RichC | May 28, 2022
We are enjoying my late mother-in-law’s transplanted Buttercups (Ranunculus) that we brought home from the Jamestown, NY farmhouse (winter pics). Initially, Brenda’s sister Chris asked me to bring her some home for her since I was the one driving back and forth to western New York to clean out, take care of the property and […]
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 […]
RichC | September 5, 2021
Last week I downloaded a new library app called Libby that is an Overdrive component for audiobooks for borrowing digitally from the library. I put it to use immediately after checking out the Bill O’Reilly book “Killing the SS.” So far it is very interesting considering I’m only in chapter 2, but love the storytelling […]
RichC | April 15, 2020
Instead of spending time this past Easter weekend dressing,going to church and getting together with family, I spent a few more hours sanding … and sanding … and sanding. My goal is to get this old exterior black walnut door (super thick veneer over oak – see above photo) ready to take a traditional oil […]
RichC | March 14, 2019
Throwback Thursday posts can be interesting, especially when archiving a couple of my old photos from the early 1990s and tidbit of information that is likely not saved any place else (the horse was named Gus). Here’s a little Howard family history (my wife’s side of the family): Brenda’s grandfather, Allen George Howard died young; […]
RichC | March 3, 2019
But before the “six degrees of separation” reference (see below), how do you stack up to the WSJ survey of “workers benefiting from a strong U.S. labor market?” One thing that seems to remain consistent over the years is that an education benefits you when it comes to jobs and compensation in the long haul, […]
RichC | January 25, 2017
Memorials, funerals and burials can be emotionally draining and it is hard to know just how they impact each of us … but “to the person,” those that knew mom – grandma – Frances Ann Louise Howard (Holmstrom), were without question happy and celebrating. Fran and Christians who have placed their faith in Jesus, and […]
RichC | January 19, 2017
Heating with wood is in my genes, since my parents started heating with wood back when we lived on Lake Erie and were constantly without heat either due to power outages in the rural area we lived, floods forcing the power company to turn off utilities or the old finicky oil burner furnace (think “Christmas […]
RichC | January 10, 2017
Brenda and I admire art, be it paintings, carvings, knick-knacks, sailboat models or a piece of old furniture. Over the years we have added several items to our home, be they purchased from an estate sale or hand-me-downs. While adding the new shelves to our laundry room and repainting, I stopped to admire the craftsmanship […]
RichC | July 24, 2015
Brenda and her sister Chris spent last weekend together at the family Farmhouse in western New York. They sorted through what was left from their mom and dad’s lifetime of “stuff” separating into garage sale, trash pick-up, donations and items they might still want. The later “group” grew far too large, in my opinion. Some […]
RichC | July 6, 2015
I’m archiving a couple final (or nearly final) photos from my mother and father-in-law’s Farmhouse in Western New York. I spent the last few days as “busy as a beaver” finalizing a few things so that a home inspection would be as painless as possible … that is for a home built in the 1800s! […]
RichC | April 30, 2015
Since I’ve been negotiating these past couple of weeks in selling my mother-in-law’s farmhouse and property, it seemed appropriate to post a Throw Back Thursday (#TBT) photo of Dad Howard in his gardening attire. We are close to having a signed contract and are entering the inspections phase along with financing approval and wondering […]
RichC | December 22, 2014
This past weekend was a very special one for my niece Jacquelyn as she married Benjamin Wickerham in beautiful wedding ceremony in Jamestown, NY. Besides the wedding with many personal touches and a 1920-40’s themed reception in an old train station, we were able to be with our family. Her father Mark would have loved […]
RichC | November 6, 2014
After attempting to sell my mother-in-law’s western New York home by using a realtor this summer, the family has decided to forgo the continued “professional” listing and instead do a FSBO listing … handing it off to yours truly. What are they thinking??? I’ve taken on the project and will “learn as I go” (advice […]
RichC | June 23, 2014
Chris (my “hard working” sister-in-law) and I spent a few more days in Jamestown, New York and stretched out a weekend to work on my in-law’s beloved “Farmhouse.” It looks like we are finally making headway in getting it ready to show … ready or not it will be on the market. I hope whoever […]
RichC | October 16, 2013
EDIT: I’ve added a small recording “app” to the iMac called eXtra Voice Recorder. In the old Mac days we would call these small apps “DAs”(Desk Accessories). If you’re a pre-X Mac user, do you remember them? Below is the audio test. Reading Cleaning out the family farmhouse and barn in New York […]
RichC | September 16, 2013
We are in countdown mode on a couple of fronts: 1) Taylor is wrapping things up for his move to North Dakota in a few days and 2) our family is working to close out Brenda’s mom’s “life in Jamestown, New York.” I am sad on both counts, but know that both changes are for […]
RichC | July 17, 2012
I enjoyed a little back and forth reminiscing this morning on Twitter with a friend of mine who shared a photo of his dad on his old 1951 Ford 8N. It brought back a few memories of my Ford 800 (searching for an old pre-digital photo) when we lived in Hudson, Ohio … and before […]
RichC | November 27, 2010
With Brenda’s dad’s rehabilitation coming along fairly successfully, our family was thankful to be able to be with both Mom and Dad Howard for Thanksgiving this year. Although the time was short, we made the most of it and celebrate a challenging year giving thanks for all the blessings. Beside being able to take him […]
RichC | September 17, 2010
We are all getting older and inevitably our human bodies give way to age. Some are blessed with good health for 70 or 80 years, but eventually become dependent on others. Learning to adjust is not something most are quick to accept. The days of our years are three score years and ten; and if […]
RichC | June 12, 2010
I’ve been putting a few more miles on the Honda Pilot than usual, for both work and personal travel, which has me thinking about diesel cars and the soon to expire tax incentives on a few models. It would be nice to have a new Volkswagen Jetta TDI or Sportwagen TDI, but with the slowdown […]
RichC | December 28, 2008
Once again my Treo smart phone ’email to blog’ didn’t post correctly while visiting family in New York state. A couple posts were missed, but I’ll quickly upload at least this one family photo for posterity sake. It is from the Howard Bowl 2008 and shows the well trampled field (my father-in-laws lawn) after our […]
RichC | June 25, 2007
We had an enjoyable trip to western New York (my wife’s home) to attend my niece’s graduation from Maple Grove High School in Bemus Point. The weather and drive was beautiful and the time with our family too short. The small rural high school graduation (79 students) did offer an interesting commencement speaker for such […]