USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Againsheila]

I'm sort of bummed out today. I just got a call from one of the ladies that is in my Bunco Club (we play Bunco once a month on the 3rd Wednesday) that another of the members had suffered a heart attack last night, and before I was even able to comment on how awful that was, she continued to tell me that she hadn't made it.

I'm sort of in shock, haven't had anyone close to me die in quite some time. I was expecting the call to be about our next Bunco, which would be this coming Wednesday, so I was rather jovial when I answered the phone after seeing the caller ID on my TV indicating it was the lady that was supposed to host it. Now I'm just stunned. She was so full of life and always the life of the party. I don't know what to make of it.......I'm pretty sad.

sorry for your loss

Thank you Sheila.

I know how you feel.

 

[Spoonman]

That is indeed interesting, because I have now lived in Germany almost 17 years, came here when I was 33, and now I dream almost exclusively in German (sometimes in French). My little one was born here, so German is her primary language, but since very very first day on Earth, I have only spoken English with her. There have been entire months where the only two people I spoke English to were my daughter and my sister (who lives in the States). My daughter is going through the phase where she sometimes thinks in German and sometimes in English. It is fascinating to watch, because she gets a certain look of concentration on her face when she is thinking in English... wow.

wow, that just struck me as being really cool. you dream in german. I guess I never really thought about it, but eventually I guess you assimilate to that point.

I like the word "assimilate" in some ways, [MENTION=24208]Spoonman[/MENTION], and think it's pretty appropriate here. In order to really hone-up on the German language, I took the advice of a good friend and mentor, who recommended that in my first two years, I first establish a circle of German friends and talk with them only in German, cost what it will, and since I do lots of sports, that was easy to do. He also recommended that I buy books that I had already read in English and this time, read them in German. So, I started with Frank Herbert's DUNE trilogy. He then recommended that when I watch TV, only Station 1 (ARD) and Station 2 (ZDF), because the reporters speak perfect High German (Hochdeutsch) - without accent. Of course, everyone has an accent of sorts, but the concensus is that the cleanest of High German comes from the city of Hannover, so it is called "hannoverisches Deutsch". So, yeah, the assimilation thing happens with time, but I am still through and through a US-American and proud of it.

After being here so long, I note even the slight changes in body language and clothing that separates Americans from Germans. Just yesterday, when I was with my little one at a fete (with lots of jarring rides, cotton candy, the works), as we walked by a couple with two kids, based on how the guy was walking and wearing his jeans, I know he was an "Ami" (the German slang for "US-American") and sure enough as we passed that couple, he was speaking English with a midwestern Accent. I said a quick hi to him and his wife, it ends up they are from Auburn Hills, Michigan (suburb of Detroit) and he studied at the University of Akron, which is one of my two Alma Maters. Small world. Chuckle, chuckle.

Now, if I catch a film in English late in the evening, a strange thing often happens: in my dream, I rerun part of the film, but in German, in spite of the fact that I just saw the film in English. The human brain is an amazing thing.

So, yeah, "assimilated" is pretty accurate.

my father in law was from berlin and spoke hochdeutsch. my mother in law was from Vienna and spoke wienerisch. there was an amazing difference between the two. after many years of being together they sort of created their own language lol. they would combine two very different words that meant the same thing.

 

[CorvusRexus]

Yeah My ex learned her English pretty fast too, but she learned it from a group of young troops in the Bars of Germany....You can imagine how i wanted to shrink under the table when i brought her home and at dinner she looks at Mom and says "Pass the fucking potatoes."

Everyone I've dated has been at least partially ethnic German (pretty much everybody where I live is) but never from Germany. In fact, I've never even been to Germany.

Interesting, CorvusRexus, as the men I have loved, also have been of German descent. Something about me likes something about them... I am of Irish, Scottish, English and Native American descent.

I'm mostly German with some English and a bit of Irish. The girl I'm dating now is German and Irish, but, like I said, in my neck of the woods, everyone is German.

 

[Ernie S.]

Good night, America.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp7r0j4XrO8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp7r0j4XrO8[/ame]

 

[CorvusRexus]

My maternal grandmother's mother was a Schweitzer that we have traced to Austria. We haven't been able to locate any birth record in the USA so far and believe it is probable that she immigrated from Austria, however we haven't been able to verify that via the Ellis Island registry either. One of those mysteries.

If your maternal grandmother emigrated from somewhere in Europe between 1896-1904, the chances are very good that she did not come through Ellis Island, it was closed for all sorts of people during that span of time. Many were re-routed over Montreal, Canada during this time.

Also, due to the Revolutions of 1848, there were waves of emigration/immigration, especially out of Baden-Württemberg in Germany and out of Kärnten in Austria, many of them first went EAST before going WEST (little known chapter in emigration history), and those waves lasted about 40 years in time.

Also, the borders were different then: an Austrian may have also had a Slovenian pass, depending on where he lived, or he may have had a Swiss pass. And Poland? Geez, the borders have shifted so often, many a time people have no idea where to say a certain ancestor came from if he or she came from "Poland". It took me a while to find the one set of Great-Grandparents for, although everyone said they came from Poland, their official nationality was, as I learned, Ukrainian.

Also, the name Schweitzer could have likely been spelled "Schweizer" at that time (and means: "Swiss"). The "t" was likely added on the American side so that people would not pronounce the "z" in the usual American fashion, but rather, as a "ts".

Two sets of great-grandparents in my family came over via Warsaw-Wales-Montreal and eventually landed up in the Ohio Valley.

Feel free to PM me if you are interested in more information.

Thanks. I just dabble in the geneaology; our son is into it all pretty heavily, and he has mentioned some of what you're saying. We have found her on census records; we just haven't found a birth record or point of entry.

I love genealogy. There are parts in my family tree traced back to the 1500s in Britain and about their immigration to America in the 1600s as Virginian farmers. Or to the mid 1600s in Germany for my mother's side. I'm just dazzled by all of the officer/military designations on my tree. In fact, our only famous relative is General Stonewall Jackson from the American Civil War, if any of you are familiar with him.

 

[Foxfyre]

I'm sort of bummed out today. I just got a call from one of the ladies that is in my Bunco Club (we play Bunco once a month on the 3rd Wednesday) that another of the members had suffered a heart attack last night, and before I was even able to comment on how awful that was, she continued to tell me that she hadn't made it.

I'm sort of in shock, haven't had anyone close to me die in quite some time. I was expecting the call to be about our next Bunco, which would be this coming Wednesday, so I was rather jovial when I answered the phone after seeing the caller ID on my TV indicating it was the lady that was supposed to host it. Now I'm just stunned. She was so full of life and always the life of the party. I don't know what to make of it.......I'm pretty sad.

sorry for your loss

Thank you Sheila.

Goodness, I missed that post Mertex. So sorry.

 

[Esmeralda]

I'm sort of bummed out today. I just got a call from one of the ladies that is in my Bunco Club (we play Bunco once a month on the 3rd Wednesday) that another of the members had suffered a heart attack last night, and before I was even able to comment on how awful that was, she continued to tell me that she hadn't made it.

I'm sort of in shock, haven't had anyone close to me die in quite some time. I was expecting the call to be about our next Bunco, which would be this coming Wednesday, so I was rather jovial when I answered the phone after seeing the caller ID on my TV indicating it was the lady that was supposed to host it. Now I'm just stunned. She was so full of life and always the life of the party. I don't know what to make of it.......I'm pretty sad.

I'm sorry to hear of this. As you know, I went through something similar earlier this year with the sudden death of a young friend. It's very difficult. Even now I can't really think about her too much as it is painful to remember; I always picture her smiles and laughter and think how unfair it is for her to not have lived out her life. She too was one who was playful and full of life. I hope you can share with others in your group what you're feeling. That will help, and it just takes time.

 

[Statistikhengst]

I'm sort of bummed out today. I just got a call from one of the ladies that is in my Bunco Club (we play Bunco once a month on the 3rd Wednesday) that another of the members had suffered a heart attack last night, and before I was even able to comment on how awful that was, she continued to tell me that she hadn't made it.

I'm sort of in shock, haven't had anyone close to me die in quite some time. I was expecting the call to be about our next Bunco, which would be this coming Wednesday, so I was rather jovial when I answered the phone after seeing the caller ID on my TV indicating it was the lady that was supposed to host it. Now I'm just stunned. She was so full of life and always the life of the party. I don't know what to make of it.......I'm pretty sad.

I'm truly sorry to hear of your loss, [MENTION=43625]Mertex[/MENTION], and will be praying for you, your family and friends who are affected by this loss.

 

[Foxfyre]

Good night darlinks. I love you guys.

And we're still keeping vigil for
Harper (Save's granddaughter),
Marg’s mom,
Sunshine,
Pogo’s friend Pat and special comfort for Pogo,
Blackhawk’s mom,
Newby's mom,
TK, and TK's grandma,
Sheila’s sore foot and friend Shirley,
Meister and his mom,
Testarosa
Drake's injured friend,
PixieStix's sister,
Hollie's stepdad,
Coyote's father-in-law,
Spoonie, Ringel, Sheila, and 007's sore backs,
Sherry’s Mom,
BDBoop, her sis, and family,
Hombre,
Avg-Joe & furry companion Boo
Pix,
Becki!!! and Becki’s hubby,
Smilebong for his brother-in-law and family,
Ernie and his friend Royce's family, especially Alisha, as they prepare for the final goodbye,
Sheila and Andrew,
Ringel and his family as they prepare for the final goodbye for his dad,
Jake's granddaughter Susan,
Noomi's impending oral surgery,
Noomi’s Auntie Marj and Nana and cousin,
Ollie's daughter Angie,
Mertex as she prepares for the final goodbye for her friend,
All of us and those we care about who are looking for work,
All who are dealing with colds and flu,
And all others we love and hold in concern.

And the light is on awaiting the return of Bigfoot, Oddball, and Sunshine.

P.S. Sometimes in the editing of the vigil list or when I have switched computers, somebody gets dropped that is supposed to be on it. This will always be inadvertent and if ya'll would call it to my attention, it would be much appreciated.

 

[Sarah G]

Good afternoon Everyone,

Hope you're all having a wonderful day, it is so beautiful here today and I continue to pack up the house.

I got a summons to jury duty yesterday for the day I will start moving of course. I called them and they postponed my service date to sometime in June so I'm happy they didn't give me a hard time about it.

Have fun, I'll check in later.

May your civic duty be quick and painless.

Thanks. I really don't mind JD usually but it always seems to happen when I have something going on. The last time was over the holidays when I was still working in Sandusky. I was planning to come home for a week so I called them and they rearranged things for me there too.

They're a lot nicer than they used to be. I remember when you had to state a reason you couldn't serve only when they questioned you in the courtroom. People used to have to state that they were biased somehow or related or make up elaborate stories.

You just couldn't say well I have to work.

 

[Sarah G]

This morning nothing, This afternoon took Mrs o to her 3 month check up with family Doc. then to Pharmacy and a quick walk through the Grocery.... Home for dinner then 45 minute walk through a cemetery checking for veterans graves that didn't have a flag.....

This is my wish for you, Ollie. I hope you have people who care as much about you as you do about others. Even those you never knew. You're a good man.

 

[Sarah G]

Good Morning, Everyone!

 

[Statistikhengst]

Good morning, everyone and a good Tuesday to you all.


Today's celeb no. 1 drinking coffee:

Beyonce

 

[Statistikhengst]

Today's celebs no. 2 drinking coffee:

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

 

[Statistikhengst]

And today's coffee funnies:

 

[Big Black Dog]

Good morning. Coffee is ready. Get up and come and get it...

 

[Nosmo King]

Here's what the Spring plantings look like so far. The window boxes have superbelles, salvia, verbena, vinca and something called a wave flower (it's the purple one up front):

Take a look at the tulips! Blown away by the hail storm last week:

I planted a container with wave petunias, a spike and some more vinca:

I put just one sweet potato vine in each of the flower pouches this year. Sweet potato vines are too aggressive for the window boxes and planting impatiens in the pouches works only if the impatiens are healthy to begin with. There is a fungus attacking the nursery raised impatiens, so by mid July, they get all leggy and look more like a bad crop of asparagus.

I'll put in the marigolds after I get to the store and get some more time release fertilizer. I did enough yesterday and I think I may have exhausted Daisy the Mutt. She spent her time watching me, barking at that damn kitty across the street and chewing raw hide strips.

 

[Mertex]

Here's what the Spring plantings look like so far. The window boxes have superbelles, salvia, verbena, vinca and something called a wave flower (it's the purple one up front):

Take a look at the tulips! Blown away by the hail storm last week:

I planted a container with wave petunias, a spike and some more vinca:

I put just one sweet potato vine in each of the flower pouches this year. Sweet potato vines are too aggressive for the window boxes and planting impatiens in the pouches works only if the impatiens are healthy to begin with. There is a fungus attacking the nursery raised impatiens, so by mid July, they get all leggy and look more like a bad crop of asparagus.

I'll put in the marigolds after I get to the store and get some more time release fertilizer. I did enough yesterday and I think I may have exhausted Daisy the Mutt. She spent her time watching me, barking at that damn kitty across the street and chewing raw hide strips.

It all looks very lovely, except for the poor tulips beat up by the hail...poor Daisy, she looks like she did all the work...

 

[007]

Tuesday morning... what to do... what to do...

 

[JakeStarkey]

Hope all are feeling well today, particularly Mertex, Sarah G, and Ollie.