Posted By RichC on June 10, 2026
We really don’t need to “wish” Taylor a Happy Birthday this year, because he is already definitely having a fabulous birthday on an Alaskan cruise with Megan. Nevertheless, Happy Birthday Taylor!
They have been sending great photos already and his daily updates are making me a little bit envious. So glad they took this trip.
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2026
It has been a tough few weeks for our niece Sarah and the Gerber family in Atlanta … and for those who pray, they could use some prayer.
Brenda’s sister, brother-in-law, and Jessica have been keeping the family up-to-date on Sarah’s recent hospital admission (for those who have been to the ER lately, you know the insanity and long wait).
Sarah has lived with and treated her chiasmal optic glioma since she was 5 years old. She has had several episodes requiring surgery, chemotherapy, and shunts to relieve the pressure, but recently had terrible headaches and made trips to the ER. After a recent MRI, doctors have decided that there was enough change/growth, possible brain bleeds, and have noticed the shunt is not properly relieving the pressure. This week, she is scheduled for brain surgery that could last 6 or more hours. She and her family could use as many prayer requests as possible.
My daughter Katelyn included the prayer below … and sister Jessica brought the only flowers permitted in the hospital room (Lego flowers).
FOR THOSE FACING INVASIVE, CRITICAL, OR HIGH-RISK PROCEDURES, AND FOR THOSE FRAUGHT WITH WORRY…
As I approach this procedure
I acknowledge my own fears at the possibility of outcomes I cannot control.
O God unshaken by any circumstance, be now my rock and my refuge.
Still my racing thoughts.
Speak peace to this gale-storm of my insecurities. In the midst of my concerns, give me grace to receive without bitterness the presence and support of friends who, seeking to ease fears they cannot understand, might utter unhelpful things.
Give me also grace to trust, to rest my trepidations in you, for your purposes and your presence transcend all possible outcomes.
Whether the end result of this procedure brings news that is good, bad, or uncertain, nothing that is essential or eternal will have changed;
My great hope is secure.
Let me rest in that.
At the end of this day,
I will still be your child, utterly dependent on you, utterly loved by you.
At the end of this day,
my life will yet be hidden with Christ, even as it now is.
I will remain an heir to the promise that this imperfect, mortal body, though it faces temporary decline, will one day be swallowed up in a glorious immortality.
We pray for good outcomes from this procedure, O Lord.
We ask for good outcomes,
pleading that you would be mindful of our mortal frailties,
but we know that regardless of the tidings to come, you are tender and present and sovereign over all circumstance, and what is more,
you love us fiercely and eternally.
Therefore I would trust you to lead me well along the paths of any wild and perilous country.
You are my shepherd.
This day will hold no surprises for you.
Let me rest in that.
Amen.
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2026
Just like buying many pairs of boat shoes during my life, I’ve purchased and owned a number of sailing hats over the years too (and way to many caps to contemplate). In the early years I often cheapened out on both 
the boat shoes and the sailing hats by purchasing a discounted or knockoff brands. For the most part, they were all fine (and I still wear a knock-off branded Tilley around the pool – photo 2020).
In recent years (decades), I’ve opted for Sperry branded shoes (multiple posts) and migrated back and forth between the wider all-around brim sailor’s hat for the sun protection, but in recent years have been just wearing caps … except the comfortable ventilated wide-brim hat that I use when cleaning the pool. But for the most part it is a ball cap when working around the yard or walking … and depending on the weather, I’ll either wear the heavier caps or when it is really hot, a lightweight thin breathable cap (super cheap as I recall).
This brings me to my mistake in replacing a Tilley-branded Endurable T3 classic hat (left) that has seen better days with a new Tilley TWS1 Rain-repellent hat (right).
.
I replace it for a couple of reasons … primarily to test the lifetime warranty. The snaps were corroded. It has a couple holes and was “beyond floppy” but still comfortable. To test the lifetime warranty, I figure I’d go through the motions to see just how far gone a hat needed to be? First I sent them a photo and they came back, “no problem.” Put an X through the label and pick out the hat I wanted. They shipped me a new one for the cost of shipping … to which I added two 1776 American Flag premium caps for our country’s 250th celebration. 😊
Posted By RichC on June 8, 2026
Do you remember the music group Gallery?
I can remember the song “Nice to Be with You” written by the band’s Jim Gold (see Jim Gold & Gallery), but did not remember the soft rock band or anything else they performed?
Nevertheless, while hearing it on SiriusXM it triggered my including it for Music Monday.
| Gallery “Nice to Be with You” | 1972 |
Band Members
- Jim Gold (born January 12, 1947, Detroit, Michigan) – lead vocals, guitar
- Brent Anderson – backing vocals, guitar
- Bill Nova – backing vocals, percussion
- Cal Freeman (born June 26, 1942 – died October 29, 2018) – guitar
- Paul Franklin (born May 31, 1954, Detroit, Michigan) – steel guitar
- Dennis Kovarik – bass
- Danny Brucato – drums
- Fred DiCenso (born January 23, 1950 – died 2021) – guitar
Posted By RichC on June 7, 2026
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Posted By RichC on June 6, 2026
Here’s to remembering our 44th (ugh!) wedding anniversary. By the way, I 
remembered June 5th just fine, but I am posting on it a day after a pre-prepared Tech Friday post. 😉
I still find it difficult to believe that we have been married for that many years? As previous generations have said, the years go by so fast. It is so true!
Taylor and Megan are off on an Alaskan cruise and they have been very excited to go. Taylor sent a photo as they flew into Seattle … what a beautiful view of a 14,410 ft snowcapped Mt. Rainier. We are looking forward to hearing about it and seeing more photos.
As for us, we’re looking forward to our granddaughters dance recital and seeing the Oostras. We always have a good time with them … and wee might even check the progress on my brother Ron and Claire’s new house up on Lake Erie? I think summer is here.
Happy Anniversary, Brenda … with a couple of goofy photo booth memories from Katelyn and Drew’s wedding in 2013.
Posted By RichC on June 5, 2026
As usual, there are a couple of odds and ends photos left in MyCubby 2026’s May folder that I need to either toss or stick in a filler blog post. So today I’ll add them here.
Last month I toiled … and I mean toiled overtime … with Brenda’s older Samsung Pro Chromebook while attempting to convert some perfectly good Intel m3 hardware to a Linux OS. I knew it would need to be a lighter build and so tossed around a few versions … finally deciding on Linux Mint. BUT … I’m getting ahead of myself.
After updating my MacBook Air M2 to the M5 in April in order to gain a bit more memory (too many tabs and spaces), I set up the M2 for Brenda … since her Chromebook is no longer getting updates from Google. That was too bad since she was very comfortable with the small touchscreen Chromebook (more on that in a minute). So that opened the door to play around with and “try” to get Linux on the Samsung Pro. Frankly I recall that same struggle when she moved from a smaller non-touchscreen Samsung Chromebook that she had prior to that.
First, it wasn’t easy. There is a Write-Protect screw buried under the backside of the “copper” heatsink that is only accessible by removing the entire board and unscrewing all the screws holding down the heatsink. After that little metal screen washer and screw was removed, I added a little electrical tape just to be safe. Buttoned everything back up, installed the MrChromebox boot loader and then flashed a USB (actually microSD card) with Linux and rebooted the Samsung Pro. What a mess trying to get everything working … and a big problem with the Intel WiFi .. something has limited the range???