Slightly Off Kilter

My Miniature World

When I was quite young (5? maybe) I had a metal dollhouse. I don't recall anymore exactly what it looked like, but this is close. All I remember with any detail is the bathtub, which was exactly like one I found recently on eBay (and didn't buy). We eventually "sold" the house for peanuts (literally) at a Parks & Recreation... Read more →

Festive

We're a lot more festive this year. Last year, we had the net lights on the hedge and the tree in the upstairs window. This year, I've hung jumbo ornaments and fat lights on the porch (along with a Santa that was packed away). We got out our "faux Xmas tree" (three 1x1 boards, laced with lights) and set it... Read more →

Mobile Handheld Computers

I've been watching a discussion of cell phones in Facebook. I've had a cell phone since 1986. I used it to call home when I left work (a 40-min drive) or in emergencies. Spouse got one in the early 2000s. Before we moved states, (last November) we usually had them turned off unless we were calling home (landline) or (when... Read more →

Fruitcake

I had to go to three different stores today to find candied fruitcake fruit. The first two stores only had individual packaging. I could get a half-pint of red cherries, or of green cherries, or yellow citron, or... but no mixed packs of, you know, Fruitcake Fruit. I finally found some at Central Market Poulsbo (yeay!!). They had the other... Read more →

We're Almost Moved In

One year in this house (and we've unpacked most of the boxes). Read more →

Chim Chim Cheree

The chimney crew is here to fix the chimney, plumb new gas lines, and remove the old wood stove. The cats are in the back room. Rich said they weren't singing "Chim Chim Cherree" and the lead guy told him that some Europeans do want to touch him for luck. Read more →

Chim Chiminy

Our house came with an "alcove", a chimney, and small wood stove. The "alcove" is the wrong shape for a true fireplace. Inspection showed that the wood stove is not in good shape and neither is the chimney, quote: "There was a chimney fire at one time; you should get the tiles and pipe replaced". So, we had a choice... Read more →

Cat Barricades

We have cats. I have miniature houses. I want to display the houses without the cats trying to get inside. I don't have an easy way, in our human-scale home, to have a room I can close off. I'm using two 6-panel folding screens, made by Costway and available at Home Depot. The screens are made of easy-to-assemble, lightweight steel... Read more →

Turn the Turkey

For many years now, we've been using Rich's SIL's mother's recommendation of starting the turkey with the breast down, then turning it over halfway through. But turning over a (HOT) 20-lb turkey is... somewhat difficult. We've always used a couple of carving forks and other implements. This year, Rich had a bright (orange) Idea: Silicone oven mitts! Read more →

Second Thanksgiving in Washington

One year ago, we were in an AirBnB apartment in Seattle. We got our TG dinner from Whole Foods. We were in the process of buying a house (inspection was the 25th; TG was the 26th). Today, we are mostly moved in. We'll have dinner with Rich's brother, sister-oin-law, and two friends of theirs Read more →