Where it all hangs out
With a large stock of caffeinated & non-caffeinated libations; light breakfast fare, freshly baked; pads and pencils on every table
Come on in!
May the 4’s be with you
This cafe closed; all-night cafe open
About The Author
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Recent Posts
- Day 14: Louisiana Senator Approvingly Compares Trump to Stalin
- Day 13: Elon Musk Flexes His Muscles
- Day 12: While Elon Musk Takes Over, We Podcast With Driftglass and Blue Gal
- Day 11: Harm of Fascist Regime’s Foreign Aid Freeze Comes Into View
- Day 10: The Fascist Regime Blames a Plane Crash on Nonwhite People
G’mornin’, Tribbers! What’s on your plate (literally and figuratively) this morning? We’re trying out a new way of posting & hosting the Café, since your Brother won’t be around to tend it, so be gentle with this “froggybottom” kid, will ya?
.
Just waking up with a cup of coffee.
Boo … Booom! Man?
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
have failed to be the cause of a disaster.
This is getting to be a serious problem for the American military.
When it snows, even the creeks become quiet and reflective.
Interesting juxtaposition of Oui’s photo with yours, Andi. . .
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
— Robert Frost
Shows how people’s minds work — I posted the picture because of Oui’s post but I never thought about it as fire and ice but only as turmoil and quiet. Your reaction is much more interesting.
Is not. 🙂
well it was certainly more inspiring — that is an excellent diary you wrote.
Thank you. And see, once again, I got somebody else to do all the work. Diaries are easy when you’re just quoting somebody else. 🙂
Shhh! Don’t give all our secrets away! 😀
Good morning all, from sunny, cold NYC.
Here’s a link to yesterday’s Nobel Peace Price ceremony:
New Nobel Laureate asks world to ‘imagine’
I’m back. I’m home. I’m tired. It was fun, though.
I’m going to try to find some news about the London explosion. But I’ll be here also.
but I’m glad you had a good time. And now you can feel like you’ve done your duty to your family for months and months to come.
uh. yeh. Except, well you probably don’t want to hear about the planning for the family reunion we want to have on July 4. Yet.
Hey July 4 is months and months away.
Be sure to check out Andi’s second cafe with its funny photo “search” for you.
Glad you had a good time.
Up early to call KGO Radio today — for those of you spiritually inclined, “GodTalk” with Bernie Ward is worth a listen…
Will probably head back to bed for a bit to cuddle with my sweetie 🙂 — trying to get up the energy to go work out, but got a bit of tummy trouble this morning (nothing major, just annoying). Need to get some cleaning done today so I can finish decorating, plus need to get caught up on laundry (did two loads last night, would like to do at least two more today). Spouse planning on making a recycling run today to get rid of a bunch of cardboard (one drawback to Internet shopping). And I’ve been working on putting together tomorrow’s Cafe — my first one!
I hear a bed calling my name…back in a bit… 🙂
You still planning on doing the Cafe tomorrow? Is there anything you need to know ahead of time?
Stole…er, Borrowed template from one of Diane’s Monday diaries, filled in with own comments/photos. 🙂 Spent yesterday testing it in a blank diary, and think I’ve got the hang of it…
Only thing I have to do is get my fat arse out of bed early tomorrow, which is probably not a bad thing anyway…if the spouse cooperates and gets the dining area clean, I hope to be putting up our teeny-tiny tree… 🙂
That’s great. I’m really looking forward to seeing you as host. Don’t worry if you oversleep a bit. We just went to a new system where we’re going to make sure there is always a “bridge” cafe between the last one of the evening and the first one of the next morning. Whenever one of us sees your new Cafe tomorrow, we’ll close out this one (or whatever is up at the time).
I can’t wait to see it tomorrow!
A couple of interesting things about the ceremony. First her father officiated, and he was very dignified and warm. He mentioned that the favorite book of both my brother and the bride was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
And that there would be a reading. And one of my sisters read the passage where Elizabeth and Darcy reveal their love for each other. She did a fantastic job, it was a good length. And the touch of romance in a wedding ceremony was quite lovely, touching and personal.
Then, farther into the ceremony, her father stepped out of his formal role and into the father role. And he reminded them that one of the things that brought them together was their commitment to the ACLU, to which they’d made a large donation in honor of their wedding, and that they should never forget that. That their mutual commitment was an important part of their relationship and what makes them special as a couple.
Finally, after the kiss, one of the groomsmen, who was dressed in a kilt moved to the aisle directly in front of them and played — something (I don’t know enough about it to say what) it was quite dramatic. Then he snapped around and led them and the rest of the Bridal Party out of the room.
It was really quite nice and personal, while still being very traditional.
“Pride and Prejudice” is on my must-see movie list…and with them supporting the ACLU, sounds like a match made in liberal heaven… 🙂
Sounds very nice and sweet and not painful at all.
But being self-centered, I’m pleased that yet another wedding ceremony has gone by that can’t threaten Jim’s and mine as shortest non-jp one we know of (slightly over 10 minutes including a reading of Donne’s The Good Morrow).
There was never anything to fear in that regard from this wedding. It took 10 minutes for everyone to march into the room. Family included.
and the most awful we ever attended was a joint Catholic and Baptist ceremony (yes, with both a priest and a minister) which included the minister delivering a 20 minute sermon in which he delineated all the ways the happy couple could sin and burn in hell.
Yep, Roman Catholic ceremonies can go well over an hour if a mass is included.
From my angle they’re the strictest in terms of music. Depending on what the weddy party has asked me to do, and unknowable unknowns relating to the particular priest, I have been barred from playing inside the church at all, or at least during the service. I usually don’t get that on the Proddy side although I did once find a strict pastor who told me that only official Sacred Music could be played.
Which, speaking of kilts and weddings, reminds me that my bagpiper friend won an interesting battle in the GWOC (Global War On Christmas) many years ago.
He was invited to the local public radio station do do a few Christmas carols, and he was chatting with the host moments before air time. As the clock passed T-15 seconds she turned towards her notes saying that she was intrigued to get to hear some Scottish carols. T-9 and he says “Oh I don’t know any Scottish carols.” The engineer is saying ‘And 5…’ and the host’s jaw drops open. Fortunately the carols familiar to most Americans sound interesting enough on the bagpipes that he was able to get through the spot OK.
As our older Scottish acquaintances reminded us, Christmas was not a holiday for Protestant (mostly urban and lowland) Scots, it was still a working day in Scotland when they were younger. They regarded it as a Popish/Catholic (including Church of England) thing. So there just isn’t much of a body of Scottish Christmas tunes.
Of several thousand titles I’ve played over the years, I only ever ran across two. One is a spine-chilling ‘hallelujia’ Gaelic song from the Catholic Highlands but I don’t know if it’s old or recent. If anyone ever sang it to American kids, the melody alone would kill hundreds!
Justice of the Peace.
I’m really glad I mentioned that wedding since it sent you down this path of rememberance — it’s fascinating.
Were you at my Catholic-Baptist wedding?
Actually, it was much more Catholic, as my wife was converting, but in deference to her Baptist family we dropped some of the “Mary stuff” that you’d have at a full-fledged Catholic wedding. Although I’ve been to Southern Baptist weddings for her relatives and you’re right – any occasion is a good occasion to rain down the hellfire and damnation, LOL.
Been married 23 years, and the marriage outlasted the Christianity for both of us. ;-D
Ours was about that long, but probably counts as JP since it was at a Scottish registry office in a retired library in Leith (port suburb of Edinburh).
we’ve actually been through Leith. My ancestry 4-5 generations back is from north of Fife, and by pure chance the childhood neighbors who turned my young American ear towards Scottish music have close relatives in Fife.
Somewhere buried we have honeymoon photos of ourselves standing in the doorway of Carnegie Hall which we spotted as we drove through Fife with one of our host families.
What an incredibly wonderful wedding it sounds like, and wonderful people, to boot. And didn’t you feel FABulous, getting to wear your new body to it? Did people remark about how great you look?
Was the dramatic piece fast or slow? Was it kind of march-y, or did it sound more like a dance piece?
There’s a fairly limited number of traditional tunes that would crop up at a wedding, but for the last 20 years or so the bagpipers have been going increasinly ‘pop’ so it could be one of the newer hits from their domain too.
Sounds like a wonderful ceremony, a great blend of ritual and heart.
It sounded old to me not top-of-the-pops-ish. The first passage, when he was facing them had a tribute (slow) sort of sound, then it shifted to a march (faster) sound. I don’t know if they were totally different songs, or something specifically for such a purpose.
It was a wonderful ceremony. I totally forgot, until it was over, that I hate wedding ceremonies.
A wedding of two fanatically liberal-Democratic (capital deliberate) families.
But, whew! Am I glad it’s over.
I am going to go by my parents house in a couple of hours to hang out with a brother and sister & parents. With nothing in particular planned. For all I know will all fall asleep talking on the floor. Just like old times.
Hey guys… mucho apologies for being offline yesterday when I think I was supposed to be hosting a cafe… Andi looked to have it under control tho… 🙂
Still no news on the hostages, complete silence as the deadline passed. Still hoping they will pop up in Baghdad today unharmed.
Snowing here in Canuck land… looks stunningly beautiful and oh so peaceful. Thinking about running into the backyard and making snow angels.
s’okay — other than missing the dazzling display of your wit that hosting would have provided.
Andi, you tease, you’re making me blush… 😉
Unfortunately one of my dogs left our house yesterday to go live with my husband’s parents – part of the realities of our separation. I spent the day consoling my other two dogs and being teary… also drank a little too much to compensate and be thankful I wasn’t being sappy all over the pond… woulda totally ruined my rep…
Now I’m really disappointed — we missed our chance to have a host who was snarky, sappy, and looped; just think of the comments that combination could produce.
No kidding! We would have loved that. But Andi, you did a pretty terrific job yesterday, yourself. Kiddo.
The Cafe law firm:
Snarky, Sappy, & Looped
Rub it in – no snow here yet this year. 🙁
Has Dick Cheney released your ambassador yet unharmed?
Rumor (Rumour) has it he was last seen taking the ambassador to Mt. Palomar observatory, and was heard to say “You like alternative power? Solar energy? I’ll show you some man-made heating when we focus the sunlight on you with this 200″ mirror… Bwahahahaha”
Frog horn!
Visibility is under 200 hops in our bay. The ships and ferries out on the Sound have been booming and honking away all night.
Florida Mom and Puget4 are prepping for church. We’re all hoping there’s no glare ice on the road just up the hill.
Hello, all. Glad to see we’re in relativey fine fettle. It’s just after noon here in the Catskills & the sun already sinks to the west, after a brief appearance this morning. I find it wonderful that we’re less than two weeks from Solstice — always an event for celebration when so much of one’s lifestyle involves the outdoors.
These images were taken yesterday afternoon hereabouts. Only the briefest glimmer of light appeared on the western face of Wildcat Mountain before sunset.
Beautiful pictures!
Thank you, CabinGirl. Always happy to share.
Here’s one especially for you: the home-built cabin I once lived in, also taken yesterday.
And yes, Current Occupant needs to do something about that north porch ..
That looks pretty cool…north porch notwithstanding!
What part of the country is that in, if you don’t mind my asking?
Doh, the Catskills! (yeah, I can read…) 🙂
🙂 That’s right, north central Catskills, a scant 100 miles & ten degrees Fahrenheit from the heart of Manhattan.
Snowing again here — venturing out anon.
Thanks for posting this and the other pictures. Your place is really beautiful — as I knew it would be. The house looks like a wonderful place to live. It’s all just splendid.
Your encouragement is highly appreciated, Andi — especially as I’m generally alone here (aside of the critters) & it’s great to share what I see.
Yep, the cabin’s a great place; I’m blessed to have called it home for almost a decade. I still keep an eye on it.
Consider yourself encouraged to post images every chance you get. We will all enjoy them immensely. BTW, pictures of critters are also highly appreciated.
Will do.
Our Mercury News delivery person usually delivers the Sunday paper in two parts; Saturday we get all the ads and Sunday special sections (like Book Review, Perspective, Comics, etc.), then Sunday we get the main news sections. We just discovered that in a bout of overzealousness in taking out newspapers, the spouse took out the Sunday sections to the recycling bin! So he’s going to have to go out and buy a paper…bugging him to get moving but he has to have breakfast first, the wimp… 😉
Every year, beginning on the 8th of December, Lyon celebrates the “Fête des Lumières” (Lights’ days).
Everybody put small candles on the windows sills and balconies and the whole city is lit with wonderful light shows projected on the buildings. For three days, the city centre is closed to cars and people walk in the streets and drink mulled wine…
Have a look:
That is so AMAZING! Here’s the Philadelphia City Hall version, which is nowhere near as cool.
Thanks, M!
Incredible! I’d never even heard of it before now.
Thank you for the link!
Personally, I find the relative subtlety quite lovely — the way the colors adhere to the building’s forms. A beautiful building, that.
That’s really cool on City Hall. They never did that when I lived in Philly (pout)… Of course, the technology then would have been those four-color wheels on a motor in front of a floodlamp that my grandparents used to shine on their aluminum Christmas tree.
Heard a piece on NPR last year that those aluminum trees are coming back in style again. Tres retro.
All my childhood seems to be recycling these days – foreign quagmires, corrupt president, anti-war protests, energy crisis…
😛
At least I can go on eBay now and buy some of the things I couldn’t afford the first time around, LOL!
Mon Dieu! Consider me dazzled 🙂
I’m speechless and although I’m still new, many will know that’s a feat.
Incredible photos, thanks.
Really spectacular and worth every second dial-up second they took to display 😉
How Gorgeous….thanks for the light show.
Very, very nice!
Thank you for sharing such a visual feast.
Peace
Wow that is amazing. Thanks for sharing!
beauty as we do strife.
Just a quick note to let you all know I’ve been back online since Friday pm but was too busy unpacking to even go online until Saturday. Our computer work stations are not set up yet so I’m having to type in a cramped corner without arm support and am getting shoulder spasms just entering this short note.
The move went smoothly with just a couple of delays: one on account of a torrential rain storm and the other from Hubby miring the UHaul up to its hubcaps in the front lawn. Our new neighbor, Mr. Ben, came to the rescue with a monstrous tractor that yanked the 27′ truck out of the mud like it was a play toy. har. Then, he gifted us with 10 lbs. of fine corn flour from his very own grist mill. When we’re completely unpacked and settled in, we’ll repay Mr. Ben with Hubby’s signature Chicken and Dumplin’s, made from corn flour for the ocassion.
We went thru the most congenial closing I’ve ever experienced. Everyone was exchanging photos of kids and grand kids, talking gossip about neighbors, and planning on having dinner with each other. Later, I considered that all previous closings I have attended involved strangers coming and going while everyone at this event planned on staying in the immediate area, were already friends and, in our case, intend to be friends. We were assured that we were going to “fit right in.” Of course, politics, religion and sex were not discussed so what do they know? Hmmm… as long as we talk about child-rearing and gardening, I think we’ll be safe.
More later when my computer is really set up…
Glad to hear to you made it to new place and are now safely ensconced amid your packing boxes. If you think about it, I’ll bet most people in the cafe would like to have that chicken and dumplings recipe.
Spare a recommend here and there?
For you, no problem!
Florida Mom is valiantly trying to adjust to the colder air here in Puget Sound as compared to her own sunny Florida. WE know it’s colder elsewhere (AndiF’s place and Wildernes Wench’s gorgeous snow covered lairs), but it’s hard for Florida Mom to believe it.
So, we found her a pair of ear muffs….with reindeers on them! Tooo cute. I had to alter the head band and make they tie-ons for comfort sake. We talked her into posing for a picture by our little tree.
Click to enlarge.
Florida Mom is such a good sport! How cold is it there, P4?
Hey CG, what would be the appeal of taking Klonopin recreationally? Just wondering….:)
Ok, what I mean is, why would a 19 year old steal this and have it in his room? (Not my kid)
relative of valium…
Ok. I looked it up on the net and saw that it was an anti-seizure drug and couldn’t figure out why anyone would abuse it.
We’ve been in a cold spell. We wake up to around 32-33 degrees and have highs in the mid 40’s. We had a heavy frost one morning so it was in the low 30’s that day. These temps usually don’t hit until Jan or mid-January.
The really fun thing about Puget Sound latitudes compared to Ohio Latitudes is the swing of the setting sun from north to south and back in a year’s time. I put it at about 90 degrees difference between farthest northward movement of the setting sun to farthest southward movement of the setting sun six months later.
Does anyone know if there is a sliding scale for setting of sun (or the rising) compared to latitude?
She looks great in her earmuffs and sure looks to be having a fun ole time with you guys. I am thoroughly charmed.
How about if I put up a froggybottom all-night cafe when this thing gets around l00?
Or even if it hasn’t reached 100 by the time you’re heading off to bed, I think putting up a new one would be a good idea.
Will scooby-do.
Spouse is not home yet from recycling and other errands (I’m assuming he stopped by the book/record store), but I’ve got dinner cooking anyway; browning the chicken, then adding milk and cream of mushroom soup. One of those nice easy meals that actually tastes good. Will make rice and a veggie to go along, and we’ll actually have a balanced meal for one night. 🙂
Uh-oh, time to turn the chicken again…
Let’s move on over to the new cafe. . .