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Coffeehouse Chronicles... and A Wedding, a Stuntman, and Seasonal Croc Regulations
Happy parents. Good morning, Chroniclers. Got yer cup? Let's go! Well, Monday was Labor Day. The unofficial end of summer. That means no more white, you fashionless cretins. The Cmdr was trying to determine whether Sunday was the last legal day for his white Crocs or whether he had until midnight Monday. Would somebody please consult the Google Oracle and settle this matter before he files an appeal? Last week was a pretty eventful one around the coffeehouse. We gained a new
Marc & Bridget Saunders
4 days ago4 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles …and The Dark Ages Arrive at 6:53 A.M.
It's almost babric to be left without Wi-Fi! What up, chroniclers? You gotcher cup? Okay, let's go. It's starting to become painfully obvious that I'm becoming a grandparent. Show of hands: who has a schedule? I'm not talking to you working stiffs. You folks have to get up at a specific hour so you can punch the clock and keep Mr. Slate from noticing you rolled into the quarry fifteen minutes late. No, I'm talking about us retired folks. The people who proudly say, "I can get
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Sep 23 min read


Coffee House Chronicles: The Humidor, The Puppy, and Aaron Robert
Cigar night at Tenille's Good morning, Chroniclers. How ya feelin'? Got yer cup? Good. You might want to top it off. This one got away from me. It's been an eventful week. Actually, I'm only starting on Friday, and we're already in danger of running long. Tenille invited me and a few of the fellows over for sticks and libation. As you know, I've never once declined a perfectly good opportunity to sit around and solve none of the world's problems. I was the first one to arrive
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 305 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles …and The Day Pretty Boy Learned About Mexican Math (One family + one family = everybody)
Feliz cumpleanos, Pablo! Whaddup, Chroniclers? Ya got yer cup? Okay, let's go. You ever wake up and spend half the day trying to remember what you did over the weekend? That's where I'm at. For the life of me, I cannot remember what happened Saturday. At this point, I think my memory is running on Windows 95, and somebody forgot to save the file. Sunday, though? Sunday I remember. Pretty Boy Floyd and Mrs. Floyd were looking at a property in Norco. Nice place. The interesting
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 264 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles… and The Long Con of P-P-Pam Pam!
This is the status of the Brewhouse after P-P-Pam Pam! Good morning, Chroniclers. Got yer cup? Okay, let's do this. Most of you know that the HB and I are fond of coffee. Not Jeff Chean-level coffee, where every bean has a family tree and a birth certificate, but we do enjoy our java. Unfortunately, someone noticed. That someone was P-P-Pam Pam! I've known P-P-Pam Pam! for nearly 50 years. Fifty years. Half a century. Long enough to know a person's character. Long enough to
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 224 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: The Small World According to Sam One
The HB and I enjoyong each other and a game. Whaddup, Chroniclers? Got yer cup? Good. Well folks, the weekend's almost here, and tomorrow wraps up the second week of school. That realization hit me this week and reminded me that I needed to check in on my people. When I say "my people," I’m talking about Linda and Chris. They're the folks on the front lines at the local high school, bravely standing between thousands of students, hundreds of Linda is frazzeled parents, and co
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 216 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles ...One Band, One Sound... My Foot
What up, Chroniclers? You got yer cup? Okay, let's go. What a week. Great friends, great conversations, and somehow seven days disappeared faster than free pizza at a church potluck. Everybody agreed on one thing: it went by way too fast. It honestly felt like we unpacked on Tuesday and were loading the cars by Wednesday. The week was generously sprinkled with: bike rides dinners out copious amounts of camaraderie a ball game pizza alleged cookies cigars fireside chats that s
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 93 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: The Professor, the Trolls, and the Prius
Still in San Diego What up, Chroniclers? Got yer cup? Today marks our last full day in San Diego... or Chula Vista... or whatever municipality we've accidentally been vacationing in. At this point, our GPS history looks like an FBI cold case file. The gang has another bike ride planned today. Unlike previous rides, we're hoping this one doesn't require a tetanus shot, police escort, or emergency furniture appraisal from the Doc. A few days ago, we were gathered outside our r
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 84 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: RVs, Retirees, and Restaurant Regret
On the Road Again! What up, Chroniclers? Yes sir, it's time for the Chronicles. Everybody got your cup o’Joe? Got your readers so you can actually see your coffee? Alright, let's go. This week, a few of us escaped civilization and headed south for some quality time together. Cmdr McCroc, however, was unconvinced about our route selection. He took the I-15, we took the 5, and somehow this became a matter requiring a full congressional investigation. He grumbled because we didn
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 65 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles ...and The Genius of Sam One and the Tears of Commander McCroc
Hey Chroniclers, ya got yer cup? Good. You're gonna need it. Well, Sam One was at it again. As you know, Sam One is technologically divergent. Some people don't trust technology. Sam One doesn't trust technology that's already working. Apparently, he didn't trust his phone to properly capture the moment, so he brought along his camera and took the same pictures with that too. Then he had the film developed. After that, he used his phone to take pictures of the pictures he'd t
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Aug 13 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: The Legend of SAM-1 Hits Texas
Yes, it's me. Sam One. What up, Chroniclers? Got yer cup? Let's go. Now before we get into graduation, I need to tell you about Papi Churro's journey into the great State of Texas. As many of you know, Papi encountered a few members of law enforcement along the way. By last count, three contacts total. But apparently once he crossed into Texas, Papi developed a new introduction. The conversation would allegedly go something like this: "Good afternoon, sir. License and registr
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 305 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: Papi Churro Takes Texas
Papi Churro & I enjoying a smoke Hey Chroniclers! You got your cup? Good. Let's start this over because today's story deserves proper handling. This one's about my buddy Papi Churro. And before we get started, I need to clear up an important misunderstanding. I was telling my friend David about Papi, and being a native Spanish speaker, he looked at me and said, "Do you mean Papi Chulo?" I said, "No. Absolutely not." For those unfamiliar, Papi Chulo is a term of endearment. Pa
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 285 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: Partners, Peppers, and Power Tools
What up, Chroniclers? Got yer cup? Pull up a chair because I've got updates. Apparently, retirement is still a concept I'm experimenting with. As most of you know, I went back to work part-time for the Department. For those who didn't know, SURPRISE! I'm helping with backgrounds and trying to get more people into the hopper. So far, nobody has escorted me out of the building, which I choose to interpret as success. Recently, the Department made a change. Officially, it was no
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 266 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: Planes, Cousins, and Questionable Decisions
Heading home from Cabo! What's up, my peeps? Got yer cup? The Cabo adventure is officially over. The HB and I arrived back at LAX after a fantastic week in paradise to find Cmdr. McCroc and Mrs. Scrubbles waiting for us. The flight home was uneventful. Unfortunately, what happened after we landed was not. As we descended into LAX, I looked down at the 105 and immediately remembered something important. It was Wednesday. At rush hour. And Cmdr. McCroc was driving the Coffeehou
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 118 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles ...and the Culinary Probation of One Husband
Dinner with the HB Good morning, Chroniclers. Well, it's our last day in Cabo. As always, departure day is bittersweet. We're sad to see our friends scattering back across the country after a week of sunshine, laughter, pool parties, great food, and enough stories to keep the Coffeehouse supplied for months. Pool parties And what a week it was. There were retro soul-filled pool parties. Late-night domino tournaments. Questionable wildlife encounters. Outstanding food. Amazing
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 84 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: The Steakhouse Incident, The Crocs Scandal, and The Dominoes Controversy
Morning shenanigans, on the bus ride into DT Cabo Hey Chroniclers, gotcher cup? I know it's afternoon coffee, but developments have occurred. As a responsible journalist, I feel obligated to issue an addendum to this morning's reporting. The lawyers say I don't actually have to do this. The Kelley Brothers say I definitely have to do this. More on that later. Now, the kids—which is ridiculous because they’re all pushing 50 and have their own mortgages, retirement accounts, an
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 54 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: Cabo, Cigars, Dominoes, and the Bandit of Villa Row
Celebrating Independence Day, Mexican style Good morning, Chroniclers. Gotcher cup? As Americans across the land celebrated Independence Day with backyard barbecues, patriotic fanfare, and enough fireworks to alarm local household pets, the HB and I found ourselves honoring the holiday the only way two seasoned vacation professionals know how: By accidentally eating dairy, taking a nap, and becoming adopted grandparents to a pack of energetic forty-somethings. The day began i
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 56 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: The Answer Is No
The HB is not the best flight companion Whaddup, Chroniclers? Gotcher cup? Well, we're down here in Mexico, home of the world's finest patio chimneas, patio furniture, and apparently patio lifestyles. Cabo Vets, Nikki & Richie We're living large in Cabo with our daughter and son-in-law. They're owners at a resort down here, and because they apparently enjoy setting unrealistic expectations for our future vacations, they hooked us up with a gorgeous villa for the week. Experie
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jul 35 min read


Coffeehouse Chronicles: Weekend Shenanigans (Featuring the Hose Jockey, Who Is Definitely a Firefighter, Did He Mention That?)
We get it, you're a fireman ...can we move on? Friday: The RV Summit That Was Supposed To Be Lunch Friday kicked off like any respectable weekend should: with a plan that made perfect sense and immediately went off the rails. Our good friend Dot rolled up from her beach city kingdom, fueled by a dangerously exciting idea: “I think I want to buy an RV.” Now, the HB and I are always ready to enable—uh—I mean support—our friends in making life-altering, financially adventurous d
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jun 284 min read


Coffee House Chronicles: The Right Reverend’s Blessed Feast
The HB & I got our party on last night! Dateline: Saturday Morning (Recovery Mode) If you weren’t at the clubhouse last night, safely tucked under the jurisdiction of the Right Reverend’s birthday blessing, I deep-down pity your soul. It was a Friday night for the books. The company was elite, the drama was subtle, and entry to the buffet line required strategy. First of all, the guest list was a masterclass in "You Can’t Make This Up." Mr & Mrs McRib and the Right Reverend D
Marc & Bridget Saunders
Jun 272 min read
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