RichC | October 17, 2020
While Brenda and I zipped to Florida for a couple planned vacation get-away days, our family enjoyed the autumn weather change in Ohio. Taylor treated Megan to a birthday evening with a romantic evening and a fire in our outdoor fireplace and the Oostra family headed to Hocking Hills and a little hiking — Katelyn, […]
RichC | October 11, 2020
I’m the first to admit, “I have plenty of shortcomings as a parent and grandparent,” … and I don’t think that I’m alone. That said, focusing on our past mistakes and regret will do little to correct the past, not to mention won’t help our own psyche. Instead, we can look forward, learn from the […]
RichC | October 6, 2020
The summer has slipped away and we are finally getting around to getting our boxes and bags of books back in the library/music room. Earlier this year I built some new bookshelves for the back wall that will house a lot of our books. I’ve been tossing and slowly organizing them, but Brenda has just […]
RichC | September 24, 2020
We had our first taste of cooler fall weather for 2020 last week as the hot 80+ degree days of August and early September gave way to pleasant mid-to-high 70s and cooler evenings dipping into the 40s. Brr, my body has not adjusted yet. As autumn approaches and the temperatures are more tolerable in the […]
RichC | September 22, 2020
Since Brenda (Oma) is babysitting up in Perrysburg for Katelyn and Drew, I thought I’d archive a couple photos from her day (although the one above is from Katelyn marking that Ellerie is now 7 months old). Since I’m writing this while eating my lunch on Monday, it is likely I’ll miss any afternoon photos, […]
RichC | September 17, 2020
What kind of grandparent would I be to not include Ellerie’s first tooth on MyDesultoryBlog since I post on practically everything else? Katelyn mentioned in a phone call that Ellerie was teething and could see her first tooth the other day … so I requested she send a photo. Little did I know just how […]
RichC | August 11, 2020
With our family in town last week, it was a busy time. We enjoyed several outings, good food and plenty of pool time. Annalyn has really grown to enjoy swimming and playing in the yard. She loves the swing (Bompa needs to work on a bigger one) and riding the bike with training wheels to […]
RichC | August 9, 2020
We had a great time with Katelyn, Drew, Annalyn and Ellerie as they visited for a mini-vacation, as my daughter called it (family photos archived later in the week). They drove the Tesla Model3 down from Perrysburg and were able to squeeze in two car seats, their luggage and a larger stroller. Impressive! Drew planned […]
RichC | July 26, 2020
What kind of grandparent would I be without using my personal blog to keep track of and archive photos of my grandchildren? This past week, Ellerie turned 5 months old … yes ALREADY! She is as happy and healthy as can be, thanks to having a loving big sister, pediatrician mom and great dad. Katelyn […]
RichC | July 10, 2020
It has definitely been sunny and warm this past week or so, but this kind of pool temperature is ridiculous! Whew, 89 degrees! I’ve been trying to keep up with brushing half the pool each evening in hope to stay ahead of any wall growth. Chemical balances look decent so far, but after my trip […]
RichC | July 5, 2020
While I should be finishing up out taxes and figuring out how to pay what we owe … I instead found myself thinking about our granddaughters coming down later this summer and my promise to “build something for mommy” in the workshop (we made daddy a car when Annalyn stayed a week over Christmas last […]
RichC | June 30, 2020
Time to add a couple photos to close out June 2020 and mark the 4 month pediatrician appointment for Ellerie. She is doing great and weighed in at 13 lbs 6 oz and 25 inches. Not to be left out, Annalyn is growing too, although 33 lbs is exactly where she was when she jumped […]
RichC | June 21, 2020
Only my granddaughter Annalyn and I (and those who watch us playing) really understand the “bubble” photo that I sent her earlier this week. The two of us have a few toys that will likely remain in our “memories” … at least my memory (she is only three). I do miss her when we are […]
RichC | June 17, 2020
Podcasts have been around for a while now and I suspect I”m like most people, it is an on again, off again listening affair; finding or making time to them can be challenging. The iPhones and Android phones do make it easy to archive episodes and listen on the go, but unless you are in […]
RichC | June 9, 2020
Today’s blog update is really just to archive a couple grandkid photos from this past weekend. We see our family enough not to have to post something every time we get together, but those with grandchildren know how fast babies grow from week to week and month to month. I’ll start the post with a […]
RichC | June 3, 2020
It is starting to look like early gadget failure going to become the ‘norm’ now that we’re wearing tech gadgets everyday. My Fitbit Versa watch is not even a year old and has failed. For a while it started to blink and flip through it’s screens, then surged with colorful vertical lines (photo)and a vibrate […]
RichC | May 17, 2020
As a Sunday filler post, I decided to archive a scan/photo version of Ellerie’s birth announcement. It arrived last week from Katelyn and Drew and so will keep it on the blog as a saved family items. I’m sure Brenda and Katelyn will keep a paper copy, but it is always nice to keep something […]
RichC | May 14, 2020
Happy Birthday to my daughter Katelyn … and greatest mom to our granddaughters Annalyn and Ellerie. Have a special day my #1 daughter … you’ve most surely earned it this year! The “I’m 12 Weeks Old” photo we just received needed to be Photoshopped just a bit, which we’ll chalk up as a “second child […]
RichC | May 10, 2020
It is an unusual Mother’s Day this year with the COVID19 "distancing" being practiced. While wishing my wife, and daughter of TWO, a Happy Mother’s Day, we guys are still remembering them with a bit of a different twist. The kids sent Brenda flowers, cookies and bath items and I mad a pot of chili […]
RichC | May 8, 2020
My personal rule is usually only one blog post per day, but with so many wishing me a Happy Birthday yesterday it seems appropriate to say “thank you” over lunch today. The “like” button or “thumbs-up” is probably sufficient for social networks, a text exchange for friends who are phone contacts and of course the […]
RichC | April 19, 2020
Although it has only been a couple months since Ellerie was born (8 weeks now), the Coronavirus stay-at-home orders has definitely made it challenging for grandparents … especially when they would really like to be with their grandchildren. Brenda and I only ‘now’ realize just how fortunate we were to have been able to travel several […]
RichC | April 12, 2020
Although Brenda and I have been regularly listening to pastors share audio messages on their podcasts or watching church services online during these trying Coronavirus days, we like many Christians, are finding it challenging to be thinking and planning for Easter? Nevertheless, the calendar indicates it is Easter Sunday 2020, so a proper “He is […]
RichC | April 8, 2020
Grandparents who receive regular photos, video, FaceTime and Alexa Echo messages from their grandchildren (and children) are fortunate to live in today’s technology rich world. Just a couple decades ago, families who moved apart for careers or whatever reason were lucky to get a few snapshots in the US mail or maybe talk on the […]
RichC | April 1, 2020
April 1st is usually a day reserved for lighthearted jokes (April Fools’ Day), but the mood is just not there this year … at least for me. Thankfully we are still operating Coronavirus-free as a family, but no doubt as this pandemic makes its way across the country and envelopes the world, someone in the […]
RichC | March 31, 2020
Although few of us really want to be tracking the exponential explosion of the COVID19 spread, a friend asked me if there was a preferred site to go to for updated information. I responded with CDC.gov or Department of Health here in Ohio as trusted sources, but then suggested that if he was like me, […]
RichC | March 17, 2020
With the Coronavirus news sending the entire world into chaos, about the only thing sane to do is to hunker down and ignore the mayhem. “Woulda, coulda, shoulda” doesn’t do much now … I’m just thankful to have mostly invested in sensible companies that hopefully will weather the storm. Only time will tell. So in […]
RichC | March 5, 2020
Guess who’s birthday it was yesterday? ==> Annalyn’s !!! It is hard to believe our granddaughter is 3 years old? She is growing up so fast. Brenda and I visited in Perrysburg a few days ago and semi-celebrated Annalyn’s birthday with a couple gifts, but yesterday also enjoyed singing Happy Birthday on Facetime. We watched […]
RichC | March 1, 2020
It is well past time for me to actually post and archive proud grandma and grandpa photos of our new granddaughter, Ellerie. Brenda and I had a smile filled day holding her and admiring what a great mom and dad that Katelyn and Drew are. While Brenda spent most of her time holding our newest […]
RichC | February 27, 2020
Six years ago, which seems like yesterday (considering everything that has happened), I recalled and blogged on my first journaling in 1977 noting that the focus was on planning my life around sailing – to quote George Bernard Shaw, “Youth is wasted on the young.” The reference was that the number of posts on MyDesultoryBlog […]
RichC | February 22, 2020
Thursday night (February 20, 2020 ) Drew and Katelyn knew it was time, so they packed up and took Annalyn over to Drew’s parents, which was the plan. They arrived at the hospital about 10:30 PM with very little time to spare and Katelyn immediately gave birth to an 8 lb 3 oz baby girl […]
RichC | February 20, 2020
Brenda and I are praying that all is well, but I suspect BO#2 is just a little too comfortable. Our Taylor came 2 weeks late, so a little bit after his due date does not surprise us. BabyOostra #2’s due date was yesterday and Katelyn “thinks” she is holding out for the weekend, but something […]
RichC | February 19, 2020
Although I have not sought Katelyn’s approval to include her rounded “personal coffee table” or her pregnancy photo (cough, cough – one in the same) to MyDesultoryBlog, but I’m boldly going out on a limb by posting it. The longer I post daily, the more I find myself wanting to archive family milestones … as […]
RichC | February 15, 2020
While emailing my daughter this week about taking her “long living” bunny, Pumpy Umpy to the vet (injury and can’t move his leg), I mentioned that I eventually had to take Tootsie to the Butler County Humane Society as a way to prep for her eventual decision. I ended up seeing this “Keep in touch” […]
RichC | February 8, 2020
It was a positive week for me with the highlight spending Wednesday evening with Katelyn and Drew and Thursday babysitting Annalyn in Perrysburg and spending the day with my granddaughter Annalyn. She is growing up so fast, but makes me truly feel loved. My big concern is whether I will have enough “love” leftover for […]
RichC | January 29, 2020
Read an outstanding article in the WSJ this past week as the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) continues to spread and take lives. It is currently a China-based virus that likely stems from bats that mutate and spread through other mammals. Efforts are being made in China to prevent spreading within their country, but with travel and […]
RichC | January 4, 2020
Our family’s 2019 Christmas celebration this year was over New Year’s eve and day, as is our rotation (currently we rotate every other year, but who knows what the future holds?) We were all able to schedule the time off together and enjoyed getting together to exchange presents. Brenda and I had a special treat […]
RichC | December 17, 2019
As has become tradition, our annual Christmas letter briefly summarizes our year and includes a quote, verse, lyric or statement. Usually, it is something that resonated with Brenda and triggered her to jot it down at some point during the year. This year it happened to be something from Winston Churchill (we watched Darkest Hour […]
RichC | December 12, 2019
Although Drew’s birthday isn’t today, I’ll post this on Thursday so as to get double-duty out of a birthday greeting and make it a Throwback Thursday #TBT post (a 2007 photo). Back then, Brenda secretly plotted, along with Drew and a friend (Sam), to kidnap Katelyn for her 21st birthday … and then take her […]
RichC | November 30, 2019
With another outstanding year for Ohio State University football fans (currently undefeated for 2019), the #2 national ranking has brought out the Buckeye spirit in our family of fans. Megan is from an all Ohio State family and a graduate herself. Taylor (Miami University, OH) has always enjoyed OSU Football and is happy to cheer […]
RichC | November 10, 2019
We had so much fun at Katelyn and Drew‘s on Saturday for the “gender reveal” of an addition to our family – A BABY GIRL and sister for Annalyn. They hosted a brunch in their newly remodeled kitchen and great room (first time for brothers and sister-in-laws to see it). Katelyn has become quite the […]
RichC | November 3, 2019
It is starting to feel like autumn now that Halloween has passed and the temperatures have dipped below freezing in the evenings. The weekend had me thinking about future projects and my current “to-do” list … which includes raking the leaves and closing up the pool. On the project list for next year is working […]
RichC | October 26, 2019
One of the more enjoyable aspects of maintaining a personal blog of desultory nature is that I’ve been able to include some of our trips, traveling and vacations over the years. It would have been nice to have had a searchable “highlight-reel” record from all of our traveling prior to 2005, but then the digital […]
RichC | October 23, 2019
The subject line is probably misleading since “vacation” and “finishing the upholstery and cleaning” probably are contradictory … but the few days at a time updates on the condo this past year needed to get finished up before our winter renters arrive. Thankfully Brenda and I scheduled a couple weeks in October to be in […]
RichC | October 14, 2019
Is it already time for pumpkins and autumn? I guess it is … especially after seeing Taylor and Megan picking out pumpkins. They sent a great photo of them on Saturday enjoying the crisper weather and beautiful weather. Supposedly Taylor’s pumpkin is heavier … but I’m not seeing it in this photo (also, Happy Birthday […]
RichC | October 8, 2019
What kind of grandparent would I be if I didn’t share a cute photo or two of my granddaughter Annalyn once in a while? It is hard to remember was life was like without this little cutie around. Katelyn and Drew sent a couple recent fall festival photos to us … one of face painting […]
RichC | September 24, 2019
It has been long enough … and I can’t keep quiet any longer. BabyOostra #2 is "in the oven" and definitely looks like a baby from the August ultrasound (Katelyn‘s baby app says the baby is the size of a chipmunk … or Drew‘s favorite, an XBox Controller). Annalyn will soon be a bit sister […]
RichC | September 16, 2019
A quick post to the blog archive with a few photos from this past weekend. Katelyn, Drew and Annalyn came down to go to the Cincinnati Zoo with Taylor and Megan on Saturday. They had a great time. Of course Brenda and I enjoyed having Annalyn around for a couple days too! She is growing […]
RichC | August 20, 2019
Last week was a grandparent’s dream as we had our wonderful 2-1/2 year old granddaughter Annalyn for the week. Of course we initially wondered if she would be a little homesick and miss mom and dad, but from the first moment when I drove halfway to make the pickup from Katelyn, I knew it was […]
RichC | August 18, 2019
Taylor‘s new 2019 Volkswagen Alltrack – 8/15/2019 After a fantastic week with Annalyn here in Cincinnati, Brenda and I are in recovery mode. I’ll need to spend a little time getting back to my emails and piled up work but I plan on archiving a few photos from the week (in a day or so). […]
RichC | August 8, 2019
While digging through a few older photos in contemplation for Brenda’s upcoming August birthday post, I stumbled across a few of our “dating years” photos (saving those for later) and one from my mom and dad’s house when we were celebrating her birthday 11 years ago (above). Wow … compared to our Put In Bay […]
RichC | August 1, 2019
CinciTDI GTG at our house August 20, 2008 – Throwback Thursday #TBT It has been a while since posting anything on Volkswagen or to the TDIClub forums; I’m likely I’m still sore over their “dieselgate” failure and the company giving up on diesel cars in North America. Still, I’m drawn to VWs and their excellent […]
RichC | July 19, 2019
Disturbing and “creepy” (as Katelyn messaged) … although I don’t mind looking a bit younger. 😉 Photoshop in the old days was fun to play around with, but nowadays, video and photo manipulation is beginning to frighten me. Taylor sent me this age-changing photo from our weekend at Put-In-Bay using FaceApp. Although there is […]
RichC | July 9, 2019
The holiday weekend at our house in Cincinnati was fun for all as I enjoyed my kids stretching out my birthday celebration with a Saturday Indians – Reds baseball game (posted on Saturday). We all had a great time together and enjoyed the hot weather, pool, having ice cream at The Cone and plenty of […]
RichC | July 7, 2019
As a grandparent, I so enjoyed how technology has been able to keep our family connected. Perhaps it is not unlike remembering my mother talking with her parents daily on the “wired” telephone after we moved “so far away” for back in the day when families often remained in the same neighborhoods and cities where […]
RichC | July 6, 2019
Thanks Taylor for planning and my family for spending an extended birthday weekend over the 4th of July. We all enjoyed the great time together as a family at Great American Ballpark watching my two favorite MLB team battle it out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon – Cleveland 7 – Reds 2 final score. We […]
RichC | June 29, 2019
A week ago Brenda and I headed up to our “old stomping grounds” (idiom) to celebrate Taylor’s 30th and my 60th birthday at Put In Bay, Ohio. Katelyn planned a family gathering for us since her partner owns a house and a few rentals on the island and graciously let us stay in the place […]
RichC | June 26, 2019
The plan was to post an update on the terrific 30th (Taylor) 60th (Rich) birthday weekend celebration with the whole family planned by Katelyn on Put-In-Bay last weekend … but I’ve been too busy to get my photos and thoughts together. So this will just be a smallish update highlighting the Fitbit Versa that Katelyn, […]
RichC | June 12, 2019
Just north of Cincinnati the sky was perfect for viewing the rise of Jupiter as the sky darkened about 9:30PM. The bright dot (photo below from my iPhone) rose in the SE sky and arched slowly until reaching its highest point due south at about 12:30AM and then moved lower well after I was in […]
RichC | June 6, 2019
Who doesn’t enjoyed reminiscing and remembering fond memories from the past? I know I do … and it is obvious the actor Rob Lowe does as well. Last week the actor was in Sidney, Ohio before his one-man show at the Schuster Center in Dayton. His fondest for the Dayton area is fairly well know, […]
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