Deck Lighting

Our deck lighting has a control that turns the lights on, off, or to come on at dusk and stay lit for 4, 6, or 8 hours.  But at this time of year and at the 4-hour setting, it stays on longer than we like.  We wanted the lights to turn off at our bedtime, so I had to get creative.  The solution was to add a TP-Link smart plug between the outlet and the power cord, as shown below.  I created a pair of Amazon Alexa routines, one to turn off the power at 10:30 pm (aka bedtime) and another to turn the power back on at 10:00 am (well past sunrise).  I set the patio control to its 8-hour setting (way longer than needed), and now the lights come on at dusk and turn off at bedtime.  Pretty slick home automation!

Boxwood Blight

Like all the other boxwoods in the neighborhood, ours have been destroyed by a blight that quickly killed the bushes.  With the recent nice weather, I figured I'd get a jump on removing them instead of waiting for spring and having to see their sad, brown carcasses all winter.  I pulled out my handy reciprocating saw and my new badass Milwaukee Wrecker blade and cut them off at the base, which only took a couple of minutes per bush.  I'll wait for some wetter weather before shoveling out the roots.  

Read more about Boxwood Blight at Ohio State's Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine (BYGL) link below.

https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1359

Quick Fire TV Restart

Like every computer I've ever owned, our Amazon Fire TV Cube streaming device occasionally needs to be rebooted when it starts "acting up".  Before learning this tip, I would have to navigate through several menus to find the restart option, or God forbid, get out of my recliner and pull the power out and back in.  The easiest way to do this is to simultaneously hold the select and play/pause buttons for ten seconds, and the reboot will start.  This is demonstrated at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gu2pkhp6wMQ

The Silos

I had to include the multiple pictures you'll find below because properly describing The Silos in downtown Dayton can't be done in a single shot.  The Silos is a combination of an inside and outside bar, four restaurants (Nood Bar, Kung Fu BBQ, The Burger Bistro, and Indigo), and outside play areas with various games to play.  This is a very family-friendly establishment, and the menu is sure to please everyone, including those with gluten-free and plant-forward preferences, with options available at Indigo.

https://www.silosdayton.com

Biggee Size

Most Long Island Iced Teas you'll order at your favorite watering hole will be served in a tall glass of 16 or 20 ounces.  But the bad boy shown below is served in a 64-ounce pitcher with an extra-long straw to reach the bottom.  You won't find it on the menu at Jorrge's Restaurante Cantina in Kettering, but George will make you one if you ask.

Locking Total Wireless

A few weeks back, I blogged about doing a Line Lock on my Pixel 7 phone, but I was still trying to figure out how to do the same on Gourmet Chef Elaine's iPhone.  I scoured the Total Wireless website and can't find it, so I'm either blind or it's not there.  Some searching led me to look in the Total Wireless app she had installed on her iPhone, and voila (as the screenshot below shows), that's where the Line Lock option resides.  Learn more about the SIM Swapping threat at the link below.

https://www.tracfonewirelessinc.com/en/ProtectingYourMobileIdentity

Tag For Stupid People

I recently bought a pair of pajama pants, and while cutting off the excessive number of tags (I hate tags), I just had to share the tag shown below that warns to "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE".  No s#*t, Sherlock!  You don't live very long on the planet Earth if you don't know that 100% cotton fabric will catch flame in a hurry.  If you need signs like this, your life expectancy is very short.

Today's blog is number 2,500, which I started back in 2013 and is still going strong!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08J942JZ7

New Toaster

Our old toaster was fading fast, taking way too long to do its job, so we replaced it with the Elite Gourmet long slot model you see below.  Having enough space to toast four pieces of bread or English muffins will come in handy, as well as the extra-wide slots.  There is a retractable warming rack for warming pastries, buns, etc.  A real bargain at $35 and having the "Amazon's Choice" label, we bought this after seeing a similar model while visiting family in Pittsburgh.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HYW76FK

Basil Reborn

Among the plants you see below, there are three basil plants.   The one closest is much greener and has wider, healthier leaves.  The reason behind the difference is that after Gourmet Chef Elaine harvested a batch, she placed the leftover stems in a jar of water.  After a week or so, they sprouted roots and she planted those in a pot, where they took off.   It's like getting free (I love free) new plants in the middle of summer.

A Side Of Melon

The smaller-sized cantaloupe this summer has been sweet and delicious.  One of the workers at our local farmer's market stand told Gourmet Chef Elaine about the simple recipe for the side dish you see below.  You spread a layer of ricotta cheese, add cut-up cantaloupe pieces, and top with freshly torn basil leaves.  It's a match made in heaven.