Seirus Gloves [3 stars]

Need a great glove for winter hikes and jogging? Then, Seirus Gloves are for you.

Need a great glove for cross country skiing, skijoring or other "winter exercise using your hands & grip"? Then, Seirus Gloves are NOT for you.

Had you asked me just 3 years ago, I would have given Seirus a 5-star, all thumbs up review as a great, durable glove for aerobic winter activities. At the time, my primary winter exercising consisted of hiking, jogging and trail running with my older/adult Siberian Huskies. As an extremely aerobic activity, Seirus Gloves were wonderful in wicking the moisture away from my hands while keeping them warm.

Then my life's husky mix changed: we got a Siberian Husky puppy. Having a puppy means you are doing a lot of "leash correction" and I learned that Seirus Gloves are not nearly as durable as I thought when hiking/running with a husky under 2 years old - the gloves last less than one winter season when you need to grip the leash frequently... The gloves get a 1-star rating for "durability under extreme use."

Then my life's activity mix changed: I started cross country skiing and eventually skijoring (cross country skiing while attached to my Siberian Huskies). Since cross country skiing is so aerobic, I originally believed that Seirus Gloves would be an excellent choice for moisture wicking and warmth. Gong - I was wrong! With the constant gripping and driving of the ski poles, I found the thumb in these gloves to wear out in less than 6 uses! The gloves get a 1-star rating for "durability in cross country skiing."

So, why am I still going with an overall rating of 3-star? Well, it is all in the averages... If your use is wintertime hiking/jogging without any use of your hands - 5 star. If your use is any aerobic activity using your hands for grip - 1 star. An average of 3 stars: great for some activities, terrible for others.

Lands' End Thermacheck Half Zips [5 stars]

Need a flexible & comfortable Half Zip Fleece for the cooler temperatures this Fall/Winter?

Direct your attention to the Thermacheck Half Zips from Lands' End.

These Half Zip Fleeces make for a great top layer during the cool Fall/Winter months. They are extremely soft and comfortable fitting.

Temperatures in the 30s and 40s? Wear a Thermacheck Half Zip over a short sleeve tshirt...

Temperatures in the 20s? Wear a Thermacheck Half Zip over a long sleeve tshirt...

Book Review: A Cold-Blooded Business [2 stars]

I recently read A Cold-Blooded Business by Dana Stabenow.

Unfortunately, this book was a real letdown from my expectations. Based on what I was told about the book, I expected 2 things: (1) a mystery novel with a good "whodunnit plot" to keep me guessing; (2) an adventurist novel with a good "Alaskan outback plot" to keep me entertained.

The book delivered on the "Alaskan outback" as it integrated the history and outdoor lifestyle of Alaska into the business of drilling for oil. So, Stabenow's book lived up to its billing with respect to outdoor Alaska.

Sadly, the book did not deliver on its "mystery promise". The plot centers around the main character, Kate Shugak a criminal investigator, investigating a growing drug problem in the oil fields of Alaska. It is her task to explore the oil business and identify (& stop) the source of drugs in the oil fields. Here is the problem I had with the mystery investigation of this book:

• Stabenow introduces only 2 suspect characters in any detail and, unsurprisingly, both characters are guilty. Where's the mystery & suspense in that?
• Stabenow has Shugak "investigate" for a grand total of less than 5 pages in the book. She looks at a couple of suspicious flight logs, finds the passengers on all such flights and these are the suspects (and eventual guilty felons). At no point in this book did I think, "I wonder who is guilty" nor did I think, "I wonder how Shugak will prove to be a world-class investigator" nor did I think, "Wow, I did not see that coming."

You can read A Cold-Blooded Business for some nice Alaskan scenery; but do not read it in any hope of a suspenseful mystery.

Heattrak Stair Mats [5 stars]

I love winter, I love snow - I HATE ice...

My situation: (1) I live at 10,000 feet in the Colorado high country; (2) I have 12 concrete steps leading to my front door; (3) the steps are uncovered and shaded by the house - they NEVER see sunlight.

My problem: Unless I shovel 24x7, the stairs get horrible ice buildup in the winter. Even if I shovel, the snow at the sides of the stairs melts during spring days and then freezes into sheets of ice across the stairs every night.

My solution: I installed Heattrak Stair Mats on my stairs and have NEVER been happier!

I am starting my second winter with these mats and they are up to the challenge (yes, I have already had over 1 foot of snow by November 1st ;-)   The mats work good enough that I turn them off every night and then, if I see any ice buildup or fresh snow the next morning I turn them back on. Within 1-2 hours my stairs will be passable without the danger of ice - that's a pretty good track record against the harshness of Colorado winters at 10,000 feet.

If you are considering installing Heattrak Stair Mats, a few lessons I learned:

1. I cannot connect more than 7 mats to a single control unit without the control tripping way too frequently. So, if you have more than 7 stairs/mats, you will want to get additional control units. The control units can be bought separately, if needed.
2. Even when connected to 7 or fewer mats, the control unit will trip occasionally. There is a simple "reset button" on each unit and you will need to press that button to re-enable the mats. So, when you put your mats in place, make sure you have easy access to the control unit for quick/infrequent resets.

My "7 mats to a control unit" and "occasional reset" may be a factor that I am using these mats in about as harsh an environment as you can imagine. So, you may be able to string more mats together in lesser conditions. Nevertheless, an extra control unit and an occasional reset and I have 12 of the hardest stairs to maintain completely under control - 5 stars!

Kelloggs All Bran [5 stars]

Suppose you want a heart healthy granola-like ingredient to add to your meals & snacks... Welcome Kelloggs All Bran to your pantry!

Why is All Bran "heart healthy"? A 1/2 cup has 350mg of potassium with only 80mg of sodium and 1g of fat. A heart healthy food has a potassium to sodium ratio of at least 3:1. Kelloggs All Bran delivers a 4:1 ratio, making it a welcome hearth healthy addition to your pantry.

If you are designing a heart healthy diet, some things you can do with All Bran:

1. Mix with oatmeal & bananas for a tasty warm breakfast.
2. Mix with dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, etc) for a tasty snack.
3. Mix with yogurt & bananas for a tasty chilled breakfast.

Basically, any place you would use granola use All Bran instead and give a heart healthy boost to your recipes.

Book Review: The Cold Dish [5 stars]

I recently finished reading The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson.

Craig Johnson was recommended to me as an author whose books contain 2 key elements:

1. Murder mysteries that contain lots of twists and keep you guessing to the end.
2. Stories set in the Western U.S. with the plots taking advantage of the rugged outdoors of the Rocky Mountains.

Being a fan of the outdoors & Rockies (and murder mysteries), I decided to give The Cold Dish a try. The result was a resounding 5 stars. The book interleaves two interesting backdrops throughout: (1) the challenges any murder brings to a small town Western sheriff; and (2) the rich Indian history & culture still prevalent across the Rocky Mountain states.

The only negative comment I have about The Cold Dish is the number of characters Johnson introduces throughout the story. A few times, I had to flip back to refresh myself on who certain characters were (as Johnson's introduction of a character contains lots of info you want to remember throughout the book). Nevertheless, this was a minor detraction in the book - all the "important" characters came together as the story progressed and those introduced briefly became unimportant to tracking the mystery.

The book's ending caught me completely by surprise. After finishing any mystery, I think through the foreshadows that could have lead me to guess the ending. Johnson's foreshadows where there, but they were wonderfully inconspicuous and set against many "trick foreshadows" intended to keep the reader guessing.

Next on my Craig Johnson reading list is Junkyard Dogs which is supposed to be Johnson's best yet - that should be fun to read!

Sunbeam 5891 Breadmaker [5 stars]

I first started experimenting with bread machines about 10 years ago. My initial thoughts, "well that was easy to use but not the most exciting results - I'd rather just buy bread."

A decade later, I decided, "bread machines seem to be big sellers now, maybe the current generation is much improved." I jumped back in via the Sunbeam 5891 Breadmaker. Why this model?

• The product reviews on amazon were very impressive.
• The product reviews on cooking.com were extremely impressive.
• The price ($50-$60) was unbelievable given the high reviews.

My findings: this breadmaker is phenomenal. I have stopped buying bread at the grocery store and now make all of my own bread. The price point for this machine is even more impressive - $55 to become my own bread chef - wow! This machine has allowed me to explore heart healthy bread recipes and bring a variety bread into my heart healthy diet.

DSC-920: An Affordable Wireless Camera [5 stars]

What I wanted: a webcam to let me watch my Siberian Huskies remotely (it's just so much fun to see what they do all day).

What I did not want: (1) cords, cords, cords (power, internet, usb, etc) all over the place; (2) hundreds of dollars spent (wasted) to just watch my dogs.

My Solution: the D-Link DSC-920 Wireless Internet Camera.

This camera lives up to its billing: a reliable, easy-to-use & affordable wireless camera. The camera works well in and adjusts to all daylight conditions: morning to evening, direct sun, partial sun, sunrise, sunset, etc. It does not work in the dark of night - but that wasn't what I needed (and you should not expect a camera with night vision for under $100).

I have been running this camera as my "dog cam" for over a year without so much as a single hiccup. It has a snapshot URL I use for my dog monitoring. I have a script on my home machine loads the snapshot URL, over my home wireless, every 9 seconds and copies the resulting picture to a rotating set of 60 images on my personal website. I can then load a page of the 60 most recent snapshots from any web-accessible location and see 15 minutes of "what are the puppies doing?"

Extremely simple and extremely affordable!

Origins Peace of Mind for Headache Relief [5 stars]

I have been a habitual victim of migraine headaches for over 15 years. In my experience, the headaches come in 2 forms: (1) an increasing tension/pressure building in my temples; or (2) an instantaneous throbbing in my temples. I will focus on the first type for this post: when you feel the tension/pressure starting to build and can cut it off early.

What works for me: apply a liberal dose of Origins Peace of Mind to both temples and to the bridge of my nose (between the eyebrows). What happens: you immediately feel a wave of "fresh air" pouring through your head; it is almost as if the headache is being blown away. It is not uncommon for my eyes to water for 1-2 minutes after the application - this almost feels like the headache is tearing out of your head.

Close your eyes for a few moments and let the pressure release from your head. You'll say, "wow, that was refreshing!" It always catches and cuts off the slow building migraine for me.

Hydrocolloid Bandages (blister care) [4.5 stars]

I am an avid hiker and trail runner... Recently switched to a new pair of shoes - developed a large blister on my left heel. I tried all the home remedies for "quick blister recovery" (puncturing, draining, neosporin wrapping, etc) and NONE worked; the blister did not go away and pain continued when running or hiking.

I know, the best home remedy: do not use my foot for 7-10 days and it will heal naturally. Well, the rest of my body and my 2 Siberian Husky hiking/running pals did not agree with this remedy. "No pain, no gain," they said; suck it up and hit the trails ;-)

My solution: hydrocolloid patches/bandages for my blister area. I used the Walgreens version, but this review applies to hydrocolloid patches/bandages in general:

The pros:

1. I am running & hiking without pain - these patches are magic!

The cons (why a 4.5 instead of a 5 rating):

1. The patches claim to be "super adhesive" such that you can wear a patch for a week even with daily exercise and showering. The truth: I had to use ace bandaging to keep the patches on for a week (they tend to lose the adhesive power after one day).
2. The patches claim to be "super healing". Well, 10 days in and my blister was still alive & well - something I needed to keep patched whenever exercising.

Summary: hydrocolloid patches will enable you to continue an active lifestyle through any blister situation but you will need to tape them on and only time will heal - just keep it patched and wait.

George Foreman Grill [5 stars]

I have owned George Foreman grills for over a year now. If the following apply to you, then a foreman grill is for you too:

1. You typically prepare meals for 1-2 people (or 1-2 portions) at a time.
2. You love the "fresh grilled" taste of seafood, chicken, turkey or other meat dishes.
3. You hate high maintenance appliances or anything that takes longer to clean than to eat.
4. You love "easy & quick to prepare" meals.
5. You have an interest in preparing heart healthy meals.

All five of these points apply to me and my foreman grill. I cannot imagine how I ever tolerated making (& cleaning) fresh grilled meals without a foreman. In fact, I rarely did prepare anything fresh grilled before I had it.

A tip for meats you put on the foreman: spray each side of your meat with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray (or similar spray) and sprinkle any spices for flavoring on top. This spray does 3 things: (1) it keeps meats from any excessive sticking to the foreman; (2) it holds any spices on the meat; and (3) it adds zero fat, cholesterol, sodium or anything unhealthy to your fresh grilled meal.

Dog Chew: Real Antlers [5 stars]

We recently switched from nylabones to deer and elk antlers as a chew toy for our dogs. The change was incredible and I'm left thinking, "why would anyone buy nylabones when you could buy antlers instead?"

What is great about antlers as a chew toy over all other options:

1. Antlers last a lot longer than any manufactured chew toy (nylabones, etc) - the only thing longer lasting is an actual bone. You save money!
2. Antlers have no smell or disgusting/messy animal innards as you get with bones. No mess!

Save money, no mess - what else could you ask for? Well, my Siberian Huskies LOVE them. The youngest is a real chewer and he can render a nylabone unusable in days; he's been working on our current pair of antlers for months!

I cannot recommend it more... If your dog loves to chew, you'll love deer and elk antlers.

505 Southwestern Green Chile Sauce [5 stars]

I am a huge fan of green chiles and the Green Chile Sauce from 505 Southwestern does not disappoint.

The sauce is think and chunky enough to use as a regular salsa. It is rated as "medium" but has a taste hotter than your typical medium salsa (but not as hot as your traditional "hot"). I think the rich green chile flavor gives it this "hot medium" feel.

Another bonus of this salsa: it is low in sodium and has zero grams of fat. If you are looking for a heart healthy salsa, the 505 Green Chile is definitely for you.

As far as pricing, 505 runs middle of the pack at my grocery stores: not expensive but not the cheapest salsa on the shelf. It is, though, the best priced healthy salsa in the stores where I shop.

Book Review: The Blight Way [4 stars]

Patrick McManus was recently recommended to me as an author that may suit my interests; especially his recent set of "Sheriff Bo Tully" mysteries.

The first book I tried was The Blight Way, the first in the Bo Tully series.

Positives: The book was an enjoyable read with very good character development. McManus is known for his western/mountain settings and "modern day cowboy" style of mysteries. This novel lived up to my expectations.

Negatives: The plot was "over-foreshadowed" (if that it a word). I had the outcome determined by the time I was 2/3 of the way through the book as the many foreshadows made it easy to piece together the conclusion.

Summary: Despite the less than surprising ending, the book was well-written and an enjoyable read. I will try another book by McManus and hope for a little more unpredictability as the book develops. I have been told The Double-Jack Murders may be the best in the Bo Tully series, so I will give that one a go next.