Salt and Pepper

They could not be more different, then Martha and Trisha.

Martha is a petite, cute little spunky lady in her fifties.

She has a weekend home out in the country in Schulenburg and lives in the prestige’s inner loop area of Houston.

Martha, "not Marsha", is a Marsha in every way.

 I like to joke when I refer to her and call her, "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha”, with that sad pathetic, frustrated Jan voice from the Brady Bunch.

Martha is always put together. Her clothes are fresh and preppy, and her hair looks like she just stepped out of the salon. It is a beautiful color of natural grey with wonderful highlights. It is cut in a bob and worn straight with every hair in its proper place.

Her eyes are bright and intense. She looks directly at you the entire time she is speaking and shakes her head a bit as she talks with the cutest of expression.

You may hear her saying at least a couple of times, "Oh……., that is fabulous", with a dramatic flair.

Oh…., “Martha, Martha, Martha"!

Trish-A, and it is Trisha, not Trish, as she told me recently as if I had one more chance to get it right, or she just might smack me, is the polar opposite of Martha.

Trish-A is decorated from her neck to her toes in colorful, unique tattoos. She is also petite, but has a grungy earthy look, with loose fitting clothes flat, worn leather sandals and scarfs draped around her neck.

Trisha's hair is dark brown and usually loosely piled up upon her head. She is cute and spunky just like Martha and wears dark framed glasses over her dark brown intense eyes.

Trish-A recently bought a home in Schulenburg, it is over 100 years old and she has decorated it with her antiques and vintage art. Her closet is made out of an old ladder with a vintage slip as the drape to serve as the door.  Her kitchen was completely gutted and has stainless steel shelves and racks which look like they were pulled straight from an industrial restaurant kitchen.

Trisha and her husband are both artist and they are turning their old ran down house, in the small little town of Schulenburg into their greatest art piece yet. 

It's funny when I think about these two ladies and trying to describe how different they are, because as I am doing so, I am realizing how similar they actually are.

They are unique, petite, intense, funny, outspoken and a bit overbearing in a fun exciting way. These two women are actually extremely alike, despite their differences.

I met them both through The Shop Downtown. They both have just appeared and became a part of my shop and my life, without me seeking or searching or asking for either one of them.

This seems to be the constant in my little shop. The people I need seem to always come exactly when I need them to arrive.

It’s a God thing! 

Truthfully, if I had them both sit down one day for about an hour together, I could sell tickets just to listen to these two talk!

I am, however, extremely thankful for both of them.   

Life can always use a little Salt and Pepper!

Two different spices, that are, complimentary to one another.  

Friday morning Espresso lovers!

Courtney and Caleb enjoyed there coffee this morning at The Shop Downtown. However, he was a little upset when she took his coffee from him and downed both double shots of espresso. 

So, I guess little Courtney will go without her nap today, sorry Mommy!  

Like a bar without alcohol.......

   Well, the morning in The Shop Downtown, started out much like an evening in a bar, sans the alcohol. The little counter was full of interesting and lively characters just chatting and enjoying each other talking back and forth with excitement and sometimes talking over each other as they enjoyed there coffees prepared by their favorite barista, Christine .

    The conversations went everywhere from plastic surgery to people in town who had recently passed away. It was pleasant, fun and a warming atmosphere to start the day in the shop.

    Have you ever seen the show Northern exposure, or perhaps Cheers? It had very much the feel of both of these wonderful old programs.

   It was warm, interesting and a bit strange at times, which made it all the more fun.

   I bussed around doing my thing as I prepared the shop for the day and quietly listened and enjoyed the pleasant banter of my customers.

   The sweetest thing, as I always refer to her made her entrance a bit into the morning, and as usual I brought her coffee, with half coffee and half water. The coffee bar was completely full but she just pushed her little self-right up and chose her cookies off the counter, then assumed her usual spot in the big comfy vintage 1930’s red chair.    

(To read more about the sweetest thing, scroll down to the entry titled The Gentle Giant and The Sweetest Thing)  

   A solicitor had called first thing that morning and I had politely asked him to call back in an hour. The phone rang and it was him AGAIN!

   I again, politely said, “I thought I said an hour, I am still very busy. “ He replied, “It has been an hour.”

   I could not believe it, all my customers were still planted in there spots and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I asked the cute lady in front of me, who looked fantastic for her age and had openly admitted early that morning in conversation that yes, she has had some work done, “Has it been an hour”?

       “Yes”, she replied, “It has been an hour and a half”.

  No one seemed to mind spending their time in The Shop on this weekday morning.

  They sat, visited and appeared completely content to get to, whatever it was they needed to get to, when, they got to it.

  AWWWHHHH………life in a small, middle of nowhere town, it doesn’t get better than this.

Who will visit tomorrow, in The Shop Downtown?

 Oh, and by the way, Clifford, you were missed today!    

Her baby, and still her baby.

Well, it was another busy day in The Shop Downtown.

 The morning started with a wonderful conversation with one of my favorite customers. I have noticed that my list of favorites is growing, and this has been a part of the many blessings that the shop brings into my life. I get to meet wonderful, amazing people and make new friends that I may have never met.

I am extremely thankful!

My first customer greeted me as I was unlocking the door. I smiled warmly, as she smiled back and said, “I promise I am not stalking you, I just have some time to kill early this morning.”

Her precious little girl had a doctor’s appointment and she stopped by the shop for one of her usuals, which today the order, was an orange spice latte.

I made her drink and then we sat on the floor and had a visit while we patrolled the area against her curious toddler, who only found enjoyment in the things that were ordered as off limits.

I laugh at how I seem, even at my age, which I will fail to mention, to act in much the same way at times as the toddler. I only find it interesting, enjoyable and fun, if it is something that I should perhaps stay away from all together!

Awe….big sigh……the irony of life.

Our conversation was interrupted by the entrance of another one of my regulars. I will refer to her as lady with the awesome tattoos and an extremely unique voice.

She plopped down in the red antique 1930’s chair next to us, and with tears in her eyes, said how she cannot believe how she just cried as she dropped her baby off for her first day of school in a new town.

Her baby is 16 years old and a junior in high school, and it broke her heart as she saw her walk away with fear over starting a new day of school in the middle of the year, in a small, nowhere town.

This lady with the tattoos and the unique voice reminded us both in that moment that our babies will always be our babies and we will never stop watching over them with love and concern in our hearts.

It may be a mom keeping her toddler safe from a glass bowl, which she could pull off a shelf, or a mommy with her heart breaking as she sends her teenager off into the scary unknown, which is a new high school in a new town, hoping  and praying that she fits in and has a great day.

                                    However, it is her baby, and still her baby, all the same.

Happy New Year !

Well, it’s one day away from a brand new year! It has been a wonderful year for The Shop Downtown and I want to thank each and every one of my customers, who I now call friends, for making it exciting, successful, wonderful and fun.

My wish for your new year is growth and prosperity. May each of you take all the things good and perhaps lessons learned, multiply and apply them to 2012. May you also be able to look at mistakes, regrets and misfortunes, with an honest evaluation and not repeat any mishaps made in 2011.

I look forward to seeing you all next week. I enjoyed my much needed brake, but miss everyone terribly.

Now, let’s all put a shout out to Michelle, who was amazing filling in for me last week. I am so thankful for her and appreciate the hard work. Michelle, may 2012 bring you extreme happiness and blessings!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

The Gentle Giant and The sweetest thing!

       He could be the poster child for the phrase, gentle giant. He stands about 6 feet 4 inches high and weighs well over 300 pounds. He is 74 years old exactly. I know his exact age because I simply asked his age one day and he simply told me, “I’m 74 years old.”

       This is my favorite customer in Schulenburg, Texas. He comes into the shop almost every day. He gets a small cup of black coffee with no lid and a slice of homemade banana bread, or anything that may be offered to him if there is not any banana bread that day. However, banana bread is his absolute favorite and it is always baked with him in mind. He sincerely wants to eat the banana bread each day, but the other things he accepts when the bread is void, may be out of pure politeness. He is one of the nicest and kindness men I have ever met.   His presence and company are always welcome in the Shop Downtown.

       The first time he came in was around Christmas time last year. The shop had just opened and business was all very new. He ordered a small black coffee, which was $1.50 total. I gave him his total with a smile, expecting to perhaps make change for $2.00 or have him say keep the change, which was one thing I had already grown accustomed to in my little shop, tips. Yet, this was not at all what transpired.

       The gentle giant  handed me a twenty dollar bill and quickly, in his extremely large deep voice, said, “Keep the change.”  I was shocked. I quickly pushed the bill back towards him, knowing I could not accept such a generosity. He was persistent, determined and intent on blessing me and I knew this. So, I retracted, smiled, thanking him sincerely as he smiled warmly back and said, “Merry Christmas”.

       This stranger was my Santa Claus that chilly December morning. His generosity and love warmed my heart along with the atmosphere in The Shop Downtown.

       This was just the beginning of his kindness and blessings tossed around each and every time he enters the door and sits upon my stool at the counter. He is truly an amazing man and everyone that meets him has said on one occasion or another, “He is such a great guy.”

       Yes, he is such a great guy and has become day after day an important asset to the Shop each morning somewhere between 10:00 or 10:30, when his presence graces the door of The Shop Downtown.

       His favorite thing to do is to offer to buy whatever may be being eaten or drank by whoever may be sitting across from him that morning. It could be just one customer from down the street drinking their usual small black coffee or an entire table of women eating, drinking, talking and enjoying their visit. It does not matter when, where or who, he just likes too bless people.

       My other favorite, who I will refer to as, The Sweetest Thing,  is one of my regular customers that would easily fall into the category of the Gentle Giant's favorite people to bless.

                         The Sweetest Thing

       The Sweetest Thing,  would stand about 5 feet tall if she stood straight, but she hunches over severely and this makes her about 4”10 on a good day. I don’t know her age and have never been comfortable enough to ask, not to mention she is extremely hard of hearing, so I always try to keep my questions to the bare minimum, for example; “ Would you like your usual roll and coffee?”

       She always answers, “hmmmh”, which means yes, and I serve her a cinnamon roll and a small black coffee with half coffee and half water in the cup.

       The Sweetest Thing walks to the coffee shop when she comes, which is usually a couple of times a week. She walks everywhere she travels. I don’t think it is because she cannot drive as much as it is that she does not have a vehicle to drive.

       The Sweetest Thing was born and raised in Schulenburg. I asked her once how high school was when she went here and she told me that she never went to high school. She was a poor country girl and had to drop out of school in the fourth grade to help her family work the farm.

       This was common for small town life when She was growing up. People had to do what they had to do to survive, including using their young children for labor.

       She is still hard working even in her golden years. I hate to guess for fear that I might be wrong, but I assume, safely or not, that she is in her late 70’s or early 80’s. She cleans for a living. I guess it is homes that she cleans, or perhaps offices, but I’m not really sure. I do know, you might see her walking around town on any given day, on her usual route, which is to her job, wherever she may be cleaning that day, the local bar or the shop downtown if it is early enough for coffee and too early for beer.

       She rarely smiles and you would most likely see her small hunched over frame with a serious scowl on her face than any other expression. Except for when The Gentle Giant is in The Shop and offers to buy her cinnamon roll and coffee. This always makes her light up and smile. It’s a delight to see someone illuminated, which has spent most of her days shadowed, over the wonderful kindness of a gentle giant. 

The Chronicles of The Shop Downtown

       It doesn’t look like much from the outside, the building is old and the front has one large glass window with a glass door beside it as the entrance. The old red paint is peeling and the sidewalk is decorated with vintage patio furniture, an old Antique coke cooler, some potted plants, many hand written signs on old chalk boards and dry erase boards, proudly spouting what you may find in this charming little shop downtown, for instance; homemade icecream, smoothies, sandwiches, antiques and ofcourse, coffee.
       This is the Shop Downtown coffee and eccentricities in the small little town of Schulenburg Texas.

       When naming the shop and adding eccentricities, I was mainly referring to all the eclectic antiques or odd old items you may find for sale or display along with all the yummy snacks and coffee, but little did I know at the time that the eccentricities would soon be referring to all the different people and personalities that would grace the door of the shop, sit upon it’s chairs and stools, visit and share their stories and lives within its old concrete walls.

       There are not many dull moments in the shop and some are so very colorful you may think that I must have a wild imagination and surely I am making these characters up as I go along.                   
      However, I could not take the credit for the entire flavor that these stories are full of and know that I could not have made up some of these characters if I had sat down and tried.            
      These people you will hear about, meet and enjoy are all real and have all on occasion or on a regular basis blessed the shop with their vigor, presence, laughter, tears and friendly banter and conversation.

       These are the chronicles of The Shop Downtown, and how one little tiny coffee shop full of eccentricities lures in from interstate I10 and the small surrounding towns, the most interesting of stories and people.