Water Meter

When I remodeled our basement a few years ago, I installed the grey plank flooring you see below.  I didn't like the concrete around the water meter, so after looking for solutions, I landed on using a piece of black foam board.  I measured carefully and cut out the circle at the bottom-right and another at the top-left.   Finally, I cut a slice (which you can't see) so I could bend the foam board around the pipe.  I think I did a good job of making an unsightly mess into a cool cover.

Thankful

Over on my Life Experiences blog (link below), I wrote about six things I'm thankful for during that dreadful year-and-a-half of COVID craziness.  Reflecting back on bad stuff is depressing, and I prefer to look at the brighter side.  Good memories are so much better than bad ones.

https://lifeexperiences.paulishing.com/2026/02/thankful.html

Loose Door Handle

It took me weeks to figure out how to tighten the doorknob you see in the first picture below.  There are hundreds of YouTube videos that purport to help, but it wasn't until I found the video at the link below that I figured it out.  First, I had to remove the handle using an Allen wrench to turn the little set screw you can barely see in the first picture, but which is very clear in the second.  Then I inserted a slotted screwdriver at two different points along the cap, up against the door, and gently pried it off.  I tightened the two Phillips-head screws and put the cap and handle back on.  Seems so obvious now that I know what to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU1cp0JwAdY

Using AI To Find A Specialty Product

Doing traditional Google searches to find an uncommon product can take forever, particularly if you don't know exactly what to call it.  But AI can reduce that search to a single query, for example, "Where can I buy a custom-made window that has a blind between two panes of glass?"  In the response below, you will find that such a window is called "integrated" or "integral" along with several of the top manufacturers and places to buy them.  

I remember the "good old days" when you had an encyclopedia and a library card, and you really, really wanted to know an answer, to spend an hour or two to find it.  Well, it wasn't really all that "good".

https://gemini.google.com

Pork Chops With Apple Sauce

I was searching for a new way to make pork chops and found Pork Chops with Apple Sauce.  Pork and apples seemed to be the perfect combination, so I gave it a go.

The chops are marinated for an hour, pan-seared on both sides in butter and oil, sprinkled with parsley and thyme, and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Slices of Granny Smith apples are sauteed in more butter and oil, and the pan is deglazed with brandy. Add brown sauce and cider vinegar to create a pan sauce, which is poured over the pork chops.  All the other details I left out can be found at the link below.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pork-chops-with-apple-sauce-recipe-1908736

Drying Mat

The drying mats we bought recently lacked a loop.  Seems pretty obvious that something that gets wet, you would want to hang up to dry.  Fortunately, I had bought a grommet kit years ago, and Gourmet Chef Elaine remembered that I did.  I used it to create a reinforced hole near the top of the mat, and then repurposed the little blue loop to create a solution.  Grommets are really easy to install, as you can see in the YouTube video at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCfQU32JLDo

Turning Windowed Apps Off

Windowed apps is new feature in iOS for iPads, and it was driving me and the Mrs crazy.  When dragging a finger from the bottom of the screen, it would sometimes create a window instead of returning to the main screen. Some folks like windows and working with two or more at a time, but we never do.  But that's easily turned off by bringing up the Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen) and tapping the icon that's pointed to by the white arrow you see in the screenshot below.  You can also turn it off in Settings, which is explained at the link below.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/123635

Beds Not For Us

We went nightstand shopping a few weeks ago at Morris Furniture and ran across the two beds you see below that we'll never buy.  The one on top has a footboard that consists of a pop-up television and a fireplace.  Gourmet Chef Elaine and I agreed long before we got married that we would never have a television in our bedroom, but even that said, this is just ugly.  

The bottom picture really doesn't do this justice.  There are sparkles galore on the headboard, lamps, and dresser that seem to be inspired by a Taylor Swift production.  We just had to ask if people actually buy it, and the salesperson said it was a very popular item.  Sigh.

If you haven't wandered around a furniture store lately, it's eye-opening to see some of these more "creative" selections.  Just be ready for some sticker shock when you see prices nowadays.

Using AI To Create Riddles

You can use AI to make up your own trivia games.  For example, I asked Google Gemini to "Create a riddle whose answer is Griffin," and it provided the clues you see below.  It then asked if I wanted an image.  I responded yes, and it created the cool picture you see below.  For example, to make a state name trivia game, try "create 50 kid-friendly riddles where the answer is the name of a state. Use all 50 states."  Let your imagination run free!

---

I have a lion’s heart and a kingly stride,

But the wings of an eagle are where I hide.

I rule the earth, and I rule the sky,

With a golden beak and a watchful eye.

I guard the treasures of ancient kings,

On four furry paws and two feathered wings.

---

A few of you will understand why I chose Griffin as the example.  For the rest, that's my grandson's name.

Big shout-out to my daughter for bringing riddle-making to my attention!

https://gemini.google.com

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies filling the house on a chilly December holiday is a memory I like to collect.  The recipe at the link below promises a chewy cookie, and I must have failed at some detail, as they ended up being pretty stiff.  But that really doesn't matter unless you like eating cold cookies.  Me, I pop one in the microwave for 45 seconds, and it comes out warm and chewy.  

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/25037/best-big-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie