It’s that time of year to take account of My Desultory Blog life

| December 22, 2024

Part of me wonders why I continue to post “something” … “anything” … on the MDB pages everyday? Perhaps it is habit or an addictive obsession, but then again I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it as a way to track my family life as a timeline. As the years roll by […]

With Katelyn and Megan the figure skaters in our family, who knew Taylor would learn through osmosis?

| December 10, 2024

With early November and December winter weather showing up somewhat early, there’s no better time for Megan’s employer to have a holiday gathering at Kings Island. For their business, it is time to promote WinterFest with 7-million lights and some ice skating.  Both Megan and Katelyn learned, and then taught, figure skating for the Queen […]

Archive: Merry Christmas 2024 and a Google “add me” photo test

| December 6, 2024

The annual Corbett Christmas Letter has been reduced to the ubiquitous Christmas card printed by one of the many card producers (below). This year’s card was ordered  before our Thanksgiving famly get-together and unique Google “Add Me” AI feature used in the photo above on Drew’s new Pixel 9. Very impressive — hey, Apple, get […]

Archiving (clearing out) a few older leftover photos for #TBT

| December 5, 2024

It is the time of year to clean up my blog’s photo folder — a place where I save photos that I might want to archive on the blog. Usually there’s a reason they don’t get used, but before tossing them due to a new year, it is time to do some housecleaning. First up […]

Archive: Thanksgiving 2024 photos with our family

| December 3, 2024

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A beautiful photo of my granddaughters and their neighborhood

| November 30, 2024

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Archive: Megan, Taylor and Gigi out for a walk and Venus rising

| November 26, 2024

Nothing earth shattering, but looked up to see Venus rising on Sunday evening as I was taking out the garbage. It was beautiful in the SSW sky and far more than the iPhone photo … but it was worth posting anyway. Megan, Taylor and Gigi were out for walks on Sunday and shared a couple […]

Music Monday: “Life is A Highway” and a VW waterpump failure

| November 25, 2024

Not that my daughter appreciated that her 2018 VW Tiguan left her stranded on the “highway” … but sometimes automotive breakdowns are a part of “life.” So it seemed somewhat appropriate to feature the catchy Tom Cochrane‘s “Life is A Highway” as today’s Music Monday song. Sorry about the water pump failure Katelyn!  Tom Cochrane originally […]

Thoughts on owning second homes/condos and inflationary costs

| November 24, 2024

With all the expenses associated with owning a Florida condo these days (HOA monthly dues, large engineering related assessments, increases in insurance and real estate taxes, not to mention normal utilities and repairs) … I’m wondering if being an owner is worth it? Nevertheless, Brenda and I do enjoy the longer escapes these days as […]

Archive: Replaced another garbage disposal, this time at the condo

| November 16, 2024

Officially this is a “replaced the garbage disposal project” from a week ago, but since I’m still mentally in “vacation-mode,” I’ll archive this post for condo improvements records and include a panaramic photo above from my new phone (I’m relaxed just looking at it).  The old InSinkErator Badger brand disposal was replaced in 2012 (Brenda’s sister […]

Archive: Taylor talking with WKRC regarding Batavia Township

| November 14, 2024

After a great visit with Taylor in Florida last week for his planning conference, he’s right back into the hornet’s nest in trying to find the best way to navigate economic growth and housing development in his township. The battle lines are being drawn between fairly large housing developers and builders who are growth focused […]

Archive: More Autumn 2024 family photos and video

| November 12, 2024

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Archive: Bananas and our granddaughter broke her little toe

| November 5, 2024

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Archive: Our family is enjoying the 2024 autumn weather

| October 29, 2024

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Cat 5 Hurricane Milton sets sight on Florida’s west coast

| October 8, 2024

Once again, the second half of the hurricane season is brewing up what looks to be another monster storm in the Gulf of Mexico (post after Hurricane Helene). This one is named Hurricane Milton and has quickly spun up to a category 5 storm as it starts moving from west to east across the gulf. […]

Thanks Mom for everything. It’s your birthday and I miss you.

| September 29, 2024

It isn’t as if I think about missing my mom everyday, but when her birthday approaches, I definitely do. In that way we are a lot alike — remembering her missing her mom. Brenda and I often comment, “oh how my mother would love this or that” … usually when talking about preparing the table […]

Family health issues: We’ll take our Utah trip next year!

| September 25, 2024

A change of plans is something that can cause stress … but nothing like the stress of having a child with a medical condition, no matter their age. Brenda’s younger sister Ann and her husband Gary have a grown daughter who has overcome hurdle after hurdle in living with a chiasmal optic glioma. It has […]

Keeping track of my adult children and grandkids is a challenge

| September 25, 2024

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Taylor with a friend in Chicago and a cover for our utility trailer

| September 24, 2024

Taylor and his newlywed longtime friend, Mike, were in Chicago for the weekend and they sent me a few photos of their time together … sort of a post-wedding bachelor get together. I’d did check the Chicago Cubs – Nationals score (they lost), but it did look beautiful at Wrigley Field. I spent the weekend […]

Setting up an iPhone 16 Pro Max this weekend will be challenging

| September 21, 2024

The new iPhone 16 Pro Max has arrived and the set-up process begins. Sorry for the distraction; I’m probably going to be “trying” to get the new phone up and running this weekend. 😊  EDIT Add 9/21/2024:

Protecting our rear asphalt driveway by sealing it before winter and finishing the Bame Utility Trailer refresh with Oostra Oak

| September 17, 2024

It has been a couple years since we added new thin layer of asphalt on top of the existing base layer and it was starting to show signs of cracking at the edges … nothing major, but weed roots are never good. So while it is dry and before winter this year, I decided it […]

The last garden tomatoes and a workshop bar clamp rack idea

| September 15, 2024

The summer growing season is over and I’m eating the last of the tomatoes that KDAE brought from NW Ohio. They were a real treat and “all for me” since I’m the only one in the family who loves and eats tomatoes. They were so much better than store bought. Also, I know I sort […]

Archive: Weekend photos, including a Barbie Birthday Party

| September 9, 2024

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Capsizing Trinka triggered a traumatic memory for Katelyn #TBT

| September 5, 2024

Katelyn, my now 38 year old adult daughter, read yesterday’s wedding ring and capsized Trinka dinghy sailing memory and mentioned that I should have included her 7th grade “Time In A Bottle” artwork. She reminded me that it was a “traumatic” incident in her young life (although personally, I did feel that I had everything […]

Since today’s morning post was “family” oriented, here’s a filler

| September 4, 2024

While at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo over the weekend with KDAE, I took a photo of a surprisingly comfortable leather chair that was on the SS Col. James M. Schoonmaker. The chair was “I think” original to the ship in 1911 and looked interesting enough to dig a little deeper […]

Archive: Labor Day Weekend photos in Toledo with KDAE

| September 4, 2024

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A fun family weekend in the pool before school starts this week

| August 22, 2024

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Maine for the weekend. Congratulations Mike and Addie Agler.

| August 20, 2024

It is becoming the norm for me, but Tuesdays are often the day that I end up saving leftover weekend family photos to the MyDesultoryBlog.com. Last weekend was a wedding in Maine for Taylor’s lifetime best friend Mike Agler. So Taylor (Mike’s best man) and Megan flew up to a beautiful and historic Inn to […]

Archive: Once again, a few late summer weekend update photos

| August 13, 2024

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Music Monday: “Arizona” from 1970. Where is the midwest?

| August 12, 2024

First … Happy Birthday Brenda. We’ll celebrate with KDAE over the weekend in a few days. Where is the Midwest in the United States? Someone posted a map from the WSJ that mentioned it is geographically not where most people think it is — or where they call themselves Midwesterners.  I outlined in yellow where […]

A 1973 Cadillac Coupe Deville photo from the summer of 1980

| August 8, 2024

After noticing a ThrowBack Thursday #TBT post in the “Year(s) Ago On This Date” blog column and recently stumbling across a old automotive photo that I didn’t remember of me with the 1973 Cadillac Coupe Deville … the one that was hit by a train, well pushed off the tracks by a slow moving train. […]

Archive: KDAE vacationing in Minnesota with the Howards

| July 31, 2024

The Oostras are vacationing back in Minnesota and enjoying time “stomping” around the areas near Minneapolis (and in Wayzata) where they spent a few years early of marriage. They initially spent some time with friends “in the city” then up with cousin Justin and Katie Howard and their family of five now at at their […]

Archive: Today is for highlighting my granddaughter Ellerie

| July 27, 2024

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My brother and neighbor enjoying their retirement perch fishing

| July 24, 2024

Since the earlier post this morning was “private” … for friends and family … it seemed like a good idea to archive another “texted to me” photo from last week. My brother Ron has been enjoyed trips up to “his” new property (our old property) and reconnecting with neighbors. He sent a photo out perch […]

Archive: A couple summer family photos from last weekend

| July 24, 2024

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Hot days, rain, storm clean up and returned my iPhone 15 Pro

| July 19, 2024

I don’t think I’ve ever recalled a hot summer in July or August that I’ve needed to “remove” water from the pool? I did so with a spare pump leftover from my biodiesel days and a sprinkler. 😊 This year, we’ve had the somewhat normal hot and dry weather … followed by thunderstorms, tornado warning […]

Found two photos of my “rebuildable” 1977 Honda Civic #TBT

| July 18, 2024

There have been several times that I wish I had photos of the cars I’ve owned and now realize that very few actually exist or have been lost. I commented to my car friends about rebuilding the 289 cubic inch V-8 engine, derusting and repainting the 4-door family car that I learned to drive on […]

Music Monday: Replaying the song “Kodachrome” by Paul Simon and the drowning of my Apple iPhone 7 Plus

| July 8, 2024

Today’s Music Monday is a redux of a previous post regarding the popular 1973 song “Kodachrome” by Paul Simon song (of Simon and Garfunkel and solo fame). The song came up in a conversation on Sunday afternoon with Megan and Taylor as they were showing a “slides” wall display of hundreds of old transparencies all mounted […]

A favorite breakfast: Scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns

| July 7, 2024

Although we don’t eat out very much these days, having a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns is still a favorite of mine — OJ is an extra treat. Back when I would make more appointments with customers, meeting at Bob Evans or even picking up a “foam box breakfast” at the Silver […]

Reconnecting with old college friends visiting from Idaho

| July 2, 2024

Where have the years gone? My college friend and all 4 years roommate (the absolute best) from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio were back from Idaho Falls, Idaho to visit with family … and this trip they decided to drive down to see us (the last time was in 1986 when we were living […]

Connecting with family led to talking about “end of life” planning

| June 30, 2024

Every once in a while my cousin Diane calls or text messages me to catch-up on our lives. She is a few of years older than me, but once you hit a certain age, those “few years” aren’t the same as when she was in high school or college and I was still in junior […]

Archiving photos: Our family busy doing “family stuff”

| June 27, 2024

Storm Clouds mid-June over Mankato MN  After our enjoyable and busy week with our granddaughters, I wanted to archive a few photos that have been piling up in the “maybe” for the blog folder. Above are some of the storm clouds in Minnesota that caused flooding in the midwest in mid-June — ominous! For us, […]

Archive: Summertime with Oma and Bompa – 2024 edition

| June 25, 2024

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Retirement: The question has been asked a lot lately.

| June 23, 2024

Brenda and I have been asked several times recently … “are you retired?” The most recent for me was at my yearly wellness physical by my PCP.  I’m not really sure how to answer the question since there hasn’t really been a definitive “we are retiring” moment for either of us. I “work from home” […]

For all the wonderful dads out there … Happy Father’s Day

| June 16, 2024

Today has me thinking of the two dads in my life (DadC and DadH) as well as the father of my two granddaughters, Drew. I thank them for being great mentors … by using the stern hand of guidance when it was required … with an abundance of self-discipline … and always being the provider […]

This weeks leftovers: Laundry Room Update, Lift Pump Switch, Congressional Baseball Game and WyzeCam Pet detected

| June 15, 2024

While clearing a few photos off my iPhone 7 Plus due to limited storage space this week, I decided it might be nice to archive a few photos … so “leftovers” from the week sounded like a good idea for this post. First, Brenda wanted a few new hooks for mops and things in the […]

Happy Birthday Taylor … a day early

| June 9, 2024

Taylor and Megan for Birthday golfing at Beckett Ridge (he worked there when he was in college) The weather was cooler than normal for a June birthday get-together for a few of our 35 year old sons’ friends, their spouses and now young families. It wasn’t a formal party per se, but it was a […]

Treasures found prepping old workbench for my granddaughters

| June 6, 2024

My Grandpa Bluhm made this workbench and gave it to me for Christmas back in 1966. His influence early-on likely influenced my interest in tinkering and woodworking (car restoration and rebuilding was probably mostly influenced by DadC).  This past weekend I cleaned it up a bit and added a homemade light strip with a roll of […]

Archive: The landscaping begins at KDAE’s beautiful new house

| June 5, 2024

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Enjoying driving the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel again

| June 4, 2024

With the weather still moderate, I’ve been driving my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel a bit more. It really needs to be cleaned up and waxed, but I’ve been sidetracked with power washing the pool decking and cleaning up the porch furniture for summer (a lot of tending to the fast growing lawn too). Still […]

Another Ridgid battery tool: A small chainsaw for trimming

| June 2, 2024

This chainsaw has been on my tool wishlist for a while and when I mentioned to Brenda that it was $50 off over Memorial Day, she told me, you should get it. This small 12 inch Ridgid Chainsaw is not the “do everything” tool or even as robust as the bigger twin battery Makita, BUT […]

Downspout traps now could save you thousands of dollars later

| May 29, 2024

Last weekend Drew and Katelyn discussed their plans to bury pipes with yard pop-up that lead from their homes’ gutters and downspouts. I mentioned that I thought having downspout traps was essential when living on a property with trees, especially with underground drainage tiles. I think they agreed and will be adding them while finished […]

Look who’s “ogling” a cyber truck in Toledo, Ohio …

| May 28, 2024

My son-in-law Drew sent a photo (below) of the Oostra family after spotting a Tesla Cyber Truck in Toledo, Ohio over the weekend … and knowing his consistant interest, I won’t be surprise to see one in their garage someday! He has been “ogling” them since Elon Musk first announced the new truck in 2019 […]

Transplanted buttercups and DadH’s workshop in 2013 #TBT

| May 23, 2024

Upstairs in the Western NY Farmhouse Barn’s workshop in 2013 In keeping with the occasional ThrowBack Thursday #TBT, the above was a pano photo of DadH’s workshop after he passed away. I mentioned to Brenda that I wondered how he was able to climb the stairs of the barn and work on such a large […]

Enjoyed the weekend with KDAE and a wonderful dance recital

| May 22, 2024

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Saved May 2024 Thunderstorm over the house video for a filler

| May 21, 2024

See below … 😉 While we were under a Tornado warning earlier this month, I was outside in the backyard watching the storms to the north of our house (over the roof). There was A LOT of lightning, but surprisingly not all that much thunder?   AND since today is my brother’s birthday, Happy Birthday […]

Archive: Swing/Slide repair part and meet Mackenzie Lee Howard

| May 15, 2024

This archiving of leftover weekend photos is becoming a trend on My Desultory Blog and since it is a space for me to mark events and save photos, I suppose it will continue?  Last weekend while celebrating Mother’s Day (along with my birthday) … I started pool opening process. I’m not sure how many more […]

Happy Birthday to my daughter Katelyn … how the risk tolerances and priorities have changed!

| May 14, 2024

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Happy Mother’s Day 2024 to Brenda, Katelyn and ALL Moms

| May 12, 2024

While picking out a card for “the mother of my grown children” this year, I couldn’t help notice how inflation has impacted the price of greeting cards. Perhaps when I was in the business of putting ink on paper, the price per sheet as it were, I wasn’t really given too much thought to each […]

Thanks all for reminding me that I’m another year older 🙃

| May 8, 2024

Late spring yard work and continued Kubota diagnosis and repairs continued over the weekend, but on the 7th, another year for me is in the books; can’t say I’m feeling all that different? But THANK YOU to my family and friends for wishing me a Happy Birthday … and some doing the traditional Howard family […]

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