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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Views of the House of Zonk
I thought these needed to be added to Rosco's story. Nowadays I refer to this building as the Brubacher farmhouse to avoid discussing the lifestyle of the former denizens.
I loved living at Zonk. Especially the big communal meals (and even the communal bathroom.) Not freezing in the winter, so much. I probably would have stayed there longer (I was there 3 1/2 years) but Catherine wanted to move to town.
There was another bust at Zonk, too, That was when Valerie lived there, and when she got stopped by the police, she lied about where she lived and so when they figured it out, they figured we had something to hide. We really barely did, I think I had three scraggly plants in a window box. I think there was one small possession charge.
My favourite story I have never forgotten from that bust was this great big cop who took a shine to Richard, who, you may recall, was rather short. So here's this odd duo peering into Richard's room, which was crammed wall to wall and floor to ceiling with scavenged electronic parts Richard had some plan for. "How do you ever find anything in here???" the cop asked. Richard just gave him a level look and said, "The order . . . is in the mind." I have used that line many a time in my own apparently disordered life.
I just heard about this place tonight from my dad. His buddy Ed Snider lived there. My dad said one day some people who were currently living there, tried to make a list of all the people who had lived there. When they got to 200 they stopped. Ha. I wish I coulda seen this place. Dad said there were some great parties! Born in '92 btw.
Your dad must have spoke of Ed Sniders artwork ,the ceiling was his canvas . I lived next door in the stone farmhouse , it was next door across field . We could just walk over in two minutes . What a great place House of Zonk really was ! Quite the variety of people . I'm looking for Larry C. - Tell him I am Ron from B.C. , he'll know me , I'll come back here weekly to see if there is a reply . Kindest Regards - B.C. Ron
A friend of mine lived there as the graders circled like prehistoric beasts, isolating the house (and hydro poles) on islands of earth. The drop off at the front was 20 feet and entry at the back was about a 6 foot drop. Mud covered boots were caked onto the porch. In the end I showed my sister the place by traveling from room to room with a light bulb I screwed in. I recall the attic full of cast offs including a crate of dental grade painkiller, a family of raccoons, and a number of sky views. Ed Snider's solution to roof leaks was to throw a mattress up there to absorb and re-radiate water – that does have some crazy lazy logic to it. There were preserves decades old in the basement in part because no one had reason to go down there. The enormous living room had an aircraft inertial guidance system in the corner, a giant library of Scientific American, and pool table which outlived the many legendary parties that lasted for days. Twin Peaks was the communal TV show everyone gathered for in 1989. In the kitchen was a nicely framed needle point of an idyllic farmhouse, flowers and people, with black yarn curls for chimney smoke. The stitched message was “Don't let the motherfuckers get you down”.
Now the site is obfuscated by cheap field homes owned by people on the treadmill. I met good and entertaining people there, which led to another communal farmhouse that is still serving me well.
I visited Eddy Schneider at Zonk in the 80s and bought two paintings from him while he was there ("Cookin' Smokin'" and one other). Eddy's paintings were everywhere including the ceiling.
I thought these needed to be added to Rosco's story. Nowadays I refer to this building as the Brubacher farmhouse to avoid discussing the lifestyle of the former denizens.
Phil: the house looks better than i remember. Although my memories of that house are few and scattered.
ReplyDeleteI loved living at Zonk. Especially the big communal meals (and even the communal bathroom.) Not freezing in the winter, so much. I probably would have stayed there longer (I was there 3 1/2 years) but Catherine wanted to move to town.
ReplyDeleteThere was another bust at Zonk, too, That was when Valerie lived there, and when she got stopped by the police, she lied about where she lived and so when they figured it out, they figured we had something to hide. We really barely did, I think I had three scraggly plants in a window box. I think there was one small possession charge.
My favourite story I have never forgotten from that bust was this great big cop who took a shine to Richard, who, you may recall, was rather short. So here's this odd duo peering into Richard's room, which was crammed wall to wall and floor to ceiling with scavenged electronic parts Richard had some plan for. "How do you ever find anything in here???" the cop asked. Richard just gave him a level look and said, "The order . . . is in the mind." I have used that line many a time in my own apparently disordered life.
moe
I just heard about this place tonight from my dad. His buddy Ed Snider lived there. My dad said one day some people who were currently living there, tried to make a list of all the people who had lived there. When they got to 200 they stopped. Ha. I wish I coulda seen this place. Dad said there were some great parties! Born in '92 btw.
ReplyDeleteYour dad must have spoke of Ed Sniders artwork ,the ceiling was his canvas .
DeleteI lived next door in the stone farmhouse , it was next door across field .
We could just walk over in two minutes .
What a great place House of Zonk really was !
Quite the variety of people .
I'm looking for Larry C. - Tell him I am Ron from B.C. ,
he'll know me , I'll come back here weekly to see if there is a reply .
Kindest Regards - B.C. Ron
I'm Ed Schneider's sister, Jane. Nice to see him mentioned here!
DeleteThat kitchen ceiling was some canvas!
A friend of mine lived there as the graders circled like prehistoric beasts, isolating the house (and hydro poles) on islands of earth. The drop off at the front was 20 feet and entry at the back was about a 6 foot drop. Mud covered boots were caked onto the porch. In the end I showed my sister the place by traveling from room to room with a light bulb I screwed in. I recall the attic full of cast offs including a crate of dental grade painkiller, a family of raccoons, and a number of sky views. Ed Snider's solution to roof leaks was to throw a mattress up there to absorb and re-radiate water – that does have some crazy lazy logic to it. There were preserves decades old in the basement in part because no one had reason to go down there. The enormous living room had an aircraft inertial guidance system in the corner, a giant library of Scientific American, and pool table which outlived the many legendary parties that lasted for days. Twin Peaks was the communal TV show everyone gathered for in 1989. In the kitchen was a nicely framed needle point of an idyllic farmhouse, flowers and people, with black yarn curls for chimney smoke. The stitched message was “Don't let the motherfuckers get you down”.
ReplyDeleteNow the site is obfuscated by cheap field homes owned by people on the treadmill.
I met good and entertaining people there, which led to another communal farmhouse that is still serving me well.
I visited Eddy Schneider at Zonk in the 80s and bought two paintings from him while he was there ("Cookin' Smokin'" and one other). Eddy's paintings were everywhere including the ceiling.
ReplyDelete