Test photo after a server update and personal family posts

| November 29, 2023

Since this week’s weeks MyDesultoryBlog.com posts include a couple end of the month personal and private family posts, it seemed like a good time add test post filler … especially after backing up and updating the Linux server Wednesday evening. Here’s a photo from the condo kitchen update that I sent to Taylor in a […]

Our shrinking kitchen counter space in the Florida condo

| February 16, 2023

Nothing like a big game, a bag of frozen Costco chicken wings and a desire to make them crispier than in a normal oven to talk us into a splurge buy! At home in Cincinnati, we enjoy our Breville convection toaster oven at home so much that really wanted one down at the Delray Beach […]

Cleaning stainless steel cookware, mostly Wirecutter advice

| May 12, 2022

Who else hates cleaning up stainless steel cookware, especially stainless steel frying pans? We opted to upgrade the mishmash pots and pans at the Delray Beach condo back in 2018 with a full set of IKEA stainless steel cookware. Unfortunately whenever it comes to using them, we opt for the cheap and ugly red “semi” […]

Tidbits: A favorite kitchen product – Glad Press’n Seal

| October 13, 2021

When it comes to  tools in the workshop, there are a few of them that I keep at arm’s length or in a small toolbox. The same goes for kitchen utensils and products. One of my favorites, if not thee favorite, is GLAD Press’n Seal® wrap (mentioned year’s ago when I still had a Keurig). […]

Old bananas, a place for everything and everything in its place

| August 11, 2021

Generally we (really just me) eat up the bananas before they go too soft or brown, but when they do, I make banana bread. Slowly but surely I’ve been tweaking my recipe (below) … usually adjusting the amount of bananas (and how soft) and the 1/2 – 3/4 cup of sugar part. This past week, […]

Still glad we bought a Bosch Dishwasher 11 years ago #TBT

| July 8, 2021

After seeing the latest Wirecutter recommendation the other day, I was glad to know we were ahead of the curve back when we replaced our old dishwasher with a Bosch model in 2010.

The odds are at least 50-50 … right? #learning #statistics

| June 16, 2021

So why do I always end up trying to open the wrong end of a trash bag? With human intelligence and adaptive learning being what it is, one would think knowing which end of the trash bag to open when pulling one out of the box or roll would favor me getting it correct? I’m […]

How do you dice and onion? Let’s check with Lifehacker.

| April 18, 2021

Is there a better way to “dice” and onion? The Lifehacker “Hack or Wack” crew gave the UK tipster’s method a try … and I’ll probably do the same even though they concluded it was “wack.” Still, there might be a couple modifications that could keep the onion flat on the cutting board and still […]

The wire from the TV signal box is now in the basement ceiling

| January 16, 2021

My wife is great … and her decorating and building taste as to what “looks” nice grows on a person after nearly 40 years of marriage … but I still grumble about some of the decision she makes. One of them was wanting a drywall ceiling rather than something removable when we finished the basement. […]

Kitchen stool screw-on felt slides – a must have and long overdue

| November 17, 2020

This should have been one of the first things I did when assembling our six metal stools back when we remodeled our kitchen in 2017. I bought slides for the condo stools after remodeling since there were only two and on tile, but cheaped out with stick felts at home. They were never worth the […]

A happy Taylor after updating his apartment’s kitchen #TBT

| July 9, 2020

While smiling and thinking about my “now domesticated son ” (HA!) after seeing a couple photos Taylor proudly sent me after updated his kitchen apartment, I realized he is now closer to middle age than living in “just out of college” bachelor pad. The pre-COVID19 days of “always going out” have adjusted to “being comfortable […]

Amazon delivery issues, but their chat-bot seems efficient

| June 16, 2020

Like a lot of people during COVID19, we have gravitated even more to Amazon and online ordering for our “stuff.” We have not ordered groceries online yet, but are definitely doing more online shopping than ever before. I mentioned having issues with Amazon a few times before (1, 2, 3) during stay-at-home orders and find […]

Why Delray Beach? – “Doors open, doors close” opportunities

| November 9, 2019

When chatting about our recent vacation to Florida with a long time customer (friend) in Akron, Ohio, he asked why we picked Delray Beach, Florida as an area to buy a condo (I detected he is beginning to think about retiring). Although I realized that I really haven’t given much thought to how we ended […]

Kitchen Ideas when you would rather be on a boat

| August 3, 2019

A filler photo tidbit for today’s post, but this creative kitchen island idea from one of my sailing groups caught my eye. It “would” have worked in our kitchen … I’m just not sure I could have pulled it off without adding a mast! 🙂

Simple SunrisePro kitchen knife sharpener mini review

| May 11, 2019

Although I regularly sharpen our "home" kitchen knives in my workshop and maintain the edge with a "steel" (love to try ceramic rod) … but that was not possible last week in Florida. I noticed when cleaning up the condo and starting the master bathroom update after the winter lease ended, that the new kitchen […]

You too can restore a cast iron skillet like Jon Peters

| December 27, 2018

When Brenda and I were first married, we started off cooking with a cast iron skillet. It was “old school” even 36 years ago to be using our old Wagner cast iron (were made in Sidney, Ohio), but there was something great about using those big heavy “somewhat” greasy skillets in our little two bedroom […]

Archive: Just a little condo rental prep and Encore upkeep

| December 3, 2018

Only one little piggy had a bad day down in Florida. It was unusual for me, but decided to wear the Sperry watershoes rather than leather boat shoes while working on Encore … basically just cleaning and getting her back to pre-hurricane prep form. Unfortunately we have not been sailing enough to justify even owning […]

Sidetracked again, this time added a drawing table drawer

| November 18, 2018

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A couple last minute condo update improvements

| October 28, 2018

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Final touches and cleaning after condo kitchen remodeling

| September 25, 2018

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Distracted driving and a step closer to finishing the condo update

| August 11, 2018

Likely I’m not the best driver when it comes to not glancing at my phone in the car, but I am improving and in recent years am trying not to "read" or "text anything." Unfortunately we still have drivers who are "comfortable" (leg up???) with multi-tasking while driving. Ugh. I spent a few more days […]

A new pair of Sperry flip-flops and kitchen knife sharpening

| July 24, 2018

Having owned a several pairs of different branded sandals and flip-flops over the years (decades), I’ve settled on my boatshoe brand of choice, the Sperry brand, as the flip-flops I prefer. Some of the more inexpensive brands wear out too quick, others, like the ones I really like from Eddie Bauer, are slick when the […]

Stretched out another weekend to work on the condo kitchen

| July 5, 2018

Well finishing the kitchen upgrade at the condo was my goal, but since Brenda was with me, more than the condo kitchen was worked on! The guest bathroom’s minor vanity update grew into a MUCH larger project. One thing lead to another and before I knew it, my wife had me doing more tile than […]

Archive: Last day of condo kitchen photos for a while, I promise

| May 31, 2018

Since the Quartz countertops were finished early and I was still available for the install, it was time to move on it now. Better to have them installed than stored somewhere until my next trip to Florida (a few more photos for the Condo1718 archive below).

Added a Nest thermostat and a ceiling fan to the condo kitchen

| May 30, 2018

Adding a few more gadgets to the condo update this weekend as we are one step closer to getting it looking as if we’ll have a kitchen again … or at least a livable abode for the winter renters (or next owner). Hopefully the few extra upgrades I have opted to add will not go […]

Archive: Kitchen range delivered and a few other condo updates

| May 29, 2018

Spent a little more time working on the condo kitchen over a stretched Memorial Day weekend since a replacement range needed to be received (gas version was shipped by mistake on first order). Thankfully was also able to get the templates made for the countertops after adding the stub wall support and some final cabinet […]

Archive: A couple more photos from the condo kitchen update

| May 5, 2018

Just a couple more panarama catch-up photos for the archive from the updates to the condo kitchen. Brenda has been a great help and we both "enjoyed" working together.

Archive: A couple new updated condo kitchen photos

| May 2, 2018

The new Hitachi miter saw put to use on the condo kitchen crown molding … and a little paint finally being applied by Brenda. Wanted to get these couple new Ikea kitchen photos archived before they are lost.

New 12-inch Hitachi miter saw. An early birthday present to me.

| May 1, 2018

New tools are my jewelry when it comes to presents … and Brenda agreed to buy me a new 12" Hitachi sliding compound miter saw so I could more easily work on a couple of projects (after promising to do them this year). Hm, what have I gotten myself into??? The first project is to […]

Traveling, traffic, Moscovy ducks and another kitchen update

| April 29, 2018

Don’t you just hate making a long drive and getting stuck in a long traffic jam? This past week I ended up sitting and inching forward for over an hour while on I-75. It was frustrating knowing just how many more hours I was planning to spend on the road. On a much lighter note, […]

Remotes, remodeling and a day leftover for Encore

| April 14, 2018

This past week has been a busy one for me. I was off to Florida for a few days to check on the condo in Delray Beach after our winter renter and to start the demolition of the kitchen. It is a project that is way past due and I’m not sure I know exactly […]

The crystal pendant lights, china and big knobs are growing on me

| March 3, 2018

The new kitchen décor favored by Brenda is growing on me. Initially I fought the oversized glass crystal cabinet knobs (more expensive) and three rather than two crystal oriented pendant lights (I had already wired for two and had to add a third – $$$), as well as the excessive number of cut glass drinking […]

Keeping knobs on cabinet doors/drawers. Out comes the epoxy!

| December 31, 2017

Let’s end 2017 with a kitchen cabinets knob repair. One of the changes to our new kitchen were the crystal looking knobs … Brenda felt they were too small. So we added larger ones, but the adhesive they used is not as solid as it should be, so out comes the epoxy and clamped in […]

Making a Maple High Chair to match our New Maple Kitchen

| August 24, 2017

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The Kitchen Corner Cabinet is finally finished

| August 4, 2017

It has been a slow process and a while in coming, but the beveled glass and shelves finally came in last week in order to finish the kitchen cabinets. These items are part of the "improved" corner cabinet for Brenda. She wanted a more attractive beveled glass door (larger window) and glass shelves so that […]

Artwork or recyclable copper scrap metal?

| May 25, 2017

I’ve seen crazier ideas, so before I dismiss my wife completely for seeing this as artwork, it will get moved from the recycle bin to a temporary hanging spot in my shop. I could have lied and claimed this was "my latest eccentric artwork."  Brenda would like me to make a frame or shadow box […]

A final update: Our kitchen project is nearly finished

| May 11, 2017

The previous later evening blog update when the contractor left was a bit of a blurry photo, so I wanted to include a better photo and opted to give the Lumix GX8 pano-mode a try (above). Since I was not sure exactly how it would turn out, opted for a normal wide angle image as […]

The kitchen construction is nearly complete with TV and all

| May 6, 2017

Our kitchen update is nearly finished and we only have a few touch up items, the correct under the counter LED lights and a freezer door replacement to go. The mounted TV is now working with everything self contained on the sliding mount and everything works off of a single power plug. I’m still having […]

Checking on the price of a new freezer door for our refrigerator

| May 4, 2017

The contractor that dented our Samsung refrigerator ask me to get a replacement freezer door so I called J & J International  at 800-627-4368 and had to log a case #149782 and give them our model and serial number before they could research and price the part. Hopefully if I order it they will continue […]

Mounted the large 4K TV temporarily in the new kitchen

| April 25, 2017

The granite countertops were installed last week, still putting us a couple of weeks from having a usable kitchen as the construction continues to crawl along (no plumbing, cooktop, backsplash, trim, electrical or paint). It is tough being without a functioning kitchen and washing up dishes in the laundry room is getting old … but […]

Granite arrives: One step closer to having a usable kitchen again

| April 21, 2017

Here’s a quick slideshow of photos updating the granite countertops to our kitchen remodel after they were installed this past week. Thankfully every measurement was “spot on” and the install went without a hitch (the photos make them look a lot darker than they really are). A couple photos show a sample of the new […]

A few accessory items for our kitchen upgrade project

| April 4, 2017

Although Pinterest isn’t my thing, it is a good place for "lookers" to collect ideas. One of the items yet to order for the kitchen upgrade will be counter height stools and my daughter, who is on maternity leave, said she would do some looking on Pinterest (whew, I don’t have to look there!). The […]

Distracted by our granddaughter and the kitchen project

| March 30, 2017

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Recalculations, cabinet modification and flaws

| March 28, 2017

The kitchen remodeling hit a snag today as the custom cabinet that was suppose to fit the new Bosch double-oven was way off. I’m not sure why it was off because the specifications sheet for the oven was sent to the manufacture, but it wasn’t even close. The "fix" is that the installer will butcher […]

Archive: Photos after kitchen project week ONE

| March 25, 2017

Just a few photos from Thursday and Friday after the first week of kitchen demolition and construction. A few more prior to the cabinets below to archive the project.   Dent in our new refrigerator    

Sleepy Beauty and PROGRESS on the 2017 Kitchen Project

| March 23, 2017

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Let the kitchen remodeling and upgrades begin … finally!

| March 21, 2017

Finally, our long awaited kitchen project begins in earnest. Monday was what Fixer Upper’s Chip and Joanna Gaines call "Demo Day." Our long and drawn out updates and upgrades are finally starting and have grown in both design changes and cost as the weeks have grown into months … if not years! We really started […]

Pondering the last few items we still need for the kitchen project

| March 8, 2017

While waiting for the new kitchen cabinets to be built and delivered, the final decisions need to be made on the under counter lighting, faucets and backsplash tiles. The latter has become quite the struggle. The kitchen designer who is helping has picked a glass tile with a tint of green, but the opinions from […]

Take two: Finally moving ahead on the kitchen project

| January 28, 2017

Designer rendition Last summer we started to plan for a kitchen remodel as our "builder grade" cabinets and mishmash of appliances were in serious need of replacement. We updated our dishwasher and refrigerator already, but need to finish off the final stages once and for all. I’m currently working with a designer and close to […]

Creative storage under a sink and vertical clothing storage

| September 26, 2016

We already regularly “hang” spray bottle in our laundry room and in my workshop, but why not use a spring rod to take advantage of two layers of storage under the kitchen sink? Another one from the same website was in dresser drawer storage. Instead of piling folded clothing flat, fold it so it fits […]

In the planning stages for a kitchen update – August 2016

| August 2, 2016

Now that we’ve been in our house for over 20 years and haven’t really done much to update our kitchen and the builder grade cabinets and appliances. It is time to start the ball rolling and at least get a few ideas. Brenda thinks our kitchen is too small by today’s "big house" standards so […]

Finally … we bought a new refrigerator

| October 17, 2015

We waited long enough in deciding what to do with our 20+ year old KitchenAid refrigerator as the cheap paint fix can only do so much in extending the life of our old refrigerator. We opted for the Samsung that I’ve been sitting on the fence about for over a year and realized that we […]

A new Moen cartridge again and some paint peeling

| July 12, 2015

After a week or so away, it was time for a weekend of long overdue household chores. The grass was long (and a bit wet), the pool a bit green and the kitchen sink continued to drip … despite my ignoring it for weeks. The last one should have been relatively easy except I initially […]

Better kitchen knifes: Appreciating a sharp blade and good steel

| May 28, 2015

Shortly after Brenda and I were married, I commented that I was going to write an advice book for new couples that included the good and bad decisions we made when buying things for our home, yard, kids and our life. After all this time I’ve yet to write the advice book, but continue to […]

Making it feel better than home

| May 21, 2015

My wife and I have been preoccupied this week with helping our son Taylor get settled into his East Walnut Hills (Cincinnati) apartment after his move back from Williston, North Dakota. Each time “I” think we are getting closer to finishing, the “mama-bear” (aka: Brenda) adds a few more items to the list … but […]

Extending the life of our old refrigerator

| January 6, 2015

Back in November I mentioned that I was “backpedaling” before buying a new refrigerator for our kitchen. We decided not to do anything before the holidays and so I figured rather than live with our ugly looking broken refrigerator that I could at least touch up the paint and put in a new light bulb. […]

Sharpening 5 knives and a tip for sheathing an awl

| November 18, 2014

One of the items from my mother and father-in-law’s farmhouse that I wanted were her thin-bladed stainless steel kitchen knives. They were “always” dull, but the cast handles and all metal construction made them perfect for the dishwasher (although a couple of the tips were pretty bent). We have two similar knives in our kitchen […]

Storing and ripening fruit – truly “Desultory”

| August 16, 2005

In keeping with ‘desultory‘ in my blog, I ran across some useful advice from a specialty produce distributor in regard to storing and ripening fruit. Karen Caplan of Frieda’s Inc. suggests that you rinse peaches, nectarines and plums and place in a shallow wire basket for ventilation after purchasing, rather than putting them in the […]

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.
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