Thread: Journey to the Center of the Universe

Dearest Obie,

My turn to take the bait, when and where are we eating? I will bring the wine.

yours truly, Kelly



PS Thanks for the banter, it was truly enjoyable!

MmmmHmmm, good spaghetti is always better after the first day.

Obie needs to have us all over. We'll do all the clean up.

My dear Kelly,

Yes, I, too, enjoyed the banter. We must do it again, and thanks. I will see if my daughter is available this week to shoot some pictures. Young mothers have so many priorities and rightfully so.

Also, consider yourself invited to the spaghetti dinner. On my honor. We're having it tonight. In fact, my daughter and the baby are joining us. I am looking forward to it.

Let me see, you live in the Kansas City area. (By the way, my wife grew up in Shawnee-Mission.) Tehran, San Francisco and Chicago were home for me for many years. Now I live in Milwaukee, about 90 miles north of Chicago. You have plenty of time to catch a flight, and I'll pick you up from the airport. Or come the next time you're in this neighborhood. Write or call me and I'll whip up a pot of spaghetti special for you. So consider yourself invited.

My dear ControlFreak1,

You, too, are invited. I see you live in Texas. I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, for a couple months during Vietnam and every chance I had I spent in Austin, in the university area. It was a respite from the Army grunt work. If you come my way, drop me a note and I'll cook up another pot.

Stay well, gentlemen, and may good fortunes swim in your lane.

Regards,

Obie

Dear Obie

Great trip. Great razors. Good stories and good food.

Sound like a good life.

Stay safe,
Otto

Hi Obie,

What a great find..! Congratulations!

I must admit, we sorely need shops and places like that in the UK. So much of our history is being swept away with this obsession with all things modern. Such a shame!

Although I am pleased to see that here in the City, the older buildings that are being renovated are not being torn down. What the builders are doing is gutting the building but leaving the just the outside walls standing with a huge metal frame inside to support them. Then they just rebuild the inside and fit it out with the space to take a modern office installation. Alot of the old buildings do not have the space to thread PC and network cabling under the floors, or to fit air conditioning.

Back onto straight razors, the odd antique shops that are clinging on in the face of corporate conglomerates selling plastic tat at astronomical prices do charge fairly hefty prices for their razors. Several hundred pounds is not uncommon! I always point out that for their asking prices I could get a custom razor made!

I'll have to make the trip over the pond and do some shopping in the US, my aquisition disorders are driving me mad..!

Best,

Stuart

My dear Otto,
I have the following quote framed above my desk in my home office. It is by the British poet Matthew Arnold (1822-1888).

LIFE IS NOT A HAVING AND A GETTING, BUT A BEING AND BECOMING

I very much believe that and try to follow it as best as I can.

And my dear Stuart,
What you refer to as happening to some great buildings and traditions in London I call the modern society's parking lot and condo mentality. Tear down a grand old building and put a parking lot or a condo in its place. There you go. That seems to be the answer to everything by the ozone commandos in our society. It's sad. Ah well, when all fails, strop a razor and shave.

Stay well, gentlemen, and may good fortune swim in your lane.

Regards,

Obie

Originally Posted by Obie

My dear Kelly,

Yes, I, too, enjoyed the banter. We must do it again, and thanks. I will see if my daughter is available this week to shoot some pictures. Young mothers have so many priorities and rightfully so.

Also, consider yourself invited to the spaghetti dinner. On my honor. We're having it tonight. In fact, my daughter and the baby are joining us. I am looking forward to it.

Let me see, you live in the Kansas City area. (By the way, my wife grew up in Shawnee-Mission.) Tehran, San Francisco and Chicago were home for me for many years. Now I live in Milwaukee, about 90 miles north of Chicago. You have plenty of time to catch a flight, and I'll pick you up from the airport. Or come the next time you're in this neighborhood. Write or call me and I'll whip up a pot of spaghetti special for you. So consider yourself invited.

My dear ControlFreak1,

You, too, are invited. I see you live in Texas. I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, for a couple months during Vietnam and every chance I had I spent in Austin, in the university area. It was a respite from the Army grunt work. If you come my way, drop me a note and I'll cook up another pot.

Stay well, gentlemen, and may good fortunes swim in your lane.

Regards,

Obie

I've got friends in Kenosha, I'll bring them too! Too bad about your wife(being from the Kansa territory) I hope it works out!

My dear Kelly,

Consider them invited, too. I accept tips, of course. A 14 Filarmonica Especial Para Barbas Duras will be sufficient, thank you. Yes, my wife is from the Kansas City area, but we met in San Francisco. She is a sweetie. Let me see, we've been together for 44 years now.

Regards,

Obie

You know Obie, the only thing missing after the meal is a good pipe and brandy or single malt.

My dear Wayne,

I agree. A pipe, cognac and conversation would be the ultimate after a spaghetti feast. I have had the pleasure many times.

I confess I miss my pipes. My wife and my girls made me give up smoking. Balkan Sobrani and other hearty English blends as well as matured Virginias kept me content for many years.

Eventually I had to sell my pipes, all except three: two Comoys and a Joby. Now and then I pick one up and sniff the bowl.

Life's not fair.

Regards,

Obie