Indoors: The house has had many improvements in the last 20 years. The floors have been lightly refinished, so as not to erase evidence of their age. The repaired windows retain their original wood and glass. All of the brass hardware has been refinished and lacquered. The tiled fireplaces on the first floor were restored by an artist and, in three cases, equipped with gas-fired “coal baskets.” The heating and cooling systems were updated with geothermal pumps and a gas heater.

Clumsiness aside, a dehydrator isn’t a bad investment in the long run. Not only can we keep our supply dry, we might just be able to give all that freebie filament (that we dug out of the trash) a second life by resetting it to a clean, dry state.

The facility has a Sun, Wind, Rain and Dust Chamber, which blows rain at rates up to 25 inches (65cm) per hour on to vehicles. Heavy sand and dust storms can also be created in this chamber.

Stainless steel screens are expensive and hard to work with in terms of cutting and bending. Stainless steel comes in many grades, depending on the alloys it is made with, so it’s important to use a food-grade stainless. Some grades may leach metals and flavors into foods.

“We try to figure out how somebody might use these and maybe misuse them. We can break just about anything,” said Sheldon Brown, chief engineer for research and development, working on the Toyota Tacoma.

• Silver Bullet, 5145 Aberdeen Ave.: observed improper storage of kitchen utensils. Corrected on site. Observed sticker residue on food storage containers. Observed soiled gaskets on cooling units. Observed soiled wells at grill area. Corrected by next routine inspection.

Everything in the list above can be mixed and matched to keep you cool and comfortable in warmer climates, and warm in all but the most frigid regions. Remember the old adage that “cotton kills.” All the clothing in your bug out bag should consist of quick-drying fibers designed to keep you warm even when wet. Merino wool is a great all-around choice.

The airtight bags, which come in a range of shapes, sizes and colours, can be used for cooking in a multitude of ways: in the microwave, in the oven, or in a pot of boiling water. They can also be used for storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer, or simply to carry your sandwich to work in.

What do you do with leftovers? How do you store dry food? Do you prepare your meals for the week ahead?

Of course, it's easy to track your core temperature in a lab like the one I was in. For everyday athletes who don't have access to a lab, the only way to accurately track your core temp – to be sure it's in the correct range without spiking to an unsafe level – is to take your temperature rectally. That would mean pausing your run, bike or workout to get your temperature – not exactly ideal, or likely to happen.

• Razzoo’s Cajun Café, 4805 S. Loop 289: observed inadequate dish-sanitation. Observed unlabeled spray bottle containing toxic liquid. Observed damaged kitchen utensils. Observed sticker residue on multiple food storage containers. Observed improper storage of personal employee beverages and items. Observed dishes stacked while wet. Observed personal employee cell phone stored on prep surface. Corrected on site. Observed sticker residue on multiple food storage containers. Corrected by 01/13/19. Observed torn gasket on multiple reach-in cooling units. Corrected by 04/03/19. Observed sanitizer buckets stored on floor. Corrected by next routine inspection.

Plastic films are generally not sturdy or durable enough for solar dryer applications; however, some designs still call for them. They can provide a cheap and quick glazing material for experimenting with solar energy, or act as a temporary glazing until you can find something better. The best plastic film is probably polyester (Mylar). It’s clear, very tough, fairly heat tolerant and doesn’t stretch or sag. Some polyester films are designed especially for outdoor applications, so these would be the ones to consider. The most common plastic film is polyethylene. It is sometimes used for cold frames or as a covering for temporary greenhouses.