Life of Brian

Almost One Tenth As Old As America

  •  
  • Miatatude
    • Buckie’s
      Modification List

    • Brian’s Miata Photos
      • Miata #6: 2001 NB2 (2025 – Present)
      • Miata #5: 2024 ND3 (2024 – 2025)
      • Miata #4: 2002 NB2 (2016 – 2023)
      • Miata #3: 2003 NB2 (2003 – 2016)
      • Miata #2: 1995 NA2 (1995-2003)
      • Miata #1: 1990 NA1 (1989-1995)
      • Miata Calendars
        • 2005 Calendar
        • 2006 Calendar
        • 2007 Calendar
        • 2008 Calendar
    • Brian Buys A Miata
    • Brian Goes To College
    • Brian Fights Breast Cancer
    • Brian In A Ditch
    • Brian Buys Tires & Wheels
    • Miata Ipsum
  • Other Cars
    • 2020 VW Golf GTI S (2025 – Present)
    • Mini #2: 2016 Cooper (2022 – 2025)
    • Mini #1: 2012 Cooper (2017 – 2022)
    • 2011 Hyundai Sonata (2011 – 2017)
  • Photos
    • Oregon
      • 2020 Klamath Basin Scavenger Hunt
      • #revchallenge
      • Traffic Signal Box Art
    • Moss Motoring Challenges
      • 2020 Moss Motoring Challenge
      • 2019 Moss Motoring Challenge
      • 2018 Moss Motoring Challenge
      • 2017 Moss Motoring Challenge
      • 2016 Moss Motoring Challenge II
      • 2016 Moss Motoring Challenge
      • 2015 Moss Motoring Challenge
      • 2014 Moss Motoring Challenge
    • Travel
      • 2025 Jumbo Road Trip
      • 2022 Santa Fe Trip
      • 2018 Way Out West Wedding Trip
      • 2012 Northeast Trip
      • 2009 Western States Trip
      • 2007 Northeast Trip #2
      • 2007 Northwest Trip
      • 2007 Northeast Trip #1
      • 2006 Northwest Trip
      • 2006 Florida Trip
      • 2005 Washington DC Trip
      • Gnorthwest Gnome
      • Travels With Brian
    • Memes
      • Phototime Tuesday
      • Tuesday Challenge
      • Lensday Wednesday
      • Theme Thursday
      • Photo Friday
      • Enchanted Ceiling
    • BMW Susan Komen Ultimate Drives
      • BMW Susan Komen Ultimate Drive 2006
      • BMW Susan Komen Ultimate Drive 2007
      • BMW Susan Komen Ultimate Drive 2008
    • Hot Air Balloon Festivals
      • Aiken 2007
      • Aiken 2008
    • Hitchcock Woods
      • Monthly Photo 2006
      • Mr Fletcher’s Ride
      • Signs
    • Various
      • USS Midway
      • Papercraft
      • Action Figures
      • Radio Paradise HD
      • Aiken’s 2010 Snow Day
      • MMC’s Trip to the South Carolina Train Museum
      • NASA Firecracker Run
      • Saluda County Memorial Day Tribute
      • Stuart’s Wedding
  • Post Offices
    • Oregon Post Offices
      • Adams to Cannon Beach
      • Canyon City to Durkee
      • Eagle Creek to Hermiston
      • Hillsboro to Marylhurst
      • Maupin to Phoenix
      • Pilot Rock to Saint Paul
      • Salem to Tiller
      • Toledo to Yoncalla
    • South Carolina Post Offices
      • Abbeville to Cassatt
      • Catawba to Cross Hill
      • Dalzell to Gilbert
      • Glendale to Iva
      • Jackson to Lynchburg
      • Manning to Norway
      • Olanta to Russellville
      • Saint George to Sycamore
      • Tamassee to York
    • Miscellaneous Post Offices
  • Misc
    • Geocaching
      • GA County Challenge
      • GA DeLorme Challenge
      • GA State Park Challenge
      • SC County Geocaching Challenge
      • SC DeLorme Geocaching Challenge
    • Spenser’s Crime Buster Rules
    • Contact Form
  • Shop
Almost One Tenth As Old As America

Hammered Copper

Saturday, June 4, 2022

When we first bought our current bed frame it was because we really liked the shade of green of the one on the display floor. The trouble was that the one on the floor was already spoken for, the person had paid for it, but hadn’t picked it up yet. The only other colors they had were a brown and a white.

We picked white with the intention to paint it a color that would approximate the green we saw in the store. We went to Home Depot and got some paint chips of the color we thought it was, but when we compared it to frame in the store, nothing came close. Instead of painting the bed frame we picked one of those shades of green that we could agree on and painted the bedroom walls with it. Some time later after watching too much HGTV we turned the wall the bed sat against a darker shade of the same green family to create an accent wall.

After last week’s “over the bed” art print purchase, we thought that maybe we needed to repaint that accent wall. The forest scene had a lot of dark greens in it and it might get lost on the dark green wall, so we went back to Home Depot and picked up a quart of the lightest shade from the same family to cover it. Now fearing that the while bed would get lost in the light colored accent wall, we picked up 3 spray cans of Rust-Oleum Hammered Copper paint for the bed frame.

Earlier this week I parked both cars outside, laid down a giant tarp and placed all the bed frame pieces on it. I used up almost all of the three cans of paint on just one side of the parts. I did get two coats on them though. And because I tried to get as much of the sides I ended up covering two thirds of all the surfaces. I was looking pretty good and the only down side was that the index finger on my right hand was extremely sore. So much so that I was experimenting with using my left hand, but I was awful at it.

The following day we returned to Home Depot to buy a few more cans of paint and a little something else that was needed if I was going to be pressing a spray nozzle at all, because my right index finger hurt and was practically numb, a High Performance Comfort Spray Grip Accessory. And man, this thing is cool, I only wish I had bought one to begin with.

Yesterday the bed frame went back together and I hung the picture over it. Everything looks really nice, the bed pops and the forest picture doesn’t get lost in the background. Now what the heck am I going to do with that quart of light green?

Tagged: Home Décor, Home Depot

Miata Moves

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Yesterday’s lunch was a medium Boss from Rodeos Pizza and because it was a beautiful afternoon the Miata was pressed into aa pizza delivery vehicle.

This morning we took the Mini to Fred Meyer for grocery shopping and while Donna was was restocking the selves with food, I was sent to High Lakes Dispensary to restock our cannabis shelf.

When I got back home, while the Miata was still all warmed up, we both made the trip to Walmart for some food items we couldn’t earlier. Then from there we looped east over to Home Depot for some more painting supplies.

28.2 miles from 3 sperate trips yesterday & today.
Times Miata Driven since 01/01/22: 29

 

Tagged: Miata Life, Miata Moves

Sport, Off-Road, Touring

Monday, May 30, 2022

Memorial Day Edition of SORT
As of Monday, May 30, 2022 at 6:00 PM pacific time:

Sport Off-Road Touring
1973 Lancia Fulvia 1600 1981 Daihatsu F55 4×4 1968 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2
I was hoping to find three military style vehicles to put here, but came across just
this one, so I went with the red, white & blue theme for the Memorial Day holiday.

Here is what last week’s cars sold for, or bid to (if the reserve was not met):
Sports: 2006 Porsche Boxster S Sold for $28,250 on 5/24/22
Off-Road: 1974 Ford Bronco Ranger Sold for $72,000 on 5/25/22
Touring: 1949 Buick Super Sedanet Sold for $145,000 on 5/28/22

Tagged: Cars, Sport-Off Road-Touring

Adventures In Picture Hanging

Sunday, May 29, 2022

When shopping at Fred Meyers last week we started at the back of the store because we needed some stuff out of the Garden Department. On our way over to the grocery section we walked by the Home Décor area and right there on an end cap were these 40″ x 30″ photo prints on canvas for sale at 50% off.

As we leafed through the stack we saw a forest scene with a trail through it and Donna said, “Ooh, I like that one.” I said, “Me too!” Not only was it the scene, but it was the color too. It would fit perfectly with the greens of our bedroom colors and we did need something to hang on the wall behind the bed. When this type of synchronicity happens, we knew that this was a must buy. So we did.1

Yesterday I decided to hang it up. First up I hammered two sawtooth picture hangers into the back of the frame of the photo 5″ in from each edge to hold it up. Then I measured the wall horizontally and the space between the top of the headboard and the ceiling so that I could figure out how to put the picture in the center of the space.

The ceiling height was at 93″ and the top of the bed was 54″ from the floor giving me 39″. I then subtracted the picture height and divided it half to give me the height of the top of the picture to the ceiling, 4-1/2″ The wall was 102″ wide, subtracting the picture width of 40″ and dividing that by 2 gave me 31″ from the wall edges.

I dragged the bed away from the wall and got out my laser level and transferred my measurement to the wall and drilled two holes to mount the screws. As I held up the picture to hang it I quickly realized that the screws were no where near where the sawtooth hangers were. Doh! Homer Simpson head slap. I forgot that I had mounted the hangers 5″ in from each edge of the picture.

So, I measured five inches in from both wrongly placed screws and drilled 2 more holes. I placed the picture back on the wall and stepped back. Nice, got it two. I’ll spackle the extra 2 holes later. I pushed the bed back up against the wall, using the existing dents in the carpet to get it back exactly were it was. Stepped back again to admire my handy work and the picture wasn’t centered over the bed. #%$&#@!

The bed itself was not in the middle of the wall. One side was further right to allow Donna an easy path out along the side wall without having to turn sideways. The main bath is behind the wall the bed is on, so that my side has almost four feet of room to the other side wall.

I took the picture down and stood it up against the wall it has been leaning on for the last week and a half. Sometime later this week I will try and get the photo mounted correctly. You know what they say, “The third times a charm.” Keep your finger crossed…

7.1 miles on Fred Meyers run.
Times Miata Driven since 01/01/22: 29

 

Tagged: Dumb Things I've Done

Choosy Brians Choose Jif Peter Pan

Thursday, May 26, 2022

I was aware of the Jif peanut butter recall for possible salmonella contamination, but didn’t really pay attention to it. We’ve had a jar of Jif in the cupboard, but it was half used up and neither of us has gotten sick. If it was bad, we surely would have had a problem by now.

When the local paper published the the product codes yesterday Donna asked if ours was in range listed. I shrugged (once again we have had no issues.) So she went and looked at the jar. Sure enough ours was smack dab in the middle of the recalled numbers. So, better safe than sorry, into the trash it went. On today’s grocery shopping trip we picked up a jar of Peter Pan.

The Miata has been driven 3 times since the last update. It was driven a whole 4.9 miles to go fill up the tank with premium unleaded on Monday. This was the 130th fill-up for me with this car and it took 9.347 gallons at $4.49 per2 returning a 26.08 MPG. For reference the very first time I filled up the CTBNL was on September 2nd 2016 and at that time it received 9.856 gallons at $1.699 per3 for a MPG of 25.9.

The Miata was driven to my doctor’s appointment this morning for a round trip of three whole miles. The only real drive of consequence it took was a 25.7 mile evening cruise yesterday. Because it was dusk and the temps were in the upper 70’s the bugs were out in full force we managed to collect quite a few on the nose and windshield, so this afternoon it got a bath in the driveway.

33.6 miles on 3 trips.
Times Miata Driven since 01/01/22: 28

 

Tagged: Miata Moves, Miata Washings, Peanut Butter, Recall

Sport, Off-Road, Touring

Monday, May 23, 2022

Ben Franklin Invents Bifocals Edition of SORT
As of Monday, May 23, 2022 at 6:00 PM pacific time:

Sport Off-Road Touring
2006 Porsche Boxster S 1974 Ford Bronco Ranger 1949 Buick Super Sedanet
More a fan of the Cayman, but a Boxster is pretty good looking as long as the top is down. Won’t be doing any rock crawling, but it does have 4-wheel drive and plenty of ground clearance. With today’s gas prices that 572cu/in motor is not real practical, but I’d just park it in the driveway & look at it.

Here is what last week’s cars sold for, or bid to (if the reserve was not met):
Sports: 1969 Datsun 2000 Roadster Bid to $8,000 on 5/17/22
Off-Road: 1984 Mercedes-Benz 230GE Sold for $62,000 on 5/22/22
Touring: 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible Sold for $87,000 on 5/17/22

Tagged: Cars, Sport-Off Road-Touring

Interesting BAT Find

Friday, May 20, 2022

Out of all of the car auctions that were active on Monday the one that interested me the most was a 1970 Volkswagen Karman Ghia. I have a sweet spot for Karman Ghias anyway, but this one had been converted to an EV.

Definitely a Cars & Coffee car or short commute to work vehicle or just for around town errands as the range is a mere 90 miles. It didn’t sell at $45k because what ever the reserve was it was higher than that. But, considering that a nice gas engine Ghia would go for $35-40k on its own and the average EV price in the US is $60k, fifty to fifty-five thousand wouldn’t have been out of line. Not that I’d pay that, but it would be cool to own it…

10.7 miles to somewhere and back.
Times Miata Driven since 01/01/22: 25

 

Tagged: Cars, VW
« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 … 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 … 953 954 955 956 957 Next »

sturgeon’s law

"Ninety Percent Of Everything Is Crap"
Derived from a quote by science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, who once said, "Sure, 90% of science fiction is crud. That's because 90% of everything is crud." Oddly, when Sturgeon's Law is cited, the final word is almost invariably changed to 'crap'.

instagram

One of the ten photographed on today's out-and-bac One of the ten photographed on today's out-and-back to the coast. 335 down, 53 to go.

#postoffice #postoffices #oregonpostoffices #deadwoodoregon #97430

site search

the best of

2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022
2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

the rest of

  • 2026: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2025: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2024: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2023: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2022: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2021: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2020: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2019: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2018: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2017: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2016: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2015: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2014: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2013: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2012: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2011: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2010: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2009: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2008: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2007: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2006: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2005: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2004: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2003: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
  • 2002: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

fuelly

Fuelly Fuelly

meta

  • Log in

Copyright © 2026 Life of Brian.

Lifestyle WordPress Theme by themehit.com