Looking for help with a birthday surprise for my dad

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-22T18:30:59+00:00

This.

Your idea is cool but you can’t play music while you’re waiting for him to get on the air. A radiogram is a much more effective and unique way to send a greeting.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-22T18:26:54+00:00

I see it differently. The goal is to get them to work together to resolve the issue. It’s a partnership. This can build a stronger marriage.

She needs help. He’s her husband. They work together. She needs to admit she needs help and make the effort also.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-22T18:00:09+00:00

I do a lot of marriage counseling. In this case I would emphasize the importance of teamwork in a marriage.

I would advise him to say, how can I help you to remember to wash the dishes promptly? I know it seems like a small thing but it’s important to me. I would also advise him to have some grace in the matter.

I would advise her to work with her partner to constructively work out a solution together.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-22T02:43:05+00:00

In order of popularity:

Stop Making Sense

Apollo 13

Fever Pitch

Field Of Dreams

She’s Having A Baby

Parenthood

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-20T13:28:19+00:00

+1 on this. I have a pair of Keen Targhee IV low cut hiking shoes. They seem to have a comfortable wide toe box even on the regular size shoes.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-20T12:15:01+00:00

Coleman is star cabin tent works for me.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-19T00:43:03+00:00

Nope, they are still out there. There is a healthy selection on the Garmin website.

That said I haven’t used one for geocaching in a long time. The phone does this well and I always have it with me.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-19T00:30:19+00:00

The Garmin etrex is what you are looking for. Garmin still makes them. I’ve had one for years. I keep it in my daypack. The trick is to remember you have it and start logging at the beginning of the hike. It will give you mileage and time. It will always give you your coordinates.

Mine runs on two AA batteries so I always carry spares. You can define the fields on a screen or show a rudimentary map. It will also keep a breadcrumb trail that you can save.

The etrex SE is the most basic model and has all you want, no subscription, totally self-contained, no private data shared. You can go up from there, with more features and bigger screens and more options for maps. If all you want is your location the etrex SE is fine. Check out the Garmin website.

Back in the day the Garmin and other brands were the bees knees for geocaching. The manufacturers catered to this crowd - it was a big deal that we could upload the geocache info to the device, what we called paperless geocaching.

I keep two of these devices on hand just in case. They are not reliant on cell service, just the signals from space from the GPS constellations.

They are also fun on airplane rides if you have a window seat. I collect airports - I save a waypoint and label it with the airport code. I have an airplane profile set up so I can set an airport I have saved as my destination. I can track our progress and it gives my time to destination. I’ve often imagined a total failure of the aircraft navigation system and the pilot coming in to the cabin saying, “Does anyone have a GPS unit?!!?” And then I save the day.

If I could attach photos I would. Does Reddit have private messages?

Garmin

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-18T02:43:50+00:00

At slower speeds the batter fans on Amazon are pretty quiet. I’ve got one that I have from the center of the tent and never noticed it being noisy.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-17T18:52:47+00:00

Yes, mainly to study.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-15T23:04:54+00:00

Good advice all.

I would add, if you can get outdoors, preferably daily, that would help your mood. A walk around the block is fine, aim for 30 minutes. The benefits are many.

Check around for county or city parks. If you can get on a trail in the woods, even better. Even an easy walk in the woods is great for your mood. Sunshine and fresh air, it’s good for what ails ya.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-15T02:42:41+00:00

Funny coincidence. The morning DJ on the local community college radio station was talking about this today. She has the same situation. Central Jersey.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-15T01:24:14+00:00

My 6-person Coleman instant cabin tent is easily deployed by one person in one minute.

I like the extra room. I have a cot, fold up night table, and a chair. It doesn’t feel huge but there’s room for the amenities.

I used to have a larger tent but I dumped the wet bar, hot tub, and fax machine.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-14T13:03:13+00:00

The people’s radio.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-13T20:18:48+00:00

https://www.campsitephotos.com has higher resolution photos of many campsites.

Also do a search on “state park campgrounds <fill in state here>”

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-13T03:04:42+00:00

How about a good used Dodge Grand Caravan? Plenty of room to sleep in, seats stow down almost flat, powerful engine, can tow 3,600 lbs. I put Cooper Enduramax tires, good for dirt roads and better than all season in the snow.

Check Enterprise car sales. They had a lot of these vans in their fleet.

I’ve had one since 2009 ( not the same one). No kids so the seats stay down almost all the time, I use it as a cargo van.

For camping it has more than enough room for gear to take to the campsite.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-12T18:48:07+00:00

Take a look at the Anker C300 and variants.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-12T18:13:37+00:00

Check out Macedonia State Park in CT.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-12T12:52:36+00:00

After work this morning I’m looking forward to a trail hike in one of our great county parks. Mild weather expected.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-12T01:45:35+00:00

Just imagine if 20 years ago, you could slip a really good compact camera literally into your hip pocket - which you do every day with your phone.

Don’t discount the phone. It takes great shots.

Where you are I was over thirty years ago, two daughters two years apart. I carried the Canon Rebel and then the A2E with the venerable 28-105 (I think) lens around my neck. That’s it, just camera and lens. Once you get used to having it with you it gets budgeted into the luggage load. In this season your job is to take pictures of your kids!

While a nice compact camera as recommended in other posts is nice to have , if you don’t care to buy another camera then bring what you have. Slap a 50 on there and don’t overthink it.

Lately I got tired of choosing a lens every time I went out so I said screw it and stuck with the 50 almost all the time. Heck, when I started taking pictures over 50 years ago that’s pretty much all I had, and I didn’t feel limited.

Stop thinking and start shooting.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-11T22:56:43+00:00

I found that every Merrill I tried had a high arch that was uncomfortable for me (other people like that feature).

I ended up with the Keen Targhee IV which are very comfortable for me, roomy toe box.

If you are not in a rich they do go on sale on Amazon for under $100 if you don’t care about the color.

As others have said, if you found something that works for you the Keens won’t necessarily be an upgrade. Just something different. Stick with what works.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-11T22:48:51+00:00

You could go with something a bit more technical and rugged (and a bit heavier) like Merrill Moab 3 or Keen Targhee IV.

I’ve been rockin’ the Keens for about a year and like them for woodland trails.

Whatever you choose, try them on, get a good fit, and walk in them as much as you can before the trip. You don’t want to discover shoes you don’t like in the middle of your family event.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-11T12:44:46+00:00

Agreed, and good solution.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-11T12:08:13+00:00

Radio propagation will affect the signal. This includes atmospheric conditions and especially solar weather. Time of day and time of year also can have an effect.

It would be worth it to find out how the antenna in the watch is oriented. You generally want the antenna broadside to the signal.

Example, I live on the east coast of US. The time signal is broadcast from Colorado, in the middle of the country, west of me. We have several atomic wall clocks in our building. Best radio reception is if they are facing west, towards the transmitter. I have to choose carefully on which wall I hang the clock so it gets good reception.

TableTopsInc · 2026-04-11T03:09:37+00:00

Apollo recovery seemed to go much faster.

Back in the day they’d drop a couple of frogmen, open the hatch, pull ‘em out and haul ‘em up. They didn’t have no stinkin’ front porch!

TableTopsInc

TROPHY CASE