The New Coffee Room

@blondie Hello, blondie!!

I know all about stress and a busy schedule. Still dealing with that here, too. So glad t hear from you, and I wish you well with your projects. Hope you still have time to sew!

@Aqua-Letifer LOL, yes, a tattoo! I expect pics when you get it!

@Axtremus
Thanks, Ax! PhD is in computer science. I won't post the dissertation, but can tell you it's about optimizing speed for super computers. It's based on kiddo's work on the new super computer that was installed at the Argonne National Lab near Chicago. (Hi, George!)

Kiddo made it go faster! So much so that Argonne asked for more time to have another internship with kiddo. They're speed freaks as is kiddo!

@Horace
I am so pleased you have froggos, and that you think of me. LOLOL

@Mik
We still have Poppy, and he's a good little traveler. Goes across the country with us!

@Mik
Now it's birds. We have a flock of young Cedar Waxwings here at the fountain right now.

Did I post pics of the new fountain? I don't think so.

Big project for hubby and me. Did it all ourselves.
Drainage pond under the stone floor of the fountain. Has a water reservoire and recirculating pump with a float to add water automagically as needed.

Bluestone slab floor that we cut and installed. Pedestal base was so heavy we rented a forklift to place it. You can see the tow straps. I removed the boxwoods and replanted them in the open area of the low hedge.
Built a low wall using some granite stones reclaimed from old tunnels in St. Paul.

Used more cut bluestone for flat areas of the fountain. The small birds love the flat stones, the larger birds love the small bowl at the top.

Funky leaf imprints in the bluestone.

In place!

@Rich
Excellent pic, Rich! Congrats on a grandkiddo!

My kiddo is turning 30, and will likely stay kiddo for a while longer. Maybe another 30 years? We'll see. LOL

@cathys Yes, enjoy the grandkiddo as often as possible. Best to catch all that fun while you can. It's alright to retire just to do that!

@taiwan_girl

Hello TG! Good to know you are still here, too.

@Jolly
We have had about that many trees taken down at our property, too. Hubby had the enormous walnut trees cut for lumber. Holy cow, it's a LOT! The walnut trees were about 125 years old, maybe more. Huge trees, and one had a bit of rot. I will not miss the thousands of walnuts every year that the squirrels would plant, and I would have to pull.

Also had several dead pines removed, another couple of trees near the power lines, and much trimming. We did the cleanup. I love my truck!

Your poor wife! Shoulder pain is so awful. Tell her I am sorry she is having such troubles. Give her a gentle hug from me.

Granddaughter will eventually winnow her interests. It sure would be nice for her to keep the piano in the mix of activities. She can keep that going for a lifetime of enjoyment. I'm sure she noodles around on your piano. Maybe give her the option of trying some lessons. She might get hooked, and it would help her decide which activities to keep. She's old enough to decide what she wants to keep doing.

You're a good grandpa to notice what she likes, and to talk with her about the piano.

@Doctor-Phibes
Retired and rich!

@kluurs

You will live to 100 or more! You're doing all the right things. ( I am not!)

I am currently addicted to audiobooks, and I love it. Our regional library system has thousands of audiobooks. No, I will not admit to how many hours per week I listen. LOL

Pets are on the decline here, too. I have only one treefrog left. Even my beautiful Blue is gone. She's on the left, and Poppy is on the right. I still have my Poppy boy.

Best Blue pic ever. She channels her Aqua side. I don't know where she got that sassy attitude.

Baby #3 is needed. Better get started!

@LuFins-Dad
"Ride that fad all the way to the bank, kiddo."

@LuFins-Dad I should add that it was cousin's wife who decided they would have baby #4. So time will tell. It could be a baby and a dog.

@Doctor-Phibes

Kiddo had three internships with Nvidia during grad school, and I have been hoping it would become an offer for full employment. Holy cow, their employee benefits and salary are outstanding. Hubby and I are so glad this is coming together. I think kiddo will be very happy with this choice.

Two in college at the same time! I hope this means they each get more financial aid from the schools. That would be the silver lining of going through this all at once. It must seem so different to have both off to college. I suggest some bourbon to help you cope. I may need to have some, too, to help you cope. LOL

@89th
LOL, you had me wide-eyed at the high school thing!

Enjoy your trip to Disney this fall. It will be more of a reality experience than the election.

Yes, we had fewer hummers this year, too. Don't give up! There will be more, and your feeders can help build up their flocks again. I have some migrating hummers coming through yet.

While the weather is still good, my front porch is my office, and the hummers are my officemates. Had one visit late this morning. All it takes is two for an aerial show. It's wonderful!

@LuFins-Dad This is such wonderful news to hear! Luke will do well with either plan. He is someone who will land on his feet, no matter if there's a tiny wobble before he stands up tall and solid. You must be very proud, and you should be, as should your bride.

I love it that Finley gives you the opportunity to enjoy it all again. This keeps us young!

Maybe I told you this long ago ..

A male cousin had two kids, then was all done, until years later when baby #3 arrived. Cousin and his wife decided to have a fourth child as a sibling for #3.
Their oldest child asked them, "Why couldn't you just get a dog for him?"

So another baby?? Another dog??

@LuFins-Dad

It's okay. I still love you.

@Mik
My work has only grown over the last 25 years in this role. I serve over 100 cities now, and I have a good board, but no other staff. This is an organization I built over time. I love all my cities, and they know it.

This past year I started working with even more cities in the rest of southern Minnesoooooota. Now I get asked to speak at meetings/conferences for other organizations and state agencies. It's getting crazy.

It's no wonder I have no patience for the legislators that want to play partisan games. If they want to be nasty, they need to be ready to receive it right back. I don't even care if they are a committee chair. Sometimes I just want to tell them to grow up, and I would sound a bit like Aqua in the telling.

I just got done with a very difficult legislative session, but I got results even better than I expected. It was awesome and awful. LOLOL