Running Bear's May 2025 Coffee Shop

[TLOC]

Good morning from Pasadena! The wedding yesterday was wonderful. 2 people seemingly perfect that compliment each other. Her friends from the Chicago area, Great Britain and New York City. His friends from California and the western Chicago suburbs. She lived on the east coast and he was out west. After 18 years in NYC she moved west and they were introduced in a back yard Covid party. Funny how 2 people that lived about 40 miles apart in the Chicago suburbs meet on the West coast. It’s been a wonderful 5 year progression to seeing 2 truly great people get together. They also really party differently out here! Pasadena ordinances don’t allow for electronically assisted music after 10:30pm but acoustic is ok. I’m very proud of my niece and goddaughter but it was really moving to see how many others feel the same about her!

Today at 10am there is a brunch for 45 and room available for 60! Sounds like most of his guests are heading home this morning and afternoon but her NYC friends and the small family will be there and there will be bagels and loks! Oh boy! I just need some bacon and sourdough.

We are going to take Troy’s suggestion of the Huntington Gardens and maybe the art museum but on Monday not today. It replaces my planned trip to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum. My sister wants to relax a bit after the Brunch but has a restaurant in mind for dinner. She said she wants to go there but none of her friend group but one say they can afford it. This should be interesting and Terry said if you want to go we can. It’s in Malibu and the son got the reservations using some contacts he has out here.

My brother is heading back to Vegas this afternoon for medical on Tuesday morning but also wants a day tomorrow to relax. He has hip replacement surgery on Thursday. He looks good and the surgery to me was a surprise. The surgery will change our plans a bit. Terry and I will go to Vegas on Wednesday and I will take him Thursday to the hospital/clinic for his replacement surgery. Terry will go to Scottsdale with his girlfriend for her follow up cancer evaluation visits. She is starting year 2 in remission.

The daughter and family head back Monday to Wisconsin on a 9am flight out of Burbank. The son and girlfriend head back to Austin/Wimberley at 7pm Monday.

The brother’s realtor here showed him and Terry some distressed properties in San Marino but thankfully they both said no. Remodeling out here is a nightmare of permits. They did look at some of the wild fire properties that are for sale in one of the canyons.

Chad showed all the overhead wires in Japan. I am kind of shocked that out here the overhead wires are everywhere. In Wisconsin most of the utilities are underground

The granddaughter has been awake since 6 she told me, I got up at 6:40 but now the grandson is up. We have 3 adjoining suites so they both are on the couch with grandma and me. We are staying at the Langham Huntington in Pasadena and I generally don’t recommend hotels because when Terry and I travel in the car we are Holiday Inn Express people, but this place is NICE! We can swim in a few minutes and the kids are ready…

Be well

 

[Kusojiji]

I hope that it remains cooler while your A/C is down. That sucks.

Not just iced up?

 

[westtexjohn]

kgstakes said........
It’s called a spindle chair and I’ve been doing allot of turning on my taig lathe for this chair. Finally have all the turning done and the chair is glued up drying. Next some stain and finish and then a woven seat cushion and the project will be ready for the display case.

In Texas, I see a lot of these chairs in old shops, antique stores. Most of the ones I have seen have leather straps inter woven to make a seat. Some are square to the chair while some are in a diagonal pattern. There is a space between the leather straps to allow for air to circulate. My folks had one of those chairs with the leather straps, but when I moved from Dallas to west Texas, the chair was left behind due to just too much junk to have to move.

John

 

[Patrick]

I'll play catch up, but I got surprised on Friday. We ended up in Branson to ride the Branson Scenic Railway on Saturday. And since Branson has changed in the past 11 years, we won't be back. We don't fish, shop, and the shows weren't what we are interested in seeing.

We had a good time driving the lake around the rain and train excursion is always fun.
Drove Rt 66 from Springfield to US 400 and returned home.

 

[migalyto]

Good evening all!

We are back from our family get together. It was a really nice time catching up with the cousins and other family
I don't get to see very often. As always with our family gatherings, there was too much food and probably wont
need dinner tonight. A light snack will be in order later. Drive was fairly traffic as well.

Since nothing else is going on, its time to head to the basement and play with trains.

Hope everyone had a great day!

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those with all of their fingers...

It's Troy again.

Tomorrow is the pilgrimage to Goshen IN, about 1.5 hours away, to see my mother's headstone, and to drop off a mess of pulled pork to my sister.

But, sis is having a hell of a week. Her oldest daughter (36yo) is in hospital (complication of Crohn's disease). She's lost a lot of her intestines due to a rupture. And they are talking another surgery due to it not being right yet. So, my sis may be at the hospital.

So, I may end up meeting her other daughter (and her family), so they can drive us to the cemetery and show us where Mom's grave is. Because I don't remember.

Oh, and Sis's grandson (from the daughter in the hospital) was over yesterday, helping cut down the volunteer mulbuerry bushes that birds keep depositing. With a little electric chainsaw. He's 12. Grampa was watching over him. And the saw slipped on bush #11.

Eleven stitches to his hand later, he's bragging about the slice and showing the wound to anyone who will look. All fingers still attached. So my sis has her hands full. And she thought life would calm down after our mother passed away!

Got to hit the game store today, and got a game in.

 

[Bruette]

Louis! Hope you feel better, and it wasn't one of your favorite hot dogs that did you in.

Thank you, and no it wasn't a hotdog, but it was a hotdog that helped me to feel better.

Louis - Changing the oil on our Accura RDX is relatively easy. It's high enough that I can slide underneath easily. I am actually only under the car from my shoulders up. It's the getting into and out of position that gets harder through the years. Karl has it easy with access to a lift.
Sorry to read that you were feeling down yesterday. I hope that the recovery last for a while.

It's the same with my Equinox. And like you the hardest and longest part of the job is getting up and down off the ground. Pouring the used oil back into the container is getting more difficult with my unreliable hands. I don't know about modern lifts, but the old ones required being set up underneath from both sides. A pit would be nice, but stairs are no fun either.

I have been having longer periods of stable health recently. thank God!

Thank you for your concern.

Louis, praying that you feel well

Thank you, sir, prayers are the best gift anyone could give.

yes, I misspelled "ambient"

It is comforting to know even a professional writer can make these simple mistakes.

I hope your niece is doing better.

Seeing those dice makes me want to play Dungeons and Dragons which makes me want to play Magic Realm.

Karl and Louis:

Thank you, I enjoyed that video!

Forgive me if I have missed anyone

God Bless Us Everyone!

 

[chadbag]

Chad - I don't care what they really are, wild pigs, wild boars, wild hogs or feral hogs, they are destructive and leave a sizable dent in any vehicle that hits them.

Yeah. I’m sure they do. My post was more for information sake. I like to pontificate sometimes when I’m bored and online !

I’ll post pics later but we’re sitting at the Kobe airport gate 5. There are 8 gates, only around 3 of which have planes. This is one where they say to have luggage checked no later than 20 min before departure and clear security no later than 15 min before departure. Airline is called Skymark.

Most rigorous security scan of my person I’ve ever had. I had my watch and belt (they didn’t want those off). And some vitamin / fish oils pils in a ziplock bag. I triggered the metal detector. They took the pills to examine them or something and wanted me very slowly. Alll over. I guess the snaps on my shorts pockets set it off. They also patted me down. It was a 20 something woman and I’m sure she felt uncomfortable patting down big fat old white guy with belly.

We’re headed to Tokyo. Schedule flight time is 75 min.

 

[santafewillie]

It is comforting to know even a professional writer can make these simple mistakes.

That's why he uses an editor and proofreader!!!

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good morning! It's 50°F and mostly clear.

 

[NorthBrit]

Good morning all. It is a blustery day, keeping the rain away.
A large coffee and blueberry muffin please, Flo. I'll sit by the window and watch the world go by.

Older granddaughter has to go to Leeds for a scan on her head. She travels down on Wednesday.

Louis. Sorry for not mentioning before. I hope you are now much better.

Hopefully I will be in the train room later

 

[CambriaArea51]

Sunny and 70 today. A beautiful day for Memorial Day, the solar lights are set to red and blue in the yard. Finally got enough to do the whole yard.

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning globetrotters and homebodies alike, and happy Memorial Day!

53 degrees under partly cloudy skies heading to a high of 70.

Sons 1,2,&3 all showed up yesterday with significant other to play board games and mess with the old man and his wife. Was a great day with the kids! They left just as the Coca-cola 600 began, so I confiscated the big screen tv and the reclining couch to watch. I even stayed awake for the whole thing which ended close to midnight!

BBL

 

[Bruette]

Louis. Sorry for not mentioning before. I hope you are now much better.

No need to be sorry. I know you are always with me!

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's clear and 76.
I spent the traditional Memorial day yesterday with son and daughter-in-law at their place. Grandkids came by for dinner and card games, and got an invite to the granddaughter's baby shower.
The ride back home this morning was marred by a serious accident on the Interstate. Multiple vehicles, car and people parts strewn all over the road, which was, and still is closed. While I haven't been able to verify, my guess is there was at least one fatality.

 

[Bruette]

I spent the traditional Memorial day yesterday with son and daughter-in-law at their place. Grandkids came by for dinner and card games, and got an invite to the granddaughter's baby shower.

All good news, thank you for sharing!

The ride back home this morning was marred by a serious accident on the Interstate. Multiple vehicles, car and people parts strewn all over the road, which was, and still is closed. While I haven't been able to verify, my guess is there was at least one fatality.

I'm sorry to hear that. In MD whenever there is a fatality they shut down the road to investigate. Is it the same in Florida?

I'll bet it was a "go-fast-moron" that caused the accident.

 

[migalyto]

Good morning all!

 

[bnsf971]

I'll bet it was a "go-fast-moron" that caused the accident.

The road was shut down at 5AM, the only other thing that would make sense is if it were a wrong-way head-on collision. That could be a confused person, or a drunk that woke up behind the wheel and started driving.

 

[logandsawman]

43, sunny, and calm winds here.

I had to get the opti visor out of the train shed this morning to check out a tick bite on my wife. It's great when the hobby paraphernalia comes in handy in domestic situations!

Remembering my late uncle Carryl, veteran of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge. Uncle Benny served in wwI. Dad was in Korea.

Heading to the local cemetery at 10. Otherwise, a typical day of chores and relaxation.

Dave LASM

 

[Bruette]

We celebrated Memorial Day Saturday at my son's house; it was also my daughter-in-law's Birthday Day.

My son served me first. "Sorry Mom the steaks take longer to cook" I had a Costco 1/4pound Hotdog perfectly grilled on a charcoal grill. I don't like it black, fully cooked, but not black! He served it to me on a Schmidt's long roll with yellow (American) mustard. Perfect, my boy knows me!

He also had 1" think USDA Choice NY Strip steaks from Costco. I skipped those but he partially grilled a few for me to take home. A long with a dozen hotdogs and eight hamburgers, I have food for the best part of two weeks! I already had a half a hotdog for breakfast. I can't decide if I want a steak or hamburger for lunch. I'll probably have another hotdog.

Later I had a cheeseburger with extra sharp cheddar cheese. He served it on a fresh Pepperidge Farm onion roll, with yellow onions, low sugar ketchup and yellow (American) mustard, my favorite cheese and roll for a cheeseburger with the perfect condiments! Did I tell you my boy knows me?

With each he gave me an ice-cold Heineken. But first we had a shot of Rye Whiskey. A shot before eating is a Hungarian tradition, I enjoy sharing it with my Hungarian son. It is an excuse for me to have a shot, like I need an excuse! We should have had Palinka, but we both ran out and we haven't found it anywhere in the US. He knows I like Rye Whiskey and nobody else does. He has had that bottle of Rye Whiskey since he bought his first house. I'm not letting good whiskey go to waste!

Later for dessert, I skipped the cake, but I did have a small bite of my wife's. Instead, I wanted two shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey in a tall glass filled with ice to make it last longer. Eirinn go Brach (Erin Go Braugh - Ireland Forever!) I was born in the USA, but this potato loving, cabbage eating f...er is 75% Irish. The 100% Irish woman who raised me never let me forget it and I never will!

The other 25% is German which some have said the combination makes me crazy and mean. It's all good, I'm fat and happy with a beautiful Angel for a wife. Well.. I'm skinny now but you get the point.

I consumed no more calories the rest of the day. My blood sugar was good before going to bed and even better this morning. My blood pressure wasn't bad; 93/64 I'll take it.

We gave thanks to God, and all those brave souls who made the Ultimate Sacrifice so that we can enjoy our Freedom and Democracy. We will never forget them!