by Robert Darnell [date unknown]
Jerre and Robert are coffee heads from way back. That is they enjoy a good cup of coffee quite frequently and especially early in the morning when they first wake up.
Recently they were in Chicago visiting the three -- Pat , Di, and Sam.
The first morning there, everyone was sleeping late except Rob who always gets up early. He stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, trying to be real quiet like a mouse. He found a coffee pot but no cord. He found a can of coffee unopened but no opener. After searching the kitchen silently for a cord and opener with no luck, he finally gave up and went for a walk.
A little later Jerre got up, and then also Pat.
She asked about coffee and he showed her how they make it.
First he knew where the can opener was to open the coffee can, but an opened can of coffee was on top on the refrigerator in a basket where one would naturally expect the coffee to be kept. Then he put exactly two cups of water in a kettle on the stove to boil.
Then he got a large filter from he cabinet and stuck it into a funnel. He poured two spoons of coffee into the filter.
The funnel was then placed into a coffee thermos jug. When the water in the kettle boiled it was poured over the coffee in the filter and ran into the thermos. It was not strong enough the first time through, so was poured through the filter again.
This second time through the filter was wet and soft so it disintegrated into the coffee. The coffee was then poured through a wire strainer to filter the paper out and finally poured into two cups.
Rob came in from the yard and he and Jerre had a cup of coffee.
The procedure was repeated for Pat and Di to have a cup and that's how they make coffee in Chicago.
In the first letter Rob and Jerre got after they got home it said: "Oh, by the way, we got a coffee pot."
end
Showing posts with label Samantha Darnell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samantha Darnell. Show all posts
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
July 4TH, 1983 :: Ravinia Park ~ Northshore Lake Michigan ~ The North Side of Chicago
by Robert Darnell
Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.
We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.
Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.
Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.
Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.
This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.
Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.
These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.
We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.
Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.
The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.
Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.
Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.
We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.
One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.
One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.
Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.
This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.
Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!
***
The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."
We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.
The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.
end
by Robert Darnell
Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.
We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.
Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.
Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.
Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.
This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.
Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.
These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.
We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.
Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.
The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.
Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.
Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.
We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.
One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.
One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.
Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.
This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.
Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!
***
The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."
We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.
The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.
end
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