A first light snow of the season and a truck in the ditch


December 9, 2021

Since the post scheduled for today is for those who have signed-in (you should register) … I’m adding this one as a public filler for the day. These week we had our first slick road for the season with a touch of snow … and as it does every year, triggered an accident on the […]

Phrases to avoid. Most of us can work on these.


November 21, 2021

Saw a longer list  of phrases on CNBC’s "Make It" website last week but pick out a few  that I hear (or say) quite often. The easiest to correct are probably the ones that we stop saying … but can it be done? “Needless to say …” What to say instead: Nothing “Needless to say” […]

Office project patching update photos and banana bread #TBT


September 16, 2021

Here are a few leftover project photos from the weekend for Throwback Thursday #TBT to add to the personal archive. Normally we make banana bread in the full-size Bosch oven when our bananas go soft and brown, but  I keep trying to get the convection baking setting correct on our toaster oven – not bad […]

A favorite photo of Drew flying his Quadrotor 5 years ago #TBT


July 29, 2021

While reviewing and purging a few backups to stay under one of my cloud storage service’s data caps, a favorite photo popped up that was backed up on OneDrive. It was a pre-children time for Drew and Katelyn visiting his parent’s place on Lake Michigan when there was free-time for self, hobbies, tech gadgets and […]

Grainy summer evening panorama photo (pre-driveway project)


July 16, 2021

Just a pleasant, but warm evening photo as a Friday filler, after mowing the front lawn on Thursday night …  and before the crews come to bust up the driveway and prepare to pour concrete (I hope!)

My new visual for the “blow your own horn [trumpet]” idiom


April 15, 2021

John Rowe, an automotive friend on Twitter, often shares a “ Today’s Useless Tweet” that I find entertaining. It fit with the idioms tag on MyDesultoryBlog and thought his  “blow your own horn [trumpet]” (see below embedded tweet) would be fitting as a filler for today. Today’s Useless Tweet : 1972. 5th grade. Parents bought […]

BMW X5 35d diesel fill-up for $1.39/gal with Kroger fuel points


September 12, 2020

With a few miles of driving this week (nothing like my years of back and forth to NE Ohio) … I kept an eye out for anomalies in diesel fuel price. prices. It just so happened that Sidney and Wapakoneta prices were a bit lower than either Toledo or home in Cincinnati, so I planned […]

Would you feel safe swimming with an Orca Pod? #video


August 26, 2020

Just a filler video that I found eye-opening since my wife Brenda is a openwater, correction … shoreline swimmer. 😮

Winning freedom is one thing, maintaining it is yet another


July 4, 2020

As we celebrate our country’s freedom from oppression and an independence won from Great Britain this July 4th, it is hard to imagine any US citizen wanting to give up their liberty? Yet once again, it is looking more and more as if a vocal and radical segment in the most successful democracy on the […]

The Fiat 500X and selling hot dogs from a VW bus in NYC


June 7, 2020

Just an automotive kind of filler today after sharing Erwin Wurm’s “chubby” Volkswagen Hot Dog “microbus” from NYC last week on Tom Appel’s Twitter feed. The discussion started when I commented that the Fiat 500X Sport reminded me of the “plump when you cook it” Ballpark franks commercials in the 1990s.  Eventually I shared the […]

Archive: The birth announcement for Ellerie Frances Oostra


May 17, 2020

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Tech Friday: A webserver update and a budget retirement RV


May 8, 2020

Actually this is just a filler post while working on server upgrades. Hopefully when finished, the new server will be fully up-to-date with Linux (Ubuntu Bionic Beaver 18.04), PHP 7.2 and a current LAMP stack set-up. WordPress will finally be able to be updated to 5.4.1 and maybe eventually bring back a cache to speed […]

Kitchen Ideas when you would rather be on a boat


August 3, 2019

A filler photo tidbit for today’s post, but this creative kitchen island idea from one of my sailing groups caught my eye. It “would” have worked in our kitchen … I’m just not sure I could have pulled it off without adding a mast! 🙂

Falling back on fiberglass and autobody skills for house repairs


July 30, 2019

The summer of 2019 around our house has meant more repairs and maintenance updates than usual. This means weekends have been busy with house projects and in also finding and hiring help to complete the updates that are too overwhelming for this one “aging” guy to handle on his own (although my 60th birthday celebrations […]

Server updates, out-of-date WordPress plug-ins and a test video


May 23, 2019

It is time to work on a few long in the tooth server updates and one of them isn’t compatible with my “old” WordPress video plug-in – it is no longer supported. There are several options that I’m testing both for my site as well as customer installs so am testing one of them with […]

The colorful Coquina Clams emerging from a sandy beach


February 3, 2019

After watching a short YouTube video of the Coquina Clam emerging from the “swash zone” on a beach after a wave retreated, I thought a short animated gif would make a great winter filler post for the blog. The coquina clam (Donax variabilis) is a common inhabitant of Florida’s sandy beaches. Known for their highly variable […]

Let’s go swimming … come on in, the water is fine. #sharks


January 23, 2019

A filler post, but not a good photo for those nervous about swimming in the ocean. The photos last week from a couple of freedivers in Hawaii swimming with a massive Great White Shark known as #DeepBlue really has me wondering just how wise it is to be that adventurous. There is a fine line […]

LSSU’s banished words and phrases from 2018


January 2, 2019

Each year since 1976 Lake Superior State University posts its list of “banished words.” Usually, we’ve all heard (or used!) the overused words and phrases — this year is no exception. I thankfully have only repeated a few, but have certainly heard most of them overused. The 2019 list, along with reasons for banishment by […]

The “looks like new” temporary second-hand spare tire arrived


December 12, 2018

The final piece of converting our 2010 BMW X5 35d from run-flat tires to normal tires is now complete … a temporary spare. Unfortunately, I’ve lost much of my "under the rear floor" storage area (below), but have the security knowing that I have a spare tire and the tools to change it. The only […]

Random: A couple random things I learned this week


July 21, 2018

As a filler post, a couple random or desultory tidbits crossed my path this week; I found them mildly interesting: The "bison," which can weigh as much as a ton, can "race up to 40 mph, jump up to 6 feet vertically and quickly pivot," so don’t try to out run them. The "peloton" is […]

Fantastic sperm whale and diver photo … if it is real?


March 9, 2018

One never knows anymore if photos are real or Photoshopped .. . but this filler post photo of a sperm whale and snorkeling photographer is amazing.

Disappointed in the thin Totallee cover for my iPhone 7 plus


February 24, 2018

  I probably spoke too soon in praise of the Totallee super thin and lightweight case or more appropriately "cover" for my iPhone 7plus last year. Last week. While out of town traveling the thin skin just "slid" off the plastic case. It was as if the bonding method they used to attach the skin […]

When you smile, be sure to show some teeth. #sharks


February 22, 2018

Can’t go wrong with a Great White Shark blog filler photo … although it looks a bit modified (who knows anymore)?

Pre-posted before our family weekend in Cincinnati


August 5, 2017

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Recovered cushions on newly painted heirloom wicker chairs


July 25, 2017

Last month I spent quite a bit of time prepping and painting the wicker chairs passed down from generation to generation (see post).  This past weekend I used recovering and adding filler to the old cushions as an opportunity to learn a little bit more about sewing — with Brenda‘s Sailrite machine. I’ve tackled a […]

Good times and great family memories in Florida #TBT


June 22, 2017

It is too easy to stumble across great memories and think, "that would make for a great Throw Back Thursday #TBT post!" If I were to do that, there would be no end to "blog fillers" on Thursdays (or really on Wednesday evenings). Here’s a favorite photo of Katelyn and Taylor on a trip to […]

The kitchen construction is nearly complete with TV and all


May 6, 2017

Our kitchen update is nearly finished and we only have a few touch up items, the correct under the counter LED lights and a freezer door replacement to go. The mounted TV is now working with everything self contained on the sliding mount and everything works off of a single power plug. I’m still having […]

Recalculations, cabinet modification and flaws


March 28, 2017

The kitchen remodeling hit a snag today as the custom cabinet that was suppose to fit the new Bosch double-oven was way off. I’m not sure why it was off because the specifications sheet for the oven was sent to the manufacture, but it wasn’t even close. The "fix" is that the installer will butcher […]

Sleepy Beauty and PROGRESS on the 2017 Kitchen Project


March 23, 2017

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B-E-A-U– tiful boat!


March 3, 2017

Just a filler post from a photo from Spirit Yachts Ltd., Ipswich 50 “Roving Spirit”

A little SNOW country #humor


January 22, 2017

Really just a filler post since we were in snow country this weekend for my mother-in-laws funeral. The “more realistic than we care to admit” chart is just a bit of humor that will likely have you nodding your head no matter where you live. Winter weather reactions definitely differs depending where you are located.

Generator cage project and relearning TIG welding skills


September 21, 2016

In a previous post, I sketched out a "Generator Cage," for the lack of a better term, for our sailboat Encore. The idea is to slip off a Sunbrella cover so we can use the Honda EU2000i Inverter Generator mentioned here on the aft deck when needing power at anchor to charge the batteries and […]

Tidbit how-to tip: Use a clothespin to help hold a small nail


September 20, 2016

Here’s  a last minute blog filler for those who have ever (or might) hit their fingers when hammering in a small nail or tack. For years I’ve used needle-nose pliers to hold the nail, but since we have a bunch of extra "bag clips" (it is what we primarily use clothespins for) laying around, I […]

No wonder – I stared at this before going to bed!


June 18, 2015

Needed a filler post for Thursday

The Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel after a winter slumber


April 1, 2015

For those of us who love diesels, the sweet sound of an old Mercedes Benz diesel idling is indeed a beautiful mechanical sound. Below is a very short clip of my 1982 300D Turbodiesel waking up after the winter of 2015 hibernation. Really it is just a filler post since it is a busy week […]

Cute animal photos are hard not to share … Yoga Bunny


January 5, 2015

Posting both a test post to update MyDesultoryBlog in order to set up the 2015 photo directories and because this is a cute yoga “bunny” photo for my daughter (and because of her rabbit Pumpy Umpy). Katelyn enjoys Yoga and during our Christmas exchange and visit with them we talked about her new “hot Yoga” […]

Video: Slo-Mo shooting clays with a silenced shotgun


July 24, 2014

A miscellaneous filler video that I found interesting both for the silencer on a shotgun (haven’t seen that before) and the slow motion.

TechFriday: Animated GIF of surfing a 78 foot record wave


June 20, 2014

Tinkering with GIF Grabber and gfycat.com in posting a TechFriday filler post since I’m busy today. Record ride in Portugal riding a 78 foot record wave … that’s big!

News tidbits that interested me today … and a 6 year old post


June 18, 2014

Lots of odds and ends in the news this Wednesday afternoon. First the Fed is not talking inflation and will be continuing with the expected $10 billion taper. Second, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezo introduced Amazon’s newest device called the Fire Phone … looks nice, but time will tell. It’s a 4.7” screen device with a […]

Wet floor banana shaped cones and a few baby bunny photos


June 12, 2014

I’ve got to admit, at first glimpse these banana peel Wet Floor Cones are a pretty innovative idea. It gets your attention, at least the first few time you see them. I also needed  a filler photo for the rest of the post and figured who doesn’t love a cute baby bunny photo … or […]

Odds and Ends: Animated GIF of a decapitated Copperhead snake


May 17, 2014

An odd and ends Gifycat.com filler post: A decapitated Copperhead snake still has the reflex action to bite its own wiggling tail … a reminder to keep your distance from dead or perhaps “dying” poisonous snakes.

Paint the old Mercedes Benz with base and clear coat paints


May 5, 2014

Sunday afternoon was a perfect time to take a couple of the Mercedes Benz repairs to the next step with AutomotiveTouchup.com paints. Although I’ve painted several cars back in the day we used enamel and lacquer single stage automotive paints, I’ve never used a base coat and clear coat. This was the perfect test. Rework […]

How-to: Which end do you peel a banana from?


April 23, 2014

Saved a semi-educational filler post about a better way to peel a banana for a day when I didn’t feel up to posting anything else (video below). Pinch the butt end of the banana to split, then pull apart the peel. So easy.

Brenda and I are enjoying time on Encore for some R & R


March 31, 2014

Just a quick filler post after watching the sunset at the marina in Florida after a cold front passed and left a slim sunset photo opportunity looking over the boom. The cool air felt good and will make for great sleeping tonight … and was also an excellent opportunity for chili … which is always […]

Ingenious!


December 31, 2013

Just a filler post to keep the Postie WordPress plugin alive. Happy New Year!

Tech Friday: Photos that fool your eyes and mind …


December 6, 2013

Thought this photo would make an interesting animated GIF, so I tweaked it as a filler for today’s blog post. And in order to make this a “Tech Friday” post I’ll share a tweet that I haven’t confirmed works just yet: @LifeProAdvices: When you’re at an airport simply add ‘?.jpg’ at the end of any […]

Inside rust on the Mercedes 300D including the battery tray


July 13, 2013

I’m getting creative while addressing a few more rust spots while still keeping the dollar investment to acceptable levels in my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. In most areas I’m a proponent of grinding and replacing metal with metal (TIG welding new material) … but I noticed some rust  on the inside of the doors […]

The Wedding Wagon is done


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.

A country founded by geniuses, but run by idiots


March 28, 2013

A filler blog post … just heavily forwarded “Food For Thought” email. If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for being in the country illegally …you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots. If you have to get your parents’ permission to go […]

Archiving a few late summer photo over the last few days


September 5, 2012

I’m on the road today day and adding this as a filler post for Wednesday … but I wanted to archive a few recent photos (maybe the last few with my Palm Pre?). First, the drought across the country has had a serious impact on corn as well as other crops. Here in Ohio the […]

Encore out of the water and in need of some TLC


June 26, 2012

Let’s start with the good news … Encore is safely out of the water, block and safely in the boatyard. Her bottom ablative bottom paint sort of did its job, but was completely used up. A strong power washing took care of the slime and some of the growth and left a few barnacles glued […]

Damage to the valance and fender of my daughter’s VW TDI


November 27, 2011

Most Volkswagen Jetta owners have experienced the “low front valance” problem with their cars (probably other models too) … be it a bump in the road, steep drive or the infamous parking curb. In my daughter’s case, it was a parking curb with the steel hold-down rebar protruding way too high and catching enough to […]

Bothersome school bus video clip


August 4, 2011

This is really just a filler post from a few weeks ago since I’m busy traveling today … but I saw a short clip of a school bus driving down the street with a pull down screen in the front window. Huh?

Fuel cap indicator: Why didn’t I know this before now?


July 14, 2011

One would have thought that owning and renting cars for 30 years that I would have known that the little indicator arrow on the fuel gauge indicates which side the filler cap is located on. I don’t know how many times I’ve pulled into a gas station with a “new to me car” and guessed […]

Stripping old varnish, making repairs and re-finishing


February 14, 2011

I’m had a problem with my speed/log and particularly depth sounding Navman instruments on the boat this last trip and I brought back both the instrument ‘heads’ (transducers are in the hull) and the teak mounting pod from above the companionway. Although I’m not sure what is wrong with the instruments, I’m running them in […]

Gasoline averages over $4.07/gallon in U.S.


June 23, 2008

Its not like the subject headline is a big surprise to anybody that drives? Duh … but $4 and near $5 fuel prices do get one thinking about where our citizens are getting the extra money to buy fuel? According to AAA, the national average price for gasoline is $4.07 and diesel at $4.77. (a […]

Getting Scrooged this year?


December 15, 2007

As a filler for a missed Saturday post, I’ll include a tech oriented “just for fun” OfficeMax sponsored ScroogeYourself.com site. If you have a face photo of someone (my son was my trial subject) you can create a short dancing Scrooge video to share with friends and family by email around the Christmas holiday. Check […]

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.
My Desultory Blog