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What's New? First we want to mention that we finally have our complete vacation travelogue posted on our web site. If you get a minute you might check it out. We had a really fun time and enjoy sharing it with you. Go to www.runnerduck.com/vacation_2006.htm and enjoy.Kitty Door Wars Update: Last month we told you about our cat Miss Kitty Kitty and her refusal to use the fancy new automatic, IR, high tech cat door. Well she still has not warmed up to the new door and we continue to have a neighbors cat come in through the door and eat all her food and play with her cat nip plant. We've taped the door open and she'll use it but so does the other cat. We've started lowering the door a little bit every couple of days and she's still using it so one of these days we are hopeful that shell get the swing of it so to speak. In the mean time we have started putting up her food at night to discourage the other cat. Of course night time is the time when she likes to eat so Marilyn has started serving her in bed with her food bowls in a large square Tupperware container. We still seem to get the cat coming in looking around but we think that it's starting to get discouraged, at least we hope so.
DigiTalkThe not so good news is that the map is tiny and does not get in very close to a location. It has some options that you can change the contrast of the map and the size of the text that makes it a little easier to see when you are driving a car. I've been using it back and forth to work and it does a pretty darn good job and I think I'll like it when I'm in an area that is unfamiliar to me. If you are interested in the DeLorme bluetooth GPS you can find it, here! While I've not used one the TomTom has a PDA version also. The screen looks better than the DeLorme version but that's all I can tell you. You can find out more about the Tom Tom here. SITE OF THE MONTH
Walking is a good thing right? Reading about somebody walking is a fun thing. There are a number of people who have taken up walking and talking about it in their blogs. What's a blog you ask? It's short of Web Log and they are web sites that chronicle peoples thoughts and ideas on an ongoing basis. There are all sorts of blogs covering any subject you may have interest in. Some are fun, some are serious and some are just plain stupid. Ken's brother Ron has a new blog called Walking Fort Bragg (California) and it documents his travels around the town when he goes for his daily walk. There are some very interesting photos of Fort Bragg and his writing style is unique to say the least. He also has links to other walking blogs from people who are walking in other parts of the world. It gives you a unique insight to a particular area that you would not otherwise see.
To check out Ron's Walking Fort Bragg blog go to www.blabberon.com/blog.htm and enjoy your visit.
MARILYN'S CORNERFriendship Blessing Bottle
 Here's what you'll need:
Put the cork in the bottle. Tie the ribbon around the bottle. Print the card and attach it to the bottle with a small ribbon or string. Here's what goes on the card: On the outside; FRIENDSHIP BLESSING BOTTLE.
On the inside;
Have a ball and a happy holiday! Remember we have all of our past projects archived on our web site at www.runnerduck.com. Just click on the Craft Egg.
Kids Stuff
  (CLICK)
The Tempos
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RSS News Feeder
Highlight the XML link (right click and drag over it), select Copy and paste it 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!
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A young guy from Yakima moves to Seattle and goes to a big "everything under one roof" department store looking for a job.
The Manager says, "Do you have any sales experience?"
The kid says "Yeah. I was a salesman back in Yakima."
Well, the boss liked the kid and gave him the job. "You start tomorrow. I'll come down after we close and see how you did. His first day on the job was rough, but he got through it. After the store was locked up, the boss came down. "How many customers bought something from you today?
The kid says "one".
The boss says "Just one? Our sales people average 20 to 30 customers a day. How much was the sale for?"
The kid says "$101,237.65".
The boss says "$101,237.65? What the heck did you sell?"
The kid says, "First, I sold him a small fish hook. Then I sold him a medium fishhook. Then I sold him a larger fishhook.
Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast, so I told him he was going to need a boat, so we went down to the boat department and I sold him a twin engine Chris Craft. Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to the automotive department and sold him that 4x4
Expedition."
The boss said "A guy came in here to buy a fish hook and you sold him a BOAT and a TRUCK?"
The kid said "No, the guy came in here to buy tampons for his wife, and I said, "Dude, your weekend's shot. You should go fishing."
THIS WEEK'S FREE RECIPE
Now doesn't that sound like a lot of fun? Enjoy the holidays and enjoy the taffy!
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.
While we're on the subject of candy we found this wonderful candy cookbook just in time for Christmas. We think that Madelyn Pryor from Mesa, Arizona summed up this recipe book best. She writes, Serious, this is the best book on making candy out there. I've looked, I know. I own over 300 cookbooks, and yet, if I want something sweet, this is my go to book. Not only has Jane Sharrock taken all the mystery out of making candy with 27 pages of easy to follow directions and instructions, she rates every recipe, telling whether it's Novice Super Simple, Novice Easy, Average, Advanced, and Expert. She tells you how much the recipe will make and exactly what you need to make it- not only the food ingredients, but all the utensils, so you can be sure you have everything on hand before you start.
The recipes themselves are a treasure hoard of delights from the elegant to simple, from complicated to comfortable. Generations of her family are represented by recipes and she tells delightful anecdotes about most of them along with the recipes. Because such a broad range of time is covered, you'll not only discover new treats, you'll find family favorites.
My only word of warning is that there aren't many pictures, so if you're someone like my friend Lindsay that thinks cookbooks need pictures I wanted to warn you, but I still recommend this book! It's perfect the way it is.
WOOD PROJECT PLANS
DOWNLOADABLE & MAIL-DIRECT
WOODWORKING PLANS
Download WOOD StoreŽ woodworking plans directly to your computer and start building in just minutes! OR, we'll mail them to you, your choice!
Wine Rack
I had been looking for plans to make a wine rack but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for so decided to design my own. I wanted something that was functional yet had a nice appearance to it. I came up this this walnut and maple crisscross design. I hope you like it and take the time to make yourself one.
I did the design using Rhinoceros CAD software. I've already made a mockup out of plywood and now it's time to make the real deal.
Because of the way I designed it precise cutting is very critical to a successful project. I used zero clearance tablesaw inserts which I made in November's newsletter, www.runnerduck.com/table_saw_insert/insert.htm. I also used really good saw blades. My favorite for precision ripping is the Glueline Rip from Freud:
 FreudŽ LM74R Glue Line Rip Blade |
And for crosscutting I like the Freud Crosscut Blade:
 FreudŽ LU74R Thin Kerf Ultimate Crosscut Blade |
 Forrest 8'' Deluxe Dado King |
Once you cut the Vertical Supports keep them matched by marking them with a piece of chalk. This will prevent them from getting mixed up later on.
Set up the dado blade for 1/2". It isn't actually 1/2" so I cut a scrap piece and measured it.
I like to use calipers to take accurate measurements. I currently use dial calipers but would really like to get a pair of digital fractional ones.
Next I took the Maple and ran it through the planer until I got it to the same thickness as the dado.
I used a scrap piece of Walnut that I ran through the dado to make sure that the Maple fit in the groove.
I also ran the Walnut through the planer to make sure that each piece was the same 3/4" thickness.
I wanted the Maple supports to be exactly square so I set up my table saw width using the planed Maple boards.
To see the rest of this project go to www.runnerduck.com/wine_rack/wine_rack.htm
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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.
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!
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 RunnerDuck and its logos are property of RunnerDuck Productions. All other logos are property of the individual companies. We can be contacted at kennyb@runnerduck.com. |
