R.I.P. Pinkie, Hello Stripey

Today was a sad, sad day.  My lunchbox, Pinkie, met its end today.  When I got to work, I realized that the zipper had had a blow-out.  I had nursed it along for a while, but it has now met a catastrophic end.  Of course I didn't see it over the weekend.  I was forced to improvise with a plastic bag.

Pinkie :(

Every field biologist has that special lunchbox or dry bag...that carryall that gets you through the hard days.  Pinkie had been with me for years.  Pinkie was actually Pinkie II - its predecessors were Greenie and Pinkie the First.  When Pinkie the First died (cause of death was also a zipper blow-out), I was devastated.  I never thought I would find a lunch box like that - it had great compartments and it was pink!  Then I found Pinkie II.  I use my lunchbox not for food (that goes in the cooler on the boat), but for all the crap that I find necessary to have in the field with me.  Pinkie was with me through many travels - from the Myakka River to Everglades City to Biscayne Bay.

My necessary crap

Now, a new day has dawned.  I went to Walmart in hopes of finding Pinkie III, but alas, it was not to be.  They had changed the design and all they had was black.  I need to have a few girly things in this male-dominated profession.  Then...I saw Stripey.  It was new.  It was different.  An insulated bag as opposed to a lunchbox.  But...it could work!  It was still Igloo brand.  I must give props to Igloo.  Those lunchboxes survived years of abuse and salt spray. 

And so, Stripey is joining the fold.  It's got a lot to live up to.  I need something to carry my titanium spork in, after all.

I transferred everything to Stripey after having a moment of silence for Pinkie.