The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 04: Come On In

[TxRad]

Okay, fresh coffee for the evening crowd.

Enjoy. HM and I have plans.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

It's time for a nice cup of Tea.
Ferrari? I've never managed to drive one; the closest I've managed with a 'fast' car was a nice Porsche.

You haven't missed a whole lot, HP, trust me. I used to have a twitchy, itchy, cranky, 401, and it was an unreliable piece of junk; whenever I cornered I used to listen for the clank as something else fell off, and the stainless steel exhaust cost a king's ransom, and fell off anyway on the A41 because the supporting bracket and straps had all rusted through...

I only had it because Will got it thrown in the deal when he bought his flat in Battersea, the owner was so desperate to get rid of it he stuck it in as a freebie, which should have raised a red flag, but he took it, drove it, hated it, and stashed it in the parking garage until I came along 4 years later. Of course I was delighted to accept it; I'm an American, and it was a Ferrari, and it was free, going to a good home, just hold me back! I thought Christmas had come, I just didn't see the look of choir-boy innocence on Will's face when he made a reluctant show of giving it to me; even my 9 year-old stepdaughter was giving me that 'you're not really going drive that shit-heap, are you?' look, but I didn't care; I had a Ferrari!!!.

Three weeks later I was done with it, with the squeaks, groans, rattles, drafts, leaking door seals, puddles in the footwell, aircon that blew hot engine smells into the cab and nearly gassed me, gas mileage that was somewhere just north of 5mpg, rust in places I didn't know existed, and factory rustproofing that consisted of them spitting on it and polishing it into the paintwork. It was also in an unhappy, baby-diaper brown, which made it even more unappealing; even other 401 owners looked at me in pity as I drove past in my rust-spotted cowpat.

We eventually got rid of it when Will sold an Allard K3 and made the guy take the 401 as a freebie or the deal was off. I followed that up with a sleek little 1992 TVR Griffith that got stolen and resurfaced in Saudi Arabia, so I stuck to Will's Land Rover Defender 190 until he wrestled it away from me and gave me his mother's Triumph Stag instead.

 

[NotWise]

You haven't missed a whole lot, HP, trust me.

You have to be into the thing, I think.

I had an online friend a couple decades ago who, at an age below 20, received money from the sale of a family business. He "invested" in a Ferrari and did a tour of the country.

The car broke down in the middle of southern New Mexico. He found the natives friendly (he was lucky), but he had to ship the car to Dallas on a flatbed to have it serviced. That's something like 800 miles.

He sold the car when it was all over and bought a house in a cherry orchard in Maryland, where he lived as a poor man and worked for an organic farm.

Giving kids money might be the most effective intelligence test there is.

 

[Javahead]

I'm beginning to think that I was lucky in that when I was at the age to want fast cars I got into fast motorbikes instead. After blowing away several muscle cars at stoplights I realized that a mid-to-large sport bike could out accelerate most muscle cars, and out handle most sports cars - for a fraction of the cost.

That said, I had a chance recently to try out a friend's Tesla Model X - great handling, great acceleration, wonderful finish, lots of fun to drive. But absolutely no way that I was willing to invest $80K or more to buy one. I may have been born at night, but it wasn't *last* night.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

I'm beginning to think that I was lucky in that when I was at the age to want fast cars I got into fast motorbikes instead. After blowing away several muscle cars at stoplights I realized that a mid-to-large sport bike could out accelerate most muscle cars, and out handle most sports cars - for a fraction of the cost.

That said, I had a chance recently to try out a friend's Tesla Model X - great handling, great acceleration, wonderful finish, lots of fun to drive. But absolutely no way that I was willing to invest $80K or more to buy one. I may have been born at night, but it wasn't *last* night.

My current car is a road-blasting psychopath, but it's impossible to take it for a spin on the roads here at anything more than just above walking speed; the coast road here shouldn't attempted on a skateboard, let alone anything with any muscle, we keeps scraping up people who think having killer hairpins is a challenge to be overcome, not a warning to be taken

 

[Handley_Page]

My current car is a road-blasting psychopath, but it's impossible to take it for a spin on the roads here at anything more than just above walking speed; the coast road here shouldn't attempted on a skateboard, let alone anything with any muscle, we keeps scraping up people who think having killer hairpins is a challenge to be overcome, not a warning to be taken

Oh, Lori, it does my heart good to read such lucid humour.
We have a few roads of like kind, but they are generally hidden from view.
(The classic is probably the ' Devil's Elbow ' (Gloucestershire) which at one time was remarkable for trying to kill 'fast' drivers). Another for consideration is Porlock Hill.

But it's time to go shopping and see what I can photograph this morning.
After a coffee !!.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Oh, Lori, it does my heart good to read such lucid humour.
We have a few roads of like kind, but they are generally hidden from view.
(The classic is probably the ' Devil's Elbow ' (Gloucestershire) which at one time was remarkable for trying to kill 'fast' drivers). Another for consideration is Porlock Hill.

No disrespect, but I giggle when somebody from England talks about how difficult some of the roads there can be. From my way of thinking, you lot must think your roads are really boring - why else would you have deliberately constructed Swindon's Magic Roundabout?

(For those who have never driven that particular plate of spaghetti, it's an interchange featuring five little traffic circles combined to make one big one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Vd7dr33o8

And, yes, please, Tex. Large black coffee. Hold the Maalox.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

No disrespect, but I giggle when somebody from England talks about how difficult some of the roads there can be. From my way of thinking, you lot must think your roads are really boring - why else would you have deliberately constructed Swindon's Magic Roundabout?

(For those who have never driven that particular plate of spaghetti, it's an interchange featuring five little traffic circles combined to make one big one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Vd7dr33o8

And, yes, please, Tex. Large black coffee. Hold the Maalox.

Ahh, yes, the Magic roundabout, aka 'el camino del diablo', Britain's answer to Magic Mountain and Monaco, where cars circle endlessly; I hear there are little old ladies, gray-haired and trembling, who were once young and vivacious before they entered that particular alternate dimension, but who have now been doomed to drive endlessly in ever less meaningful circles, eternally trying to find the exit for Warminster but cursed to drive with no end in sight, occasionally giving a nod to 'The Flying Dutchman' as he goes past;I tried it once, or at least I started to try it, then I chickened out, did a handbrake turn, and followed a farm truck through every lane in Wiltshire until I finally found a road-sign that said 'Stroud: Back the way you just came, good luck...'

 

[Handley_Page]

No disrespect, but I giggle when somebody from England talks about how difficult some of the roads there can be. From my way of thinking, you lot must think your roads are really boring - why else would you have deliberately constructed Swindon's Magic Roundabout?

(For those who have never driven that particular plate of spaghetti, it's an interchange featuring five little traffic circles combined to make one big one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Vd7dr33o8

And, yes, please, Tex. Large black coffee. Hold the Maalox.

Swindon's famous bit of traffic confusion was built long after I departed Wiltshire, I'm pleased to report. However, I do know of several chunks of road which are considered dangerous. Take, for example, the Snake Pass (over the Pennines), or there's a lovely stretch of danger in mid Wales (look up several hundred feet for the mountain-top or look down into Hell a long, long way down to the valley floor)
Incidentally, the term 'magic roundabout ' is locally applied to one on the main drag in Wolverhampton, although I have to say that it does not feature the wrirlly-gig efforts of Swindon.

Ahh, yes, the Magic roundabout, aka 'el camino del diablo', Britain's answer to Magic Mountain and Monaco, where cars circle endlessly; I hear there are little old ladies, gray-haired and trembling, who were once young and vivacious before they entered that particular alternate dimension, but who have now been doomed to drive endlessly in ever less meaningful circles, eternally trying to find the exit for Warminster but cursed to drive with no end in sight, occasionally giving a nod to 'The Flying Dutchman' as he goes past;I tried it once, or at least I started to try it, then I chickened out, did a handbrake turn, and followed a farm truck through every lane in Wiltshire until I finally found a road-sign that said 'Stroud: Back the way you just came, good luck...'

I have a theory that local councils in general have not quite accepted the War's end [the signs were taken down to confuse any invading paratroopers], as they have not yet been replaced. There are [still] to be found examples of such monumental stupidity [a good example is/was to be found in Manchester].

But it's time for a coffee.

 

[TxRad]

Ah yes, a good day to show up at noon while the discussion of the ninth dimension roundabout is underway.

Fresh coffee for you nooners. I may go back to bed, since i didn't get to sleep until after five this morning. A crazy but fun night.

 

[Handley_Page]

I think it's a bit bigger now; the 9th dimension was left quite a while ago. . .
But it's time for a decent cup of Tea, I think.

 

[rubysubrosa]

What dimension is this (what is this thread about)? http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1390124&highlight=**2Litsters

I was trying to find the thread about online plagiarism by searching for my username and found it in that thread.

(In other words, I still don't know how to use these forums.)

 

[TxRad]

What dimension is this (what is this thread about)? http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1390124&highlight=**2Litsters

I was trying to find the thread about online plagiarism by searching for my username and found it in that thread.

(In other words, I still don't know how to use these forums.)

That is the Playground dimension. Fantasies having fantasies.

Search on Lit is problematic at the very least. Advanced search is less so but gets you even more confused. Good luck.

Fresh coffee for the evening crew.

Supper was homemade burritos.

 

[_Lynn_]

Lazy day even though I should have gone to the grocery store. Maybe tomorrow (I've said that for a week now).

 

[NotWise]

Supper was homemade burritos.

I'll take that as a warning.

My breakfast was burritos, but there's no beans in my breakfast burritos.

I put away one Pixie story and have another underway. That woman makes stories. Maybe when that's done I'll think again about Summer Luvin'. I've been in that contest every year since I signed up.

 

[NotWise]

My daughter is at the skeptics conference in NYC. She texted this afternoon that the speaker she was listening to not only shared her birthday, but was a co-member of the John Howland Society (part of the Mayflower Society). So they're distantly related cousins.

And then there was the blackout. Her hotel is out of power and she's trying to get back to the conference. It might be a walk.

Edit: Subways aren't working and there are people stuck in the hotel elevator without AC. They're going to a bar.

 

[NotWise]

I took my weekly trip to the liquor store and tried to drive back through downtown. I was thwarted. The police had the main street completely blocked and all I could see was what looked like a large reflector (I mean, like two stories high with the square footage of a small house) erected over the north side of the street.

It was about 4:30PM. I can only guess they were setting up to film some kind of night scene.

 

[rubysubrosa]

I took my weekly trip to the liquor store and tried to drive back through downtown. I was thwarted. The police had the main street completely blocked and all I could see was what looked like a large reflector (I mean, like two stories high with the square footage of a small house) erected over the north side of the street.

It was about 4:30PM. I can only guess they were setting up to film some kind of night scene.

Maybe they were trying to cook a hot dog by concentrating all the rays.

Do films often get shot in your town?

 

[Handley_Page]

Ah, Happy Sunday, folks.
It's a day for tinkering in my shack and drinking lots of coffee.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

What dimension is this (what is this thread about)? http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1390124&highlight=**2Litsters

I was trying to find the thread about online plagiarism by searching for my username and found it in that thread.

(In other words, I still don't know how to use these forums.)

I mostly just use Google and limit it to only search this site whenever I'm looking for specific stuff (using site:literotica.com as part of the search).
Also, in case you still haven't found it, the plagiarism thread is pinned in the Author's Hangout.

Anyway, good morning everyone. Hopefully I'll be able to do some research and planning for the Summer Lovin' contest today.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Ah, Happy Sunday, folks.
It's a day for tinkering in my shack and drinking lots of coffee.

Happy Sunday night here. Taking it easy after being beaten up in a karate tournament by a guy who was 90lb heavier and 6” taller than me. As Danny Glover said...

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Good morning, all! If Tex is awake, I'd love a black coffee, please.

 

[Javahead]

Good morning, all! If Tex is awake, I'd love a black coffee, please.

Black coffee sounds good.

Up early today - we need to get a brisket smoking before taking Thing2 and her hubby out for Dim Sum.

 

[NotWise]

Do films often get shot in your town?

Films and TV shows. It's a growing business, and in the parts of town I live in or drive through there's almost always something filming. I'd never seen anything like that big reflector, though.

Part of the neighborhood near my office will be shut down Monday to film a couple scenes for "Army of the Dead." It's the second time this summer some production has shut down part of the neighborhood.

Coffee and then lawn/garden work this morning. I'll try to squeeze some writing in as well.

EDIT: Before I forget again, happy Bastille Day to all those who chose to celebrate. Get your French on!

 

[rubysubrosa]

I mostly just use Google and limit it to only search this site whenever I'm looking for specific stuff (using site:literotica.com as part of the search).
Also, in case you still haven't found it, the plagiarism thread is pinned in the Author's Hangout.

Thank you for the tips!

Films and TV shows. It's a growing business, and in the parts of town I live in or drive through there's almost always something filming. I'd never seen anything like that big reflector, though.

Part of the neighborhood near my office will be shut down Monday to film a couple scenes for "Army of the Dead." It's the second time this summer some production has shut down part of the neighborhood.

Coffee and then lawn/garden work this morning. I'll try to squeeze some writing in as well.

EDIT: Before I forget again, happy Bastille Day to all those who chose to celebrate. Get your French on!

Thank you for the French tip!

Oh yes, I now remember you mentioned that filming. What makes your town so film-able?

In Tx's absence, I've put coffee on the counter. It's in the pot that says "Drink me".