In the midst of accomplishing some housekeeping chores, I decided to fire up my new JetBoil camp stove. What kind of idiot would I be if I got a dozen or more miles into the backcountry with an inoperative stove? (Answer: an ordinary idiot.)

It’s still quite cold out, so I imagined today would be a good day for a test. I fired it up with a cup of water on board. Its design keeps the heat concentrated, which is why I bought it. What I honestly did not expect was how fast and efficient it would be. With little heat on the outside of the cup or even the exterior of the burner, my water was at a rolling boil in less than 90 seconds. Nice.

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Abby told me that driving to work on the ice and sleet this morning was the most difficult and stressful of the winter. By the time she got home, however, the roads were clear.

We spent our evening watching No Country for Old Men, which I might rank among my top five all-time favorite movies.