Running Bear's December 2025 Coffee Shop

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Happy Christmas to one and all. Never been a big Christmas person myself (small family who are utterly hopeless at communicating probably explains some of it) but I do buy myself something odd every year.

This year it's this:
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It's a very old British made Triang Transcontinental diesel, their interpretation of an EMD streamliner unit but double ended.

The motor is dead but lights still work.

Wondering if I can rework it...
 


Finished up a grain elevator to sell at the swap meet and did my first attempt at car weathering. I don't know why I have so much difficult weathering plastic. Wood is a piece of cake for me. Those Walthers decals are the most difficult decals I have ever worked with. Even decal set didn't give me the right results.

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Merry Christmas. Last night we went to my aunt and uncles. My mom’s sister and her husband. With my mom’s side being Norsk we have a fish dinner Christmas Eve. Salmon. There is also some lutefisk but most of the people don’t care for that, which is why they also have Salmon. Boiled potatoes, carrots, broccoli, lefse (unleavened crispy flat bread). Melted butter. It’s pretty good.

My mom’s brother and his wife were there, and my aunt and uncles kids and grandkids and stuff and my mom’s brother and his kids. My youngest sister annd her family were also there. And a few random relatives that were more distant. I think a cousin of my mom’s was there. I didn’t recognize her by name but she looked like family.

I didn’t get the almond in the riskrem (not sure how it’s spelled — a type of rice pudding. Basically whipped cream with rice in it and we put raspberries on top. There is one skinned almond put in and whoever gets it wins a prize. It’s been several years but I won several times in the last decade or decade and a half so my aunt said I had to wait until others got some and my uncle’s wife got it before I even served myself. So I only ate two bowls. Owing because I just keep eating it until it gets found. My record is like 5 bowls.

Today we’ll go to my mom’s at 4. A lot of the same people will be there plus my mom’s other sister and her husband who flew in from Alaska last night and maybe some other of her siblings. We’ll see. My mom serves a more traditional dinner. Usually turkey but could be ham.

This morning is lazy. We opened gifts and since it’s also the wife’s b-day we’re eating her b-day eclairs she likes and some cheesecake for breakfast.

I need to make some more chocolate chip cookies. I made a bunch to take to people and didn’t quite have enough.

I bought the N scale KATO Christmas train when I was in Japan (not the fancy US sets but the one from their low cost mini line) but never got it out around the tree. I may try and get an oval around the tree with that today.

It’s 53F at 11:30am. Sun was shining earlier today for the first time in a week but I think it’s a bit overcast right now. But it’s supposed to get sunny for several days and colder (40s instead of 50s or low 60s like it’s been).
 
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MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Had to fire up the computer wish all a Merry Christmas. Had been down in Helena for a couple of days visiting my kids and grand kids, but had to high tail it back home as I am having a few people over for dinner later today.

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My daughter-in-law said that they were up so late anticipating Christmas presents that they couldn't fall asleep and she had to wake them up.

Have to get the rib roast in to the oven and get out of here.

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Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS.
 
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Merry Christmas to one and all!!

Son #3 and DIL just left, Son #4 is grazing on the table, Son #2 is up in PA visiting with DIL's family, Son #1 is in Minnesota with his GF, and daughter and fam are coming up from NC this weekend. Kind of a chill day today with opening presents this morning, then napping til lunch. Looks like we are gonna stretch out the festivities in small amounts until January the 4th( son#4's birthday). Of course this means wife is off til the 5th, but I go back tomorrow :(

At least I can play with my new toys til then!;)
 


My good friend Richard, whom I’ve known for nine years through Amazon, came to visit us today. He’s always the first to check on me, the first to offer help, and he genuinely cares about me. He’s become like a son to me, which is actually kind of funny.
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As you can see, Richard is a tall man, standing at 6'7", just like me. When we first met, I was actually taller at 6'8" (having already lost an inch), but now I can’t stand up straight, so he’s taller than me. Despite his height, he’s a gentle soul.

I might not look my best in the photo, but I promise I’m fine, just a bit tired. Honestly, I really love this picture.

Amazon's personnel would sometimes take advantage of Richard's gentle nature. Once I caught them doing that, I put my foot down. I'm a nice guy, until I'm not. I told them in my loudest deep voice "don't F' with my son" then I told Richard "Call me when you get finished loading" as I was getting ready to leave. Then I told the Amazon personal ""If he tells me, you were F'ing with him I will be back!"

Richard called to tell me they removed the packages in question and let him leave. He was left with only half a route, and we’ve become close friends ever since.

Now he has become like a son to my wife as well.

Enjoy the rest of your evening Everyone, I'm going to bed!
 
Bruette said:
My good friend Richard, whom I’ve known for nine years through Amazon, came to visit us today. He’s always the first to check on me, the first to offer help, and he genuinely cares about me. He’s become like a son to me, which is actually kind of funny.
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As you can see, Richard is a tall man, standing at 6'7", just like me. When we first met, I was actually taller at 6'8" (having already lost an inch), but now I can’t stand up straight, so he’s taller than me. Despite his height, he’s a gentle soul.

I might not look my best in the photo, but I promise I’m fine, just a bit tired. Honestly, I really love this picture.

Amazon's personnel would sometimes take advantage of Richard's gentle nature. Once I caught them doing that, I put my foot down. I'm a nice guy, until I'm not. I told them in my loudest deep voice "don't F' with my son" then I told Richard "Call me when you get finished loading" as I was getting ready to leave. Then I told the Amazon personal ""If he tells me, you were F'ing with him I will be back!"

Richard called to tell me they removed the packages in question and let him leave. He was left with only half a route, and we’ve become close friends ever since.

Now he has become like a son to my wife as well.

Enjoy the rest of your evening Everyone, I'm going to bed!
Click to expand...
That doorway looks too low. 😁
 
My paternal grandparents were married Christmas Day 1903! Every year, on their anniversary, we had a family gathering...cousins, nieces, nephews, my folks and me. Must have been a hundred people in their residence hotel apartment! I'm the only one left, except for my wife and my two daughters and grand kids. Older daughter, SIL, and two grown grandsons live in Phoenix. Younger daughter, her husband and grown granddaughter are the ones we got together with. I miss the big party, but obviously, they are good memories!
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
 


Well, howdy there internet peeps and those wondering if Santa is grilling some venison...

It's Troy again...

Our holiday tradition is to have Pizza on either the Eve or the day of... and this time it was the day of...

Since it's just the wife and I, with the cat today, She made the dough. I made the pizza:
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We got two meals out of this. I decided eating two slices for lunch, and two for dinner would save me having to do too much work.

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Presents: My wife is one that doesn't get into the present thing. I got her a jigsaw puzzle. One from the girl who makes them almost all edge pieces (with shipping they're about $50, but takes 6+ weeks for my wife to solve them). I usually wait to see if the girl who hates to shop got me anything. If not, then I don't worry about the next hobby purchase and figure it's "the gift".

We've kind of got the TomO situation. If we need it, we purchase it. Birthdays are usually "pick the restaurant" situations. Christmas is "Where are we going on vacation this year? Gift purchased for both!"

Otherwise I spent today waiting on typo reports to come in on the next book. And I continued to work on designing new book covers for the existing books in that series. They need some rebranding to fit an adjacent genre that the series is embracing more and more.
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The book on the left is inspired by the Maltese Falcon and the one the right is inspired by The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Both are computer-generated, but in layers. Background is one. Character is another. Magic effects a third, fourth, etc.
 
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