RichC | August 3, 2021
Weather and years (and abuse) has pretty much destroyed the gate, hinges and latches that I took off of the gate. I disassembled it in anticipation of our driveway project (I’m still waiting – they were delayed). The final disassemble and hauling to the back was on my weekend list, but I did not anticipate […]
RichC | 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 […]
RichC | July 29, 2021
While reviewing and purging a few backups to stay under one of my cloud storage service’s data caps, a favorite photo popped up that was backed up on OneDrive. It was a pre-children time for Drew and Katelyn visiting his parent’s place on Lake Michigan when there was free-time for self, hobbies, tech gadgets and […]
RichC | July 25, 2021
So what do you know about bats? Personally, I didn’t know very much at all. I see them regularly in the evening sky darting around and have always repeated the mantra that they are good for the environment because they eat mosquitos and pesky insects (article). Beyond that … and the vampire stories … I […]
RichC | July 20, 2021
Most news outlets are covering the Jeff Bezos and crew launching the few minutes delayed Blue Origin first crewed 11-minute space flight on the anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing in 1969. The New Shepard spacecraft launched flawlessly and was a beautiful site … although, shockingly short, for $28 million dollars per passenger. Interestingly, […]
RichC | July 20, 2021
Figured I would archive a couple leftover photos and an animated gif from a nice weekend working out in the yard. Since the concrete crew has not started the driveway project yet, I am continuing to clear brush and cut low branches (contemplating large concrete mixing trucks). Once again, the bonfire brush pile is starting […]
RichC | July 17, 2021
Slow progress on my home office as I continue to work in disarray; I am missing my accessory junk … including a small hanging TV. I don’t necessarily “watch” business television, instead listen to the stream via SiriusXM to my Aftershokz Aeropex headset. Occasionally though, do still find it helpful to have a video image […]
RichC | July 16, 2021
Just a pleasant, but warm evening photo as a Friday filler, after mowing the front lawn on Thursday night … and before the crews come to bust up the driveway and prepare to pour concrete (I hope!)
RichC | July 15, 2021
After seeing this photo of someone workbench screwdriver holder, I don’t feel quite as bad about my multiple tool boxes and workbench racks. Without a doubt, I do have my share of tools and gadgets, but I’m not sure how many screwdrivers it is necessary to have in one holder? The Facebook photo above aside, […]
RichC | July 11, 2021
Brenda and I had a great week with Annalyn and Ellerie after Katelyn and Drew headed back home after the Fourth of July family weekend. It was not without challenges as our two little girls do miss their mom and dad … but they (we) survived. Thankfully we smartly took the week off of work […]
RichC | July 10, 2021
The Fourth of July 2021 has come and gone, but since we took a week of vacation this week and have our granddaughters, things like “posting to the blog” and resizing photos has taken a second seat to family. For Saturday’s post, here are a couple archived photos of the family last weekend as the […]
RichC | June 30, 2021
I enjoy the ocean but haven’t really had my equilibrium and balance back since my 2-year bout with Meniere’s Disease 20 years ago. That’s a bit depressing since I still have the desire to switch out our surfboard for a longboard (or SUP). That dream aside … my wife will tell you that I wasn’t […]
RichC | June 29, 2021
Beautiful Panarama iPhone7 Evening Sky photo – 6/28/2021 In preparation for the driveway demolition crew to arrive (neighborhood driveway work needs to be done before road repaving), I spent the weekend working to get access around the garage ready for the workers. I’m not exactly sure where our driveway fits into the schedule, since several […]
RichC | June 22, 2021
Spent a lot more time this past weekend picking up branches, pumping out the pool and even set up a pump in the backyard to prevent flooding the pool. Thankfully no tornadoes on the ground, but the lightning, wind and rain was wild. Below is a video snippet … turned animated gif out the back […]
RichC | June 20, 2021
Received nice photo from Katelyn and Drew last week and since I included one of Taylor and Megan last week, this is one that needed to be archived on my blog. Most most personal photos nowadays are of our granddaughters as Brenda and I have long ago moved past the stage of photos our ourselves […]
RichC | June 19, 2021
Having just posted on the tool tip from Adam Savage yesterday, the Alligator Forceps paid immediate dividends. It was the exact tool I needed to replace the degraded gasoline tubing of my aging TroyBilt 4-cycle string trimmer. For context, photo from 2007 below …
RichC | June 15, 2021
This past weekend I moved forward in getting the mini split AC unit installed in my home office. I started the planned chair rail and cork wall (insulation, sound deadening and a place to pin maps, etc). I’m not sure about the can of worms I’ve opened, but I spent half the day on Saturday […]
RichC | June 11, 2021
When Annalyn and Ellerie were visiting in May, she helped me get out my live trap to “relocate” a raccoon or two (or more?) that has been climbing up on our house. Annalyn is so inquisitive and a real thinker when it comes to learning about something. She was so attentive when I showed her […]
RichC | June 10, 2021
We had a great time celebrating Taylor’s 32nd birthday last night after work at Pepp and Dolores restaurant in Cincinnati thanks to Megan. Brenda and I enjoyed arriving a little early and sitting at the bar talking with the bartender while sipping some Italian wine. We ended up discussing menu since she wasn’t overly busy. […]
RichC | June 6, 2021
For years now … no, it is now decades … my buddy Jeff and I have gone out for lunch ever other week and almost exclusively to a Mexican restaurant … primarily for the chips and salsa (and relaxed conversation). Before that, we lived in different cities (he in Florida and then Alabama … and […]
RichC | June 5, 2021
Brenda and I are still a year away from a milestone wedding anniversary, but we aren’t taking our 39th for granted – Happy Anniversary Brenda! This past year has been challenging … but an improving year on all counts. Everyone has been dealing with the COVID19 pandemic, but thankfully for us, we are coming out […]
RichC | June 1, 2021
The robin eggs in the back porch (earlier in May above) wreath Brenda made from her grandmother’s grapevines years ago, have hatched Below was day one (left) and day two (right) … as Brenda commented … “you should wait until they’re a bit cuter.” The weather was “so-so” this past Memorial Day weekend, but since […]
RichC | May 29, 2021
A separate air conditioning unit has long been on my “want list” for my home office. I’ve contemplated adding a high efficiency minisplit inverter unit for years to better balance the southwest corner upstairs office in our house. It has never really been comfortable in the summer with multiple computers, printers and gadgets, especially in […]
RichC | May 28, 2021
Our family has been burning up the highway this past month, but it has been great to get together again with our granddaughters and of course Katelyn and Drew. We’ve had this dance recital planned for a while now, along with an extra day to help out with babysitting … and didn’t want to ruin […]
RichC | May 26, 2021
As planned and mentioned in a weekend catch-up post yesterday, I’m archiving a few photos from a Sunday trip to Toledo for a 35th Birthday surprise our daughter Katelyn, thanks to her “sneaky” husband Drew (if she reads that word, I know she will smile). Everything came off without a hitch and our family decorated […]
RichC | May 25, 2021
The final new “half-moon” window was installed on Monday this week with the proper wagon-wheel spokes (photo below) .. which coincides with this week’s “Super Moon.” What makes this one somewhat unique is that there will also be a lunar eclipse where the earth shadows the moon. A total lunar eclipse completely blocks the moon, […]
RichC | May 25, 2021
This past weekend was a busy weekend and won’t likely let up for a little while – full schedule … and I’m not even really back to traveling for work! It started with getting the mowing finished up on Friday night so that I could spend time on getting the initial pool cleaning and pump […]
RichC | May 18, 2021
We celebrated Katelyn’s 35th birthday this past weekend and enjoyed getting the family together at our house. Besides Katelyn growing up, our two granddaughters are a well. Taylor and Megan were up for steaks on the grill and then Taylor back on Sunday to work on his taxes. Drew and Katelyn went out for lunch […]
RichC | May 14, 2021
Today is a special day … the day God gifted us a daughter. Our little girl Katelyn has been amazing since day one and she continues to make our lives better than we could have ever imagined and far better than we deserve. We’ll be celebrating Katelyn’s 35th birthday today in person since they’ll be […]
RichC | May 12, 2021
In February 2021, I mentioned The Hustings news website which highlighted how much I appreciated that in America we can hold different political views and civilly debate issues without fear of government retribution (First Amendment). Unfortunately in the past decade or so our differences have become so divisive and derisive, that I’m not sure that […]
RichC | May 11, 2021
This past Saturday was nice, but Sunday not so much (rain). It does seem like we are having unusually cool weather for this time of May? But 30-40 degree weather aside, Taylor did stop by to give me a hand with the pool cover since I don’t enjoy horsing it around by myself anymore as […]
RichC | May 9, 2021
I probably should be quoting from Leviticus 19:3, but I can’t help but remember Ferris Bueller commenting that, “Life moves pretty fast …” when thinking about respecting and honoring mothers today. So for Mother’s Day 2021, focus your attention on your mother before it is too late … because from experience, “life does move pretty […]
RichC | May 5, 2021
Received an email from a friend who said, “hey, there are no photo of you in your last week’s vacation post?” Hm, true .. and realized that this panorama is the nearest photo I have of me relaxing on the beach. But since our vacation is now in the rear view mirror, here are a […]
RichC | May 2, 2021
Although I know much of the country has lived locked down for much of the year, Brenda and I have probably done a little more than most. She has worked in the pharmacy without much of a break and since the COVID19 vaccinations have started, has been very busy. We had planned a trip to […]
RichC | April 23, 2021
I’ve used Twitter as my interactive Newsfeed for almost 15 years now and it has been a struggle to decide if it is worth it or not? BUT, like most people who start the addictive habit of using social networks and reading “feeds” (newsworthy or not), it is a difficult habit to stop. For the […]
RichC | April 22, 2021
After just finishing cutting the lawn on Tuesday night and working on our landscaping this past weekend in anticipation of a cold front with some “expected rain,” it ended up coming down as SNOW! I mean, come on, it is the time of year to be thinking sunshine, warmer weather and flowers .. not snow. […]
RichC | April 17, 2021
It’s that time of year … cleaning up, getting the landscaping mounds ready for new mulch and of course, Brenda has to burn something … decorative grasses go up fast. Let’s hope she doesn’t burn the fence again. For my part, I’m digging out older stone (what a pain) and prepping to put down some […]
RichC | April 9, 2021
Sometimes when my mind wanders, I shift from pie-in-the-sky dreaming (flying cars, mind control devices, AI/robotics (mp4), time machines (mp4), “beam me up” transporters, etc) to something that’s a bit more realistic to the world of everyday technology. Let’s get the above “pie-in-the-sky” idiom out of the way first. “Pie In The Sky” Origin This […]
RichC | April 8, 2021
With all the photos that I take, I can’t believe I didn’t snap a couple photos of the recent redwood framed games and puzzle woodworking projects I made for my granddaughters? Oh well, they turned out nice. I used my new “flat kerf” blade to make the corner miter joints stronger as well as decorative. […]
RichC | March 28, 2021
The 70 degree spring weather, and the high winds last week, begged me to load up the trailer with fallen sticks and starting a small burn pile (still too windy to burn the big pile). A thousand up and down stooping movements and bending-over toe touches has left me sore on Sunday … a sure […]
RichC | March 24, 2021
The more I think about it, the “lamer” it appears to be talking about shoes … but truth be told, the Sperry Topsider reviews and shoe insole posts still are in the top ten when it comes to blog numbers. I’m posting a photo of my newly arrived clearance priced Vasque hiking boots and previous […]
RichC | March 23, 2021
Besides what has become an annual photo of one of our lilac bushes pushing out buds, this past weekend was the first weekend of spring. Besides the new growth and greening lawn, we celebrated with our neighbors of 25 years, Pam and Jim by attending their son’s wedding in Cincinnati. It was a beautiful wedding […]
RichC | March 21, 2021
At one time I thought there might be a bit of Irish blood in my heritage mix, especially on the Corbett side, but an Ancestry.com DNA test in 2019 suggested that there was not. For some reason, I assumed the “known” Welsh family connection had some ties to Ireland, but there wasn’t even a percentage […]
RichC | March 20, 2021
A technology friend of mine, Scott Bilik (who was considered my Twitter “Godfather in 2007), has recently wiped some of the mud from his hypothetical digital footprints and is systematically freeing himself from Big Tech’s shackles. This current Silicon Valley monopoly has increased its political clout and has enticed or entrapped most of us in […]
RichC | March 17, 2021
At one time, I thought I was better at time management, but clearly after spending over an hour disassembling, de-rusting and polishing a folding IKEA stainless steel rack, I am not. In retrospect, buying a new one would have been a better way to use my time … but I found out they don’t carry […]
RichC | March 14, 2021
Our old mailbox has lasted 26 years and considering it is cemented into a stone post that mostly matches what is in the neighborhood, replacing it with something else is not a option. A few people have repaired theirs, but it has been an expensive process requiring significant masonry work. Last year about this time, […]
RichC | March 13, 2021
Last week I need a small socket and as usual went out to the garage only to realized that even the smallest 1/4” Craftsman socket that I own was too big and bulky. Then I remembered the IFixIt tools Christmas gift my son gave me and voilà … an easy fit and fix. Thanks Taylor! The […]
RichC | March 2, 2021
It has sort of become a tradition to celebrate birthdays in Toledo with the Oostra family. We certainly enjoy getting together with everyone and regularly reflex on just how blessed we are as a family. I mentioned to Brenda that one of the greatest blessing in my life was marrying into the Howard family … […]
RichC | February 23, 2021
One of the most unappreciated attributes often overlooked when dating and looking for a life partner is that of a handyman, or to be a little more politically correct, a “handyperson.” I do know that having the Mister Fix-it gene, or is it a learned skill (???), has been one of my strong traits, but […]
RichC | February 21, 2021
Rush Limbaugh died on Wednesday of this past week. It wasn’t a surprise to those who have followed his health challenges and in particular a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis a year previous. He continue his radio work up until the end and left a G.O.A.T. legacy in conservative talk radio that will likely never […]
RichC | February 20, 2021
The weather has been … well, wintery and I’ve been working on a self-designed prototype desktop bookshelf or bookstand with the thought of making a couple of them. Unfortunately desks … let alone books … are disappearing as a Future of Everything WSJ article mentioned this past year. The design is relatively simple in that […]
RichC | February 19, 2021
Well it is official, we are both with Mint Mobile. I’ve been using them for a month now and haven’t had any issues with their service (backboned on T-Mobile I believe) … and since saving money for the same service is a no-brainer, I’ve switched Brenda’s iPhone over this month as well … and added […]
RichC | February 18, 2021
A couple of weeks ago I shared a 1990s photo of Brenda’s dad with a close friend Hugh Woodcock and saw another one from 1997 to archive for a Throwback Thursday #TBT. Both MomH (2017) and DadH (2013) have passed away, but since Mrs. Woodcock (Ann) commented on my “snowy February stay-at-home” post, I figured […]
RichC | February 18, 2021
Almost 1 year ago, I started to use the Chromium-based Brave Browser and an Uphold account to receive the BAT (Basic Attention Token). I convert to Bitcoin along with the income generated on MyDesultoryBlog.com … which currently seems to be the digital currency of choice; I really did it just for the fun of it […]
RichC | February 14, 2021
Brenda packaged up a nice box of fun gifts for our granddaughters and they connected by FaceTime with high energy and happy faces – it was fun. Both Annalyn and Ellerie are camera “hams” and seem to enjoy what to them is a normal communication medium. I’m certainly enjoying the technology connection as it is […]
RichC | February 13, 2021
We live in a fairly developed area and yet the variety of animals surviving amidst the traffic and people continues to amaze me. When we built in Liberty Township, Ohio in the mid-1990s you would have called our area “developing but rural.” Now, there is no question we are suburban and “in my opinion” … […]
RichC | February 10, 2021
We received a surprise snowfall on Monday night this week and it caught most of us, including the weather people and snowplows off-guard. Brenda worked until close in Oxford, Ohio and it took her nearly an hour and a half to drive home .. no salt on the roads and very few snowplows were out. […]
RichC | February 9, 2021
Did you ever have a political discussion or receive an email that generated a desire to reply and explain? That sort of happened to me this weekend … but I decided there isn’t an upside in the one on one reply. The best approach, as is often the case when talking about faith and religion, […]
RichC | February 4, 2021
I always stop in to visit with lifetime friends of Mom and Dad Howard, Ann and Hugh Woodcock when I’m close, but hesitate to even tell them I’m nearby “in the days of COVID19.” I really hate putting it off though, since one never knows how many days friends in their 90s have? The photo […]
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