The tent

My tent arrived yesterday, and I set it up right away and again this evening (Tuesday). I can do it so much easier the 2nd time, and it really wasn't difficult the first. I am a bit unhappy that it didn't have a completely full rainfly - the fly is inadequate on the back side of the tent, but I will live with it. I don't have time or energy to be taking things back and having to shop all over again.

What I have is the Big Agnes Jupiter 4. It is considered a backpacking tent for 4 people, but as everyone knows it might be roomy enough for 4 kids, but I wouldn't want to be crammed in with 3 other adult backpackers.

This is the tent from the back side, and the window can be opened to expose a screen window. This picture was taken yesterday and the tent wasn't yet staked down:


This is with the fly attached, and you can see that it doesn't even cover the mesh area above the window.


Here is a view from the side, and you can see that there is good standing room not only in the middle of the tent, but also at the sidewalls.


And the front view. Notice how large the door opening is, both side to side and top to bottom. With the 6' height inside the tent it will be easy for me to enter and exit.


I may leave the fly off altogether on starry nights, and gaze at the skies.

I did the short version of the March of Dimes walk last Saturday morning. I really had hoped to get some good pictures - Sacramento is beautiful this time of year, and our route was a good one for photography. But after taking the first shot of the Capitol dome the batteries died.


I keep forgetting to get a photo of my truck cover. It is a flexible leatherette type material in three parts, and is extremely easy to open and close. Even so, I hope to place items strategically in the rear of the bed so that all I have to do is to open the tailgate to get what I need. Call me lazy if you like.

Now I need to cut a "footprint" from a large tarp I have, to set under the tent and protect it from debris on the ground. I also need to get a mattress pad that I don't need an air pump for - just the thinner backpacking style. I looked at cots but have come to the end of my spending spree.

My granddaughter is taking a course in photography at a college in Delaware this summer and needed a digital SLR camera. I have been researching on the internet, asking others who know more than I do about it, and talking to sales people. I ended up buying her the Sony A-390L (I think I have that right). It is a beautiful piece of equipment and makes me wish I had one myself, although I know I am much too impatient to learn all there is to know, plus to make all the adjustments in lens, f stops, and such, even to take a picture. (I have no clue what an f stop is or what it does, by the way). I am looking forward to seeing her portfolio at the end of the course. She is very artistic and I just know she will take excellent pictures.

I read the course description and noticed that it includes learning to use Photoshop. When Jeannie was bemoaning the fact that I was spending so much money, I told her I knew what Ara could do for me -- take a portrait and then fix it up with Photoshop to remove all the wrinkles, most of the gray hair, and add a few pounds while removing quite a few years! Sounds like an even exchange to me.