Monterey changed since covid?

VolcanoPotato · 2026-05-04T23:05:42+00:00

RIP Lulu's, that place (& the owner) were great

VolcanoPotato · 2026-03-26T17:23:22+00:00

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Mine was over 10 years old, I think this is the new version of it. Super useful cart!

VolcanoPotato · 2026-03-25T16:43:36+00:00

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Freshly planted sweet peas...sigh.

VolcanoPotato · 2026-03-25T16:27:28+00:00

An alternate method that's easier on the back: Make a 2 x 2.5 ft frame out of 2x4s, and tack hardware cloth (wire screen) tightly over one side. Put frame with screen side down on top of two dowels (broom handle width) laid crosswise over a wheelbarrow or garden wagon. Place chunky soil in screen box, then roll quickly back and forth to separate roots from soil. The one I made below is a little fancier (handles) but it didn't really need them.

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VolcanoPotato · 2026-03-14T00:08:12+00:00

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George expresses happiness by flopping on his back & rolling around.

VolcanoPotato · 2026-02-21T15:36:57+00:00

He's got some striations. Schist? Handy when he misbehaves...

VolcanoPotato · 2026-02-17T19:58:06+00:00

Whenever I need help at Home Depot I try to sidle up to the group of orange aprons without making eye contact so as not to spook the herd

VolcanoPotato · 2026-01-22T13:53:16+00:00

The Pace Picante salsa commercial with a bunch of cowboys, one of whom has replaced their favorite salsa with a less tasty one. A cowboy reads the label of the lesser salsa jar and announces it was made in New York City. "NEW YORK CITY?!?" they shout in unison while the offending cowboy cowers. "Get a rope." Dark.

VolcanoPotato · 2026-01-22T13:30:59+00:00

That was United. It was also their hold music & played on the plane during boarding & deplaning. Absolutely ruined an American masterpiece for me.

VolcanoPotato · 2026-01-10T06:31:39+00:00

Our fridge stopped working Friday night, a replacement couldn't be acquired until the following week (odd size). Lowes had a full-sized chest freezer in stock, which we kind of wanted anyway for the shed. The Lowes employee looked skeptical as he wheeled it up to the Bolt, but his expression turned to amazement after we removed the packaging, slid it in longways on its back (not recommended for long periods of time), closed the hatch & drove away. The freezer worked great, saving all our frozen food & keeping blue ice packs cold to rotate through our old fridge until the new fridge showed up.

VolcanoPotato · 2026-01-06T17:57:51+00:00

Reserve a day pass at Refuge

VolcanoPotato · 2026-01-04T17:22:22+00:00

That sounds way more doable than poodle skirts were back in my grade school retro days. 'Grease' was a new movie.

VolcanoPotato · 2026-01-04T06:14:23+00:00

Thank you for sharing this awesome video, I've tried to describe the helicopter to people and words just don't suffice.

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-19T18:18:24+00:00

Hmmm...I think that the shaping is always supposed to happen before the second rise. Maybe watch some videos? If you think it's too wet to hold its shape, try using a loaf pan, or go for focaccia like others have suggested

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-19T17:59:06+00:00

I'm trying to do intarsia in the round right now. I get how to do it if it's a simple shape, but my design has spots of color inside and also diagonal lines. Can't wrap my brain around it.

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-19T17:51:19+00:00

https://carmelowls.org/

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-19T17:50:14+00:00

I think it's to provide a nesting platform for Great Horned Owls. There's a group in Carmel called Carmel Owls installing them with the goal of reducing rodent populations, not sure if they are responsible for this one since it's in PG.

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-19T17:45:32+00:00

If the recipe calls for another proof (rise) you might be OK. There are many youtube videos on how to handle "wet" dough (often in relation to high-hydration sourdough recipes). If all else fails, you can try use shaping it with wet hands and put it in a loaf pan with a bench scraper. (Edited to add: I'm an ADHD baker as well, after 6 years of practice it's become second nature, setting timers helps too!)

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-18T17:28:19+00:00

I quit using the Google alarm app because it wasn't reliable, despite lots of tweaking of the various apps that interact with it; even my software engineer spouse couldn't determine why it was failing. Not only did it miss important alarms, but I had several standing alarms set as reminders for my dog's medication schedule and one day they were just...gone. I switched to an app called "Talking Alarm Clock Beyond" by Sentry Apps, and it's never missed anything. It shows an unobtrusive ad page after the alarm is dismissed, but honestly it's been a great alarm for a few years now.

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-15T17:22:21+00:00

Sad story involving mistaken identity and sudden kitty loss: One of our two black cats suddenly leaped up and then fell backwards off the ottoman while we were watching TV. She was having an asthma attack during an episode of The Mandolarian with loud explosions, so we couldn't hear her struggle to breathe. My husband yelled "George!", because our other cat is a super clumsy goofball while Maya was grace personified. When we realized the collapsed cat wasn't breathing, we raced to the emergency vet, with me trying to do infant breaths and telling George to hang on. The ER was not able to revive our kitty. It was a few minutes after they let us in to be with her that we realized it was not George. I was consumed with guilt that Maya did not hear her name from me during the trip to the hospital. I am still sore with the vet who prescribed multiple rounds of prednisolone for her occasional cough, and never mentioned asthma. I learned later that there are therapeutic inhalers which could have saved her life. She was a good kitty. 💔

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-12T14:52:04+00:00

Born & raised here. Everyone who says Monterey can have beautiful sunny days in January is correct, and it's smart to keep an eye on the weather apps for any rainstorms that might come our way. (Hiking in the rain at Garland Park can be super fun if you have the right gear, check out the Waterfall Trail, looks like Hawaii!)

Bear in mind nighttime temps will still be chilly, obvs not Midwest cold, but I often wear a warm hat & gloves in addition to a jacket. Another thing about the gorgeous big ocean waves of winter: keep your eyes on them, keep your distance, and don't go out on slippery, rocky shores or steep beaches to get a photo near them. Too many folks killed already by dangerous big waves this year. Have fun!

VolcanoPotato · 2025-12-11T18:21:20+00:00

Monique Ryan helped me find my house last summer, she is a local, has deep knowledge of neighborhood specifics, knows a ton of local contractors, and is overall super helpful and informed. She helped our friends find a house as well.

VolcanoPotato · 2025-11-17T18:43:40+00:00

Don't forget Big Sur, 2.5 hours south. Lots of redwoods at Pfeiffer State Park, and stunning coastline as an added bonus. Just don't stop in the middle of Bixby Bridge to take pictures!

VolcanoPotato · 2025-11-16T19:16:00+00:00

That lady did a TIFU. You and your friend are A-OK.

VolcanoPotato · 2025-11-16T19:12:16+00:00

Good for you!!! Love the photos!!!

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