USMB Coffee Shop IV

[saveliberty]

The Christmas tree ornaments I bought in Manitou Springs were a big hit with the ladies at work yesterday. Usually I just buy their lunch the last workday before Christmas. This time I rememebred how they still use the miniture fans and space heaters I bought in years past. They still rememebred I got them the gifts. Clearly worth the extra effort.

 

[Cross]

Good morrrrning @ the coffee shop
.
Everyone seems very busy.
Getting ready to drive to Temple, Daughter graduates from Mary Hardin-Baylor today...
Had an interesting project over the weekend, had to clean out the dryer vent, so I went to a DIY store and bought one of those kits that works with a hand drill...
I was skeptical but because of turns in ducting and length (goes to roof) but with a little practice it worked great.
Mission accomplished...lol
Have a good day...

 

[saveliberty]

Thinking good thoughts concerning employment for your daughter Cross. Seems like the economy is turning in her favor.

 

[mdk]

Happy Friday everyone! Does anybody have any fun plans for the weekend?

 

[saveliberty]

Happy Friday everyone! Does anybody have any fun plans for the weekend?

Happy Friday mdk. Sounds like Christmas cookie baking with my stepgrandkids and Mrs. Liberty on Sunday.

 

[saveliberty]

April to October is landscape season and pretty intense with my fulltime job thrown in the mix. Sometimes November to March is a little scary with less income flowing, but the rest and time to do other things is welcomed.

 

[R.D.]

 

[Ernie S.]

Another hour and it's Friday Woop de doo. Friday is my Monday.

I have to work for 5 hours on Saturdays, so it's just another work day for me too.

I try to take Thursday off, but something always conspires to at least get me through the door. I was there twice yesterday for less than an hour total.

 

[mdk]

Happy Friday everyone! Does anybody have any fun plans for the weekend?

Happy Friday mdk. Sounds like Christmas cookie baking with my stepgrandkids and Mrs. Liberty on Sunday.

Thanks. How fun, I love making cookies. My cookie exchange is next Sunday so I plan having a cookie night next Friday. I have to make 17 dozen.

I am going to board game get together tomorrow afternoon and my dear friend is hosting a brunch before the Steelers game. I am very excited.

 

[Cross]

Thinking good thoughts concerning employment for your daughter Cross. Seems like the economy is turning in her favor.

She already has one lined up...She will be working in the NICU at St Davids Hospital...as soon as she Certifies...she works in telemetries right now..she learned how important networking is working @ Dell as a Project Manager for years...burned her out..her second career is really getting on tract, her sister is an ICU charge nurse...medical field is booming unless one is in an area the population is shrinking...

Thanks for the mojo..

 

[JakeStarkey]

Good morning, everyone. 60 degrees today, then a snow storm (first since early November) tonight and highs of mid forties for a week after.

Maybe the incredible weather of this fall is over.

 

[Dajjal]

Hi everyone in the coffee shop. I have been hanging around in the religion forum for days, and neglected to come and get my coffee breaks.

 

[saveliberty]

Mojo on certification then...

 

[Nosmo King]

The very first shopping mall built here on the Buckle of the Rust Belt was South Hills Village near Pittsburgh. That signaled the end of the downtown shopping frenzy, the end of the big stores (Gimble's, Horne's and Kaufmann's) decorating their display windows for Christmas and the end of trudging from store to store through the slush and snow of December.

Yes indeed, the future was now when that mall opened up back in 1965.

Mom and Pop, always ready willing and able to embrace the future, bundled up my brother (five years old) and me (a spritely eight year old) and off we went to investigate this modern wonderland of commerce.

We marveled at the indoor fountains. We gawked at the new, non-soot covered Christmas décor. We were awe struck at the food court offering a bill of fare unrivaled in our collective experience. And we were jostled by the flood of other curious Pittsburghers as everyone wanted to see and shop the new mall.

In the center of all this modernity stood a 15 foot tall Christmas tree. It was gloriously decorated with that touch of flare and panache that marked the mid 1960s. Look at those tiny lights! Look at those oversized ornaments! Look how tastefully the tree is adorned! And wait a minute! Did that tree just ask me a question?

I walked passed the tree as a helium balloon flew from the string tied to my wrist. Did that tree just ask me where I got that balloon? It did! I froze in my tracks wondering what stranger is asking me personal questions about my balloon! After checking out the situation, and seeing no one around me but that tree, my willing suspension of disbelief kicked in and I answered the Christmas tree. "I got it in Gimble's!" I answered.

"It's beautiful!" answered the tree. By now my face was flush for being deceived, but I was eight and willing to go along. "Thank you!" I said. "Merry Christmas!" said the tree. I wished the tree a Merry Christmas too and then I checked again for mirrors or trap doors or some other device that might impart the magical gift of speech to a Christmas tree. How was I to know that a mall employee hidden away among the decorations and equipped with a microphone was the real talking culprit at the new South Hills Village Mall?

That was fun, but as I grew older, I began to miss the 'normal' Christmas hustle and bustle of downtown shopping.

 

[Foxfyre]

The wife wants to take a road trip tomorrow...... to Amarillo.......

Well maybe you have a reason to go to Amarillo, but from where you live, that will be one of the most unscenic drives you'll take going anywhere.

I know, It's been a looooong time but I've done it before.

I would suggest going to southern New Mexico. See the caverns at Carlsbad or go to Alamogordo and visit the space museum, drive out to White Sands National Park, see the Mal Pais lava flow, and visit the amazing space port.

 

[Foxfyre]

Oh and good morning everybody. We're under a winter storm watch for tomorrow, the first of the year, but with temps forecast in the mid to upper 40's for highs, I don't expect it to amount to much. The big western storm has moved into southern California and then I guess it heads east?

I'm dealing with fairly normal holiday funk today--nothing unusual for me this time of year. I'm trying to come up with something to get out of it that won't cost an arm and a leg and/or require a lot of energy. For now, more coffee will probably help. . . .

 

[Sherry]

 

[Ringel05]

We've been cruising Amarillo since we got here, just getting the lay of the land, yup it smells like cattle.........

 

[Foxfyre]

We've been cruising Amarillo since we got here, just getting the lay of the land, yup it smells like cattle.........

Be sure to go to The Big Texan for one of those 72 oz steaks.

 

[Ringel05]

We've been cruising Amarillo since we got here, just getting the lay of the land, yup it smells like cattle.........

Be sure to go to The Big Texan for one of those 72 oz steaks.

Not gonna happen......... 40 years ago it wouldn't have been a problem, today a 12 oz porterhouse with the side dishes will make me wheelbarrow bound on the way out of the restaurant.........