Online Passport Renewal

Renewing your passport is a little more convenient now that you can do it online if you can meet the requirements.  Among those are the passport you are renewing is or was valid for 10 years, and you are age 25 or older, you are not changing your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth and you will not need your passport for at least six weeks (your current passport is canceled immediately).  There are more restrictions and requirements that you can find at the link below.  

You will need a new photo of yourself, and you'll need a friend, as no selfies are allowed.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

Flex Caulk

The first big problem with caulking a shower, sink, or the like is getting the finished product to look straight, even, and smooth and I blogged that solution back on September 14, 2021, using painter's tape above and below.  The second big problem is tubes of caulk that have to be squeezed using a caulking gun or by hand and Flex Caulk is the solution for that.  This caulk tube is under its own pressure and all you have to do is squeeze the red handle you see below and a steady stream of caulk comes out its tip.  Between the painter's tape and Flex Caulk, you can caulk like a pro.

https://flexsealproducts.com/products/flex-caulk

 

Gentile Park

The playground shown below is just part of Kettering, Ohio's new Gentile Park.  Named for Major Don Gentile, a legendary WWII fighter ace born in Piqua.  The park features a one-half-mile walking path, a pair of 100-foot zip lines, and access to the Dayton-Kettering Connector bike trail.  This is not a park you will likely find just driving around, as it sits at the intersection of Peach Orchard and West Avenue off Acorn Drive and very few people know that this cut-through from Wilmington Pike to Shroyer Road exists.

https://www.playkettering.org/gentile-park-project

RYO Pizza

When was the last time we had pizza delivered to our home?  Can't remember, it's been that long.

Instead, we favor making our own dough (shown below) or buying a thin Boboli crust. We combine a can of tomato paste and a cube of pesto, a heartier version of store-bought pizza sauce, and spread it evenly on the dough. It's dusted with onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. In the version below, we added sliced mushrooms, banana peppers, and little mozzarella balls. It's baked on a pizza stone at 400 degrees until the cheese melts and the crust turns brown.

Bamboo Cup

You can read about all the environmental benefits of Southwest's new cup, but this is the first paper-based cup that is nice to drink from.  Made from a pulp blend comprising 75% bamboo, it delivers a pretty decent mouthfeel and is strong enough to not feel like it will fall apart.  

https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2024/10-28-2024-154230283

Singcall

When I spotted the Singcall device at the Culina Italian restaurant in the Oregon District of downtown Dayton, Ohio, I thought this was a great idea, getting service when you need it and not waiting for your server to stop by.  Turns out that (1) this is just a twist on the old pager technology that was so cool in the 1980s, and (2) Singcall has several other niches such as caregiver pagers, doorbell chimes, and security alarms.  See the link below for their website and additional options. 

https://singcall.com

Turnabout Is Fair Play

I find it fascinating to watch videos where birds of prey swoop over the water and deftly pull a fish from the water with their talons or others that dive straight into the water to snatch deeper prey.  But nature doesn't side exclusively with birds as the two-minute video at the link below demonstrates.  Created by BBC's Blue Planet, it features the Giant Trevally feeding on Terns as in the picture below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4pxLHG0Wzs&si=1XQQgAc2JX0C7dJq

Puck

The hockey puck you see below came from our Infiniti QX60 we bought last February.  You would guess correctly we don't play hockey since we're in our late 60s so it's not ours.  But it's obvious that someone in the previous owners' family did and accidentally left it behind.  It was found by the person at Soft Touch Car Wash that vacuumed our car and they must have done the best job ever, finding a black puck on the black carpet wedged (presumably) under one of the seats.  Impressive!  

https://softtouchcarwashdayton.com

Skyline Chili Dip

The Skyline Chili Dip shown below is both super easy and super delicious.  A layer of cream cheese on the bottom is topped with a can of Skyline Chili and baked at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese and bake for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese melts.  If the mood strikes, top the dip with sliced scallions or jalapeno peppers.

Big shout out to Deb for this tailgate masterpiece.

https://www.thechunkychef.com/cincinnati-style-chili-cheese-dip

ABC Store

On our recent trip to Hilton Head Island, we stocked up on our necessary liquid supplies at Island Spirits & Fine Wines.  While the receipt included that establishment's name, that debit charge came through very differently on our bank account.  As shown below, somebody has a weird sense of humor.