Alright then - let me tell you about the swag I got for the holidays!
Spring got me a a promissory note for gift-certificates to Bass Pro Shops and/or Lee Valley Tools - that way I can decide what I want. I also got from her "Bushcraft by Mors Kochinski" (a complete surprise, I had no idea, I was not directly involved in choosing this classic book that I wanted for a long time, nothing to do with that at all, really. Honestly).
So we made it up to Bass Pro this week and I got the following:
- 20 oz Nalgene bottle (to replace the one I melted the cap to in the dishwasher). Note: If you are washing your Nalgene™ bottle, ensure that the separated cap does not risk falling onto and melting into the element in the dishwasher, as it did with me).
- Campsuds™ - I feel guilty using regular soaps/detergents in the backcountry, so I'd rather use this stuff. For dishes, self, toes, ears, dogs, cups, and other mucky objects.
- A second MSR fuel bottle - since I invested in a white-fuel stove and lantern, I wanted to make sure I had reserve fuel for my next trip. More for the lantern than the stove, but the stove does come in handy when I want to quickly boil up some water or rice etc...
- Diamond knife sharpener. My carbide sharpener is pretty good, but this new one is aggressive and I can use a beach stone etc... to smooth out the polish if needed.
- I have yet to get a Hook Knife and a package of WetFire™ Cubes (both from LeeValley.com with my gift certificate). Good tinder, especially on a rainy day.
Spring is happy with her plinkah-plonkah, and we got a stand for it so she can do a Stevie Wonder imitation. And Monty got a set of beef marrow bones which we roasted and gave to him one by one over the week. Happy New Year everyone!