Water Fountain Madness

The City of Kettering removed the foot pedal from this water fountain at the Fraze Pavilion in June.  One questions why you would do that when this is a contactless device and can be safely used without touching it, except with the bottom of your shoe, which I have no intention of rubbing against my eyes, nose, or mouth.  The other three water fountains have buttons that require a finger, so I understand why those might (BIG might) be a concern, but there is no sign on them that indicates they are not working, so I'm pretty sure a lot of people have tried them and came away with no more than some potential (BIG potential) cooties and the thirst they were trying to quench.

It's just plain STUPID.

Boneless Buffalo Chunks

While this recipe calls for using a quart of oil in a deep fryer, it works equally well on the stovetop. 
Cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper give these a spice kick, but the real winner was dipping sauce, melting butter in the Buffalo sauce.  That small addition was a big, happy surprise.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/151266/boneless-buffalo-wings

Scrolling Lock Screen Message

A nice feature on smartphones is the ability to have a lock screen message.  That gives you the option of putting some contact information that someone who finds your lost phone can use to return it to you.  And, yes, there are many kind souls out there that will do just that.  Instructions for the Google Pixel phone are at this link, but for other smartphones just search for "lock screen message" and include your specific phone to find out how to set it up on your phone.

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/7055029

Kelly Ventura

This pair of prints from Kelly Ventura, framed at The House of 10,000 Picture Frames, are called Protea No. 1 and 2.  They are part of a collection of very moderately priced artwork that includes single prints and, like these, a matched pair, which we needed for either side of the living room fireplace.  She also has some beautiful original artwork, albeit a bit steeper in price.

http://www.kellyventura.com

Compression Socks

Add these compression socks to my list of must-haves when flying on an airplane, particularly on longer trips, as my feet will swell up every time and these socks minimize that.  Their normal day job are as running socks, providing additional ankle support and avoiding the rubbing and sores that happens with regular socks.  And they're pretty styling...

https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/blog/detail/blog/2017/12/11/long-plane-flight-try-compression-socks-to-relieve-circulation-problems

Grant

We really enjoyed, and learned a lot, watching the show "Grant" on the History Channel.  It's a three-part, six-hour-long look at the life of Ulysses S. Grant with the majority being his leadership during the Civil War, the setbacks encountered, and the victories achieved.  Viewer discretion is advised, as there is plenty of blood spattered on the battlefields.

https://www.history.com/shows/grant

Chicken Parmesan over Zucchini Noodles

A Sunday dinner for a low-carb, but great-taste, lover.  The zucchini spirals replace the normal pasta as the side and the chicken parm, featuring fresh thyme, lots of garlic, shallot, heirloom tomatoes, and white wine deliver all the flavor your palette deserves.  Go the for fresh zucchini, spiral it yourself (it's easy), and don't be tempted with store-bought bags.

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-parmesan-zucchini-noodles

Rear Wiper Motor Replacement

Thanks to the YouTube video at the link below, I was able to replace the rear wiper motor on my 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee.  The new motor was $70 on Amazon and I probably saved myself $100-$150 on labor.  The video wasn't a perfect match, but it was close enough to get several valuable tips and the rest I could figure out by myself.  Of course, if I did it again it would take 30 minutes instead of 2 hours, but that's par for the course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1KmtgTyoOM&t=590s

iPhone/iPad Screen Recording

Just maybe you have a new grandchild that you get to see through Facetime and just maybe you want to relive a few of those darling coos and bright eye moments.  Your solution is to record your screen using a swipe and a tap.  Details can be found at this link.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207935

webCemeteries

The work involved in finding an ancestor’s gravestone is reduced from walking up and down aisle after aisle to being guided by your phone’s GPS and the webCemeteries mobile website.  Just search for your relative, select the correct one, and their position is marked by a red pin and your location by a blue dot.  When the pin and dot are on top of each other, you’re less than ten feet away.  I don’t know which or how many cemeteries use this technology, but Calvary Cemetery, where most of my local ancestors are resting, fortunately does.

https://mobile.webcemeteries.com/calvarydayton/424