I’m on the road this weekend, visiting some of my old stompin’ grounds in Philadelphia and doing some other things. (So no livestream is possible today!) But I have some things I’m eager to share with you all when I get back home, involving the difficulties of having self-sufficient heat-up/cook methods while staying in higher-end hotels. It is very, very difficult because you can absolutely not create smoke.
I’m in a Marriot here in Philly, and there are probably 300 people or more staying in this hotel. The last thing on earth I can do is risk setting off the fire alarm in this building early in the morning. Can you imagine the resulting chaos that would ensue?
Instead of drinking the hotel’s terrible coffee, I want to be able to boil my own water for my own coffee that I have brought, enough water to have a cup now and to also brew plenty for my thermos for drinking throughout the day after I check out.
In preparation for this, I even brought a small, portable electric stove top that just plugs into the wall. As a backup, I have a small alcohol/pop can stove. I’ve been able to use neither one this morning. I’ve tried, and both are just too risky.
When I get home I’ll do a demonstration for everybody highlighting the problems I encountered with both things, and the ultimate solutions I arrived at.
I got tired of carrying booze, fuel, and medicine and got the bright idea to see if a strong enough whiskey might not serve all three purposes.
#WhiskeyStoves #BoozeForFuel #PocketCooking #ThePracticalWoodsman #PleasantHillbillyPickle
For centuries, families across Britain slept in what was known as a box bed, a wooden bed built into the wall or enclosed with doors, designed to keep out the bitter cold of winter.
Far more than a place to sleep, the box bed was a practical solution in cottages where space was limited and every bit of warmth mattered. By enclosing the bed, families trapped precious heat, reduced draughts and gained a little privacy in homes where several generations often lived under one roof.
These humble beds witnessed every stage of life. Children were tucked into them at night, babies were born in them, and loved ones spent their final hours there, surrounded by family. In many cottages, the box bed even formed part of the wall itself, helping divide the living and sleeping areas of a single-room home.
To modern eyes they may seem cramped, but to those who lived through harsh winters with little comfort, the box bed was a warm, secure refuge, a simple piece of craftsmanship that helped ordinary families ...
