Slightly Off KIlter

Normal is overrated

  • After the Steps Were Removed

    Some of the things we discovered having the concrete steps removed: There was a "void" under the largest hunk of concrete. The steps were not, as we had feared, entirely solid the whole way through. While there was a small amount of (unexpected) rebar, it was just 4 pieces of "dowling" holding the back of… Continue reading

  • Two-ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

    My favorite Fall cookie. Only 2 ingredients (unless you want to get creative.) #AllThingsPumpkin   2 boxes spice cake mix (e.g Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe) or follow a recipe for homemade spice cake mix, just the dry ingredients 1 15 oz can pumpkin Optional: 12 to 16 oz chocolate chips 1 to 2 c chopped… Continue reading

  • Stories

    A FB group I'm subscribed to asked about peoples' favorite quotes from books. In looking through my collection, I came across this one. It's a nice meta quote.   "People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around. Stories exist independently of their players. If you know that, the… Continue reading

  • A Step Up

    Sometimes, what seems like a very simple project can have great benefits.   In this house, the garage is two steps down from the main house. (Given that we've put the laundry area in the garage, that's a useful thing.   Anyhoo, there's a single concrete step just outside the door from the back hall… Continue reading

  • Crumply Paper in a Box

    I've been (finally) (at last) unpacking my glass collection. This has resulted in a lot of crumply paper.   The paper has been going into a box.   Myffi approves.         Continue reading

  • Squirrel!

    The difference between the Gray Squirrels and the Douglas Squirrels is that the Grays come up to the patio door, look in, and say "Hello? Hoomans? The peanut feeder appears to be empty!"   They also stare right in at the cats and go "nyah nyah nyah". (The Dougies basically ignore the cats.) Continue reading

  • Patio Removal, part 1

    Yesterday, we removed all of the bricks from an 8' x 8' space at the backside of the house (the mortar was basically stiff sand.   Today's project – tackling the concrete part.                 Continue reading

  • How is This “Security”?

    I have to call Verizon if I want to cancel a line. But really, I click a button on the web site and they call me… on the phone number in my profile.   Then they asked me to identify myself with my PIN… but this is the number from my profile… you called me.… Continue reading

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  • Bark Beats Bad Grass

    The grass in our east yard is planted in roughly 1/2" – 1" of pine bark, over weed barrier, with a sprinkling of dirt over the bark.   At this (dry) time of year, the upper layer comes off with a nudge from a spade and a pull of the fingers. The roots have never… Continue reading

  • A Tail of Two Scions

    Yesterday.   The one on the right is ours; the one on the left pulled in while I was sitting in the car, waiting to meet someone.   (They're SeaHawks fans; we have an FSM plaque.)             Continue reading