Two collections, one is mine, one is not mine. Which belongs to which human at Chez Sarge?
Hint, one belongs to the human who likes beer way too much. The other belongs to the reigning queen of my little corner of the planet.
That's right, the beer steins are mine, except for the one on the top shelf, all the way left, that one belongs to The Naviguessor. The other stein on the top shelf is from Geilenkirchen and my tour in NATO, so is the one with the aircraft on top on the lower shelf. Lower middle came from Innsbruck, in Austria of course. The one to the far right (nothing political intended, you in the back, just sit down), with the foxes on top and the stag on the side, was my first stein, a gift from The Naviguesser one fine Christmas in Germany.
When The Missus Herself started collecting the figurines I was all like, "Wonderful, knick-knacks, how long will those last with a cat in the house?" Which later became two cats.
So far of all her Precious Moments figurines, only one crashed and burned, and it wasn't the feline staff who sent it crashing to the ground. Nope, wasn't me either.
The Missus Herself set it too close to the edge on one of those shelves, a moment's inattention, a brush of a sleeve, and AHHHHHHHHHH. CRASH!!!
Even I found it somewhat upsetting, hey, I have a sensitive side, I try to hide it by saying fire truck all the time. Well, something shorter but which rhymes with that second word.
I admit it, I am something of a barbarian at times.
The folks at work on Thursday remarked that my language would make Samuel L. Jackson blush. Yeah, I doubt it but I was a bit coarse on the last work day of the week. Tired, cranky, and finally having a run of success when we'd been struggling to get stuff done on a recalcitrant system all week.
Finally stuff worked. Fire truck yeah! Or words to that effect,
The Missus Herself keeps wondering if I will ever grow up.
"You're almost seventy, why do you have to talk like that?"
Almost seventy? Nope, not there yet though it is in hailing distance.
Grow up? Why, consider me a very responsible 12 year old. Who is overweight, gray, and balding. Okay, that's a lie. Bald, I am freaking bald, hence the ball cap I have been known to wear damned near everywhere. Except in restaurants, church, and at home.
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| That's me, with the ball cap. In a pub (Murphy's in Alexandria, VA). Yes, I took it off once I sat down. I'm not a total barbarian. (Mike McDaniel Photo) |
Busy day yesterday, running errands and the like. Accomplished two missions for The Missus Herself and did a side trip to Barnes & Noble pour moi. Picked up these three -
Anyhoo, that was my day, how was yours?
Yes, yes, a couple of chatty, gossipy posts after a couple of heavy duty posts. The political stuff leaves me gasping for fresh air, it's like visiting a fetid swamp writing about that stuff. Ah well, you get what you pay for, neh?
Our wedding cake had a precious moments figure on top. I think it was a ring box, with a heart lid and those 2 little folks on top. I think our son obliterated it one day when he was the tiny tornado. Fast Forward to ebay, and I found a replacement. I gave it to her on her birthday. I thought she had suddenly broken a toe, there were so many tears. That was a memorable birthday.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have beer steins though. It'd be books, or tools, or..... And it would never fly. Not allowed here.
I think those shelves are a beautiful example of how you guys have gotten along. Looks to me like there is a "melding of the minds".... All laid out on a couple shelves. Congratulations.... well done.....
(Yeah, I read Peter over at bayourenaissanceman this morning, why do you ask?)
Thanks STxAR, we have become, not so much used to each other, but comfortable with each other. Compromise is important but so is standing one's ground when necessary, sometimes you just have to yield to the other person's desire. It has worked for us.
DeleteYa.... another trilogy to drool over, that is next to purchase. As to language there's always been something satisfying when uttering the heavy consonant laden construction of the fire truck word even though over-use diminishes the effect, not to mention raising eyebrows from others when using such ah.... coarse.... language. Sometimes working around the yard results in the air turning darker when I'm by myself. Those beer steins are interesting, who does the dusting?
ReplyDeleteDusting?
DeleteSeriously, she does that, I tried once and was chastised for my ability to perform such a simple chore. Mutterings about bulls and China shops could be heard.
Your inability? Well played Sarge, well played.
DeleteFreudian slip, or something.
Delete😉
Potty Mouth Syndrome. Wait, those initials are already used.
ReplyDeleteAlmost seventy is when you see your seventieth birthday looming right in front of you. I've gone through my mid-sixties, (64-66) and now I'm beginning my late-sixties, (67-69). To a degree it is relative, a couple of days ago I noticed a Navy ballcap on an older gent and I stopped to chat. We were both engineroom snipes and he went to bootcamp in 1954. (I was two.) He seemed to be getting along pretty well.
I still have a full and luxurious head of slightly wavy hair with a natural salt and pepper look. (Nope, not vain about it at all) :) My total contribution to great hair was to receive good genes from Mom and Dad.
Display stuff. With the exception of my retirement shadow box, my wife has total control of stuff on display. My stuff is mostly tools and things that make holes at distances. Neither category gets displayed. I could see that some of the old time brass and steel precision tools would look wonderful in a shadow box, but I use them.
Good post and a nice offset to politics.
Thanks John.
DeletePolitics can be so tiresome.
I'd always heard and now believe and use this. "The Lord only created a certain amount of perfect heads. The rest he covered with hair." Mine must be "Nearly Perfect" at best. I don't wear a cap often, but have several. Ran into an older gentleman a while back at Wally World wearing a Phantom hat, stopped and chatted with him for quite a while. A little older than I (~5 years), but we knew or knew of lots of the same people. It was an entertaining time.
ReplyDeleteHow was my day? Not bad. Starting a few projects, one I expect to finish within a week. One in about a year. Mrs J and I have gotten busy to the point that we have to have one of those "Family planner" apps (Cozi if you must know) to keep things straight. So, Not a bad day at all.
Language? Well...I try...40 in a 70 on a two lane road? Yep...the Fire Trucks are going to be lighting up their siren song.
On your recommendation, downloaded the Coonts/Tillman book. I know that story, pretty well. Want to see how they tell it.
"the Fire Trucks are going to be lighting up their siren song" - I might need to steal that.
DeleteProjects, we're trying to knock those out now while I can still afford to pay someone else to do it. After retirement no doubt I expect to be expected to putter around the house in some way, shape, or form. As long as she lets me sleep late.
That brings up something else I've come to realize. A lot of things I thought we were better off having someone else do, are actually things I CAN do. Amazing what having a bit of time available allows me to accomplish.
DeleteRegarding sleep. Again, having no set responsibilities, I can sleep until I wake up. Stay up until I feel tired, That works out to be between 7:30-8 AM and 10-10:30 PM most days. It may take a while, but I think you will quickly come to like it.
Miracles do happen. 😉
Deletejuvat. The only retirement goal that's been a total failure was my plan to shorten my reading list.
DeleteIt might sound a bit silly to state it this way, but the more you do, the more you can do.
Having that "bit of time" has allowed me to learn to sew fairly well, and when the local tech school offered a night course in hobby welding, I had the time to take it. The side effect of that welding course was a conversation with my wife that included her saying, "But why do we need another welder?"
One can always use another welder. 😉
DeleteGot my new scope mounted and bore sighted. Need to go shoot and zero.
ReplyDeleteI install the shelves and am likely to only put books on them. All else (including more books) belongs to wife. I do carpentry. Even my DD 214 even says so--secondary MOS. Not cabinet grade. I build it to last--glue and screws. A tornado may toss it into the next county, but it will still be in one piece.
My dad had this photo (sorta) on the wall of his office for decades--
https://www.islandartcards.com/shop/pan-american-clipper-sikorsky-s-42-through-golden-gate-bridge-april-1935-giclee-art-print-poster-wapcs04.html#prettyPhoto
North tower is on the left.
I say sorta because his copy is cropped to just include the two bridge towers. It is way over exposed, so much so that the farthest ridge line is completely gone. Don't know if he bought it already framed or not. The frame measures 27" X 23".
On our last move, the glass was cracked all the way across. My next project is to buy one of the prints above, replace the frame glass, and hang it in my home office. I'll keep the old print because it was his.
Love that photo, I wonder what sort of aircraft the cameraman was on?
DeleteBut you still are a barbarian as civilized folk remove their covers as they enter the building. But we here in the civilized South will cut you darned yankees some slack, as being yankees you already show a lack of some civilization.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're balding. You still have some hair, maybe not on the top, but you have side hair. You're bald, but not bald-bald, ifn you know what I mean.
As to collections, well, it's time for me to take the baskets (she made most, I made 1 or 2) out and dust them. Be easier if I had a blower, but I don't so I'll just have to do it the old fashioned way. Wanna know the hardest part of making a basket? It's groking the concept of a circle and holding that concept to the material. Seriously. Without circles (and other curves symmetrical) the basket won't... basket.) And I don't do fine motor control, so small figurines explode within a 5' radius of my spaz hands. Don't even have to touch them, they'll just blam themselves.
I like looking at steins. Best selection, short of Germany at Epcot, that I ever saw was at a long defunct German restaurant called "Franks n' Steins" which served all things sausage and of course beer. Neat name. There should be more German restaurants. Maybe give a reason for decent Germans to finally leave Germany and let it collapse so the Poles can take it over.
Rambling off.
One keeps his cover on until one damn well wants to take it off. Barbarians Anonymous.
DeleteThere are nowhere near enough German restaurants in this country. That sounds like it was a good one.
Top bald, aye. Side bald, nope. Point taken.
That reminds me of the boot camp game I experienced -- you had to remove your cover at precisely the point where you were no longer outside but not yet inside. The exact point was determined by the mood of the Company Commander. Push-ups. Many, many push-ups. It was such a great time!
DeleteOh the games we played when we were young.
DeleteI have pointed out to my barber that God has a marvelous sense of humor, I can no longer grow hair on my scalp, but my nose and my ears produce a bountiful crop. All part of the "joy" of growing older I guess. I'm sure that you will enjoy all three of your new books, I surely did. Looking forward to next month with hopes that I'll see you and your lovely ride.
ReplyDeleteWell, with the wedding and all, we'll be three hours from the DC area. Not sure if there will be time.
DeleteI have several old steins, several of which have the initials of the owner carved into the top - they used to keep them at the pub.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, stein kept at the pub, a great custom. Makes one feel at home it does.
DeleteI have a nice little collection of steins myself, but with a 1450 sqft house, I have no good place to show them. Although, we have an empty nest now for the most part, and the Minnow's room has become a guest room/office. Maybe I should figure out some sort of shelving situation and mark my territory.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't seize the ground, someone else will.
DeleteWhat better way to decorate a guest room/office?
Hmm, a kegerator?
DeleteWell, that works too.
DeleteHey Old AFSarge;
ReplyDeleteI need to display my mugs, I got quite a collection of beer steins from my youthful gasthaus hopping days. One day I may make that a post on beer steins.
P.S. Had spelling errors and didn't catch it fast enough....My Bad
Spelling errors are called "typos" here. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.
DeleteLooking forward to that post.
I have, with a little bit of success, attempted to remove that fire truck word from my vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteI have friends and family who have picked up the slack.
Periodically something creates a brain fart and one will slop out.
70 is only an address number and I’m not anywhere near that neighborhood any more.
That surprises the #!¢€ out of people I meet.
While I do exercise restraint around the grandkids, my language remains colorful, probably will until they roll me into the ground.
DeleteYou were restrained at the latest gathering. Perhaps the Missus had some influence? I do hope that the next one is more conducive to moving around and being able to hear people better- age thing I guess.
DeleteWell, the weather made us late, the venue wasn't conducive to mingling, and I was a bit shagged after a long week.
DeleteHeh -- as one connoisseur of language to another -- "English, mumblefumbler! Do you speak it?"
ReplyDeleteI wonder what 17th century Franconian would think of a beer stein with an E-3 on top?
I'm enjoying the day and the weather, the latter which has been too warm for meatloaf. However, meatloaf is now a high priority for the first brisk day of autumn.
Also preparing to jump in to Coontz/Tillman and the story of the Dragon's Jaw.
Be well and continue to embrace precious moments. It's one of the things we're here for.
Copy that Shaun.
Delete17th Century Franconians insist on steins with at least an E-4 or above on them!
DeleteBut never, ever an O-1!
DeleteTuna - Well played.
Deletejuvat - Most certainly not!
DeleteCouple of good chuckles there fellows. I think a green 170 would look just as good as an AWACS atop a stein. And I can see the Franconians point, Unteroffiziere oder höher, keine Ausnahmen!
DeleteAber natürlich!
DeleteI was in San Diego a couple of weeks ago and drove by Shakespeare's about a dozen times. No worries, I still love the place. People to see, places to go but it was my pub once where I went for a bite and some beer. It's where my brother-in-law set up my first macbook ages ago while we drank beer there in the back. And yeah, it's where Lex and I shared a beer from time to time, sometimes with all his locals.
ReplyDeleteI lived right off Washington Street at the top of the hill on Albatross. It was, in many ways, the saddest part of my life. I was not what one would describe as a sociable warrior monk. I gave it a try from time to time but, sorry I missed you when we were back on the coast. Maybe next time. In the meantime, still catching up on Sharpe although I must say that I enjoy The Mentalist.
Both Sharpe and The Mentalist were most enjoyable.
DeleteCap'n - Would've loved to see you again. Shakespeare's is a must stop whenever I'm in Sandy Eggo, the memories there are palpable. Met you, Tuna, the Hobbit, Padre Dave, and a number of others for the first time there. Besides the bangers and mash are quite good.
DeleteRon - Concur.
Delete