RichC | April 15, 2013
I had the best of intentions to update my blog regarding the special "wedding weekend," but between clean-up, wrap-up, rest-up and spending the weekend with family (Brenda’s parents staying with us) … AND of all things an April 15th TAX day Monday, I’m wiped out. I’m way behind on the pleasurable post detailing my daughter’s […]
RichC | April 14, 2013
The day was perfect for Katelyn and Drew’s wedding and the evening before was equally as nice for the rehearsal … and the most appreciated rehearsal dinner, hosted by the Oostra’s at Jags. I can’t speak highly enough of Barb and Randy … and Drew’s two brother’s Carson and Tyler (right); Katelyn is very blessed […]
RichC | April 10, 2013
Well, the wagon was actually done last weekend but I’m short on time this week and figured that I would post this as a filler.
RichC | April 6, 2013
It is a busy spring weekend around our house trying to get a few thing in order before the big day next Saturday … 4.13.13 – Katelyn and Drew’s wedding. Lots to get done before I put on the tux (picked it up already) and walk my daughter down the aisle; it is hard to […]
RichC | April 1, 2013
With the weather improving and Katelyn and Drew’s wedding only two weeks away, expect fewer blog posts. Katelyn was home again for Easter weekend and we enjoyed our time together working on programs, etc. I’ve continued to plug away at my wagon project and am beginning to wonder what I was thinking waiting until the […]
RichC | March 24, 2013
I took advantage of a nice Saturday afternoon to open the pool before the snow started on Sunday. I’m adding water at the moment and am watching the snow at the moment … maybe I should take a swim? I’ve finally got the hang of closing with the right chemistry which makes turning things on […]
RichC | March 23, 2013
Taylor’s ceramic artwork “given to me” from 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade One would think that I would look forward to replacing a couple old computers, the pile of wires and CRT monitors with a new 27” iMac 3.4ghz i7 computer … well yes and no. It certainly is well past time to retire […]
RichC | March 18, 2013
Cupcakes | Madison and Katelyn with game board Well just because I didn’t include commentary or photos from Katelyn’s wedding shower this past Saturday, doesn’t mean it wasn’t important; I can take a hint and will include a few of Brenda’s snapshots over lunch today (sorry if I missed someone). As the subject line […]
RichC | March 17, 2013
Katelyn’s fiancé Drew invited both his dad and me to join his groomsmen to a full day of fun in Columbus for his bachelor party (it was also his brother Tyler’s bachelor party – almost the same guys. Left to right below: Colin, Tyler, Rich, Taylor, Drew, Randy and Carson). We started by meeting for […]
RichC | March 9, 2013
Do we need “real” models nowadays? All of these images were computer generated. Computer artists have the ability to generate realistic looking images that look as good as most retouched professional photos. (click for larger) LINK
RichC | March 6, 2013
We received a good 6 inches of wet snow last night proving it is still winter in March. I was able to beat the street snow plow and finish the driveway before the street was cleared making for a slow start to the day.
RichC | March 5, 2013
The weekend visit with my daughter Katelyn and her fiancé Drew left me scanning in a few more photos that they want to use in the wedding – yikes, a little more than a month away! The photo above, although not one that they are using, reminded me of the good times we had hiking […]
RichC | February 27, 2013
The carpet for the basement was delivered today … are we going to stay dry? The whole wet basement thing has me a little nervous about putting it all back together before spring weather.
RichC | February 23, 2013
Although I’m not really accomplishing much this Saturday morning, I am working on a few projects. Little things like setting the type and printing the dinner menus (PDF) for Katelyn and Drew’s wedding and creating the type mask for a sign project are going ok, but without the basement workshop being back together, it is […]
RichC | February 22, 2013
After enduring a month of idiot lights flashing on and off on my Honda Pilot and having my local mechanic shrug his shoulders, it was time to pay the $45 to have the dealer check it out. So this afternoon I diligently waited at the local Honda dealership while they pondered the problem. A couple […]
RichC | February 20, 2013
I arrived home tonight to progress in repairing our finished basement. It was great to see such a speedy response from both my insurance company (Liberty Mutual) and the re-construction company (Paul Davis). Who knows, at this speed we may be back to normal by March?
RichC | February 19, 2013
A few more photos are on my WordPress.com AliasMyDesultoryBlog Posted via email from closed blogging site Posterous
RichC | February 19, 2013
I forgot to add a couple of photos from Katelyn and Drew’s visit this weekend in order to finish up their wedding invitations … of course we all forgot that the Post Office was close Monday — Presidents’ Day. I suppose one more day won’t hurt? Also noticed the new bulbs are popping up already […]
RichC | February 13, 2013
I’m on a roll in posting a few old photos and still in the reminiscing mood, so figured I’d archive a couple more black and whites. These are from my home darkroom when I started photography as a hobby in junior high school. We’re starting to pack things back in boxes again so the boring […]
RichC | February 12, 2013
It’s not fun drying out our basement, but I am enjoying finding long lost photos. Here’s one of a canoe trip (one of many) taken during a 1977 spring trip to the Whitewater River in Indiana with Charlie “Kamakaze” Matthews. We spent our free time both canoeing and sailing when we were in high school […]
RichC | February 11, 2013
It’s nice sun filled and warm day in Cincinnati today … although I don’t think it is pool time just yet. Would you like to go swimming with these “fishies?” (Click for larger) Photo credit: Photographer unknown
RichC | February 10, 2013
While drying hundreds if not thousands of photos after our basement flooding this past week, the memories have been both great … and have pulled my heartstrings. I’ve scanned a few photos this afternoon to share (they were pre-digital) and reminded me just how many years have past … and how fast those years have […]
RichC | February 9, 2013
If you have ever experience a flooded basement, you know what I’m doing today … well this entire weekend and well into next week! It has been a busy, nonstop day hauling up soggy boxes and one of the few days that I’m sure Brenda is glad to be working! I’m kicking myself for the […]
RichC | February 8, 2013
What a mess! As we continue the “dry out” process for the basement after the failed BlueMax water pipe, our piles of basement stored possessions is making me rethink the material lifestyle we live. From Barbie dolls to “antique” computer gear … why did we buy so much and why are we packing up […]
RichC | February 3, 2013
Sunday afternoon was another lazy day at the beach relaxing in the beautiful Florida sunshine before heading back to my in-laws for wings, pizza and the Superbowl. Since we are from the east coast and the Ravens are in our division (Bengals, Browns), we’re pulling for them. So far, we haven’t been disappointed as they […]
RichC | January 29, 2013
While packing my travel bag in the closet this morning, I had the feeling I was being watched … and no, not quite like CBS’s "Person of Interest," one of our favorite TV shows btw, but … Lo and behold, a couple of Brenda’s little "beady" eyed "beany" somethings were looking up at me from […]
RichC | January 28, 2013
Butler County Ohio’s high profile local Sheriff Richard Jones is addressing the recent hot button topic school security with a “two for one” idea by putting trained retired police officers in school buildings as substitute teachers. Many of our local schools once had resource officers in the schools, but budget constraints due to the slow […]
RichC | January 24, 2013
It may be 15 degrees outside, but that doesn’t keep my firebug wife from heading out to burn landscape grasses and who knows what else. She asked if I had a larger fire blanket (I gave her a small one for Christmas this year), and since I didn’t, she settled for a 5 gallon bucket […]
RichC | January 11, 2013
Here’s a helpful “Tech Friday” post that is really just some smart advice – it has nothing to do with the photo of Tootsie above except that it was taken with the iPhone 5. Anyway, a client of mine regularly upgrades his high end phone (and now his iPad) every 2 years as permitted by […]
RichC | December 30, 2012
It has been a busy end of the year, but spending the last couple of days with just the family was a great way to wind down 2012. We enjoyed talking, eating (too much), opening presents and watching a movie together – Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer. (expand photo slideshow below). Taylor has been home from […]
RichC | December 26, 2012
We drove up to Columbus and enjoyed “catering” a Christmas dinner at Katelyn’s fiancé Drew’s house. The two of them (both in their residency) were working the night rotations … Katelyn just off a 24 hour stint at Nationwide and Drew his week of 13 hour nights at OSU. We have postponed our family gift […]
RichC | December 25, 2012
Our rapidly desquamating Christmas tree (photo) is barely holding on to its needles in hope of “A visit from St. Nicholas” on Christmas eve –although even bringing up the poem now known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” is an invitation of literary debate. No thanks, I’m tired of debates after 2012! The well known […]
RichC | December 21, 2012
It has been a quick couple of days for my dad, brother and me in finalizing the desires of my mom for her funeral. She was organized and detailed right to the end and it was probably a good thing because she was leaving this planning behind to three “men.” We did our best mom […]
RichC | December 16, 2012
I’ve been spending most of my time by my mother’s bedside (previous post), but wanted to share a little cheer as well. My daughter Katelyn had a wonderful bridal shower hosted by the friends of her future mother-in-law (Barb Oostra) in Toledo on Saturday. They enjoyed brunch and presents at the Inverness Club and […]
RichC | December 2, 2012
I finally finished planting all the new bulbs Brenda purchase a few weeks ago as the weather on Saturday was in the high 50s and dry. I also decided to mark the locations using a few photos then marking it up on my iPad using Notablity … an excellent PDF app, by the way. Marking […]
RichC | November 23, 2012
It is hard to believe that I didn’t take any family photos over Thanksgiving this year … except for one disturbing photo at the dinner table. No wonder I didn’t take any more? It does have me question the sanity of the family I belong too?
RichC | November 21, 2012
While surfing for family news and goings-on for Thanksgiving, I saw a photo on my son’s Facebook page with a couple of his high school friends. I recall that they recently visited with him at Miami University and remembered Taylor told me that they were still pursuing their music dream. Of course after seeing […]
RichC | November 21, 2012
There was a large truck and trailer sitting in front of our house at the crack of dawn this morning and curiosity got the best of me so I went outside to investigate. Brenda mentioned that I might want to get the license plate number considering this is the Thanksgiving holiday week and neighbors might […]
RichC | November 20, 2012
My Ram Mount iPad car mount has a weak point and I am wondering if I’m alone or if this is a design problem? From what I can tell, the weak point is where the latch makes a 90-degree turn (see photo). Initially it was very tight to snap the roller-latch mechanism to hold the […]
RichC | November 18, 2012
My wife is a dolphin lover … NOT the Mahi-mahi fish type, but the intelligent and always smiling marine mammals. Me on the other hand, I like both … and enjoy blackened or grilled Mahi-mahi almost as much as “viewing” a pod of dolphins swimming along side a wind-driven sailboat. Nevertheless, I knew Brenda would […]
RichC | November 15, 2012
In keeping with the last couple days of family and personal posts, my daughter and future son-in-law shared their engagement photo proof pages (slide show) from their recent photo session with Shuey Mill Photography. The weather on Sunday afternoon was perfect for the shoot and it helps that the two of them are photogenic. Katelyn […]
RichC | November 14, 2012
I tuned out for a couple days since wifi is scarce at my in-laws farmhouse in western New York. Brenda and I made our annual pilgrimage to pack up her mom and dad and are bringing them to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving and then on their way to Florida for winter. They take the a slow […]
RichC | November 13, 2012
Adding at least one day worth of make-up postings with this past weekend photo of Taylor as we visited with his Grandma … very possible it could be his last? That said, my mom is handling the heavy antibiotics for her pneumonia pretty well and is much more comfortable than earlier in the week. She […]
RichC | November 6, 2012
Our resident Great Blue Heron has decided to take up a new perch which irritates our dog Tootsie to no end. I’m not particularly happy with the dropping on the roof either, but having a large bird like this sitting on one’s roof does make for an impressive sight when driving up the driveway (unlike […]
RichC | November 5, 2012
Politics and the recovery from Superstorm Sandy in the northeast have moved down a notch on my radar this past weekend as my mom is having difficulty breathing (let alone eating or drinking). She is struggling to overcome heavy congestion and fluids which are building up in her lungs. Yes, the fear of pneumonia is […]
RichC | October 30, 2012
RichC | October 29, 2012
It sure has been nice to see my daughter on weekends the last couple of months as her residency schedule has been somewhat gentler. Unfortunately she knows it will not last and the rotations will eventually be more challenging and stressful in a couple more weeks. She went to a wedding show near Kings Island […]
RichC | October 27, 2012
It was a cool and rainy morning as I waited to meet with a businessman from China interested in talking with me about homebuilt airplanes, and so I experimented with the new iPhone5’s panorama feature to kill some time … this time trying a close up panorama. I was more curious to see how it […]
RichC | October 27, 2012
This past week offered up the last of Indian summer unless something in the forecast changes and Brenda and I have appreciated the warmer weather, beautiful sunsets (driving by VOA park above) and evenings to work on projects. Besides finishing the downspout and sump pump drain lines, I’ve also replaced and grouted the broken […]
RichC | October 26, 2012
Since the Little Red Riding Hood classic has been modified a few times through history, my “what big teeth you have” alteration of the tale is hardly a stretch for those near the water rather than a wolf in the woods for living on boats or an island. These impressive photos are from Australian […]
RichC | October 22, 2012
I planned visiting my mom and home projects (and football watching) perfectly around the weather this past weekend. Saturday was a bit gloomy with a few sprinkles for my nursing home visit with my mom. She is doing pretty well considering she is being turned every couple hours and bedridden. Her mind is sharp and […]
RichC | October 21, 2012
Too good to pass up … sharing from a Facebook post. Posted via email from RichC’s posterous
RichC | October 20, 2012
Why is it that I question installing and using software some pretty impressing “debluring software” from a guy named Vladimir Yuzhikov? Am I being overly paranoid or worse … prejudice. Anyway take a look at SmartDeblur and what Gizmodo has to say about this windows only (for now) software … although with smartphones getting some […]
RichC | October 19, 2012
… but please close your mouth. 🙂
RichC | October 18, 2012
Projects are getting done one at a time before winter arrives, but seems as soon as I can check one off the list, two more need to be done. I’ve been repairing the tiles on the pool before closing for the season and on Wednesday evening sealed the new front porch pavers since I’m in […]
RichC | October 7, 2012
It has been a positive weekend for our extended family as my nephew Justin Howard and his wife Keity (Katie Vogel) had their second child … a boy, Evan Mark Howard. I’d offer up the normal details – size, weight, deliver issues – but figure linking to Keity’s blog would be more appropriate – LINK. […]
RichC | October 7, 2012
Vintage Converse All-Stars from 1977 – note the untied shoelace before it became the style! I was a “geek” before there were “geeks” … if being a photographer for my hometown newspaper and for my high school yearbook counts? Friday nights were spent shooting games and then zipping to the darkroom to “soup” the film […]
RichC | October 6, 2012
RichC | October 5, 2012
RichC | October 4, 2012
I started a post on the Presidential Debate last night, but figured if I’m tired of tweeting, reading and hearing about it, others may be too … so will pass on opining. I will say that Mitt Romney looked well prepared and was able to comfortably manhandle President Obama on the subject of the economy, […]