Pumpkin Ice Cream

For my money, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Ice Cream is the very best.  It's delicious by itself, but I like to put a couple tablespoons of Smucker's Hot Fudge in a ramekin (i.e. portion control), heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then scoop some ice cream on top.  Pure heaven!  It's only available around Thanksgiving time and in limited quantities, so if you see it, put it immediately in your cart.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/pumpkin-ice-cream-095253

Half-n-Half Struggles

I swear some package designers get off by making an ordinary product impossible to open without the use of tools.  The most difficult one, as shown in the picture below, is a carton of Half-n-half.  The cap is too small to grip easily and requires a ridiculous amount of effort to twist off.  Fortunately, I keep a pair of pliers close by.

They have a term for that: Wrap Rage.  Spot on.  Read more about it at the link below.

https://www.smashbrand.com/articles/wrap-rage-know-the-signs-design-a-cure

Henckels Stainless Steel Cookware

Walking through Costco can result in an impulse buy like replacing our somewhat dated but still good pots and pans with a 12-piece Henckels set.  It included 3 frying pans, 3 saucepans, and a stock pot, with lids.  Besides the great quality, it includes useful features like the straining lids and the measuring markers shown below.  

https://www.costco.com/henckels-tri-ply-clad-stainless-steel-12-piece-cookware-set.product.4000269635.html

Blink Cameras

We decided to get some outdoor cameras, but first, we had to decide what to use them for.  Since we have never had a doorbell and had no inclination for one, that was out.   We also didn't want to get notified every time a motion was detected since that would be dozens if not hundreds of alerts per day.  The final needs list was (1) a simple deterrent for no-gooders as they know they're watched, (2) recordings that could provide useful information if something bad happened and (3) easy to install and operate.  

The Blink Home Outdoor 4 was the perfect match.  They run on a pair of lithium batteries that can last up to two years, so installation only involves a drill and screws and they can be placed anywhere in WiFi reach.  The included Sync Module 2 has a USB port which I inserted a spare 128GB flash drive to keep recordings, so I don't have to subscribe to a monthly cloud storage plan.  I configured the Blink app so I get no notifications, just as desired.  

As you can see in the screenshot below, we have two cameras in the front and one in the back, just perfect to capture me blowing grass off the driveway, walk, and patio.

https://blinkforhome.com

2024 MAC Bowl Games

Now that the Buffalo Bulls (Gourmet Chef Elaine's son is a coach there), a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), have at least six wins in the season, they have become bowl-eligible.  The bowl games they might get are shown below.  While we have no choice in which game they will get, if we did I would rank them best (Boca Raton, Orlando, Frisco, Bahamas), OK (Mobile, Albuquerque, Tucson), and worst (Montgomery, Boise, Detroit).  We will not know until Sunday, Dec. 8 which one they go to, but if it's in Florida, we'll be doing a happy dance.

https://fbschedules.com/college-football-bowl-schedule

Mojo Cuban Sandwich

The monster Cuban sandwich shown below was my lunch earlier this year at the Clear Sky Beachside Cafe on Clearwater Beach, Florida.  It featured mojo pulled pork, cotto salami, black forest ham, swiss cheese, dill pickle, and yellow mustard aioli on fresh bread.  Unfortunately, Clear Sky is currently closed due to the damage from Hurricane Milton, but there are a few other Clear Sky's available in the region.

https://www.clearskycafe.com

Ship Decanter

I had to pull out our ship decanter to let a bottle of 2019 Old Clone Petite Sirah breathe and open up for an hour before starting to drink it.  This type of decanter was designed for use on a ship (pretty clever name, huh?) that could sway at any moment, and with most of the weight on the bottom, it's not likely to lose its precious cargo.  If you're looking for a Christmas gift for a wine-loving friend, this might be just the thing.

https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-a-ship-decanter.htm

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.

Lights On

The lights are illuminated even though it's a bright sunny day at UB Stadium on the University of Buffalo campus.  This isn't the first time I've experienced this, but it was the first time it triggered me to find out why.  The numerous reasons are detailed at the link below, and while a few seem a bit of a reach, having them on to assist the television broadcast cameras in delivering high-quality video, having consistent light levels during partly cloudy days, and getting players to get used to them being on makes sense to me.  

https://medium.com/@wosenlight/why-are-stadium-lights-on-during-the-day-e85c910481d#

Valet Living

One of Valet Living's services is a once-a-day trash pickup, so you can avoid trips to your apartment complex's central garbage dumpsters.  I have never lived in an apartment complex so big that this would be valuable, but the can shown below is from the Buffalo, New York area where snow, cold, and dark make that evaluation much different.

https://www.valetliving.com

In Five Seconds

I have an Amazon Alexa-controlled smart switch on a lamp in the basement so I can say "Alexa, turn on (or off) the basement light."  The only problem is that after dark the basement is very dark and I need that light to safely see my way to the stairs.  I used to walk part of the way up the stairs before issuing the "off" command, but recently, on a whim, deciding to try "Alexa, in five seconds turn off the basement light."  To my surprise that worked!  I've searched several times for a document showing this feature exists, but so far I've come up with nothing.

Street Corn Dip

This Street Corn Dip is delicious whether you serve it up hot or cold, making it the perfect tailgate dish.  Don't let the twelve ingredients fool you into thinking this is a hard recipe to make, it's mostly slicing, dicing, and measuring with a little stirring thrown in.  If I've created a recipe card like the one below for a dish, it's both easy (because the prep fits in 90 words or less) and delicious (have to trust me on that).