USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Nosmo King]

Here on the Buckle of the Rust Belt we have reached our projected high temperature for the day: 3 degrees above zero.

It's the kind of cold that freezes the snot in your nose so breathing is a process of freeze and thaw. Everyone is sniffling, everyone has chapped lips or a raw, stinging set of nostrils. Beside our pasty complexions, our doughy mid sections and our feet clad in heavy boots, our faces are now reflections on our choice of habitat. We are not a handsome people during the depths of winter. We lack the stoicism of the Scandinavians on the Great Prairie.. We're bitchers where weather is concerned.

It's supposed to warm to a balmy 34 on Saturday. But warm air carries more moisture than frigid air can, which means along with the temporary thaw, we can get freezing rain for our sins. That's just what the doctor ordered, a glaze of ice over the standing snow.

Daisy the Mutt has been playing a costly game this week. I won't take her for our daily walk because I don't want to suffer frost bite. So, she comes to my seat, paws at my feet and grumbles. I get up, walk to the door for the North Lawn, put her collar on her neck, bundle her up and unlock the door. Then, I scratch around on the portico for her lead (it always gets covered with snow, so I have to feel around under the snow pack for the little cable and clasp. Once I have it up from under the snow, I have to place the clasp to my mouth and blow warm air on it to open the little spring operated clasp.

And so, Daisy the Mutt is secured and free to roam the 12 foot radius of her lead. After two minutes, three at most, I hear her yap alerting me she has had just about enough of the cold Yap! and why isn't she inside laying on the hearth of the fireplace Yap! and why haven't I got to her YAP! by now! Yap! .

After I take her collar from her neck, she paws at the storm door Yap! to get back inside. I remove the lead from her collar and put her collar on the inside door knob for the next time out. Daisy in the meantime, has scampered into the Great Hall and stands in front of the fireplace. My duties are not finished. I spread one of the four "Daisy Towels" out on the hardwood floor so it can get as hot as if I had just taken it from the dryer. Daisy gets wrapped in the towel and cradled in my arms like a three month old. She snoozes while I gently rub each paw in warm terrycloth. She snores her way through getting her snow covered belly warmed and dried. She luxuriates in a warm towel while the television plays ads from the ASPCA showing abused dogs suffering in the cold.

If there's anything to this reincarnation business, I want to come back as a lap dog for a family willing to spoil the bejesus out of me!

 

[Dajjal]

If there's anything to this reincarnation business, I want to come back as a lap dog for a family willing to spoil the bejesus out of me!

According to my understanding you can only come back as a human being. Animals evolve to perfection in their own group of species. There would be no possibility of spiritual evolution for us if we reincarnated as animals, and animals do not become human. A spirit guide told me this during a trance lecture.

 

[Foxfyre]

Here on the Buckle of the Rust Belt we have reached our projected high temperature for the day: 3 degrees above zero.

It's the kind of cold that freezes the snot in your nose so breathing is a process of freeze and thaw. Everyone is sniffling, everyone has chapped lips or a raw, stinging set of nostrils. Beside our pasty complexions, our doughy mid sections and our feet clad in heavy boots, our faces are now reflections on our choice of habitat. We are not a handsome people during the depths of winter. We lack the stoicism of the Scandinavians on the Great Prairie.. We're bitchers where weather is concerned.

It's supposed to warm to a balmy 34 on Saturday. But warm air carries more moisture than frigid air can, which means along with the temporary thaw, we can get freezing rain for our sins. That's just what the doctor ordered, a glaze of ice over the standing snow.

Daisy the Mutt has been playing a costly game this week. I won't take her for our daily walk because I don't want to suffer frost bite. So, she comes to my seat, paws at my feet and grumbles. I get up, walk to the door for the North Lawn, put her collar on her neck, bundle her up and unlock the door. Then, I scratch around on the portico for her lead (it always gets covered with snow, so I have to feel around under the snow pack for the little cable and clasp. Once I have it up from under the snow, I have to place the clasp to my mouth and blow warm air on it to open the little spring operated clasp.

And so, Daisy the Mutt is secured and free to roam the 12 foot radius of her lead. After two minutes, three at most, I hear her yap alerting me she has had just about enough of the cold Yap! and why isn't she inside laying on the hearth of the fireplace Yap! and why haven't I got to her YAP! by now! Yap! .

After I take her collar from her neck, she paws at the storm door Yap! to get back inside. I remove the lead from her collar and put her collar on the inside door knob for the next time out. Daisy in the meantime, has scampered into the Great Hall and stands in front of the fireplace. My duties are not finished. I spread one of the four "Daisy Towels" out on the hardwood floor so it can get as hot as if I had just taken it from the dryer. Daisy gets wrapped in the towel and cradled in my arms like a three month old. She snoozes while I gently rub each paw in warm terrycloth. She snores her way through getting her snow covered belly warmed and dried. She luxuriates in a warm towel while the television plays ads from the ASPCA showing abused dogs suffering in the cold.

If there's anything to this reincarnation business, I want to come back as a lap dog for a family willing to spoil the bejesus out of me!

I haven't given your closing question a whole lot of thought Nosmo. It is a theory that enjoys wide support, though as Dajjal mentioned, I think most expect to come back as a human being. One of the interesting things about Gen. George Patton was his belief in reincarnation and that he had fought in major wars dating back to pre-Christian times. Probably most people don't believe in reincarnation though it sure would explain that feeling of de ja vu we get that we've been in a place before or that we've had an experience or conversation before even when we know that is impossible.

But as you pointed out, we spoil our furry critters so much that a number of people have told us that when they die, they want to come back as our dog. They would probably be just as happy coming back as yours.

 

[Foxfyre]

 

[Nosmo King]

If there's anything to this reincarnation business, I want to come back as a lap dog for a family willing to spoil the bejesus out of me!

According to my understanding you can only come back as a human being. Animals evolve to perfection in their own group of species. There would be no possibility of spiritual evolution for us if we reincarnated as animals, and animals do not become human. A spirit guide told me this during a trance lecture.

In that case, I guess it's purgatory for me!

 

[Sherry]

Dropped the wife off at the interview, about five minutes from the hotel, will head back over in about an hour if she doesn't call me first.
The hotel is the Windham at the airport, not bad but I would have gone with an updated room, they put us in the "cheap seats"........ basically a small room, we're used to bigger and better. Guess one has to go slumming sometime........
The funny thing is one almost needs a step ladder to get into the bed, any higher and I'd need altitude sickness pills.

I need a stool to get into my bed.

 

[gallantwarrior]

We are planning to sell the house about July or August. Once that is done, we will decide to find a new place together or split the equity and move on. Thank you for your concern and helpful ideas Foxfyre.

Mama Fox ((hugs)) Prayers will continue. Just don't give up on a long marriage without trying every resource available to you.

So far my strategy involved a big hug yesterday morning, I moved to her side of the bed and warmed it up before she got in and put gas in her car this morning when it was negative 2.

Seems like a reasonable approach. I wouldn't mind if someone put fuel in my truck when it was freeze-your-nuts cold!

You know what? I am old enough to remember when you drove your car to the gas station where pleasant attendants immediately swarmed to your car to check the oil and tire pressure, cleaned your windshield and headlights, all while they pumped the gas into your car.

And the last time I was pumping gas in my car in 40 mph winds with sleet stinging my skin, I could cheerfully have strangled whoever thought pumping your own gas was a good idea.

Ditto, Foxy! Did you know that in Oregon, it's illegal to pump your own gas?

 

[gallantwarrior]

Woo-hoo! Season 4 of Game of Thrones should be out on DVD. For the past few years, the GoT DVDs have been my BD present to me. I spent my weekend reviewing the first three seasons...I'm ready...

I won't be getting season 4 of the game of thrones until my birthday in June. My sister is going to buy it for me as a present, so I will have to wait.

I just popped into the coffee shop because my favourite Muslim enemies have not posted in the religion forum lately. So I have time for some idle chat.

I am not so patient, I had to have the newest GoT asap. Into the second disk as I type here. While I do try to watch the show during the season, I tend to doze off after dinner and miss most of each episode. I get bits and pieces, so having the DVD is sybaritic.

 

[peach174]

Dropped the wife off at the interview, about five minutes from the hotel, will head back over in about an hour if she doesn't call me first.
The hotel is the Windham at the airport, not bad but I would have gone with an updated room, they put us in the "cheap seats"........ basically a small room, we're used to bigger and better. Guess one has to go slumming sometime........
The funny thing is one almost needs a step ladder to get into the bed, any higher and I'd need altitude sickness pills.

I need a stool to get into my bed.

I almost need one myself.

 

[Foxfyre]

We are planning to sell the house about July or August. Once that is done, we will decide to find a new place together or split the equity and move on. Thank you for your concern and helpful ideas Foxfyre.

Mama Fox ((hugs)) Prayers will continue. Just don't give up on a long marriage without trying every resource available to you.

So far my strategy involved a big hug yesterday morning, I moved to her side of the bed and warmed it up before she got in and put gas in her car this morning when it was negative 2.

Seems like a reasonable approach. I wouldn't mind if someone put fuel in my truck when it was freeze-your-nuts cold!

You know what? I am old enough to remember when you drove your car to the gas station where pleasant attendants immediately swarmed to your car to check the oil and tire pressure, cleaned your windshield and headlights, all while they pumped the gas into your car.

And the last time I was pumping gas in my car in 40 mph winds with sleet stinging my skin, I could cheerfully have strangled whoever thought pumping your own gas was a good idea.

Ditto, Foxy! Did you know that in Oregon, it's illegal to pump your own gas?

Really? I never had a good reason to move to Oregon before.

 

[Sherry]

Dropped the wife off at the interview, about five minutes from the hotel, will head back over in about an hour if she doesn't call me first.
The hotel is the Windham at the airport, not bad but I would have gone with an updated room, they put us in the "cheap seats"........ basically a small room, we're used to bigger and better. Guess one has to go slumming sometime........
The funny thing is one almost needs a step ladder to get into the bed, any higher and I'd need altitude sickness pills.

I need a stool to get into my bed.

I almost need one myself.

I'm average height at 5'5", but between the construction and a pillow top mattress, it sits up very high...it's worth the trip though as it's super comfy.

 

[gallantwarrior]

We are planning to sell the house about July or August. Once that is done, we will decide to find a new place together or split the equity and move on. Thank you for your concern and helpful ideas Foxfyre.

Mama Fox ((hugs)) Prayers will continue. Just don't give up on a long marriage without trying every resource available to you.

So far my strategy involved a big hug yesterday morning, I moved to her side of the bed and warmed it up before she got in and put gas in her car this morning when it was negative 2.

Seems like a reasonable approach. I wouldn't mind if someone put fuel in my truck when it was freeze-your-nuts cold!

Blood flow in that area seems adequate to avoid freezing.

I got a, "you are appreciated" note in my chair when I went home for lunch. Mrs. Liberty was off to work, so I haven't caught up to her yet. Wrote back a few nice lines to her and stuck it under her pillow.

OK, that's seems promising. Perhaps a bit of romance may go a long way to mending the rents left by everyday wear-and-tear?

 

[gallantwarrior]

Here on the Buckle of the Rust Belt we have reached our projected high temperature for the day: 3 degrees above zero.

It's the kind of cold that freezes the snot in your nose so breathing is a process of freeze and thaw. Everyone is sniffling, everyone has chapped lips or a raw, stinging set of nostrils. Beside our pasty complexions, our doughy mid sections and our feet clad in heavy boots, our faces are now reflections on our choice of habitat. We are not a handsome people during the depths of winter. We lack the stoicism of the Scandinavians on the Great Prairie.. We're bitchers where weather is concerned.

It's supposed to warm to a balmy 34 on Saturday. But warm air carries more moisture than frigid air can, which means along with the temporary thaw, we can get freezing rain for our sins. That's just what the doctor ordered, a glaze of ice over the standing snow.

Daisy the Mutt has been playing a costly game this week. I won't take her for our daily walk because I don't want to suffer frost bite. So, she comes to my seat, paws at my feet and grumbles. I get up, walk to the door for the North Lawn, put her collar on her neck, bundle her up and unlock the door. Then, I scratch around on the portico for her lead (it always gets covered with snow, so I have to feel around under the snow pack for the little cable and clasp. Once I have it up from under the snow, I have to place the clasp to my mouth and blow warm air on it to open the little spring operated clasp.

And so, Daisy the Mutt is secured and free to roam the 12 foot radius of her lead. After two minutes, three at most, I hear her yap alerting me she has had just about enough of the cold Yap! and why isn't she inside laying on the hearth of the fireplace Yap! and why haven't I got to her YAP! by now! Yap! .

After I take her collar from her neck, she paws at the storm door Yap! to get back inside. I remove the lead from her collar and put her collar on the inside door knob for the next time out. Daisy in the meantime, has scampered into the Great Hall and stands in front of the fireplace. My duties are not finished. I spread one of the four "Daisy Towels" out on the hardwood floor so it can get as hot as if I had just taken it from the dryer. Daisy gets wrapped in the towel and cradled in my arms like a three month old. She snoozes while I gently rub each paw in warm terrycloth. She snores her way through getting her snow covered belly warmed and dried. She luxuriates in a warm towel while the television plays ads from the ASPCA showing abused dogs suffering in the cold.

If there's anything to this reincarnation business, I want to come back as a lap dog for a family willing to spoil the bejesus out of me!

Given your description in the first paragraph, you must know some Alaskans. Your nose freezes shut at around 15 degrees, about the same temperature that freezes the tears ripped from you eyes on your cheeks. With the temps we've been having lately, many have put on their Speedos and Coppertone. Of course, our tans have a slightly stippled effect due to the size of the goose bumps casting shadows...

 

[gallantwarrior]

Here on the Buckle of the Rust Belt we have reached our projected high temperature for the day: 3 degrees above zero.

It's the kind of cold that freezes the snot in your nose so breathing is a process of freeze and thaw. Everyone is sniffling, everyone has chapped lips or a raw, stinging set of nostrils. Beside our pasty complexions, our doughy mid sections and our feet clad in heavy boots, our faces are now reflections on our choice of habitat. We are not a handsome people during the depths of winter. We lack the stoicism of the Scandinavians on the Great Prairie.. We're bitchers where weather is concerned.

It's supposed to warm to a balmy 34 on Saturday. But warm air carries more moisture than frigid air can, which means along with the temporary thaw, we can get freezing rain for our sins. That's just what the doctor ordered, a glaze of ice over the standing snow.

Daisy the Mutt has been playing a costly game this week. I won't take her for our daily walk because I don't want to suffer frost bite. So, she comes to my seat, paws at my feet and grumbles. I get up, walk to the door for the North Lawn, put her collar on her neck, bundle her up and unlock the door. Then, I scratch around on the portico for her lead (it always gets covered with snow, so I have to feel around under the snow pack for the little cable and clasp. Once I have it up from under the snow, I have to place the clasp to my mouth and blow warm air on it to open the little spring operated clasp.

And so, Daisy the Mutt is secured and free to roam the 12 foot radius of her lead. After two minutes, three at most, I hear her yap alerting me she has had just about enough of the cold Yap! and why isn't she inside laying on the hearth of the fireplace Yap! and why haven't I got to her YAP! by now! Yap! .

After I take her collar from her neck, she paws at the storm door Yap! to get back inside. I remove the lead from her collar and put her collar on the inside door knob for the next time out. Daisy in the meantime, has scampered into the Great Hall and stands in front of the fireplace. My duties are not finished. I spread one of the four "Daisy Towels" out on the hardwood floor so it can get as hot as if I had just taken it from the dryer. Daisy gets wrapped in the towel and cradled in my arms like a three month old. She snoozes while I gently rub each paw in warm terrycloth. She snores her way through getting her snow covered belly warmed and dried. She luxuriates in a warm towel while the television plays ads from the ASPCA showing abused dogs suffering in the cold.

If there's anything to this reincarnation business, I want to come back as a lap dog for a family willing to spoil the bejesus out of me!

I haven't given your closing question a whole lot of thought Nosmo. It is a theory that enjoys wide support, though as Dajjal mentioned, I think most expect to come back as a human being. One of the interesting things about Gen. George Patton was his belief in reincarnation and that he had fought in major wars dating back to pre-Christian times. Probably most people don't believe in reincarnation though it sure would explain that feeling of de ja vu we get that we've been in a place before or that we've had an experience or conversation before even when we know that is impossible.

But as you pointed out, we spoil our furry critters so much that a number of people have told us that when they die, they want to come back as our dog. They would probably be just as happy coming back as yours.

Brings to mind a bumper sticker I once saw that declared the driver of the car had been born again, and again and again...

 

[gallantwarrior]

Mama Fox ((hugs)) Prayers will continue. Just don't give up on a long marriage without trying every resource available to you.

So far my strategy involved a big hug yesterday morning, I moved to her side of the bed and warmed it up before she got in and put gas in her car this morning when it was negative 2.

Seems like a reasonable approach. I wouldn't mind if someone put fuel in my truck when it was freeze-your-nuts cold!

You know what? I am old enough to remember when you drove your car to the gas station where pleasant attendants immediately swarmed to your car to check the oil and tire pressure, cleaned your windshield and headlights, all while they pumped the gas into your car.

And the last time I was pumping gas in my car in 40 mph winds with sleet stinging my skin, I could cheerfully have strangled whoever thought pumping your own gas was a good idea.

Ditto, Foxy! Did you know that in Oregon, it's illegal to pump your own gas?

Really? I never had a good reason to move to Oregon before.

Still not good enough reason to move to Oregon, believe me.

 

[peach174]

Dropped the wife off at the interview, about five minutes from the hotel, will head back over in about an hour if she doesn't call me first.
The hotel is the Windham at the airport, not bad but I would have gone with an updated room, they put us in the "cheap seats"........ basically a small room, we're used to bigger and better. Guess one has to go slumming sometime........
The funny thing is one almost needs a step ladder to get into the bed, any higher and I'd need altitude sickness pills.

I need a stool to get into my bed.

I almost need one myself.

I'm average height at 5'5", but between the construction and a pillow top mattress, it sits up very high...it's worth the trip though as it's super comfy.

I'm 5'2" and we have the super wide California king size bed.
With the bed frame, legs and the springs and the big mattress, with extra pillow top softness on top of the mattress it is rather hard for me but I manage.
We have to buy the deep pockets bed sheets sets.
It is super comfy for us too.

 

[WelfareQueen]

Dropped the wife off at the interview, about five minutes from the hotel, will head back over in about an hour if she doesn't call me first.
The hotel is the Windham at the airport, not bad but I would have gone with an updated room, they put us in the "cheap seats"........ basically a small room, we're used to bigger and better. Guess one has to go slumming sometime........
The funny thing is one almost needs a step ladder to get into the bed, any higher and I'd need altitude sickness pills.

I need a stool to get into my bed.

I almost need one myself.

I'm average height at 5'5", but between the construction and a pillow top mattress, it sits up very high...it's worth the trip though as it's super comfy.

It sounds like it's full of elven magic.

 

[Foxfyre]

Was just watching the news that ya'll in the east and northeast will be having the coldest weather in at least 20 years tonight--record cold for a lot of you. So make sure you have a contingency plan if you lose your heat source. And make sure you open all your cabinets so your pipes don't freeze.

When it warms up, you might want to do this:

 

[Sherry]

Dropped the wife off at the interview, about five minutes from the hotel, will head back over in about an hour if she doesn't call me first.
The hotel is the Windham at the airport, not bad but I would have gone with an updated room, they put us in the "cheap seats"........ basically a small room, we're used to bigger and better. Guess one has to go slumming sometime........
The funny thing is one almost needs a step ladder to get into the bed, any higher and I'd need altitude sickness pills.

I need a stool to get into my bed.

I almost need one myself.

I'm average height at 5'5", but between the construction and a pillow top mattress, it sits up very high...it's worth the trip though as it's super comfy.

It sounds like it's full of elven magic.

Now I'm craving fudge stripes.

 

[Foxfyre]

I just saw these, and with our thoughts beginning to turn to starting our seedlings already in some parts of the country, I thought what a neat idea. And what a neat gift idea for our gardener friends and relatives. They were painted with patio paint so the colors should be really weather resistant: