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| Welcome Back
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Welcome Back: I'm sitting here in the Spokane airport waiting for my airplane, which is now fifty minutes over due, looking out the window at two feet of snow. We've been having quite a winter in Coupeville but nothing like this.
This is the first winter we've spent in Coupeville and weren't sure what to expect. We've had some really strong winds coming in through the Straits of Juan DeFuca. Some of the gusts have been over 60 miles per hour. We've also had a couple of inches of snow but it did not stick around very long. Rain wise we haven't have very much but it has been pretty cold.
With temperatures dropping into the mid twenties and low thirties (F) for several days at a time our little fish pond has frozen over. In the picture below you can see the blob of orange under the ice. 
That is all of our fish huddled together. Fish are cold blooded so we're not sure what the huddling is all about.
Other than the weather not a whole lot has gone on in the month of January.
Looking forward to February, we want to wish all the sweetie pies out there a happy Valentines Day!
Ken and Marilyn |
| Wood'n Wares |
Valentines Day is just around the corner and we have a great gift idea for you. Buy your sweetie a bouquet of wooden spoons and wooden kitchen utinsels. These beautifuly hand crafted kitchen tools are made from the finest hard maple. Our friends Bob and Jean make them in their little wood shop in Montana.
Check out all the great kitchen tools by going to, www.runnerduck.com/woodnwares.htm. |
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| Woodworking Tools |
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| What's New? |
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We've been very busy getting some things done around our new home. We have a crabapple tree that is very old and totally out of control. We hired an arborist to to help trim it back. This guy works all over the island and he has never seen a crabapple tree this old. It will take a couple of years to get it back into shape but it sure is fun to know it's such an old tree.
Ken's woodshop is almost complete. Everything is in and working except the new vacuum system. All the parts are here but now it's just a matter of time and muscle until it's installed.
In one of our future newsletters we'll cover the full transition of a stud walled space into a wonderful woodshop. |
| DigiTalk |
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Forwarding Email; We've talked about email etiquette before but thought we'd mention the best way to forward an email.
Obviously the easiest way to forward an email is to hit the "forward" button, enter the email address and hit send. While that's really easy for you it's not all that great for the person receiving email. Formatting can get all out of whack putting in lots of line breaks making it difficult to read.
What I do is open the email, copy the text and past it into a new email. Do any cleanup that's required and hit send. Your readers will love it.
Also if you have an email that was forwarded to you with the content of the email attached as another message or maybe even several, stop the chain and do what I said to do above. Again your readers will really appreciating just opening up one email and reading the message without clicking on tab after tab after tab.
Be kind and take a couple of minutes to think about your email readers. Every person you forward a cleaned up email will really appreciate your efforts. |
| Site Of The Month |
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Ken grew up in a small town in Nebraska in a time when pretty much everything was positive. The family TV shows were always positive, the news was not terribly depressing and life was good.
Since then things have really changed. Everything seems to have an edge, or and attitude. TV shows have way too much reality and the news is down right depressing.
Now there is some relief from all of that. This months site brings you nothing but good news. It's real, fun and uplifting. We hope you take the time to enjoy www.happynews.com. There are stories about every interest you can imagine, sports, business, environment, health and many more.
Here is the Happy News Credo: "Real News, Compelling Stories, Always Positive" is what you'll find on HappyNews.com.
We believe virtue, goodwill and heroism are hot news. That's why we bring you up-to-the-minute news, geared to lift spirits and inspire lives. Add in a diverse team of Citizen Journalists reporting positive stories from around the world, and you've got one happy place for news.
We hope you enjoy our site and welcome your feedback.
Take a break and enjoy some good news for a change! |
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Marilyn's Corner - Valentine Hat Box |
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It's been said that special things come in small packages. Well how about a small pretty package? This hat box project is fun and uses a lot of your creative abilities.
Here's what you'll need:
A small round box with a lid that you can get at the craft store.
Ribbon, gold rope, beads, cloth and anything else that might make it pretty.
A pressed flower
Glue
Decoupage Finish
Arrange your decorations to make your box look pretty. I cut and put a piece of patterned cloth in the bottom and bordered it with some gold rope.
I glued a pressed flower in the middle of the lid and paint it with clear decoupage finish. If you made our flower press project, www.runnerduck.com/kc_flower_press.htm, then you would have plenty to choose from :-)
Decorate the outside of the box and you should be ready to fill it with lots of lovely gifts.
Some ideas for filling the box are, candy, potpourri, a gift certificate or a 20 carat diamond ring!
Remember we have all of our past projects archived on our web site at www.runnerduck.com. Just click on the Craft Egg. |
| The Tempos Big Swing Band |
The Tempos
News and CD of the Week
"Big Swing" features fourteen great swing songs from the 40's and 50's. If you love the old big band swing music we think you'll enjoy this CD. It's the kind of music that makes you just want to get up and dance, you do remember how to swing don't you?
The only place you can get this CD is from our web site. Go to www.thetempos.com and click on the "Click Here" at the top of the web page or click the album cover.
CLICK HERE.
If you'd like to get a taste of this CD just go to The Tempos web site. When you are at the Tempos web site click on the horn valve button that says "Hear our CD". Then click on the song titles to hear a little bit of each song.
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
CLICK!
"River: The Joni Letters"
Herbie Hancock
This album has been nominated for "Album of the Year" at the Grammy Awards. That gives you an idea as to just how good this album is.
The surprising things about this CD is all the fantastic people who perform on it. Just to give you a flavor of it here are some of them; Wayne Shorter, Norah Jones, Tina Turner and Joni Mitchell. With a lineup like that this album should be a shoe in for the Grammy.
Add it to your collection today by clicking on the album picture above. |
| Joke of the Month |
| This comes from our good friend Annie.
A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.
He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, 'I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' License plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper Sticker, and the chrome-plated
Christian fish emblem on the trunk.
Naturally... I assumed you had stolen the car.
And this from our friend Gordy who finally submitted a joke that's suitable for our newsletter ;-)
A tough old cowboy from Missoula, Montana, counseled his grandson that if he wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a pinch of gun powder on his oatmeal every morning. The grandson did this religiously to the age of 103.
When he died, he left 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 45 great
grandchildren, 25 great-great grandchildren, and a 15-foot hole where the crematorium used to be !! |
| This Month's Free Recipe |
 Smokey Cheese Log
Here's a great recipe just in time for your Super Bowl party. Your friends will absolutely love this cheese log.
Ingredients:
- 9 oz Package Cream Cheese
- 2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 Cups Shredded Swiss Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Grated Onion
- 2 to 3 Drops Hot Pepper Sauce
- 1 Garlic Clove, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1/4 teaspoon Celery Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
Mix everything together.
Shape into a log and wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill for 3 to 4 hours.
Optional: Roll in chopped nuts, crumbled bacon bits or chopped chives.
Serve with crackers or veggies. You may want to make a couple because they will go fast!
Remember, if you have a recipe you'd like to share please send it to Marilyn at runnerduck.com. We'd be happy to post your favorite recipe on our Kitchen site or in our newsletter and give you credit.
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| Cookbook of the Month |
| Quick Hors d'oeuvres and Beverages
by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick
(CLICK)
If you like to entertain you really need a good source for hors d'oeuvres. This great paperback cookbook fits that ticket very well.
One person who reviewed this cookbook wrote: In Quick Hors d'oeuvres And Beverages, Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick collaborate to present a mouth-watering selection of more than 150 of their favorite hors d'oeuvres and beverage recipes. The helpful, time-saving "foot notes"; easy-to-follow directions; and nutritional analysis included with each recipes are especially appreciated.
From Hot Buttered Rum; Hot Bean Dip; and Crab Fondue; to Cool Garden Pizza; Elegant Creamy Pie; and Salmon Stuffed Rolls, Quick Hors d"oeuvres And Beverages will enable any kitchen cook to embellish family meals, parties, and special event celebrations. |
| Woodworking Project |
WOOD PROJECT PLANSDOWNLOADABLE & MAIL-DIRECT
WOODWORKING PLANSDownload WOOD Store® woodworking plans directly to your computer and start building in just minutes! OR, we'll mail them to you, your choice!
CLICK!
This Months Woodworking Project
Router Table Into A Tablesaw
Ever since the extension table on my tablesaw got trashed from sitting outdoors under a plastic tarp while I finished the interior of my woodshop I've been without a router table. I had been looking at a lift kit for my router but found them to be really expensive. My old router was quite small and I also didn't have a plunge router. Put all of this together and it looked like it was time for a new plunge router. I found the Porter Cable 895PK that looked like it would fit the bill. |
| 890 series router comes with fixed base, plunge base and micro height adjustment knob for above-table bit adjustment. Includes carrying case.
Porter-Cable 895PK with Fixed Base, Plunge Base and Micro Height Adjuster
The router comes with an above the table height adjuster. This makes it easy to adjust the height of your router bit. It also will raise the chuck nut above the table for easy bit changing.
Not only is it a 2 1/2 HP plunge router that comes with a fixed base it also has above table micro adjustment just like the router lifts I had been looking at.
I also ordered a Rockler mounting plate, PC890, to install the router into my tablesaw extension table.
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1/4'' Machined Aluminum Router Table Plates
1/4'' thick aluminum router table mounting plate - sturdy enough for even the heaviest routers. Pre-Drilled for instant setup...
1/4'' Machined Aluminum Router Table Plates |
This plate comes with no documentation on how to install it. There are instructions on the Rockler web site at www.rockler.com/tech/RTD10310623AA.pdf. You can purchase a template from Rockler to install the insert but the reviews I read were not all that positive. I decided to build my own template.
I started with a 3/4" piece of MDF cut 14 1/4" X 11 1/4".
Center the plate on the MDF and draw a line around the plate.
Find the drill centers for the corners by measuring in 7/16" for each edge.
Drill the corners with a 7/8" Forsterner bit.
I used my band saw to cut out the inside of the template.
I cut straight across the edge of the template to get to the hole. This wasn't a problem because later when I taped the template to the table it held the kerf gap open.
Using a rasp smooth the edges and make any fine adjustments so that the plate will fit into the cutout.
Place the plate on your table. I put it close to the tablesaw so that I could use my fence with the router. I also placed it fairly centered front to back so there would be lots of support on both sides of the wood I'm working with.
Next lay out the cut lines to make an opening in the table for the router.
Drill eight 1/2" holes in the four corners.
Using a scroll saw cut out the center of the table.
I had a 1 1/2" flush cut router bit so I had to build up the template 1/2" to control the 1/4" depth that is needed on the table for the plate.
I used double back tape on both the spacers and to hold the fixture to the table.
I used my plunge router to route out the area for the plate.
If everything went according to plan the plate should fit perfectly into the table.
If it happens to come in too low there are adjustment screws that come with the plate. If it's not deep enough then it really gets tricky because you'll have to perfectly reset the template and cut it deeper. If the plate doesn't quite "drop" in you may need to do a little trimming. I used a chisel to get a perfect fit.
I installed my fixed router base to the plate using the screws from the plastic base I removed from the router.
The router comes with an above the table height adjuster. This makes it easy to adjust the height of your router bit. It also will raise the chuck nut above the table for easy bit changing.
I think I'm really going to like this new arrangement!
That's about it. We hope you liked this project. If you build it and your friends ask where you got such a clever idea, please tell them that you got it at RunnerDuck.com.
If any of you have wood projects to share I would be happy to put it into a format for our newsletter. Just send me an email at kennyb@runnerduck.com and lets see what we can come up with. Thank you! |
| Free Rockler Catalog |
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Get a Free Rockler Woodworking Catalog by clicking on the link below
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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!
All rights reserved, RunnerDuck Productions,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007,2008
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.
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