A little more endless summer please
Posted By RichC on August 13, 2017
What a beautiful weekend in Cincinnati “for August.” Warm days, reasonable humidity and cool evenings. What’s not to like?
After all these years – a 50 piece set of 1/2″ carbide router bits
Posted By RichC on August 13, 2017
The older I get the more often I stumble on items to include in my book, "Things To Buy When You Are Young" … or at least one that I’m slowly putting together and working on.
I’ve fumbled with woodworking most of my life and to be fair, have purchased or been giving my share of nice tools. Included in my arsenal of items are two routers, one mounted in a router table like a shaper and the other used in a traditional matter. I’ve had a mixture of odds and ends cheap bits and a few better bits to use with them over the years, but seem to never have the one I want.
Last weekend I was working on a small project, re-cutting a doorway threshold with my son-in-law Drew … and boasted to him about how much I liked my "spiral bit." After we were finished and he was gone, I cleaned up and put away my tools. I realized I had a hodgepodge of bits and many were not carbide and NOT sharp anymore. I also realized I didn’t always have the bit I wanted and would make-do by making a template, jig or just clamping down feather-boards and a fence.
A day later, a social networking ad appeared in my Twitter feed for a 50 piece carbide 1/2" bit set … it was inexpensive (as likely is the quality) and so I made the impulse buy. Nice … but I’ll need someone to tell me to use the new "good one" rather than pulling my old bits out of their Tupperware! (I have a tendency to use an old tool, bit, etc and keep the new, good one shiny and new)
Happy Birthday to my wife Brenda (hard to resist this cute turtle)
Posted By RichC on August 12, 2017
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Thinking about my dad. Has it been two years?
Posted By RichC on August 11, 2017
Tomorrow will be two years since my dad passed away, where does the time go?
His interest in cars was handed down to me and although we both approached it from different angles, we BOTH held a respect for how each enjoyed automobiles. I did not have had the same "spit and polish" love for "clean and shiny" like my dad, but enjoyed the mechanical side of keeping a car "running." Give me a can of Bondo, a body file and spray gun … and I am reasonably satisfied. Weld some new metal, rust treat and paint will Miracle paint … it passed my critique. 
Dad on the other hand was happier with a bucket of suds, some whitewall tire cleaner, a few coats of wax and regular buffing cleaning his Packard or any of his cars … but we both enjoyed our cars. As I’ve said to Brenda many time, I really don’t have any regrets during our final years together. Dad and I had a great relationship right to the end … he was proud of me and I of him.
I came across the photo above from Easter in 1966 standing on the wall in front of our house on the lake. I can not imagine a more idyllic place to grow up … both my mom and dad gave me a perfect childhood. I will forever be appreciative for those early years. (while archiving the old photo, I’ll include one with my mom below)
Mom, Dad, Ron, Rich in Toledo (my Aunt’s house) and at our house on the lake.
Investors are getting nervous over face-off with North Korea
Posted By RichC on August 10, 2017
With the tension rising between the U.S. and North Korea over nuclear weapons, the broad financial markets headed lower today for the first time in a while (or so it seemed). The often cited DJIA closed down 204.69 or about 1% while the Nasdaq doubled that move at 2% down.
Even though the tone was set yesterday saw President Trump give warning with a “fire and fury” comment, it was today after 33 year old Kim Jong un refused to tone down his threats and planned to fire four missiles toward Guam in mid-August. Trump reinforced his words with “perhaps I may not have gone far enough.” In any case, investor even with positive momentum from solid corporate earning had the jitters. Hedge fund guru Ray Dalio suggested we should “buy gold on rising political risks.”
I’ve never been confident in buying lowand selling high, but I did add a few more shares of beaten up Ford $F to my long term dividend holdings in hopes to rethink an income stream based retirement portfolio (there was a day back in the 1990s when I was holding a couple 9-3/4% Treasuries thinking about laddering them and having my retirement set! Oh those were the good ol’ days for fixed income.)
The DVD movie Gifted was excellent, plus a Redbox tip
Posted By RichC on August 10, 2017
We are not big movie watchers and rarely go to the movie theater, but we did rent a very enjoyable movie on Sunday night … Redbox coupon triggered "movie night." Anyway the child acting was excellent and story line enticing enough to spur debate. Brenda, the competition type, would have preferred to maximize education over childhood, while I was a bit more laidback preferring normalcy of having a childhood believing most children catch up to their potential and are better served having a balanced life. We both saw the value of each others thoughts and appreciated the quandary in making decisions for such a "Gifted" child. All in all, it was probably the best movie we have watched this year. Recommended.
Redbox Tip: If you are a Redbox movie renter and receive 2 for $2 coupons but only want to watch one movie … try this to save a buck. Put two DVD (not Blueray) movies in your cart, select one of the movies to upgrade to Blueray then remove from the cart. When you check out, a discount will still be applied to the single movie left in the cart. 
Family Fun Weekend with Annalyn in Cincinnati – part 2
Posted By RichC on August 9, 2017
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Obit: Glen Travis Campbell 1936-2017
Posted By RichC on August 8, 2017
Glen Campbell, one of my all time favorite musicians from my earliest memories has passed away. So thankful we still have his mountains of music.
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and legendary singer and guitarist, Glen Travis Campbell, at the age of 81, following his long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Glen is survived by his wife, Kim Campbell of Nashville, TN; their three children, Cal, Shannon and Ashley; his children from previous marriages, Debby, Kelli, Travis, Kane, and Dillon; ten grandchildren, great- and great-great-grandchildren; sisters Barbara, Sandra, and Jane; and brothers John Wallace “Shorty” and Gerald.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Glen Campbell Memorial Fund at BrightFocus Foundation through the CareLiving.org donation page.
A personal statement from Kim Campbell will follow.
The family appreciates your prayers and respect for their privacy at this time.
Family Fun Weekend with Annalyn in Cincinnati – part 1
Posted By RichC on August 8, 2017
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Music Monday: Want-to-be politician Kid Rock – Born Free
Posted By RichC on August 7, 2017
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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.