Workshop tips and project ideas, with no particular need

| July 1, 2023

Before I archive clipped workshop tips and ideas to a computer folder (saved in a place I will never look again => #humor), ideas that I’ve snipped from a variety of library borrowed woodworking magazines, I’m going to save them to my blog. If I were sharing and posting correctly, I would footnote or at […]

An impressive grilled Mexican sandwich

| May 11, 2023

Saw this double-tortilla inspired grilled Mexican sandwich on Twitter the other day and wanted to save to my food and recipe categories with the thought … I might try this!

A project idea (below) and wasting time salvaging junk

| July 31, 2021

To salvage or toss: It is a quandary those of us who try to fix, salvage and repair things. My theory is that those of us who take thing apart as kids to see how they work, tend to be the ones doing it when they are older and collecting boxes of junk? I often […]

The pitfalls of Zoom meetings: “I am not a cat” #humor

| February 12, 2021

It was the Zoom video that nearly broke the Internet this past week and it made me smile enough to save the mp4 video to my blog. Very funny. 😊  

Idea: Using eggshells as planters to grow seedlings

| July 2, 2020

Every once in a while an idea triggers me into thinking … “I’m going to try this!” Last week I stumbled across a Lifehacker post that was worth archiving. Using biodegradable eggshells to start seedlings … and after losing half the $60 in flower flats we purchased this year, I may give this one a […]

It was on my mind, so made a better Featherboard Hold-Down

| July 1, 2020

As mentioned a couple days ago, I saw a fellow woodworker using a better featherboard hold-down clamp … and after over 30 years of using my “temporary” pine featherboard … with a makeshift wedge style clamp, I finally hodgepodged a new one together. The new “hold down clamp” works just fine, but after using an […]

Diesel fuel fill-up and another Scrap Wood Challenge idea

| May 13, 2020

After shipping back the defective mini amplifier that I purchase  a few weeks ago (grr!), I decided it was a nice evening for a drive in the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. Since I was out and needed a few gallons of diesel fuel, it seemed like a good time to fill up the jugs […]

Tech Friday: A woodworking idea for those using laptops

| April 10, 2020

Last week my son Taylor and friend Jeff both sent me their “homemade” stand-up or propped up (with books) notebook computers while working from home. I suspect they aren’t the only COVID19 “stay-at-home” workers trying to come up with comfortable ways to do their jobs? I know Jeff once had a stand-up desk at work […]

The Canary (cardinal) security cam alerts are driving me crazy

| April 6, 2020

Thought I would add a late day animated GIF to the blog … partially because these Canary alerts have become a normal annoyance by sending text message alerts and partially this cardinal is cute. Hopefully he will grow tired of “looking at himself” and find a female cardinal who he can impress! Also while sending […]

Kitchen Ideas when you would rather be on a boat

| August 3, 2019

A filler photo tidbit for today’s post, but this creative kitchen island idea from one of my sailing groups caught my eye. It “would” have worked in our kitchen … I’m just not sure I could have pulled it off without adding a mast! 🙂

A great idea: Who hasn’t lost a part when working over water?

| June 23, 2018

I think I’ll archive that idea as a reminder since I always have an umbrella in the back of my Van, 300D or BMW X5 35d … one of those cars is generally at the marina with me! This might be the perfect post to archive my Father’s Day gifts from my kids! A new […]

The hatch screen idea and a Whale Gusher Mk3 pump rebuild

| February 23, 2015

  While getting sidetracked from the Whale Gusher Mk3 pump rebuild (soaking and cleaning), I started working on Encore’s hatch screen idea since it will soon be bug season on the sailboat in Florida. I’ve been mulling around a few way to “frame” the fiberglass screen material and ending up forgoing the stainless steel for […]

How to idea – Cleaning hard water stains from porcelain

| January 31, 2015

The inexpensive miracle cleaner and kitchen staple known as vinegar has hundreds if not thousands of uses … but few of those uses are as helpful as cleaning and dissolving hard water calcium build up. I use a vinegar mix regularly for window washing, as a way to keep the shower and shower head free […]

Archive: European hatch screens idea for Encore

| July 16, 2014

Our sailboat Encore is in need of a better hatch screen system, so in my search for roll-able, but sloppy looking velcro stick-up screens to replace our ill-fitting fix framed screens, I came across this simple European idea. The stiff wire frame (stainless steel?) is covered by a stitched on polyester “no-see-um” type mesh screen […]

Do you keep a couple spare gallons of diesel under the hood?

| June 8, 2014

I was planning to just work on yard and home chores Saturday while Brenda was working, but  got completely distracted by a thought that a 2 gallon fuel container would fit under the hood of the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel nicely. Hmm, looks like it might even work if I plumbed a secondary fuel line […]

The anniversary of My Desultory Blog with a garden idea

| April 25, 2009

Occasionally I enjoy looking at archived posts from the previous year, or even several years ago by clicking on links in the right hand side bar’s “Years ago on this day“ list. It is surprising how fast 4 years have gone by? It was in April 2005 that I moved my paper journal to a […]

Ikea opens in West Chester, Ohio

| March 13, 2008

A few months ago mention the name Ikea would have meant very little to me. After an Ikea Store grand opening in my area today (North of Cincinnati), it is difficult to ‘not’ know about this Swedish company. For those of you living under the same rock I must have been under, this is very […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog