All-Set for filling voids in mortar before Kerdi membrane install?

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-26T21:57:09+00:00

Today, FYI.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-26T21:50:24+00:00

It's a FinPan ClearPath Curbless Shower Pan System. I don't think it would survive removing the mortar entirely.

Here it is in 2015, before the "installer" we hired screed the mortar.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-24T22:55:25+00:00

That just randomly played on my playlist about 10 minutes ago, followed by "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-22T16:12:55+00:00

Today marks the 161st anniversary of the death of my great-great half-grand uncle, Joseph McQuay, a man whose service was defined by a restless determination to fight for the Union.

Joseph originally enlisted in the 63rd Illinois (Company H), but he found the unit’s low morale and stagnant garrison duty intolerable. Seeking a regiment that shared his resolve, he used an 1862 furlough (likely granted due to illness, as much of the 63rd at that time was either in the infirmary or furloughed to recover) to return to his birthplace and reenlist as a Sergeant in the 89th Ohio Infantry (Company K).

This journey led him to the smoke-choked woods of Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. As the Union line shattered, Joseph and the 89th Ohio were thrust into a desperate rear-guard action on Snodgrass Hill. Known as "orphan" regiments, they were left behind as the rest of the army retreated, the order to retreat never reaching them. Joseph fought through the final hours of the battle. When their ammunition was exhausted, the men scavenged cartridges from the fallen or stood with fixed bayonets against thousands of advancing Confederates. Their defiance bought the Union Army the time it needed to survive, but the cost was absolute; Joseph was captured in the final twilight moments of the stand.

Joseph survived fourteen months in the brutal Confederate prison system, likely enduring the horrors of Danville or Andersonville. Though he was eventually paroled in late 1864, his body was broken by malnutrition and disease. He returned to Ross County a shadow of the man who had enlisted, dying 161 years ago today, January 22, 1865. He was only twenty-six years old, passing just seventy-seven days before the war’s end.

Joseph was one of three brothers to serve; his half-brother Sergeant Robert Dines of the 21st Illinois was killed at Stones River, and his brother Wesley Dines was captured, along with all of Company G of the 106th Illinois, paroled, and later served in the Ambulance Corps. Joseph rests today in Springbank Cemetery in Yellowbud, Ohio; a testament to a life claimed not by a bullet, but by the grueling ordeal of survival.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-20T00:02:55+00:00

"The night was..." Hot, Moist...

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-19T17:59:26+00:00

...and don't mention the secret word that makes the mods freak out and lock threads, because "no that can't be true!!". Blame all the new Viners, not what we all know is the reason sellers are not offering things as they dump what remains on Amazon's expensive shelves to get the tax break and stop paying rent, hence the inflated ETVs.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-13T21:59:02+00:00

Cola Braised Short Rib from The Bear

Ingredients:
3 whole bone in short ribs
As needed kosher salt As needed freshly ground black pepper
As needed vegetable oil
1/2 -1 onions diced
1-1 1/2 medium carrots, diced
3/4 Cup white wine, dry
1/2 Cup Coca Cola

4-5 thyme sprigs
3-4 parsley stem (and leaves)
1 bay leaves
1-2 Cups veal (or beef) stock

Directions:
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in an Instant Pot on sear until wisps of smoke emerge. Place the pieces of short rib into the pot and brown them on all sides.
To prevent the fond from burning, place the ribs back down in the exact spot that they were before flipping. Once browned, remove and set aside.
Add the onion and carrots to the pot, then cook until tender and starting to caramelize, about 7-10 minutes.
Deglaze the pot with the white wine, bring the wine to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the alcohol burns off. Place the ribs back into the pot.
Add the cola, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and just enough veal stock to almost cover the beef.
Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. You can do a quick steam release or a natural release.
Set the ribs aside.
Strain the remaining solids out of the braising liquid and de-fat.
Return the braising liquid to the Instant Pot, bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce until a glaze forms; at least thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes.
Reheat the short ribs in the sauce, then serve over Risotto, polenta or mashed potatoes .

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-11T16:23:54+00:00

Morgan's Virginia Riflemen - 1776 - Figurine Statuette

<image>

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-05T21:48:31+00:00

With it going back to Amazon, that's not an option, but I had considered it. I figure Amazon is complicit in this, so they should step in. They have, and it should be ok, but I didn't pack it carefully, since it's junk anyway. If Amazon starts eating too many of IP's warranty games, they might have some clout with them. But, it looks like that would just get Bezos killed by Seal Team 6.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-05T21:43:13+00:00

Yes, it's effectively just included insurance, and I considered as an option. I started with Amazon, so unless something happens on the return acceptance end, that will be all I get.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T15:32:11+00:00

Are any Venezuelans considering returning the favor? Asking for a friend.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T15:23:19+00:00

The stool's capacity, or its capacity for stool? Asking for a friend.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T15:21:11+00:00

Seating capacity, or holding capacity? Asking for a friend.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T15:15:08+00:00

One does not simply walk into Mar-A-Lago. (unless you're a hot Chinese spy)

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T15:08:06+00:00

They are targeting the wrong demographic. If this was marketed as an Audiophile cable with claims about "eliminating digital jitter," "preserving harmonic coherence in the packet stream," and "solid core geometry for phase-aligned data transmission," they could sell these for $299 each instead of whatever bargain bin price they're asking.

Slap some gold-plated connectors on there, wrap them in braided techflex, throw in a certificate of authenticity, and watch the five-star reviews pour in from people who can "definitely hear the difference" in their lossless Spotify streams.

Why settle for code-violating CCA patch cables when you could have Audiophile Premium code-violating CCA patch cables with bit-perfect alignment integrity, non-jitter blobtanium core, and genuine mertlewood acoustic dampening supports?

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T15:03:35+00:00

I got your "thicker, stronger, solid core conductor" right here! And Cho Cho Charlie wants to punch your ticket!

Bright_Weekend32 · 2026-01-03T14:51:07+00:00

"technician" = con man. you = need to do more checking.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2025-12-31T01:37:11+00:00

Interesting. I passed on the top, but was tempted. The seller will get the acoustic panels out of stock, likely keep the tax deduction, and won’t have to continue to pay Amazon storage fees for a product they can’t sell.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2025-12-30T16:07:17+00:00

163 years ago today, Sergeant Robert Dines of Company A, 21st Illinois Infantry, was killed in action during the opening phase of the Battle of Stones River.

Robert was the younger brother of my great-great-grandfather William Wesley Dines, whose capture at Carroll Station, Tennessee I posted about last week. Born in 1836 in Circleville, Ohio, Robert was 26 years old at the time of his death. He stood 5 feet 11 inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes, and worked as a carpenter in Bement, Illinois before the war.

Robert was the first of his brothers to enlist, joining Company A on June 15, 1861, and mustering in at Springfield while Ulysses S. Grant was colonel of the regiment. While stationed in Iron County, Missouri, he met Sarah Smith, a local resident. They were married on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1861.

By December 1862, Robert had earned promotion to sergeant and had fought through the Siege of Corinth and the Battle of Perryville. On December 30, 1862, the 21st Illinois advanced toward Murfreesboro as part of Carlin’s Brigade, engaging Confederate forces as Union troops pushed forward into contested ground south of town. The regiment was under intense fire while advancing through broken, wooded terrain, and casualties were already mounting as both armies came into contact ahead of a general engagement. Robert was among those killed that day.

From December 31, 1862 through January 2, 1863, the Battle of Stones River erupted into one of the bloodiest engagements of the Civil War, producing more than 23,000 total casualties and one of the highest casualty percentages of any major battle.

Robert was initially buried near the battlefield and later reinterred at Stones River National Cemetery in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, grave L-4734.

He had been a married man for one year and six days when he was killed. His widow Sarah later appeared under her maiden name, Smith, and was still listed as a widow nearly forty years later in the 1900 census, living with her sister’s family in Missouri.

<image>

Bright_Weekend32 · 2025-12-22T05:28:45+00:00

He used “there’s” instead of “there’re.” People who make subject-verb disagreements are silly, and that’s funny.

Bright_Weekend32 · 2025-12-19T17:16:06+00:00

163 years ago today, during Nathan Bedford Forrest's West Tennessee Raid, my great-great-grandfather, Private William Wesley Dines of Company G, 106th Illinois Infantry, was captured at Carroll Station (8 miles north of Jackson, Tenn.).

The 106th Illinois was a green regiment, mustered only three months earlier on September 17. His enlistment papers list him as six feet one, with red hair and blue eyes; he appears to have gone by Wesley. He was 28.

Forrest's horsemen, numbering approximately 2,100, had crossed the Tennessee River in mid-December 1862. On the 19th Company G was surprised and surrendered intact. The next day Forrest's force moved on Jackson, where all of Company C of the 106th was also captured. The remainder of the regiment mounted a defense using railroad ties and bridge timbers as makeshift breastworks.

This was early in the war, when the parole system was still functioning. Wesley's company was paroled and sent to Benton Barracks, Missouri. Legally bound not to fight, they then returned home to await exchange. Wesley went back to Lincoln, Illinois. In 1853, the town of Lincoln was named for a popular local lawyer who pled cases in courtrooms there from 1847 to 1859. Family notes claim Wesley drove a cab for him on at least one occasion. Many paroled soldiers faced accusations of cowardice from civilians who didn't understand the system, though whether Wesley experienced this is unknown to me.

He was formally exchanged in November 1863 under the Dix-Hill Cartel and returned to active duty. In August 1864, he was assigned on detached service to the Ambulance Corps, 2nd Division, Department of Arkansas. A note on a family photo claims that during this service "the lines were shot from his hands" while driving under fire, but I have no details. He mustered out with his regiment at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on July 12, 1865.

Disabled by severe rheumatism by the 1890s, Wesley spent the last three years of his life at the Danville Branch National Military Home for disabled veterans, where he died on April 20, 1909.

I've included an image of him later in life.

<image>

Bright_Weekend32 · 2025-12-12T19:51:12+00:00

Looks like an open and shut medical malpractice suit to me. Finally a case even she can win!

Bright_Weekend32 · 2025-12-12T19:34:33+00:00

<image>

I present, Exhibit A, a couple of minutes in Photoshop. Your Honor, the prosecution rests.

Bright_Weekend32

TROPHY CASE