The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 03: Come On In

Evening all,

My afternooner nap slipped up on me with a club. I usually don't sleep in my office chair. I think a cup of hot chocolate is in order. I'll also make fresh coffee.

What do they actually put on display at the Children's Museum? I seem to remember they aren't children anymore after a while.

TxRad said:

What do they actually put on display at the Children's Museum? I seem to remember they aren't children anymore after a while.

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Last time I checked (when I still had children of the appropriate age) they weren't displaying children. Maybe things have changed.

NotWise said:

Last time I checked (when I still had children of the appropriate age) they weren't displaying children. Maybe things have changed.

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Don't even ask about the Children's Zoo.

Okay, different topic. The (hopefully) last eye procedure was this morning, and seemingly went well. I *am* seeing better, sort of.

Eye infections hit about 18 months ago. Since then, I count a few surgeries of stuff scooped from my eyeballs with little spoons, a few laser shots at my permanently damaged retinas, a few remedial procedures, then the cataract surgeries, and today the burning-off of a fuzzy film left by the last laser job.

That's apart from my cardiac procedures -- a half dozen of those? And the visits to orthopods. I've lost count. My major social contacts since this started have been with medics. My major expenditures are co-pays and meds. $$$$.

Enough of that. At least I'm not talking about my butt, a sure sign of aging.

Final note on eyeworks: I was somewhat near-sighted before. The cataract corrections leave me far-sighted, set for infinity focus. It's tricky.

Coffee in the morning. Y'all stop in for a cup.

Hypoxia said:

Don't even ask about the Children's Zoo.

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Any parent or Grand parent can imagine (all too well) a Zoo where Some Children are kept, away from your own, "And 'ere, Ladies & Gentlemen, we 'av an example of the lesser-cleansed Rude One; stand well clear of the bars please, it can get quite violent, especially near soap & water. . . ."

Hypoxia said:

Okay, different topic. The (hopefully) last eye procedure was this morning, and seemingly went well. I *am* seeing better, sort of.

Eye infections hit about 18 months ago. Since then, I count a few surgeries of stuff scooped from my eyeballs with little spoons, a few laser shots at my permanently damaged retinas, a few remedial procedures, then the cataract surgeries, and today the burning-off of a fuzzy film left by the last laser job.

Final note on eyeworks: I was somewhat near-sighted before. The cataract corrections leave me far-sighted, set for infinity focus. It's tricky.

Coffee in the morning. Y'all stop in for a cup.

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Thought: Listen

When my Mum had her cataracts done, the thing that really made her exclaim was "the colours."

Eye problems are a major problem because seeing is one of the main senses. Color or the lack there of is one of the main components. Been there done that with the Cataracts. My story Blind Man's Bluff is from that time period.

Fresh coffee for a cool Friday morning. Rain starting later, they say.

Another week has bit the dust. Some people live for the weekends. And then you retire and all the time is a weekend. Now WTF do you do?

TxRad said:

Another week has bit the dust. Some people live for the weekends. And then you retire and all the time is a weekend. Now WTF do you do?

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Take the day off?

TxRad said:

Eye problems are a major problem because seeing is one of the main senses. Color or the lack there of is one of the main components. Been there done that with the Cataracts. My story Blind Man's Bluff is from that time period.

Fresh coffee for a cool Friday morning. Rain starting later, they say.

Another week has bit the dust. Some people live for the weekends. And then you retire and all the time is a weekend. Now WTF do you do?

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I guess this is why I volunteer as much as I can. Not that I'm retired though, I need to work, right now I have no income, but can't seem to find a job that fits.
So I volunteer. Keeps me busy and not feeling like I'm a failure.
Going to volunteer today. Fridays are short days, the food pantry is open from 9-11am. Once all the clients are helped me box everything up, weigh it all out and other various local food pantries will come by and pick up what they can use this weekend.
Might splurge and go get a fancy coffee before we go in.
I will say I am so happy my kids enjoy helping. At least one usually comes with me to help when I go. Next Friday is the toy distribution so all next week will be busy sorting the toys, and I think I'm going to see if I can help all week.
We just found out a few days ago we aren't getting any toys from Toys For Tots this year which is really going to hurt us. I might email my son's recruiter and see if he can do anything locally to help out.

But I'll need coffee to get through the morning. Most clients are great but you get the one or two that are so demanding and they make you want to pull your hair out!

TP, I've pretty much taken every day off this week.

CwM, Volunteering is good and blessings on you for doing it. My walking and standing is becoming more and more limiting. A friend of mine makes wooden cars, trucks, planes, and trains. Every year, he donates them to TfT's. This year he was told they would only except wrapped manufactured toys, that no one wanted wooden toys.

In Houston there is an older Mexican guy who has played the Mexican Santa for over twenty years. My friend called him. Two hours later, a red Cadillac convertible pulled up in his driveway with two Mexicans dressed as elves. They looked the toys over and took the whole lot.

From what he said, they are sending him all the pallets he can use. Those are his building materials. They are also going to replace some of his old worn out tools and send some people up to help him and to learn from him.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

TxRad said:

In Houston there is an older Mexican guy who has played the Mexican Santa for over twenty years. My friend called him. Two hours later, a red Cadillac convertible pulled up in his driveway with two Mexicans dressed as elves. They looked the toys over and took the whole lot.

From what he said, they are sending him all the pallets he can use. Those are his building materials. They are also going to replace some of his old worn out tools and send some people up to help him and to learn from him.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

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Sounds like somebody has the true meaning of Christmas.

TxRad said:

TP, I've pretty much taken every day off this week.

CwM, Volunteering is good and blessings on you for doing it. My walking and standing is becoming more and more limiting. A friend of mine makes wooden cars, trucks, planes, and trains. Every year, he donates them to TfT's. This year he was told they would only except wrapped manufactured toys, that no one wanted wooden toys.

In Houston there is an older Mexican guy who has played the Mexican Santa for over twenty years. My friend called him. Two hours later, a red Cadillac convertible pulled up in his driveway with two Mexicans dressed as elves. They looked the toys over and took the whole lot.

From what he said, they are sending him all the pallets he can use. Those are his building materials. They are also going to replace some of his old worn out tools and send some people up to help him and to learn from him.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

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Sounds like a win-win to me too!
The wooden toys sound amazing. I wish I was handy with tools because we get wooden pallets at the food pantry from time to time and they offer them to me since I have been known to be crafty, but so far I've always turned them down. Might have to try one day and see if I can make something out of one.

I'm what is know as a 'supervisor' at the food pantry for a few reasons. I've been there long enough to know how everything is done so I can teach people what to do.
And my bones aren't as young as they used to be so I can't go up and down the stairs like I used to. The food pantry is located in the basement of a church so lots of going up and down the stairs.
There is an older lady that helps some days. She usually sits in a folding chair by the baked goods snacking on cookies or doughnuts and will help clients pick out a baked good when they get to that area. Yeah she's not doing much, but she's getting out of the house and has people to talk to. She's alone, her husband died a few years ago. I think a lot of the seniors that help there just like being out of the house and having people to talk to, so I'll always find a job for you!

We have people there doing community service. Usually traffic violations, but really it could be anything. Luckily for us it's usually young guys, teens through 30s, and we let them do the hard manual work us old people can't. Although my 15 year old daughter can usually do as much as these guys so we always let her. I always tell everyone, let her kill her back, when it's old enough to start bothering her, I'll be dead.

Good morning! Coffee, please.

45f drizzle, windy. It was just 72f yesterday, what the hell happened?

Did another 2k words on my Valentines story. About 3K on two others... both Jack O'Hara - Orchard Falls Mysteries.

I hope everyone has a great Friday - TGIF.

Zeb_Carter said:

Good morning! Coffee, please.

45f drizzle, windy. It was just 72f yesterday, what the hell happened?

Did another 2k words on my Valentines story. About 3K on two others... both Jack O'Hara - Orchard Falls Mysteries.

I hope everyone has a great Friday - TGIF.

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Friday coffee! Please. Well “Blood Silver” is out and I’ll find out next week if the publisher likes it, my editor loved it anyhow. working on the SF novel and a short story for Christmas and I’m doing the Valentines Day chocolate story except it’s a bit different from what I planned, and I have my writing for January planned as welll. All organized for 2019. This is so focused. Totally unlike me.

Yes! Coffee! Hard to imagine making it through the last stretch of the work week without it. Warming up here suddenly but only so that it can dump a ton of rain on us over the next 3 days...
12,000 words in on my Valentine's Day story with little remaining, so maybe I'll just stay in and plod through the rest. Then again, catching up on sleep would probably be the wiser option.

CwM, there are always bird houses and feeder to begin with.

The right tools are a big part of doing woodworking.

ChloeTzang said:

Friday coffee! Please. Well “Blood Silver” is out and I’ll find out next week if the publisher likes it, my editor loved it anyhow. working on the SF novel and a short story for Christmas and I’m doing the Valentines Day chocolate story except it’s a bit different from what I planned, and I have my writing for January planned as well. All organized for 2019.
This is so focused. Totally unlike me.

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So, Impostor, what have you done with the real Chloe ?

We are 'enjoying' another cold one.
OK, turn down the Thermostat and leave the heating ON all day.
Feet up on the Sofa and watch TV drinking coffee.

What's for lunch? Good question. I need to see what I'm hungry for.

48-49 is the high today so.... chili sounds good.

Br r r r. It am bloody cold.
I've ordered my meals for Xmas week, obtained a cake; the Pud will be next week, as will be the Swiss roll.
I must find the bottle opener, though.

Meanwhile, coffee, please ?

PS. Tx, Any chance of a toy train for my Great Grandson ?

It's one of those days, almost. I spent seven bucks to drive to town to buy eight bucks of prescribed medicine. I find that I wasn't out of another med I thought was gone. I have about 40 meds jars sitting around, of which maybe 15 are active, and they're all stashed in different places. Life is a maze. What, me confused?

Handley_Page said:

Meanwhile, coffee, please ?

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Too late. Today's coffee is gone. It's time for Genmai-cha tea dashed with citrus Ponzu sauce. Why can't the Asian market an hour away stock salted Yak butter?

Coffee for the evening crew wherever they may be.

HP, I'll check with my friend but it will probably be next Christmas at the earliest. He has nothing left in stock.

Maybe I should get my ass in gear and do some writing.

TxRad said:

Coffee for the evening crew wherever they may be.

HP, I'll check with my friend but it will probably be next Christmas at the earliest. He has nothing left in stock.

Maybe I should get my ass in gear and do some writing.

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Friday shopping. I need that coffeeeeee and then it’s homeward bound.... and hmmm what to work on writing?

ChloeTzang said:

Friday shopping. I need that coffeeeeee and then it’s homeward bound.... and hmmm what to work on writing?

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What's this? Chloe with an 'organising' head on ?
Where is the real chloe, we want to know !


Meanwhile; coffee.

Handley_Page said:

What's this? Chloe with an 'organising' head on ?
Where is the real chloe, we want to know !

Meanwhile; coffee.

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I am soooooo organized. I mapped out all my writing for December and for 2019 and two days later two stories inserted themselves into my plans and ... oh look, a squirrel....

And here's your coffee, HP, hot and fresh daily....

Then damned distracting squirrels... About as bad as the flashing lights and shiny bits.

Welcome to Saturday Morning. Fresh coffee is being served on the cloudy deck. No sun here but the temp is in the mid to high 40's and headed for the high 50's. Better than snow, I guess.

I actually opened a story file last night. After an edit of what i already had, I went to bed.

TxRad said:

Then damned distracting squirrels... About as bad as the flashing lights and shiny bits.

Welcome to Saturday Morning. Fresh coffee is being served on the cloudy deck. No sun here but the temp is in the mid to high 40's and headed for the high 50's. Better than snow, I guess.

I actually opened a story file last night. After an edit of what i already had, I went to bed.

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I've had two stories open on my laptop for the last week and have been working between the two, but not accomplishing much.
You know what I always get stuck on? The sex scenes! Right now I've started them, but skipped over them and am finishing the rest of the story then will go back and write it. I wish I could have a ghost writer for sex scenes because I never enjoy writing them. Everything just seems awkward and blah and maybe I should just not write them and post stuff in non erotic.

It's supposed to rain all day with a high of 46, I need lots of coffee!

Everyone stay warm and dry today if your weather is similar.