Not just one, but TWO free ice cream offers from Graeter’s!
2026-08-12
Free birthday coffee at Starbucks
I stopped in to grab a free light roast cup of blonde coffee for my birthday. As I was browsing, I saw this Ohio themed mug. They pretty well nailed some of our faves. Football, lady bugs, the lighthouse, and even Skyline made the cut❣️
More watch stuff…
Being a mechanical engineer, I marvel at these kind of mechanical watches like all the ones I have from my grandfathers that can keep time as well as all the other complications like day, date, month, stop watch, 24 hour time, etc.! Really cool to have, learn about, and reminisce of the previous owners❣️
Jeep tire carrier hack…?
I picked my bumper and tire carrier combo so that I could adjust it and let the spare tire just barely rest on the bumper. Even though I have an HD tire carrier, this way there isn’t as much stress on the hinges or door when bouncing around back there. It works pretty well and has stayed solid for a one time. You can see there isn’t any clearance between my spare and the rear bumper when the tailgate is closed.
Getting ok pics of hummingbirds
I’ve been playing around with manual focus to help me “see through” the window screens. It takes a bit longer to get set to take a pic, which’s makes it challenging to capture the hummingbirds that tend to only hang out for a few seconds at a time. This was my first decent capture. A male, ruby throated. They’re so impossibly small!
2026-08-11
Such beautiful craftsmanship!
I’ve enjoyed reading up on the details of this watch and company! The serial numbers put it right at the turn of 1906 to 1907. 120 years old, AND it’s still running. It is keeping decent time hanging up, struggles a bit when laying flat. Howard watches from the late 1800s and early 1900s were some of the best examples of watch making in the US and rivaled what the Swiss were doing at the time as well. He revolutionized pocket watches by coming up with the first stem wound versions. He also invented the adjustable regulation mechanism you can see in the upper left of the lower right inset pic.
This particular specimen was made just after that when the successor (Keystone) was making watches from the parts Howard had in stock after the sale of the company. The name eventually sold to Hamilton which is still a renowned American mechanical watch maker.
In these days, the watch movement and the case were two separate products. The case is made by the Chicago Crescent Watch Company. It is an open faced design housing the crystal, the back cover of the movement and an outer back cover. All these can easily be opened with a fingernail for viewing.
I love it❣️
The pics she referenced
You can see my grandpa wearing his pocket watch as described in my mom’s letter. She told me she can fondly remembering him reaching for it to pull out and check the time. I imagine him working in the factory and checking to see how close it was to time to go home each day. Maybe even habitually pulling it out like we do our phones these days. Haha.
Here’s the great note my mom wrote about my newest watch!
It’s also a sample of her beautiful and much loved handwriting ❤️
Imagine my immense joy and surprise…!!
My mom presented me with her dad’s pocket watch for my birthday this year❣️ It was my Grandpa Judson Morey’s! It’s the perfect addition to my collection. I’m now the proud owner and humble caretaker of heirloom watches from each of my grandfather’s plus Julie’s granddaddy’s. So blessed!
My week of birthday fun continues…
We got to enjoy our annual Weird Al concert. This year, he was playing at the Ohio state fair. Five sixths of us were able to go together (right pics). Savannah was in Indy with fam. Puddles the clown pretty good as an opener (lower left). I always like the closing Star Wars tribute, but never noticed R2-D2 lurking behind the guitars before (upper left), hahaha.
2026-08-10
Toned it down a bit.
Brutus 2.0
Whaddya think? Tires too little? Not enough tread?
Time will tell if I regret not having beadlocks.
One thing for sure, I am once enjoying the compromises I’d made in going with bigger wheels previously by having gone back down a bit. Easier to get in and out of, better ride, quieter, peppier, better braking, less wear on the bearings. I like it so far.
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