"May" Rhymes with "Buffet"

Not actually Erin.
& is used with permission.

Cripes, it's been another month between blog posts. I'm really sorry about that; right now I'm in the unenviable position of "not a lot to talk about prepping-wise" and "my house is still in turmoil due to the mold problem." The bedroom - bathroom - walk-in closet suite is still down to bare foundation as we work things out between the plumber, the carpet/tile people, the drywall people, and the insurance company. At this point I have no idea if the renovation is even going to start this month or if it will be the summer (or later) before it begins. 

Because of this chaos I don't have any new topics to discuss, so if there's something you'd like me to address, please leave a comment or send me an email. I can, however, give you some updates on things -- a "Buffet Post", as David Blackard likes to call them -- so that this post isn't a total loss. 

My nightly walks are going well, and I can pretty easily do the 1.1 miles of the loop. Progress past that point is slow, however, because while walking (even without a backpack) my lower back -- where I think I have arthritis -- begins to ache and the muscles start to cramp and tighten, so how far I go after that depends upon my back. I do feel that the constant exercise is slowly helping my back, because over the past few months the tightness after a loop is slowly subsiding. Every so often I can make two loops, but most days I can only do 1.5 or 1.25. 


[TAG1]
https://amzn.to/3perZ4c

Speaking of walking, last year I needed to replace my combat boots which I used for inclement weather. I ended up getting a pair of Wolverine DuraShock boots with a 6" ankle, and they're... okay, I guess? It's not that they're bad boots or anything. They are heavy and stiff, though, which means it's taking me a long time to break them in and so I don't have a strong opinion or a solid review on them yet. I will likely get more use out of them during hurricane season. 


[TAG2]
https://amzn.to/3VyN45G

It's been a pretty rainy spring here, so I've ended up wearing my Poncho Villa by Hazard 4 a lot during these walks. It's the black version, which is pretty low visibility, especially in a semi-rural neighborhood at night in the rain. In order to keep from getting run over I bought a set of reflective patches and mounted them to the velcro fabric on the front, back, and sides of the Poncho Villa. I haven't been hit yet, so they seem to be working. 

[TAG3]
https://amzn.to/42moHed


My waxed boonie hat is still plenty waterproof 2.5 years after waxing, although I haven't used it on a daily basis. I am still quite impressed with its durability and performance, though. 
 


This last part isn't really prepping-related, but I've found it enormously convenient in my daily life. Like most of us I use my smart phone as a GPS to help me get to locations and avoid traffic, and on longer trips that can drain the battery significantly. The obvious solution is to keep the phone plugged in to the car's AC outlet for charging, but if I am frequently getting out and back in (such as when running errands) then making sure the tiny USB charger fits into the tiny USB port can be an annoyance. 

[TAG5]
https://amzn.to/41bg190

That annoyance can be wholly mitigated by using magnetic USB tips and cables. I use this version from Digital Ant, because each cable (there are three) comes with three different tips: Micro USB, USB-C and whatever Apple is calling its interface these days. This has given me enormous flexibility when it comes to recharging my various devices, such as the head lamps I reviewed last month

[TAG6]
L to R: 1000 Lumen LED HeadlampEverBrite 350 Lumen Red/Green Headlamp, Tozo Bluetooh Earbuds


Pair these cords with a smart technology three-port charger that determines how much current a device needs based on its draw and you have an easy, convenient way to charge most portable electronic devices. 

[TAG7]
https://amzn.to/3LYQfjI


So, that's been my month. Hopefully I'll have another post for you before June.