My 3 slide-rules

Two of the three slide-rules

You see here only two of my slide-rules. I had three, but I needed none. I’ve forgotten how to use them.

When I opened a drawer, I noticed that the three were tucked away there and I asked myself what would my heirs do with them? The top slide-rule, from Post, was one that I got when I was taking science and/or math in high school. It has sentimental value, so I’ll keep it. I don’t know where the other two came from. Perhaps I inherited a slid-rule from my father. But the third?

So, I resolved to give two away. I already gave away one to Goodwill before I took a picture of it. Now that I’ve taken a picture of the lower one in the picture, I plan to give it to Goodwill also.

Goodwill has a store and donation center about a mile away from where I live. It’s near a Safeway grocery store, so there’s no hardship in dropping anything off.

I did a lot of downsizing of big things in Kansas City before moving to Phoenix. Some furniture I sent to my sister in Atlanta. I took one large item to Phoenix for my other sister. I donated small things to Catholic Charities. I also threw some things away that I should have also given to Catholic Charities. Among them was a vintage 1950’s Electrolux canister vacuum cleaner in working condition. Unlike today’s vacuums, it had a cloth bag to collect the dirt. In other words, it never required a trip to a store to find a replacement. It was a bit of a messy arrangement to empty it, but the cloth bag feature endeared itself to me.

The other thing that I discarded was a set of four wooden folding chairs that were early acquisitions by my parents. I took them from Chicago to Kansas City, thinking that I might need extra chairs. Really, I already was taking four metal folding chairs that go with a bridge table. I also took those chairs from Chicago to Kansas City and then to Phoenix.

Eight chairs were more than enough. But why did I throw away the vintage chairs? I didn’t actually put them in a dumpster. I left them out in the off chance that some Latinos (or anybody else) would take them. I had noticed some Latinos cruise the neighborhood for such finds. I had seen what looked like families drive around the parking lot in the complex where I lived in Kansas City.

As much as I downsized in Kansas City, my sister and I found some more items, mostly small. For the most part, she offered to take them to Goodwill with some things that she had collected. Since then, I make my own donations.

One of a set of chairs that I remember from my childhood.

I never replaced this vacuum cleaner since it was so versatile. When I disposed of it in early 2019, it was roughly 60 years old. I last used it to clean up my apartment in Kansas City before my move.

Card table and folding chair from my parents.

I now have only four extra chairs instead of eight. I’m actually sitting on one now as I write this post. My computer desk is still occupied by my old Windows 7 desktop computer, and I left the office chair by the desk. In early December, I got a new Windows 11 which I set up temporarily on a patio table that I brought in from outside. I left the office chair by the old computer while I was copying data to port over to the new computer.

I’m now confident that I copied all my data from the old computer to the new one, so it’s time to recycle my old computer and move the new one to the computer desk. In fact, I haven’t even powered up the old computer in a week.

The Windows 7 computer has no sentimental value for me. No need to take a picture of it or of its monitor.

I’m also ready to recycle my Windows 7 laptop. With a smart phone on hand, I don’t need a portable computer to receive or send email or to surf the net. A laptop, though, comes in handy to store and create data. So far, I visited my son in Florida and used the old technology of pen and paper to collect my thoughts and other data.

If someone wants my old PC or laptop, they can come and take them off my hands. Keep in mind, though, that I live in Phoenix, Arizona …

New 50 pence coin to circulate in Britain

The lighting for my camera rendered the reverse of the coin with a yellow tone. It should be the color of nickle.

The Royal Mint of Britain is mandated by law to issue coins with the reigning monarch on the front (obverse) of every coin. Now that King Charles III was elevated to the throne, all coins will bear the likeness (effigy) that he authorized. Eventually, all coins of the UK will bear Charles III’s likeness.

In December 2022, the mint rolled out its new 50 pence coin. I bought one of these coins that is as good as they come — Brilliant Uncirculated (BU). In the U.S., a coin like this is called a “proof.”

The entire packaging of this 50 pence coin is a tribute to the late Queen, Elizabeth II. No mention is made of her son, Charles III.

I consider this 50 pence coin a collectors item even though 4.9 million were in circulation during December 2022. Orders for BU coins were taken until December 31, 2022. I received mine on February 6th. After a production “delay.” Still, I doubt that its BU issue will be rare, so it will likely never be valuable. Still, it’s a memento to a changing time.

With time, coins with the likeness Elizabeth II will be withdrawn from circulation, but they remain and will remain legal tender.

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The 50 pence coin is in the center. The denominations are on the reverse.

These are the Brilliant Uncirculated definitive British coins that were in circulation during 2022. These will never be minted again. I wanted a memento of the historic passing of a reigning monarch with the fame and appeal of Queen Elizabeth II.

Again, this set is unlikely to be valuable. I’m certain that many like-minded individuals — both British and non-British like me — wanted a special commemoration of the Queen’s life at an affordable price.