McHuston Booksellers

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Tag: Books and Bistro (Page 75 of 92)

The Great Race. Rose style.

October 7, 2013 /

I’m thinking about hiring sherpas. Getting to the front door of the shop has apparently taken on a difficulty factor equal to scaling Mt. Everest. Or that TV show where teams race from place to place while overcoming outlandish obstacles.

Since the construction began, I’ve mentioned a “Thanks for braving the construction,” on occasion. Normally, the response is something like “Ah, it was no trouble.” Or, “I found a parking spot right in front.” (Several times on that one.) Unfortunately, there are no more parking spaces in front.

There’s a big pit.

So, today, when I thanked the folks who came in for lunch and tackled the construction to get here, the replies were a lot more descriptive. Those hardy folks didn’t just pop in at lunchtime. They set out on a mission.

And it’s probably a good time for me to say “Thanks.”

Trying to keep upbeat about it, knowing that the Rose District is going to be a beautiful shopping area once it is all finished. I’m also trying to remember that there are just a few more weeks for the streetwork’s completion.

The contractors are moving along at a quick pace and are trying to keep access open to the sidewalks. There’s a big yellow dino-bot right at the intersection this afternoon. The orange fence is blocking off the Commercial Street entry.

Hopefully, it won’t be required tomorrow.

So, to those of you who have already found your way in during this construction period, I want you to know it is sincerely appreciated. To those who have been thinking about coming down to see what it is all about – rest assured – there are offstreet parking spaces available in addition to the on-street parking between Commercial Street and Dallas.

The seventh-grade science teacher used to remind us that “Patience is a virtue.” I’m not trying for Sainthood or anything, but I’m certainly stocking up on that asset to get me through the next few weeks. Oh, and my other daily business proverb – that it only takes a couple of good sales to make the day – has proven true once again. What is likely my last sale of the evening has made up for the rest of the day!

It’s all good. Load up the backpack and climbing boots, then come visit!

McHuston

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

What’s the frequency, Kenneth?

October 5, 2013 /

I’ve dragged out Dad’s radio. An old beast. Single speaker job, pre-stereo. It used to sit on his desk. He was proud of that new FM thing.

I have plenty of gadgets in the office. TV. Computer. But no radio.

And I needed a radio. The OSU Cowboys are playing football on TV. So I need a radio.

Sometimes when you hear someone talk, you just wish they wouldn’t. Maybe if they’d change the subject, it would be more bearable. Maybe if ESPN’s Rod Gilmore talked about tree pruning or gourmet cooking I could listen.

Football?

Sorry, Rodney. I would listen if you were giving me legal advice, I promise.

He’s a practicing attorney in San Francisco, in addition to his television broadcasting chores. A bright guy. Stanford graduate. Howard Cosell was a lawyer, too. Couldn’t listen to him either – but I don’t think it’s the attorney thing.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys radio network is carried by radio stations all over Oklahoma and I tried a list of them that stream their programs on the internet. There must be some sort of legal angle that prohibits the games from being streamed over the internet. Rod could probably tell me.

The TV and the game were on. While I was cringing at his commentary, I glanced over and spotted Dad’s blue-tube stashed on a shelf.

Plugged it in – and it works!

Well, it works as well as the technology from that era should be expected to work. It’s a Philco model 926 from 1962. Sold for about twenty bucks brand new. The technology was different back then – what they called “vacuum tubes.” Those were replaced by transistors, which allowed radios to be produced in much smaller – and portable – versions.

On the back are a couple of posts sticking out that allow a wire to be attached. Amazingly, I just happen to have a radio antenna loop here in the office, which pulled in the FM stations. Turns out the game is carried on KFAQ – an AM station – which didn’t need the antenna.

KFAQ’s radio frequency is 1170, but you can see in the second image that the old radio doesn’t believe it for a second. The analog dial indicator is sitting midway between the 10 and the 11. Doesn’t matter to me.

I get to listen to the home town announcers, and more importantly, I don’t have to listen to Rod Gilmore while watching the TV coverage.
Nothing like going old school. Watching the game remembering my dad and his FM Muzak, symphonic versions of the Beatles. I hope his radio holds up long enough to get through the fourth quarter and the Cowboys hold up long enough to win the game.

PISTOLS FIRING! (a radio announcer touchdown thing…)

Come visit!

McHuston

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

Can you dig it? The machines did…

October 4, 2013 /

Crazy.

I’ve been playing some old standards on the guitar lately, inspired by my brother-in-law Dennis, the guitar virtuoso. It just occurred to me how prophetic “What a Difference a Day Makes” has turned out to be.

The yellow-metal dinosaurs are sleeping now, but they were in full digestive onslaught when I arrived at the shop this morning. The parking spaces in front of the store?

Gone.

I was able to catch a hungry dino-bot in action just outside the door, as you can see in the image. By mid-afternoon, the entire west-side block of parking was gone. Orange fence in place. Narrow strip of pavement serving as a sidewalk – left in place.

Not many using it.

I believe more people opened the door and stuck their heads in when I moved downtown, even before I even had a sign up or the boxes of books unpacked. Not a complaint here, though. Just an observation. I realize that it’s going to be thin chapters before getting back to the action sequence and the book is completed. (Really stretching for that one, huh?)

My neighbors down the block seem to have survived, and I’m guessing MSTavern will, too. There were cars parked at distances around the intersection, since their regular parking spots near the door are set-off with perimeter tape to protect the wet cement.

Here’s the part I like: With the exception of the first lady in the door, who quickly floated up and down the aisles like a ghost on the haunt before darting outside – the folks who braved the construction and crossed the threshold all bought something. I’ve had days when I could not race to the bathroom quickly enough because of all the store traffic (well, I DID make it on time, after all!) but they simply nodded on their way out, or mumbled something by way of goodbye – without so much as a price check. I LIKE the ratio of browsers to buyers!

What a difference a day makes!

The street project has been officially extended by a month. The mid-October deadline has become a mid-November finish. I don’t expect the yellow mechanical-dinosaurs to be in front of the shop for that long. The contractor is doing his best, and the consensus (while admitting some merchant whining) is that they are moving pretty quickly.

I walked across the street to the bank’s sidewalk. Impressive, is what I am thinking. Nice brick planters, complete with an irrigation system to keep the soon-to-be-installed landscaping alive and well. They are readying the street lamps for installation in the next block, which will be outfitted with electrical outlets to accommodate vendors who need to power up cash registers, fans, or phone-chargers during street festivals and fairs.

I’ve said it all along – the sooner the construction begins, the sooner it can be completed. Well, they have started.

The daily prep schedule will have to be adjusted, obviously. I wondered about making my daily batch of hand-mashed potatoes, but did it anyway. Good thing, too. Wound up selling all of them with the Bangers & Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. Overdid the soup and stew, but thankfully I don’t mind eating my own cooking. Monday, I’ll mentally refigure the recipes and try again.

The parking may be tough for now, but your patience is appreciated. The project is going to be worthwhile in the long run. I’m in it for that.

Don’t be scared by sleeping yellow dino-machines. Come visit!

McHuston

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

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