Stages of Change

A few weeks ago, my wandering ears picked up word that my local gathering location would be closing it's doors at the end of March. I didn't believe it at the time but read it in print this past week so it appears to be a done deal, which is too bad as the place has a steady following, not Wolfgang Puck (fancy chef) quality food but not Waffle House quality either (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v02mT37pm_8); right there in the middle, and overall a great place to gather. The November-present dine-in limitations were just too much even with carry out and a creative outdoor dining area with a sea of tarps used as walls. I thought it had a chance.  

So of the stages of change, I am past the initial denial stage when I saw the newspaper pick up the story. The resistance stage is where I'm kind of lingering right now with the place still open for another month and people coming in as they did before the announcement. I feel like Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List when he's chastising himself for not doing more (obviously in WAY different terms). "I could have bought more chicken wings!!!!" I'll eventually move on to the exploration and acceptance stages and find a new location; maybe a hail mary pass will be caught (in the form of $$$) and the present place will stay (doubtful on that one).  

It was nice to walk in and have your favorite soda pop poured and ready as you sit down. And these soda pop tenders have been at the place pretty much since it opened last century so there is no 3/4 soda pop and 1/4 foam pours; always a perfect pour.

I will miss watching the tables of U-M football slappies getting muted as the Harbaugh machine lets them down again. 

I will miss watching the regulars recreate the golf shot that was "this close" (same story they told from the previous week).

I will miss watching the many, many, many Keno players. I never got into the process but there are a lot of gamblers out there.

I will miss watching the phone-addicted patrons. Why leave the house if you are going to stare at your phone the entire time? 

I will miss the place.

Trail Head

Pelo-Tim, Echo-Tim, Nordi-Tim, ????

My treadmill of 15 years had it's motor die recently. No worries as a gold star to the treadmill maker for honoring the 25 year motor warranty with a replacement motor in route. While in route, this large melon had to improvise a bit for the 'cold as shi*' day workouts as there is no way I'm going to pay for one of those modern, stationary bikes where you can program someone to yell at you to pedal faster. 

Enter a stationary bike from my parent's old neighbor that is from the 1970's with SportsCenter as my motivation/backdrop. Yes, you are reading correctly, the pictured stationary bike is from Voit (a solid 1970's brand). There are no bells and whistles to said bike; and can pretty much guarantee they don't make it anymore. The speedometer/odometer does not work but the bike does what is asked.

Trail Head

Sunday Shrinkage - significant shrinkage it's so cold

No fish stories to report this Super Bowl Sunday morning. The main story is it's cold as shi* (which doesn't make much sense as shi* isn't usually characterized as being cold). My fellow fisherman were wise to sleep in as I gave it a couple hours to no avail. 

Trail Head