Cool jacket, no? No, warm jacket!

 
 
Even though I thought it was very clever as soon as I saw it, I held off on putting this battery-heated jacket from Milwaukee Tools on the blog, thinking it would be of interest only to the segment of the population that works outdoors. That was before I saw unbelievable images of folks trapped on Highway 402 for hours and hours and hours! Suddenly, it doesn’t sound totally crazy to suggest taking one of these in the car on any lengthy road trip. Hidden in the back pocket is a lithium battery that delivers power for warmth for up to six hours on a single charge. The heating element can be set to high, medium, or low, and the jacket is also water and wind resistant. It would also make a great gift for anyone who’s into winter sports (to each his own – my idea of a great winter sport is reading a new translation of War and Peace.) It sells for about $200 ($149 without the battery pack). Oh, and I just had another idea. How about issuing one to those transit drivers who think it’s okay to wear a thin shirt while driving, and then blast the heat to keep themselves warm, not realizing — or perhaps caring — that weather-appropriately garbed riders are sweltering or that they’re creating the perfect environment for the spread of germs?  Just a suggestion….

Milwaukee has also just come out with a new sub-compact hammer-drill driver that sounds like it punches well above its weight. At just 7-5/8-inches long and 2.8 lbs, the company describes it as the lightest and most compact hammer-drill driver on the market. Still, it delivers 275 inches per pound of torque, making it, say the folks at Milwaukee, best in class for power, speed, and durabilty. Tool-heads (that’s a term of affection, BTW, as I include my husband in this bunch) will also want to know that it has a single-sleeve, metal ratcheting chuck, an integrated fuel gauge and LED light.  Sounds like it would work for pro’s or DIYers who want portability and performance. It sells for about $230 at Home Depot.

 

Outdoor holiday decor - do it quickly!

 

 

 
 
Now that the white stuff is blanketing lawns everywhere, folks are getting in the mood to do holiday decorating. Here are two small items that will be a big help while you’re decking the halls.  Chez moi, Stanley’s hardware and household accessory kit is Mother’s Little Hanging Helper. Inside the handy carrying case, you’ll find nails, thumbtacks, pushpins, anchors, screws, picture wire, picture hooks, hangers, cup hooks and sawtooth hangers. It sells for about $12 at Wal-Mart. (Good for stocking stuffers, too!)

If outdoor decoration is on your list, it’s no use cursing yourself for not doing it in mid-November when it was 12°C and sunny. Regret is futile. Just get out there and do it. If you want to help secure lights or wreaths quickly (before your fingers fall off from cold), try Scotch Tough Outdoor tape, which can hold to a variety of surfaces, including stucco. This one is also good for rough outdoor jobs, such as hanging or securing plastic sheeting or tarps. Also great for quick fixes — I used the transparent tape to fix a rip in a window screen at the cottage this summer. When I checked last week, it was still holding, despite cold, rain and snow! (Yeah, yeah, I know, I should take the screens off, but hey, I’ve been BUSY!)

To avoid hassle next year, think about investing in a LiteLocker. This is a low-profile container made from the same UV-resistant  vinyl plastic found on doors, windows or siding. It runs along your eaves, and hides the lights until holiday season, when it flips open to display them. You open it from the ground, so there’s no need to even get out a ladder. Retail price averages about $4 per linear foot — depending on the installation. Right now, it just comes in white, but it can be painted to match your home’s trim. Clever, no?

Testing trimmers

In principal, I like to use manual garden tools wherever possible because a) they’re more environmentally friendly and b) I so need the exercise. But when it comes to trimming our 30-odd feet of hedge — which grows like a weed, requiring several summer/fall trims — we gave in last year and bought a cordless trimmer. Our first purchase was a house brand from a major retailer that turned out to be, well, pretty crappy. There was a problem with the switch, in that it would sometimes jam, making the tool suddenly stop in the middle of a cut. Cute. The replacement we got did the same thing, convincing us once and for all that cheap garden tools are no bargain. This summer, the gardening team at my house (my husband, 15-year-old son and myself) tried two trimmers, both of which we liked.

One was the Black & Decker 18-volt cordless hedge trimmer (on sale at Home Depot now for about $110, I notice.) It’s supposed to run for about 30 minutes, but we found it ran longer than that, getting us all the way through the hedge job on one charge. It gives a nice clean cut on larger branches (up to about ¾ of an inch thick) and did not shred smaller, finer branches.  (For bigger branches, I still like my older, corded Black & Decker Alligator lopper.) At 22 inches, the blade is longer than that of the Ryobi we tested.  Using both made me realize that blade length can be a somewhat personal choice, depending on the depth of what you are cutting, and what feels best in your hand. I may actually like a slightly longer blade, the result, perhaps, of having short arms? The recharge time on the battery for this model is long; between nine and 11 hours, according to the manual. Because I do deplore the way power tools add to outdoor noise level, I have to say that I think I like the sound this one makes slightly more than the Ryobi (although husband and son says that’s silly.)

Overall, I was really impressed with the Ryobi cordless 18-volt trimmer.  It sells exclusively at Home Depot (regularly for $139, now on sale for $99) The company claims its 18-volt lithium battery will hold  charge about four times longer than its Ni-cad counterpart, but I can’t actually vouch for that.  I can say that the recharge time is fast – about an hour. It also gives a very clean cut on branches up to 3/8 of an inch and like, the Black and Decker, did not make a mess of thin new growth. We all found the Ryobi to be very nicely balanced and easy to manoeuvre. There’s also one stand-out feature to note.  It’s got a wrap-around handle, so that you can turn the blade simply by tilting your steering hand. So simple, so clever - it makes shaping bushes and hedges quicker and easier. That was true for both myself and my strong-as-oxes guys.

In the end, I think  my son said a mouthful when he suggested that picking the right trimmer is probably a bit like choosing the perfect hockey stick – it’s got to “fit”. So make sure you handle several before you buy.

Grilling is hot (d'oh!)

Is it my imagination or has grilling suddenly gotten um, extra hot, this summer? Every time I turn around, I’m faced with another press release about a new grill or BBQ product. This week, the cool kids all want to talk about ceramic grills. Except, a-hem, I did write about one of these, The Big Green Egg — shown above — last year which does put me, a-hem, slightly ahead of the trend.

According to the World’s Largest BBQ Store Ontario Gas BBQ, ceramic grills are typically egg shaped and charcoal fuelled, and use less fuel than almost any other cooker. Because the ceramic shell provides excellent insulation, they can reach very high temperatures, and the dome-shape aids in convection cooking (very even heat).

The technology can be traced back 3,000 years to the days when meals were prepared in clay pots over fire or coals. Today, the same technology has given rise to what’s known as kamado style ceramic barbecues. It’s found in the tandoor ovens of India and the mushikamados of Japan - round clay pots, fuelled by charcoal that have a removable domed clay lid, a damper and draft door for heat control. This ancient cooking technique, which takes its name from mushikamados, apparently came to North America after World War II.

I love technology, except when it fails me

Faithful  reader, I'm having a bit of an issue this week with the old computer (as in three years old, which my tech guy says is “ancient”. That’s totally ludicrous – talk about built-in obsolesce. Completely unsustainable design!) So you’ll have to bear with me. I’ll have to catch you up next week on the outdoor living tips I promised in this week’s Hot Home Products column, which runs each Saturday in the print edition of The Toronto Star. One of my fave summertime treats is to take the paper out on the patio with a pot of coffee and leisurely make my way through it. Maybe I’m showing my age here, but sitting under a tree with a laptop just isn’t the same experience. And  may I just remind everyone that a newspaper never "crashes". Although, now that I think of it, I'm not sure how a couple of Toronto's other dailies are doing these days!) 

I am able to share links to three sites that have great barbeque recipes, which you may want to try this weekend. They are those of Ted Reader, bbq expert for Napoleon, along with links to PC Home and Longos. If you haven’t yet entered the contest to win a mini grill, click here  for details. And wish me luck on getting my computer – along with all my files and email – back later today.

Savoury summer shortcuts

If you love savoury grilled food, but don’t have the time to make your own marinades and rubs, take a shortcut and use something that’s pre-mixed. You can get good results even just by adding red wine or soy sauce to consumer brands of BBQ sauce. Or you can treat yourself to one of Williams-Sonoma’s line of sauces. Sure, they’re a bit pricey ($19 for a 17-ounce bottle) but they are delish — flavours include red chilli/peanut, roasted tomatillo and Jalapeño/Peach. Tomorrow, look for another delicious recipe in this spot. In the meantime, don't forget to enter the contest to win one of four Portable Charcoal Grills by clicking here. More contest details can be seen in the last entry.

Get grilling - but first, enter this contest!

Are you a serious outdoor grill gourmet who has a tiny balcony or an itsy-bitsy backyard? Or are you an empty nester or singleton who just doesn’t need or want a huge honking barbeque? Then, dear reader, have I got a deal for you. We’ve got four Portable Charcoal Grills (shown above) to give away this week. I love these gorgeous little grills. Small enough to fit onto a condo balcony (check if you’re allowed!) or even to carry to the beach or park for a summer get-together. Click here for a chance to win. I’ll also be posting BBQ and outdoor entertaining tips this week on my blog. Just don’t expect anything new till after the weekend, because I’ll be up at my cottage – painting it. (Since you asked, I’m doing the entire main floor and loft bedroom in String from Farrow and Ball, which I think will go beautifully with all the pine.) A random draw will be held of all eligible entries on the morning of Monday, May 31, 2010. The winners will be contacted by Tuesday, June 1, 2010 and all four winners will be listed here on June 4, 2010.

(Editor's Note: This blog post has edited from a previously published version)

Pssst - let's pillow talk

Why am I whispering? Well, technically, I'm not supposed to be writing about outdoor decor and accessories till next week, but I could not resist giving you a sneak peak of these gorgeous pillows from Pottery Barn. I love the vintage floral look. Despite the fact that I have a rocky relationship with yellow, I think I like the one in that colourway best.  I can imagine how sunny and fun they'd look on the chaises on the deck at my cottage. Yes, $45 is more than I really want to spend on a pillow, but these are very nicely made - not at all squooshy and pancake-y - as are many cheap pillows.So they will last longer and in the long run, cost less. Get the logic? Have I talked you into it yet?  What if I just get two and mix them with something more affordable. Like the pretty ones I saw this week at Bouclair, which also had really sweet  - oops, no, I really will make you wait until next week for that. So, can I get a couple of these other beauties? Please? After all, I work hard all week. Don't I deserve them? Say yes.

An outdoor chore I can get behind

Looking for an excuse to spend a few hours outdoors this weekend? You know you are. If you’re a Type- A personality, you may feel you have to justify your al fresco time by doing a “chore”. Here’s one that’s I actually enjoy — giving outdoor furniture made from hardwood an annual going over with Teak or Tung Oil. It’s an environmentally-friendly way to protect wood and really brings out the grain. I became a fan of these oils after doing one or two refinishing jobs and getting queasy and loopy while using stains and sealants. I switched to oils in subsequent projects. LOVE IT.

Minwax also has a new water-based Woodsheen product out that I’m planning to try. It promises a hand-rubbed finish that’s easily applied with a rag, dries on one hour and cleans up with soap and water. Sounds good to me! To give your furniture an extra layer of protection, you can apply a topcoat over a layer of oil. Just choose the right one. Minwax says its Helmsman Spar Urethane can, for example, be applied over its Teak Oil. But I’m sure I’m read in a recent article in Canadian Home Workshop  that putting a hard finish over a softer one can lead to cracks in the top coat, so do your homework on this one. And don’t use Teak Oil on deck floors.

If lovingly rubbing oil into your outdoor furniture doesn’t sound like fun to you (no, but it is – really!) you can opt for a pre-finished or painted version, like the one from PC Home shown above ($100).

Grocery shopping made bearable

 

 

I don’t normally look forward to grocery shopping. With a teenage boy who eats eight meals a day in the house, it’s become a time-consuming and expensive exercise. But I am just a little excited about a planned jaunt to my nearest Real Canadian Superstore tomorrow, since it will give me chance to look at the new PC Home Spring line, which is hitting stores now. I’m dying to see the Eco Corn Starch dinnerware, (shown above) which I’m told is biodegradable. It’s not like paper or plastic – the finish is supposed to be similar to melamine, and it’s got an indefinite life span. It can be washed in the upper rack of the dishwasher and sets of four plates top out at about $8. Also dying to see the cute solar light discs that come in rainbow colours (also shown above). These are just one in a line of solar lights, with prices starting at about $10 for a set of two. I’ll report back on how the plates look and feel, and on other finds after the shopping trip!