Rare, Collectible, & Otherwise

Tag: oklahoma (Page 33 of 115)

A Salute to the Colonel.

It’s nothing like the bonds formed among those in the service, but there is a camaraderie of sorts in the Rose District – born somewhat of mutual support. The Colonel was one of those who gave his support early on, bringing his associates down from the museum at lunchtime.

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And the military museum on Main Street owes much to his championing of the cause. He was the driving force behind its move to the Rose District, and only retired from his position there late last year. The accompanying photo is from then and is courtesy of moreBrokenArrow.com

I was saddened to learn of his passing.

From the museum’s Board of Directors:

After a life of service, Col. Robert W. Powell passed away last night at the age of 93. A memorial service to honor his life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 121 West College, Broken Arrow at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10th. The church is located directly west of the Museum.

The Military History Museum will be closed during the memorial service. Following the memorial service, as requested by Col. Powell, the Museum will be open for a time of gathering and reflection.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Military History Museum or a charity of your choosing. Thank you for keeping the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Respectfully,

The Military History Museum Board of Directors

His health was failing, I knew. But his spirit never flagged.

Rest in peace, sir.

Marching into madness…

Well – not exactly marching. Sitting, is more like it.

I’m here at the shop just recharging my batteries. Nah – not a figure of speech. The battery on the camera croaked and the cordless power drill has turned its last screw.

For now. The batteries are out and plugged into the outlets.

Oh, I guess I am doing a little recharging of my own. A little bit of NCAA madness on the television in between scaling the too-tall ladder to change out light bulbs and moving stacks of books.

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A busy week is behind us. No complaints about the catering job that wound up at the end of one of our busier weeks, but it feels good to be working on side projects and meant-to-do-that-earlier-jobs.

Dustin spent the early part of his birthday prepping box lunches for a Broken Arrow History Museum bus tour. That was in addition to the daily prep getting ready for the Saturday lunch service. Lots of bread and boxes later, the catering job was sent on its way. It reminded me of all the sandwiches I helped make back in high school as a young employee at Allen’s IGA in McAlester.

MVC-062F

As it turned out, Mr. Allen’s store was the closest to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, and when prisoners staged a massive riot back in the early 1970s, we were recruited into service preparing sack lunches for all the Highway Patrol Troopers, corrections officials, and who-knows-who-else. We made cold-cut sandwiches for days.

They were nothing like the meals we worked on Saturday morning. Back then, it was mostly slap a slice of bologna between slices of white bread with a squirt of mustard. No fresh-cooked bacon or provolone cheese. Certainly no fresh-baked cookies to go along with.

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We’ll be serving it again Monday, but there is enough sunshine today for a quick Rose District update.

We’re still flying the St. Patrick’s Day flags on the awning outside – not so much for the sake of celebrating, but mainly for lack of time to get the ladder outside and take them down. A little shamrock fringe never hurt anyone, anyway.

I’m hoping we won’t be hurt by the upcoming construction project across the street. First National Bank has announced a remodeling project that got a little press in the Tulsa World this past week. I noticed the advisory sign on the front of the bank earlier in the week.

The artist’s rendition (click on the image for a larger view) shows an attractive new front that will fit nicely in the Rose District architectural scheme. I just worry about another squeeze on the available parking. They are coping down the street (where a large crane is currently parked sideways across any number of parking spots), so I guess we’ll have to just grin and bear it.

We survived having the sidewalk in front of the store ripped out and replaced. We managed through the orange fencing and the similarly-colored barrels. Even the closed street sections for utilities renovation. We’ll manage through whatever they throw our way, and look forward to having a beautiful new bank building to look out at from our front windows.

We’ll provide safe haven from any hardhat zone, so…

Come visit!

McHuston

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

We did it and Amen!

Another St. Patrick’s Day is in the books, and a big thanks to all who came out and partied with us on Saturday or had lunch with us on Tuesday. We served a lot more folks this year than last time ‘round, when the Rose District was still recuperating from the street-renovation project.

It doesn’t matter how many times the drill has been run, it seems to be a bit like trotting over a frozen-over creek – half way across you hear a little ice-cracking sound and hold your breath looking for a place to jump off on the other side.

And we’re that much more experienced for next time!

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My intention was to have a snapshot or two that I could post for those who couldn’t make it in. We were in the thick of it quickly and no time for photographs, so you’ll just have to close your eyes and imagine a person in each of our chairs and parties waiting to be seated. Green beers on the table and corned beef on the plates. Some Irish jigs and reels playing on the speakers.

We’ll work up to having bagpipers and those high-stepping river dancers. This year it was mostly Kristen and me racing up and down the aisles hoisting plates and glasses and trying to keep up with running orders to Dustin in the kitchen.

There are twelve months between now and the next edition. Plenty of time to plan – and rest up!

In the meantime, in lieu of a picture from Tuesday, I’ve had to settle for a St. Patrick’s Day flashback, in the kitchen at the old haunt: Paddy’s Irish in Tulsa with the evening crew on what may have been my first St. Patrick’s spent there. (I know it’s an early snapshot – I an’t wearin’ the puffy sleeve shirt that went with me kilt!)

Some memories there – and some good old-fashioned googly eyeglasses!

We’re serving our regular menu tomorrow, so…

Come visit!

McHuston

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

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