Down the Rabbit Hoel

Stories of family, creativity, and diverse distractions.

Dispel Confusion: The Bystander’s Guide to Role-Playing Games

One of my readers pointed out to me that not everyone has played a role-playing game (or RPG, for short). So today we’re going to explore the basics of what RPG’s are and how they are played.

Approved by taste buds, but not by cardiologists: Buttermilk Biscuits

I have been trying for some time to find a biscuit recipe that comes out flaky and light. I am getting there, but I will always compare my biscuits to the ones we had in a little café when visiting Memphis .

A biscuit split on a white plate with a fork laying next to it.
Nice and Flaky!

This recipe is the result of many attempts to come up with a really good biscuit. Thank goodness Walt is a willing test subject for my cooking experiments!

The same sort of features that make a flaky pie crust, like I covered in this post, apply to flaky biscuits.

Recollections of a great uncle

Noel Edward Manley was my (Michelle’s) great-uncle. He was born August 18, 1924 in Rapid City, South Dakota to Joe and Bessie Manley. He was part Oglala Lakota and supported organizations that gave back to the Native American Community.

Joanne, Noel, and Noel’s son, Richard. Sadly, they are all gone now.

Favorite Tools: The Piloted Tap Wrench

Keeping a tap straight and square the the hole you’re tapping is really important. Not only does it ensure that the threads are strong, it helps prevent you from breaking off the tap in the workpiece. But it’s not easy: holding it perfectly square to the work while you turn it takes a lot of practice. Or a better tap wrench…

Keeping dry in the woods – a coat (or two) for Jaxon

As you saw in my post last Monday, we like to take Jaxon hiking in the woods with us. Since he is a short hair, we thought is was important to get him a coat to help keep him dry and warm. We found a very nice coat that fit him well. Unfortunately it didn’t stand up to the wear and tear of a dog running through the woods.

This coat was purchased for Jaxon, but it quickly became damaged as we hiked about. The hook and loop closures frayed and had to be repaired numerous times.

What’s in a name? Nicknames, Family Names, and Middle Names

In a few posts, I have been discussing some of the challenges of identifying people when you are doing genealogical research. I covered immigration and census records in this post. I talked about some of the difficulties encountered in translation and working with older documents in this post.

Today, I am going to look at some naming conventions that can make it difficult to determine exactly who you are looking at.

OMG! We’ve turned 100 Already?!?

I mean sure, there are some mornings I feel like I might be. But age isn’t what I’m talking about.

It’s time to go walkies! Hiking with Jaxon.

Our dog Jaxon loves to hike with us. I needed a leash that would work while hiking, sometimes with a large pack on my back. Since I use two trekking poles when I am on the trail, my hands needed to free.

Jaxon with his pack on a backpacking trip.

Fifty Years Ago Today

“Can you be a brave boy for me?”

When you’re an eight year old boy there’s really only one answer to that.

We were standing in Grandma’s kitchen. It was usually a busy place, especially when there was family visiting. And there was a bunch of family – my aunt and uncle had brought Grandma’s cousin Elanor from Germany out to visit, so they were there, along with their kids. There were other relatives there too. I don’t really recall who, exactly. But it was a pretty full house that night. The place should have been full of noise and laughter, and the kitchen should have been full of people. Earlier that night it had been. But now Mom and I had the room to ourselves. Strange.

Remembering a Foggy Autumn Morning

Autumn colors on Lake Monroe, Indiana, taken on a foggy morning.
Taken September, 2007

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