Behold Exchequer, given to me by the Lady of the Other Home Office, on the condition that I fulfill any request she might make, the first and foremost of these being that I not use this magical weapon to acquire any more expensive, useless bullshit, f’chrissakes, can you do that for me, hon’? Pretty please?
Another Black Friday passeth without my being compelled by bitter circumstance and/or simple covetousness to draw the mighty card, Exchequer, from its ripstop scabbard. The realm remains unencumbered by debt and grails.
Tags: Black Friday, Exchequer, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Le Morte d'Arthur, Thomas Malory
Mad Blog Media 
November 28, 2020 at 10:01 am |
Yep, despite an avalanche of black Friday emails from Sweetwater, Walz caps, and Reverb, not a single greenback snuck out of the joint.
November 28, 2020 at 10:55 am |
Well done indeed, Sir Paddy of Sierra Vista.
November 28, 2020 at 3:28 pm |
Survived Vendredi du Noir but did some damage on Samedi des Petites Entreprises. Tried to pick businesses that I know are hurting. Looks like the neighbors are getting gift cards from local food trucks that are losing business because the small breweries are all curbside-only. Ordered from the Old Firehouse Books, just cuz I love their delivery service. And my east coast family will be getting some NOCO ales if I can figure out that unnecessarily complicated UI.
Tomorrow is Small Craft Sunday, so I’m told. Assuming they don’t mean dinghies, bass fishing, or pontoon boats, but you never know.
November 28, 2020 at 4:08 pm |
I bought a couple books today from Page 1, our neighborhood bookstore. Easy breezy: order and pay online; wait for the email; drive over and phone, then put on your mask; and hey presto! Another masked book lover brings you your books.
There’s even a grog shop next door. If that ain’t heaven. …
November 28, 2020 at 4:37 pm |
Ain’t much better than a mom and pop book store.
Great place to hang out and pollute your mind with impure thoughts about how the world should be.
November 29, 2020 at 8:29 am |
Man, I miss bookstores. The Tattered Cover in Denver was awesome. Likewise Chinook in downtown Bibleburg. City Lights in San Francisco. Collected Works in Fanta Se.
Here in the Duke City it’s Page 1 and Bookworks over on Rio Grande.
When I met Herself she was running the B. Dalton Bookseller at DeVargas Mall. We love us some books.
November 29, 2020 at 1:44 pm
Double-checked my Firehouse order, saw they have a Go Fund Me trying to get through the winter.
Didn’t have to be this way. But half the country thinks we’re doing fine.
November 28, 2020 at 1:33 pm |
Father, I confess. On Black Friday, I biked out to a bike shop to look for a bell for the Ti bike. Not finding any that fit, I found a cheap one in the garage and with a couple zip ties, Bob’s yer uncle!
No greenbacks were employed in the production of that caper.
November 28, 2020 at 1:39 pm |
Go and sin no more, my son. Also, keep an eye peeled for the Mirrycle Omnibell. I use these little mothers in rotation among a variety of bikes with differently sized bars.
November 28, 2020 at 2:03 pm |
that’s almost exactly what I described to the folks at Rob and Charlie’s. I’ll have to tell them the brand name.
November 28, 2020 at 2:18 pm |
The kiddos are getting those in their stockings this year. Thanks for the link!
November 28, 2020 at 4:05 pm |
I like these big brass ones (no, not those ones) from Rivendell, too.
November 28, 2020 at 4:38 pm |
Except the Rivendell ones won’t fit a 31.8 mm handlebar from the looks of it. I’d build the damn thing with one of those flexible rubber mounts like this light, which I bought a pair of and have them on the BMW as running lights.
https://www.niterider.com/products/6785-swift-500
November 28, 2020 at 4:45 pm |
So many jokes …
(Quint looks at the big brass bell) You’re going to need a bigger bike.
Sir Mix-a-Lot: I like big bells and I cannot lie …
(Punk on a Huffy walks up to Crocodile Dundee, rings his little bell. ). “You call that a bike bell?”
(Dundee gets off his bike, rings his Spurcycle) “THIS is a bike bell.”
November 29, 2020 at 7:48 am |
I have an original and first gen Spurcycle bell that I have to be careful with. I’ve seen pedestrians almost climb trees when I get within earshot of them. It will even penetrate earbud-wandering walkers and riders listening no doubt to Concrete Blonde. Trouble is, my microwave timer makes the same exact tone as the Spurcycle so I’ve been known to run for cover myself if She Who Must Be Obeyed is heating up her coffee. It’s a helluva life living in fear…
November 29, 2020 at 8:13 am |
I forgot about the Spurcycle. I have one of those on the Nobilette and it will cut through the ambient noise like a katana through Crisco.
But that Crane bell is likewise an earsplitter. It sounds like the bell that tolls for thee.