Happy Friday Everyone!
Lots of contending with the weather this week, but a few opportunities to forget about it also. I went out for dinner with older son last night and took a few pics of the place we went. It’s one of our favorite places to go. Son usually gets pizza. I got eggplant parmesan with angel hair pasta. Delicious!
Before I get to those pics, I wanted to share one that I’ve looked at a million times and could — and probably will — look at it a million more. Somewhere along the way I picked up a National Geographic slideshow that I use for my screen saver. “Properties” of the folder says over 900 images. They feel like old friends now.
The next pic is the blanket I “made” for granddaughter for Christmas. It was a kit purchased on clearance last year when Jo Anne Fabrics was going out of business. It’s two pieces that have 5″ fringes cut all of the way around — can you say sore hand? — and then they are tied together. She loves dinosaurs; I know this will keep her warm.
Tao-Talk 
What a lovely post, thank you for sharing, Lisa!
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Irene, so glad you enjoyed the post, thanks :)
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Lovely pictures! I love the sweet blanket Li.
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Sadje, I can’t wait to see her face when she opens the present.
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She’ll be overjoyed. 😄
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Love the Dinosaur blanket! I don’t see many restaurants with dark wood like that…steak houses used to have that at one time. Love the two doves video…
I love the Mavericks…
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Max, I know she will love it. It’s soft and warm material. This place has gone through several owners over the years. It has always been an eatery. Back in the day, when my uncle got out of the service and wanted a drinking partner, we used to go there when they had a piano bar, drink Jim Beam, and sit up and watch the guy play and sing. Then it became a pancake house that seemed to do a good business. Then a local restaurateur who’d started up many successful places, fixed this one up for his son to operate. He still owns the place next door, that is the premier of the two, with a more expensive menu. Good times, good conversation. It had been about a month since seeing my son (last time was that drive up to the dam) so we had a lot to talk about.
Yes, watching the doves that day was just what I needed. The Giuffre book has been triggering me bigtime, so I need a calming peace.
Have you heard (of) this Mavericks album?
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I love the atmosphere of it…now I’m going to sound like the “get off my lawn” guy but I like a place to eat that is darker…not all bright sterile…that place has personality… and I miss that…I remember Steak and Ale used to be like that as well…a relaxing place…and a place to talk.
Yes I have heard of that album…in the 90s I played it a lot…I always liked them and what a terrific singer.
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I know exactly what you mean about having dark ambience rather than “bright sterile.” They have a lot of cool doodads throughout the place that give it personality. They have torn down some beautiful supper clubs around town and there is no forgiving it.
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Yes! I remember sitting in a Steak and Ale in Huntsville probably 15 years ago…it was such a warm feeling and it’s made for eating and conversation. I also remember a few places as a kid like that.
I know this is crazy…but I miss the old Pizza Huts and the “bucket” for KFC…why? It gave them personality… now it’s like everyone wants it to be like everyone else…
LOL…I could go on and on with this…you struck a nerve!
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There is still at least two Pizza Huts here that are old school. I think they’ve converted a few into other restaurants. You’re going way back on KFC. One of the old KFCs is now a Chinese restaurant we used to go to all the time. I do remember those buckets of chicken. Yum! Here we have Lee’s Famous Recipe that is soooo good!
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We had Lee’s Famous Recipe but they left…we have Popeyes now though. I’ve seen a few of those old Pizza Hut buildings here as well.
We also have some old Whataburger A- Burger A-Frames from the 70s left that are other things now.
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I had Popeyes near Chicago and loved it, but the local ones they built here a few years back are horrible! Haven’t heard of Whataburger. We had Burger Chef before McDonalds and Burger King. Rarely go to any of them nowadays.
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Whataburgers started in Texas as these huge A frames that have been turned into something else…Popeyes we had in the 70s and they left and Lee’s Famous Recipe came in…they left years later and then Popeyes came back…we have some good ones…I love their spicy chicken.
Oh we are getting In and Out Burger! The corporate office moved here and they are opening them up…I’ve heard great things about them.
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All lovely, Li, but it’s the two doves who caught my eye the most.
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Chris, I’m glad they caught your eye. I’m thinking of the 12 days of Christmas and the two (turtle) doves. Hoping to see a partridge ;)
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What a feast- This post fed the eyes, the ears and the heart. Thank you!
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V, muah! <3 <3 <3
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Mourning doves have a special place for me. Among other reasons, they were the topic of the first dream my toddler son ever related to me.
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Steve, your sharing this makes me smile. So very awesome that your son related a dream to you. And about mourning doves :) I’m guessing he had seen them before?
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Yes, they hang out on the telephone wire in front of our house and call out early in the morning, so he knew them well.
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Nice restaurant decorations, like the wall art pieces! Nice to get out sometimes. Love that soft and cute blanket! The doves were so peaceful looking <3
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Barbara, happy you enjoyed the pics. It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas :)
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How lovely, Lisa. I enjoyed your haiku. I could get lost in the clouds.
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Colleen glad you liked it. It was hard to see the details through the screen but still inspiring.
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Always enjoy your doodads. The restaurant looks cool by “my winner” is the blanket for your granddaughter – what a thoughtful and beautiful gift! :-)
As for The Mavericks, I guess we were on the same wavelength. And, of course, The Chieftains featuring my beloved Bonnie Raitt got my immediate attention. Anything that lady touches typically turns to gold!
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I think she will love the blanket. Yes, a weird bit of synch on Mavericks and then lead singer passing on also. I picked the Bonnie song because it was good and because I knew you were a fan :)
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So much love in your post, Li. Time with your son with that photo of the woman and young man looking at each other in a thought provoking gaze, your beautiful blanket for your granddaughter.. ( a labor of love) and your beautiful poem and song of the “love birds”.
❤️
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Cindy, so happy you enjoyed the post, thanks! <3
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Whoa, what great finds at the store, Lisa. That Chieftains CD is marvellous; I’ve posted a couple from it – “Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór” with the Rankins (a terrific Canadian band, you’d love their stuff), and “The Magdalene Laundries,” which Joni Mitchell totally owns. I’ve enjoyed that CD for decades. The k.d. lang album is fabulous, too. We saw k.d. do a show in 2017 where she played the whole album. Great shopping excursion, and the dinner out with your son sounds fun.
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Steve, happy you are familiar with the CDs. I be kd puts on a heck of a show. The voice of voices.
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Oh, yes, her show was divine, Lisa. I am not sure she tours anymore, though special appearances come from time to time.
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That blanket is so freakin’ adorable, Lisa. One really good thing that came from the sad closure of Joann Fabrics. The movie/music discount place is one I would love to have near us. I’m always on the lookout for physical copies of entertainment. Not that I am adverse to owning something “virtually,” but I’ll always want to have it on the bookcase or shelf if I can.
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Bruce I know she will love the blanket. The 2-storefront place is in our now mostly defunct mall that was built out in the burbs and drew people away from our downtown. They sure do have a passel of physical copies. The one down side to their CD section is that they are not separated by genre nor alphabetized, which makes it a real chore to go through. I told older son I’d almost be willing to let them give me $100 to alphabetize them. I’m the same way about preferring real to virtual.
the link for the place: https://www.statictapevideo.com/
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Thanks for the link, Lisa. Looks like a great place, even if there’s a little bit of “work” involved to go through all of that inventory.
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You’re welcome. I got through a fair bit of the CDs, but still just a fraction of what was there.
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