My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on June 25, 2026

About 20 years or so ago, I installed a 50A 240VAC breaker and outlet in our pool garage where I used it for both a TIG and MIG welding setup. It has been working fine for years, but has been used somewhat infrequently for welding compared to charging an EV. Now that we are using it daily with the Tesla Mobile Connector (with the appropriate pigtail) as our primary (and only) way to home charge our Brenda’s Tesla Model 3 it has started to trigger app warnings during longer charge cycles.  

Initially I thought it might be a fluke, but Drew noticed it on his Model S during their last visit too. Hm … this required some digging since I didn’t notice any breaker, conduit, plug or cord overheating (at least to the touch). What happened though is that the Tesla app warns and backs down the amps … creating a much slower charge (see above warning and stepping down to 16A). I noticed it when I expected a full charge during a recent trip and ended up with less.

So, I started pricing out a Tesla Wall Connector ($485) plus an electrician ($804) AND a compatible Siemens tandem breaker ($238) to create panel space (currently maxed out). Hm, maybe I’ll stick with the Mobile Connector and pigtail plug a little longer. After chatting with an electrical friend (not licensed) he suggested that I might try buying a new plug and swapping it out as the tension may not be a tight after plugging things in and out over the years. Good idea.

But before that, I decided to give one more thing a try. Perhaps there is some corrosion on the clamping brass that holds the Mobile Connector prongs? So off with the breakers and in with a little sandpaper on a file. I’m not sure it did anything about the tension (if that is the problem) but it might be worth a try before purchasing a new welding plug. 

Category: Automotive, Misc, Repairs, Tesla | No Comments »
Tags: charging, electrical, electrician, ev, home charging, overheating, plugs, quick fix, tesla model 3

Posted By RichC on June 24, 2026

Our Kubota zero-turn mower is down.  This is not good considering the weather continues to be rain on and off — perfect for grass growing.

Hopefully the parts I have ordered from both the local Kubota dealer and from a vendor online with arrive this week. The dealer says mid week for their order, whereas the online vendor said they have shipped the non-Kubota parts but are giving me a delivery date of 6/29. Ugh!

I’ve tried to salvage bearing out of an old front wheel but am finding it  impossible after a couple hours of wasted frustration. So … I’ll keep watching the lawn grow and wait. I still can’t believe the ZD326s is 18 years old!
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Category: Misc, Repairs, Shopping, Tesla | No Comments »
Tags: kubota, maintenance, mower, yardwork

Posted By RichC on June 23, 2026

Part of our family spent Father’s Day in Toledo (KDAE), so Taylor, Megan and Gigi came up over the weekend to celebrate with us and enjoy the pool. Thankfully for those of us who clean pools, Gigi is like our Tootsie was and tries to avoid going in the water.  

As for our mini-celebration, Taylor and Megan are always great with thoughtful cards and something to mark the day. Brenda decided since Taylor didn’t have a birthday cake, that she would double up the celebration days with the Angel Food Cake, Strawberries and Whipped Cream that tend to be both Taylor and my favorite.

We grilled some of our Omaha Steak burgers (and a veggie burger for Megan) and had a wonderful day together. Foot problems aside (it continues), we did take a slower than normal walk — checking out the new Evergreen Farms Estate neighborhood bridge (it was hit by a drunk driver last years). 

Sorry Megan and Katelyn … I didn’t include you in the photos (but thanks for taking them)!

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Category: Archive, Holiday, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: cheeseburger, efe, family, fathers day, gigi, kdae, megan, pool, taylor, tootsie, walking

Posted By RichC on June 22, 2026

Generally, classical music is not why I drift to the SiriusXM 60s Gold station. Other stations start to sound “the same” and so beside listening to the BBC or NPR for newsy segments and story pieces, I’ll try songs from the 1960s … for the good memories. 😉

“Classical Gas” from 1968 came on, and truth be told, I didn’t recall Mason Williams until I read his name and connected it to the song. This is a drawn-out way to say that it triggered me to include it in Music Monday. So enjoy something different.

Speaking of different, Williams also performed Stand-up comedy. According to Wikipedia, “he set most of his comic ideas to music and sang or recited the jokes in lyric form with guitar accompaniment. Williams recorded an album where he entertains a live audience with ‘them poems about them people.’ The album covered such varied topics as ‘Them Moose Goosers,’ ‘Them Sand Pickers,’ and ‘Them Surf Serfs.’ Several other ‘them’ poems, along with many ditties, song lyrics, odd and amusing photographs from around the country, and assorted bits of visual and verbal silliness are collected in The Mason Williams Reading Matter (Doubleday, 1969).”  

Category: Entertainment, Idioms, Music, Video | No Comments »
Tags: 60s gold, classical gas, mason williams, music monday, musicmonday, orchestra, siriiusxm, wikipedia, youtube

Posted By RichC on June 21, 2026

In Ohio at least, it is that time of the year … Mosquito season. Yikes!

Thanks to modern science, we are learning more and more about them and what we can do to try to make us less attractive to them. Clothing choices, yard and neighborhood treatment and of course repellants. Personally I’m a Deep Woods Off user (available and fair priced), but assume some of the other “high Deet” concentrations are better if you are planning to go into the backwoods or into true mosquito country. Check out this Science Alert article:

So what can you do to avoid getting bitten?

Try loose-fitting clothing that covers your skin, mosquito nets and repellent, Simard advised.

“Try to eat light meals – and go easy on the alcohol.”

LINK

Category: Environment, Nature, Science, Video | No Comments »
Tags: bites, bugs, deep woods off, deet, mosquito, mosquitoes, outdoors, sciencealert, youtube

Posted By RichC on June 20, 2026

This could have been two separate posts, but since I don’t know that much about either to make a single post, I’m combining them into one.

Right-Click the image to open/download a much larger version of the map

First, BrilliantMaps reposted a Map Of The Longest Possible Train Journey In The World on X.com and since I love looking at maps, thought this train ride would be a long and wild one. The map above shows the longest theoretical train journey in the world today, from Lagos in Portugal all the way to Singapore. 

Second, my brother’s Lake Erie house is coming along. He sent me a photo that I’ll archive with the previous along with a couple memories on Lagoon Drive – Howard Farms property (our childhood home). I can’t wait to see it in person … as we did in 2017 before it was up for sale.

By the way, the “from the lake” view photo below is from one of our childhood friends, Vern Meinke … as my brother commented, “while trespassing with his wife.” 😊

Category: Archive, Human Interest, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: brilliantmaps.com, building, claire corbett, house, lake erie, maps, ronc, trains, vern meinke

Posted By RichC on June 19, 2026

The editor of TheHustings requested the regular contributors to comment on what we expect from the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be formally released today.
My short comment below was included:

Markets are cheering the US-Iran MOU and promised reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after being close for the last 100 days. Oil is down ~5% to March lows, the Nasdaq is up 3% and the DJIA is hitting all time highs. Lower energy costs and eased inflation fears are welcome, but history suggests skepticism is warranted when making deals with Iran. Who really believes that when the ink dries on Friday’s formal signing that this will be a permanent peace? Cautious optimism here, but at least de-escalation will deliver relief for American families and our economy … that is if Iran follows through.

Category: News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: commentary, iran, mou, opinion, thehustings, trump, united states