USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Nosmo King]

Happy Halloween! The day dawned bright and, well for the Crotch of the Tri-State Area, partly sunny. But the thermometer shows it is only 39 degrees. So there was a frost on the pumpkins. Homes are duly decorated for All Hallow's Eve and those decorations will soon be replaced by Christmas stuff. I'm all set up with Nestles $100,000 bars for the Trick-or-Treaters.

Daisy the Mutt is oblivious to the holiday for now, but once the first zombie comes to the door, she will be having the time of her life! She'll chirp her 'welcome' bark and go into her schtick rolling over and sitting on her haunches and waving her front legs hello. Kids will pay her antics by saying "Awww!" and petting her as she licks their hands.

There will be the occasional rusted out pickup truck or mini van with a squeaky door dropping of a half dozen kids at a time right in front of the Luxurious Pimplebutt Estate as it sits on a corner. "You do this Street and the next street down and we'll meet you at the corner!" the driver will advise the kids as they pour out of their neighbors in order to canvass mine.

I wonder what the popular costumes will be this year? I usually get a lot of football players, princesses, zombies and video game characters. As this is not an election year, I don't expect too many political figures.

We will be voting for city council and a few state issues. So it is also lawn sign season. What's troublingly different this year is the appearance of signs campaigning against specific individuals. "No on Kerr and Ziegler!" "No Betteridge!" No words on the sign showing who or what organipaid for the negative campaigning. It's only a seat on city council or township trustee, but negative campohas shown it's potential and even the local races are now effected.

Anyway, I have some errands to run before the onslaught tonight. I'm bundled up for the bracing cold after digging through the bottom drawers of the dresser. I'll take the cold as it has substantially cut down on the 'bumpkin factor', or the phenol for people driving vehicles with unnecessarily loud exhaust systems. I can read or watch a movie without repeating what I just took in after being disturbed by the rumble of a passing bumpkin.

We are in the midst of a mayoral runoff here--not so much yard signs in evidence but plenty of negative political robo calls. Blessedly loud traffic is almost non existent in our neighborhood except for the Tuesday morning trash trucks picking up the trash. You are still dealing with a rude motorcylist?

As for tonight, can we trade dogs? I will allow Daisy to entertain the trick or treaters and you can deal with the mini doxie Carly who will be ferociously protecting the household from a zombie apocalypse loudly and pretty much non stop. Needless to say we aren't looking forward to that.

The one phantom kid who would silently Coast his dirt bike to the corner only to kick start it and roar away hasn't plagued the neighborhood for several weeks. But the Harley Davidson riders come up the valley along Anderson Boulevard and then turn West on Orchard Grove all weekend.


What I don't understand is why don't they go one more block and turn West on McKinnon Avenue? McKinnon is less steep than Orchard Grove, the houses sit farther back from the curb (close houses create an echo tunnel effect) and McKinnon's paving is smoother and has less loose gravel than Orchard Grove. McKinnon's check in the "cons" column is the red light at the corner of St. Clair Avenue, East Liverpool's main north/south roadway.

Can you distract Carly from the Trick-or-Treaters? Put her in a bedroom with a radio or TV set on to draw her attention from the door?

 

[blackhawk]

Happy Halloween.

 

[Foxfyre]

Happy Halloween! The day dawned bright and, well for the Crotch of the Tri-State Area, partly sunny. But the thermometer shows it is only 39 degrees. So there was a frost on the pumpkins. Homes are duly decorated for All Hallow's Eve and those decorations will soon be replaced by Christmas stuff. I'm all set up with Nestles $100,000 bars for the Trick-or-Treaters.

Daisy the Mutt is oblivious to the holiday for now, but once the first zombie comes to the door, she will be having the time of her life! She'll chirp her 'welcome' bark and go into her schtick rolling over and sitting on her haunches and waving her front legs hello. Kids will pay her antics by saying "Awww!" and petting her as she licks their hands.

There will be the occasional rusted out pickup truck or mini van with a squeaky door dropping of a half dozen kids at a time right in front of the Luxurious Pimplebutt Estate as it sits on a corner. "You do this Street and the next street down and we'll meet you at the corner!" the driver will advise the kids as they pour out of their neighbors in order to canvass mine.

I wonder what the popular costumes will be this year? I usually get a lot of football players, princesses, zombies and video game characters. As this is not an election year, I don't expect too many political figures.

We will be voting for city council and a few state issues. So it is also lawn sign season. What's troublingly different this year is the appearance of signs campaigning against specific individuals. "No on Kerr and Ziegler!" "No Betteridge!" No words on the sign showing who or what organipaid for the negative campaigning. It's only a seat on city council or township trustee, but negative campohas shown it's potential and even the local races are now effected.

Anyway, I have some errands to run before the onslaught tonight. I'm bundled up for the bracing cold after digging through the bottom drawers of the dresser. I'll take the cold as it has substantially cut down on the 'bumpkin factor', or the phenol for people driving vehicles with unnecessarily loud exhaust systems. I can read or watch a movie without repeating what I just took in after being disturbed by the rumble of a passing bumpkin.

We are in the midst of a mayoral runoff here--not so much yard signs in evidence but plenty of negative political robo calls. Blessedly loud traffic is almost non existent in our neighborhood except for the Tuesday morning trash trucks picking up the trash. You are still dealing with a rude motorcylist?

As for tonight, can we trade dogs? I will allow Daisy to entertain the trick or treaters and you can deal with the mini doxie Carly who will be ferociously protecting the household from a zombie apocalypse loudly and pretty much non stop. Needless to say we aren't looking forward to that.

The one phantom kid who would silently Coast his dirt bike to the corner only to kick start it and roar away hasn't plagued the neighborhood for several weeks. But the Harley Davidson riders come up the valley along Anderson Boulevard and then turn West on Orchard Grove all weekend.


What I don't understand is why don't they go one more block and turn West on McKinnon Avenue? McKinnon is less steep than Orchard Grove, the houses sit farther back from the curb (close houses create an echo tunnel effect) and McKinnon's paving is smoother and has less loose gravel than Orchard Grove. McKinnon's check in the "cons" column is the red light at the corner of St. Clair Avenue, East Liverpool's main north/south roadway.

Can you distract Carly from the Trick-or-Treaters? Put her in a bedroom with a radio or TV set on to draw her attention from the door?

We might try putting Carly in a bedroom but I doubt she would go for it. This is a dog that has pretty well had things her way for all of her 11+ years. She hasn't had a lot of discipline in her life. And mini doxies are all faux aggressive and major league barkers--she actually wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was a lizard. I'll probably just put her harness on her and keep her on a leash until the trick or treaters are gone.

She will go home on December 6 or 7. We will miss her but she has never been ours and so we aren't all that emotionally attached. We love her, but it won't be all that hard to let her go.

 

[saveliberty]

Broke my key off in the 1925 brass door lock a week or so ago. I got it out, but the interior of the lock was shot. Instead of just replacing that, I considered the 1/4" thickness of the wood door in a Northern climate and the two single pane side panels on either side of the door. In the end I bought a new door and lock set, carefully removed the moldings and reframed the opening without the side panels. Much warmer in the house now.

 

[saveliberty]

We are leaving the porch light off and being invisible this year.

 

[saveliberty]

The challenge with an older house is making things square and 2 x 4s are actually that size, not the modern size.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The challenge with an older house is making things square and 2 x 4s are actually that size, not the modern size.

2 x 4s are really only 1 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches...
Believe it or not but, I actually came to the conclusion that is when the things started going to hell in a handbasket...

 

[Foxfyre]

We are leaving the porch light off and being invisible this year.

I'm actually considering that too.

 

[Spare_change]

We are leaving the porch light off and being invisible this year.

I'm actually considering that too.

Gee ---- what spoilsports!!

I'm wearing my Little Red Riding Hood outfit .... gonna get me some candy!!

 

[Michelle420]

i am just putting a bowl of candy on the porch, self serve.

 

[Spare_change]

i am just putting a bowl of candy on the porch, self serve.

I'll be right over -- you can pick up the bowl when I leave.

 

[Foxfyre]

The challenge with an older house is making things square and 2 x 4s are actually that size, not the modern size.

2 x 4s are really only 1 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches...
Believe it or not but, I actually came to the conclusion that is when the things started going to hell in a handbasket...

Yup. A half gallon of ice cream is actually 1-1/2 quarts sold at half gallon prices. 5 lbs sugar is actually 4 lbs sold at 5 lb prices. And we won't even discuss the normal size candy bars. . .

 

[Foxfyre]

i am just putting a bowl of candy on the porch, self serve.

I wonder how long before some kid(s) take it all?

 

[Michelle420]

i am just putting a bowl of candy on the porch, self serve.

I wonder how long before some kid(s) take it all?

I trust them, it's a small neighborhood.

 

[Foxfyre]

We are leaving the porch light off and being invisible this year.

I'm actually considering that too.

Gee ---- what spoilsports!!

I'm wearing my Little Red Riding Hood outfit .... gonna get me some candy!!

LOL. You would receive some at our house but probably would get a semi-disgusted look to go with it. I don't think kids over the age of 10 or 11 should be out trick or treating.

 

[Spare_change]

We are leaving the porch light off and being invisible this year.

I'm actually considering that too.

Gee ---- what spoilsports!!

I'm wearing my Little Red Riding Hood outfit .... gonna get me some candy!!

LOL. You would receive some at our house but probably would get a semi-disgusted look to go with it. I don't think kids over the age of 10 or 11 should be out trick or treating.

Maybe ---- but I look DAMN good in those petticoats

 

[saveliberty]

The challenge with an older house is making things square and 2 x 4s are actually that size, not the modern size.

2 x 4s are really only 1 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches...
Believe it or not but, I actually came to the conclusion that is when the things started going to hell in a handbasket...

In 1925 they were 2 x 4

 

[Montrovant]

The challenge with an older house is making things square and 2 x 4s are actually that size, not the modern size.

2 x 4s are really only 1 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches...
Believe it or not but, I actually came to the conclusion that is when the things started going to hell in a handbasket...

In 1925 they were 2 x 4

As I understand it, now they take the measurements when the wood is cut, but it shrinks during treatment before it reaches a store. I was curious about that the last time I was in a Home Depot or Lowe's with someone buying wood.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Save I want to thank you for motivating me... Your search for employment has really been inspiring... I have some rusty skills I could brush off and maybe make some extra cash... I am quite the operator... Switchboards and Elevators are my area of expertise... Think I will check the want ads in the Newspaper...

 

[gallantwarrior]

Actually I am ambivalent about tattoos. I have never wanted one but some people just seem like they are supposed to have them while others not so much. Much like many other things.

If I were to get a tatoo, there are only two I would even consider. One on the left cheek "Exit Only", and one on the right cheek "If You Can Read This, You Are Too Close".