My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on July 28, 2022

A bit of news from my son Taylor who has decided to buy a condo in Cincinnati rather than renting a few blocks away. He has been looking for a while now and pondered a house vs property vs urban condo or townhouse. Escalating prices since the pandemic turned and rising rates in both lending and rent has made this a bit more of a priority – he still really loves his current apartment.

Eventually looking has turned to making a offer … although with bidding wars results in disappointment … but this time his offer was accepted. We are excited for him and looking forward to his continued goal of being part of the Cincinnati Renaissance.

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: apartment, cincinnati, condo, family, offer, ohio, real estate, taylor, walnut hills, youtube, zillow

Posted By RichC on July 27, 2022

Eventually I’ll get to part 3 of our family Canadian Rockies 40th Anniversary trip (post-trip nightmare, part 1 and part 2), but for now I’ll archive a few photos from this past week’s babysitting trip to Perrysburg. COVID has made its way through the Oostra family after their trip … likely the herding through the airports and lines while traveling. The assumption is that Ellerie spread it to Katelyn and then Katelyn to Drew, who seemed to struggle the most with fever, etc. Thankfully, he was able to work from home for a couple days utilizing video visits with his patients. They all pulled through, but eventually Annalyn succumbed to a mild case too. Katelyn needed to get back to work so Brenda and I drove up to watch the girls (they both seemed fully recovered, but needed to isolate to avoid exposing others?)

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: babysitting, coronavirus, covid19, family, granddaughers, pano, perrysburg, pool, swimming

Posted By RichC on July 26, 2022

The 2000 year old tree in Tule, Oaxaca, Mexico. It has the largest trunk diameter in the world. Its circumference is close to 60 meters.

Category: Tidbits | No Comments »
Tags: diameter, fact, interesting, mexico, oaxaca, tree, tule

Posted By RichC on July 25, 2022

An especially “cool” Jimmy Buffett concert in Cincinnati, Ohio was enjoyed by Taylor’s Megan and her Parrothead father Dave. As usual (except thru COVID), they were at the annual Riverbend concert and enjoyed the up close and personal and more intimate side of the concert.

Dave Schnieder, a Cincinnati teacher and football coach all of his life, has worked concert security at Riverbend and over the years has established a fond relationship with Jimmy Buffett and Mac McAnally. He has also “corrupted” (humor) his daughter into enjoying Jimmy Buffett’s music and showmanship as have many parents … and now grandparents over the years (we are no long talking “Pirate looks at Forty” or 50 or 60 anymore). 

And what fan wouldn’t like having Jimmy give you his wristband after the concert?

Megan was kind enough … or just loved rubbing in the evening 😉 … to share a few photos a a video (below) from the night. The photo below stood out as I can clearly remember buying the Coconut Telegraph vinyl album in 1981! Ah,  Music memories! 

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Category: Entertainment, Friends, Music, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: 2022, cincinnati, coconut telegraph, concert, dave, jimmy buffett, mac mcanally, megan, mp4, music monday, musicmonday, ohio, riverbend, schnieders, sweatband, wristband

Posted By RichC on July 24, 2022

UGH! Gasoline may have dropped 40 cent per gallon as American consumers cut back on travel and driving due to inflation and the likely coming recession, but diesel prices continue to remain elevated. There are very few options when “you need to get to go, and need to be able to get where you need to go to do the work and get home .” (political VP Kamala Harris humor).

Category: Automotive, Diesel, Financial | No Comments »
Tags: diesel, economy, fuel, gasoline, Humor, inflation, kamala harris, recession, udf

Posted By RichC on July 23, 2022

Here’s a very short video highlighting several different kinds of popular wall anchors or mollies and how easy they are to use compared to each other. I saw it on social media and found it an interesting tidbit for woodworking or for those of us spending time in a workshop.

Category: Social Media, Tidbits, Tools, Video, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: anchor, anchors, mollies, mp4, screws, tips, tools, tool_tips, wall, workshop

Posted By RichC on July 22, 2022

Just a Friday filler post for today since I’m too “tired” to blog. 😊

Category: Art, Photos, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: artwork, friday filler, sculpture, tire

Posted By RichC on July 21, 2022

This is part 2 (see pre-wrap-up and part 1) of our Canadian Rockies 40th Anniversary trip, but I can tell from the start that I’m not going to get very far (late and tired … and just WAY too many photos). Still, it is enjoyable to think about and remember the great time we had with our family in July 2022.

Since the previous post was primarily on our hiking and hanging out around Canmore, this post start with our trip to Banff and exciting gondola lift and primarily boardwalk hike up to the weather station almost in the clouds. It is July, but obviously snow is still can be an issue, hence my granddaughter behind the snowblower.

We also took our first real trail hike planned by Taylor to a great lookout … where the kids demonstrated this Ohio State pride (below).

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Category: Memories, Personal, Photos, Travel | No Comments »
Tags: 40th anniversary, alberta, banff, calgary, canada, canadian rockies, canmore, family, lake louise, vacation

Posted By RichC on July 20, 2022

Some time ago I spotted a Rockler article with a couple of experienced woodworkers explaining the placement of a vice on a woodworking bench. Years ago (decades) I remember contemplating where to put “my” vice too (photo left) … so just stuck to tradition in the trade and put it on the left.

I’ve often thought though that the way I use it that it would be handier on the right side like I do for my normal Craftsman vice above. To each their own … but I am glad to have an explanation:

I’m getting ready to build a workbench for my woodworking hobby and was wondering if there was a reason that the front vise is installed on the left side of the workbench? I’m right-handed and it would seem more comfortable for me to have the vise on the right side, but I don’t want to cause any problems down the road by doing this. I’ve read articles and books about different types of workbenches, but have found nothing that addresses this question. Will I be making a mistake if I place the front vise on the right side? – Lee Nalley

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Category: Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: craftsman, placement, rockler, vice, woodworking, workshop

Posted By RichC on July 19, 2022

This is what the Andromeda Galaxy would look like from Earth … IF it were a little brighter. Very impressive.

Category: Photography, Photos, Science, Space | No Comments »
Tags: andromeda, astronomy, earthsky.org, galaxy, space