Found on Road—Useful

Kitchen Shears

Betty Crocker kitchen shears

A number of choices could replace the fourth word in this post’s title and still make sense. For example, missing, lost, broken, trashed, injured, and dead (if the item was a Ford). Useful seems to fit best in the case of an item (see photo) I found while on a bike ride last month, although that raises the question of why someone would leave it on the road. I mean, who doesn’t need a pair of scissors?
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Battling a Rat Part II

This is Part II of the battle, which took place in January 2017 and ended in a draw.

Link to Part I

When you fail to think things through, to consider various possibilities, things don’t always go as planned. That’s obvious, I know, but it’s my best explanation for the outcome of the rat battle.
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Battling a Rat Part I

Shower Rat

Standoff in the Shower

This is Part I of the battle, which took place in January 2017 and ended in a draw.

You got a rat problem, you get a cat, right? In my case, I already had Trek, a Bengal cat, on retainer (see photo), so I figured the problem was solved. But I wasn’t battling just any rat, and Trek apparently thought of the rat more as a housemate than an enemy.
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Richardson’s Law

I think most people have heard of Richardson’s Law, probably not by name but surely by sentiment as there are other ways of stating the same idea. The problem is that the law is easy to break, intentionally or not. In need of a continuing reminder, I had it printed on a small plastic sign that I attached to the sun visor of my daily driver. When I’m traveling and the driving gets stressful, I glance at it for some relief.
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Last Summer’s Project

Cabinets Before

Replace, resurface, or transform?

Is it a good time to be thinking about last summer given that I’m snowed in with more snow on the way? The answer is yes—if nothing else, to relive the memories of warm weather and easy travel. But there’s another reason. The results from a project at Treasure Island (see “before” photo above) easily beat my expectations.
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Changing the Date

Tivoli Satellite Radio

Clock mode and Sirius mode

The day doesn’t start, or more accurately, the date doesn’t change, until the Mud Cat returns. The behavior that enables this ritual originated at the intersection of superstition and faith. But it seems to be effective.
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Escaping from Mud Bay

Snowy Hill

This is not the only way out.

Last night’s storm dumped seven inches of snow on my driveway, which, in an S-curve, snakes down a steep hill to reach my house (see photo). I’m snowed in. Trapped—at least as far as motor vehicle access. But I might not be marooned.
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Another Roof Leak

Chimney Flashing

A troubled area

The people at Patriot Roofing in Gig Harbor, Washington, stand behind their work. That’s based on the company’s quick and professional response this week to the latest leak in a troubled area of my roof (see photo). The best part: They did the work at no charge.
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Comfort Food: The Perfect Egg Sandwich

The Mud Bay Blog makes no claims about how healthy this sandwich is.

I have been making the perfect egg sandwich since I was a teenager. A buddy in high school showed me the steps to prepare one, a simple process that I learned on the first take. After more than five decades, it’s time to pass on what my friend called “the perfect recipe.”
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Will 50 Be the New 40?

Note: This post is about temperature not age.

The historical average daily temperature in Bremerton in February is 42 degrees. Many scientists tell us that our planet is gradually warming. Whether Bremerton’s average daily temperature for February will reach 50 degrees in our lifetimes isn’t known. I don’t have the ability to analyze reams of weather data in an effort to predict the future. It’s easier to relate a temperature anecdote instead.
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