Are rechargeable wearable tech devices like the Fitbit Versa and the Apple Watch doomed to prematurely fail?

| 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 […]

Archive: The birth announcement for Ellerie Frances Oostra

| May 17, 2020

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Happy Birthday to a great mom and best daughter in the world

| May 14, 2020

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Happy Mother’s Day to my wife … and as mom to our kids

| May 10, 2020

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A second post today to say Thank You

| May 8, 2020

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Photos to keep us up-to-date with our growing granddaughters

| April 19, 2020

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The Good News – “He is not here; for He is risen..”

| 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 […]

Annalyn and Ellerie photos are keeping a smile on my face

| April 8, 2020

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April 1 is no joke this year, yet I am counting our many blessings

| April 1, 2020

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Looking for something positive amidst the #COVID19 Pandemic

| 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, […]

Just home projects while ignoring work and financial markets

| March 17, 2020

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Granddaughter Annalyn celebrated birthday number 3 yesterday

| March 5, 2020

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A great time visiting our NEW and almost 3-year old granddaughter

| March 1, 2020

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As My Desultory Blog grows, it is becoming increasingly difficult to search and find archived information #TBT

| February 27, 2020

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Our second granddaughter was born on February 20 2020

| February 22, 2020

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While waiting for our 2nd granddaughter, here’s #1 for #TBT

| February 20, 2020

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We’re anxiously waiting for BO#2 (Baby Oostra Number 2)

| 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 […]

When is it time to say goodbye to family pets? #PumpyUmpy

| 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” […]

Winter weather, driving and fun babysitting Annalyn

| February 8, 2020

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The Chinese Coronavirus. What you might want to know.

| 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 […]

Archive: We had a great family Christmas 2019 on New Years Day

| January 4, 2020

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Merry Christmas 2019 – Wishing you success and courage

| December 17, 2019

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Wishing my son-in-law Drew a Happy Birthday #TBT

| December 12, 2019

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Archive: A couple great Ohio State Buckeye filler photos

| November 30, 2019

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Baby Reveal: GrandDAUGHTER #2 is three months away! [video]

| November 10, 2019

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Archiving a few Halloween photos and Tree-TeaHouse plan

| November 3, 2019

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Vacation Part 2: Beach time with family after Legoland

| October 26, 2019

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Vacation Part 1: Finished upholstery, master bath and cleaning

| October 23, 2019

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Phase of life: Enjoying life and watching family doing the same

| October 14, 2019

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Archive: Photos of Annalyn sure brings a smile to this grandpa

| October 8, 2019

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Quiet no more – Katelyn and Drew are having a second baby

| September 24, 2019

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Archive: Thankful to have my family within driving distance

| September 16, 2019

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Archive: Photo wrap-up of our 2019 summer week with Annalyn

| August 20, 2019

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Another Volkswagen in the family – Taylor’s 2019 VW Alltrack

| 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). […]

Where have the years gone? 11 years ago and now in 2019. #TBT

| August 8, 2019

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Volkswagen is winning us back and easing bounteous warranty

| 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 […]

Tech Friday: Photo manipulation is disturbing and creepy #faceapp

| 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 […]

Catch up post after our 2019 Fourth of July Family weekend

| July 9, 2019

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Technology, communication, parenting and The Lord’s Prayer

| July 7, 2019

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A big thanks to Taylor for planning a Reds-Indians family day

| July 6, 2019

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One week late, but finally archiving our Put In Bay family weekend

| June 29, 2019

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Finally joining the smartwatch and Fitbit wearer club

| June 26, 2019

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It is a great week for night stargazing and sky watching – #Jupiter

| 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 […]

The Spot, a Sidney Ohio landmark & Rob Lowe memories #TBT

| 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, […]

Catch up photos from Mother’s Day with the kids

| May 18, 2019

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Happy Mother’s Day to a couple of “young” moms (2017 photo)

| May 12, 2019

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EVs are making inroads – Drew is now a Tesla Model 3 owner

| April 28, 2019

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Look who has been visiting our house for a few days

| April 27, 2019

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Archive: Photos from Katelyn, Drew & Annalyn’s trip to Yosemite

| April 20, 2019

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Archive: Taylor Corbett – Meeting Clermont County’s Planner

| April 9, 2019

There aren’t many things that makes a mom and dad prouder than realizing their parenting efforts have paid off. We are now regularly seeing our children as productive professional adults and realizing that our being positive examples, and prioritizing school and providing a college education, has paid off. Besides Katelyn and husband Drew being accomplished […]

Childhood obesity and healthy weight challenge in Toledo Ohio

| April 6, 2019

View this post on Instagram Pediatrician Katelyn Oostra, MD, talked about the prevention of childhood obesity this past Wednesday night at a presentation for Super Fitness Weight Loss Challenge contestants. Each year the physical fitness center joins together with WTOL, Channel 11, to host a healthy weight loss challenge. This year, physicians from ProMedica participated […]

Keeping up with Taylor, Megan, Annalyn, Katelyn and Drew

| April 3, 2019

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Ancestry: Allen George Howard’s horse was named Gus #TBT

| 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; […]

A little leftover Annalyn “dance party” video to archive

| March 13, 2019

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Archive: A family birthday party for Annalyn. She is 2 years old.

| March 12, 2019

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Happy Birthday to our 2-year old Annalyn, the “Apple of MY eye”

| March 5, 2019

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We had a great time babysitting Annalyn on Valentine’s Day

| February 16, 2019

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Tech Friday: Had some new iPhone envy so downloaded Focos

| February 15, 2019

Same photo with min aperture option and maximum. Note Bokek effect. On a recent trip, I happened to break my favorite pair of polarized sunglasses, so am using them as one last prop before tossing them in the trash … they have been epoxied and “jerry-rigged” (correct use of the term) together one too many times. […]

Music Monday: A recycled Beatles song and something from 1969

| February 11, 2019

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My mom’s Jenny Lind bed will be Annalyn’s BIG bed someday

| February 1, 2019

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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog