Why "Prone To Wander" ?

I have been asked about the significance of the phrase "Prone To Wander".  In my ignorance, I guess I thought most folk would know that it comes from the words of the hymn "Come thou fount of every blessing". One particular verse is my favorite:

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

It was written by Robert Robinson in 1757, and is a handy reminder to me of how hopeless and lost I am without God's goodness and accompanying "binding", for I fear I have nothing good of my own to offer...

More Alcohol Stove Fun...

I did a little more playing around with this. The stove I put together had 8 little Jets or Holes (see previous post). I punched another 8 in between for a total of 16. As expected, the heat output is dramatically increased, but the burn time is much less.

Here's the thing though, for about $4, you can go to Canadian Tire and pick up a 6-pack of 5oz bottles of alcohol-based gas line antifreeze, and make a couple of different sized stoves for nothing. Then, during a power outage you will have the wherewithal to boil water for tea or coffee, or do a little cooking or heating of food. A disclaimer though; The anti-freeze is a bit nasty and poisonous so watch what you're doing...

A slightly safer option might be the bottles of blue cheap fondue fuel from the Dollar Store.

My next step is to make a bigger stove from larger diameter cans...I think my Pyromania is no longer in remission...mooo..ha..ha !!!

Pop Can Alcohol Stove

Youtube is replete with plans for these alcohol burning mini camping or emergency stoves. Given my interest in stoves, not to mention other gadgetry, I decided to have a look into this intriguing area. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I just made a very basic one, using the bottom inch or so of 2 Pepsi cans. For the "alcohol", I used gas line antifreeze. As a fuel, alcohol is relatively safe as it's not too volatile. However, once you heat it a bit and get it to vaporize, it burns with a roar not unlike that of a Coleman stove. I think I'll make a more deluxe model later.

firing it up

place water on top

boiling...

This was just a quick conceptual test, but I'm going to make a better one...more to come :)

Fall: Summer's Cooler Cousin

It's likely a sign of my age, but I seemingly blinked, and there the summer was...Gone! The boys are back in school, Hockey is starting up, with a 5-0 loss by the Leafs, but I digress, Debbie is calling for the furnace to be doing its thing (rats), and I'm thinking of firewood, migrating the freezables from garage to basement, winter tires, snow shovels, Christmas presents. Where does the time go? I must remember to live in the sweet here and now, for this great season is flying by too. This is a great time for walking, and even camping. I must get another night or two in. The chill is the only thing to contend with. There's no bugs, no suffering heat. Bring it on...

Emergency Heater

With winter fast approaching, I often marvel at the chances we all take. Have you ever went somewhere in your vehicle for example and not bothered to even take a coat? Heated seats notwithstanding, you could easily break down, skid off the road, or otherwise get sidelined and literally freeze to death. That would be sad and stupid. See the following video, outlining the construction of a "heater" that consists of a roll of toilet paper stuffed inside a quart paint can. The can is then filled with isopropyl alcohol. Take a look:

Overnight Canoe Trip...yes.

Just returned from an overnight canoe jaunt. "Portage" is not my favorite word, but a nice time anyway...

More Pics Here...

Giv'er

Yours Truly

Pat, Me, Derek, Brian

time to head back...

My Suite

Fire

my pack made it home...

New Wheels "again"...

With the write-off of the SX4, we needed new a new reliable drive. After some window shopping, and pondering of new, used, buy, lease etc we went for a 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara; a big brother to the SX4, and in the same color. Hopefully, the cement trucks will stay away from this one :)

Hurricane Earl: "Here's lookin' up your old address !!!

Happy 14th James !!

hard to go wrong with Jungle Jim's Kitchen sink for a birthday feast...