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!