Corduroy Tote Bag

I've had a small cloth bag that we got years ago at the Sundance Resort in Utah, and it's served as my tote for our trips to the swimming pool at Walnut Grove Country Club, holding my phone, car keys, earbuds, etc.  It was falling apart, and I needed a replacement, which I found at the Amazon link below.  As the picture illustrates, it's a simple gray bag with a button clasp.  Not shown is an internal pocket compartment that's handy for something you want to find quickly.  Not bad for $9.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7QJQPWD

Using AI To Find Hidden Features

Gourmet Chef Elaine and I frequently take three-mile walks, and she uses her Apple Watch to record our distance and pace.  Every time we stop for a red light or to get a drink of water, it takes multiple swipes and taps to pause and resume our workout.  Since her watch keeps going even if we're not moving, I wondered if there might be an option to automatically pause.  That's a great question to pose to an AI chatbot, which I did below. 

While her Apple Watch does have an auto-pause feature, it doesn't apply to walking.  But Google Gemini offered up a "Pro-Tip" at the bottom, which gives her a two-button, one-hand option to stop and resume our walks by pressing the crown and side button at the same time.  One more of life's annoyances solved.

https://gemini.google.com

Blackened Shrimp

Here's another super-quick and spicy recipe, and it takes only three ingredients.  We like the Costco wild-caught shrimp that comes already cleaned and deveined.  You toss as many shrimp as you like in a bowl and mix them with as much blackening seasoning to get your spice level.  Add a little olive oil to a skillet and cook for about two minutes per side.  This is the tricky part.  Cook too long, and it gets rubbery real fast.  Pull one out at the two-minute mark, cut it, and take a look.

If you're more of an air fryer fan, you can find those instructions at the link below.

https://addapinch.com/simple-blackened-shrimp-recipe

DLM OJ

The fresh-squeezed orange juice at our local Dorothy Lane Market stores is the best.  It's a bit pricey, but on these hot summer days it's an indulgent treat.  On a recent shopping trip, we spotted the OJ taster you see below.  Just a little cupful is enough to make you smile in delight and throw a quart in the shopping cart.  But I couldn't resist getting a second cupful.  Am I bad?

https://www.dorothylane.com

Dirty Dog

I get a kick out of business names that make me laugh, like the "Ooh! You Dirty Dog!" name for a grooming salon we saw in Williamsville, New York.  It's a good way to stand out and get a unique name that people will remember.  They offer all sorts of grooming options for your pooch, including one I just can't bring myself to type here.  You can find it at the bottom of their Services page, linked below.  Just say I warned you...

https://ohhyoudirtydog.com

End Cap Covers

Gourmet Chef Elaine rightly noticed that the exposed bolts in the bottom picture below could cause a nasty injury and asked if I could find a solution.  I first turned to AI to find out what I should look for, and it gave me "Rubber End Caps."  Armed with that, I found just what I needed at the Amazon link below.  Sometimes just knowing the name is 90% of the battle.  The end caps are shown in the top photo.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKHLZSB6

Using AI For Ideas

The trellis you see on the left was my lame attempt to cover up our unsightly electric meter and cable box, and it's better than nothing.  Wanting some other ideas, I turned to the Google Gemini chatbot and asked for other ideas.  It responded with four alternatives, one of which was a slatted door.  I further asked for what that might look like, resulting in the cool design you see on the right.  It even figured out that I needed access to the boxes and provided a latched door.  The last request was for a complete parts list and assembly instructions, which were very nicely produced.  Looks like I have a project for later this year.

https://gemini.google.com

Homemade Hashbrowns

We made the homemade hashbrowns you see below using the technique shown in the YouTube video.  I peeled one potato and used a box grater sitting in a bowl of water to "hash" it into little pieces.  The potatoes are rinsed twice in cold water to remove excess surface starch, the culprit behind gummy or soggy hashbrowns.  I placed the rinsed potatoes in a sheet of cheesecloth and squeezed as much water out as possible.  I heated a little avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, spooned enough potatoes to make a nice-sized patty, and cooked them until you see the beauties you see below.  The YouTube video at the link below has all the details.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWUTc9XvsaE

Bird Nests

Last year, I installed gutter guards, and they have done a great job of keeping debris out, but with the ends not completely sealed, it gave some enterprising small birds an opening to build their nests.  That's a genius move on their part since the gutter guards are a great defense against other birds or animals.  But they made a poor choice on which end of the gutter to build on, since the nest was being built directly on top of the downspout.  So I reluctantly had to undo all their hard work to keep the gutters flowing.  On the happy side, they had not yet laid eggs in the nests, giving them time to rebuild before the chicks are hatched.

Tampa Trolley

The TECO Line Streetcar, pictured below, is a free (I love free) transportation option in Tampa, Florida.  It has 11 stops along a 2.7-mile path from downtown Tampa north and east to Ybor City.  We took it just a few stops to the Sparkman Wharf area, which features many dining options, including The Back Bar, where we ate lunch before walking the riverwalk back to our car.  The streetcar runs every 15 minutes, seven days a week, and the hours of operation are available at the link below.

https://www.tampa.gov/mobility/transportation/streetcar