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Published October 15, 2021 by

This and That, Almost Autumn Edition

This And That - Catching Up On All The Family News for Autumn 2021
This And That

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

So yesterday was our wedding anniversary – this one marking eighteen years together. Over our years together we’ve been flooded out, moved across country, performed multiple home renovations, and worked at multiple jobs. We survived two years apart and now we’ve survived eighteen months of near-house arrest. We’re still together so that’s a good thing.

In other news; We’re getting into autumn with cooler autumn weather and shorter days. Such is the cycle of life.

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Backyard Chickens Fresh Water Clams kayaking

Published September 20, 2021 by

Don’t Take Those Wooden Nickels

Don't take any wooden nickels
Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

On a daily basis, it feels like someone is trying to pick my pocket. The scams come in ever-increasing formats; from emails to text messages, phone calls, old-fashioned snail mail, and in-person. The one common denominator is that all these scams are focused on transferring my hard-earned cash to someone who feels they need my cash more than me.

The most recent attempted scam was this past week, when a person(s) replied to a Craigslist ad for an old guitar I’m trying to sell. The only notable part of this scam was that I exposed them. I’m going to expose these jerks even more in this post.

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fraud Internet Scam scam

Published September 14, 2021 by

Auto Mechanics Breaking Bad

Auto Mechanic Doing Bad Things To Cars
Auto Mechanic Breaking Bad

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

So a few weeks ago Winnie needed an annual safety inspection on her 2013 Nissan Versa. Considering that the car is in excellent condition, this should have been a routine process of taking the car in, getting it inspected, stickered, and out the door.

Instead, the dealer service center broke bad and tried to extort Winnie for an expensive and unnecessary repair job. They made a really bad choice.

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auto repair Nissan Versa

Published September 12, 2021 by

My Remembrance of 9/11

World Trade Centers After The 9/11 Attack

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Yesterday was America’s twentieth anniversary of “9/11,” the day a handful of terrorists took down New York City’s World Trade Centers and damaged the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Yesterday was also just a few days after all American forces left Afghanistan, a nation we attacked in retaliation for 9/11 twenty years ago.

I’d like to share my personal remembrance of 9/11 twenty years ago.

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9/11

Published August 15, 2021 by

Twenty-Four Hours in Facebook Jail

"In Jail (Just Visiting) Monopoly Board" by jeffdjevdet is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Just Visiting – Facebook Jail

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

As much as I hate to admit, I spend a lot of time on the Facebook Social media site. Too much time, actually. Normally, the time I spend on Facebook could be spent doing more productive things like – taking out the trash. Or, like – digging holes in my backyard that I later fill back in.

However, this past Saturday I found myself placed in “Facebook jail” for twenty-four hours as a result of a meme I posted. The experience was both irritating and exhilarating.

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Facebook Jail

Published August 14, 2021 by

Kayaking for Two

Two kayaks on a beach
Going Kayaking With Company

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Winnie got me hooked on kayaking ten years ago when she bought me a kayak on my 55th birthday. Since then, I’ve mixed power boating with kayaking as my warm weather water sports. I’ve also added two inflatable kayaks to my fleet. But almost all my kayaking has been a solitary activity. Until this year.

This spring, Winnie announced she wanted to go kayaking with me. So for this season we’ve been kayaking together and having a lot of fun.

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kayaking Summer Activities

Published July 28, 2021 by

A Garden Rhapsody in Bamboo

A Garden Rhapsody in Bamboo
A Garden Rhapsody in Bamboo

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Winnie is only really happy when she’s working in her gardens. She’s been building gardens ever since joining me here in the US, trying different plants and different techniques. For this year, she’s outdone herself not only by building her largest garden ever, but in her elaborate use of bamboo for fencing and trellises.

She’s truly built a garden rhapsody in bamboo.

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Family Stories

Published July 17, 2021 by

This and That Post Zombie Apocalypse Edition

This And That - Catching Up On All The Family News
This And That

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

So after a long dry spell it’s time for another edition of This and That; all the news fit to print and a whole lot more.

So to catch up on current news; The Covid-19 pandemic is almost over except for all the places it’s not. Floods are washing out Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, London, and parts of China. The Northwestern United States is burning up while roving gangs of MAGA-morons roam the vast wastelands waiting for their savior trump to return to the White House in a blaze of glory. Across the street from the White House, Congress-people are locked in a macabe dance of swords, fingers in their ears, screaming “I Can’t Hear You!”

In good news; today is pizza day, the second time we’ve had Costco pizza in sixteen months. I guess we take whatever good we can find and run with it.

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family news pandemic This and That

Published July 5, 2021 by

A July Fourth on the Water

Bayliner 2010 BR175 Runabout Named Sea Dragon
Sea Dragon: Our Bayliner 2010 BR175 Runabout

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Winnie and I decided to celebrate yesterday’s Fourth of July on the water. It turned out to be a very memorable event. We had some adventure, learned new things, and an overall great day of boating. Especially after a year of pandemic lockdown, it was a very pleasant day indeed.

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Fourth of July sea dragon Sea Eagle Kayaks

Published June 20, 2021 by

Building A Backyard Chicken Coop

Winnie and Her Chickens

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Last week Winnie and I took a brave leap into suburban homesteading with backyard chickens. We acquired three hens that just started laying (according to the farmer we purchased them from), and four chicks. Ideally, at least a couple of the chicks are hens and will add to our egg-laying flock.

This experiment is already turning out well for our breakfasts. However, the side issue for our backyard chickens project is someplace to properly keep them. Building a quickie chicken coop involved some creative thinking on the fly.

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Backyard Chickens