Tailscale

If you don't know what the acronym VPN means, you can't hit delete fast enough.  

I have never been a fan of using a Virtual Private Network on my Mac, Pixel, or iPad, as the complexity it adds outweighs the benefits.  But I recently found TailScale, available on all my platforms (and more), a free (I love free), for personal use only, solution that is easy to install and configure, and doesn't require opening ports on my Internet router.  I run it all the time on my Mac and activate it on my iPad or Pixel when I need to access files on the Mac or route my Internet traffic through my home Internet connection when using less-than-trusted WiFi networks.

To test this, I used the https://whatismyipaddress.com website.  On the left in the image below, it reported my IP address as 172.56.125.79, one of a block of IP addresses owned by T-Mobile, which is the cell network behind my Google FI service.  On the right, now with the Tailscale VPN active, my IP address is 184.57.183.13, which is owned by Spectrum, my current home Internet provider, and I recognize as my home Mac Mini.  That validates that my Internet traffic was flowing through the VPN to my home before going to the Internet.

Learn more about TailScale at the link below.

https://tailscale.com

Elevate Your House

Two years ago, Clearwater Beach was hit by Hurricane Helene and suffered severe damage to many homes.  As we walked around the North Beach residential area, we saw the unusual solution you see below.  We talked to a local, and he said that some people opted to have their homes lifted instead of having a total rebuild.  The entire house, including the slab foundation, is raised and a new foundation is built.  How high it's raised depends on a number of factors to keep it safe and is ruled by FEMA and Pinellas County building codes.  

This house-lifting job was being done by JAS Builder, which you can learn more about at the following link.

https://jasbuilder.com

Using AI On An Excel Spreadsheet

I have a spreadsheet with names in column A, street addresses in column B, and city/state/zip in column C.  I needed to know which one(s) had the most characters so I could be sure that the labels I create from them would fit in the space I had.  I've done this before by using some Excel formulas, but then I thought maybe AI could do this for me.  I uploaded the spreadsheet, which has dozens of sheets, and asked ChatGPT, "Using the 'Summer 2026' tab, find the longest strings in columns A, B, or C."  In a few seconds, I had my answer, as you can see below, which was 34 characters.  Slick!

https://chatgpt.com

Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

This recipe takes less than thirty minutes and delivers the buttery and garlicy taste you would expect from its title.  All the messy details are at the link below, but the short story is you cook the pasta, cook the shrimp, make the sauce, add the shrimp, and add the pasta.  "Easy, quick, and delicious: my three favorite dinner adjectives."

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a51270/garlic-butter-shrimp-pasta-recipe

Elemenopillows

We met Karen Larkin at the Columbus, Ohio, airport while waiting for our flight to Florida.  As we talked, I found out that she is the owner of a pillow cover business called Elemenopillows.  She came up with the name long ago when her son asked her, “What is an Elemeno?"  I'm sure you remember learning your ABC's by singing them, and like everyone, we smash together the l, m, n, o, and p together, and it comes out "elemeno p".  She decided to incorporate that into the shop name, and the rest is history.

Karen said she's sold over a million pillow covers over the years, and you can check out all of her amazing designs at the link below.

https://elemenopillows.com

Point-Of-Sale Advertising

Coco's Crush Bar, located in Clearwater Beach, Florida, is home to its famous Orange Crush cocktail, the drink shown on the right below.  Some smart lawyer figured out they could reach their target audience by supplying the paper coasters you see on the left.  Pure (and pour) genius.

https://cocoscrushbar.com

Doodie Calls

On our recent trip to Clearwater Beach, Florida, we came across another cute name for a porta-potty business, Doodie Calls, as you can see in the picture below.  They are one of Florida’s largest portable sanitation companies and offer standard portable toilets, high-rise units, ADA-accessible units, hand-washing stations, and luxury restroom trailers.  And you have to love their phone number!

https://doodie-calls.com

Using AI To Get A Proper Pronunciation

There are a few street names where it is not obvious how they are pronounced, so I turned to the Google Gemini AI chatbot for help.  I asked, "How is Schuyler pronounced?" and it not only gave me the proper pronunciation "SKY-ler", but also the information you see below on its Dutch origin.

The second street name is Lefevre, which is broken down phonetically as "luh-FEE-ver" in English-speaking countries and "luh-FEHV-(ruh)" in its native French (make sure to roll that "ruh").  

I have a bug about me that wants to know how to properly pronounce words, and AI makes quick work of that.

https://gemini.google.com

Spaghetti

We recently took a cooking class at Dorothy Lane Market from our favorite chef, Mary Cooney.  One recommendation she made was to be selective about the pasta we buy, and she named De Cecco as one of the best available in most supermarkets.  That's all we've been buying since.  The pasta is extruded through bronze plates, creating a rough, chalky, and porous surface, which allows sauces to cling perfectly to the noodle.  They use coarse-grain 100% durum wheat semolina, slow-dry it to preserve the natural sweetness, aroma, and color, and knead it with cold Majella mountain spring water.  We buy the #11 thin spaghetti that ends up expanding to the size of regular spaghetti.

https://www.dececco.com/us_us

Sad Sign

At our golf course, Walnut Grove, the driving range is next to the 18th fairway, and the people practicing have to stop hitting when golfers are coming down that fairway.  The club decided to make signs to remind both the golfers and those practicing, and made sure they were visible by putting them directly in their line of sight.  It didn't take long for an errant tee shot to knock a hole in the sign at the 18th tee.  The ones at the practice tee faired much worse.  The replacement signs are now safely off to the side and (probably) out of harm's way.

https://walnutgrovecc.net

Relative Finder

I have done the genealogy on several family trees, and recently needed to find out how two people were related.  I found Relative Finder (the link below), a free (I love free) website that works with FamilySearch.org, the free (ditto) genealogy website.  I signed on, selected the "Connect" option on the left-hand side, then selected the "See the relationship between two deceased people" option.  I entered my FamilySearch ID in the first input box and Robert Jacob Fleckenstein's FamilySearch ID in the second.  The results are shown below, but I did have to perform some cut-and-paste to make it readable.

The relationship of "1st Cousin 1 time removed" takes some explaining.  The "1 time removed" means Robert and I are separated by one generation, with Robert being older. "1st Cousins" would normally mean we share the same grandparents, but since we are a generation apart, that's not possible.  Our common ancestor, Joseph Eggenschwiller, is Robert's Grandfather, but my Great-grandfather. 

 Relative Finder can be found at the link below.

https://www.relativefinder.org

Flag Pole Holder

Some very heavy winds pulled our previous flag pole holder right out of the brick and mortar.  I replaced it with the super-heavy-duty holder shown below, made of 316 marine-grade stainless steel, a high-corrosion-resistant stainless steel alloy commonly used in marine, coastal, chemical, and outdoor environments.  I drilled the two top holes in the mortar with a regular drill.  To drill through the brick, I borrowed a hammer drill and bought a new masonry drill bit.  After a half-hour of effort, I had one hole drilled and the other one started.  I went back to the hardware store and bought a different brand, the one at the second link below, and finished the second hole in about ten seconds.  If I had to do it again, I would drill all four holes into the brick, as it's much stronger.  One more lesson learned.

Flag Pole Holder > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTHCFWS9

Hammer Drill Bit > https://www.amazon.com/Diablo-DMARG1100-SPEEDemon-Granite-Carbide/dp/B089KWGSD5

Using AI To Plan A Cruise

We're fans of the Celebrity cruise line and, in particular, their newest Edge-class ships.  However, digging through their website, trying to find a cruise that might meet our date range and other requirements can be time-consuming and frustrating.  So I turned to ChatGPT and requested, "Find all the Celebrity cruises in January through April 2027 that are on Edge-class ships lasting at least seven days and have a stop in Aruba."

ChatGPT's response was:

---

I found only a small number of Edge-class Celebrity cruises between January 1 and April 30, 2027 that are 7 nights or longer and include a call at Oranjestad, Aruba.

The Edge-class fleet consists of:

Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Apex

Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Xcel

Matching Cruises

Sail Date         Ship                     Nights Itinerary                      

Jan 4, 2027 Celebrity Ascent 11 Southern Caribbean

Mar 8, 2027 Celebrity Ascent 11 Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean

---

It likely would have taken me an hour to come up with this short list and ChatGPT took a few seconds. 

https://chatgpt.com

Avocado Toast

During a Memorial Day weekend visit, our daughter-in-law, Deborah, made the tasty avocado toast you see below.  She started with a slice of toasted multi-grain bread and topped it with a blend of smashed avocado, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  She medium-boiled eggs and mashed them with cottage cheese, which went on top of the avocado.  Next came the unexpected pickled onions, and finally, diced tomatoes.

That's some fancy, nutritious breakfast!

Ohio's Physiographic Regions

We stopped at one of Ohio's newly rebuilt Rest Areas along I-70 and spotted the infographic shown below.  It describes Ohio's five physiographic regions (classification of these landforms based on their geological structures and histories), which include the Till Plains that Dayton, Ohio, is part of.   It is characterized by gently rolling hills carved by glaciers 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.  

You can read more about all of Ohio's physiographic regions at the link below.

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=286210

Big Green Tractor

We visited Jason Aldean's Kitchen + Bar in the North Shore district in downtown Pittsburgh (or "dahntahn" in Pittsburghese) during a recent trip.  Their signature feature is the green tractor you see below, which is part of the main bar.  Of course, that's a tribute to his 2009 #1 hit song, "Big Green Tractor." 

https://jasonaldeansbar.com/pittsburgh

The Grumpy Gardener

Southern Living magazine is packed with interesting articles, and Gourmet Chef Elaine and I enjoy The Grumpy Gardener the most, penned by the award-winning author, Steve Bender.  He offers up advice on a range of gardening issues, with a bunch of humor thrown in.  He's also the co-host, with Nellah McGough, of Ask Grumpy, one of the top-rated gardening podcasts, which airs twice a week.

You can read more about Steve at the following link and read some of his articles; however, the humor appears mostly reserved for the printed magazine.

https://www.southernliving.com/author/steve-bender

Using AI For Genealogy Research

I do a fair amount of genealogy research, and sometimes I get stuck finding a person's parents, as was the case with George Holmes and Bridget O'Donnell.  Since AI chatbots are trained using a huge amount of data, I decided to try a few different ones, and Grok came back with the most complete answer.  My question and Grok's response are in the screenshot below.  Be careful using AI for genealogy research, as I've found it can generate answers that sound reasonable but are fictitious.

https://grok.com

Asian Sesame With Ginger & Soy

We had lunch at Sky Asian Cuisine in Kettering, Ohio, a few months ago, and I really liked the salad dressing they used.  I researched a bit and found the closest thing I could buy is Ken's Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy.  Then I bought a bag of broccoli coleslaw and poured some of the dressing on top.  Now that's how you get me to eat my vegetables (and like it!)

https://www.kensfoods.com/products/asian-sesame

Attractive Advertising

This eye-catching display of flowers and plants is brought to you by Highfield Door Sales on Stroop Road in Kettering, Ohio.  I really like the ramp that snakes up to the top of the sign, giving the display a unique look.  And the whole thing is so stunning, you might overlook the gas regulator/meter, which must always remain accessible to utility workers for readings and maintenance.

https://highfielddoorsales.com

Oversized Folding Camping Chair

Some time ago, we pitched our old, beat-up folding chairs and just recently purchased the new ones you see below.  They have a solid steel frame and are equipped with an Oxford cloth cup holder, 6-can side cooler bag, and a 25"×10" rear mesh pocket.  Best of all, they cost only $35 apiece, down $20 from their regular price, but the limited-time offer might expire by the time you get this blog.

Bring on the tailgate parties!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GR9MST5R

Fraze Flicks

The Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio, has added eight movies to its lineup of concerts and events.  Crazy Rich Asians, Grease, Song Sung Blue, F1, Wicked, Black Panther, Minions: The Rise of Gru, and Hocus Pocus are slated for Friday or Saturday evenings from June through October.   The movie will start at sunset, but the party starts several hours before with a live DJ, food trucks,  snacks, and drinks will be available at Ernie’s Concessions.  The cost is $10 per ticket in advance or $15 on the day of the movie.

https://fraze.com/category/concerts-and-events/fraze-flicks

Using AI To Explain Things

 I noticed the "Dead End" sign you see below as we were driving around Pittsburgh. That was common when I was a kid (i.e., a very long time ago), but I can't recall seeing any around our house, only "No Outlet" signs.  So I asked Google's Gemini, "Why are dead-end signs now no outlet signs?"  Its response was "While it might seem like 'Dead End' signs are disappearing, it is actually less of a total replacement and more about a technical distinction in road engineering—though some cities are moving away from the word 'dead' for aesthetic reasons."  It further went on to explain that the technical difference is that a 'Dead End' is used for a single road that terminates, while 'No Outlet' is used at the entrance of a network of streets that has only one way in and out.  Some municipalities have phased out "Dead End" signs because the word "dead" can feel a bit morbid or lower the "prestige" of a neighborhood. You’ll often see newer developments opt for "No Outlet" or "No Through Street" simply because it sounds more modern and less "bleak."  

And now we know.

https://gemini.google.com

KD's BBQ

The yummy plate of cabbage rolls (or stuffed cabbage as Gourmet Chef Elaine knows them) comes from KD's BBQ, a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant just a few blocks away from our home.  We've made them at home a few times, but it's a LOT of work, and one dinner-sized plate is enough for the two of us, when combined with our choice of two sides and bread.  One more reason we love where we live!

https://www.kdsketteringbbq.com

Discarded Clothing

While we were in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, we decided to take a walk through the Northside.  We noticed several piles of clothing, mostly jackets and sweaters, and even the lonely stocking cap you see below.  It didn't take long to figure out these discards came from the runners participating in the Pittsburgh Marathon that morning, which started out pretty chilly.  I later found out that this clothing is a major part of the event's sustainability efforts, and teams of volunteers will follow the tail end of the race and gather all the discarded clothing.  Thousands of pounds of clothing were laundered and then donated to local thrift stores or distributed to people in need.  That's pretty cool!

 

Ethanol-Free Gas

At our first visit to the new Buc-ee's in Huber Heights, I noticed they sell ethanol-free gasoline.  I didn't even know it was a thing, so I went digging into it.  Most U.S. gas is blended with ten percent ethanol (i.e., E10), and ethanol absorbs water and can be corrosive.  That can lead to fuel system corrosion, “gumming” or varnish buildup, and hard starts after sitting a while.  

Ethanol-free gas is preferred because it’s more stable and causes fewer maintenance issues, and is used in boats, lawn equipment, motorcycles, and classic cars.  I can buy ethanol-free gas at our local Marathon station, and I'll start using it in my lawn mower, trimmer, and blower.

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh

The sign below is posted at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh.  It's sad to think that some parents are stupid enough to leave their kids alone in a parking garage.  I personally don't see the attraction to gambling, but it must overwhelm a small set of people to the point that they make crazy, bad decisions.  So sad.

https://www.riverscasino.com/pittsburgh

Using AI To Design A Deck Extension

I first used Google Gemini to imagine what our deck would look like without our hot tub, which was placed between the house and the small stairs.  That's the first picture below.  I used it again to visualize a 4'x8' extension to the deck, and that's the second picture.  The width of the extension isn't quite right, but I could have had it fixed, and for my purpose, it was good enough.  I think we have a winner!

https://gemini.google.com

Half-Sized Pizza

If you put a large Marion's pizza in front of me, I'll eat and eat until I'm about to burst.  Since I have no pizza self-control, the only option is portion control, and I do that by ordering the 9-inch pie you see, half-eaten, below.  This size is around $10, which is the perfect size for lunch, and I don't waddle around the rest of the day.

https://marionspiazza.com

Cute Colander

We found this cute little colander at Kuhn's grocery store in Pittsburgh, and it was an immediate impulse buy.  It measures six inches in diameter and three inches tall, perfect for little jobs like rinsing the pint of blueberries you see below.  We own three other colanders, and now we have four.

Wabana Street

My brother-in-law sent me this picture on Wabana Street in Pittsburgh's Northside.  Sure looks like an accident waiting to happen.  All the other poles are right up against the curb, which is still a bit scary.  Don't bother to try to find this on Google Maps.  It's blurred out.  Imagine that.

Patio Umbrella Holder

We never imagined that we could put an umbrella on a deck railing until Gourmet Chef Elaine had one pop up on her Instagram feed.  I found it on Amazon for under $30 (see the link below) and did some research to make sure it fit the spacing on our railings.  It's made of thick steel and requires no tools to install.  You just spin the wingnuts on the bolts and hand-tighten.  We've wanted shade on our deck for a long time, and we now have it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G388ZTMB

Using AI For Remote Tech Support

A friend sent me a photo of her Windows desktop, asking for help.  I didn't recognize them, so instead of making a visit to figure out what was going on, I just uploaded it to Google Gemini and asked, "What are these and how do I stop them?"  As you can see below, they are Google Chrome desktop notifications related to her AOL email account.  I just pasted the response in a return message, and she was able to get them to stop bothering her.  Two minutes and one chatbot interaction replaced a half-hour, in-person visit.  Loved it!

https://gemini.google.com

Venezuelan Arepas with Chicken and Avocado

The Avocado Chicken Salad that is stuffed in the homemade arepas you see below is delicious.  Avocados are mashed with mayonnaise and lime juice, then combined with shredded chicken (I used leftover Costco rotisserie chicken), bell pepper, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and garlic, and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap, pushing it down to prevent air from turning the avocados, then refrigerate until ready. 

More information, including a recipe for the arepas, can be found at the link below.

https://www.panningtheglobe.com/reina-pepiada-arepas-chicken-avocado

Kettering Mayor's Award

We couldn't be prouder than to have our local Tangles Hair Salon selected for Kettering's first-ever Group Volunteer Award!  You can read the full platitudes at the link below, but just know that the eight ladies of Tangles have a long history of giving to our community through food drives, Christmas-time raffles, and raising money for great causes.  There isn't a more deserving group than the ladies shown below.

https://www.ketteringoh.org/mayors-award

Rolling Hot Tub

When our hot tub recently sprang a leak, we decided not to get it fixed and called 1-800-GOT-JUNK to dispose of it.  As you can see below, they moved it by getting it on its side and then "rolling" it out to the yard.  It took a team of four guys to manhandle it, and there were a couple of times that the hot tub, weighing in excess of 1,200 pounds, looked like it might tip over, but they kept it upright.

The final loading on their truck can be seen in the short YouTube video link below.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TK0k_heeuio

YouTube TV Full Custom MultiView

I've blogged about the MultiView feature in YouTube TV a couple of times, and while useful, Google's recent update that lets you choose any combination of 2, 3, or 4 channels you want instead of their preset combinations is awesome.  I plan to use it to watch one sporting event and the Moments of Zen channel in a 2-window Multiview, because I do not like listening to commercials, particularly the same ones playing over and over.  Since this feature is powered by Google's servers, even lower-powered devices can support this.  More information can be found at the Yahoo article link below.

https://tech.yahoo.com/streaming/articles/youtube-tv-officially-launching-fully-221554422.html

Using AI To Find Fonts

I was looking for a new font to spice up an old presentation, and instead of searching myself, I asked Google Gemini for some recommendations for upscale fonts.  The two I liked best were Montserrat and Playfair Display, which you see below.  To make that more visual for you, I added both fonts to my Google Blogger and formatted the text below using those specific fonts.  Seeing is believing. 

https://gemini.google.com/app

1. Montserrat (Geometric Sans-Serif)

Montserrat is a modern classic that feels clean, high-end, and architectural. It is exceptionally legible even at smaller point sizes, making it perfect for return addresses.

• Why it works: It feels "boutique" and contemporary.

• Pro Tip: Use All Caps with slightly increased letter spacing (tracking) for a high-fashion, minimalist look.

2. Playfair Display (Sophisticated Serif)

If you want a more traditional "old money" or editorial aesthetic, Playfair Display is an excellent choice. It features high contrast between thick and thin lines, reminiscent of late 18th-century European styles.

• Why it works: It looks like it belongs on a luxury invitation or a premium real estate brochure.

• Pro Tip: Use the Italic version for the recipient's name to add a touch of grace.

Fried Rice

Gourmet Chef Elaine found this super-easy recipe for fried rice, and it was a hit.  You just cook the veggies (chopped white onion, frozen peas and carrots) in sesame oil until tender.  Slide the vegetables to the side, pour 2 lightly beaten eggs onto the other side of the skillet, scramble them with a spatula, and mix everything together.  Stir in rice, combine it all together, and cook until warm throughout.  Serve with sliced green onion, if that's your thing.  A few other details can be found at the link below.

https://therecipecritic.com/easy-fried-rice

Golf Shirt

I rarely find a great product at a ridiculously low price, but the golf shirt you see below is just that.  First, it costs only $14.99, has a subtle cross-golf-club design, is light but of good quality, and is long enough to stay tucked in.  It's available at the link below and includes over two dozen other designs, some pretty wild, with most costing $19.99.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F94FMGX9

SQL Murder Mystery

For the non-techies:  SQL means Structured Query Language.  It's used to read and write records in a database.  You can stop reading now.  

For the techies, the link below will take you to a murder mystery created by Knight Lab.  The first query you run gives you the names of the nine tables where clues are buried.  The second query allows you to see all the fields in a table.  You start with the statement below.

---

A crime has taken place, and the detective needs your help. The detective gave you the crime scene report, but you somehow lost it. You vaguely remember that the crime was a ​murder​ that occurred sometime on ​Jan.15, 2018,​ and that it took place in ​SQL City. Start by retrieving the corresponding crime scene report from the police department’s database.

---

Can you find the killer?

https://mystery.knightlab.com

Fork Mystery

The oddly designed fork you see below came from a luncheon at Wright State University.  I'm still wondering exactly the purpose of the little "wings" you see in the middle.  One theory is that they're designed to work with a particular type of dispensing unit, and the "wings" help the forks from falling out.  Another theory is that it adds additional strength at the point of maximum stress, helping the fork from breaking.  The weirdest theory is that you use it to pick off pieces of chicken or ribs from their bones.  

I don't know what to believe, but I can't find an online seller that offers this shape.  Perhaps one day I'll find the truth.

Using AI To Design A Cabinet

The picture on the left below was the result of the Gemini AI chatbot being asked to take an existing empty cabinet, add a shelf so a TV sits on top, and a cable box that fits below.  But when I saw it, the thought occurred to me that maybe painting the inside black could look even better.  Gemini then created the picture on the right in a few seconds and confirmed what my imagination cooked up.  

This example is one of the things I like about AI chatbots.  They allow me to be creative, and they do the creating.  I can let my imagination go wild and leave all the brushstrokes to the bot.  Sweet!

https://gemini.google.com/app

Slicing Texas Toast

I love Aunt Millie's Texas Toast, but two slices will cost you 220 calories of your daily intake.  Gourmet Chef Elaine taught me this trick to reduce that to a more reasonable 110 calories.  You first toast the bread, let it cool enough to handle it, then slice it in half with a serrated knife.  This would be tough to do with a regular piece of bread, but the thickness of the Texas Toast, combined with the additional rigidity gained by toasting it, makes it a breeze.  

Golf Ball Marker Line

I picked up a couple of devices for $5 to draw lines on golf balls in an attempt to make more putts.  The device is spring-loaded to hold the golf ball firmly, while a Sharpie is used to draw a line on both sides.  This would make a nice stocking stuffer for the golfer in your family.  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FP6HSLPV

Hose Pot

We've replaced our standard hoses and their hose reels in both the front and back yards with the XHose Pro hoses I blogged about this last January.  We didn't want to just leave them on the ground, and we bought a couple of the Hose Pots you see below to hide and protect the hoses.  This combination makes watering our new landscaping much easier, which we (i.e., Gourmet Chef Elaine) will be doing a lot.  

I'm not sure why, but I don't have any issues connecting these hoses to the spigots.  Every other hose I've ever had took 3-5 attempts to get the threads lined up, but this usually only takes the first try.  I so love that.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Suncast-Plastic-75-ft-Hose-Pot-Hose-Reel/1000739748

New Landscaping

After losing every boxwood at the front of the house, we decided to start totally fresh.  After consulting with Mike Gorman of Gorman Landscape, we decided he and his crew would plant ‘Trautman’ Juniper (the tall one on the left) and three 'Bowing Ball’ Arborvitae to the right of that.  In front, we have three 3 White Drift Roses and one ‘Sun King’ Aralia.  The other side (to the right of the front door) has a similar configuration.  These beds were mulched, as was everything else in both yards.  These guys do a great job.

https://www.gormanlandscape.com

Using AI To Get Cleaning Instructions

If you're unsure how to clean something, like the exterior door below, asking an AI Chatbot can get useful suggestions.  Most importantly, it advised against using pressure washers, abrasive pads, ammonia, and bleach.  For the door, it suggested mixing a few drops of mild dish soap (like Dawn) in a bucket of warm water and using a microfiber cloth or a soft sponge, starting from the top and working your way down.  For the glass, since it's textured, use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a dedicated glass-cleaning brush to gently reach into the "valleys."

AI Chatbots can get things wrong, so make sure to double-check their suggestions before tackling a job like this.

https://gemini.google.com/app

Sour Cream

This organic Sour Cream is the bomb!  It's thick, tasty, and will be the only brand we buy going forward.  It lacks watery fillers and has a higher "cling" factor, which is why it works so well as a dollop on tacos or a base for dips.  It's less aggressively acidic than other brands and leans into the sweetness of the cream rather than a sharp vinegar-like bite.  Yum!

https://www.traderjoes.com