About a year ago, our 7-year-old microwave, originally bought at Walmart for $100, began to flicker. “Hmm,” I thought. “Is it beginning to go?” Microwaves have been the longest lived of our kitchen devices, or at least the longest lived… Read More ›
House and home
NATURE IS ORDERLY. I’M NOT.
#WQ #9: ORDER BUT EAT CAKE FIRST This quote not only rang true, it also made me laugh. It’s not that I don’t try to be orderly and neat. I am neat to the extent that anyone living in a… Read More ›
A FEW MORE BIRDS
We got a new 40-pound bag of birdseed, so I was able to fill the feeders this morning. They watch me and know when the feeders are full. If I take too long, they get restless and fly past me,… Read More ›
FA LA LA LA LA ON CHRISTMAS DAY
We had a lovely Christmas Eve. Our child has grown up. Kaity is now closer to 30 than 20, so we were “kid-less,” unless you want to count Sandy’s puppy (who regardless of being assured of being trained on “pee-pee… Read More ›
GETTING SICK, GETTING BETTER, WHERE’S THE LENS?
I was assured I’d have the lens today. As a matter of fact, UPS said I’d have the lens today except I don’t have it because UPS sent me a note saying it was going to be tomorrow. Okay then…. Read More ›
WEIRD MEASURING CUPS AND THE HISTORY OF METRIFICATION
Well, there were two problems. The first is that 1/4 cup is at two different levels on either side of the cup. You could put that down to some of the ounces being Imperial and the other being American, but… Read More ›
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A MISMARKED MEASURING CUP?
Well, there were two problems. The first is that 1/4 cup is at two different levels on either side of the cup. You could put that down to some of the ounces being Imperial and the other being American, but… Read More ›
THE JOYS OF CREATIVE CLUTTER
Blogging Insights NF #57: Creative Clutter VS Neatness “I like working among ‘creative clutter.’ It gives me a sense of activity and achievement.“ — Fennel Hudson While I wholly approve of creative clutter, I’m extremely neat. I’m not neat because of… Read More ›
IT WILL BE A COLD NIGHT
The temperature is supposed to drop by at least 40 degrees tonight. I still haven’t turned on my heat. I refuse. I never turn on the heat until mid November. I am not alone. Many people are absolutely phobic about… Read More ›
NEW STUFF!
In our ever ongoing attempt to make our house look less like it’s a single step from dereliction, today Owen changed the medicine cabinet in my bathroom. When we bought the house, it had a tiny (ugly) little medicine cabinet… Read More ›
THEN CAME THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NATIONAL GRID
I thought it wasn’t going to get much worse, but then… Electric bills will be $114 higher each month compared to last year. That’s a 64% increase for the same amount of energy use, driven by higher electric supply price…. Read More ›
A LOST SUNDAY
It wasn’t really lost, but is was lost-ish. I had a lot of plans for the day since this is probably the only reasonably cool day we are getting this week. But then Owen said, “Hey, I moved that cabinet… Read More ›
DAILY DILLY-DALLY IN BLACK & WHITE
CBWC: Made by Humans Talk about a lot of choices! Almost too many. Most of the things in my life that aren’t living were human-wrought. I’m particularly fond of the porta-potty and the little airplane. I’m not sure they should count… Read More ›
OH NO! A FLY!
In the course of the giant toilet paper crisis of 2020, we put hose-style bidets on all three of our toilets. I thought of it as a way to survive sans TP until people got a grip on life (again),… Read More ›
APPLIANCES DIDN’T LAST LONGER IN THE OLD DAYS
Our toasted has died on one side. The other side still works, but obviously we need a new toaster. I have bought a lot of toasters through the years. I have bought expensive one, cheapies, and many in the middle…. Read More ›
THUS CAME NEW WINDOWS
We bought them in January and it took until today to get completed and installed. Oh my, what a difference! It’s not that they are bigger — except in the living room where the design has much narrower framing. Otherwise,… Read More ›
THE DAY THE WATER STOPPED RUNNING
Last night, I went to get a couple of rolls of toilet paper for my bathroom. It was all chewed up. There were pieces of it all over the closet. Which meant… Mice. We’ve been pretty much mouse-free for the… Read More ›
BUSY BEES
There were maybe 100 bees buzzing around the two hanging feeders on the deck. I assumed they were yellow jackets because we’ve had a lot of trouble here with hornets and wasps — and especially yellow jackets who have nested… Read More ›
THE FREE REFRIGERATOR
As soon as we knew Owen had confirmed the movers, We had to empty out the old refrigerator and I was thinking “Great. It’s winter so we can put most of the refrigerated food out on the deck. Glad we… Read More ›
THERE IS NOTHING TO DO – RICH PASCHALL
Or Is There? by Rich Paschall When you were younger, a teenager perhaps, you may have heard yourself say a time or two, “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do.” I know I did. Even today, with so much more to… Read More ›
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 