

That occupied him for an hour or so, then he was back.

“That was cool, but I bet you anything I can make a pawn faster than that guy on the video.”

“Stand back,” he says as he pushes past me and throws a log on the lathe.

I wish I had had a video camera so I could show you how that little exercise went.

Tags: youtube, woodturning, basil, where is basil, toolrest