RichC | November 12, 2025
Today’s earlier post had to do with Tesla (“Musk’s $1 Trillion Is Not Guaranteed” – so I wanted to archive it since it was also posted on TheHustings). Also, the weather has vastly improved and it seemed like a good time to add another Wyze Cam driveway video highlighting the disappearing autumn colors. Besides, I’m […]
RichC | November 7, 2025
I know, it is Friday and that generally means an interesting (at least to me) Tech Friday story. Does a photo of Brenda’s “tech-y” Tesla Model 3 with the trees changing count? I didn’t think so … In reality, I’m slightly behind in my week and totally missed posting a #TBT photo my buddy Jeff […]
RichC | October 22, 2025
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RichC | October 21, 2025
More to come, but a new to us 2019 Tesla Model 3 now replaces Brenda’s 2010 Acura RDX. We are as excited about having a Tesla, as is the seller for us “finally” owning a Tesla (aka: Drew).
RichC | October 11, 2025
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RichC | October 10, 2025
After posting our “trip to Utah” photos yesterday, Brenda commented that I left out her favorite from the top of Angels Landing in Zion National Park. Obviously navigating the chains was truly an accomplishment for “senior citizens” … so a few more photos and video seems justified. 😉
RichC | October 9, 2025
It is probably going to take me a couple of weeks to get my blogging bearings back, but let it be known, we enjoyed our week in Solitude, Utah with my sister-in-law Ann and her husband Gary. Thank you so much for inviting us to your condo and treating us to the great hikes, trip […]
RichC | September 25, 2025
The year escapes me at the moment … although with a little searching on the blog I found it: October 2008 at Letchworth State Park, NY. This photo has been in my miscellaneous folder since August and while clearing it out wanted to archive a photo that made me smile for a ThrowBack Thursday #TBT. […]
RichC | August 17, 2025
The Little Critter book title reads … “Just Me and My Dad” (the photo above just a few years ago) … but as I mentioned a decade ago after DadC’s memorial service … he planted the wisdom of Proverb 22:6 in the way he lived his life. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and […]
RichC | August 17, 2025
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RichC | August 12, 2025
As the saying goes, “better to have a birthday then not to have one.” Yet most of us watching the years tick by wonder, why do the years seem to tick by so much faster the older we get? So, Happy Birthday, Brenda – here’s a George Meredith quote to ponder. It has been a wonderful […]
RichC | July 26, 2025
Brenda and I enjoyed a little babysitting visit to Whitehouse, Ohio this past week and decided the ridiculously HOT weather would be great to visit my brother Ron and his wife Claire’s retirement property on Lake Erie … “where there would be a breeze” … NOT! The breeze if any was from the south and […]
RichC | June 10, 2025
Although this is a photo from “my” birthday with Taylor and Megan last month, I’m using it for his birthday greeting today — we’ll see him soon (and may add the photo later below?) Nevertheless, Happy Birthday, Taylor, another year has passed. The thought that you are nearly middle age is frightening. I am very […]
RichC | March 22, 2025
Seeing this view each morning as we head to the beach never gets old. To be sure, I’ve posted similar photos a few times before, but even as the wallpaper on my iPhone, I can’t get enough of it. As our time in Florida for 2025 inches closer to a close, Brenda and I are […]
RichC | January 1, 2025
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RichC | December 3, 2024
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RichC | November 12, 2024
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RichC | September 4, 2024
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RichC | August 5, 2024
It would be nice “to go back to the islands” … well maybe going back in time to when we took a trip down A1A (Florida highway and Jimmy Buffett’s 1974 album title) and drove down to Key West. I sort of want to do it again, although I suspect Key West is no longer […]
RichC | June 13, 2024
It is shocking to count the years since I gave Brenda her first Apple Watch for Christmas in 2015 — NINE … shocker! I would like to be able to say that it actually lasted that long, but not all that long after she started wearing it, the battery “bloated” in the charger and failed. […]
RichC | May 12, 2024
While picking out a card for “the mother of my grown children” this year, I couldn’t help notice how inflation has impacted the price of greeting cards. Perhaps when I was in the business of putting ink on paper, the price per sheet as it were, I wasn’t really given too much thought to each […]
RichC | May 11, 2024
As someone who has spent their career in printing and publishing, I should know this, but why do so many creative people and graphic designers make reading magazines and some newspapers so painfully difficult? The typography in some is ridiculous. I enjoy reading in the evening when my eyes are tired and the lighting is […]
RichC | May 1, 2024
Both my wife and I drink too many carbonated beverages. For me it is usually Diet Mountain Dew and for Brenda it has always been Diet Pepsi. I scaled bad several times in my life, but ended up right back in the habit of 3+ cans everyday. Brenda seems to be able to turn it […]
RichC | April 28, 2024
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RichC | March 6, 2024
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RichC | March 3, 2024
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RichC | February 27, 2024
Ever since Brenda’s shoulder, then spine and replacement hip … sailing for us has been a bit of a “let’s wait and see how her osteoporosis treatment goes.” That said, having Encore out of the water and stored for 3 years hasn’t been one of my better decisions. It is time for me to get […]
RichC | February 11, 2024
While on vacation and walking the beach, Brenda threatened a bird with her sandal who was boldly getting a little to close to her while we were snacking on a granola bar. I laughed at her as the thought about ONE of the Christmas break trips to Florida with my college and a memory came […]
RichC | February 3, 2024
While Brenda and I apprecated the warmer weather while in Florida last month, we really focused on walking more each day after working half days from the condo. Our steady daily beach walks and healthier eating will hopefully pay-off with the shedding of a few pounds and improving our long term health (Brenda’s hip replacement […]
RichC | January 27, 2024
Brenda and I have been enjoying the NFL playoffs in late January from Florida this year and are looking forward to watching the final two games before Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024. This weekend America will be watching the Detriot Lions vs the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC and the Kansas City […]
RichC | December 25, 2023
Pre-posting a Christmas day blog update as I’m expecting to be busy with our family … and for the record … I am finally getting in the spirit and correct mood to celebrate Christ’s birthday. Since this is a Music Monday, it is appropriate to include the most popular Christmas song in America … BUT […]
RichC | December 9, 2023
This would be a great photo of Brenda and Taylor, but for being a blurry selfie (click to see larger). Oh well, I enjoyed seeing the two of them out for their annual mother and son Christmas shopping and evening dinner. I hope they were successful? While they were out, I did my annual the […]
RichC | November 13, 2023
We attended and enjoyed the wedding for Taylor’s long time “birthday buddy” and grade school, high school and college friend Katie Gormas to Jason Kirklin in downtown Cincinnati this weekend. Beside a high traffic parking fiasco that almost made us late, the evening was very nice. Taylor and Megan arrived even a few minutes after us […]
RichC | November 2, 2023
An older video popped up on on of the cloud archive sites for one reason or another last month (don’t recall), and after quickly glancing at it, decided it was worth including for a Throwback Thursday #TBT. The short clip was Brenda driving to work in her 1998 Toyota Rav4 and was from 2011. It […]
RichC | September 17, 2023
Oostra House getting paint early in September 2023 While babysitting at my daughter’s house last week, a conversation with Brenda shifted to an heirloom “nesting table” woodworking project idea. Katelyn inherited the small tables made by her Jamestown, NY furniture making great grandfather Holmstrom and treasures them as much as Brenda and MomH did (photo […]
RichC | September 4, 2023
Depressing for those of us who grew up in the Jimmy Buffett mindset and have enjoyed his music, concerts, ambitious lifestyle and attitude for our college and adult lives, but his passing on September 1, 2023 hit home. Unfortunately it is starting to feel like the norm (but 76 is way, WAY, too young)? I […]
RichC | August 31, 2023
Brenda and I have transitioned from “mostly news” in the late evening to watching a half-hour of vintage comedy on TV … at least before bed. The repetitive drumbeat of depressing, anger-inducing news is not very conducive for a good night’s sleep. One of the funny shows we enjoy is the late 1960’s sitcom “Get […]
RichC | August 14, 2023
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RichC | August 12, 2023
Although by the time “we” get to these years, celebrating another birthday isn’t the same as it was when we were pinning tales on donkeys, wearing cone shaped hats and eating as much cake and ice cream as we wanted. I asked Brenda how she wanted to celebrate her birthday and it was more like […]
RichC | July 30, 2023
Brenda’s birthday is in August and after remembering her riding the small kids bike (a joke) and seeing that our granddaughters are both growing into bicycles, it seemed like a good idea to find something reasonably priced for her to ride with them (and me) — and kill two birds with one stone considering it […]
RichC | July 8, 2023
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RichC | June 18, 2023
It was an end of the week “Safety Town graduation” and garage sale for Katelyn, Brenda and the girls (and Saturday sale for Drew) as they “unloaded” some stuff before having to move it. They did well and on top of it was a great time to be together (from what I’ve heard). All in […]
RichC | June 5, 2023
Once upon a time, I would have defaulted to “Happy Anniversary Baby” by The Little River Band … but as the idiom goes, “been there, done that“ in a 2014 post. So to wish Brenda a Happy Anniversary, this Music Monday I’ll zero in on the year we were married and opt for “Open Arms” by […]
RichC | May 24, 2023
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RichC | May 18, 2023
Most people spend their lives going to school, focused on work and career, raising their family and after 6 decades or so can plan for the day they shift gears and retire. The question arises, what do you want to do and where do you want to live when you aren’t restricted by school and […]
RichC | May 14, 2023
Blooming love’s embrace,Mother’s heart, radiant grace,Forever cherished. While listening to a news program a couple of weeks ago, the morning hosts talked about receiving too many long, overly wordy interoffice emails and notes; I assume journalists can be longwinded? A Haiku challenge ensued. Haiku (俳句) is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. […]
RichC | May 9, 2023
Although few of us getting older really want to spend too much time highlighting “yet another” birthday, last weekend was mine … so I celebrated by hauling 68 pounds of aluminum cans to the recycler (above). Since we were with KDAE the previous weekend … and Taylor stops in regularly (twice this past week) and […]
RichC | May 5, 2023
Last month I switched my LTE iPhone 7-plus to USMobile, a budget-friendly wireless carrier, and have been satisfied with the trial. Since I will likely stay with the service after making the cumbersome switch from Mint Mobile, I started to think about switching Brenda’s iPhone7 — ugh! So after a little discussion with her about […]
RichC | April 27, 2023
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RichC | April 11, 2023
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RichC | February 15, 2023
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RichC | January 30, 2023
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RichC | January 26, 2023
Besides nursing duties and doctor visits with Brenda this past week, I’ve been working with a customer who would like to deploy a non-CMS website and completely forgot to post something on Thursday — making it up today. Although I’m partial to using an inexpensive Linux server with Apache and MySQL, he would like to […]
RichC | January 15, 2023
Brenda is making remarkable improvements (in my opinion) in her mobility after having expedited full hip replacement surgery on Monday afternoon at 4PM. As mentioned yesterday, she was released from the hospital on Wednesday night and after a semi-restful day on Thursday, began physical therapy on Friday. Katelyn came down from Perrysburg and was wonderful […]
RichC | January 14, 2023
Prior to Christmas, Brenda was moving furniture around in our carpeted bedroom in order to clean behind our king size bed and headboard. She knew at the time it was too heavy, but continued to push and pull with her legs and hip. When I got home, I noticed the bed and nightstands were out […]
RichC | December 29, 2022
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RichC | December 23, 2022
Brenda has struggled most of the year to find a replacement Oriental or Persian Rug for our Great Room after retiring our original rug to my office. In November, Katelyn connected her with “Donald,” the decorator she is using to help with their homebuilding, and after several Facetime calls finally decided on a VERY large […]
RichC | December 10, 2022
With inflation pushing grocery prices up, Brenda refuses to purchase store-bought croutons unless they are “on sale.” So since we had a quarter loaf of stale bread after our recent week away, I decided to cube and turn it into Rosemary, Italian seasoning, Garlic and Olive Oil croutons. After making them (bake 10 minutes at […]
RichC | December 1, 2022
With Thanksgiving behind us, I’m wondering if Brenda is adopting a new-to-us December holiday tradition? Perhaps or most likely not … but I do see something that looks like a Seinfeld-like “Festivus” pole in our foyer. For those familiar with the the long running television comedy Seinfeld, you will recall immediately the 1997 episode call […]
RichC | November 24, 2022
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