RichC | May 30, 2020
It has been a couple weeks of more states and localities re-opening. Brenda and I stopped at Fazoli’s to pick up something last weekend, but instead decided to try something new .. at least since restaurants shut down. We donned our face masks and ordered our meal sitting every other table. All was good. Then […]
RichC | May 29, 2020
Although my computer monitor(s) still have relatively generic “paper airplane” wallpapers, I regularly update both my iPhone and iPad. Long gone are the days of sailboat pictures and Palm Pre wallpapers … and here to stay are the grandchildren wallpapers for the foreseeable future (who knows, I may have to get MacBook Air like Taylor […]
RichC | May 26, 2020
It is never as easy as expected? I’m accustom to opening the pool each season now that I’ve been doing it for 20+ years in Cincinnati and another 5 or so in Hudson before that. Each season it should get easier, right? Nope. There always something … and the job is MUCH more challenging to […]
RichC | May 24, 2020
It has been a slow start to getting our yard in shape. By now we usually have the pool open and flowers planned, but for some reason (probably rain) we are not ready for summer. Thankfully though, Saturday was nice most of the day. I waited as long as possible to add a few brown […]
RichC | May 23, 2020
The workshop runs smother when there is “a place for everything and everything is in its place” … to quote the printer and publisher Benjamin Franklin. On the other hand, perhaps the British are not fond of a “revolutionary” like Ben and prefer to credit Samuel Smiles, Mrs Isabella Beeton or John Hacket, Bishop of […]
RichC | May 22, 2020
I know it seems like a strange question, but our annual pair of ducks spend a lot of time in and around our pool. It doesn’t matter if it is covered or not, these mallard ducks do enjoy the relative safety of sleeping on the pool cover in the spring. My guess it provides them […]
RichC | May 21, 2020
Happy Birthday to my brother today. Although it is not every year I mentioned birthdays, particularly for those of us who prefer the year count be ignored, but this year with social distancing and lack of a physically connecting, I’ll post a birthday wish to Ron. Happy Birthday! While I’m thinking about it, I came […]
RichC | May 20, 2020
Several posts ago I mentioned that I was participating in the Makers Mob woodworking 6-week Scrapwood Challenge as part of the stay-at-home COVID19 orders. I can’t say that this project is anything great, but it did give me something to do in the evenings besides tweet political garbage or watch more outrage and debate from […]
RichC | May 19, 2020
The heavy rain overnight continued to add to our COVID19 spring misery, as SW Ohio is under flood warning. The warning started last night and after double checking our Zoeller pumps (shouldn’t really expecting them to do much considering just how much rain comes down). Two of the pumps keep our basement from flooding and […]
RichC | May 19, 2020
As mentioned on Sunday, the delayed Amazon shipment of the Kubota fuel pump set my maintenance and repair plans back a bit, but I did get around to replacing the previously substituted fuel filter in the John Deere 330. We mostly use the old John Deere diesel tractor for trailer duty (and snowblowing), but ever […]
RichC | May 17, 2020
As a Sunday filler post, I decided to archive a scan/photo version of Ellerie’s birth announcement. It arrived last week from Katelyn and Drew and so will keep it on the blog as a saved family items. I’m sure Brenda and Katelyn will keep a paper copy, but it is always nice to keep something […]
RichC | May 15, 2020
If all goes well, my weekend project on the 2010 BMW X5 35d will be a new blower motor, just as with the old Toyota RAV 4. This past winter has been irritatingly challenging since the squeaky motor bearings have acting up, although sporadically. As the weather warmed and the wear continued, the “only on […]
RichC | May 14, 2020
Happy Birthday to my daughter Katelyn … and greatest mom to our granddaughters Annalyn and Ellerie. Have a special day my #1 daughter … you’ve most surely earned it this year! The “I’m 12 Weeks Old” photo we just received needed to be Photoshopped just a bit, which we’ll chalk up as a “second child […]
RichC | May 13, 2020
After shipping back the defective mini amplifier that I purchase a few weeks ago (grr!), I decided it was a nice evening for a drive in the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. Since I was out and needed a few gallons of diesel fuel, it seemed like a good time to fill up the jugs […]
RichC | May 12, 2020
After mentioning problems last week, the new webserver is up and running with a fresh install of Linux Ubuntu 18.04 “Bionic Beaver,” MySQL database and PHP 7.2 … well I actually decided to upgrade that to PHP 7.4 for a little better speed (who knows?) I’ve abandoned MongoDB for the time being for the Quickdex.net […]
RichC | May 10, 2020
It is an unusual Mother’s Day this year with the COVID19 "distancing" being practiced. While wishing my wife, and daughter of TWO, a Happy Mother’s Day, we guys are still remembering them with a bit of a different twist. The kids sent Brenda flowers, cookies and bath items and I mad a pot of chili […]
RichC | May 8, 2020
My personal rule is usually only one blog post per day, but with so many wishing me a Happy Birthday yesterday it seems appropriate to say “thank you” over lunch today. The “like” button or “thumbs-up” is probably sufficient for social networks, a text exchange for friends who are phone contacts and of course the […]
RichC | May 7, 2020
Nine years ago, it would have been polite for our FedEx driver to have at LEAST left a note or to have mentioned he ran off the driveway … although it was understandable with the snow cover (see link). On the other hand, it makes me smile now, especially since I can use it as […]
RichC | May 3, 2020
Who doesn’t like getting the scoop on an interesting story about an ice cream scooper … or Ice Cream Dipper as designer Sherman Kelly called it. My son-in-law Drew sent me an email the other day: “We have reached a new level of boredom on quarantine – reading about history of our ice cream scoop […]
RichC | May 1, 2020
I can see it now, after being under the Coronavirus stay-at-home orders for the past 6 weeks or so, people are going to be excited to exit the safety of their cocoons … finally a taste of freedom again. Let’s just hope we don’t make foolish stumbles and ignore commonsense precautions. Be smart people! Phase […]
RichC | April 30, 2020
Rather than close out the month of April 2020 with some depressing topic related to COVID19, I’ll post a photo for book lovers (right) and collectors along with a saved newspaper article clipped with a photo to highlight a future project (steps/ladder for the bookshelves) and the latest in the seemingly SLOW progress of putting […]
RichC | April 24, 2020
A couple weeks ago I mentioned that our brightly color cardinal enjoyed “looking at himself” in our window’s Canary cam – he was probably looking for a mate. Now that he’s found one … he seems to be avoid her; she is likely checking his usual haunts and asking “where is he?” I suspect there […]
RichC | April 23, 2020
After cutting a few miter joints earlier this month with a 45 degree jig on my table saw crosscut sled, I started to contemplate the best way to cut clean tendons and dadoes. In the past I’ve used an added fence to the stock miter gauge, but it really doesn’t do a great job. Of […]
RichC | April 22, 2020
The Coronavirus is doing what environmentalists and anti-fossil fuel advocates have only dreamed of doing … killing the petroleum industry. There is so little demand for crude oil that “Producers must pay buyers $37.63 a barrel” to refine their product. There is no place to store it as companies who explore and drill are dead […]
RichC | April 19, 2020
Although it has only been a couple months since Ellerie was born (8 weeks now), the Coronavirus stay-at-home orders has definitely made it challenging for grandparents … especially when they would really like to be with their grandchildren. Brenda and I only ‘now’ realize just how fortunate we were to have been able to travel several […]
RichC | April 18, 2020
Another nail or something in the tire, this time in Brenda’s Acura RDX. Thankfully it was in the tread and small, so an easy plug … but plugging two tires within 30 days? (the animated gif above is just a little soap water sprayed on the tire for leak detection) As for a video that […]
RichC | April 17, 2020
We all must be looking for things to share or to occupy our thoughts after about a month stuck at home (like the Engine Parts word search post early this week)? Perhaps we are not alone since my brother Ron sent one of those viral images that makes its way around the Internet last year. […]
RichC | April 15, 2020
Instead of spending time this past Easter weekend dressing,going to church and getting together with family, I spent a few more hours sanding … and sanding … and sanding. My goal is to get this old exterior black walnut door (super thick veneer over oak – see above photo) ready to take a traditional oil […]
RichC | April 14, 2020
Once upon a time, families who only snail-mailed cards and letters would on special occasions, like Easter, dial their corded rotary phones and pay for an expensive long distance call in order to “Reach Out and Touch Someone” as the marketing jingle would advertise (a 1970s commercial below the break). I remembered many phone calls […]
RichC | April 12, 2020
Although Brenda and I have been regularly listening to pastors share audio messages on their podcasts or watching church services online during these trying Coronavirus days, we like many Christians, are finding it challenging to be thinking and planning for Easter? Nevertheless, the calendar indicates it is Easter Sunday 2020, so a proper “He is […]
RichC | April 11, 2020
The bookshelves have been on-again, off-again as the laborious painting and improved spring weather dictates my indoor verses outdoor activities. I did get a chance to finish the “art display area” in the center bookshelf section … and so far, so good. My plan was to create a little depth perception by bring the art […]
RichC | April 10, 2020
Last week my son Taylor and friend Jeff both sent me their “homemade” stand-up or propped up (with books) notebook computers while working from home. I suspect they aren’t the only COVID19 “stay-at-home” workers trying to come up with comfortable ways to do their jobs? I know Jeff once had a stand-up desk at work […]
RichC | April 9, 2020
Last week while continuing to s-l-o-w-l-y work on the bookshelves and painting project, in-between outdoor yard cleanup and cutting the lawn for the first time in 2020, I also used the frame cutting miter jib previously mentioned. It is amazing just how much more accurate this set-up for my table saw crosscut sled is over […]
RichC | April 8, 2020
Grandparents who receive regular photos, video, FaceTime and Alexa Echo messages from their grandchildren (and children) are fortunate to live in today’s technology rich world. Just a couple decades ago, families who moved apart for careers or whatever reason were lucky to get a few snapshots in the US mail or maybe talk on the […]
RichC | April 6, 2020
Thought I would add a late day animated GIF to the blog … partially because these Canary alerts have become a normal annoyance by sending text message alerts and partially this cardinal is cute. Hopefully he will grow tired of “looking at himself” and find a female cardinal who he can impress! Also while sending […]
RichC | April 5, 2020
Snipped an idea for the woodworking workshop that I’m planning to add to my table saw crosscut sled .. nothing complicated, but a way to use geometry in order to make the perfect 45 degree jig for cutting frames. It is a way to use perfect squares to accurately cut the 45 degree jig. Check […]
RichC | April 2, 2020
With “stay at home” orders issued for 3/4 of the U.S. population, my good friend Jeff Pitts has been obeying the directive and working from home. It is also giving him time to do those “I’ll get to it someday” chores like cleaning out a spare room and finally throwing stuff away. One of the […]
RichC | April 1, 2020
April 1st is usually a day reserved for lighthearted jokes (April Fools’ Day), but the mood is just not there this year … at least for me. Thankfully we are still operating Coronavirus-free as a family, but no doubt as this pandemic makes its way across the country and envelopes the world, someone in the […]
RichC | March 29, 2020
This is a two-purpose post: A woodworking (sort of) bookshelves project archive update and shared information on a jig I made. First, the bookshelves and music room/ library painting coming along slowly. I’m bogged down with putty, sanding and painting after adding a strip light shield (wood to hide the LEDs that I’m planning to […]
RichC | March 24, 2020
It has been good to be distracted with a painting and bookshelf project while "staying at home" these last few days. Unfortunately the COVID19 Coronavirus doesn’t look to be disappearing or dissipating as quickly as we were all hoping … so it looks as if we’ll be struggling to figure out how to not only […]
RichC | March 22, 2020
We are definitely not the only ones praying a little bit more that usual nowadays while listening to those who are trying to help the country and world manage and get through the Coronavirus threat. I reluctantly worry about the elderly and less capable of fending for themselves especially if they have underlying health issue […]
RichC | March 21, 2020
The painting projects continue without a need to rush or complete anything quickly. Finished the ceiling paint, some patching and trim area and “might” paint the first coat of paint that Brenda has picked on Saturday – “Bermuda Sand” (which is more yellow than the pink sand color that comes to mind – see below). […]
RichC | March 20, 2020
It is a Friday personal archive catchup for MyDesultoryBlog. One of the greatest things about living in today’s connected and technological time is that it is easy for today’s parents to share even minor milestones with grandparents. Between receiving daily text messages with photos, Alexa Echo voice messages and “hearing” my granddaughter’s voice (and what […]
RichC | March 19, 2020
Every once in a while MyDesultoryBlog’s “Year(s) Ago On This Day" script pops up something that shocks me. It is hard to believe we donated Brenda‘s 1998 Toyota Rav4 back in 2016? It does not seem that long … but "life moves pretty fast …" as the Ferris Bueller line goes. So I’ll repost one […]
RichC | March 14, 2020
A little over a year ago I replaced the run-flat tires on the 2010 BMW X5 35d with a relatively economical set of Vercelli NON-run flat tires. This necessitated adding a temporary spare in my underfloor storage area … but besides price, the ride quality is much better. Unfortunately this past week nail found its […]
RichC | March 14, 2020
It was a tiring week with the drip, drip, drip Coronavirus news and highly-reactive financial markets. Although frightening, investors rightly or wrongly responded with a selloff of historic proportions. The entire meltdown seemed more like hysteria and panic and had me wondering how our country and nation ever faced plagues, a weak economy due to […]
RichC | March 11, 2020
My friend Jeff gave me a couple “used” books for Christmas this year after we talked last year about our favorite authors and books over the decades. Sloan Wilson, of “Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” fame, also wrote several World War II US Coast Guard and Merchant Marine novels that both of us read […]
RichC | March 9, 2020
There has always been a part of me that enjoyed looking at the night sky … perhaps it is the “want-to-be” sailor in me or just growing up with space exploration? Studying the night sky really was never a passion until Katelyn took an interest in space (Space Camp, NASA Sharp, Astronomy as a hobby) […]
RichC | March 5, 2020
Guess who’s birthday it was yesterday? ==> Annalyn’s !!! It is hard to believe our granddaughter is 3 years old? She is growing up so fast. Brenda and I visited in Perrysburg a few days ago and semi-celebrated Annalyn’s birthday with a couple gifts, but yesterday also enjoyed singing Happy Birthday on Facetime. We watched […]
RichC | March 1, 2020
It is well past time for me to actually post and archive proud grandma and grandpa photos of our new granddaughter, Ellerie. Brenda and I had a smile filled day holding her and admiring what a great mom and dad that Katelyn and Drew are. While Brenda spent most of her time holding our newest […]
RichC | February 27, 2020
Six years ago, which seems like yesterday (considering everything that has happened), I recalled and blogged on my first journaling in 1977 noting that the focus was on planning my life around sailing – to quote George Bernard Shaw, “Youth is wasted on the young.” The reference was that the number of posts on MyDesultoryBlog […]
RichC | February 26, 2020
We haven’t had much snow in SW Ohio this year .. so before it is totally gone for 2019-2020, I’ll share a few flakes above … after the “BIG FLAKES” bickered last night in South Carolina (a list of Democratic Presidential Candidates debating in 2020). Democrats jockey for support ahead of S.C. primary The Democratic […]
RichC | February 26, 2020
Old verse New Sperry Topsiders for 2020 Although I’ve needed a new pair of Sperry Topsiders for quite some time now, I was disappointed in that the shoe was not made the same as a previous version. I’ve had over a dozen boat shoes in my lifetime, but only the Sperry brand in recent years. […]
RichC | February 23, 2020
Everything seems to happen when we (or I) am out of town. From the power out and a flooded basement to accidents in our backyard (well for a couple I’ve been home). The latest happened when I was in Florida working on the boat and a sheriff deputy came knocking on the door at 5:30AM […]
RichC | February 22, 2020
Thursday night (February 20, 2020 ) Drew and Katelyn knew it was time, so they packed up and took Annalyn over to Drew’s parents, which was the plan. They arrived at the hospital about 10:30 PM with very little time to spare and Katelyn immediately gave birth to an 8 lb 3 oz baby girl […]
RichC | February 20, 2020
Brenda and I are praying that all is well, but I suspect BO#2 is just a little too comfortable. Our Taylor came 2 weeks late, so a little bit after his due date does not surprise us. BabyOostra #2’s due date was yesterday and Katelyn “thinks” she is holding out for the weekend, but something […]
RichC | February 19, 2020
Although I have not sought Katelyn’s approval to include her rounded “personal coffee table” or her pregnancy photo (cough, cough – one in the same) to MyDesultoryBlog, but I’m boldly going out on a limb by posting it. The longer I post daily, the more I find myself wanting to archive family milestones … as […]
RichC | February 18, 2020
Here’s a Twofer Tuesday archive from a couple weekend photos on my phone: First, I tried to use Brenda’s grandfather’s handmade, and well worn, antique miter box to cut a couple pieces of trim .. but ended up using my powered Hitachi sliding miter saw to clean up the cut instead (I did use his […]
RichC | February 15, 2020
While emailing my daughter this week about taking her “long living” bunny, Pumpy Umpy to the vet (injury and can’t move his leg), I mentioned that I eventually had to take Tootsie to the Butler County Humane Society as a way to prep for her eventual decision. I ended up seeing this “Keep in touch” […]
RichC | February 13, 2020
Last week, a Jasper, Alberta family photo near a glacier for a ThrowBack Thursday #TBT post, had me sharing a few of my thoughts on climate change. I should have included another photo that had a few more from our family (especially since my sister-in-law, Lynda, just returned home from the Cleveland Clinic). The trip […]
