Home Appraisal
Posted on March 6, 2026 by Ching under Home Ownership.
I don’t know how the county appraisal of our home managed to go up even with a dilapidated deck most of the year. We generally pay about $5,000 in taxes every year for our house; but with the recent $466K appraisal, I guess we are going to have to pay even more in taxes now? WTH? Our house appraised at double the amount it was worth when we moved in back in 2012. I suppose this is both good and bad. It’s good that the house supposedly worth more but bad in that we have to pay more taxes on it annually. Truly, though, are we even able to sell our house for what the county says it is worth?
I joked to Brian that maybe we shouldn’t have fixed our deck (or at least waited until after our appeal) and perhaps we could have used that as a justification to drop the appraisal value. But now that it’s fixed, perhaps when they see our new orange deck they’ll change their mind when they appraise our house for 2027. LOL.
I was looking at the appeals process and it seems like a lot of work. Neither Brian nor I have the time or appetite for it. I guess we won’t fight it and just keeping paying? How about you all? Did your home appraisal increase significantly this year? Have you ever appealed an increase? How did that go?
Comment on This
First Impression of Phnom Penh Pho
Posted on February 25, 2026 by Ching under Food and Drink.
My lunch buddy Chris and I went to check out Phnom Penh Pho a few weeks ago. The food was good but the overall experience – sad to say – was not great.
It’s the only Cambodian restaurant in town so we were eager to try it. They serve pho and rice dishes so it’s very similar to Vietnamese food. Here are pictures of our food and then I’ll give you all a run-down.
Anyway, when we first got there, we were directed to sit at a table toward the front. There was a weird odor which I couldn’t identify but, not being fond of fish sauce, sometimes unfamiliar sauces smell pungent to me. I just figured it was smell coming from a dish someone was eating at a table near us.
I am not sure if our server was new or what but she couldn’t figure out how to order food from the tablet and she didn’t know which tables were which. She had to ask another server for help at least a couple of times. First to find the dish I wanted in the tablet and then again to ask him for help because she ordered it twice. I overheard him saying, just start over.
Our spring rolls came out first and they were delicious. Then Chris’ dish came. It didn’t come out like he expected so he wasn’t even sure it was right but we didn’t really know what anything would look like so maybe it was correct. Then the male server comes and confirms again that I wanted pork as the meat on my dish so there wasn’t confusion in the kitchen. At this point, I’m pretty sure I’ve told them what I wanted at least half a dozen times.
Finally, our server brings out this cooker and a pot of soup and I’m thinking that I didn’t think what I ordered was soup but who knows? I am thinking she probably brought me someone else’s order because I had seen her almost deliver someone else’s food to table 12 not knowing which one was 12.
Anyway, I tried the broth and it was pretty tasty. Maybe this isn’t what I ordered but if I knew which this was on the menu I would probably order it. LOL. But then I dug in looking for meat and found fish. This was definitely not my food.
I tried to get someone’s attention but both servers were busy. It took quite a while before I could get someone to come over and I explained to them that I got someone else’s food.
They took all of it back — cooker, pot of soup, and bowl of rice. Our server mumbled something like “They told me to bring this here” as she was taking the stuff. But I am guessing they told her to bring it to table X but she hadn’t committed the table numbers to memory so she brought it to our table by mistake. Shortly after came back with my actual dish.
As I mentioned earlier, the food was very good. I think they just need better help.
Comment on This
Social Tap – Greenwich
Posted on February 16, 2026 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Brian and I are huge fans of Social Tap and have been to both the WSU campus location and the Andover Heritage Square location. The only Social Tap that’s eluded us has been the one in Northeast Wichita at Greenwich.
We recently met Jay and Becca over there.
The space is much smaller than their other two locations and the menu is mostly similar except for this location does not serve pizza which is quite disappointing. The Social Tap pizzas are kind of a staple. We specially like that Social Tap serves strips of the pizza bread with the pesto and ricotta dip that we always order. Unfortunately, since at there is no pizza at this location, we got it with tortilla chips and it just wasn’t the same.
Anyway, here are pics of the rest of our food.
I also enjoyed a pretty drink.
The verdict? While this Social Tap is probably the closest to our house, it’s our least favorite. We probably won’t return to this one and will opt for either Andover or WSU if we get a hankering for our favorite pesto and ricotta dip.
Comment on This
Il Vicino X Fetch
Posted on February 12, 2026 by Ching under Coupons, Food and Drink, Free Stuff.
Brian and I had lunch at Il Vicino a couple of weeks ago to take advantage of the 60 points per $1 offer on Fetch but we really should have gone there again today because today it’s an even better deal – 90 points per $1. Il Vicino is hands-down my favorite way to earn Fetch points right now.
It doesn’t hurt that we love their pizza and sandwiches either. We are getting to eat what we want AND earn bonus points.
Here are some of the reasons that I use Fetch:
- Earn Rewards From Any Receipt — No Store Restrictions – Fetch accepts receipts from any retailer, including grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, clothing stores, and more. You don’t need to activate offers beforehand. This makes it far simpler than many other cashback apps that limit where you can shop.
- It’s Extremely Easy and Fast to Use – Uploading a receipt takes about 10 seconds, making earning points almost effortless. Fetch also gives at least 25 points for any receipt, even if it contains no special-offer items.
- Supports Both Paper and Electronic Receipts – Fetch automatically scans online orders by linking accounts like Amazon and Walmart, giving you “set it and forget it” passive earnings. You can also upload physical receipts from any purchase.
- Redeem Points for a Huge Selection of Gift Cards – This benefit doesn’t matter as much to me because I really only convert my points to Amazon gift cards but Fetch lets you cash out rewards for hundreds of gift card options, including Amazon, Target, Visa cards, and more. So if you’re not an avid Amazon customer like I am, you could find another company to get gift cards from. There’s something for everyone. And redemptions are quick and easy, typically within 24–72 hours.
- Multiple Ways to Earn Bonus Points – Bonus offers help boost point accumulation significantly. Beyond basic receipt scanning, you can earn more by:
- Buying featured brands
- Taking advantage of multiplier or promotional offers
- Participating in in-app games (optional)
- Using referral codes to invite friends
Right now you can earn 2,000 bonus points when you sign up using my referral code – CHING1030. Let me know if you join and also when you earn your first reward. Let’s celebrate!
Comment on This
Follow Up Trip to O’Larney’s
Posted on February 11, 2026 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Chris Townley and I had lunch at O’Larney’s again yesterday. We brought Brian this time. Or should I say, he brought us because he picked us up from the office and brought us back. I always appreciate whenever I get to be “passenger princess” and don’t have to drive.
It was Brian’s first time at the restaurant (and our second time). I wanted him to try it because they actually have a pretty good deal for lunch. The lunch special is any half sandwich and a premium side for about $12. It’s tough to beat.
Chris got a house salad with his. Brian got soup (they had Wisconsin cheddar soup yesterday). I got potato salad. There are several side options to choose from so you’re bound to find something you like. Anyway, this is a great option for us that is both quick and close to the office. What are your favorite lunch spots in Old Town?
Comment on This
