Music Monday: Listening to a favorite by Van Morrison
Posted By RichC on June 10, 2024
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Happy Birthday Taylor … a day early
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2024
Taylor and Megan for Birthday golfing at Beckett Ridge
(he worked there when he was in college)
The weather was cooler than normal for a June birthday get-together for a few of our 35 year old sons’ friends, their spouses and now young families. It wasn’t a formal party per se, but it was a chance to remember backyard pool parties of the past. They sure did enjoyed warming up in front of the fireplace after getting out of the warm pool — no rain, so glad that worked out. Happy Birthday …tomorrow … Taylor (6/10).
It is interesting for us as boomer-parents to notice the generational differences between when our children and their friends are getting married and start to have families (later) and our generation. Most of his friends are in their 30s and starting families … where we were in our 20s. Perhaps it was the same for previous
generations who married out of high school and started families, when we were just finishing college and starting to work.
In any case, Brenda and I have failed by not taking any photos (shame on us, but I’m leaving space at top hoping Taylor has one) … but we did enjoy being “papa and grandma” to the little ones; Brenda held babies and I enjoyed cute 3 year old girl on the playlet and playing kitchen with sticks.
Surprisingly bold Red Fox lounging in our front yard last week
Posted By RichC on June 8, 2024
As rural turns to even more suburban, the bolder some of our wildlife is getting.
Last week a slender fox appeared on our security Wyze Cam and instead of just passing by as usual, opted to lounge for a few moments ‘midday’ in the front yard. Very strange behavior for the coyotes and foxes that we usually see in our neighborhood. Perhaps it is a younger fox?
Tech Friday: Finally upgraded to a ‘paid’ X.com subscription
Posted By RichC on June 7, 2024
I’ve been using Twitter, which is now X.com after Elon Musk purchase $TWTR and renamed it, since the early days of the 240 character social network. Shockingly, it has now been over 17 years since I joined in February of 2007 … 
and I decided it was finally time to eliminate the ads and gain the “verified” Blue Check and pay for the only social media service I use nowadays — it is also my go-to newsfeed and automotive group chat messaging hub.
Also .. since I enjoy maps and WW2 history, I thought this thread from @BrilliantMaps was a great way to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day on June 6th 2024.
Treasures found prepping old workbench for my granddaughters
Posted By RichC on June 6, 2024
My Grandpa Bluhm made this workbench and gave it to me for Christmas back in 1966. His influence early-on likely influenced my interest in tinkering and woodworking (car restoration and rebuilding was probably mostly influenced by DadC).
This past weekend I cleaned it up a bit and added a homemade light strip with a roll of LEDs taped (as with the bookshelves) to my late father-in-law’s unused 4 foot aluminum level (DadH) that needed a storage solution (half joking). But the primary purpose was to create a work/play-station for my granddaughters in my workshop. While cleaning out the draws and tightening them up, I found a bunch of childhood memories, and to make this a ThrowBack Thursday #TBT post … here are two of the many treasures:
- My first fish cleaning knife (who knows how many Yellow Perch heads this knife has severed?)
- Extra 1974 Capri steering wheel inserts – my true first car (click photo for larger)
Tidbit: Keeping the bristles on a paint brush gunk free
Posted By RichC on June 5, 2024
While reading paper or digital versions of magazines, I’m prone to clipping tips that I might find useful. Here’s one on soaking “just the bristles” of a varnish or polyurethane paint brush in solvent without the tips of the brush getting gunked up on the bottom. I have several wood handled brushes that I tried to keep clean, or parked overnight before another coat of finish, and this “hole in the handle” tip much just work?
Archive: The landscaping begins at KDAE’s beautiful new house
Posted By RichC on June 5, 2024
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Enjoying driving the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel again
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2024
With the weather still moderate, I’ve been driving my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel a bit more. It really needs to be cleaned up and waxed, but I’ve been sidetracked with power washing the pool decking and cleaning up the porch furniture for summer (a lot of tending to the fast growing lawn too). Still … it was good to drive the “Old Girl” (my buddy Jeff’s nickname) and restart the squawk list (aviation term for a “formal written list of items you want them to check into and fix at the plane’s annual inspection”).
Besides being distracted with the above, I also took apart the laundry room to cleaned behind the 2016 stackable washer and dryer and fixed a falty light. Before putting things back together, Brenda wanted me to add a new 7-hook board for hanging items and storage “box-shelf” system for sliding boxes to fit the soon to be added cubbies. I should add a photo when it is finished?
Music Monday: Shakin’ ani-gif reminded me of Jerry Lee Lewis
Posted By RichC on June 3, 2024
Some “before my time” 1950’s music was triggered by this animated gif from 150 or so years ago. It’s “The Killer,” Jerry Lee Lewis (1935-2022), and his 1955 song, “Whole Lot Of Shakin’ Going On” that is today’s Music Monday song … which likely means I should mention, “Great Balls of Fire” from 1957 too (YouTube)?
Another Ridgid battery tool: A small chainsaw for trimming
Posted By RichC on June 2, 2024
This chainsaw has been on my tool wishlist for a while and when I mentioned to Brenda that it was $50 off over Memorial Day, she told me, you should get it. This small 12 inch Ridgid Chainsaw is not the “do everything” tool or even as robust as the bigger twin battery Makita, BUT it fits with my growing battery 
powered tool arsenal … AND when registered, it falls under Home Depot/Ridgid’s LSA warranty.
So far the LSA has replaced a couple of early-on failed batteries and extras are available at the local Home Depot … so that is a plus. As for usefullness, I’m hoping that this battery powered saw will replace my older Poulan and my cheaper gas powered light-duty saws for 70% of my cutting needs, at least going forward (???) … and that my OLD 20″ McCulloch Pro Mac 610 will still be used for heavier 
cutting IF I can continue to horse it around (I’m starting to notice and feel my age).
EDIT ADD: New WyzeCam Pan v3 capture of a “feeling my age” photo after adding the Oregon bar off the old Poulan (gave Poulan chainsaw to a friend) to the “underpowered” battery powered chainsaw (the “underpowered” reference is accurate).
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.