BarCode Scanner Perfect For Small Business

Inateck USB Barcode Scanner Wired Handheld 1D Barcode Scanner - Black



I own this. It works beautifully with my current  Windows 7 operating system. It will work on many newer systems, but I was super pleased it worked on mine.

The User Guide came with this. Keep the User Guide. Do not throw out. English instructions at the beginning of the booklet were surprisingly clear.

Plug and Play works fine.
Just insert it into the USB port, give it time to quickly set up the software, then it's ready to use.

To give it a quick test run, I opened up notepad, left my curser in notepad, then scanned a few products to make sure it was reading correctly. It worked beautifully.

I am happy, this is perfect for your business.

Inateck USB Barcode Scanner Wired Handheld 1D Barcode Scanner - Black

Plus Size Retro Swim Dress

Can easily be a summer dress for dancing, twirling, spinning especially since it's a one piece suit. not a two piece. The bow in front is sewed on separately and has to be tied very securely to stay tied. The empire (high waisted) solid colored band is separately sewn in, so tying the bow is for mere decoration and doesn't change the sizing in any way.

In the picture I have included with this review,  the model is 200 pounds, 5 feet 4 inches tall with a 47 inch bust, the size ordered was IT50/US16. The model has an oval egg shaped body with belly. Cute as can be and very flattering.

Loved it all around but the product description at top of page said One Piece and in the middle listing read boy short bottom. So we didn't know whether we were getting a one piece or two piece bathing suit. We were hoping for a two piece, but it's a one piece.

If the vendor would offer this suit in both options (one piece) or with two pieces (boy shorts and dancing swim dress) I think it would be a huge hit all around for fluffy women who want to feel and look great.

We sadly had to return it, because it was one piece and not two.

If a one piece suits you, then give it a try, it's adorable!

Danify Plus Size Bathing Suits 

Great Jumper Cables For Most Typical Uses with Nice Compact Storage Box with Handle

TOPDC UL-Listed 8 Gauge 160AMP 12 Feet Heavy Duty Battery Jumper Cables (8Ga x 12Ft)

If you have a small truck or SUV or  a  mid sized car, these 8 gauge cables are going to be perfect for your personal needs. They come in a nice neat compact sturdy box with a handle for easy compact storage between uses. The 12 foot length is going to work out fine in most cases. 

Two important things to know when shopping for booster cables:

The smaller the gauge number, the heavier the cable. The second is look for UL-Listed or UL-Listing as that  is of prime importance. 

UL is an acronym for Underwriters' Laboratories (used especially on labels for electrical appliances approved by this nonprofit safety-testing organization).

UL Listing means that UL has tested representative samples of the product and determined that it meets UL’s requirements. These requirements are based primarily on UL’s published and nationally recognized Standards for Safety.

Heavy jumper cables will conduct more electricity.  However, sometimes it's prudent after hooking up a battery for jumping, to just wait 5 minutes to let the dead battery get a charge going off the donor

battery before starting the car with the dead battery. 

If you run into somebody needing help that has a  jumbo sized SUV, truck or car, and you have smaller gauge cables, you can probably still help them out by waiting 5 minutes after the batteries are hooked up to send some charge over from your donor battery (with engine running) to their dead battery. After 5 minutes they can try to start their dead battery and typically this will work. 

Shop for your jumper cables here. 

Water Quality Meter

Boboai Digital Aid Professional Quality Water Test Meter. TDS, EC and Temperature Meter. 0-9990ppm. Accurate and Reliable Water Test Meter. Ideal For Drinking Water, Aquariums, Ponds.

High TDS results in undesirable taste which could be salty, bitter, or metallic. It could also indicate the presence of toxic minerals. The EPA's recommended maximum level of TDS in water is 500mg/L (500ppm)

TDS is acronym is for Total Dissolved Solids
PPM is acronym for Parts Per Million
EC is acronym for Electrical Conductivity

The instructions that arrive with this meter are vague. The enclosed case for the meter is handy for protecting the meter when not in use.

I did not realize the battery was not installed and there was nothing on the meter or the instructions to indicate where the battery was housed. Typically products shipped with a battery have a tabbed protective plastic liner inserted to prevent the battery making contact until the liner is pulled away. I took off the caps on both ends of the meter and couldn't figure out where the removable tab for the  battery was supposed to be.

The instructions did not indicate where the battery was installed. Removing the top I could see a tiny piece of metal and what looked like the skinny end of an electronic board. Finally I found the battery jammed in the bottom of the black case housing the meter and a tiny piece of paper with vague instructions. I was relieved to find it stuck down there. Now I had to figure out how and where to install it through trial and error. I delicately inserted it next to the metal tab and the meter didn't work, I tried it the other way and it did finally work. I was worried about accidentally touching the electronic board or breaking the meter.

I have included a picture that shows the battery installed in the top of the meter.

So yes, the battery is included look for it jammed in the bottom of the case.

From other websites featuring similar meters, I found out the bottom cap is for storage and protection only, not to be used for scooping out water to test.  For best results, use a  large clean cup  so there is a larger volume of water that will be tested.

Turn the meter on.

Remove the cap from the bottom of the meter. Swirl the bottom inch of  the meter in the water. Do not let water get above the cap line. The numbers will run up and down, when they stop, hit the hold button so the number will remain constant while you find a place to write this down.

To ensure a long lifespan of your product, the TDS/EC sensors should be stored dry. Remove battery if you use the meter infrequently. (This is true for any battery operated product.) You can install the battery again when you are ready to use it. It will fit in the bottom of the enclosed case as I found out.

Total dissolved solids (TDS) are the total weight of all solids (minerals, salts or metals) that are dissolved in a given volume of water expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/L), or in parts per million (PPM). The lower the TDS level in the water, the more efficiently your body's cells actually get hydrated by the water that you drink. The higher the TDS levels in the water, the greater the probability of harmful contaminants that can pose health risks or hinder the absorption of water molecules on the cellular level. 17 PPM of TDS = 1 grain of hardness.

You will have to do your own research further to decide what the numbers mean for your particular use whether it is testing your drinking water or aquarium or hydroponic garden etc.

Great Water Quality Meter but the included instructions about use, safety, storage and battery location could be drastically improved.

Boboai Digital Aid Professional Quality Water Test Meter. TDS, EC and Temperature Meter. 0-9990ppm. Accurate and Reliable Water Test Meter. Ideal For Drinking Water, Aquariums, Ponds.

Molle, EDC, Murse Explained

This bag is extremely well made with lots of nifty pockets inside and out. It fits on belts or attaches to a backpack. It's universal design is suitable for men or women (though there is not a separate a shoulder strap).

In case you are wondering, MOLLE is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment and EDC is Everyday Carry. This bag makes a great MURSE (man-purse).

For me this makes a nifty bike bag to snap on to the handlebars of my bicycle. I have no car, I am eco friendly, using my bicycle to run errands.

The outside fabric is sturdy like canvas, the inside is lined also with a smooth fabric. All the stitching is tight and neat with no loose threads dangling off it.

At the top of the bag are two zippered compartments. One had a mesh side pocket the second one had a pocket made with lining material. Outside are two pockets, one big enough for a phone the other long and slender for a pen or stylus. The flip side has multiple straps sewn across for attaching more gadgets.

The two straps on the back of the bag with snaps are perfect for attaching to a bicycle or stroller or wheel chair.

In my case, I use these straps to  snap the bag to the handlebars of my Day 6 bicycle for sightseeing. I can carry my phone, camera and dog treats in it for my little doggy who rides with me.

Boboai Tactical Molle Pouch EDC Utility Gadget 1000D Nylon Belt Waist Bag Pack with Cell Phone Holster Holder

Padded Folding Headphones

The coolest thing about these headphones is that they offer both bluetooth and wired connections. I find this extremely handy.

There are many times I just want to listen to the  stereo or laptop without wasting the battery life by using bluetooth.

I live in a small efficient motorhome and I currently have a friend traveling with me. I love music, they love TV.  Having headphones around is perfect harmoniousness.

These headphones come with round ear muffs, our other headphones are oval. We were divided on the ear phones. They prefer oval ones, I found these round ones quite comfy.

I've even used them laying down on my side and they were amazingly comfortable. While most people don't use padded ear phones laying down sideways, these worked out amazingly well.

As a bonus these fold up to take up less space when not in use.

Perfect for tiny home living.

FX-Victoria Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Headset, White and Red

Unique Adjustable Straps Are A Cut Above The Rest

These adjustable  hammock straps are rather ingenious. For starters they're rated for 2,000 pounds.

The straps are reflective at night. The band is simply looped around a tree, then the other end has multiple eyes sewed in so you can decide exactly where to place the carabineer hook  Many campgrounds allow straps on 12 inch diameter or larger trees. Some provide hammock poles, but they are never the exact size you need, especially if you are using trees.

Why waste time trying to remember how to properly tie knots to get the hammock at the perfect height, when you can use these straps to quickly adjust the hammock multiple times until you get it just perfect.

The kit comes complete with 2 adjustable straps, 2 heavy duty carabineers, instructions and a nifty bag to keep it all in between uses.

As a motorhome dweller, these have numerous uses besides just hammocks. Sometimes I need to anchor my awning in gusty winds, these make short work of that feature. Anytime you need 1 or 2 adjustable straps in a hurry to hold something, these can be put to use quickly.

For more info, click here, Sahara Sailor Hammock Straps W Heavy Duty Carabiners Easy Setup Super Strength Fits All Hammocks (Set of 2)

One Piece Pop Up Screen Room

This pop up screen room is simply amazing. As I write this, only 11 are left in stock, so if you want yours, click here to see it on Amazon.  It's all one piece with an attached roof, 4 walls, a door and attached floor. I live in campgrounds and RV parks year round. I love the outdoors but sometimes the bugs or falling leaves or pollen loves me too much. This screen room has such fine sturdy mesh, that even noseeums can't invade. Even when it's not buggy, it's a nice room that keeps out  falling leaves and pine needles. When mine arrived we had big clumps of pollen falling out of the trees and it was nice not to have the table and chairs covered in nature debris. My table shown inside is 34 inches square, 4 chairs with room to spare will fit in the center with it. Optionally you can use a tarp or patio mat underneath it to give the floor further protection from broken acorns or rocks.

It stores in a round flat bag the size of a giant pizza about 34 inches in diameter. The picture shows the bag empty because I am busy using the screen room with my chairs and table inside of it while I type this.

Pull the circular room out of the bag and carefully let it uncoil and pop up. It will be the size of one wall. Unfold to an L shape, then pull from the inside out to bring out the other 2 panels to make it square shape. You may need to give it a gentle shake to let the attached floor  and roof adjust. There you have it. Instant screen room. All one piece. If you measure it like a TV on the diagonal, it's 9.5 feet, if you measure the floor side to side it's 7 feet. The height inside is 7 feet.

Save the instructions that come with it so you can fold the 4 sides back down to 1 side, then twist the steel frame so that it makes loops and converts to the 34 inch round diameter to store back in the round flat bag. Save the instructions. Did I mention save the instructions? There is a pouch on the front of the bag to store the instructions. Save the instructions. I wrote on mine SAVE FOREVER. On the outside of the screen room is 8 tabs around the floor and 8 tabs in the middle. It came with a bag of stakes and adjustable lines if you need to nail it down and tether it from the winds. When I first saw this, about 2 years ago, I was saving up to buy one. Then when I got my money together, they were out of stock. They stayed out of stock for about 8 months. Recently it came back on the market. As I write this, only 11 are left for sale on Amazon at this link.   I think it's a super cool idea, because I have tiny storage space. When I need to pack up and move, it will collapse back down to a hungry giant pizza size.

Tiny home living just got better!

TIP: Make sure the zippered door is fully closed before you stake it down, and zip the door fully before relocating it or folding it back down.

Fantastic Water Everyone Should Look Into Owning This System

The review below was written February 2014. As of March 2017, I am EXTREMELY pleased with my Berkey's performance. My health has enjoyed a great deal of improvements in many areas. Amazing what purified water can do for one. I do not trust bottled water one bit! It's not regulated and you have zero control over what's in it. The endless water bottles are clogging up our landfills and I see them littered liberally all over our beautiful countryside. 

I personally use a stainless steel water water bottle (flask) that I can refill from home thousands and thousands of times. I also use stainless steel drinking tumblers in my motorhome. Stainless steel is safe, non-toxic, unbreakable and free from BPA. As a bonus, you can store the stainless steel cups in the freezer (where I keep mine) so you always have icy cold drinks.After removing from the freezer,  I shove mine in a cozy cup so they are insulated and don't leave water rings when I set them down. 

My original review of the fantastic Berkey water purifier is posted below. If you don't own this, you aren't living right. Our bodies (and our pets) need good healthy water. Go green and be kind to mother nature. Stop buying bottled water and purify your own for drinking and cooking. Improve the health of you and your pets. 

Berkey Water Purifiers Come In Assorted Sizes

I own the one on the far left, which is 

18 inches high with a diameter of 7.5 inches

First off, do the math. This system will save you money. The filters in the one I bought last about 6,000 gallons, if I use 2 gallons per day for drinking and cooking, that works out to a filter life of over 8 years. I wanted quality stainless steel and was prepared to return this unit immediately if anything at all was flimsy about it. I have been vagabonding in a mini-motorhome for 4 years, so I need quality products that can stand up to the rigors of travel.

Water quality in the areas I travel varies widely, so this filter system will get a good workout over the years. There are times I camp remotely and the ability to filter water from natural sources that may or may be contaminated is awesome. I'm not expecting a major disaster, but I've lived overseas in a disaster zone and this would have been a coveted treasured item to have had then.

I ordered direct from Amazon because I've been a devoted fan of Amazon for many years. They have always been extremely attentive and prompt on solving issues on returns of faulty products. This one arrived well packed and in excellent shape. The directions are a bit clumsy, they could do so much better, but after a day of reading and rereading, I finally figured it all out.

I was extremely impressed with the stainless steel. It's heavy, shiny, quality stuff built for lifetime use. A super 5 stars on the quality. Follow the instructions carefully, it's a bit fussy to get the filters primed and all set up. At first mine filtered super slow, maybe I didn't prime it right. I kept tossing out the initial water filtration's per the instructions, so that it was almost a week from arrival until I started actually drinking the water. In the interim I continued with my old Brita pitcher. I have no beefs with Brita, they've been good to me and my health for decades, but Berkey is superior so bye bye Brita. Also, no need to buy filters every month, a huge relief. I never liked the plastic pitchers Brita supplies because they always look crazed no matter how delicately you clean and polish them.

After starting on the Berkey water, I am delighted over and over. The taste is HEAVEN ON EARTH! The water quality after filtering is just fantastic. Even though I've been filtering with Brita for 30 years, I could tell a difference in my coffee and green tea as well as plain water drinking.

I did tons of research on water filtration. I can't afford the ridiculous plastic bottled water. 90% or more of the cost goes to the plastic bottle and the rest to the water. I have no idea where or how they bottled that water, the landfills are overflowing with a a zillion water bottles, it's estimated that less than 10% are actually recycled. I volunteer for 5 months per year picking up litter in public parks, the mountain of water bottles I find tossed in the bushes is absolutely astounding. The same people that love nature, seem to also enjoy trashing it. Even crazier are the folks who throw out half full water bottles.

I have my own reusable bottles to take with me hiking and biking, I would never go buy someone else's water, I have to have my own Berkey filtered water. Good clean tasting water is a daily treat. Amazingly, I was having some health issues, they cleared up right away, whether by coincidence or maybe I was lapsing on changing out my Brita filters often enough. Now I don't have to worry for at least 8 more years before buying replacement filters.

I have used Brita water filter pitchers for about 30 years. But I was concerned that I failed to change my filters often enough. I never liked the plastic pitchers, they crazed super easily

So now it's Berkey all the way. I even managed to build my Berkey into a lower cabinet under the sink in the motorhome that is still a foot off the floor due to the air exchanger beneath the cabinet.This is perfect for dispensing the filtered water. I am able to refill the top with the pull-out kitchen faucet but the Berkey is lashed into the cabinet, so that when I go bouncing down the highways, the Berkey won't go dancing.

I bought the Rubbermaid 2 quart clear carafe (from Amazon) for storing filtered water on my counter top since the Berkey is built into my cabinet. That is one good looking carafe with a super tight lid. The opening in the lid is perfect for draining out the filtered Berkey water into the Carafe. The carafe is a beautiful addition to a dinner table or a party where delicious water is desired. I make my ice from the filtered water too, I can add ice to the carafe for dinner parties or for hot days when I am working inside and outside. To me, the carafe makes a perfect addition to the Berkey. Also, it allows me to drain out the Berkey, then refill the top without worry of overflowing.

LOVE MY BERKEY! If the RV is on fire, you will see me run out the door carrying the dog in one hand and the Berkey in the other. He loves the Berkey water in his water bowl too.

Berkey BT2X2-BB Travel Stainless Steel Water Filtration System with 2 Black Filter Elements

Awesome Antenna For My Motorhome Lifestyle

I have been traveling and using this in my motorhome for over 2 years now.

I am VERY impressed and pleased. Sometimes I can stick it on the ceiling inside the motorhome and it improves the Wifi signal,other times I have to run it out the window and stick it up on the high side of the RV. The magnet is VERY powerful, a huge plus.

When more is necessary, I stick it up on top of a homemade antenna pole made from PVC poles. I bought one of those stock screws that is about 16 inches long and screwed that into one of the screw holes on the antenna. Then I lashed it to a broom stick which attaches to my 2 PVC poles that I connect so I end up with about an 18 foot antenna pole.

Recently I bought PTC - 20 Meters (64 Feet) USB 2.0 Active Extension / Repeater Cable A Male to A Female - Supports High Speed USB2.0 480 Mbps which gives me another 64 feet. Since it's active, it pushes power to the antenna. Now I have a lot more room with the extra 64 feet to find a tree to tie my antenna to in the campground or I lash it to the rear ladder on the motorhome.

I gave this 5 stars because it works out quite nicely for me. Many campgrounds have weak signals and this helps. I am using it on an old laptop, a 2007 Lenovo T61 running Windows 7.

UAWIFI UA3 Rugged USB Wi-Fi Adapter

4 Years Later, It is Still Performing Perfectly with Sesame Oil

I bought this over 4 years ago.

It is STILL working flawlessly.

I use mine to keep sesame oil in it, because I love the flavor of cooking with sesame oil.

My wok loves it, my fry pan loves it and I spray my crockpots each time before use to make hand washing a super breeze.

Best of all, my tiny iron skillet LOVES this sprayer.

I don't own a dishwasher, I live in a motorhome and wash everything by hand.

This sprayer keeps my pots and pans well seasoned, nonstick and makes washing up the mess by hand a speedy chore.

At the time I bought mine, they didn't come in assorted colors, I plan to buy more now, so I can have different colors for the oils I like.

Misto Brushed Aluminum Olive Oil Sprayer

Cat Stevens

This is an incredible love song that you may want to add to your bedroom list.

On the other hand, I hope this song is played at my memorial service. It would explain everything.

This song still makes me cry, tears of happiness, whenever it is played. Cat Stevens wrote and performed many amazing songs. This is my absolute favorite, though "Morning Has Broken" would be a very close runner up.  I own many of Cat Steven's albums. They are all timeless. He is superbly talented.

This song is done with a simple vocals and a guitar as if you can picture Cat Stevens sitting by a fireplace crooning this unique melancholy song about love.

Add this song and album to your collection. You won't regret it.

"How Can I Tell You"
by Cat Stevens

How can I tell you that I love you, I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you that I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you, but my words
Just blow away, just blow away
It always ends up to one thing, honey
And I can't think of right words to say
Wherever I am girl, I'm always walking with you
I'm always walking with you, but I look and you're not there
Whoever I'm with, I'm always, always talking to you
I'm always talking to you, and I'm sad that
You can't hear, sad that you can't hear
It always ends up to one thing, honey,
When I look and you're not there
I need to know you, need to feel my arms around you
Feel my arms around you, like a sea around a shore
And - each night and day I pray, in hope
That I might find you, in hope that I might
Find you, because heart's can do no more
It always ends up to one thing honey, still I kneel upon the floor
How can I tell you that I love you, I love you
But I can't think of right words to say
I long to tell you that I'm always thinking of you
I'm always thinking of you....
It always ends up to one thing honey
And I can't think of right words to say

How Can I Tell You

Cat Stevens

From the Album The Best Of Cat Stevens 20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection

Gorgeous Flowers That Lasted Nearly

Awesome quality!

You can't go wrong with this company.

They arrived unbloomed but opened up beautifully as the days progressed. They lasted a LONG time, nearly a month!

This company cares about quality and selection.

The price is well worth it.

Surprise someone you love!

They will love these flowers delivered to their door.

Benchmark Bouquets Roses and Oriental Lilies, With Vase 

Super Sharp, Made With Quality Stainless Steel, Super Fancy Box Included

These are extremely well made. They are made with superior stainless steel. The blades are very sharp.

I have used them on my toes and fingernails with fabulous results.

They come in a super fancy expensive box. This is handy for gift giving, but I live in a tiny home, so I can't use the bi box just to hold the three nail items. Which by the way the stylish file works beautifully. I wish it were longer, but it works at the current length just fine.

I wish the 3 products had holes where they could be kept on a key chain for easy access and for hanging up in the bathroom.

TOP TENG® Nail Clippers Set in a Nice Gift Box - Fingernail + Toenail - Premium Stainless Steel, Free Professional Double Sided Nail File Included

Awesome Sound and Quality

Fantastic sound, both with earphones and powered speakers.

The powered speakers I use are [[ASIN:B01GCMCM3C Bluetooth Speakers, Wotmic Portable Outdoor Wireless Speakers HiFi Sound Subwoofer IPX6 Waterproof Shockproof Speakers Green]] for outdoor use.

For indoor use I use these powered speakers the [[ASIN:B00NV8VAIE Samson Meteor M2 Multimedia Speaker System]]

The 16gb enabled me to store over 3,000 songs. This is fantastic! I never get bored with my music line up.

The bright screen is easy enough to read and it's colorful, so you can carry around pictures of your loved ones to show off.

This is a fairly simple player that is easy to use.

You an also make recordings with it. Very handy if you out listening to your favorite band.

The red is a flashy metallic cherry red. I love it!

Tomameri -Digital and Portable MP3 Music Player with a 16 GB Micro SD Card, Video Player with Rhombic Button -Red

Super Soft Silicone Doesn't Mar Handlebars

Sahara Sailor Bone Series Bike Mount Bicycle Phone Holder for iPhone, Android Smartphone and Other GPS Devices, Fits Any Device W 4-6 Inch Screens

Super soft and flexible silicone. Easy to connect

Easily fits phone and holds it snugly and safely. 

Perfect for bicycle or motorcycle. Will attach to any round tubing. Can be used on boat or camping chair to keep phone handy.

The adjustable strap is easy to lock on or off, so you can move it around to what ever you want to attach it too. 

Super handy for the avid cyclist who wants a phone around just in case they need one, or to listen to music. 

Portable, Fun and Bright, Works on Batteries

These require 3 AA batteries to operate. I have no idea if the battery box is water resistant or not. It seems to fit pretty tightly.

The shamrocks are teeny tiny. Once they are lit up, all you see is tiny green lights. They are strung up on about 12 feet of very thin wire. This makes them easy enough to wrap around something.

I think they would make a real cute tiny Christmas wreath for a lit display at the holidays.

They are pretty bright and vivid green.

They are fun for a bicycle or gold cart. I wish they offered them with a solar panel for outdoor use.

I gave them 4 out of 5 stars because you really can't see the shamrocks at all, once they are lit up, you just see little green lights.

Fun for camping! String around your tent.

LEORX Shamrock String Lights for St Patrick's Day - 11.5 Ft, 35 Lights

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Awesome flask. I use it all day long and take it on bicycle rides too.

UPDATE... I have been using this 18 months now for water. It is awesome and has held up beautifully. I have included a picture of it riding on my bicycle.

Many nights I park the flask full and closed on my bedside table. No spills if I flail around trying to find a sip of water in the night. Believe me I have spilled a lot of water cups sitting next to my bed.

I live in a motorhome fulltime and I enjoy relaxing outside. I often leave this flask outside as I come and go inside and outside to do things. There is always a sip of icy cold water waiting for me when I plop down outside in my rocking chair.

I like to have water with me everywhere. I purify my own water with a Berkey [[ASIN:B00BWIWX8G Berkey BT2X2-BB Travel Stainless Steel Water Filtration System with 2 Black Filter Elements]]. I also make my own ice with purified water.

I have been searching all over creation for a wide mouth stainless steel vacuum insulated water bottle so I can toss in my regular sized self made ice cubes and my purified Berkey water. While I am happy enough with room temperature water, when I am out with friends and leave this bottle in their car while we dine out, I return to cold water, not blazing hot water.

I also wanted an easy cap for sipping while bicycle riding.

Now I can have icy cold water no matter what the temperature when I am out and about on my bicycle.

I go to the beach for a month in spring and a month in fall. I am out on the beach every day riding my bicycle and playing Frisbee with the dog. Now we have icy cold water no matter how hot the beach is. If I forget my covered dog bowl of water to take to the beach, then I unscrew the cap, flip it over and let the doggy drink some water out of the top of the cap. This works well and he loves a drink of water on a hot day at the beach.

I like the way the lid is nice and tight and so far, doesn't leak a drop. Sometimes my water bottle is tossed in a tote bag with other things that I don't want to get wet. This bottle does not condensate on the outside, so my camera can stay dry, even if I don't have it in a waterproof container.

Now for those that wrote reviews complaining they can't switch back and forth from hot coffee to water, because the plastic absorbs the coffee odor, this seems true of any plastic and coffee. Coffee will always attach and odor to the plastic. So if you want this for hot coffee, then get a secondary one for icy water. I personally don't use mine for hot coffee, just ice water. I don't like the taste of coffee and plastic, so personally this would not be a choice for me if I wanted it for hot coffee.

The Bad...

The only bad thing to report is the plastic cap arrived pretty stinky. I know to wash anything I buy that is for food and drinks, so I washed the entire water bottle plus the top by hand. I do not have an automatic dishwasher, so I wash everything by hand.

Well shoot, the stinky lid  it took 3 super hot washings by hand with lots of soap to eliminate the stinky odor. On the third washing the rubber seal fell out and I had a heck of a time getting it to reseat nicely. But once I finally got it back in correctly and seated, it was water tight again.

The Ugly...

Nothing ugly really to report. My own persona preference would have been to have their logos and printed stuff on the bottom on the bottle and just a nice clean stainless steel outside.

Hydro Flask Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, Wide Mouth w/Hydro Flip Cap

Sensuous Soul, A Magnificent Performance

I spent years in the Caribbean living and working on sailboats. The stereo was our main entertainment besides watching dolphins ride our bow wave.

Once while teaching an adult student to sail downwind, Bolero by Ravel performed by Andre Rieu was playing on the stereo. It was just majestic as it worked up to a crescendo that was heavenly. If was as if the music was gently pushing the winds and seas as we lazily toured the southern side of Jost Van Dyke.

The film "10" from 1979,  brought renewed fame to the one-movement orchestral piece Boléro by Maurice Ravel. Use of the piece during the love scene between Derek and Moore's characters, with Jenny describing it as "the most descriptive sex music ever written", resulted in massive sales of the work. Because Ravel's music was still under copyright at the time, sales generated his estate an estimated $1 million in royalties and briefly made him the best-selling classical composer—over 40 years after his death. Derek later appeared in a 1984 film named Bolero, titled to capitalize upon the piece's regenerated popularity.

This is a must-have for any music lover's library.

Bolero (From "10")

Andre Rieu