Bodger's New Day

The 'Other' List

I found that non-woodworking links were finding their way into the woodworking links page and decided that a more suitable place was needed to hold them. Same stuff, different location. I'm sure there will be more.

• Cherokee Rose Coffee, Inc. My old standby coffee supplier closed up shop but these folks have picked up right where the old company left off. Their coffee is perfectly roasted, always super fresh, and is shipped quickly. They beat the 'big boys' every time. And while you are at it, invest in a proper burr grinder, a French press coffee maker (a filter cone will do in a pinch), and an electric kettle which delivers water at the proper temperature. Then experiment with the proper grind and amount of coffee and precise timing. You will realize quickly that you probably have never had a real cup of coffee before.
• Merriam Webster Words at Play If you enjoy language then you might enjoy this. There used to be a lovely site called World Wide Words but, sadly, it was dropped back around 2017 by the author, Michael Quinion. This replacement site is, perhaps, not quite so entranced by the obscure as the other was but it will still give you a good think if you try it. Addendum: I've found that Michael left behind a collection of his old articles at World Wide Words so you can still browse some of his best work.
• Mickledore Walking Holidays If you are thinking of taking a walking holiday in the UK, you might want to put these folks at the top of your list to arrange things for you. They've done two trips for me and are very thorough and do everything they can to make your walk enjoyable. I don't really know if their prices are the absolute lowest available but sometimes it isn't even worth looking for bargain-basement deals. I'd advise sticking with a known-good fixer for your trip. Oh, and unless you are a real masochist, have them arrange to move your heavy bags and packs from location to location and enjoy the luxury of carrying nothing heavier than a daypack.
• Footfalls Walking Holidays Since I mentioned Mickledore above I guess I should include Footfalls who arranged my Irish walk. For the most part the handling is the same as for both. They will arrange your route with documentation and guides, arrange your overnights, and sometimes provide your transport between sites. Costs are pretty much comparable between the two companies with the only real difference is between £ and € currency and whatever the exchange rates might be. And the difference between the UK and Ireland. With the vagaries of Brexit going on it might get better or worse for US travelers. It might have just been me but it felt as though flying into and out of Ireland was a bit more painful but that might just be the difference between security procedures at the airports in the intervening years.
• High Sierra AT7 Backpack I've mentioned my wheeled backpack which breaks down into a day pack and carry-on pack at least once here. I think it is a great piece of luggage. My first one was used very heavily and eventually I wore out the wheels after nearly five years and the company sent me a complete replacement with little fuss because they didn't have replacement wheels available for repair so now I have two of them, one in near-perfect condition and one that doesn't roll quite so well. Sadly I can't think of any reasonable way to use two of them on one trip...
• Penzeys Spices I cook. Mostly out of self defense. But I have some dishes such as chili, soups, stews, stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls that come out well. Never the same way twice, mind you, but simple and nutritious and which are suitable for large-pot cooking and freezing for future meals. What goes into the food is important and if you live in an average area your source of food is the supermarket. Fine. But do yourself a favor and add some high-quality spices to the mix. You'll find that those sold by Penzeys are far superior to anything you'll find in the local grocery. I can especially recommend their chili powders — use a base of regular and add medium-hot to reach your optimum heat level. Oh, and don't skimp on the quantity.

© 1999-2024 by John McGaw — Page last modified: Sat Sep 8 14:49:24 2018
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