RichC | September 19, 2023
My son Taylor‘s sealed car battery bloated and split open last week and left him stranded at work. He didn’t have any tools with him (is he really my son?) 😉 so I headed his way after work to replace his old-ish battery with a new one (2019 VW AllTrack). The first two auto part […]
RichC | September 17, 2023
Oostra House getting paint early in September 2023 While babysitting at my daughter’s house last week, a conversation with Brenda shifted to an heirloom “nesting table” woodworking project idea. Katelyn inherited the small tables made by her Jamestown, NY furniture making great grandfather Holmstrom and treasures them as much as Brenda and MomH did (photo […]
RichC | September 14, 2023
A week or so ago, a tweet (or is it X?) appeared on an automotive publication’s social media account … and it caught my eye (see below). It triggered a memory of a well loved plastic 1957 Ford Ranchero that my brother and I had in our large collection of toy cars and trucks; some […]
RichC | September 9, 2023
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RichC | September 8, 2023
One of my social media contacts who knows that I’ve been using computers to monitor investments and trade for decades heard me mention that I switched to a tiny MacBook Air M2 from a 27” PC display (iMac with a second Thunderbolt Apple display running Windows 10 on Parallels). He asked how it was possible […]
RichC | September 7, 2023
To make this a Throwback Thursday #TBT post, here’s a photo from Summer 2022. I used Brenda’s iPhone14 to capture the brilliant Super Blue Moon at the end of August … not bad. It was so bright that it basically lit up the flowering bushes off the rear porch. The late summer heat (90+ degrees […]
RichC | September 6, 2023
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RichC | September 4, 2023
Depressing for those of us who grew up in the Jimmy Buffett mindset and have enjoyed his music, concerts, ambitious lifestyle and attitude for our college and adult lives, but his passing on September 1, 2023 hit home. Unfortunately it is starting to feel like the norm (but 76 is way, WAY, too young)? I […]
RichC | August 24, 2023
While visiting with my extended family at my Uncle Sonny’s Celebration of Life earlier this month, a few of us exchanged phone numbers so we could better stay in touch. My cousin Dan forwarded a paper that highlighted my Grandfather Corbett’s Sinclair gas station and Earl’s Auto Service in South Toledo. It was interesting to […]
RichC | August 23, 2023
Just filling up some space and using these photos as excuses to post a cicada “live photo” (saved as anigif) AND a cute “smiling dogs” photo from the social network “X” … formerly known as Twitter. I’m enjoying the nice warm weather as long as it lasts — August is disappearing fast.
RichC | August 23, 2023
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RichC | August 17, 2023
My friend Jeff and I regularly talk about the books we are reading over lunch or on the back porch (too infrequent though) and he sent me one to read last week. I told him I would start as soon as I finished Pappy Boyington’s “Baa Baa Black Sheep” that I’m thoroughly enjoying. “Conservatism, A […]
RichC | August 15, 2023
Having a customer for over 30 years is something that I should be super happy about (and for the most part, I am), but in August like clockwork it is a trigger for me that it is the end of summer and the beginning of a new printing year, at least with the Greater Akron […]
RichC | August 14, 2023
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RichC | August 12, 2023
Although by the time “we” get to these years, celebrating another birthday isn’t the same as it was when we were pinning tales on donkeys, wearing cone shaped hats and eating as much cake and ice cream as we wanted. I asked Brenda how she wanted to celebrate her birthday and it was more like […]
RichC | August 8, 2023
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RichC | August 6, 2023
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RichC | August 5, 2023
The making of a traditional black walnut box, for the military service flag I was presented at my father’s funeral, has long been on my mind. As I close in on almost a decade since his passing and the flag still lives in the plastic holder provided by the funeral home. It has been my […]
RichC | August 3, 2023
My current knife when it was new in 2012. As a previous post mentioned, my Grandpa Bluhm (photo with my Uncle Bob) gave me my first pocketknife when I was 5 years old (yes, 5). Believe it or not, I still have that “tiny” souvenir knife that my grandparents brought back from Florida. At one […]
RichC | August 2, 2023
Not my photo, but I’m not sure how comfortable the average passenger flying this “budget” airline (???) are when seeing the tape on the wing? Also while sitting on the back porch a little Praying Mantis came to visit (video below).
RichC | July 30, 2023
Brenda’s birthday is in August and after remembering her riding the small kids bike (a joke) and seeing that our granddaughters are both growing into bicycles, it seemed like a good idea to find something reasonably priced for her to ride with them (and me) — and kill two birds with one stone considering it […]
RichC | July 19, 2023
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RichC | July 13, 2023
My friend Jeff and I (same age) have been struggling with how to let things go that were either ours … and that we no longer need … or part of our family’s history? He has tons of books that he’s been donating to the local library, a storage unit with some of his mom’s […]
RichC | July 9, 2023
Yesterday morning was rushed, as I attempted to get a few things done in the backyard. I mowed the front yard on Friday night and was hoping to get the back done on Saturday — nope, the rain and thunderstorms arrived before lunch. BUT … I was able to at least use my new Worx […]
RichC | July 8, 2023
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RichC | June 26, 2023
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RichC | June 20, 2023
Around the year Brenda and I were married (1982), we bought a couple of bicycles to ride around Aurora, Ohio where we bought our first house. Her 10-speed has long since disappeared (perhaps garage sale) but we kept mine through the years. It is a bit on the heavy side, but my Jamis bike was […]
RichC | June 18, 2023
It was an end of the week “Safety Town graduation” and garage sale for Katelyn, Brenda and the girls (and Saturday sale for Drew) as they “unloaded” some stuff before having to move it. They did well and on top of it was a great time to be together (from what I’ve heard). All in […]
RichC | June 17, 2023
Since the Cornhole game project for Taylor’s birthday is finished … and because we had a little bit of rain … I decided to restart work on the Octagon side table. The challenging eight-sided top was finished a couple months ago, but not the legs. The legs need to be sturdy enough to hold the […]
RichC | June 13, 2023
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RichC | June 11, 2023
We are with family and friends for Taylor’s Birthday this weekend and suspect I won’t have time to post on Saturday … so I’m clearing out and archiving a few photos in my “possible blog archive folder” that have collected from the week. First was a photo from western New York where my nephews Justin […]
RichC | June 10, 2023
It is hard to believe Taylor, our youngest, is celebrating another birthday (although better than not having them) and that he was born AFTER the long running television show (1952-1989) American Bandstand ended. It just so happens that Taylor was born a month after Dick Clark finished the final episode … it does not seem […]
RichC | June 6, 2023
The above subject line of this post needs to be clarified a bit as I “only started” to read my birthday present book on Sunday … but it will be excellent. The new birthday gift book, “God’s Bible Timeline: The Big Book of Biblical History” from Katelyn, Drew and family should be an enjoyable one […]
RichC | June 5, 2023
Once upon a time, I would have defaulted to “Happy Anniversary Baby” by The Little River Band … but as the idiom goes, “been there, done that“ in a 2014 post. So to wish Brenda a Happy Anniversary, this Music Monday I’ll zero in on the year we were married and opt for “Open Arms” by […]
RichC | June 3, 2023
What a super nice office and comfortable place for Taylor to work. I find myself envious of his new position as “Director of Planning and Zoning” in Batavia Township, Ohio. As a parent, it is rewarding to see your children excelling in their careers and appreciated by those they work for and with. I’m confident […]
RichC | May 31, 2023
One would think after twenty some years of pool ownership, I would have invested in a cement sidewalk (pool decking) edger. Nope … it was not something familiar to me since we have never lived on a city lot or had sidewalks. Now after 40 years of homeownership, I’ve finally broken down and spent $79.20 […]
RichC | May 24, 2023
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RichC | May 19, 2023
As a long time fan of the long running television series “M*A*S*H,” I could help but be impressed by a photo making its way around social media (probably something to do with my age). This is an impressive group of young look-alikes posing for an eerily similar photo (I’m keeping my eyes open for the […]
RichC | May 18, 2023
Most people spend their lives going to school, focused on work and career, raising their family and after 6 decades or so can plan for the day they shift gears and retire. The question arises, what do you want to do and where do you want to live when you aren’t restricted by school and […]
RichC | May 16, 2023
Something unanticipated happened last weekend when secretly trying to prepare a new iPhone14 to give to Brenda for Mother’s Day … it was likely the busiest time for wireless cellphone towers … especially if on Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). In other words, the day I gave Brenda the new phone to play with was […]
RichC | May 9, 2023
Although few of us getting older really want to spend too much time highlighting “yet another” birthday, last weekend was mine … so I celebrated by hauling 68 pounds of aluminum cans to the recycler (above). Since we were with KDAE the previous weekend … and Taylor stops in regularly (twice this past week) and […]
RichC | May 5, 2023
Last month I switched my LTE iPhone 7-plus to USMobile, a budget-friendly wireless carrier, and have been satisfied with the trial. Since I will likely stay with the service after making the cumbersome switch from Mint Mobile, I started to think about switching Brenda’s iPhone7 — ugh! So after a little discussion with her about […]
RichC | May 2, 2023
It is a bitter sweet departure from Clermont County for my son Taylor. He has grown professionally and enjoyed his job as Planner for the last 8 years after moving back to Ohio from Williston, ND (being a Planner for Williams County was his first job out of college). He has been patient and taken on […]
RichC | May 1, 2023
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RichC | April 27, 2023
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RichC | April 26, 2023
It was impressive to watch weather moving across the ocean and while wrapping up our “new condo windows” trip, we saw a bit of impressive rain and “interesting” spring weather in Florida. The photo above captured nature’s impressive power and the 40 knots winds if caught out in this squall on a small boat would […]
RichC | April 23, 2023
A trip to Florida would not be compete without at least one timeline marking photo of us … so this catch-up post with a few leftover photos from our “condo window installation” trip will start with a Brenda and Rich beach photo. Between a few rain and heavy wind days, we had some sunny and […]
RichC | April 22, 2023
We have had our share of rain in Florida this April while in Delray Beach, but have finally finished the upgrade of new windows in the condo. I should have done it back in 2018 as I would have save a few thousand dollars, but as the saying goes … “better late than never” (they […]
RichC | April 20, 2023
When it comes to fast aircraft, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the one most of us know about. In a social media Twitter mention last week, Massimo posted this photo and link. The SR-71 Blackbird was so fast that, if attacked by surface-to-air missiles, it simply flew higher, faster, and in a slightly different direction […]
RichC | April 17, 2023
Who knew that I was becoming a Taylor Swift music fan (I may have to listen a little more)? Well at least after hearing a couple of her songs played on “KC‘s No Shoes” SiriusXM channel, I’m starting to enjoy and perhaps now know what I’ve been missing. So for today’s Music Monday, here’s “Breathe“ […]
RichC | April 16, 2023
Has it really been TEN years? My daughter Katelyn and her husband Drew (now a family of FOUR), have been married for 10 years! Wow!!! They are celebrating their anniversary by taking a quick getaway trip to Miami, Florida. Congratulations to the both of them … and may they have many more years of health […]
RichC | April 11, 2023
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RichC | April 4, 2023
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RichC | April 1, 2023
We have had several windstorms in recent days and weeks, but I didn’t notice the missing ridge cap shingles until last week (not noticeable in this photo). Shockingly it has been 8 years since we put on a new roof, but I was thankfully able to track down the company who installed it and they […]
RichC | March 30, 2023
It may not be pretty with the old mulch, leaves and dirty sidewalks … but spring has sprung in 2023. The old-ish bulbs are up and the buds are on the magnolias and lilacs. On another subject, I’ve contacted Wyze about one of my newer cams triggering a RED “Smoke Alarm” message which definitely caught […]
RichC | March 26, 2023
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RichC | March 24, 2023
Who among us wouldn’t smile back at this unique plant? Very unusual looking to say the least? Although Friday Filler — or is it Filler Friday(?) — isn’t really a thing on MyDesultoryBlog, it does tend to be a way for to fill space on Friday with a Filler Foto when there’s no time to write or post. […]
RichC | March 23, 2023
As is the norm for most of today’s families, sending text messages and photos is one way we stay connected. Last week Katelyn sent a photo of the girls snacking out of the back of her Volkswagen Tiguan and it reminded me of the times we did the same with our kids … and also […]