Our loved Bosch dishwasher at age 15 is no longer new #TBT

Posted By on December 18, 2025

Bosch Dishwasher overflowingIt is interesting how when you are older, and as years pass, that items we have don’t age the same as they did when we were younger? Take for example clothes, I can put on a 10+ year old piece of clothing nowadays and still think that it is relatively new.

Kitchen appliances are that same way to me. I somehow thought  our 15 year old Bosch dishwasher is too new to need maintenance or a repair?

Obviously kitchen appliances don’t last forever (hm,  a #TBT post)?) and do occasionally need attention. I’m hoping in the case of our Bosch dishwasher leaking that it is something simple like a stuck piece of plastic in the drain or Leak in Workshop Ceilingthe disposal backing up? Still, I’m unsure and will have to watch it closely before assuming the fill switch or something has failed??? In the case of the dishwasher, the overflow onto the kitchen floor has dripped through and into my workshop ceiling (photo right)and so it goes: Just another repair for now.

The end of the US Penny and it sold for $16.76 million at auction

Posted By on December 17, 2025

Do you have some spare change? How about a couple of 2025 pennies? You might want to hang on to them. 😉 

US Penny

The auction house sold 232 sets of three coins each featuring a 2025 penny from the Philadelphia Mint, a 24-karat gold penny from the Philadelphia Mint and a 2025-D penny from the Denver Mint, according to a press release.

Each of the coins was embossed with the omega symbol “Ω” marking the final run of the coin first minted in 1793, ostensibly why 232 lots were sold, per Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

Each trio of coins sold for an average lot value of over $72,000, and the final set, No. 232, sold for $800,000, as it included the very last circulating pennies from Philadelphia and Denver and the final gold omega penny.

ABCNews Story

Another interesting set of maps of Ohio from NationalAtlas.gov

Posted By on December 17, 2025

Brilliantmaps is a social media account on X.com that I follow for year … and have posted from before. This past week, one of the posts on their website was on a set of retired NationalAtlas.gov maps of Ohio. Since I’ve been a life long “Ohioian,” it seems fitting to include a link to their post and a Satellite Map of Ohio.

Satellite Map of Ohio

General Ohio State Facts

Demonym: Ohioan
State Abbreviation: OH
Year Admitted To US: 1803
State Number (Out of 50): 17th
State Capital: Columbus
Total Area: 44,826 sq mi (116,098 km2)
State Area Ranking (Out of 50): 34th
Highest Point: Campbell Hill – 1,548 ft (472 m)
Lowest Point: 455 ft (139 m)
State Website: https://www.ohio.gov/

What will semi-retirement look like in 2026? Hopefully like 2025.

Posted By on December 16, 2025

It is the time of year that I do my best to reach out to my existing Consolidated Printing and Publishing Co. customers that I’m still serving. The gradual slowing down of my nearly 40 year old business continues and I’m still doing my best to keep loyal and long time customers satisfied. Is maintaining a handful of printing orders, domain services and web servers worthwhile? Probably not … but I’m not ready to stop just yet. 

CPP Co backin 1987 - Art by Bob Moore

That said, keeping things going isn’t really all that taxing as usually I spend most of the day with a phone at ready and am usually in my home office (focused on trading and investments). The old days of sales calls and travel are nearly non-existent these days and are a far cry from weekly trips to NE Ohio … or long nights in the building finishing up printing jobs to hit a deadline.

I’d like to believe that the daily 8:30 to 4:30 schedule keeps me mental stimulated which will hopefully keep my mind sharp. This past year hasn’t been great for my physical health though and perhaps I can make exercise the highlight in my New Year’s resolution once my foot returns to normal? For now, and as long as Brenda is happy with my schedule, I’ll continue this semi-retirement lifestyle for another year (or at least until I can hire a Tilly Norwood to take over for me). 😉 

Tilly Norwood - AI generated marketing Who is Tilly Norwood?
Norwood is a fully digital, AI-generated character designed to appear as a realistic human actress. Her creator, Eline Van der Velden, developed her as part of a creative experiment to explore new storytelling possibilities using artificial intelligence. The team behind her produced approximately 2,000 variations to achieve a “girl next door” aesthetic, prioritizing authenticity over idealized beauty to foster emotional connection. She has appeared in a short comedy sketch titled “AI Commissioner” and maintains an active social media presence, showcasing her “reel” and promotional content.

(more…)

Archive: Gigi, Taylor and Megan in the Mt Adams Reindog Parade

Posted By on December 15, 2025

Gigi, Taylor and MeganThe 34th Annual Reindog Parade was held in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Mt.Adams (Cincinnati) and guess who was there? Gigi, Taylor and Megan (well done)!

Canines and fellow owners participated in a unique procession that puts spectators of all ages in the holiday spirit. They walked through the historical streets of Mt. Adams with this year’s Grand Marshall, television sportscaster Thom Brennaman. There were festive costumes and prizes in the following categories:

 • Small Dogs (under 25 lbs)
 • Large Dogs (26 lbs and over)
 • Dog/Owner Look-A-Like
 • Group (Three or more dogs)

(more…)

Music Monday: “Thunderstruck” by Finnish band Steve’n’Seagulls

Posted By on December 15, 2025

Every once in a while I come across some music that catches my ear (and eyes). It is not necessarily that it is my taste in music, but a recognition that talented musicians come from unlikely places. I haven’t done any research on the Finnish country rock band Steve’n’Seagulls, but thought I’d include their version of “Thunderstruck(by AC/DC) for this Music Monday

Reading (listening to) the Bible in one year – the Dwell app

Posted By on December 14, 2025

iPhone Audio on DwellHave you ever tried to read (or listen to) the Bible in one year? 

Last year, Brenda and I started the process of “listening to” the Bible being spoken to us every night. We have been surprisingly consistent and good about it and are Dwellnearly finished … although I haven’t counted down the days yet so it is still a little questionable if we’ll make it by the end of 2025. 😉 

Listening has bee far easier than actually reading, but if doing it again, I’ll  probably try to read along as it is being read. The most difficult parts were the genealogy segments in the Old Testament … but to be fair, as a “Good News” Christian, I’m much more familiar and interested in the New Testament.

If you’re interested in doing the same, check out the Dwell app as it has been worth the subscription to us AND as I’ve mentioned to Brenda, I’d like to re-listen to  the books after The Gospels again … or for that matter, the New Testament in its entirety again

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