Through the Eyes of a Child

[payne]

It's fairly sad to think these kids are probably better at cooking than me... thanks to you! :P

[intothenew]

It's fairly sad to think these kids are probably better at cooking than me... thanks to you! :P

And I consider it a rather low priority compared to the multitude of things that they need to learn, but it sure keeps their attention and I certainly enjoy it. So, I justify the time spent on it simply because it is fun although I am constantly arguing with myself on just how much time. It certainly helps that I have their Grandmother looking over my shoulder. If I don't feed them, or teach them to feed themselves, she will. Granny ain't gonna let em' go hungry.

With all that said, I am having to concede that food is much more of a priority than I want to credit. An army of varmints marches on its stomach.

So, this weeks preps sort of revolved around that subject. Martha dedicated a pantry cabinet for their stores, she being the pantler.

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Humble in it's contents but it does contain the two major food groups, cocoa and peanut butter. Purchasing procured mess kits and boil covers this week. Ashes in the canteen cups has been an issue, is this worth the weight?

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The mess kits are a knock off, lighter than MIL. A true MIL;

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The knock off;

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Size and form is close to the same, MIL on the bottom.

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Quality of fit and finish seems to be acceptable, but I worry about clean up around those handle rivets.

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Instead of a stainless cutlery set, a plastic spork for each.

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Martha and I spent some time in the lab also. Field expedient pizza, I can't wait to try this on them.

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[Rick]

Personally, I don't see the knock offs as a problem. It's not like the kids are going into combat and require military specs. As long as they are functional they should be fine.

If you are concerned about ashes in the cup and the weight of the Heavy Cover lids then why not use aluminum foil? The weight shouldn't/wouldn't be an issue for you and me but you do have to watch how much you load on the mini soldiers.

The pizza looks great!

[intothenew]

Personally, I don't see the knock offs as a problem. It's not like the kids are going into combat and require military specs. As long as they are functional they should be fine.

If you are concerned about ashes in the cup and the weight of the Heavy Cover lids then why not use aluminum foil? The weight shouldn't/wouldn't be an issue for you and me but you do have to watch how much you load on the mini soldiers.

The pizza looks great!

Other than the rivets, I'm with ya' on the knock offs. The biggest plus is that they are lighter. Warping could be a problem, but that's to be seen.

Point well taken on the aluminum foil. They each have 3-4 sqft of it in their packs. It's a personal bias that I must overcome, but I always hesitate to use a consumable. That's stupid I know, especially on day trips, by definition it's to be used.

The pizza tastes great too, and all of the ingredients require no refrigeration.

[Rick]

Aluminum is 100% recyclable so just recycle it. It will be another great lesson for the kids about taking care of our planet. You can add the Heavy Cover lids when they get bigger and talk about reuse of items over recycling. I love learning moments.

Sand can be used to clean around the rivets before washing them up. You can explain how it can be used as an abrasive. Just a thought.

Recipe on the pizza, please.

[intothenew]

.............Recipe on the pizza, please.

Sure, but I need some time. There were four manifestations. I'll have to gather up the pics, and study on the embellishment.

[crashdive123]

ITN - I've really enjoyed this thread. Thank you.

[intothenew]

...........Recipe on the pizza.........

Put on your tunic, toga, or both, and join me here. It's gonna' take a little time.

[payne]

Aluminum is 100% recyclable so just recycle it. It will be another great lesson for the kids about taking care of our planet. You can add the Heavy Cover lids when they get bigger and talk about reuse of items over recycling. I love learning moments.

Ecologically speaking, it's way better to not use the aluminum than to recycle it. Avoiding consumables is a great habit, and you should definitely talk about it to them.

Reduce > Reuse > Recycle > Rebus.

[Rick]

I do agree with you. As a consumer, avoiding non-renewable resources is, unfortunately, unavoidable in this day and age. Just as unfortunately, somewhere between 50-60% of cans are recycled so it behooves us to teach recycling to the younger generation. While there are plentiful reserves of bauxite ore, it takes a lot of oil to convert bauxite to an aluminum can.

http://earth911.com/news/2011/09/01/...t-in-a-decade/

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/alum.htm

[intothenew]

payne, Rick, your words carry a lot of weight. You sent me away talking to myself for much of the day. Introspection should be a sober endeavor, sometimes that can be quite difficult both literally and figuratively.

I find that my decision not to use consumables is based mostly on selfishness, in particular self preservation. I always want "it" there, at my disposal, at any time. If I use "it", it's gone.

But I also reflect on the consumables that I have made available to these children. My only consolation is that I am trying to wean them from that mentality (e.g. BD making Mac & Cheese rather than pouring water into one of those plastic containers). That too is somewhat selfish; It's cheaper, it's healthier, it tastes better, and it helps him be somewhat more self sufficient.

I reflect on all of those cans of sterno that I have used, many times a fire would have done just fine.

Those are certainly not the most egregious of my sins, but some that are easy to admit. I take, from your words and my self evaluation, a greater need to emphasize the consequences of each and every decision to the varmints.

Yes, we're all in this thing together. But if you find yourself on your own,...................



Keep those comments coming. I rewound and played a lot of "mental film" today.

[Rick]

If it makes you feel any better.....hamburger and pizza sauce are in the dehydrator as we speak...er....type. I feel an open fire pizza coming on later this week.

We try to recycle everything around here. We do pretty good with it. Not a lot of stuff goes in the trash. We donate all our recyclables to the local senior citizen center. Except plastic bags. They get a might feisty if you show up with those. We have to take those to the city's recycle center.

[intothenew]

In a recent shake down by the laundry department, prohibited items were confiscated. Possession of the particular items is not prohibited, but leaving various unattended items concealed in laundry is a misdemeanor. The charge carries a tongue lashing if convicted. Forensics reports that the perpetrator must spend a lot of time on their knees, in muddy conditions. Current leads point to a member of the "Three Varmints", a typically rambunctious group. Officials have released a photo of the prohibited items.

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[Rick]

Uh huh. I've seen this before. It's the notorious Marbles Gang. There have been rumors they carry light bulbs in case one of them gets a bright idea but to date no pictures have actually confirmed this. There were also reports last year that one of the members had lost their marbles. It now looks like another has suffered the same fate.

Don't forget that the members go by nefarious names: Grandpa, Jack, Sem, Jumbo, Cateye and PeeWee to name a few. Personally, I just think those a street names.

[intothenew]

It was another shut-in weekend, kinda. Much of it was by design, the weather forecast looked terrible. I planned accordingly.

First task was ICE, and the associated ramifications. There is ongoing side bar discussions with their parents on just what is, and is not, to be included.

Their desk, for the moment

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Each received a personal "ICE cube".

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Safe keeping, (i.e. encryption or not, how it is handled and stored, etc ) and just what is to be put on it were discussed and noted. I have an integration concept relating to backing up some of their cloud info, plus personal info, that all the powers that be must agree on.

The view out the study room window was nice, Tom is feeling frisky.

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Now, it's time for a snack. I had been on the road all week and had prepared some pizza fixin's last Sunday in anticipation of this weekend. Since field trials were out, and cheese is a terrible thing to waste, I tried it on them a la carte. The plate has cheese cloth wrapped and wax dipped, and the baggy has cheese cloth wrapped and a touch of vinegar.

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I show them that you can live through it.

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And each slices in

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I can report that 2 out of 3 varmints approve. The vinegar soak didn't fare so well.

A unanimous thumbs up on the casings, fire is always fun. Scratch some of the wax off, and fluff up the cloth just as you do the cotton balls.

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It, fire, mesmerizes us all?

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The last one went out at 9 min 43 sec.

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There was a CB/PJ giggle session for resupply.

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And then, the theme of the weekend.

A double overhand

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A fisherman

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That was before bed time last night. I'll try to get to the pork fat and some more what knots, from today, in a few.

[crashdive123]

Another great teaching and learning weekend for you and the varmints.

[intothenew]

BB was first up, he draws the fire starting card.

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BD was next up, and he had to show me a knot. Told me this would impress the ladies.

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Breakfast was sinful and busy. They each got to fix their own, we played musical mess kits on the stove.

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I had a teachers aid that helped tremendously, an app on their devices.

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I am surprised that I am not stilled tied up on the porch. They each amazed me with how fast they caught on. They would walk through it with the app until they thought they had it down pat, then without. There will be quite a few more sessions of knots, but here's a sampling of what a few hours can produce.

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Later in the day, I got to spend some quality time with their parents. They got to spend some time just being children.

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[crashdive123]

Another wonderful session with the varmints. Thanks for making me feel a lot more youthful this morning.

[intothenew]

Another wonderful session with the varmints. Thanks for making me feel a lot more youthful this morning.

And you have in fact contributed a bit this week. Your "French Toast" recipe added to a desire to fix it in the field. I have Amish made egg solids in store, but they don't cook up well. So, I started a batch of fresh dehy last night, Martha should be pulling and packaging them in a few hours. I'm going to lab test yours, and what they are used to, sometime this week.

I have an update from the laundry police blotter, we've had another incident.

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[natertot]

That appears to be a rare species of snake. I believe it is "Redous Plasticon Agkistrodon Piscivorus". Also known as red plastic water mocassin! It is a good thing the laundry police didn't get hurt while encountering such a beast. I understand that there is also a huge penelty for possessing such species.