Ennui at Storrie Lake: a "Hard Life" production

Hanging out with the women here is fun. In the mornings, Jeannie and Annie take me out for a drag with the dogs.

I'm in good company here, so I have only myself to blame for my ennui. If I were just bored, that would be ridiculous. In French, it is indisputably très mauvais. It will be another nine days, and then the cast will be off. Doctor, will I be able to play the piano! Great! I never could before!

We are not amused.

I don't like to dwell on my restlessness, or the brief episodes of existential WTH I experience on the road. It wouldn't matter where I was, these things would still happen, but I'd be stuck in one place with them. I only mention them because people sometimes think their mental imps will stay behind when they hit the road, only to find they have stowed away in a basement bay. We all still have our work to do.

I have been field-testing my small generator with its plug-and-play solar panel.

The generator is a small, sealed battery plus an inverter. It can be charged with solar, with a 12-volt cigarette-style car port while driving, or with AC from an outlet. 

In turn, it charges my laptop (via 12-volt port or AC), all my devices (Nook, phone, wifi devices) via USB ports, and my camera battery via AC outlets. PLUS, it is a car battery jump-starter.

If you need only USB charging, the solar panel has two USB ports on its own and doesn't need the generator/inverter go-between. It is a 27 watt unit, nicely foldable and portable. It could be hung from a backpack to keep your devices charged on the trail.

If you always have ready access to AC, you wouldn't need the solar panel. The combo works well for me.

Overall, I like it. I can keep my laptop charged without running the engine, and I will also be able to use it when I'm stationary and off-grid, like at my cabin. I feel reassured having a jump start ready to go if I should need it on the road.

On the con side, it would be nice to have more capacity (I think it's a 26 Ah battery). Although, if it were much bigger I couldn't carry it.

I look forward to seeing my friend, Betty, on the way back down to Las Cruces (if she'll be at home). I will also be glad to see Annie and David in Truth or Consequences when I pick up the remnants of my possessions from their house. I'll leave something else behind, so there's always a "reason" to stop back by.

Edited October 28, 2014: The Duracell Powerpack shown here is not the unit I purchased. Reviewers say the new model does NOT have solar-charging capabilities, so that's a razzberry and two thumbs down. 

Let me show you the cute.

We got both good rain and plentiful sun today, and we are gladder than we were yesterday. We juiced, and the whole day just went better. We appreciate everyone's concern about our noxious, deadly generator, even though we didn't run it this time around.

I am not the chipmunk you're looking for.

Not rabid, Mom!

That's right, I am not rabid. Look into my eyes. Disregard the froth.

Her hooves don't fall through! I go around.

We've already discussed this.

Just look at my cute hands. 

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