Rare, Collectible, & Otherwise

Tag: bistro (Page 47 of 105)

Heat? Bring it on!

Sunday. Day of rest. Day of rest? No. More like, day of ALL the rest – all the rest of the projects that could not be completed during the regular work week.

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Can’t let the summer heat go to waste. Instead of boiling water to set inside the frosted-over freezer to speed up the melting, that 90+ degree heat outdoors is making for a quick disappearance of all that icy buildup. No boiling water. No drippy mess on the kitchen floor. (I have containers on the sidewalk to catch the run-off, but all the little splashes are evaporating about as quickly as they hit the deck.)

Those of us still living in the defrost age have a decided advantage. Those frost-free freezers and refrigerators don’t have a built-in cleaning reminder. Of course, Dustin and I aren’t dirtying-up the interior by tossing in open pans of spaghetti sauce or some such thing (my son Dustin and I are sharing kitchen duties as of a couple of weeks ago – what a godsend that has been!). We take care to keep up with it, but there are some projects that are out of the regular cycle. Like today’s episode.

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I sprayed and paper-toweled the freezer interior as it became visible from under the layer of frost, but there wasn’t a lot to clean. The defrosting brings about a forced reminder to clean the floor under the freezer, the appliance interior, and the top of the thing.

Sometimes I think we need those sorts of personal-defrosting moments that would allow us to scrub up our life-fringes. But that’s a project for some other Sunday.

While the freezer sits outside drawing the attention of passersby, I’ve taken the opportunity to address a couple of the tables. Attached a metal strap under the wooden top that was damaged in transit and only lately began to become an issue. Added another in a separate area as an insurance measure. Tightened the screws on the legs. Same drill for a second table.

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I’d love to spend more time under this air conditioning vent typing up progress reports, but I’ve got to get that frozen food out of the backup unit and into the freezer.

Here’s one thing that was reinforced already today, as a result of the projects: There is no honest work accomplished without busting a knuckle or two.

I’ve busted one already.

Nine to spare.

Come visit!

McHuston

Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main St. Broken Arrow OK!

Go forth, 4th!

Ah, the summer air, sunshine, and the smell of onions on the grill! Happy 4th of July!

Having reached the age at which I have gone through my lifetime’s allotment of things to explode, I’ll leave those gunpowder-related things to younger fire-pappies and just stick to admiring the features of the season. I’m at the shop, as usual. This afternoon is devoted to research projects and ignoring the remaining few stacks of books that require pricing and shelving.

Needless to say, the shop is closed, although many of my Rose District neighbors are conducting business as usual. The restaurants are open (with the exception of Romeo’s and Back Creek Deli) and folks are out enjoying the day at the sidewalk tables.

Be safe in your endeavors today and call if you suddenly experience a book emergency.

I’m here to serve.

McHuston

Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main St. Broken Arrow OK!

From A to Zamperini. A story now complete.

His bio is one of those stranger than fiction tales, an epic struggle for survival that – amazingly – ended fairly well. His biography is titled Unbroken, and is to be released presently as a film directed by Anjelina Jolie.

Louis Zamperini was a speedy kid. They called him the Torrence Tornado back in those days when everybody had to have a nickname. (Maybe we haven’t outgrown that. To wit: Branjolina?) He was Jesse Owens roommate at the Berlin Olympics, taking his US National track records to the world stage.

When the US entered the second World War, Zamperini enlisted. His plane went down in the Pacific; he was assumed dead, but survived the crash only to be captured by the Japanese.

The account of his survival was published as a memoir and was optioned by Hollywood way back when, but the movie was never made. When Laura Hillenbrand penned Unbroken as a biography that expanded on the memoir, it caught the attention of Jolie, who – ironically – lives not far from Zamperini’s home.

The veteran was selected as the Grand Marshall for the 2015 Rose Parade at age 97, but his death Wednesday will leave that post vacant, and it is unfortunate that he did not have an opportunity to see his life story represented in film.

Jolie’s treatment of the biography will likely make Zamperini a much more recognizable name, although the book has done well.

It is a staggering read – not for its size – but for the impossibly difficult situations that Louis Zamperini endured and came away from – Unbroken.

He represented his country on several fronts and exemplified the human spirit that will serve to motivate others long past his death.

A recommended read… Unbroken by Laura Hellenbrand.

Come visit!

McHuston

Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main St. Broken Arrow, OK!

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