Streaming Cost

Comparing how much I pay to watch "TV" against what others pay is a bit of a challenge.  If I include the total cost of our high-speed Internet access, our monthly total is $191.34, which includes YouTubeTV and Netflix.  That overstates the cost since the Internet is used by lots of other things.  It also doesn't include what other services, for example, HBO, STARZ, and Disney+, that I use for a few months and then cancel until something good comes along.  

At the moment, that includes ESPN Select, to watch certain football games, for $12.89 a month for the next three months, and STARZ to watch Blood of my Blood now and the final season of Outlander early next year.  STARZ's special promo cost us a cheap $29.99 for a year, so I'll be looking hard for more shows to watch there.

Butt Dial Prevention

There just seem to be select people who butt dial (i.e., an unintentional call) you most often, and it made me think what they must be doing to cause that.  I've concluded that after a call, they just stick their phone in a pocket, where the slightest touch calls you back.  That's even more annoying when it's a group FaceTime or other video calling app.  The article at the link below has several more suggestions, but I think just making sure you turn your screen off (and have a lock code of some type set) before putting it away will solve the issue.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-prevent-butt-dialing-calls-from-your-iphone

Cowboy Candy

Also known as Candied Jalapenos, this recipe combines the heat of sliced jalapenos with loads of vinegar and sugar.  Three pounds of jalapenos are sliced using a mandolin (and a cut-proof glove), shown in the top picture below.  A sweet pickling liquid takes four cups of sugar, two cups of apple cider vinegar, and some turmeric, celery seed, garlic, and cayenne peppers, which are boiled, the peppers added to it, and simmered.  The jalapenos are packed into pint jars, topped with the liquid, sealed, and boiled for fifteen minutes to kill harmful bacteria and allow for longer-term storage.

The full recipe at the link below (a public link to my personal Google Drive) will take two hours and yield four pints of these snacking delights.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VDoHTlQMPwEKa7SKPADhZm_orO0FCJNPWlYOCdsmu7o/edit?usp=sharing

Unexpected Costco Moment

One of the three Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' (aka Porcupine) grasses we planted last spring did not make it, and I dug it out a few weeks ago.  The plan was to wait until spring and buy another, but that changed when we saw the exact same plant, shown below, at Costco.  We didn't know Costco had plants because we usually come in on a different side than where the plants are, we're trying to get a cart, and I'm fumbling for the membership card.  But this time we came in the other side, and when we saw these grasses were only $18.95, instead of the $50 we paid at a nursery in the spring, we jumped on it.  Paying attention sometimes pays off.

https://www.costco.com/live-plants.html

Gemini Image Editing

Whether AI is good or bad for humanity is certainly a debatable topic; it can certainly be funny.  I uploaded the photo I use on Instagram (on the left below) to Google's Gemini and asked that it give me hair like Pierce Brosnan.  I also asked for a better smile.  As you can see on the right below, it did that and made me look about twenty years younger.  Or it just made me look goofy.  That's also up for debate.

You can try Gemini's image editing at the following link.

https://gemini.google.com/app

Calvary Sunflowers

At the western edge of Calvary Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio, on St. Andrews Drive, are two fields of sunflowers, some of which are shown below.  It's an annual tradition and a stunning display.  Calvary is a great place to take a walk, particularly that western edge, which has very little traffic.  With cooler temperatures on the way and leaves changing, I'm going to follow my own advice and take a hike.

https://calvarycemeterydayton.org/news/sunflowers-in-bloom

Uranus Fudge

Before I start, let's agree that Uranus is pronounced "YOO-ran-uhs".

This thoughtful gift, a box of delicious fudge from the Uranus Fudge Factory General Store and a copy of the Uranus Examiner, comes from Gourmet Chef Elaine's brother and sister-in-law.  The original location is in central Missouri along historic Route 66 in the Uranus Missouri Towne Center.  They now have three locations, with our gift coming from the newest location in Richmond, Indiana, near the Indiana Welcome Sign.  Where they pulled that location from is unknown.  Check out all things Uranus has to offer at the following link.

Shout-out to Dale and Kim for the fudge and their sense of humor.

https://www.uranusgeneralstore.com

Harrison's

Harrison's is a cute restaurant in historic downtown Tipp City, Ohio, and after considering many of their delicious sandwiches decided on the All-American Gourmet Club you see below.  Layers and layers of turkey, ham, bacon, Swiss cheese, and tomato on an awesome pretzel bun made getting all that goodness in a single bite quite the challenge.  More of their menu is at the link below.

https://harrisonsrestaurant.com

Custom MultiView

Football season just got better with YouTubeTV's new custom multiview feature.  I was able to select the four specific football games I wanted to watch, instead of the old system where they decided which combinations to offer.  When the game I'm mostly interested in goes to a commercial, I return to the four-panel view you see below and catch up on the other scores.  When I see my game has come back on, I select it to watch it again on the entire screen.  Love it!

https://support.google.com/youtubetv/answer/13418774

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.

AlvAnother

Our trip to Lake Loramie included a stop for a beer and pizza at The Loramie Brewing Company, also known as Loramie Brew Bank.  It opened a few years ago in a hundred-year-old building that was first a bank (hence the moniker).  My choice from the sixteen rotating taps was the AlvAnother, from Edison Brewing Company in Gahanna, Ohio.  It's a Scottish Ale with a soft, malty, and creamy body, featuring notes of caramel and butterscotch.  I liked the name, a compression of "I'll have another".  

https://www.theloramiebrewbank.com

Lake Loramie

Lake Loramie, at about 1,655 acres, is the smallest of the three principal lakes created as reservoirs for the Miami-Erie Canal.  It was constructed in 1844–45 by damming up Loramie Creek, a natural 40-mile-long tributary that rises in northern Shelby County, Ohio, and traverses southwestwardly (forming Lake Loramie), then continues southeastwardly before joining the Great Miami River in northern Miami County, near Piqua.  It's a beautiful and peaceful place to watch a sunset from a pontoon boat, as you might gather from the picture below.  More information on things to do there is at the link below.

https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/Lake-Loramie-State-Park

Select And Print

Here's another example of me doing things the hard way, even though an easy solution is right in front of my eyes.  I wanted to print out the highlighted text in the screenshot below.  What I've always done is copy and paste the text into a document, then print the document.  I never noticed, because I never looked, that the "Print..." menu selection is available in the drop-down list.  There is also a "Save selection to Keep" (Google's note-taking app), which will also come in handy. 

Freezer Hack

Here's an easy way to know if the items in your freezer have thawed when you've been out of town.  It's particularly difficult to know if everything refreezes.  Fill a small jar most of the way with water, let it freeze solid, and lay a coin on top.  If you come home and the coin is at the bottom of the jar, you know you've had an outage and probably need to through everything out.

A big shout-out to our friend Grace for this appliance hack!