USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Ringel05]

Morning iam and everybody. "Good" is still to be determined but we'll see how it looks after the coffee and naproxen kicks in. Hombre and I have to go get passport photos taken today as our passports expire next month. We though they were expensive ten years ago. Much more so now. But you never know when you might need it.

This afternoon is our weekly 42 game and we're looking forward to that.

Temps back in the mid 70's today. We get the furnace shut down and the Master Cool turned on for the summer on Friday and none too soon.

I've never had a passport. Hell, I've never been off of the east coast.

You really don't know what you're missing.

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

 

[Ringel05]

What's interesting is Cinco de Mayo is much more of a Mexican/American celebration than it is a Mexican one. In Mexico the kids get the day off, there might be a few parades but up here in the US people go all out. Mostly it's due to marketing the holiday not so much as a Mexican independence day but more as a Mexican/American cultural celebration. Just like St Patty's day it's another excuse to get drunk.........

 

[Ernie S.]

I like Thursday mornings...sorta the beginning of the weekend...if your an optimist.

Thursday IS my weekend. It's 10:53 and I'm still in bed with a cup of coffee. I'll get going in a while.

 

[Ernie S.]

OH great 2 days in a row. Yesterday it was may the fourth be with you and now this!

 

[Foxfyre]

Sometimes, I wish we had a landlord. There's a lot that needs fixing around here, and we have to do it.

I have been in a rented flat for 22 years, and I am so entrenched I live in fear of getting evicted, because I would not be able to cope with it. But I get on well with my landlords, and they have been prompt in fixing things when I ring them.
They purchased the house with me as a sitting tenant and that freaked me out because I was paying low rent. I know they wanted to get rid of me to get more rent. But they have put the rent up three times in the last five years, and I think they still want more money.

Definitely one of the down sides of renting. You end up paying a LOT more than a homeowner in the long run. Actually, my monthly rent runs higher than many people's mortgages! I don't need a big house though. I would like to rent a small cottage by the ocean (somewhere with a longer summer season than we get here though).

Yea! I inherited money from an uncle about five years ago, and it is slowly draining away on rent. I did not inherit enough money to buy a flat. So I have no choice but to watch my money drain away.

I just work a lot. Sometimes overtime to pay the bills. I live in one of the most expensive states in the country. One of these days I'll get motivated enough to do some research and move out of this state.

Move down to GA and in 2-3 years, when I have to leave this nanny gig, I'll be your roomie!

Or you could move to California. But you will have to put up with Gracie's fur friends.

 

[OldLady]

How DO they get cats to sit still for having a hat on their head? Not the cats I've known....

 

[Foxfyre]

Morning iam and everybody. "Good" is still to be determined but we'll see how it looks after the coffee and naproxen kicks in. Hombre and I have to go get passport photos taken today as our passports expire next month. We though they were expensive ten years ago. Much more so now. But you never know when you might need it.

This afternoon is our weekly 42 game and we're looking forward to that.

Temps back in the mid 70's today. We get the furnace shut down and the Master Cool turned on for the summer on Friday and none too soon.

I've never had a passport. Hell, I've never been off of the east coast.

But you never know. You could win a trip to the Bahamas or Grand Cayman or Jamaica or some such or have a chance to visit Canada or Mexico and you'll need a passport to do that. And it typically takes five or six weeks to apply and get one so if you need to leave in a hurry, that could be a problem. And if a cruise to Alaska involves making port in Vancouver, you would need one.

 

[TyroneSlothrop]

How DO they get cats to sit still for having a hat on their head? Not the cats I've known....

Tequila ...fish flavored Tequila ..

 

[Foxfyre]

How DO they get cats to sit still for having a hat on their head? Not the cats I've known....

I've known a few cats who would tolerate such things just long enough to snap a photo. But most of the shots you see like that these days are photo shopped.

 

[Dajjal]

I have been in a rented flat for 22 years, and I am so entrenched I live in fear of getting evicted, because I would not be able to cope with it. But I get on well with my landlords, and they have been prompt in fixing things when I ring them.
They purchased the house with me as a sitting tenant and that freaked me out because I was paying low rent. I know they wanted to get rid of me to get more rent. But they have put the rent up three times in the last five years, and I think they still want more money.

Definitely one of the down sides of renting. You end up paying a LOT more than a homeowner in the long run. Actually, my monthly rent runs higher than many people's mortgages! I don't need a big house though. I would like to rent a small cottage by the ocean (somewhere with a longer summer season than we get here though).

Yea! I inherited money from an uncle about five years ago, and it is slowly draining away on rent. I did not inherit enough money to buy a flat. So I have no choice but to watch my money drain away.

I just work a lot. Sometimes overtime to pay the bills. I live in one of the most expensive states in the country. One of these days I'll get motivated enough to do some research and move out of this state.

I am retired on a state pension. It is not enough to live on, but when I am down to my last six thousand pounds savings, I will be able to claim council rent allowance to cover some of the rent.

you might want to see a lawyer, you may be able to put that money in a trust where the government can't count it against you.

Thanks, I did see a lawyer, and he told me that the council would count it as capital even if I put in in a trust.
He said you cannot be seen to be trying to cheat the system. So the only thing I can do is pay the rent with my own money until I have only got six thousand pounds left. Then I will be eligible for council rent allowance.

 

[Foxfyre]

Fiesta en, Colorado!

Not much of a party day, here--gray, drizzling and 47 degrees. But I got my hours increased today! More tacos in my future.

Are you in Colorado OldLady?

 

[OldLady]

Nope. I was responding to your post that Denver had the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration planned. They know how to party up there--probably the altitude helps!

 

[Montrovant]

I have been in a rented flat for 22 years, and I am so entrenched I live in fear of getting evicted, because I would not be able to cope with it. But I get on well with my landlords, and they have been prompt in fixing things when I ring them.
They purchased the house with me as a sitting tenant and that freaked me out because I was paying low rent. I know they wanted to get rid of me to get more rent. But they have put the rent up three times in the last five years, and I think they still want more money.

Definitely one of the down sides of renting. You end up paying a LOT more than a homeowner in the long run. Actually, my monthly rent runs higher than many people's mortgages! I don't need a big house though. I would like to rent a small cottage by the ocean (somewhere with a longer summer season than we get here though).

Yea! I inherited money from an uncle about five years ago, and it is slowly draining away on rent. I did not inherit enough money to buy a flat. So I have no choice but to watch my money drain away.

I just work a lot. Sometimes overtime to pay the bills. I live in one of the most expensive states in the country. One of these days I'll get motivated enough to do some research and move out of this state.

Move down to GA and in 2-3 years, when I have to leave this nanny gig, I'll be your roomie!

Or you could move to California. But you will have to put up with Gracie's fur friends.

Well, she did say she already lives in an expensive state. I think Cali fits in that category.

 

[Montrovant]

Morning iam and everybody. "Good" is still to be determined but we'll see how it looks after the coffee and naproxen kicks in. Hombre and I have to go get passport photos taken today as our passports expire next month. We though they were expensive ten years ago. Much more so now. But you never know when you might need it.

This afternoon is our weekly 42 game and we're looking forward to that.

Temps back in the mid 70's today. We get the furnace shut down and the Master Cool turned on for the summer on Friday and none too soon.

I've never had a passport. Hell, I've never been off of the east coast.

But you never know. You could win a trip to the Bahamas or Grand Cayman or Jamaica or some such or have a chance to visit Canada or Mexico and you'll need a passport to do that. And it typically takes five or six weeks to apply and get one so if you need to leave in a hurry, that could be a problem. And if a cruise to Alaska involves making port in Vancouver, you would need one.

If something like that happened, I'd try to sell the tickets or give them to someone who would appreciate them. I have no urge to travel, especially by boat (I get motion sickness). I can't think of a likely situation in which I would choose to leave the country.

 

[OldLady]

Cruise ships don't give you motion sickness, especially with one of those patches behind your ear. I frequently get queasy in cars and on planes, but the time I went on a cruise, I was happily surprised.
Traveling is so interesting! You meet nice people, eat strange but good food, and it's so lovely to get a break from looking at the same four walls! I feel so sad for you, Montrovant.

 

[Ernie S.]

Definitely one of the down sides of renting. You end up paying a LOT more than a homeowner in the long run. Actually, my monthly rent runs higher than many people's mortgages! I don't need a big house though. I would like to rent a small cottage by the ocean (somewhere with a longer summer season than we get here though).

Yea! I inherited money from an uncle about five years ago, and it is slowly draining away on rent. I did not inherit enough money to buy a flat. So I have no choice but to watch my money drain away.

I just work a lot. Sometimes overtime to pay the bills. I live in one of the most expensive states in the country. One of these days I'll get motivated enough to do some research and move out of this state.

I am retired on a state pension. It is not enough to live on, but when I am down to my last six thousand pounds savings, I will be able to claim council rent allowance to cover some of the rent.

you might want to see a lawyer, you may be able to put that money in a trust where the government can't count it against you.

Thanks, I did see a lawyer, and he told me that the council would count it as capital even if I put in in a trust.
He said you cannot be seen to be trying to cheat the system. So the only thing I can do is pay the rent with my own money until I have only got six thousand pounds left. Then I will be eligible for council rent allowance.

I could bill you for a huge bar tab for everything over the 6,000 pounds?

 

[Nosmo King]

Cinco de Mayo, eh? Well, there's not much of an Hispanic presence here in my home town. Tacos are available at Taco Bell, or a local bar (Murphy's). How much of an authentic taco can you get at a place called Murphy's? Or Taco Bell for that matter? I think we should consider the words of the sainted Frank Zappa who once said "Is that a real poncho or a Sears poncho?" Is that a real taco or a Murphy's taco?

Meanwhile we are getting yet another pizza place in town. We need more pizza places the way Aspen needs more ski bums. Rumor has it that the new place will be a Domino's franchise. They will do well as they have a national face and offer delivery. We haven't had a Domino's franchise in town for thirty years or more. The rest of the gang is here: Papa John's, Pizza Hut. But we are well served by Mom and Pop pizza places.

Drizzly rain and cooler temperatures today. Those two factors might well cancel our daily walk in the park. Yesterday was senior picture day at the park. Lovely young ladies and awkward young men assembled there to be duly photographed in front of banks of azaleas and flowering dogwood trees. Daisy the Mutt wanted to get in every picture. I called her back, but some young folks were too enthralled by her antics to remain in character for their photos. I'm telling ya, it's like walking with the Homecoming Queen when I walk with Daisy.

I took Mom to the same ophthalmologist who took my cataracts off last month. Mom had developed a 'membrane' on her eye that had to be dealt with. She had a laser shot into her eye and now sees much better, thank you very much! I think the staff at the eye doctor's office all have boat payments coming up and they want them subsidized by treating my family.

Incidentally, Mom has elected to keep the one kitten born at the Big House in March. This news fell heavy on the heart of Daisy as we have to notify Mom of any visits so the cats can be accommodated. No more pop in visits.

My New York friend has decided to postpone her visit this summer to the autumn. She does not appreciate the heat and humidity the upper Ohio Valley offers up each August. But mainly she wants to be here for the apple harvest. This cool, damp spring portends a bumper crop this year. The cider presses will be in full swing by October and the annual Shaker Woods Christmas craft festival happens in the middle of that month.

Christmas in the Woods

I must check the Steelers schedule during her visit. Her Brooklyn bucket list includes attending a Steelers home game. Tickets will be tough to find, but I will do my level best to get a pair before she gets here. She's not necessarily a football fan (which offends my cultural DNA having been born here and as an alumnae of The Ohio State University), but she is a fan of the culture of football in this part of the fruited plain. We do football as a sacrament, a holy rite, a way of life. And no other place in America has anything on us so far as our love of the game goes. In order to live here, there must be several articles of clothing hanging in your closet that are Black and Gold. Eyebrows are raised and suspicions run deep on those who fail to live the orthodox life of a Steeler fan.

I stopped at my favorite greenhouse today and brother, business is a-boomin'! All the young plants, even the impatiens which have been plagued by a blight in the past couple years look healthy and ready to be planted. Tomorrow I plan to rub a major blister on the Visa card and get the coleas for Mom and a few for myself, wave petunias, a couple sweet potato vines, a few flats of impatiens, zinnas, verbenas, geraniums and those new varieties of 'fairy plants' that do so well under the Eastern Redbud tree on the north lawn. Time to get the hands dirty!

 

[Againsheila]

Definitely one of the down sides of renting. You end up paying a LOT more than a homeowner in the long run. Actually, my monthly rent runs higher than many people's mortgages! I don't need a big house though. I would like to rent a small cottage by the ocean (somewhere with a longer summer season than we get here though).

Yea! I inherited money from an uncle about five years ago, and it is slowly draining away on rent. I did not inherit enough money to buy a flat. So I have no choice but to watch my money drain away.

I just work a lot. Sometimes overtime to pay the bills. I live in one of the most expensive states in the country. One of these days I'll get motivated enough to do some research and move out of this state.

I am retired on a state pension. It is not enough to live on, but when I am down to my last six thousand pounds savings, I will be able to claim council rent allowance to cover some of the rent.

you might want to see a lawyer, you may be able to put that money in a trust where the government can't count it against you.

Thanks, I did see a lawyer, and he told me that the council would count it as capital even if I put in in a trust.
He said you cannot be seen to be trying to cheat the system. So the only thing I can do is pay the rent with my own money until I have only got six thousand pounds left. Then I will be eligible for council rent allowance.

Just gamble it all away, you might win....

 

[Againsheila]

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
.

I was watching the early news this morning and wouldn't you think the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations would be in places like L.A. or San Antonio or El Paso? Nope. The biggest one in the country is in Denver of all places.

It's a holiday invented by an American beer company to sell beer.