Swing Jaw Corner Clamp

My cage-building project (more on that on near-future posts) is going to much easier with this right-angle clamp, holding the frame securely while a pair of wood screws will be used to complete the deal.  This model also called "swing jaw", which means the two pieces of wood do not need to be the same thickness.  There are other models that include features I didn't need, but look around before buying to see what works best for you.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078772JQF

I-87

Just east of Raleigh, NC we ran into I-87, odd since I-87 also runs from New York to Montreal and there are several hundreds of miles between them.  This I-87 is the baby, and currently the shortest designated primary Interstate Highway at 12.9 miles, with hopes of growing up someday.

But it's not alone in its duplicity, as there are also two I-76's, I-84's, I-86's, and I-88's.  It's not that we've totally run out of numbers, as there are only 70 being used, but if you used I-3 for an east coast highway, it would mess up the west-to-east coast, south-to-north, ascending numbering scheme.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_87_(North_Carolina)

Docking Simulator

Test your skills on a real-life interface to dock the SpaceX Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.  The right set of controls makes changes in vehicle rotation (yaw, pitch, roll) and the left set makes changes to vehicle speed, also in three dimensions.  That's only six things to juggle in your noggin while trying not to ram the station.  It takes patience and practice to win the day.

Click the link to read the detailed instructions and begin flying.

https://iss-sim.spacex.com

Goober Grape

My children will confirm that I've been into Goober Grape for decades.  It's the perfect proportion of peanut butter and grape jelly stripes and it works just as well as a snack on a spoon as it does between slices of bread.

I wonder if I could make a "Gin and Jam" drink (see https://dailyposts.paulishing.com/2020/03/gin-and-jam.html for details) with this, ending up with a liquid version of Goober Grape, with a kick.  I'll let you know.

https://shop.smucker.com/smuckers-goober-grape-peanut-butter-jelly-stripes-18-oz

Awful Arthur's

At mile marker 6 in Nags Head, NC on South Virginia Dare Trail (aka The Beach Road) lies Awful Arthur's, my favorite seafood restaurant in the Outer Banks.  My favorite sandwich there is the Jumbo Soft Shell Crab pictured below, which I honestly could eat every day.  It's crunchy but the shell disintegrates in your mouth and the crab flavor is awesome.  They should have named the place Awesome Arthur's because the only thing Awful is that they're closed on Mondays.

https://awfularthursobx.com

Vulcan Salute

Being a Star Trek fan since I was a little boy, I practiced and practiced until I could perform Spock's Vulcan salute flawlessly with either hand.  But until recently I never knew, or really ever thought about, its origin.  Leonard Nimoy based the gesture on a Jewish Kohanim Priestly Blessing and it represents the Hebrew letter Shin (ש).  This became so well-known that an emoji was added (shown below) back in 2014 to the Unicode 7 standard.

Live long and prosper!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_salute

Clematis

While clematis usually needs at least half a day's worth of sun, we have ours planted against the west outside wall of our house and with our neighbor's house being about 12 feet away, our clematis gets 3-4 hours at best.  It's still enough to produce the beautiful flowers shown below.  It's crazy how their vines shoot up and wrap their tendrils around the trellis.  This is a great solution to spruce up an otherwise barren wall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clematis

I Seek Dead People

As this mug my daughter so thoughtfully bought me says, I've been into genealogy recently, seeking my long-deceased ancestors, some easier to find than others.  I've been using FamilySearch.org to create my family tree and do a lot of research, although other sites such as geneanet.org, findagrave.com, our local Calvary Cemetery site, and others all provided valuable answers.

https://www.familysearch.org

Corn Holders

Corn on the cob = Summer!

We picked up these oversized corn holders at Meijer and what a difference.  Much easier to hold onto than the normal puny-sized variety and they store more safely and conveniently as one slides into another, making a matching pair without exposed prongs.  Plus they come in a plastic jar that makes finding them way easier. 

Simplicity = Pure Genius!

https://www.meijer.com/shop/en/outdoor-cooking/grill-tools-accessories/food-prep-serving/grand-gourmet-corn-holders-in-tube-clear-storage-container/p/71928360672

Home2Home

Home2Home is a consignment shop where you turn your good-quality discards into cash.  My wife has made almost $500 for items including an antique, refurbished dresser, a pair of framed prints that no longer matched our updated decor, and a wall-mounted mirror.  You just set up an account, drop off your possessions at the rear of the store, the wait until they sell.  You get 50% of the final selling price, which drops on a schedule until it does.  They don't take just anything, so check their website for the details.

https://www.hometohome.com