This I Believe!

 Dave Schlenker, is, I believe, the best writer at the Ocala Star-Banner, and one of the finest writers I've read anywhere.  I believe he won't mind if I borrow the idea from a recent column of his, especially since he borrowed it from National Public Radio.

 I believe in many things, not least of which is the power of the written word.  This, I believe, will remain a primary form of communication for centuries to come.

 I believe men and women are more alike than we are different.

  I believe there is far too much to be learned to be able to learn it all in one lifetime.

  I believe that music can ignite the imagination, soothe the soul, inspire the mind and heal the body.

  I believe the best-engineered vacuum cleaners in the world are made in Germany. I believe the best-built vacuum cleaners in the world are made in Cleveland, Ohio and Andrews, Texas. 

  I believe "Network," not "Rocky" should have been Best Picture of 1976.

 I believe no one faith has a monopoly on heaven.

 I believe in soulmates, and that I've found mine.

  I believe instant coffee, like non-dairy creamer,  is a crime against nature. I believe anything labeled "instant espresso" merits the death penalty.

  I believe the death penalty brings society down to the level of the criminal.

  I believe both dogs and cats were sent to us from the Creator to demonstrate what unconditional love is.

  I believe small towns are over-romanticized.

  I believe living in a world-class city in my 20s made me a better citizen of both my own country and the world.

  I believe there's ample proof the Creator has a sense of humor.

  I believe old German cars, whether VW, Mercedes, BMW, Audi or Opel, all smell the same inside -- a mix of engine oil, well-baked upholstery, cracking dashboards and  gasoline.

 I believe cats and keyboards should not mix.

  I believe there are no coincidences.  We are all in each others' lives for a reason, regardless of how we came to be there.  I believe that reason is not always clear to us, but it's still there.

  I believe the sound of a cat snoring is really cute.

  I believe in Santa Claus.

  I am a happy soul, because I am blessed in too many ways to count.  This I believe.

 

  

Cafe open for business!

Wow,  didn't realize it had been so long since we've had visitors to the Cafe!  Guess I'd better start making up for lost time. Let me plug in the espresso machine and the jukebox and we'll get busy.

If you're new here, welcome, welcome, come in, sit down, and enjoy the ambiance.  The daily special today is free-range pelican pie, with a side order of Buffalo manatee flippers.  And, since today's Bastille Day, we'll throw in a free side order of escargot.

For the regulars, you'll find not much has changed.  Same lousy service, same sarcastic chef you've come to know and love.  Feel free to tip generously.

We do have a new item of decoration.  See the vacuum cleaner sitting over there in the corner?  That's the latest addition to the collection.  It's a Singer R5, produced sometime between 1940 and 1950.

Big deal, an old vacuum. What's so special about that?

Think about the dates.  This machine is somewhere between 59 and 69 years old. And yet...

... It still has its original bag.

... It still has its original CLOTH- (not rubber) coated cord -- which is still safely usable.

... Its cordwinder still works.

... Its headlight still works.

... Its two-speed motor still runs just fine.

When's the last time you saw a machine that old of ANY kind that works that well?

So, with that level of build quality, it must be made in Germany or Japan, right?

Try Elizabethport, N.Y.  

THIS is the quality we used to produce in America.