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Most Impractical Item in a Toy Home


Kale

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What's the most impractical thing you've brought along in your Toy?

 

My entry is a color laser printer. Used in my home office, I had every intention of selling it before taking off but I kept needing to print more stuff out. Now that time (and my patience with CL folks) has run out it has a nice cozy spot next to the refrigerator.

Pros:

  • It prints things (when on shore power)

Cons:

  • Big
  • Heavy
  • Power hungry
  • Requires wired network connection

IMG_2868.jpg

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Cost per page is higher but we use the Canon iP110 printers in our service vans to be able to print.  Works on 12 volts with the available cigarette lighter cord too.

I had a lot of extra stuff that we eventually found really wasn't being used.  Part of this was because I like to cook so I had far too much kitchen gear.  I still miss the big cast iron frying pan but I lightened up considerably and regained a lot of extra storage space.  Among what went was the microwave and TV as they just didn't get used.  I also replaced the electric coffee grinder for a hand crank one that is much smaller and lighter.  Thermal carafe was replaced too in favor of a small plain Melita pour over.

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4 minutes ago, Back East Don said:

Cost per page is higher but we use the Canon iP110 printers in our service vans to be able to print.  Works on 12 volts with the available cigarette lighter cord too.

I have a bit of a grudge against those Canons. One of my first jobs was doing tech support for commercial vehicle enforcement in AK. All the officers had those for printing violations. Though, thinking back, they did quite well for the amount of abuse those guys and gals put them through.

I certainly have too much stuff right now, but I'm going to foist it on friends that I stop to see. Luckily I know a number of people in Portland.

What did you replace your cast iron with? I've got my trusty Lodge 12" skillet with me. I've also got a 3qt All Clad sauce pan, which is lighter, but less versatile. I was planning to give the All Clad to a friend of mine.

My Keurig was replaced with a moka pot. I'm using pre-ground for now, but I do have a little hand crank burr grinder.

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I ended up with a Palm non-stick pan that is smaller and more appropriate for cooking for the two of us on the go.  I anticipated cooking more on the road but because we are only on 2-3 day excursions, I now meal prep in advance plus we'll dine out at least a couple meals.  For instance the last trip I made a barbacoa style beef for tacos and homemade pico before the trip.  I prepped everything in bags and containers and it was a super easy meal.  I would need a decent size class A to be able to do trips longer than a week as I don't think we could make the transition if I didn't have a full kitchen.  You have my respect because I know I could not live in ours. 

The micro roaster we go to has half bags or will re-bag any variety on request and we will sometimes pick one up for trips and have it ground for pour overs.  I've had plenty of Keurig coffee as I spend a lot of time in different corporate offices.  Just about anything is drinkable in a pinch but coffee is an entirely different experience at the fresh end of the specialty scale.

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I've lived in small studios and decent sized houses. I prefer small, with more space I just collect more crap. Though this is certainly the smallest I'll have lived in and at the very least it will be an experience. I used to cook a lot, but lately have been pretty lazy about it, buying meals from the store (which are not exactly gourmet). I plan to do more cooking now to save money. At first I thought the Norcold 5.5 cu. ft. refrigerator the PO had included would take up too much coach space, but now I'm glad I have the extra food storage.

The Keurig was a convenient way to get caffeine, definitely doesn't make great coffee. I'm really enjoying the moka pot, it makes a pretty decent espresso, which I usually put some water in for an Americano. There's also something enjoyable about the ritual of making coffee with something relatively simple like a moka pot or pour over.

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Jacks, spare tire, first aid kit, tools; all that stuff I never use. I think I'm getting more fanatical, last trip two of the three drawers by the sink were empty. Caffeine pills, 10 cents apiece and I split them in half.  

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At home a Keurig, sigh, but at least I use my own grounds in an EZ Cup with a paper filter. On the road its a pour over for multiple cups. If I need one good cuppa, then its an AeroPress.

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8 hours ago, WME said:

At home a Keurig, sigh, but at least I use my own grounds in an EZ Cup with a paper filter. On the road its a pour over for multiple cups. If I need one good cuppa, then its an AeroPress.

I love the Aeropress but it sees limited use camping.  Just about every time I start boiling water for coffee the wife says make a cup for me.  So I put the Aeropress back and pull out the pour over. 

For those who really like good coffee, look into one.  They are relatively cheap. Super easy to use and cleanup is a breeze.  Did I mention they make an excellent cup of coffee?  Hope I don't tumble off this soapbox.

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for me the bizarro thing i like to bring that the wife hates is a pizzaz pizza maker. i dont use it for that though. I find it cooks wings, and pretty much everything really awesome and wont burn; its a rotating non stick disk that you can literally put all kinds of stuff on and sprays clean really easy. doesnt heat up the place as bad as the stove top will.

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for us took a microwave twice. never took it again. we just went through everthing and weeded out stuff we did not need . we use one cast iron skillet and thrift store revere ware pots and pans.

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I'm down to one cast iron skillet and one cast iron waffle iron (guilty pleasure from an Amish catalog). There ain't nothin like cast iron waffles and Michigan maple syrup

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11 minutes ago, Derek up North said:

Quebec might want a word too. :)

One of the things about living in the New England area is how common good maple syrup is but Vermont self identifies as the capitol of the world with regard to it. (keep in mind, I'm not in nor from VT)  I built my house across from a rather unique farm.  The main business being an organic dairy operation that also bottles and self distributed milk.  What made it unique is all the other parts of the business Russel ran.  He made ice cream and operated an ice cream stand.  Also had free range chickens and sold eggs.  Operated a small lumber mill and tucked away at the end of all the different barns he has was a sugarhouse.  There are a number of them close by to where I live and you see the new style of tap systems all over as you drive through the area..  Great quality syrup to be had locally.

 

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40 minutes ago, Derek up North said:

Quebec might want a word too. :)

Are the Canucks still putting formaldehyde pills in their maple trees?  I worked in a sugar-wood for two seasons in the  Northeast Kingdom of Vermont for two  years in the mid-70s.  At that time most people I knew were using formaldehyde pills but could no longer get them in the USA.  We drove across the border and got them in Quebec.

My general take on syrup is this.  Many in Vermont are syrup snobs and claim the AAA fancy syrup with almost no color is the best in the world.  No thanks for me. I'll take the darker stuff that is almost grade B and has a lot more flavor.  Especially when done over a real wood fire instead of an oil-burner and no osmosis filters are used.   Syrup is syrup and makes no difference where it comes from. More how it's done - assuming only Sugar and Black maples are the source of the sap and not Red maples.

Sad to say but L.L. Bean got sued years back for selling counterfeit maple syrup. It was the syrup makers in Quebec that called for the investigation and subsequent lawsuit against Bean.  Ends up it had NO maple content and was made with artificial flavors and extract of sugar beets. I had some and will note - it DID taste pretty darn good.  That is kind of depressing.

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8 minutes ago, jdemaris said:

No thanks for me. I'll take the darker stuff that is almost grade B and has a lot more flavor.  Especially when done over a real wood fire

I had this very discussion often with Russel.  His was a very old wood fired operation.  Great tasting stuff and next door.

10 minutes ago, jdemaris said:

it DID taste pretty darn good.  That is kind of depressing.

Yup, better living through chemistry.

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Most impractical item I ever had in our Toyota motorhome was my 32 year old daughter.   She and her daughter, 8 years old, came on a trip with us a few weeks ago. My 8 year-old granddaughter was fine.  My 32 year old daughter was a pain-in-the-a*s and I never want to do that again.  

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My daughter would have a fit if she knew I posted this - but I won't tell her.  Here she is after one night - complaining, while my granddaughter is on the roof having fun.  The photo shows the only time my daughter was willing to leave the Toyota.  She stayed in it for most of  the time while we others hiked, or camped outdoors.

katieUP.jpg

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49 minutes ago, jdemaris said:

Are the Canucks still putting formaldehyde pills in their maple trees?  I worked in a sugar-wood for two seasons in the  Northeast Kingdom of Vermont for two  years in the mid-70s.  At that time most people I knew were using formaldehyde pills but could no longer get them in the USA.  We drove across the border and got them in Quebec.

Not sure about the NEK, but formaldehyde (PFA) appears to have been banned in the US in 1982, Canada in 1992. But just like the Olympics, there will always be 'dopers'.

http://www.intentionallydomestic.com/friday-food-fight-is-there-formaldehyde-in-maple-syrup/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/sticky-fingers-beating-the-bush-in-search-of-maple-syrup-cheats/article17261481/

Perhaps in the 70s, just as it is now, it's just closer and more convenient to get to Quebec from the NEK than just about anywhere else in the World. :)

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I did all my drinking and girl-chasing Quebec. Mostly in Sherbrooke.  It was a lot more fun then what Vermont had to offer in Newport Center.

In 1976, we were having trouble getting the formaldehyde pills from local suppliers. In Quebec, it was easy. Same with handguns at the time.  Canadians were bringing over bushel- baskets full of old guns to sell to us. Not sure what the heck was going on at the time with gun-control in Canada.

The Olympics mean little to me.  Historically, the Olympic administration were Nazi and Hitler sympathizers.  The "passing of the torch" was the brain-child of Adolph Hitler in the 1936 Oympics in Berlin.  Seems out of respect - after WWII - it should of been dropped.  Hey, I know . . let bygones be bygones. My dad was a combat soldier in the Army in WWII and my uncle was on a PT boat , same war.  I put Hitler, the Olympics, and Sthil chainsaws in the same memory-compartment in my brain (Andreas Stihl was a Hitler supporter). 

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As JDE said more syrup doesnt always mean better. Michigan maple syrup just tastes better because there's less of it and its precious. Most backyard makers wont even give it away that I know.

I get mine free, as i let a guy tap them on my property up north. in return i only ask for 1 bottle. That pint is precious.

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The major maple producers in QC are smart they are consortium and bank their production to maintain a constant price. As far as I know a sugar maple is pretty much the same tree both side of the border maybe it’s the taps.

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