USMB Coffee Shop IV

[blackhawk]

 

[blackhawk]

 

[Gracie]

I haven't been in here as much as I should, so I didn't realize GW is MIA. Hope all is well and he is just busy prepping for winter and taking care of his goats.

 

[Foxfyre]

I haven't been in here as much as I should, so I didn't realize GW is MIA. Hope all is well and he is just busy prepping for winter and taking care of his goats.

Well you have a lot on your plate too Gracie. I don't think the Coffee Shop on anywhere else on the internet should be anybody's first priority. On the other hand I do miss and wonder about and/or worry about those who suddenly are gone and I don't know why. And I sure enjoy touching bases with those who post here regularly and those who just drop in now and then. It's funny how you make a connection with folks in an environment like this and their personalities somehow make it onto the computer page. And we honestly do come to care about each other even if it is sometimes less intense than those we deal with in real life.

 

[Foxfyre]

Everybody must be out and about today or sleeping in. We're getting ready to take our house guests to Old Town for shopping and maybe dinner later. Hope all are having a pleasant Sunday. Will likely check in tonight sometime.

 

[Ringel05]

Everybody must be out and about today or sleeping in. We're getting ready to take our house guests to Old Town for shopping and maybe dinner later. Hope all are having a pleasant Sunday. Will likely check in tonight sometime.

Slept in late, didn't get out of bed till 10:15 this morning........ and even then didn't want to get up.

 

[Dajjal]

I haven't been in here as much as I should, so I didn't realize GW is MIA. Hope all is well and he is just busy prepping for winter and taking care of his goats.

Well you have a lot on your plate too Gracie. I don't think the Coffee Shop on anywhere else on the internet should be anybody's first priority. On the other hand I do miss and wonder about and/or worry about those who suddenly are gone and I don't know why. And I sure enjoy touching bases with those who post here regularly and those who just drop in now and then. It's funny how you make a connection with folks in an environment like this and their personalities somehow make it onto the computer page. And we honestly do come to care about each other even if it is sometimes less intense than those we deal with in real life.

Yea , I have lost touch with many people over the years that posted on other forums. In the good old, bad old days not long after 9/11 when the WTC came down, I was a screaming banshee all over the internet, and I was usually drunk, using bad language. The main forum I was on then allowed that kind of posting but it is now closed down. I miss those people.

 

[Nosmo King]

Well, the Pig Roast was a rousing success! First, the weather report: it was a perfect day! Low 80s without a hint of humidity. A light breeze from the northwest cooled us all day long while just puffy cumulus clouds floated by. Next, attendance. There were somewhere about 90 to 100 cheerful, happy folks there. A little acoustic band; fiddle, guitar, stand up bass and a modest drum kit played cover songs and they were fantastic!

And finally, The Pig. One hundred five pounder that we tied to the spit Friday evening and put to the fire at 9:30 Saturday morning. By 5:00 that afternoon, it was off the spit and carved into sandwich sized slices.

The unofficial theme of the weekend has been 'let the kids do it'. As all the responsible adults are now in our late 50s to mid 60s, we finally decided that the heavy lifting; assembling the dining canopies, setting the tables under them, carrying to pig, and generally schlepping and toting would be better tended by the array of strapping twenty year old children rather than ourselves.

Thank God! This was the pay off I've been waiting for for the past forty five years. All I had to do was actually tie the ties that secured the pig and then carve the meat from the carcass. If I wanted a cold beverage, I summoned one of the kids. If I needed a tool or have a table moved or had to arrange something like the propane cookers to boil the eight dozen ears of sweet corn, I had one of the kids do it. Then I sat back, visited with my old friends, ate more than I should have and enjoyed the day as an elder statesman.

 

[Againsheila]

Howdy, y'all!
It's been awhile but I have a couple of minutes to stop by. I read a few of the newest posts but there were about 30 pages from where I last stopped by.
Between cleaning up around the place I'm staying now, and clearing trees and cutting firewood up in Willow, it's been a very busy time for me. I have a couple dozen old, rotting 800 lb round bales of hay that need gone in the first place, and lots of accumulated debris that has to be loaded and taken to the landfill. On the Willow side, all the "slash" from the trees we're cutting has to be loaded and taken to the landfill, too. It's been so hot and dry, I don't want to risk burning the stuff, which is what we'd usually do with it. I do feel much better, clearing trees and brush away from the cabin and sheds in Willow, to be sure. And, I've now put up almost five cords of firewood! The partner can sit and operate the wood-splitter, but I have had to overcome my fear of using a chainsaw. I'm very cautious, but can now lop up a good-sized tree. Of course, you might guess who's lugging all that wood back and forth and stacking it...
Another old friend and her hubby will be here next week. She's got family here and I am going to loan them my Jeep to get around in. I still have the Dodge (it's air-conditioned!!!) so I can afford to share. They live in Arizona now, since she got married and he retired. This has been a very social summer for me, so far.
Well, almost time to clock out and head off to breakfast with the partner and another buddy. All three of us work on the Willow place and we need to discuss further strategy for clearing up. This weekend, I hope to drag some of the stumps away and dispose of those, too.
Check back later!

I can't keep up either...I am, however, getting my kitchen and the upstairs bathroom redone...Yay, I won't be ashamed of my kitchen anymore. Trust me guys, it's horrible. Plus, it's going to be much bigger. Whoever designed this house back in 1963 when it was built, made a 3,000 square foot house with about a 10 x 12 foot kitchen. Obviously it was a man as only a man back then would have designed such a small kitchen.

Hey, you saw how tiny my whole place was! Of course, when you have to cut and split firewood it's amazing how much smaller a house can be.

If I had it to do over, I wouldn't have bought such a big house. Small houses are cheaper to keep warm. I just spent $7,000 on a new furnace and almost $3000 to fix my vents under the house, we were losing almost 20% of our heat in leaks. Next year, we're living really poor to pay back all this money for our retirement.

Wow. I didn't think you would have such extreme heat and extreme cold where you are Sheila. So even with leaks, why so expensive to heat it?

Puget Sound Energy is one of the most expensive energy companies around and our city keeps raising taxes on our utilities rather than bring things to a vote before the people which would raise our property taxes instead. At least we can deduct our property taxes from our income taxes.

 

[ChrisL]

Happy Sunday, coffee shop peeps! I went shopping today, so it's been a good day.

 

[Dajjal]

Dang ! I tried to turn my computer off three quarters of an hour ago, but windows ten did a huge update that only just finished.. Now the computer takes ages to start up.

 

[ChrisL]

Dang ! I tried to turn my computer off three quarters of an hour ago, but windows ten did a huge update that only just finished.. Now the computer takes ages to start up.

I'm still using Windows 8.1. Screw Windows 10!!

 

[Dajjal]

Dang ! I tried to turn my computer off three quarters of an hour ago, but windows ten did a huge update that only just finished.. Now the computer takes ages to start up.

I'm still using Windows 8.1. Screw Windows 10!!

I was using windows 7 but I gave in to the pressure from Microsoft to upgrade. Mind you windows 10 is OK.

 

[ChrisL]

Dang ! I tried to turn my computer off three quarters of an hour ago, but windows ten did a huge update that only just finished.. Now the computer takes ages to start up.

I'm still using Windows 8.1. Screw Windows 10!!

I was using windows 7 but I gave in to the pressure from Microsoft to upgrade. Mind you windows 10 is OK.

I'm good with Windows 8. I'm sick and tired of them trying to force us to upgrade all the time.

 

[Dajjal]

Dang ! I tried to turn my computer off three quarters of an hour ago, but windows ten did a huge update that only just finished.. Now the computer takes ages to start up.

I'm still using Windows 8.1. Screw Windows 10!!

I was using windows 7 but I gave in to the pressure from Microsoft to upgrade. Mind you windows 10 is OK.

I'm good with Windows 8. I'm sick and tired of them trying to force us to upgrade all the time.

Ha ! Windows 10 wants me to talk to it, but its out of luck because I don't have a microphone.

 

[Ringel05]

Dang ! I tried to turn my computer off three quarters of an hour ago, but windows ten did a huge update that only just finished.. Now the computer takes ages to start up.

The initial Win 10 bootup (after installing on your system) takes quite a while due to all the self configuration it's doing.

 

[Ringel05]

Howdy, y'all!
It's been awhile but I have a couple of minutes to stop by. I read a few of the newest posts but there were about 30 pages from where I last stopped by.
Between cleaning up around the place I'm staying now, and clearing trees and cutting firewood up in Willow, it's been a very busy time for me. I have a couple dozen old, rotting 800 lb round bales of hay that need gone in the first place, and lots of accumulated debris that has to be loaded and taken to the landfill. On the Willow side, all the "slash" from the trees we're cutting has to be loaded and taken to the landfill, too. It's been so hot and dry, I don't want to risk burning the stuff, which is what we'd usually do with it. I do feel much better, clearing trees and brush away from the cabin and sheds in Willow, to be sure. And, I've now put up almost five cords of firewood! The partner can sit and operate the wood-splitter, but I have had to overcome my fear of using a chainsaw. I'm very cautious, but can now lop up a good-sized tree. Of course, you might guess who's lugging all that wood back and forth and stacking it...
Another old friend and her hubby will be here next week. She's got family here and I am going to loan them my Jeep to get around in. I still have the Dodge (it's air-conditioned!!!) so I can afford to share. They live in Arizona now, since she got married and he retired. This has been a very social summer for me, so far.
Well, almost time to clock out and head off to breakfast with the partner and another buddy. All three of us work on the Willow place and we need to discuss further strategy for clearing up. This weekend, I hope to drag some of the stumps away and dispose of those, too.
Check back later!

I can't keep up either...I am, however, getting my kitchen and the upstairs bathroom redone...Yay, I won't be ashamed of my kitchen anymore. Trust me guys, it's horrible. Plus, it's going to be much bigger. Whoever designed this house back in 1963 when it was built, made a 3,000 square foot house with about a 10 x 12 foot kitchen. Obviously it was a man as only a man back then would have designed such a small kitchen.

Hey, you saw how tiny my whole place was! Of course, when you have to cut and split firewood it's amazing how much smaller a house can be.

If I had it to do over, I wouldn't have bought such a big house. Small houses are cheaper to keep warm. I just spent $7,000 on a new furnace and almost $3000 to fix my vents under the house, we were losing almost 20% of our heat in leaks. Next year, we're living really poor to pay back all this money for our retirement.

Wow. I didn't think you would have such extreme heat and extreme cold where you are Sheila. So even with leaks, why so expensive to heat it?

Puget Sound Energy is one of the most expensive energy companies around and our city keeps raising taxes on our utilities rather than bring things to a vote before the people which would raise our property taxes instead. At least we can deduct our property taxes from our income taxes.

Sounds like the DC metro area, high cost of living.

 

[Gracie]

Everybody must be out and about today or sleeping in. We're getting ready to take our house guests to Old Town for shopping and maybe dinner later. Hope all are having a pleasant Sunday. Will likely check in tonight sometime.

I didn't sleep in. I have been running non stop all day and just said ENOUGH. I have like 16 ads running on CL with stuff for sale. People that came to look at the free stuff wound up going thru EVERYTHING, so we had to pull it all out of the shed and on to a tarp in the back yard, plus the furniture I crammed in the patio room that is for sale. Overall....the BOUGHT stuff as well as got the free stuff. Then they had no room in their cars or trucks and had to call friends, who also rummaged around and bought a shit load of stuff. We made a HUGE dent and some bucks as well. Almost enough to pay for the Uhaul!

Then my friend called and said she and her husband decided NOT to put us in the garage. Instead, they moved out of the "bonus room" and in to the master bedroom and we will be getting the bonus room....which is HUGE. And has its own bathroom, AND has a door leading right outside to the back yard for easy access for the dogs!! WOOT!! I am beginning to get excited now. And happier!

But I am POOPED!!!

 

[Foxfyre]

Long day with our younger and more energetic house guests. They'll be here one more day instead of leaving tomorrow as was the initial plan. So it's to the top of the mountain in the morning and we'll see how the rest of the day will go. Enjoying their company very much but all this was so much easier 20 years ago.

Good night Darlinks. I hope all sleep well. And we continue to pray and/or send good vibes and/or keep vigil for:

Harper (Save's granddaughter),
Pogo’s friend Pat and special comfort for Pogo,
Becki and Becki’s hubby,
Mrs. O and SFCOllie,
GW's daughter, her friend Sachendra, and Sachendra's husband Bob and son Gary.
Noomi!!!
Nosmo's mom,
Ernie's stop smoking project,
Sherry’s Mom,
Sixfoot's bad back,
Rod, GW's partner,
IamwhatIseem's bad hip,
The Ringels in difficult transition,
Kat, Mr. Kat and Kat's mom,
Boedicca's Dad,
Gracie and Mr. Gracie in their transition,
All of us and those we care about who are looking for work,

And the light is left on for Alan, Noomi, Freedombecki, Oddball, Spoonman, 007, and all the others who we miss and hope to return.

California sunset:

 

[Gracie]

Change of plans on this end. Yes, we are still going to our friends, but no uhaul, no tow dolly for MrGs truck. Instead, we are selling EVERYTHING. Kitchenware, drapes, wall art, knick knacks, lamps, my recliner, dressers...everything. Except what bins will fit in MrGs truck and in my van. Which essentially means our tvs, pcs, clothing, and what little sentimental things we love too much to get rid of, and his tools. I also plan to mail boxes of stuff to our friend and let the post office do the delivering. My sister in law gets stuff I give her free but she has to pay shipping and the most she has ever had to pay was 26 bucks for a goodly sized box. So....4 boxes will cost me 100 bucks. Beats almost 400 bucks for a truck and stuff we can always replace.

We figure...new house, new location, new stuff. Buy it as we need it mentality. And it makes me feel so much better because that drive scares the hell out of me with two old people puttering through LA with an old man driving a big truck while pulling a little truck with me in the lead in the van. LA is a pain in the ass and all those loopy freeways and the traffic! Oy. No thanks.

So I think I will sleep easier tonight knowing after the 15th of September...we can leave at any time because what little is left in the house will go in his truck and my van, the rest is already there via the post office. I also kinda look forward to hitting the thrift shops down there and getting new decor that is not brand new but still cool and stuff we like. Leave the past behind....start new with "new" stuff.

Whew.