What's New? Ken's sister Diane sent us a web link that really brought back some memories. Ken played in a band called the Serfs back in the late 60's. While Diane was out surfing one day she stumbled on a short history of the band. It really was fun to relive those times. You can check it out at www.kansasmusicalartist.com/serfs.html.
Ken's brother Ron was up visiting from Northern California. While we have to share him with his kids, grand kids, mother-in-law and friends, it's always great to visit with him. While he was here he helped me put a new exhaust system on the PT Cruiser. We've been telling you about all the changes we've made to the Cruiser and this is just the latest.
The dual exhausts look great and sounds great too, at least Ken thinks so. The only bad news is that they are louder inside the car then we'd like them to be. They have a resonance that can get to you after a while. I guess some times the price of being cool can be painful ;-) You can check out the new exhaust system and all the other modifications we've made to the Cruiser at www.runnerduck.com/cars/pt_cruiser.htm.
Here's another modification, a new hood ornament!
Oh wait, that's our own Miss Kitty Kitty trying to replace the Goddess of Speed hood ornament :-)
Aside from that we've just been working in the yard trying to beat back the weeds and stay ahead of the fast growing plants. This year the plants seem to be exploding and keeping up with them seems to be a challenge. The rains we had in June along with some nice sunny days has really made everything pop. We're also doing some landscaping in the front yard on days when it's not too hot.
DigiTalk
Are you a computer geek? Probably not. Do you have problems with your computer or understanding some of the programs that are loaded on your computer? Probably so. There are quite a few web sites and newsletters that talk about computer issues but to most of us it's just like a foreign language. It can be very frustrating at times but it shouldn't have to be.
I've been subscribed to a newsletter for a while that talks about computer programs and problems in relative plain English. It's refreshing to read about computer stuff that's not written by some geek that is trying to show off his in-depth knowledge of computers. Ray's Computer Tips says, "Tips for the average person about his computer, software, and the internet."
To check out past newsletters, check out the discussion board and sign up for this weekly newsletter just go to Ray's Computer Tips at www.superwin.com/RaysComputerTips.
SITE OF THE MONTH
Summer is here and it's time to plan that once in a lifetime vacation to one of the wonderful parks in the United States. Getting out and seeing the sites has always been one of the highlights of our lives. Seeing and experiencing new areas and creating your lifetime memories is as good as it gets!
We've found a web site that can help you plan that perfect vacation. Wildernet is a huge resource of information and additional links to state and national parks of the country. Sometimes it takes a little drilling down to find just what you are looking for but this is a great place to start. They have a neat section where you can read about other peoples experiences with the spot you are checking out. They call it "Trip Report" and you can add your own comments to the list.
We're planning a vacation with our fifth wheel trailer in early September and we'll be using this web site a lot to help plan things.
Go to http://areas.wildernet.com/index.cfm and start making plans for a summer to remember.
MARILYN'S CORNER
Old T-shirt Quilt
Don't throw out your favorite old t-shirts just because they are old, faded or too small! Make them into your new favorite quilt. What inspired this project was that Ken had three large dresser drawers full of t-shirts of which he only wore about half a dozen of them. He needed more drawer space and it seemed like a perfect opportunity to do something with them.
First gather up the t-shirts you want to use. It will take about 24 t-shirts to make a twin bed quilt.
Next decide on a common size square or rectangle based on the designs on the t-shirts you plan to use and make a template out of cardboard.
Lay the t-shirts out flat and using your template cut out your t-shirt tiles.
My tiles ended up being 11" X 14" which made a quilt of four rows across and seven rows down.
Sew the tiles together, then sew a backing to the sewn squares. I used a twin size cotton sheet. If you wanted this quilt to be warmer you could add a layer of quilt stuffing between the t-shirts and backing. We wanted a summer cover so I didn't use any stuffing.
Sew that tiles all around and on every seam so it is very secure to the backing.
Turn the edging over the raw edges of the tiles and sew to secure, making a finished blanket edge.
Now you can keep those favorite t-shirts forever!
Remember we have all of our past projects archived on our web site at www.runnerduck.com. Just click on the Projects or Kids Only Eggs.
Kids Stuff
Click!
Summer's here and it's time to get out doors and have some fun! There is a large number of really fun outdoor toys at the toy store. Check out all the neat things that will get you wet, get you dirty and get you outdoors.
The Tempos
News and CD of the Week
Next Thursday evening, July 6th we'll be at the Burien Concerts in the Park. The Tempos will be performing for the first time at the summer "Burien Concert in the Park" series. It will be held under the big monument at the Lake Burien School Memorial Part at SW. 148th and 16th Ave. SW. in Burien, Washington. We'll be performing from 6:30 until 8:00. Bring a blanket and settle in for a fun evening of great big band swing music.
August 27th The Tempos will be at the Hiram Chittenden Locks in Ballard, Washington.
You can get more detailed information on The Tempos web page www.runnerduck.com/jobs.htm. We hope to see you there!
New CD
Check out The Tempos music from our "Swing Set" CD on line! That's right, you can listen to The Tempos anytime just by going to their web site.
The music files are MP3's and some are as large as 9 MEG but we think they are well worth the download. If you like traditional old swing music then you will probably enjoy our CD.
Just go to www.runnerduck.com/tempos_cd.htm and click on any song title.
The Tempos big swing band is available for hire. If you have a special event that could use the wonderful music of a classic sixteen piece big band be sure to contact kennyb@runnerduck.com. We perform all over the Seattle area for all sorts of events.
Album Pick of the Week
"The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings" (2 CD)
By Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane
I love it when they remaster an old record to bring it back to the original performance quality, especially when I don't have the record in my collection.
"While the Monk/Coltrane association lasted only a few months in 1957, it coincided with Monk's emergence as a major figure and with the first flowering of Coltrane's genius. This two-CD set collects all of their studio meetings, including previously unreleased takes.
There's the surprise trio version of "Monk's Mood," which the pianist inserted in a solo album; the Monk's Music septet sessions pairing Coltrane with Coleman Hawkins (now including the errant "Blues for Tomorrow," a Gigi Gryce tune recorded when Monk fell asleep at the keyboard); and the three superb tracks that constituted the sole studio documentation of the great quartet.
Coltrane manages a virtual piano part on "Trinkle Tinkle," suggesting just how musically close the two became. Producer Orrin Keepnews provides an illuminating essay on the circumstances surrounding this essential chapter in jazz history." --Stuart Broomer
CLICK!
Be sure and visit the
RunnerDuck Music Store for great savings on just about anything.
CONSERVATION TIP
We're lucky this year in that we got a good snow pack in the mountains over the winter and our reservoirs are pretty full. We should have plenty of water for the summer but other parts of the country are not so lucky. If you need to conserve water but still want your yard to look nice here are some tips.
Water early in the morning before the sun is beating down and water by hand if you can. This reduces the amount of evaporation that will happen if you water with a broadcast type sprinkler in the middle of the day.
Use a soaker hose targeted around your plants. These will again reduce a lot of the evaporation that occurs with mist type sprinklers.
Do not water every day. If you water correctly you should only have to water a two or three times a week. When you water soak the ground good. Place an empty tuna can on your yard when you water and when it's full, about 1", stop watering.
There are many other things you can do but the important thing is to give it some thought before you turn on the water faucet.
If you have a conservation tip please send it to kennyb@runnerduck.com and we'll post it in our newsletter.
RSS News Feeder
One of the best ways to get our newsletter is to have it delivered to your door step. Actually it would be delivered to your desktop!
Highlight the XML link (right click and drag over it), select Copy and paste it into your newsreader.
 Or just paste http://www.runnerduck.com/runnerduck.xml into your newsreader.
A good free news reader is Awasu and you can download it at www.awasu.com.
Don't know what this is all about? Check out our little tutorial HERE!
JOKE OF THE MONTH
Our friend Sharon from Sandy Point, Washington sent us this cute letter to God from Dog.
TO: GOD
FROM: The DOG
Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another?
Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story?
Dear God: Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE named for a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We do love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the "Chrysler Eagle" the " Chrysler Beagle"?
Dear God: If a dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad dog?
Dear God: We dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent ID's, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand?
Dear God: More meatballs, less spaghetti, please.
Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize?
Dear God: Let me give you a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good dog.
1 . I will not eat the cats' food before they eat it or after they throw it up.
2. I will not roll on dead seagull's, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.
3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.
4. The sofa is not a 'face towel'.
5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.
6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
7. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is an unacceptable way of saying "hello".
8. I don't need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm under the coffee table.
9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house - not after.
10. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt.
11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch.
12. The cat is not a 'squeaky toy' so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.
Sincerely,
Dog
P.S. Dear God: When I get to Heaven may I have my testicles back?
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THIS WEEK'S FREE RECIPE
Fruit Leather
Here's a recipe to go along with this months woodworking project. Since we are making a dehydrator we thought it would be fun to have something to put in it to dry. If you don't have a dehydrator you can dry the fruit in a low temperature oven. Fruit Leather makes a great snack and it's healthy. The kids love them and they keep a long time in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
Fruit, but we don't recommend bananas, we've found that they don't work very well.
Plastic wrap
Place the fruit of your choice into a blender and blend until it's about the consistency of thick soup. If it's too dry add a little water.
Cover the dehydrator shelves or a cookie sheet in the oven with plastic wrap.
Pour enough fruit puree to make a thin layer on the plastic wrap.
Dry until all the water has evaporated and the "leather" is dry to the touch.
Remove the plastic wrap with the puree still on the it and roll it up jelly roll fashion.
Place it inside an airtight baggie and store in the refrigerator.
To eat just peel the "leather" off the plastic wrap and enjoy!
This has no artificial preservatives or colors, just good nutrition and flavor.
Remember, if you have a recipe you'd like to share please send it to marilyn@runnerduck.com. We'd be happy to post your favorite recipe on our Kitchen site or in our newsletter and give you credit.
Every month we post a new recipe on our web page. Be sure and check out the New recipe at the RunnerDuck Kitchen Store.
COOKBOOK
SUGGESTION OF THE MONTH
"Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling"
by Alan S. Kesselheim
(CLICK)
We seem to have a theme going this month of dehydrated food. To continue in that vein here's a great book on not only drying food but a world of information for travel cooking.
M. L Strickland of Marietta, Georgia reviewed this book and wrote: "I have several books on dehydrating your own trail meals and this is easily the best. It is concise and full of good ideas and recipes. The guidance is flexible enough for the lightweight backpacker or for the canoe or pack mule traveler. For example, some of the recipes call for a dutch oven (too bulky and heavy for the lightweight backpacker) and others are suitable for a one pot meal (ideal for the lightweight backpacker).
A nice feature is the chart of drying temperatures and times for different foods. Also, the chart of calorie and protein content of different foods is important to making sure you get enough calories to keep going in the field and enough protein to keep your body from consuming your muscle tissue for fuel. There are also plans for building your own dehydrator for the do-it-yourselfer. The suggested one week meal plan is a good guide to get you started on packing for a trip.
The emphasis of this book is on drying individual ingredients and then rehydrating and combining them at meal time. This allows you to be more flexible in your meals, but takes a little longer at meal time. However, it also tells you how to use your own recipes to prepare a complete meal and then dehydrate it.
Precooked spaghetti, rice or beans rehydrate and cook faster in the field. The book recommends having both types of meals with you for variety and flexibility. You can also dehydrate canned foods like vegetables or canned chicken, tuna or salmon and use them in your recipes.
WOOD PROJECT PLANS
DOWNLOADABLE & MAIL-DIRECT
WOODWORKING PLANS
Download WOOD Store® woodworking plans directly to your computer and start building in just minutes! OR, we'll mail them to you, your choice!
CLICK!
PROJECTS
Picture Shelf
Like many of my projects this one was inspired by Marilyn who this time needed a replacement dehydrator for an old electric one she had that died. Her requirements were that it needed to be an air dry dehydrator that would keep the bugs out and would break down flat when not in use. By golly I believe I did it!
This project will give you a lot of experience in frame making. By the time you are done with it you will have made eleven frames. I got lucky because Marilyn already had the trays for the fruit to sit on so I didn't have to make those frames.
Everything is made out of 3/4" cedar cut 1 1/4" wide. Of course you can use any wood of your choosing but the cedar is light, lasts a long time and I like the way it smells. I don't know that the smell gets into the fruit at all but it's a nice thought.
Here's what you'll need:
(2) 6" X 8' X 3/4" cedar boards (5/8" actual thickness)
14" 1/4" dowel
(8) 10-24 X 2 1/2" steel hanger bolts
(8) #10 flat washers
(8) #10-24 wing nuts
Window screen
Staples
Glue
Wire brads/nails
Like I said, this is a project of frames. Build the following eleven frames:
(2) 14 1/2" X 21 3/8" - Front and Back
(2) 14 1/2" X 11 1/2" - Top and Bottom
(2) 20" X 11 1/2" - Sides
(5) 13" X 11 1/4" - Shelves
You can join the corners of the frames any way you like but I used splined miter joints made with my handy dandy tenoning jig.
I cut a 1/4" miter in each corner and glued in a 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" X 1/4" spline. I clamped each frame as shown below. Be sure to square it up by measuring from corner to corner before the glue starts to set up.
Trim off the splines on the table saw. Use a cripple to space the edge of the frame away from the fence to clear the splines.
Flip the frame over and trim the other side. Then rotate the frame 90 degrees and using the miter trim off the remaining two sides.
 | Sure-Loc™ Miter Gauge and Fence System
Rockler exclusive miter gauge features dead-on accuracy in 1-1/2° increments, a patented ''no-slop'' bar and aluminum fence. Includes Miter gauge, Tru-Trac™ bar, polymer handle, 22" ..Sure-Loc™ Miter Gauge and Fence System |
To see the rest of this project go to www.runnerduck.com/dehydrator/dehydrator.htm.
If you have a project that you would like to share please send us an email and we'll help get it published in the RunnerDuck review. We are looking for woodworking, gardening, crafts and kids projects so send us your thoughts at kennyb@runnerduck.com.
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If you want to talk about something just drop us a line to kennyb@runnerduck.com any time, we like to talk about most anything. We are always looking for content for our newsletter so if you have something to add we'd love to publish it. Assuming it meets our strict family oriented requirements!
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