Hey, it’s been awhile! Glad you stopped by, although I’m not fooling myself by thinking it’s for any reason other than you’re bored to death by social distancing and the continuous stream of bad news on the doorstep (quick…name a song with that phrase!). Regardless, I’m happy to see you and to serve you some… Continue reading Random Thursday: The Tuesday Edition
Category: Tools & DIY
The Hapless Mechanic — Part 65,784
I think we can all agree that most new or new-ish cars are not designed to permit under-the-hood maintenance by the average owner. I suspect that’s not a big deal for most of us. Modern engines are marvels of complexity, but also are (usually) such paragons of reliability that the lack of specialized training and… Continue reading The Hapless Mechanic — Part 65,784
Paint a fireplace? Sure…why not?
One of the [many] features that attracted us to the house we bought a few years ago was the massive stone wall in the living room/den. The fireplace centered on that wall was well-used, judging by the soot marks on the pale firebrick. It’s a wood-burning fireplace; our house is all-electric except for the cooktop,… Continue reading Paint a fireplace? Sure…why not?
DIY sometimes stands for more than “‘Dangit!’, I Yelled”
Alert Gazette readers are accustomed to reading accounts of tragic outcomes for my DIY projects. Those outcomes aren’t always my fault – anyone can set fire to their own pants while welding – but, I’ll admit that I’m not really the most capable handyman. So, it gives me an inordinate amount of pleasure to report… Continue reading DIY sometimes stands for more than “‘Dangit!’, I Yelled”
Adventures in Light Bulb Changing
High ceilings are said to be a desirable architectural feature…until it’s time to replace a burned-out light bulb.
DIY: Installing Soft Close Drawer Adapters
A few weeks ago, we and another couple spent a few days in Santa Fe at a very cool B&B a few blocks away from the downtown plaza. The B&B was a remodel with nicely updated interior features, including soft-closing bathroom and kitchen drawers. Our almost-20-year-old home in Horseshoe Bay has nice custom cabinetry, but… Continue reading DIY: Installing Soft Close Drawer Adapters
tire change
its tuesday afternoon and tonight is trivia night at the yacht club but thats not really important whats important is that my truck has had a slow leak in the right front tire some people would refer to it as the passenger side front tire but a lot of time theres no passenger in my… Continue reading tire change
Drone Blown
Show of hands: who remembers Rosie from The Jetsons? [Ed – Nobody. If you’re old enough to remember the TV show, you’re too old to remember anything about it.] Rosie was the family’s robotic housekeeper. Almost six decades later, we’re still waiting for a Rosie to come along and rescue us from the burden of… Continue reading Drone Blown
A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 1: Adventures in Coax
After a month-long family crisis that ended in a bittersweet manner, we headed for our Hill Country hideaway for a long weekend of regenerative relaxation. We looked forward to a time of recuperation, both emotional and physical. But, you know what they say about telling God your plans. Here’s a hint: don’t. Our first indication… Continue reading A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 1: Adventures in Coax
The Cretaceous Clapper
One of my favorite gifts last Christmas was completely unexpected: a sound-activated moving 3D triceratops wooden puzzle. My wife found it at our local Steinmart (it’s sadly no longer available via their website, but here’s what appears to be an acceptable alternative). The box looked a bit intimidating, as I’ve found that I’m usually less… Continue reading The Cretaceous Clapper