My Friend's Stuff

I was on vaca visiting my friend Paula last summer, who you might remember made me buy all kinds of equipment for my photography class in Washington a few years ago. She and her husband (who said he’d sue me if I mentioned his name) have a fabulous house on Martha’s Vineyard. She is also the smartest person I know, and she always has things techie that I then covet and add to my collection. While this might seem dissonant to my new pared-down self, I can assure you that it’s not. They all save time, or have some use that makes things better. Spring is on the way and ordering things for summer living is on everyone’s mind.

So I share some of them with you today.

Paula with her heart fixer. She doesn’t want you to see her face.

This is Paula with her defibrillator.  She is alone on the Vineyard a good chunk of the summer and thought she might need it. I pointed out to her that doing it on yourself was not necessarily the way it was set up, but she pointed out that she could use it on me, which judging from my breathing as we do things around here might be the case.

The charcoal that is really charwood.

This her charcoal. Did you know that charcoal is not charred coal? It’s charred wood. Who knew? Why can’t things be called what they actually are? I get so confused. ANYWAY, this new charcoal lights faster, makes things taste better and works well with her new smoker cooker also pictured here. It’s been around awhile, but this is the first one I’ve seen in person. It’s called The Big Green Egg, isn’t that the best name ever? It was seen by GI’s during WWII in Japan and one of them brought one back to America and poof, he’s been selling them ever since. It weighs a ton, literally. And, I’m not sure I can move it to my house, but I’m getting one anyway. Then I can serve chicken instead of steak because according to Paula, chicken in this mother is amazing.

Paula’s green smoker

Paula’s drainboard. Isn’t it cool?

This is Paula’s drainboard. Mine, of course, sits up really high on my counter and is unsightly. She can’t remember where she got it but is working on it for me.

Her recoil hose…

This is Paula’s hose. Isn’t it cute? I love this hose and if you are bored sitting outside, you can pull it straight and watch it recoil when you let it go. Tons of fun.

There are more things; her weather station, her cool timer, her pots and pans – each one unique. And, she uses everything too. I buy things and never use them. Let’s not discuss my slow cooker purchase. I have never done anything slowly, so what possessed me to buy a slow cooker? But Paula buys things you actually use.

She has a thing you get on that turns you upside down and allows your crunched vertebrae to lengthen. I’m trying that out today. Do you think it’s the same thing health-wise as running on the beach?

So, visiting Paula every summer is great. Learning each and every day. If you know where to buy the aforementioned drainboard, give me a holler.