Coleman Sleeping Bag

Archive for the ‘Two Person Sleeping Bags’ Category

Confusables

Words that sound alike or nearly alike but have different meanings often cause writers and speakers trouble. Here are a few of the most common pairs with correct definitions and examples:

• ACCEPT-to receive
  He accepts defeat well.

  EXCEPT-to take or leave out
  Please take all the books off the shelf except for the red one.

• AFFECT-to influence
  Lack of sleep affects the quality of your work.

  EFFECT-n., result, v., to accomplish
  The subtle effect of the lighting made the room look ominous.

  Can the university effect such a change without disrupting classes?

• A LOT (two words)-many.

  ALOT (one word)-Not the correct form.

• ALLUSION-an indirect reference
  The professor made an allusion to Virginia Woolf’s work.

  ILLUSION-a false perception of reality
  They saw a mirage: that is a type of illusion one sees in the desert.

• ALL READY-prepared
  Dinner was all ready when the guests arrived.

  ALREADY-by this time
  The turkey was already burned when the guests arrived.

• ALTOGETHER-entirely
  Altogether, I thought that the student’s presentation was well planned.

  ALL TOGETHER-gathered, with everything in one place
  We were all together at the family reunion last spring.

• APART-to be separated
  The chain-link fence kept the angry dogs apart. OR My old car fell apart before we reached California.

  A PART-to be joined with
  The new course was a part of the new field of study at the university. OR A part of this plan involves getting started at dawn.

• ASCENT- climb
  The plane’s ascent made my ears pop.

  ASSENT-agreement
  The martian assented to undergo experiments.

• BREATH-noun, air inhaled or exhaled
  You could see his breath in the cold air.

  BREATHE-verb, to inhale or exhale
  If you don’t breathe, then you are dead.

• CAPITAL-seat of government. Also financial resources.
  The capital of Virginia is Richmond.

  The firm had enough capital to build the new plant.

  CAPITOL-the actual building in which the legislative body meets
  The governor announced his resignation in a speech given at the capitol today.

• CITE-to quote or document
  I cited ten quotes from the same author in my paper.

  SIGHT-vision
  The sight of the American flag arouses different emotions in different parts of the world.

  SITE-position or place
  The new office building was built on the site of a cemetary.

• COMPLEMENT-noun, something that completes; verb, to complete
  A nice dry white wine complements a seafood entree.

  COMPLIMENT-noun, praise; verb, to praise
  The professor complimented Betty on her proper use of a comma.

• CONSCIENCE-sense of right and wrong
  The student’s conscience kept him from cheating on the exam.

  CONSCIOUS-awake
  I was conscious when the burglar entered the house.

• COUNCIL-a group that consults or advises
  The men and women on the council voted in favor of an outdoor concert in their town.

  COUNSEL-to advise
  The parole officer counseled the convict before he was released.

• ELICIT-to draw or bring out
  The teacher elicited the correct response from the student.

  ILLICIT-illegal
  The Columbian drug lord was arrested for his illicit activities.

• EMINENT-famous, respected
  The eminent podiatrist won the Physician of the Year award.

  IMMANENT-inherent or intrinsic
  The meaning of the poem was immanent, and not easily recognized.

  IMMINENT-ready to take place
  A fight between my sister and me is imminent from the moment I enter my house.

• ITS-of or belonging to it
  The baby will scream as soon as its mother walks out of the room.

  IT’S-contraction for it is
  It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

• LEAD-noun, a type of metal
  Is that pipe made of lead?

  LED-verb, past tense of the verb “to lead”
  She led the campers on an over-night hike.

• LIE-to lie down (a person or animal. hint: people can tell lies)
  I have a headache, so I’m going to lie down for a while.

  (also lying, lay, has/have lain–The dog has lain in the shade all day; yesterday, the dog lay there for twelve hours).

  LAY-to lay an object down.
  “Lay down that gun, Bubba!” The sheriff demanded.

  The town lay at the foot of the mountain.

  (also laying, laid, has/have laid–At that point, Bubba laid the gun on the ground).

• LOSE–verb, to misplace or not win
  Mom glared at Mikey. “If you lose that new lunchbox, don’t even think of coming home!”

  LOOSE–noun, to not be tight; verb (rarely used)–to release
  The burglar’s pants were so loose that he was sure to lose the race with the cop chasing him.
  While awaiting trial, he was never set loose from jail because no one would post his bail.

• NOVEL-noun, a book that is a work of fiction. Do not use “novel” for nonfiction; use “book” or “work.”
  Mark Twain wrote his novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn when he was already well known, but before he published many other works of fiction and nonfiction.

• PASSED-verb, past tense of “to pass,” to have moved
  The tornado passed through the city quickly, but it caused great damage.

  PAST-belonging to a former time or place
  Who was the past president of Microsquish Computers?

  Go past the fire station and turn right.

• PRECEDE-to come before
  Pre-writing precedes the rough draft of good papers.

  PROCEED-to go forward
  He proceeded to pass back the failing grades on the exam.

• PRINCIPAL-adjective, most important; noun, a person who has authority
  The principal ingredient in chocolate chip cookies is chocolate chips.

  The principal of the school does the announcements each morning.

  PRINCIPLE-a general or fundamental truth
  The study was based on the principle of gravity.

• QUOTE-verb, to cite
  I would like to quote Dickens in my next paper.

  QUOTATION-noun, the act of citing
  The book of famous quotations inspired us all.

• STATIONARY-standing still
  The accident was my fault because I ran into a stationary object.

  STATIONERY-writing paper
  My mother bought me stationery that was on recycled paper.

• SUPPOSED TO-correct form for “to be obligated to” or “presumed to” NOT “suppose to”

  SUPPOSE-to guess or make a conjecture
  Do you suppose we will get to the airport on time? When is our plane supposed to arrive? We are supposed to check our bags before we board, but I suppose we could do that at the curb and save time.

• THAN-use with comparisons
  I would rather go out to eat than eat at the dining hall.

  THEN-at that time, or next
  I studied for my exam for seven hours, and then I went to bed.

• THEIR-possessive form of they
  Their house is at the end of the block.

  THERE-indicates location (hint: think of “here and there”)
  There goes my chance of winning the lottery!

  THEY’RE-contraction for “they are”
  They’re in Europe for the summer–again!

• THROUGH-by means of; finished; into or out of
  He plowed right through the other team’s defensive line.

  THREW-past tense of throw
  She threw away his love love letters.

  THOROUGH-careful or complete
  John thoroughly cleaned his room; there was not even a speck of dust when he finished.

  THOUGH-however; nevertheless
  He’s really a sweetheart though he looks tough on the outside.

  THRU-abbreviated slang for through; not appropriate in standard writing
  We’re thru for the day!

• TO-toward
  I went to the University of Richmond.

  TOO-also, or excessively
  He drank too many screwdrivers and was unable to drive home.

  TWO-a number
  Only two students did not turn in the assignment.

• WHO-pronoun, referring to a person or persons
  Jane wondered how Jack, who is so smart, could be having difficulties in Calculus.

  WHICH-pronoun, replacing a singular or plural thing(s);not used to refer to persons
  Which section of history did you get into?

  THAT-used to refer to things or a group or class of people
  I lost the book that I bought last week.

WHO-used as a subject or as a subject complement (see above)
John is the man who can get the job done.

WHOM-used as an object
Whom did Sarah choos

Abjure and Adjure

Abjure means to “renounce” or “repudiate.” Adjure means “request earnestly.” The words have little in common other than their rarity and similarity of spelling, so they should not be confused.

Adopted and Adoptive

Adopted and adoptive both mean “acquired through adoption,” but they are not synomyms. One is the reciprocal of the other. A child with adoptive parents is adopted; parents with an adopted child are adoptive. The difference lies in who is doing the adopting. The parents adopt the child, so the child is adopted. The child is adopted by the parents, and so the parents are adoptive.

Adverse and Averse

Adverse means “antagonistic.” Averse means “feeling disclined.” The word averse is more recognizable in two more commonly used forms: avert and aversion.

Affect and Effect

These words are commonly confused, and the rules given to tell them apart are often wrong. Affect means “to influence” or “to produce an effect in.” Effect means “consequence” or “that which is produced by an agent or cause.”

Many try to differentiate between the two by saying that affect is a verb, while effect is a noun. Unfortunately, it’s not so simple. The word affect can also serve as a noun, meaning “observed or expressed emotional response,” and the word effect can also serve as a verb, meaning “to become operative” or “to carry out,” as in, “to effect changes.”

Aggravate and Annoy

Aggravate means “worsen.” Annoy means “bother” or “exasperate” or “provoke.” Many speakers and writers use aggravate to mean “annoy.” Although aggravate has been used in this manner for four hundred years, considerable controversy over this use exists today. Some contend that using aggravate to mean anything other than “worsen” compromises the effectiveness of the word by blurring the distinction it has from similar words. Others argue that annoy can be said to mean “worsen one’s temper,” which suggests that aggravate is not so inappropriate to use as a synonym for annoy after all. My recommendation is to understand that aggravate means “worsen” and not “bother,” but then feel free to use aggravate in contexts where it would be taken to mean “worsen one’s temper” rather than “bother” or “irritate.”

Allude and Refer

Allude means to refer to something indirectly or covertly. Refer, without qualification, implies referring to something directly, by naming. Frequently allude is misused to mean “refer directly,” but this is an abuse of an otherwise useful, specific word.

Anxious and Eager

Anxious means “troubled” or “worried.” Eager means “having keen interest” or “impatient expectancy.” When anxious is used to describe someone’s expectancy, it is often incorrectly used to mean “eager,” which has a far more positive connotation. One may be anxious about an impending report card, but one would be eager to go on a long-awaited vacation.

Chafe and Chaff

Chafe means “to make sore by rubbing” or “irritate or annoy” or “become annoyed.” Chaff means “tease good-naturedly.” Consequently, one should not become confused with the other.

Compliment and Complement

Compliment is a “remark of praise.” Complement is “something that completes.” Note that free refreshments are complimentary; the word refers to the phrase “with our compliments.”

Continual and Continuous

Both continual and continuous describe an action or process that occurs over a long period of time. Continual, however, permits that the action may be interrupted by short breaks. Continuous means that the action never pauses. We live continuous lives, eating and sleeping continually.

Deserts and Desserts

Most English speakers understand that deserts, with the accent on the first syllable, are a dry, arid lands, while desserts, with the accent on the second syllable, are a sweet things to eat after a meal. What is often confused is that when one gets what one is deserves, good or bad, one is getting one’s “just deserts,” accent on the second syllable but spelled like the dry, arid lands.

Discomfort and Discomfit

Discomfort means “uneasiness or hardship” and “make uncomfortable.” Discomfit means “disconcert” and “defeat; thwart.” Discomfort comes from Middle English, from the Old French word desconfort. Discomfit comes from the Middle English word discomfiten, from the Old French word desconfit.

Discrete and Discreet

Discrete means “discontinuous” or “individually distinct.” Discreet means “judicious.” The words are understandably often confused, but they should remain distinct.

Effective and Effectual

Effective means “producing an effect” or “in effect.” Effectual means “producing a desired effect.” A law that is effective is only effectual when it is enforced.

Energize and Enervate

Energize means “give energy to,” while enervate means “to cause to lose vitality or energy.” Sometimes enervate is mistakenly believed to mean “energize,” and this is a grievous error, as enervate is actually an antonym of energize.

Enormousness and Enormity

Enormousness means “largeness” or “immensity.” Enormity means “depravity” or “wickedness” and also means a “crime” or “error.” Frequently the word enormity is mistaken to mean “enormousness,” which it does not. The two words do originally derive from the same Latin word, enormis, with the word enormity being derived through the French word enormite, but the distinction between the two English words has existed for hundreds of years.

Flack and Flak

Flack is a noun that means “press agent” or “publicist” and a verb that means “to act as a press agent.” Flak is a noun that means “anti-aircraft artillery” or “bursting of shells fired form anti-aircraft artillery” or, more commonly, “excessive or abusive criticism” or “dissension, opposition.” If you criticize someone, you are giving them flak, not flack.

Flaunt and Flout

Flaunt means “display ostentatiously.” Flout means to “disobey openly and scornfully” or “show contempt for.” Some use one for the other, but confusing the two words is still widely seen as an error and best avoided.

Forcible and Forceful

Forcible means “accomplished by force.” Forceful means “powerful and vigorous.” Something that is forcible can be accomplished with forceful effort.

Fortuitous and Fortunate

Fortuitous means “happening by chance” or “accidental.” Fortunate means “lucky.” A fortuitous event may be, but is not necessarily, a fortunate event.

Founder and Flounder

Founder means “to fail completely.” Often it is used to refer to a ship, in which case it means, “to fill with water and sink.” Flounder has a less severe definition; it means “to move clumsily or with difficulty” or “to make mistakes or become confused.” Although the two words are similar in spelling, they are derived from different sources. Founder comes from the Latin word fundus, meaning “bottom.” Flounder comes from Middle English, from the Anglo-Norman word floundre, of Scandinavian origin. We can flounder but recover, but when we founder, it’s final.

Full and Fulsome

Fulsome is sometimes mistaken as a synonym for full or fullest, when, in fact, its meaning bears no resemblance to full whatsoever. Fulsome means “cloying, excessive, and disgusting.” Although both words have similar etymological roots, the English definitions are divergent enough to cause some gross misunderstandings when the words are confused, particularly in incorrect expressions such as “fulsome praise” and “fulsome apologies.”

Gambit and Gamut

Gambit is a strategic maneuver. Gamut is a full range or extent.

Imply and Infer

Imply means to “hint or suggest without stating directly.” Infer means “reach an opinion from facts or reasoning.” The two terms are sometimes mistaken to be interchangeable. In actuality, they are quite distinct. The sender of an indirectly stated message is doing the implying, while a receiver that reasons what the message is is doing the inferring.

Inanity and Inanition

Inanity means “foolishness” or “senselessness.” Inanition means “lacking vigor.”

Incredulous and Incredible

Incredulous means “unbelieving” or “skeptical.” Incredible means “unbelievable” or “hard to believe.” If something incredible happens, you may be incredulous.

Ingenious and Ingenuous

Ingenious means “clever and inventive.” Ingenuous means “open, frank, and sincere” and also “naive, unsophisticated.” The words have similar origins, hence the similar spelling, but their meanings have been distinct for centuries.

Insulate and Insolate

Insulate means “to cause to be in a detached or isolated position” or “to prevent passage of heat, electricity, or sound into or out of.” Insolate means “to expose to the sun’s rays.”

Lightening and Lightning

Lightening refers to something illuminating or brightening. Lightning is what is accompanied by thunder during storms.

Loath and Loathe

Loath is an adjective, meaning “disinclined” or “reluctant.” Loathe is a verb, meaning “feel hatred or disgust for.” Confusion often arises about not only what they mean but how they are pronounced. Loath has a soft th sound, while loathe has a hard th sound.

Luxurious and Luxuriant

Luxurious means “supplied with luxuries.” Luxuriant means “growing profusely.” Some consider it acceptable to use luxuriant to mean luxurious, but the best policy is to keep the words distinct.

Mucous and Mucus

Mucous is an adjective, as in, “a mucous gland.” Mucus is a noun, as in, “There is mucus emanating from my mucous glands.”

Noisome and Noisy

Noisome means “harmful” or “offensive” or “disgusting.” Obviously it does not share any shade of meaning with noisy, and so the two words should not be confused with one another.

Passable and Passible

Passable means “capable of being passed.” Passible means “capable of feeling or suffering; susceptible of sensation or emotion; impressionable.”

Passed and Past

Passed is a past tense verb. Past can be a noun, adjective, adverb, or preposition — never a verb.

Peccable and Peccant

Peccable means “capable of sinning.” Peccant means “guilty of sinning.”

Perspicacious and Perspicuous

Perspicacious means “having or showing insight.” Perspicuous means “easily understood” or “lucid,” or, when referring to a person, “expressing things clearly.”

Practicable and Practical

Practicable means “usable,” while practical means “useful.” Not all practicable things are practical, and not all practical things are practicable.

Sanguine and Sanguinary

Sanguine means “hopeful” or “optimistic” or “confident.” Sanguinary means “bloody” or “murderous.” Obviously these are two words it’s better not to confuse, lest you convey entirely the wrong idea about something.

Stanch and Staunch

Stanch is a verb that means “restrain a flow.” Staunch is an adjective that means “firm in attitude, opinion, or loyalty.” Both words are pronounced the same way. The distinction is actually quite recent; a hundred years ago, the two words were treated as interchangeable spelling variants. Such is no longer the case, so it’s important to distinguish one from the other.

Stationary and Stationery

Stationary is an adjective that means “not moving.” Stationery is a noun that means “writing paper and envelopes.”

Titillate and Titivate

Titillate means “stimulate pleasantly” or “tickle.” Titivate means “adorn” or “spruce up.” The similarity in spelling is coincidental. Titillate comes from the Latin word titillare, which means “tickle.” Titivate is a newer word which comes from the earlier word tidivate, which is likely derived from the words tidy and elevate.

 

Tortuous and Torturous

Tortuous means full of twists and turns. Torturous means “causing or involving torture or suffering.” These words are sometimes confused because of their similar spelling, but there is no further similarity.

Turbid and Turgid

Turbid means “unclear, obscure, confused, disordered” and, when referring to liquids, “muddy, thick, unclear.” Turgid means “enlarged, swollen” and, when referring to language, “pompous, overblown grandiloquent.” Because the two words are relatively uncommon, one is often confused for the other. Turbid comes from the Latin word turbidus, meaning “disordered,” from turba, which means turmoil, possibly from the Greek word turbe. Turgid comes from the Latin word turgidus, from turgere, which means, “to be swollen.”

Venal and Venial

Venal means “open to bribery” and “corruptible” and, when referring to conduct, “influenced by bribery.” Venial means “pardonable,” when referring to a fault or sin, and “trifling, not serious” when referring to misconduct.

The above listed confusables  enables  the speaker of English  not only to enrich their vocabulary but also to use the correct form of words in their communication.It is vital that professionals be affluent in their communication and it should be comprehended that these confusables should not be wrongly used .

Wish you Good luck

Kishore

KISHORE
http://www.articlesbase.com/languages-articles/english-confusables-713268.html

Video of a KING sleeping bag being taken out of the stuff sack, the features being demonstrated and then stuffed back into its stuff sack.

Duration : 0:3:7

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: bag, double, KING, person, size, sleeping, two

A Week in the Life of the Single, Working Mother

 

“It’s ok,” you think. “Nothing to worry about, really!”  I mean who doesn’t occasionally put their panties on inside out?  It can happen! The cottage is relatively dark in the morning and the bathroom has no light in it, so even if you went to the toilet you wouldn’t have noticed. No problem there. But then you go to the bathroom at work for the umpteenth time in the morning (you suffer from a weak bladder) and only then do you notice, staring back at you from the mirror,  a moron who is wearing two different types of earrings! Not two similar earrings, that may be understandable, but two totally different decorations. “Are those warning bells?” I think, listening intently.  “Or is that just the sound of me losing my mind”. I stride back into the office, laughing – you must do this in these situations -  and tell everyone the story. It’s funny, really, I mean, who doesn’t occasionally put two different earrings in their lobes?

 

All might have been well if I hadn’t remembered the keys! “Try to forget the key story!” I tell myself.  But no, a nagging imp-like, pest of a voice insists that I remember the keys. So, warily I cast my mind back to this morning’s debacle.  On leaving the cottage this morning, I absolutely know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I looked at the keys on their hook. I removed them from said hook and walked up to my car with three of my four children. Imagine my frustration and absolute impatience (I’m very impatient with ineptitude), when I couldn’t find the keys. This followed having to squeeze into my car (it was parked too close to my brother’s car), loaded with bags, trying to balance on my high heels that kept sinking into the soft earth. The keys! I just could’nt find the blasted things! We all looked, all four of us, while I muttered all the while that I definitely took them off the hook. Jarred, my nineteen year old, decided, very quietly, not to believe me, and wandered off to the cottage. He reappeared shortly after, keys in hand. Had I dropped them on the way? Did I put them down after picking them up? No, nothing that simple. I was flabbergasted to discover that they were still, in fact, hanging on the hook. Those damned fairies. Jarred knew better than to comment.

 

 My doctor says I’m stressed. My therapist says “Duh”! So, I decided that I would look at a week in my life and try to discover if I am indeed stressed, tired, overworked and hence abnormally distracted!

 

A week! How do you determine a week? My life seems to run from one chaotic moment to the next, forming hours, days, weeks and years. My absent-mindedness began on a Friday so I decided to capture my week beginning with the previous Sunday.

 

This week began relatively normally on Sunday evening when my eleven year old realized that he hadn’t completed his project that had been due for the previous Thursday. Nothing too complicated, just a moving greeting card! No need to panic, especially as he also had to look for every letter of the alphabet (in differing fonts and sizes), and stick them onto a piece of paper.  Ok, so I panic a little! Who wouldn’t?  Try finding a “Q” or a “J”. The card is cut out, his cricket players look like aliens and the family is in fits of laughter while my seven year old daughter draws something of a Rembrandt version of his picture (she is very bright). He doesn’t mind, just shrugs and continues to be glued to the TV, while I bellow, “Homework! Vincent, your homework!”

This situation could, in itself, be bearable but for that fact that it is happening at 6.30pm. This is the beginning of hell night. It is bath time accompanied by more bellows, “Get in the bath! Vincent, bath water! Katie, GET IN THE BATH!” It is school lunch time, but more on that later. It is uniform preparation time and goodness knows what else. There is always something of great significance that pops up out of nowhere to cause chaos and disorder.  There is also supper. After a huge lunch of prawns and rice the little angels are hungry. I’m not hungry! So I throw chicken pieces, covered with tinned tomatoes into the oven and put on a pot of rice.  I am functioning on three planes. My friend is there for a visit with biscuits, dips and wine – very sophisticated, my kids are between nakedness and pyjamas – very bohemian, my food is slowly overcooking and I am trying to engineer a moving cricket bat that will hit a ball across a card. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned, there is absolutely no need to panic – much! The kids end up going to bed halfway through the E-TV movie which, of course, is too late! I am a failure of a mother!

 

By 9.30pm, school uniforms are ready, hanging over chairs but sandwiches must be made. I usually make amazing lunches but tonight there is no bread. If there was bread there would be no filling. I am, however, supermom, and I have a plan! Tuckshop! Godsend! Tomorrow I will make that new sandwich filling : sweet corn, tuna and mayonnaise. The kids are already moaning about that one. I tell them that they have to broaden their horizons! Then I get “make us an extra sandwich, in case we don’t like that one”. My kids, the connoisseurs! Tuna – not good enough.  Ham – only fine alone, no mayonnaise or, for Katie and Jarred, with mustard. Vince wants salami, no mayonnaise. I tried pilchards and cucumber. My little ones tried to be kind saying,  “Mom, we didn’t really like the lunch today”. Jarred said it was wonderful but he that he couldn’t take it to Varsity anymore because : “It STINKS!” How subtle! One day they love chocolate spread, the next they don’t. One of them, can’t remember which, hates cheese spread but my twenty-two year old could live on it.  One loves peanut butter, the other shudders at the thought. The only thing I seem to get spot on are the chocolates and sweets that I provide.  Jarred won’t eat those though! He’s trying to diet!

 

Monday morning dawns and I have to drag myself out of bed at 6.30 after I’ve changed the alarm setting twice. I realize that I’m playing with fire as Jarred must be at University by eight and we have to drop the little ones off first. He will be furious if he realizes how late we got up. Little ones don uniforms (this takes about half an hour – no idea why), with me shouting about how they should stop dawdling and have breakfast. Needless to say, they suck down their cocoa pops while big brother rants about how late he’s going to be. I decide that I can’t possible make it to work. My neck is in agony, I am exhausted and constipated and signs of haemorrhoids are beginning to emerge.  My boss will spontaneously combust as she has told me that today I am getting a written warning for a mistake made on Friday.  Could my physical symptoms be psychosomatic or am I merely skirting the threshold of severe and irreversible stress? I phone the office, make excuses to my colleague (it’s easier) and go to bed, after telephoning the doctor to make an appointment for my daughter and myself. Katie has been getting waves of extreme tiredness and I’m really worried. It’s never anything curable, when it’s your child, is it? The mind of a mother is a very frightening place sometimes.

Monday wears on. I fetch Katie and her friend from school at 1.00pm. We go home, relax a bit, read and I smoke hubbly bubbly, (it relaxes me, ok!). She has raided my purse because she wants a pie for lunch. I have no money save R40 in the car for petrol! Jarred has my card. Three fifteen p.m. and it’s time to fetch Vincent from cricket (back to the school I left  two hours previously). I give in and buy two pies and put twenty rand petrol into my car. We pick up Vincent, nearly get hit by a stray cricket ball and head off to the doctor for our 4.00pm appointment. The fun has just begun! Kaitlyn must have a blood test. Have you ever tried to hold down a ten foot, rabid, thrashing and peculiarly terrified Anaconda? I’m sure not but I think it would be a breeze!  It would certainly be easier than holding down a terrified, stubborn, bucking bronco of a seven year old. I won’t go into detail – it’s far too traumatic – but it played out like a scene from a Tarantino movie.  Three adults (all in various phases of shock) holding down a tiny child whilst one of the adults sticks a 10cm thick, 1 metre long needle into her arm and  proceeds to suck all the blood from her body. She, all the while, screaming “Mommy! Mommy! Please!”.  I tell you, if you have never felt like a heel before and have an odd desire to do so, I fully recommend this as the way to go about it.

 

In the midst of the screaming chaos, Jarred phones. “You can fetch me now”, he says nonchalantly. The little pulsing blood vessel in my temple seems to explode as I explain as calmly as possible, why he has to wait. Meanwhile, Vincent has disappeared to the toilet in the front of the doctor’s rooms. He does not emerge until the screaming, from the far end of the building has subsided! Once the torture is over, she is shaken but laughs as I joke about how strong she is and how hard she can kick. She is not the only one trembling. The doctor grins nervously at me saying that he knows it seems barbaric, but honestly, it has to be done. Then he rushes from the room. The nurse just fumbles for words and I sit there hugging my daughter until my heart decides to return to my chest.

 

It is now five o’clock and Jarred is waiting at the University in Parktown. I rush off, still shaken but trying to play it down and make jokes. Katie sits unusually quietly on the back seat. I hardly notice the hellish traffic, I can handle anything after the past hour. We get to Jarred and he, very foolishly, says : “Why do you make appointments at five when you know you’re fetching me?” Is it really necessary to explain or will my feral death stare suffice. It does! Katie revives and excitedly tells Jarred about her nightmare experience. In record time it becomes an adventure and by Wednesday I will be relieved to know that my baby is doing well and that she probably just has worms.

 

In the blur that is my life I make supper, get the children bathed, eat, sort out homework, uniforms and sandwiches. The ex-husband telephones the children and says something inane to Katie like : “If you go to bed early you won’t be so tired and need blood tests.” Although I contemplate smashing the cell phone against the wall, I realize that it is mine and so I pour myself another glass of wine! The quiet breathing of my sleeping children, the studious attitude of my middle son, and the comings and goings of my eldest make it all worthwhile – most of the time! Thank God Monday is over.

 

Tuesday begins much the same way with me pulling my comatose body from the sleeper couch (don’t ask). Today there is a cricket match for Vincent (he finishes at about 5.00), and netball and  P.E. for Katie. I am organized. All is well. The usual shouting routine ensues in a fast-forward blur and I appear, miraculously, at work. I am angry and defensive due to the fact that when my friend called for me at work on Monday, my boss told him that I was scared to come to work. Scared? Of work? I’m waiting for blood test results, if you really want to know what fear is! I am called into the “big boss’s” office. I am given the poor work performance lecture and am prepared to receive my letter of warning. I decide to completely ignore my boss – dislike her right now – pull myself together and try even harder at work.  I am so happy when my friend calls and says that I don’t have to do lift scheme and that Kate can play with “Scarlie” today. A breather!  Jarred, however, finishes early so I have to take him home and come back to work. What is it they say about no rest?

 

After work I fetch Katie from Scarlet (where she did her homework – whoopee) and Vincent from cricket.  I finally get the kids into the bath while I cook supper in the house (again, don’t ask).  It’s a rather difficult task as I have to keep running back to the cottage for the ingredients that I have forgotten.  I try to do this really quietly because if the bathing darlings hear me, I am yelled for. This usually happens when I’ve made it into the cottage undetected and am halfway back to the house, thinking how cleverly I have eluded them. The word, “MOM”, uttered very loudly, causes me to stop dead in my tracks. Like a secret agent I attempt to melt into my surroundings. I become very quiet, I tip-toe up the stairs and into the kitchen. Made it! They soon forget that they have called me and I am congratulating myself when a raucous cacophony emerges from the bathroom and the air is filled with shouting and wailing.

“Jarred!” I scream, “For goodness sake, sort them out!” 

They are fearful of him until he turns his back and then Katie begins to sob and gesticulate hysterically. It appears that Vincent has ‘accidentally’ wee’d in the bath and then, just as ‘accidentally’, has splashed all the wee-filled water all over her.  All fear of terminal illnesses vacate my mind as I threaten to drown the children in the bath. My yells of “GET OUT! PUT NEW WATER IN,” to Vincent are heard blocks away while Katie adamantly refuses to get back in the bath with him and wanders around sopping wet and wrapped in a towel.

 

I somehow make it through the evening, tidying my cottage, packing my mom’s dishwasher with my dishes and watching that Vincent completes his homework. All memory of long division has long since been erased and I battle to help him with his maths homework.  I quickly pack Katie’s ballet  clothes – where the hell are those character shoes – and convince her that, because the shoes are too small,  I will get her new ones.

“Feel where my toe is,” she says convincingly to me.

Vincent has P.E tomorrow, so does Katie, but he refuses to wear a Speedo and so I must pack him some long shorts. While I fully applaud his fashion sense, I doubt that the school will believe his excuses for much longer.  I sigh when, miraculously, the atmosphere is infused with the even breathing of sleeping cherubs. I am just relaxing into a wine-induced oblivion (of course I’m exaggerating) when Gary, my eldest grabs on to my security gate from outside shouting, “Mom, Mom, hurry, open up! Quickly! Hurry!” My heart leaps into my throat. Someone is dead? Someone is chasing him? It’s obvious that something truly horrible has happened”.

“What is it? I somehow blurt out.

“Hurry! Open up! It’s Prison Break”.

 

How I’ve actually made it to Wednesday is beyond me. Perhaps it’s those “happy pills”, maybe the fact that I’m eating better, or more likely, I am simply functioning on auto-pilot.  Things go relatively smoothly this morning. I think I’m used to the chaos and I arrive at work only to realize that I must go shopping to cater for the afternoon meeting.  My boss is subjected to grunts, nods and head shakes from me as I refuse to be civil to her. I do a few things in the office and then head off to the shop to buy the eats. Today is not my lift scheme day and I look forward to a nice quiet lunch with my colleague from my previous job.  It’s really nice and I get back to work relaxed after a glass of wine and a tramezini.  I have a few invitations for the evening (kids are out Wednesday evening with their dad), but I decide to stay home and do my ironing that has been building up for weeks.  I buy myself a bottle of wine, make no supper because I’ve eaten and sit down with a magazine on a chair that I hardly move from for the entire evening. Jarred sits with me doing his homework. I help him because it’s English and I’m not bad at it. When I look for the wine I realize that I left it in my car, which Gary has taken. I sigh! I will have it at 7.30 when he gets home and hubbly will do in the meantime. I make sandwiches at the table and sort out school clothes. Needless to say, I do absolutely no ironing and have a glass of wine at 7.30. I continue to do the Sudoku that I have been doing the whole evening. Vincent and Katie get home at 8.00 and I have to rush them through a bath and then homework.  In bed late again! Jarred then begins to play guitar and make up a song about the politics of the country. I am excited and write down the words. Katie and Vincent listen from their beds.  By bed-time I’ve had about three glass of wine and am sleepy. Uncharacterisically, as I lie down the room begins to spin, and spin, and spin! I end up sick in the bathroom and fall asleep almost immediately.   What an end to my night of semi-solitude. They say, those very wise “they” people, that alcohol affects you more when you’re stressed. I wonder….! It’s a damn good excuse though.

I am pretty sure that I don’t have to mention that the vacating of my bed on Thursday morning is no easy task.  I do, however, succeed! Today we leave with only school bags. No tog bags, no cricket bats, no tackies, no ballet things, no extras at all. I feel free, wild – nothing to forget. The euphoria is intoxicating. This must be Heaven. I am even energized to go grocery shopping this evening. My friend says that she is free this evening. She asks if we should get together. Frankly the idea of wine or any other alcoholic drink, after last night, induces fear and trembling.  I decline.  Work is quiet as I continue to ignore my boss and 2.00 pm brings about my usual lift scheme.   I drop the little ones off, practically begging them to tidy the cottage and go back to work.  I don’t recall this but they say that I told them they could go shopping with me if they tidied up.  At about 4.00pm Jarred arrives at the office and I take him home. I have since decided that I should shop alone, leaving the little ones at home with Jarred to bath and do homework. The outcry that results from this suggestion to Vin and Kate is something I am not qualified to deal with.  I deflate and collapse into my car seat and meekly say, “get in”. They inform me that they “even cleaned the cottage”, in order to be able to go.

 

Shopping to me is a sadistic ritual.  I cannot comprehend those perverse individuals who actually enjoy the dreaded ordeal.  Add on two children who want everything in sight and who, after pleading to accompany me, want to go home after half an hour. Include fist-fights, sibling verbal abuse and disappearances every five minutes for free samples, and the whole thing intensifies ten-fold. I arrive at the shop at about 5.00 pm and get home by 7.30.  I am comforted by a well-meaning woman who tells me that my two fighting little maniacs are completely normal.  This is after she hears me yelling hysterically at them to “STOP IT!” and “I TOLD YOU TO STAY AT HOME”, accompanied by several other expletives. I tell her that I’ve had to go through it twice, having two older sons as well, and that I must have done something particularly evil in a previous incarnation.  She tells me that I look too young to have two older sons and I almost kiss her.  I feel haggard and worn, but decide to preserve the tiny morsel of dignity that I have left.  

 

I arrive home in the dark with two tired children who have not as yet bathed or, horror of horrors, done homework. Supper is no problem. MacDonalds, I love you! The cottage is in a dismal condition and if they had indeed tidied it up, a hurricane has since swept through it.  I try to tidy while Jarred brings a few shopping bags from the car. We eat and Katie takes ages to finish her food while I jump around uneasily trying not to think of bathing and homework.  Vincent gets stomach ache and needs the toilet but can’t find matches for the candle that has replaced the broken light bulb.  He eventually decides he has to go in the dark but five minutes later is wandering around bare-bummed looking for a torch! Jarred is ranting about how unfair it is because no-one will help him unpack the car and I am cleaning, packing away groceries and emptying the garbage bin, while yelling at Vincent to get back into the pitch black bathroom and onto the toilet. Katie, meanwhile continues to eat at two chews per minute and Xena, my Doberman, runs in and eats Vincent’s burger! Thank goodness Katie has two burgers, having got the special in case Gary is home for supper.  This extra one is given to Vincent. When I remind my daughter that she is taking an abnormally long time to eat she throws down her burger saying, “Fine, I will starve”. This results in me telling her what a “princess” she is!

 

Add to this chaotic evening the fact that there is a really young and persistent man that I know who keeps phoning me at the most inconvenient times and you have the makings of a true farce. I kid you not, to the delight and bemusement of my children he phoned and let it ring for a full seven minutes. They, and I, were absolutely amazed. My little ones know all the excuses in the book now when he calls, but this time we just let it ring – our amusement for the evening.

 

Eventually, eventually, eventually clean, educated and well-fed children are lying in their beds.  Unfortunately there is some good stuff on T.V. and the little darlings keep peeking at the screen. Death stare time! Eyes shut! And peace reigns supreme.

 

Friday, FRIday, FriDAY! Happy days! It’s Friday!!!! I have made it. We have made it. We are breathing and relatively sane. One more day to get through. Should be a breeze. And all appears to be fine but looks can be deceiving. I am organized! I am Supermom! Katie’s ballet clothes are ready, lunches are packed into cases and it’s time to go. But dizzyingly quickly we return to the Friday day I lost my mind!  The keys, the panties, the earrings – all effects lasting temporarily however.  My initial horror gives way to amazement as I realize that my distractedness appears to have come along with a burst of genius. I have managed, quite extraordinarily, to work out how to put seven separate documents onto one document on Excel. This involves a lot of copying, pasting, (making small), renaming and finally coming out with a whole new document. I am so impressed with myself that I forget to sulk and run to my boss to tell her how wonderful I am.  She agrees that I am very clever and I see no reason to continue the argument.

 

After the initial shock of all my weird activities of the morning, I begin to feel relatively relaxed.  Katie has ballet and so does her friend, so the other half of the lift scheme does the lifts today.  I do, however, still have to take Jarred home. This changes when he telephones to say that the pub at Education Campus is opening today and he will come over later, probably around three. This all seems fine until my boss, whom I have just made friends with, decides that we can go home early – at three. I try to call Jarred. Surprise, surprise – his phone is off. I have to wait. I can’t very well go storming into the pub to yank him out. In the meantime his older brother calls. I must meet him at home and then take him to Vodacom to sign for his new SIM card. The problem is we must do this by 5.00 as the shop will probably close. The other problem is that I have no idea what time Jarred will put in an appearance.  Gary laughs hysterically when he hears the situation, telling me that I’ve got a long wait ahead of me. I little while later the little ones call me at work to ask if they can make me a surprise from their recipe book. I agree to this asking, as nicely as possible, that they clean up after themselves.  At about 3.30 Gary phones, asking where I am and Jarred eventually arrives at four o’clock. At four fifteen Katie calls, asking how far I am from home because the surprise is waiting. I drop Jarred at home and Gary takes his place in the car. Katie runs out asking where I’m going and saying that the surprise is ready. I assure her that I will not be long. We get to Vodacom, sign the papers and are told that it will cost R65.00. Gary and I look at each other incredulously. Neither of us has money on us.  He decides to drop me at home, as I’m really anxious to have my surprise before the babies’ dad fetches them for the weekend. Gary will fetch my bank-card and go and pay the account. Miraculously we find the card in the car. At home I have a sosatie stick with strawberries, pineapple, banana and dates (because I have given up chocolate for lent) waiting for me on a plate with ice-cream and custard.  Children have an amazing way of erasing a week of stress in an instant, by a simple gesture of love so pure that it melts your insides and touches you to the very core of your being!

 

 Reality, however, has a nasty way of intruding on the most special of moments. My friend arrives to take me for dinner but my ex has not yet collected the children. The place is unbelievably noisy. There is a ridiculous modern musical blasting from the television and Jarred is showing everyone his political song. The atmosphere is mildly crazy but very enjoyable. The ex hoots at the gate for the little ones. Unfortunately at this precise moment my father and brother decide to have a very heated altercation. I do not want my children’s father to hear or see anything about the argument (long story) so I rush the children out as soon as possible.  It is a scene from a black comedy. The more I tell them that they must leave quickly, the more times they return to fetch something that they have forgotten. It is unbelievable! Finally they leave and I breathe a sigh of relief. My eldest son’s girlfriend has been ushered into the cottage to escape the argument inside.  My friend and I leave, I tell Jarred where to hide the keys and I, naively, believe that I am due for a quiet and peaceful weekend.

 

Dinner is uneventful except for when I go to the bathroom, get confused with the doors and end up exiting the ladies and entering a sushi restaurant that I hadn’t been eating at. After the initial confusion, I make a hasty retreat and find my friend outside, waiting for me.  While on my way to the bathroom I discover that Jarred has called me twenty-two times and I have finally heard the phone on the twenty- third try. He tells me that there is trouble at home and on top of this he has dropped my cottage keys into the cottage and cannot get them out. My friend and I end up getting into the cottage by unscrewing one of the security gates, at the same time releasing my Doberman who has been prisoner in the cottage for goodness knows how long. In the meantime I go to find my brother who has passed out in the garden and attempt to help him. The rest is a long, involved and futile story and is best ignored and forgotten.

 

My peaceful Friday ends and I fall into bed and into a deep sleep.

I have big plans for Saturday. I am going to get myself out of debt. I will get up relatively late, go to the bank and draw the money. I will then pay off my clothing accounts, my T.V. and buy my daughter and my friend their birthday presents. I have, however, discovered that in life that you should never plan anything. Go with the flow. That way you can never be irritated! This I have discovered but unfortunately I have never actually learnt from it.

 

I arrive at the bank. None of the banks at the mall have electricity. I swear, various expletives, under my breath and head off to the other mall. I think that I am very clever but at the same time have a sense of foreboding about what I will find at that bank. I am astounded beyond my normal ability to be astounded! The queues begin at the tellers inside the bank (far, far inside the bank), out the door and all the way down to Woollworths, which is about half a city block away. All the other banks have the same problem. I mutter some more swear words, this time including some obscenities about the state of the country and decide on retail therapy, which I most certainly cannot afford.  I head home, make a hubbly (yes, again) and tidy my flat. I am busy with this when my brother’s weird girlfriend starts yelling out my name. Jarred is amazed to see me hurl myself across the room, jump out of my shoes and fling myself onto Katie’s bed, at the same time begging him to tell her that I’m asleep. I close my eyes tightly, praying that she won’t come in.  Jarred, the horror, lets me lie like that for a few minutes, choosing not to tell me that she is gone. I continue to hide for awhile then poor myself a glass of wine (yes, again), put on a load of washing, set up the ironing board and complete all my outstanding ironing. I am Superwoman! I am Wonder Woman! I am Mother! I put washing on the line and it rains! I am Exceedingly Irritated Woman.

 

I, being so damn popular, have three invitations for Saturday evening. My haemorrhoids are agonizing at this stage and I decide I cannot go to the braai. I also don’t feel like visiting the young obsessive phone caller. I decide to surprise my friend and go to him to watch a DVD. The evening is uneventful except for the fact that my eldest son keeps phoning me to yell about how unfair it is that he has to lift my middle son to a party. He rants about how far it is and how it’s unfair to use his girlfriend’s car.  At about ten o’clock I go home and sit with Gary in the cottage until he leaves to fetch his girlfriend. I bath and, exhausted, climb into bed. The cell rings at 12.30. That dreaded call that will inform me that Jarred cannot get a lift home and I must fetch him. I am half asleep and ask Jarred to call me back with directions. Gary calls and tells me where to go. I put my dog in the car – she is astounded (as astounded as a dog can be) and we head off into the unknown, with a set of directions on my lap. I am in some God-forsaken place in the middle of the night but I eventually  find the place after a few more phone calls to Gary. I find the street but not the number. There is no number eighteen. Fortunately I am not alone in my stupidity as the taxi driver who has just arrived is also driving up and down the road in search of number eighteen.  I find it, eventually, around the corner – something that must have slipped the minds of both my sons.  I then spend about ten minutes outside waiting for Jarred to appear, anger causing all my arteries to pulse unusually. I cannot call him because, surprise, surprise, his phone is off! I cannot go in because I am in my pyjamas. I am on the verge of an embolism when he appears at the gate, glass in hand. I am irritated. I am tired. I tell him to throw the drink out.  His friend then proceeds to vomit next to my car. I am petrified. He cannot puke in my car. He sits in the front, window wound down and proceeds to tell me, in a very elevated tone, how much he loves me and what a good person I am. I am almost deaf when we reach home. I flop into bed at 1.30 in the morning.

 

Sunday – wonderful Sunday. I get up late. I go to breakfast with my friends. Have a wonderful Pina Colada (spelling) and then head home. I must go shopping for my friend’s present, but decide to go with him so he can choose it. Then we see a movie. I am relaxed for the first time in a week!  He drops me at home. I iron the load of washing on the line and put on another load. The older boys are home and have toast, biscuits and dips for supper. This is my day, this is my moment, this is my time! I am tired. I am relaxed and I must preserve the last iota of strength that I have to begin this routine all over again!

 

The conclusion of this pitiful but ultimately fulfilling tale – : I am tired, I am stressed but hey I do these things for the people that I love. I love and am loved and nothing is too much  – although it sometimes seems that way.

 

And Monday I want to start gym again! Wish me luck!

Karen Dosw
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/a-week-in-the-life-of-the-single-working-mother-588052.html

The wind rustled through the pine trees’ on a cold Tuesday night. Bella Cooper was camping with her best friend Janet Moore. As Bella swiped her hand across her forehead, was excited to get in the two person tent she spent all day working on. Bella glanced at Janet pulling out the sleeping bags out the Ford Mustang.

I don’t have any idea what its about so I can’t really give you a valid answer. But over that little tidbit, its pretty good. I think you use your adjectives pretty well, but it could be better. Over all it was okay and I would definitely consider reading it. Keep writing, I hope I helped!

This 2 person sleeping bag is made by Slumberjack. For car and family campers, this double bag offers two different temperature ratings to allow for multiple sleeping options and can also be used individually. Also included are two matching pillows to help make things a little more comfortable. Bonnie +40*F/Clyde +30*F Features: Fill: Slumberloft HQ Insulation Outer: Polyester Taffeta outer shell Liner: 100% Yarn Dyed Cotton Flannel Construction: Quilt through Other: Weather seal draft tube with anti-snag zipper protection / Easy-grab pull tabs / Matching pillows included Color: Navy / Bluegrass Maximum User Height: 5′ 11” Size: 34”x78” Fill Weight: 3 lbs(Bonnie); 4 lbs(Clyde) Carry Weight: 4 lbs 15 oz(Bonnie); 5 lbs 15 oz(Clyde) Carrier: 2 elastic loops

Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.GreenGrocerBags.com is a niche retailer of eco friendly bags, totes, zip cases, pouches, lanyards, smart card holders and related accessories for shopping, sports, travel or play. We want to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags.
Produced By Visible.net
media@visible.net

Duration : 30 sec

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: reusable

The Doe Network:
Case File 789UMCO

Notebook

Unidentified White Male

The victim was discovered on September 8, 2004 in the Flat Tops, White River National Forest, Garfield County, Colorado
Estimated Date of Death: No longer than 5 years prior to discovery
Skeletal remains

——————————————————————————–

Vital Statistics

Estimated age: Late 40s to late 50s, but could have been anywhere from 35 to 65.
Approximate Height : 6′0"
Distinguishing Characteristics: Forensic examiners say he suffered some discomfort from degeneration in his back and neck.
Dentals: The man had extensive dental work, including gold work, crowns, bridges and fillings in almost all his teeth, suggesting the man had money.
Clothing: A pair of size 9M Timberland brown-and-black hiking boots.
Possessions: Located was fragments of sleeping cushion, fragments of blue backpack, a yellow-green plastic poncho, parts of a brown sleeping bag, blue hairbrush, two plastic zipper bags, Six $100 bills, one $10 bill, one $5 bill, five $1 bills , green Eureka dome tent, blue-and-black Jansport backpack, green camping pillow, black belt with clinging long underwear fragments, Slumberjack sleeping bag, empty Tylenol bottle, eight multicolored butane lighters, one magnifying glass, one compass, fingernail clippers, bell, spoon, pepper spray, 20 packages of Camel unfiltered cigarettes, Butane stove with two fuel cans, sweetwater water-filtration kit, pocket-sized Battleship game, round red-and-blue canteen, two green plastic military-style canteens, pair of sunglasses, pair of reading glasses, silver Sharper Image binoculars, "4 in 1" Radio Shack game, two drinking cups, aluminum cooking pot, pair of tweezers, package of foam earplugs, package of razor blades, tent repair kit, pair of blue wool socks with duct tape around the toes, roll of duct tape, two National Geographic trail maps of the Flat Tops.
Other: A pocket-sized, spiral notebook with a green cover with hand-drawn artwork depicting a heart and some figures inside the heart, including what appears to be a cat.
The first page, addressed to "Lib," begins, "I should wait in case my situation here doesn’t improve. This may be the end of my journey."
"Would like for you to claim the body . . . services or memoreal. Cremation."
The CBI found the next section illegible, although individual words such as "I" and "thought" and "favor" or "flavor" could be made out.
On another page, more text could be discerned, but the CBI analysts said the writer’s point is not clear. That sections reads, "Third choice take them up in a glider (I promise not to get sick on you," before becoming illegible. Some common words – "this," "you" and "not" – are identifiable.
On yet another page, the writing apparently goes, "ar on the . . . would you call her…d have it sent…you because I . . . want it to . . . where." Analysts also interpreted a recovered fragment to read, "be . . . er . . . my . . . s are going."

Possessions

——————————————————————————–

Case History
The victim was located September 8, 2004, by bow hunters in a remote area north of Glenwood Springs. The site is in the drainage of No Name Creek at about 9,700 feet elevation, about 6 miles as the crow flies from Glenwood Springs, but 12 miles by the Transfer Trail out of town.
The skeleton revealed no cause of death and the sheriff’s office has been assuming it probably was natural.
The man was found in a tent at a campsite in a wooded, remote location. His trousers had rotted away, but the date of currency found at his campsite indicates he apparently had been there no longer than five years.
The letter leaves open the possibility the man was suicidal, although there is no reason to believe he killed himself. Perhaps he was terminally ill and chose to take his life. The man also could have succumbed to unexpected illness or injury while on an outing in the Flat Tops.
Much about the case is conjecture, including a theory that the man entered the Flat Tops Wilderness at a trailhead on the north and hiked four or five days across elevations of 11,000 feet before setting up his tent on a southern drainage at about 9,700 feet. That theory is supported by two moisture-proof National Geographic trail maps of the Flat Tops with a route drawn across them to the area where the remains were discovered. But it’s possible the man picked up the maps someone else had marked and left behind.

——————————————————————————–

Investigators
If you have any information about this case please contact:
Garfield County sheriffs Office
970-945-1377, Ext. 1025
Or
Crime Tips
970-384- 3625
You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

NCIC Number:
N/A
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Glenwood Springs Post Independent
Rocky Mountain News

Sounds like a friend of mine who has been missing from his girlfriend in Texas. He was experiencing a lot of pain from his neck and back problems. I will foward this information to her. She also knows his family.

The Eureka Tetragon 5 is a 1 room tent that will sleep 2 people. The double-coated StormShield polyester fly and the polyester bathtub floor combine to provide excellent weather protection. It has 1 door and 2 windows for great views and wonderful ventilation. The shockcorded fiberglass frame is reliable and easy to set up. The hooded fly over the front and rear door windows allows you to leave the window partially open for even more ventilation even in rain. Main fly and floor seams are factory taped for weather protection Free standing design is easy to set up Sleeps 2 Polyester bathtub floor keeps seams taut and high off the ground for superior protection Double-coated polyester fly won’t stretch & resists UV damage better than nylon. Dimensions – 7 ft x 5 ft Center height – 4 ft Shockcorded fiberglass frame is easy to set up and very sturdy and stable All clip assembly for fast easy stable set up Poles attach to tent body via pin and ring for fast and easy set up Color coded webbing simplifies set up 2 mesh gear pockets for internal storage, clothes line loops and flashlight loop Hooded fly allows windows front and rear to remain open even in rain 1 door 2 windows and 2 mesh roof vents Twin track zippers for separate operation of the window in the door External guy points on the fly help secure your tent in high winds Natural green color scheme blends into any campground All carry bags and stakes included Fire retardant Import

Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.MensMessengerBags.net/
Hi Guys! I found a great website which contains a lot of articles about Mens Messenger Bags. You have to check it out!

Duration : 35 sec

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: mens

Backpacking? Scouting? Planning a camping trip for the whole family? Whatever journey you decide on, it is essential to choose the right equipment before you begin your expedition. Sleeping bags should be on top of your list. It is particularly important you select one that will suit all your needs.

Like any other equipment, there are different designs and high-tech materials available. It mainly depends on your budget and how you will use it. So decide on your preferences and consider the following questions to make a smart choice before you go shopping for the perfect bag.

1. What is the coldest temperature you will expect to encounter?

Season and temperature range are often considerations in choosing the ideal bag. You will need a warmer bag if you plan to take a trip in winter than go backpacking in the summer months.

2. Is it down or synthetic insulation?

An important element of good bag is its insulation. Modern bags offer two choices; they are either down or synthetic. Both materials present advantages and disadvantages.

Down bags perform superiorly in ideal conditions because it provides tremendous warmth for just little weight. It also outperforms synthetic insulation for years and gives better comfort range as it regulates your heat inside the bag. The only problem is that if it gets wet, the value of the insulation is very poor.

On the other hand, synthetic bags provide insulation even when wet and dries up very quickly. It is also non-allergenic. But one downside of this type of insulation is that it is bulkier, and heavier.

3. How tall are you?

Height is also a big factor to consider. If you are tall, calculate the length of the sleeping bag from your toe to your neck. Then add a few inches to your height to make sure you will fit comfortably in the bag and have extra room to move inside.

4. How heavy is the sleeping bag?

A good summer sleeping pad should not weigh more than 3 pounds while a winter bag can be heavier. You should compare the bag according to their temperature ratings and total weight to have a clearer idea to the load you will be carrying in the future.

5. Is it packable?

Down bags are usually the best choice in terms of warmth, durability, weight and most importantly, compressibility. Although synthetic bags can be packed in compression sacks, this can possibly damage the filling and decrease the insulating capability of the bag.

6. Is it right for you?

All of us are different. Each person varies on how warm they sleep even under ideal circumstances. A good example is two individuals sleeping in the same type of bag having completely different night’s sleep. One may feel warm and comfortable whereas the other person will feel the cold. So it is essential to determine if you are either a cold or a warm sleeper.

No matter what type of sleeping bags you settle on, keep in mind that it can either make or break your camping experience. Careful planning and preparation is the key to a gratifying and enjoyable time in the great outdoors.

Rachel Nunez
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/sleeping-bags-6-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-find-the-perfect-one-672159.html