Replaced the Weber iGrill meat probe after frying the original
RichC | January 3, 2024
While grilling “bacon wrapped” steaks (bacon was the problem) over Christmas this year on our Weber Grill … I “over-cooked” (or perhaps “fried”) the meat probe for the Weber iGrill temperature monitor. I knew when the plastic caught fire that it wasn’t good, but thought perhaps the braided wiring and probe itself might still be […]
Archiving our Corbett family Christmas get togethers for 2023
RichC | December 27, 2023
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A Music and Movie Monday Merry Christmas to ALL!
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 […]
This year’s Christmas woodworking project: A Puppet Stage
RichC | December 24, 2023
It is becoming more and more difficult to remember what I’ve added to the blog and what I have not when it comes to woodworking projects? I had thought I might have mentioned a few of the steps back in November regarding doweling a couple of unique joints when building a Puppet Stage for my […]
Closing in on Christmas, so why am I not in the right mood?
RichC | December 20, 2023
Ok, so I’m not focused this year on “the reason for the season” (or frankly even the secular celebration of Christmas) … therefore it is really time to do something about it. We didn’t even write our Corbett Christmas Letter! Thankfully turning to Truth For Life and Alistair Begg’s teachings and message “It is HIStory” […]
Archive: Some Christmas photos and KDAE finally moving in
RichC | December 13, 2023
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Finding a Chrstmas Tree while Brenda shops with Taylor
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 […]
An everyday carry pocket knife gets a lot of wear and tear #TBT
RichC | November 9, 2023
Not all that long ago, I blogged on the need to start looking for a replacement pocket knife for my all-time-favorite EDC Swiss pocket knife. I could never quite cough up the money since the “blades” on my Mini Champ were still good and it spends most of its time in my pocket anyway. BUT […]
Tech Friday: Installed Wyze Doorbell and temp probe grilling
RichC | January 6, 2023
It is hard to resist loving gadget gifts and this past year for Christmas I was excited to receive a Wyze Doorbell from Drew (and Katelyn – Thx!) Although the previous year in 2021, I will admit that I was intimidated … and still am … by the fancy double temperature Bluetooth and WiFi Weber […]
Recipe reminiscing, the lost art of handwriting and longer days
RichC | January 5, 2023
A little bit of recipe reminiscing for Throwback Thursday #TBT this week. Over New Year’s Day, I enjoyed a “Bean Soup” recipe conversation with my daughter Katelyn. We discussed using the ham bone and pieces of ham from our Christmas dinner. I opted for a delicious Ham and Potato soup and froze a couple smaller […]
Saving family photos from our Corbett-Oostra Christmas 2022
RichC | December 29, 2022
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Proposing our family listen to a podcast on Christmas Eve
RichC | December 24, 2022
Jane Wells has been a reporter for CNBC (“Janie” as the late Mark Haines called her) that I’ve followed for years while watching business news channels (or should I have said, “is a ‘has-been’ reporter?” – hopefully a little humor that she would appreciate!). Anyway, I always smiled when watching her “quirky” stories and reporting […]
Archiving our early 2022 Christmas present: A New Rug
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 […]
Keeping an eye on the weather for Christmas week travelers
RichC | December 17, 2022
We have had a relatively mild, although gloomy, couple of weeks this December 2022 so far … unlike it was in 2010. BUT … this could change by the end of next week as the forecast is for a winter snowstorm to hit much of the eastern half of the U.S. According to forecasting yesterday, […]
Archive: Merry Christmas 2022 and have a Happy New Year
RichC | December 14, 2022
As is my December tradition, I’m including a digital copy of what once was our Corbett Christmas Letter but is now a just a “card” on my blog. Our year as a family was full of too many great times to include, but highlighted by a special event: a 40th Anniversary and trip planned by […]
Tech Friday: A big screen TV deal and Christmas light flashback
RichC | December 2, 2022
It is hard to believe that watching sports and movies on a 37" television just isn’t satisfactory enough these days? So when I saw a Walmart pre-Black Friday deal on a 65" TCL Roku TV for $228, I could not pass up the deal. It is very impressive for the money and a perfect upgrade […]
Festivus … “the all-inclusive December gathering” #humor
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 […]
A new-to-me Arabica Bean Coffee and a family photo to save to the 2022 Valentine’s Day blog archive
RichC | February 16, 2022
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Books: “Wealth, War and Wisdom” by Barton Biggs (2009) and a little “How Long will the Santa Mouse Decor Remain” humor
RichC | February 13, 2022
We’ve never been all that timely in getting Christmas decorations put away after the holidays, but this year we … and by “we” I mean Brenda … has been slower than usual. To be fair, most everything has been packed and put away, but there are a few stragglers still around our house. I’m not […]
Once again, Christmas gifts we use everyday from the kids
RichC | January 18, 2022
Well done again Katelyn,Drew, Megan and Taylor. Thank you. Of all the “too many” gifts this year, you guys have managed to “once again” come up with great gifts. The automated and “generous” (inside joke) liquid hand soap dispenser is perfect for our kitchen. Brenda and I use it multiple times each day and find […]
Tech Friday: Keen 1963 portable phone insight Mansfield, OH
RichC | January 7, 2022
Here’s a look back to a Mansfield News Journal article and something a little different for a New Year’s Nostradamus-y Tech Friday post … also in using the word “keen” it reflects the Christmas present/hiking shoes I bought (well Katelyn actually ordered) for Brenda … along with a bed-desk for her “preferred” office. 😉
Archive: The folding Dollhouse Christmas project for Ellerie
RichC | January 6, 2022
The scratch-built & designed (from a photo Katelyn sent) folding-case wooden Dollhouse for Ellerie was a success for Christmas this year. I was pretty sure Katelyn would like this sort-of heirloom toy, but I was unsure if a little granddaughter used to blinking gadgets and modern plastic toys would take to it, but she enjoyed […]
Archive: Our 2021 Family Christmas over New Years
RichC | January 5, 2022
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Boxing Day update and our Christmas yet-to-be family rotation
RichC | December 26, 2021
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Merry Christmas to all … and may every reindeer eat a carrot
RichC | December 25, 2021
Wishing all who read My Desultory Blog a very Merry Christmas, good health and a very Happy New Year.
Not the Christ you want, but the Christ you need
RichC | December 24, 2021
It is not easy to follow Christ, but His teachings, AND gift of salvation, are what we sinners need. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19 While mailing out our Christmas cards, decorating our Christmas tree and reflecting on this past year, I listened […]
Merry Christmas 2021 and Happy New Year from both of us
RichC | December 20, 2021
Perhaps the days of our yearly-update annual Corbett Christmas Letter stuffed into a Christmas card are in the past? We have succumb to the popular printed photo card and figured that those who might want to know more about our year might just read my blog (a shameless plug). This year we decided not to […]
We are thinking about retirement … in a few years!
RichC | December 15, 2021
As Christmas cards arrive and the 15th of December hits, it is time to start winding down my business year and thinking about 2022 (BTW, we mailed our cards this week). One thing I have noticed this year is that more cards are from people who are now retired or are retiring. Hm … does […]
A couple days of photos leftover from the weekend: Part 2
RichC | December 9, 2021
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Ugly sweaters? Jerry, Gary, Mark, DadH and RichC for #TBT
RichC | November 18, 2021
Every once in a while a memory gets triggered … and it happened while looking in my closet for a fleece or sweater with the weather turning colder. The photo below is from Christmas in 1990 and it seemed apropos for today’s Throwback Thursday #TBT. For the record, it was taken in Jamestown, NY at […]
Making Monkey Fist ornaments and a fire on the back porch
RichC | November 9, 2021
After learning to tie a Monkey Fist knot this past year, I decided to make a couple Christmas ornaments for my granddaughters. I was planning to attach them to their presents in December, but Brenda suggested they should have them before Christmas so that they could hang them on their tree. Yikes, now I need […]
Handy IFitIt tools for gadgets and Spring 2021 family photos
RichC | March 13, 2021
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Our family Christmas 2020 and a few too many wrap-up photos
RichC | December 29, 2020
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Merry Christmas to all who check in on My Desultory Blog
RichC | December 25, 2020
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Our granddaughters are coming and new Great Room windows
RichC | December 23, 2020
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Music Monday: Holiday memories from the Carpenters
RichC | December 21, 2020
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Merry Christmas 2020 and wishing you a “Hopeful” New Year
RichC | December 15, 2020
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Music Monday: A snippet from a 1970 CSNY Jam Session
RichC | December 14, 2020
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First Snow December 1st 2020 … and another backyard accident
RichC | December 2, 2020
December 2020 rolled in with a light white blanket of snow and colder weather to let us know that winter is probably here for a while. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the temperature change, but I really don’t mind the hushed beauty of a “new-fallen snow” … as Clement Clarke Moore wrote […]
Our family is getting into the 2020 Christmas decorating spirit
RichC | December 1, 2020
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Thoughts on ‘battery drain’ with the Ridgid 18V USB accessory
RichC | November 29, 2020
Don’t tell anyone, but while shopping for “my” Christmas gift from Brenda (below … and yes, she sent me out to get it). So … I added a Ridgid 18V USB charging attachment for my inconvenience. Ha! After returning home, I tried it out, but for the record, I didn’t open my actual gift. So […]
Ellerie’s Christmas project and decorating before Thanksgiving
RichC | November 25, 2020
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Archive: We had a great family Christmas 2019 on New Years Day
RichC | January 4, 2020
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The last post of the decade: Do you remember yard Jarts?
RichC | December 31, 2019
While getting the Christmas decorations for Evergreen Farm Estates down from the poolhouse-garage loft earlier this month (Brenda and neighbor Pam have always decorated our neighborhood) … I spotted the yard game of Jarts. (you probably need to be a baby boomer to remember them?) What were they thinking??? Just as with the “design of […]
For 2020, how about less focus on self and more on others?
RichC | December 29, 2019
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When you must get a package delivered before Christmas
RichC | December 25, 2019
UPS for the win! (wait for it) Fedex and USPS better step up their game! “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Merry Christmas Eve: Twas the night before Christmas
RichC | December 24, 2019
For some reason, the full text of this post and photo of our 2019 family Christmas tree went missing … or maybe it didn’t post to the blog? Oh well, at least here’s the archived photo of our tree:
Merry Christmas 2019 – Wishing you success and courage
RichC | December 17, 2019
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Music Monday: James Taylor singing holiday songs
RichC | December 16, 2019
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Can stamps get you in the Christmas spirit? #random
RichC | December 8, 2019
While trying my best to get in the Christmas spirit … how about something from the philately world? Although I’m not a stamp collector, back in the day my company Consolidated Printing and Publishing did some plate work for special cancels and printing for a stamp collecting organization. Besides, my father-in-law had an impressive stamp […]
Time mellows the moment – The Great Christmas Tree Disaster
RichC | January 30, 2019
In an old spinnaker (sail) from our Thistle, I finally hauled out our larger than usual Christmas tree this past week. It was then that I realized I had neglected to archive the “Great Christmas Tree Disaster of 2018” story from December. Hm, how could I have forgotten … likely for the same embarrassing reason […]
Music Monday: Starting with a change for 2019 – Kenny Chesney
RichC | January 7, 2019
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Our Annalyn is amazing, altho I’m not surprised #video
RichC | January 3, 2019
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A limited Corbett-Oostra family Christmas photo recap for 2018
RichC | December 26, 2018
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Christmas Morning 2018 Time-lapse
RichC | December 25, 2018
Every tech-loving guy needs a subject for a new gizmo … my son-in-law Drew is no exception. He set up his new GoPro-like camera (gift from Katelyn) to time-lapse our Christmas morning. His effort was a little bit too fast for me to watch … so I stretched out the MP4 clip to last almost […]
Christmas 2018 project photos – a Maple Piggy Bank for Annalyn
RichC | December 24, 2018
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Christmas prep and my iMac is still recovering from surgery
RichC | December 15, 2018
Although Brenda and I are making steady progress in getting things ready for Christmas, the iMac surgery mentioned yesterday did not go as smoothly as planned, but at least I do have backups to rebuild things from. Currently the “way too many” cloud services that I’m using are working overtime as my Time Machine archive […]
As grandparents, what would we do without smartphones?
RichC | November 30, 2018
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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.