One size fits two

I use this stabilizer ring when I connect good old green propane bottles to my dual-fuel stove. As I reported a while back, I also have a couple of propane bottles intended for use with blowtorches. They’re taller and narrower, so more prone to tipping over, right? Hmmmm…

The stabilizer was already out and in position because the green bottle had just run out. I connected the blue bottle and plopped it into the stabilizer because it was where there was room. 

Surprise, surprise. It fit nice and snugly. Because there was an inner ring the correct size. Some industrial designer knew there would be someone using different sized bottles. Maybe he had a vision. “I see an old fart in a van in the desert, about to cook breakfast…”

Damn

It still works, but... damn

Deconstructed breakfast burrito

I exercised amazing restraint and ate only half of the carne asada burrito I got yesterday. Okay, what to do with the remaining half? Ordinarily, I’d treat it like leftover pizza and just eat it the next day, cold. Not bad, but I could do better.

First, I disassembled the burrito, cut the tortilla into strips and deep fried them.

Then I reheated the meat, adding a little Salsa Huichol for extra kick.

Next, I fried up a couple of eggs in clarified butter.

Finally, I assembled my repurposed creation and topped it with the last of the salsa verde that came with the burrito. Much better than cold, even with extra pans and dishes to wash.

Down for the count

I’m a big believer in the siesta. Since retirement I’ve become almost religious about it. Mmmm, yes-s-s-s-s-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z…

However, I hadn’t napped the past few days. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to miss any of the limited daylight. 

Then, this afternoon, after doing laundry, getting water and butane and a carne asada burrito from Diego’s, after doing some house cleaning and rearranging in the Rolling Steel Tent, I laid back to read and… whoosh, I was deeply, deeply out. For two hours. I guess I was making up for missed naps.

Hit me with your best shot

Just like our human joints get stiff with age, so do some of the Rolling Steel Tent’s parts.

The sliding door has latches at both ends. The rearward one has started sticking, despite several treatments with cleaners and lubricants. But a smack on the door does the trick.

There’s a vendor in Quartzsite who makes custom vinyl stickers. So, because I’m a weird guy, I had him make this:

Bit o' desert

Merry Christensen

Early Christmas

Now I just need to figure out where to store it

Fortunate one

There’s no question I’ve been lucky in many ways. All my life. I didn’t realize it when I was young (do we really realize anything when we’re kids?) but now I know I’m lucky.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how fortunate I am to be 68 years old with a body that functions fairly well. Yeah, there was the throat cancer, and infectious hepatitis in my twenties, but other than that I’ve been okay. Cross my fingers and knock on wood.

So far I’ve been spared the medical problems common to people my age. My heart, lungs and nervous system are fine. My back and joints are good. I have no chronic illnesses. I haven’t even had appendicitis or a broken bone. Amazing.

There were years I was terribly out of shape, but that was because of my habits, not a malfunctioning body. Now it looks like by systems have weathered the abuse much better than I had any right to expect. Thank you, genes.

My heart goes out to those who struggle, who suffer. That’ll be me someday.

It weighs heavily upon me

After using my weighted blanket a few nights, I’ve decided I like it. A lot. I tried using it several ways and have settled on folding it double and covering only my torso. Then the other bedding goes on top, as usual.

I wake up fewer times during the night, and although it’s too soon to tell if there’s a pattern, my dreams have been more pleasant.

What the weighted blanket doesn’t do, though, is make me warmer. Ceramic beads aren’t good insulators. I hope this means I’ll be able to use the blanket in warm weather.

Mind games

When I woke up last night to pee it was 43°F/6°C in the Rolling Steel Tent. By the time I finished my chore the bedding had lost all its warmth. 

Brrrrrrrr. 

So I tried a mental trick. I imagined it was summer and the bed was air conditioned. 

Aaaaaaah.

It’s good I’m so easy to fool.

Victory!

Away from it all

Ehrenberg, Arizona

Weightlifting while sleeping

When I first heard about weighted blankets I thought, “Hell yeah! I love sleeping under piles of bedding.” But I was uncertain. Some things sound too good to be true. What if I spent the money on a blanket but didn’t actually enjoy it? So I continued on with the bedding I had.

Then the other day I happened to see weighted blankets in Walmart at a price I was willing to risk. But before committing to it I asked my social media friends and family if they had any experience with weighted blankets. Several did, and their reviews were positive. I took the leap.

Yeah, I like it. Not exactly what I imagined, but very nice. I tend to move around in bed a lot before finally falling asleep, and that has become a workout with the weighted blanket. Yet building muscles isn’t listed as a benefit. Go to sleep flabby, wake up toned!

My moment of non-fame

I was an extra in the Nomadland movie. The Rolling Steel Tent was a prop. It got paid more. 

There was also a scene where several of us improvised lines. I was curious to know whether that bit made the final cut. I finally saw the movie and, alas, no stardom for me.

However, both the van and I can claim to have shared the screen with Frances McDormand. Or did she share it with us?

The Rolling Steel Tent with directional cell antenna erected

Me in my plaid jacket and black hat

It's official