starting fires

I start a good number of fires each year.

OK, we refer to them as “build”, as in “I built a fire.” Wonder where that got started!

Therefore, I go through a good number of matches. In the shop I use a propane torch to start the fire, but in the house and camping I use old fashioned matches.

When I ran out a few years ago, I just bought a big box at our usual grocery outlet. The box was a bit smaller, and the color did not look quite right, but I bought them.

Got home and they were awful. Didn't light well. Were just plain wrong. Checked. “Made in China.”

The chinese may make good stuff (for some reason they seem to send us the other stuff, mostly), but these matches were bad.

So I did some looking. Each store had the same brand, but I kept looking. Finally a store clear across town carried the real old fashioned “made in USA” – kitchen – strike any where – matches. I ran into the manager of the store and thanked him and told him to keep up the work.

It is time to go march shopping again. I know where I'll go.


Miriam is healthy and strong. She can't remember, but otherwise she is remarkably healthy.

She often brings in the firewood. It is good for her.

This spring I cut quite a bit of wood out of our apple trees. I cut the bigger pieces into stove size and stacked them in the wood shed.

Of course, she saw that nice new wood and brought it in the house. It is green and wet and won't burn well, so I took it back. Each day she brings in a few pieces and each day I take the back.

patient?

Last week I needed to put gas in the pickup.

I went to my usual gas up spot (close and less expensive than others – none are cheap).

Put my new bank card in the slot. “We don't know who the dickens you are.”

I put it in again, and a similar message.

So I put the card away and drove off.

Later I went online and looked at my bank account. Hmm. A charge of $14.47 for gas. But I did not get any gas there. I went to the Chevron station down the road.

Slowly it dawned on me.

My card was not refused the second time. I left it just before it said: “Select your poison and proceed.” The next customer came along with a small car (It could have been a thirsty pickup, with a huge tank). I can hardly blame them for accepting my gift!

I noted in my accounting record that it was a “donation.”

I'll be more careful next time.

I am really impressed by old cars that have been rebuilt, but still have some basis for being "useful."
Lots of show cars are all show and no go.
This one looks like it might be useful, maybe.

challenges

I was watching the Para Olympics last night.

Boy do those guys and gals go. Some had only one leg, some no feet, but they skied or rode on mono skis. They did not go as fast as the others, but they went quicker than any of us would.

The event that really caught my attention was the one for the visually impaired. I had never even thought of such an idea, living a protected life, like I do.

Each competitor had a “guide” that went with them. Since this was a slalom course, they could not be beside them, but went slightly ahead. The guide shouted instructions as they went: “straight”; “left”. The whole thing went wonderfully well. One competitor misjudged the space to stop and bumped into the well padded fence.

One team (and they really were a team) was a husband and wife. Talk about trust. The guy was the guide. He went first, shouted instructions and kept an eye over his shoulder. Somehow the clock time did not matter too much.

When the race was run they all smiled and waved.

Here are people who could easily do something else and no one would argue with them, but they didn't.

I was impressed with them and depressed with some of the excuses I hear (and make).

potatoes and cake

My church group has a potluck this weekend.

We try to do one every month. It keeps us in touch with each other and give us a non-church time to visit and be together.

My usual food item is Scalloped Potatoes. I have been using raw potatoes, but it tends to turn dark when cooked, and last time, even though it was in the oven for an hour, the potatoes were not cooked through.

So this time I precooked the potatoes in my slow cooker. The results are different enough to think it was a different dish. I think I like the raw potato system better, and if I were to wash the potato slices after I cut them, I think that might help with the discoloring.

When we go camping my big desert item is pineapple upside down cake. I make it in my cast iron dutch oven, sometimes heated with charcoal, sometimes in the campfire, and a few times in a borrowed RV oven!

This time my motive was to remind all that camping season is coming on fast and that I intend to go camping a lot this year and that they are welcome to join me! After the meal there were two pieces left.

As I said earlier, my friends that camp are in the RV mode, some of the are very nice.

Miriam and I are in a time warp. We sleep in a trailer that is basically unchanged since the 40's. I use old fashioned Coleman liquid stoves and lantern and pull it all with an 18 year old car.

What my system lacks in luxury it makes up in simplicity.

I can live with that.