Archive: Toledo Area Parent magazine article – Mar/Apr 2022

| March 5, 2022

What parent doesn’t enjoy seeing their adult children respected enough in their profession to be asked to comment? Since I’m one that does keep an online scrapbook of sorts (this blog) … I’m archiving a recent article with Katelyn in Toledo Area Parent titled “Less Mealtime Stress with Responsive Feeding.” Seems like a week to […]

Taylor now gets to fly drones as part of his planning job

| March 3, 2022

Admit it, you’re a bit envious of those who get to fly drones as a part of their job? Taking Taylor out for his birthday in 2021 As someone who has enjoy everything aviation their entire life, I’m a bit jealous my son is now a licensed commercial drone pilot … just a I am […]

Archive: A leftover photo and priming Ellerie’s rocking chair

| March 1, 2022

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Talking Alaska and snowmobiling when I was a kid #TBT

| February 24, 2022

Last week I was talking to an online friend from Alaska about outdoor cold-weather activities who shared a winter camping photo. He was complaining about the freezing rain and less than ideal weather this year on his 20 mile snowmobile trip, so he cut it short and drove to Wasilla to watch the start of […]

Archive: A Sunday afternoon Happy Birthday to Ellerie (photos)

| February 20, 2022

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Archive: Slow progress on a customized child’s rocking chair

| February 19, 2022

I used the word “customized” because besides getting the “rocker” for this chair from a set of plans … for safety sake … I’ve been tweaking the children’s rocking chair from collected ideas … and trial and error. Besides wanting to use dimensional lumber and running it through the planner for the frames, I’ve pulled […]

Paper magazines/newspaper delivery woes and shrinkflation

| February 17, 2022

Well, two doses of disappointing news in one week. First, the Bengals lose in Super Bowl 56, and then my Barron’s magazine gets smaller with even smaller type (requires a second pair of readers!). They call it “shrinkflation” in an attempt to save a few dollars and probably force subscribers into a 100% digital subscription. […]

A new-to-me Arabica Bean Coffee and a family photo to save to the 2022 Valentine’s Day blog archive

| February 16, 2022

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The Bengals going to Super Bowl LVI meant a lot to Cincinnati

| February 15, 2022

This post is going to be “a day late (or so) and a dollar short” post … just as the Cincinnati Bengals were in Sunday night’s Super Bowl LVI. Our young Bengals put up a valiant fight, but came away with a disappointing loss: Rams 23, Bengals 20. As so many have said, 2022 for […]

Books: “Wealth, War and Wisdom” by Barton Biggs (2009) and a little “How Long will the Santa Mouse Decor Remain” humor

| February 13, 2022

We’ve never been all that timely in getting Christmas decorations put away after the holidays, but this year we … and by “we” I mean Brenda … has been slower than usual. To be fair, most everything has been packed and put away, but there are a few stragglers still around our house. I’m not […]

A big snowman GIF triggered Ford 800 tractor memories #TBT

| February 10, 2022

In early February 2022, most of the U.S. received a heavy ice and snow storm. There were quite a few shared photos on the social networks and an animated GIF of a huge snowman triggered memories of our Hudson, Ohio winters in NE Ohio. Back then I had an old Ford 800 that I used […]

Another Mexican dinner with my friend Jeff and some humor

| February 9, 2022

Last week I had dinner with my buddy Jeff after taking him to pick up his car from a seat repair/re-upholstering job. He previously planned it so we could go to our “old” favorite Acapulco Mexican Restaurant (which is no longer tolerated as well in my digestive track as it was 20 years ago). He […]

Starting a woodworking project on a cold winter weekend

| February 8, 2022

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Tech Friday: Fitbit Versa smartwatch battery issue

| February 4, 2022

Let me start off with the positives. I really like my original Fitbit Versa watch. I wear it everyday and it offers me nearly everything I want in a fitness tracking smart watch. That said, I have always been hard on watches … to the point I stopped wearing watches for years – for decades […]

Superbowl LVI bound Cincinnati Bengals are AFC Champions

| January 31, 2022

If there was ever a time to live in Cincinnati, Ohio … this year would be it! It has been a long time coming from hardcore Bengals fans, but the “youngsters” playing in the competitive field of NFL superstars on this particular team believe in themselves, their coach and their teammates. There isn’t much doubt […]

Watching the Bengals in the NFL playoffs … and a shampoo rant

| January 30, 2022

Since we will be focused on watching football and especially the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend, I’m pre-posting something that frustrates me when going to the grocery or drugstore. I know the inexpensive “brand” of shampoo that I like, but Suave for Men makes so many different blends, bottle sizes and labels that I can never […]

Archive: Enjoyable condo cleaning and NFL playoff football

| January 26, 2022

Brenda and I stretched out a cooler than expected weekend in Florida to get the condo ready for our Canadian renters. It worked out nicely since we had enough sun to start in order to go to the beach and plenty of time over the weekend to clean things up AND watch some excellent NFL […]

Half-Staff days in 2022 and office crown molding, paint, etc

| January 22, 2022

Archiving a couple office update photos after completing the crown molding, painting and “test” fitting of my new Samsung TV that Brenda bought me for Christmas. I also mounted the Yamaha soundbar on a couple special brackets so that the wires, etc remain behind the “skinny” television. As for the crown molding after making the […]

Workshop Wednesday: Frame-making and a crown molding jig

| January 19, 2022

For the lack of a better subject line, this will be called a Workshop Wednesday post … even though I’m rarely in the workshop on Wednesdays (it was last weekend). Anyway, I was busy making a jig to help cut the “cheap” (and I mean “cheaply made”) crown molding that I purchased from Wayfair for […]

Once again, Christmas gifts we use everyday from the kids

| January 18, 2022

Well done again Katelyn,Drew, Megan and Taylor. Thank you. Of all the “too many” gifts this year, you guys have managed to “once again” come up with great gifts. The automated and “generous” (inside joke) liquid hand soap dispenser is perfect for our kitchen. Brenda and I use it multiple times each day and find […]

Archive: Hardly artwork but memories with my granddaughters

| January 15, 2022

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Playing the vision insurance game and probably losing

| January 13, 2022

“Eye” do it every year (a very Dumb Dad Joke #DDJ) … I make my eye appointment to get my updated prescription from my optometrist (OD) and contemplate ordering contact lenses from them or a less expensive retailer … just as I’ve been doing since the days of the “cooker” (only those of a certain age […]

It was time, but just hate having to toss my favorite cup

| January 12, 2022

Truly a “desultory” post today … as I reflect on the demise of my favorite insulated plastic 16 oz cup. The screw-on lid has long ago disappeared, but I have continued to use this plastic cup to keep my ice cubes and Diet Mountain Dew cold (my favorite soft drink for 40 years).  I bought […]

Tackled office painting and a minor winter weekend project

| January 11, 2022

The past weekend projects consisted mostly of trim painting and then roller painting the long and drawn out office update project. Part of it is due to other things getting prioritized … like Christmas and family … and some of it out of my dislike for painting. BUT, I finally “cut” or trim painted all […]

Movie night: Watched a good one called “The Big Year” from 2011

| January 9, 2022

It might not be a current movie (it’s 2011), but it was one neither Brenda or I watched over this past decade, but it was an excellent comedy. “The Big Year,” with Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black (several others), was exactly what the “doctors” (Katelyn and Drew) ordered over our family Christmas. They […]

Archive: The folding Dollhouse Christmas project for Ellerie

| January 6, 2022

The scratch-built & designed (from a photo Katelyn sent) folding-case wooden Dollhouse for Ellerie was a success for Christmas this year. I was pretty sure Katelyn would like this sort-of heirloom toy, but I was unsure if a little granddaughter used to blinking gadgets and modern plastic toys would take to it, but she enjoyed […]

Archive: Our 2021 Family Christmas over New Years

| January 5, 2022

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Goofy New Year’s resolution? Improve my hand cut dovetails

| January 1, 2022

Happy New Year. Let’s hope 2022 will finally be the year that we can return to normal life after 2 years of struggling with COVID19 and the precautions and restrictions. One of my woodworking skill improvements for 2022 (maybe I’ll make it a New Year’s resolution?) is to improve my competence, speed and accuracy in […]

Boxing Day update and our Christmas yet-to-be family rotation

| December 26, 2021

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Wow, the Backporch 14 years ago! Where do the years go? #TBT

| December 23, 2021

While posting to the blog yesterday, I noticed a “Year(s) Ago On This Day” post archiving the stamped concrete was being pour/stamped for our backporch – 14 years ago). And even more shocking is that we were building our house back in the winter and spring of 1996! (click on house photo below of Katelyn, […]

Finally added the notch to the table saw outfeed table

| December 22, 2021

It has taken me a long time to cut into the outfeed table that I added to my Delta table saw in 2019, but I’ve finally added “the notch.” The spacing between the often used Shopsmith band saw and my lumber rack has always been tight … so tight that I’ve found myself angling it […]

Merry Christmas 2021 and Happy New Year from both of us

| December 20, 2021

Perhaps the days of our yearly-update annual Corbett Christmas Letter stuffed into a Christmas card are in the past? We have succumb to the popular printed photo card and figured that those who might want to know more about our year might just read my blog (a shameless plug). This year we decided not to […]

Messages on the Echo and crazy-faced granddaughter photos

| December 19, 2021

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A purposefully belated Happy Birthday to Drew! #TBT

| December 16, 2021

The years go by quickly and I’m not sure how to keep up with the time anymore, except maybe by watching our granddaughters grow up … or noticing gray hair and elbow wrinkles. UGH! The 8 years and 8 months our son-in-law Drew has been married to Katelyn and part of our family have been […]

We are thinking about retirement … in a few years!

| December 15, 2021

As Christmas cards arrive and the 15th of December hits, it is time to start winding down my business year and thinking about 2022 (BTW, we mailed our cards this week). One thing I have noticed this year is that more cards are from people who are now retired or are retiring. Hm … does […]

Small storage containers in my workshop hold memories

| December 12, 2021

After years of collecting a variety of tools and “tool” parts (bits, blades, etc), I’ve noticed that the mish-mash of storage containers have become even more interesting as the actual items being stored and saved (click photos for larger).  Here are a few photos with a variety of storage items in a Where’s Waldo (or […]

The “fuel surcharge model” for TV cable content delivery?

| December 11, 2021

It is a sneaky way to increase what I thought was a customer to Cincinnati Bell “contracted-each-year” cable TV and Internet monthly bill? Nope, according to @CincyBell … after being mislead by customer service that the below increases were “government related fees” and “out of their control” … the increases are negotiated contracts with content […]

Tech Friday: Surprised at the recent increase in blog traffic

| December 10, 2021

The surprise increase in blog traffic corresponded to my taking a few more security measures such as locking down more of the personal content to only logged in readers … but I’m not sure that had anything to do with increasing earnings? Still, I noticed upward change (more than doubling) of Google Adsense earnings and […]

A couple days of photos leftover from the weekend: Part 2

| December 9, 2021

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A couple days of photos leftover from the weekend: Part 1

| December 8, 2021

Since part one of a couple of blog photo posts will be pubic and not include family, I’ll archive it first. I finished (hopefully) the NINE trailer loads of leaves I mulched and raked in the front yard this year. Oh for the pre-Global Warming and now Climate Change days of burning leaves rather than […]

Stargazing on a cold and crisp evening out the back door

| December 6, 2021

I took a quick photo as the Moon and Venus are lit up by the sun well down in our evening sky in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Cold, clear and beautiful. Be watching for Saturn and Jupiter!

Advice: Consider replacing the wax ring seal on your toilet

| December 5, 2021

It might be a good idea to replace, or at least check, the wax ring seal on your toilet … as the line goes, “ask me how I know.” It seems ours was fine for 25 years, but at some point decided to drip when flushed. Slowly but surely the drip turned into a wet […]

Sagging elbow skin: When did I get this Grandpa Skin?

| November 30, 2021

Who really spends time looking at themselves in the mirror … at least the men that I know? BUT … I noticed my elbows when getting dressed last weekend … there is some disturbing sagging “grandpa skin” … “when did this happen?” On the other hand, I’m not alone and I suppose this is to […]

Thanksgiving with my brother and a few wrap-up photos

| November 28, 2021

Having Thanksgiving at my brother’s house with our family (minus Jaben who recently had COVID19) was one of those photo days that I should have packed my Lumix camera. The lighting was a bit dark and into window light for an older iPhone … and without a tripod was challenging. I propped it between some […]

Music Monday: An Ohio State Football win and the Sloopy Girl

| November 22, 2021

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A quick trip to Florida so as not to waste an expiring ticket

| November 20, 2021

Brenda and I flew to Florida with a “use it or lose it” expiring Southwest Airline ticket …and hopefully as a way to earn a future companion-pass ticket (we’ll see how that goes). We were there for a long weekend and to enjoy a couple days at the condo and the beach. Unfortunately I wasted […]

Ugly sweaters? Jerry, Gary, Mark, DadH and RichC for #TBT

| November 18, 2021

Every once in a while a memory gets triggered … and it happened while looking in my closet for a fleece or sweater with the weather turning colder. The photo below is from Christmas in 1990 and it seemed apropos for today’s Throwback Thursday #TBT. For the record, it was taken in Jamestown, NY at […]

Spent a couple days in Perrysburg with our granddaughters

| November 11, 2021

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Hopefully the new driveway drain will correct puddling?

| November 10, 2021

It may not be pretty, but hopefully the “fix” for the segment of driveway concrete that was poured when our driveway was replaced, without the proper pitch, will prevent puddling where the old and new concrete came together. We were not home to see the work, but after a cursory look (photos) on Wednesday morning, […]

Making Monkey Fist ornaments and a fire on the back porch

| November 9, 2021

After learning to tie a Monkey Fist knot this past year, I decided to make a couple Christmas ornaments for my granddaughters. I was planning to attach them to their presents in December, but Brenda suggested they should have them before Christmas so that they could hang them on their tree. Yikes, now I need […]

Archive: Our Halloween Trick or Treating Goblins for 2021

| November 2, 2021

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The WorkerB Power Pack for the Sailrite LSZ-1 sewing machine

| October 31, 2021

A new upgraded motor is now offered by Sailrite for their line of portable sewing machines (called the WorkerB Power Pack). The lack of slow speed control has been one of the only issues that we have had sewing with the LSZ1. A few years ago I upgraded the Balance Wheel when working on the […]

Our October 2021 vacation with KDAE to Delray Beach, Florida

| October 30, 2021

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Halloween gremlins creep in to finish off our Florida vacation

| October 26, 2021

Let’s start with "we had a great time in Florida" this past week" (more to come) … but the cleanup weekend ended with a couple gremlins. I blame it on the "uncarved" pumpkins left by the granddaughters. HA! Actually there were no unexpected problem while they were in Delray Beach with us, but after they […]

The many political ‘ISMs’ discussed in our culture today #TBT

| October 21, 2021

Every time I use political term with an “ism” these days, I sense I need to clarify the meaning as much as for myself as to the person I’m talking too. Often I’ll refer to an online resource in order to be sure that I’m not misspeaking … but usually its because the terms have […]

Our first Mercedes Benz sedan, but not the oldest #TBT

| October 14, 2021

Although I’ve highlighted our 1987 Mercedes Benz 560 SEL before (see photo in front of my parent’s house in Sidney) and this fall photo at West Branch State Park reminds me that autumn is the perfect time to take my current 1982 MB 300D Turbodiesel out for a drive. The ‘87 was one of those […]

Tidbits: A favorite kitchen product – Glad Press’n Seal

| October 13, 2021

When it comes to  tools in the workshop, there are a few of them that I keep at arm’s length or in a small toolbox. The same goes for kitchen utensils and products. One of my favorites, if not thee favorite, is GLAD Press’n Seal® wrap (mentioned year’s ago when I still had a Keurig). […]

Archive: Weekend chores, family photos and a drip distraction

| October 10, 2021

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How do you prevent birds from hitting picture windows?

| October 7, 2021

… Boom …  Our new windows are really not that clean, but obviously the reflective quality is not helpful and looks painful for birds flying into them. I’m starting to wonder if we should rig up some kind of netting or thin sunshade? The latest bird to hit the window left a “dust” imprint clear […]

Logging in and adjusting to new My Desultory Blog security

| October 5, 2021

I received an email from a regular blog reader questioning the new Sign-In feature that I implemented last month; it hinders anonymous viewing on My Desultory Blog for some posts. Yes it is a restrictive change, but it is not all that cumbersome once you are “Sign-In.” The WordPress security is minimal and the only […]

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.
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