Hands, Hearts and Love.

Sixty-eight years and 1,250 miles usually separate these two hands, but my left mitt and my grandson's were very much together again last week.  There's an old oak out front of the Capri coffee shop in Brooklyn - "Best Iced Coffee in all New York" -- and Jess took us there for a java stop. The little guy couldn't resist touching the rain-soaked tree.  I couldn't resist the comparison.

And the matter of the heart?  I have five grand children, ten hands in all.  Among us we have six hearts, including mine. These hearts touch each other deeply, whether near or far. The hands are a metaphor for the enormity of the love I feel.  Lucky me.

Waiting for the AMTRAK Acela, Mystic, CT.

Hugo and I were standing near this little pond along Rte 1 the other day, waiting for the Acela to depart Mystic station, and build speed as it passed between us and Long Island Sound.  Pretty cool.

Me + Holly at Best Little Print Shop in Long Lake!

Holly and I are snapped by Karla on Holly's new iPhone this week in front of Budget's abundant supply of colored paper. For my money (and I seem to spend beaucoup of it there) Budget Printing + Awards is the best business partner an independent publishing consultant could have.

Karla, Holly, Terry and Cindy are awesome: creative, responsive, quick, reasonable and fair.  Plus, they're fun to be around and work with.


Get ye to Budget, pronto!

Silly Time at Harvest Moon Co-op

I love, love , LOVE going to the Harvest Moon Co-op in Long Lake.   Great food, great mission and attitude, and really fun, wonderful people working  the place.  I'll bet that between Pina and me we're there 2-x per day.

I sorta put staffers Josh + Katie on the spot the other day when I insisted they pose for a snap.  Josh was stylin' the shades that Harvest Moon sells.  Katie, whom I don't know as well as Josh (but who has a grand sense of humor) wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole thing.

This same foto e-mailed to the H. Moon address; no reaction back, yet.  I'll keep you posted.

Best Shoe Ever Even Better Deal @ -15% Off.

This is one sensational ECCO shoe. Gore-Tex model. On display at Schuler in Wayzata for 15% off when I took the foto.  Lugged soles, soooo comfortable, these babies look sharp, are practical and sturdy and, I swear, the best shoes I've ever owned.  An already great deal made even better.

My salesman Nick told me this model had been in the ECCO line for years. That's no guarantee, of course, that a staple won't be pulled from production by an edgy brand manager, and replaced by some two-tone hipster bowling shoe wanne-be that's the all rage currently in the EuroZone.

Nancy suggested, to be on the safe side, and since I like my Gore-Tex model so much .. that I buy a second pair, put 'em away 'til the the first ones wear out -- probably not in my lifetime! -- and never run out of great ECCO products for my feet. Made sense, and now I have two pairs, one acquired for 15-off.

Feet say: Oh, happy day.

Gate House, Fall Attire, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

How cute is this, dear friends?  The Arboretum Gatehouse bedecked in pun'kins, capturing -- yeah, celebrating -- the Fallness of Minnesota.

You've seen the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD?  My wife says that place has nothing on our Arboretum.  Agreed.

Elizabeth Warren Talks Taxes -- Read this, Please.

Borlands, Scarecrow Chill Out at Arboretum.

Our friends the Chicago-land Borlands came to visit Poppina and me.  We made a bee-line for the Minneapolis Landscape Arboretum on Tuesday afternoon -- in search of dahlias, apples, cider, and some foto ops with the Arboretum Scarecrow!

Poppina on the left, above.  Deedee snuggles Scarecrow.  And Bruce sports the beginning of a proper beard, just in time for Fall in the Heartland.

Shoe Pup in Training at Schuler's?

Guys who work in the footwear industry are called "shoe dogs."  Assume the moniker holds true for the distaff side of the house, too.  Don't know where the handle originated, but it's a universal, respected term of acknowledgment and endearment.

When the Hoydulases were visiting last week we all went shoe-shopping at Schuler's. We tried on just about everything in sight: men's women's, casual, sporty, dress, sandals, high- and low-end, phew!

Just about the time we'd seen everything, we saw this .....

Shoe Pup (my grandson) checks shipment from Italy (or Brazil, China, Viet Nam, wherever). He seems to have taken a liking to the kicks.  Maybe there's a full-ride academic scholarship awaiting at Shoe Dog U?

Best Buy's Best Guys (and Gals).

Just came back from a Customer Service experience at Best Buy in Ridgedale.  Had to return a coffee pot that didn't quite work as we'd expected, plus an Apple TV device which we didn't need after all.

I always have some anxiety when it's time to return expensive items to the store from which they came.  Maybe my shrink can explain the neurosis?  No sweat, as it turned out.  Shoulda known. Minnesota Nice would prevail.

The folks at Best Buy Customer Service were more than nice -- and quick, accommodating, gracious and empathetic.  Made a believer -- and repeat customer -- out of me.  Thank you.

Indie Coffee Beans: Seem Almost Illegal to Drink!

Isn't this about the best-designed coffee packaging you've ever seen?  The bags appeal: bright colors, bold graphics, edgy messaging and branding.  Sell-copy like "rich, smoky, extra spicy" make you feel almost naughty picking the items off the shelf! Then it's home you go, furtively grinding and brewing, then enjoying the java with the shades drawn so no one can catch you in the act of enjoying your "beanimator!"