USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Foxfyre]

I'm having a hard time with having to sell Mr. P's motorcycle trike.
I need to clean out all of the compartments and can't bring myself to do it.
That bike was so much a part of him so it's like selling off a part of him.
I know I have to sell it, but I'm having a hard time with doing so.

Maybe he's telling you to ride it yourself? But if that just isn't feasible, I do know how hard it is to part with something important to a loved one.

No I will never want to drive it.
I'm a rider only type when it comes to bikes.

I understand. I wouldn't either I'm pretty sure.

 

[Oddball]

Saturday morning!

Let's go ice skating in the kitchen,

Let the cartoon begin!

 

[Nosmo King]

Well, Coffee Shoppers, first an update. I'm well on the way to being COVID free! I had the Rendesovir treatment and today, I received the second of two Pfizer vaccines. Oxygen tubes still run up my snoot, and it feels wonderful. My dark times are over and now it's down to me and the physical terrorists to get me back on my feet.

But I don't want to be the invalid today. I've been recalling past adventures and feel more like spinning a yarn for your enjoyment.

Way back in the early 1990s as the Berlin Wall was being chopped up and sold as souvenirs, I found myself in Europe for 18 glorious, eye opening month. One long stint was in the chaotic city of Naples, Italy.

I always took full advantage of days off to explore wherever I happened to be. I arrived exhausted after the overnight flight to sunny Italy on a Friday afternoon. After checking into my hotel, meetings with U.S. Navy officers and a quick tour of the project, I decided to drive randomly into Naples to see what I might expect for the coming months.

There was a small coffe shop on a crowded and winding side street. Now, a Neopoitan coffee shop ain't a coffee shop where the waitresses call you 'Hun' and come around regularly with a pot of full strength joe in one hand, decaf in the other. Now glass carrousel of slices of pie or a Blue Plate special advertised.

Rather, this place was what we might call 'old world shabby chic'. Reeking with antique atmosphere, large silver espresso machine hissed behind a long oak bar. Littl round tables draped in white linen tablecloths with bottles of fizzy water in carafes, silverware laid elegantly along side porcelain cups and saucers.

I ordered a thimble sized cup of espresso and an almond biscotti baked in the back room. It served as the perfect pic-me-up and I certainly felt more sophisticated than a boy from The Ohio River valley should.

I strode from the shop onto the street feeling ready for anything! Now, in order for this next part of the tale to make sense, I must divulge a piece of personal information. My last name is one borne by a group of ne'er-do-wells from Dundee, Scotland. It's Kidd.

I heard a man calling, "Kid!" on the street. My first thought, as it was my first day in a new country was someone is calling after a child. "Kid! Kidd!" He shouted. It turned out to be the desk clerk from my hotel! What were the odds?

He, like all the Italians I met, was open, friendly, curious and eager to show me as much of Neapolitan life as he could! We climbed into my rented Opal and took me on a personal tour of the city,

Travel opens your eyes and mind, of that I am certain. I had no idea how it could open your heart to people and places as well.

And that's the news from my little part of the sandbox today. I wish you all well. Stay safe, help others when you can and open yourself to the well being of others.

 

[peach174]

Glad to hear you are doing well Nosmo

 

[peach174]

We just got a lot of small hail dumped in a very short amount of time, so it looks like we got about an inch of snow.
Very rare in my neck of the woods.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well, Coffee Shoppers, first an update. I'm well on the way to being COVID free! I had the Rendesovir treatment and today, I received the second of two Pfizer vaccines. Oxygen tubes still run up my snoot, and it feels wonderful. My dark times are over and now it's down to me and the physical terrorists to get me back on my feet.

But I don't want to be the invalid today. I've been recalling past adventures and feel more like spinning a yarn for your enjoyment.

Way back in the early 1990s as the Berlin Wall was being chopped up and sold as souvenirs, I found myself in Europe for 18 glorious, eye opening month. One long stint was in the chaotic city of Naples, Italy.

I always took full advantage of days off to explore wherever I happened to be. I arrived exhausted after the overnight flight to sunny Italy on a Friday afternoon. After checking into my hotel, meetings with U.S. Navy officers and a quick tour of the project, I decided to drive randomly into Naples to see what I might expect for the coming months.

There was a small coffe shop on a crowded and winding side street. Now, a Neopoitan coffee shop ain't a coffee shop where the waitresses call you 'Hun' and come around regularly with a pot of full strength joe in one hand, decaf in the other. Now glass carrousel of slices of pie or a Blue Plate special advertised.

Rather, this place was what we might call 'old world shabby chic'. Reeking with antique atmosphere, large silver espresso machine hissed behind a long oak bar. Littl round tables draped in white linen tablecloths with bottles of fizzy water in carafes, silverware laid elegantly along side porcelain cups and saucers.

I ordered a thimble sized cup of espresso and an almond biscotti baked in the back room. It served as the perfect pic-me-up and I certainly felt more sophisticated than a boy from The Ohio River valley should.

I strode from the shop onto the street feeling ready for anything! Now, in order for this next part of the tale to make sense, I must divulge a piece of personal information. My last name is one borne by a group of ne'er-do-wells from Dundee, Scotland. It's Kidd.

I heard a man calling, "Kid!" on the street. My first thought, as it was my first day in a new country was someone is calling after a child. "Kid! Kidd!" He shouted. It turned out to be the desk clerk from my hotel! What were the odds?

He, like all the Italians I met, was open, friendly, curious and eager to show me as much of Neapolitan life as he could! We climbed into my rented Opal and took me on a personal tour of the city,

Travel opens your eyes and mind, of that I am certain. I had no idea how it could open your heart to people and places as well.

And that's the news from my little part of the sandbox today. I wish you all well. Stay safe, help others when you can and open yourself to the well being of others.

So good to hear from you and that there is a light at the end of your tunnel NOSMO. But you still get the vaccine after you get the virus? Wouldn't having the virus provide immunity? I honestly don't know.

My kin who were in WWII and experienced Italy, even in wartime, all say that was their favorite experience of the war. I don't know anybody who has been to Italy who didn't find the experience more positive than negative if there was any negativity at all. My brother-in-law was a first generation Italian-American--his grandparents, parents, and older brother escaped Northern Italy as Mussolini began tightening fascism around that country. They would settle in Southern Colorado and New Mexico where the menfolk worked the coal mines. My sis had five kids and all of them had kids and grandkids so I have a fairly large chunk of my family of Italian heritage.

 

[Foxfyre]

We just got a lot of small hail dumped in a very short amount of time, so it looks like we got about an inch of snow.
Very rare in my neck of the woods.

Wow. Usually the weather you get hits us hours later. We call combination sleet/hail 'sneet' and the little styrofoam like hail that comes with snow 'snail.' But as our whole area and much of Texas is under extreme drought conditions, we'll take whatever we get at this point.

 

[peach174]

I'm one of those who are highly allergic to many drugs.
I'm going to wait a bit.
It's been around for a year and I haven't been sick.
I also have N95 masks

 

[peach174]

We just got a lot of small hail dumped in a very short amount of time, so it looks like we got about an inch of snow.
Very rare in my neck of the woods.

Wow. Usually the weather you get hits us hours later. We call combination sleet/hail 'sneet' and the little styrofoam like hail that comes with snow 'snail.' But as our whole area and much of Texas is under extreme drought conditions, we'll take whatever we get at this point.

Yes it's headed your way.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Good to hear from you Nosmo. Glad you are on the mend. Your talk of Naples made me smile. Being a sea-going sailor I have been to Naples many many times. Driving there is like driving no where else in the world. I have many tales to spin about adventures in Naples but I’d rather not. If, however you find yourself there drive from Fleet landing up to AFSOUTH and to the old Naval Hospital near there. If you didn’t have religion when you left Fleet Landing you’d have it by the time you reached AFSOUTH. I remember the USO there near fleet landing, the telephone exchange and a terrific pizza place on the corner by the phone exchange. If you’ve never been to Naples you should experience it at least once in your lifetime. However, like Vegas, what happens in Naples stays in Naples!

 

[Nosmo King]

I suppose because I caught COVID after I got the first dose and went through the Rendosovir treatment, the second dose is kind of a belt and suspenders approach. Nevertheless I feel bulletproof today. By Groundhog Day, the second dose will be flowing around inside long enough that I should then be good to go, provided some mutant strain rears its ugly protein spikes.

But, take it from me, if you have the chance at getting the vaccine, do not hesitate! I wouldn't wish this disease on anyone.

As for the Italians, I was so impressed with their love of family and respect dor elders. It's a noble aspect of humanity to honor family and one of the Ten Commandments, but those virtues are particularly strong among Italians.

Their openness and enthusiasm impressed a suppressed Scottish Presbyteian too! In my faith, we behave more like little mud wrens compared to the garish flamingoes in Italy. While they wear La Dolce Vita on their brightly colored sleeve, we Celtic Calvinists wear brown corduroy and maroon sweatervests. They bring jugs of wine, wheels of cheese and jars of olives. We carry an armload of books and speak in hushed tones. They wear open toed sandals with pedicures. We wear Birkenstocks and wool socks.

Life's rich pageant! Is there anything more caprivatingly wonderful?

 

[Foxfyre]

I relate to Peach's post. I will probably go ahead and get the vaccine because Hombre & I are the primary caretakers for my 94-year old aunt and also our friend Dana has a compromised immune system being on anti-rejection drugs since her heart transplant and my big sis is also very vulnerable. But I also had reactions to the flu shot & pneumonia shots last year so I am apprehensive. Our state is extremely slow getting the vaccine out though.

 

[Foxfyre]

 

[Dajjal]

 

[peach174]

How cute

 

[Foxfyre]

 

[Gracie]

Well, that was a surprise. Yesterday I got a call from a manager of apartments I was on the wait list for...in Paradise. She said they are rebuilding and was I still interested in staying on the list? I said a resounding YES. I miss it up there after all. And no fear of fire either since its all burned now. So...she said about a year. I said great. I'll be ready.

 

[Ringel05]

We just got a lot of small hail dumped in a very short amount of time, so it looks like we got about an inch of snow.
Very rare in my neck of the woods.

Wow. Usually the weather you get hits us hours later. We call combination sleet/hail 'sneet' and the little styrofoam like hail that comes with snow 'snail.' But as our whole area and much of Texas is under extreme drought conditions, we'll take whatever we get at this point.

The official name for "soft hail" is 'Graupel' which interestingly enough is German for sleet........

 

[Mindful]

Daughter has had second preventative surgery, and feels terrible. I can hardly bear it.

I’m thousands of miles away from her, in Cyprus.

 

[Foxfyre]

We just got a lot of small hail dumped in a very short amount of time, so it looks like we got about an inch of snow.
Very rare in my neck of the woods.

Wow. Usually the weather you get hits us hours later. We call combination sleet/hail 'sneet' and the little styrofoam like hail that comes with snow 'snail.' But as our whole area and much of Texas is under extreme drought conditions, we'll take whatever we get at this point.

The official name for "soft hail" is 'Graupel' which interestingly enough is German for sleet........

I doubt I'll remember the official term though. "Sneet" or "Snail" kind of sticks in the brain.