CarolynBahm.com

Today’s Plinky.com prompt was, “What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever found (and kept)?” Here’s my response and the Flickr.com pic I selected to illustrate it. ;o) (Note — these are not his dogtags — just a representational stock image.)

Dog Tags 2

My step-grandfather was a aircraft gunner, and a long time after my mother’s dementia kicked into high gear and she moved into a nursing home, I was cleaning up some papers of hers when I ran across his dog tags. I cherish them. He was a quiet, wiry little man who lived his whole life in humility and service to others. I didn’t really understand or appreciate who he was for many years, but I do now.

Today’s Plinky.com prompt was, “Would you ever consider opening your own restaurant, bar, or cafe?” Here’s my response and the Flickr.com pic I selected to illustrate it. ;o)

cafe alf resco

I’m not particularly enamored of trying to run a pub or eatery because of the headaches involved — management of low-paid staff, spoilage of products, heavy cleaning, stringent work to maintain sanitary requirements, small profit margins, and the relentless schedule of openings, operations, and closings. But If I opened any one of these, it would probably be a cafe with a simple menu of sandwiches, soups, quiches, pastries, coffee, soft drinks and desserts. No alcohol license needed, and a relaxed atmosphere with local art on the wall and regular events like trivia night and music to draw in the locals.

I would shoot to make it something like the Bottletree Bakery in Oxford, Miss., which I loved when I lived there. Another spot of local indy awesomeness is Square Beans in Collierville, Tenn. — great food, savvy social media promotions and nice people. They’d be my heros if I ran a start-up. ;o)