Kitchen cover?

I have a Jacks R Better 8'x8' tarp that weights 9.3 oz.
My actual finished size is 7.5' square. It works great for a kitchen tarp.

The Jacks advertise it as 7'2" square and 9.4 oz. but they are always conservative and it's a pleasure to deal with these gentlemen. The quality is top-notch and the tarps have tie-outs all over the thing. Here is a link.

http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_files/Products%20List_files/8×8%20SilNyl%20Tarp.htm

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Me again. my post above was made late last night when tired and I forgot to mention what a good value JRB tarps are under normal circumstances. However, they are on sale now making them a super value.

The tarp I described has a center tie-out, also. Very handy.

For one person a large light umbrella works really well – it also provides a wind break as well.

$4 at IKEA will get you one that can also be used as a distress symbol ;-)

I have an 5'x7' ID siltarp that, in exposed weather, I set up as follows:
1. Stake one long side out perpendicular to the wind on windward side (2-3 stakes)
2. Use a hiking pole to prop up the middle of the other long side (length of guyline and 1 stake)
3. Stake out the remaining 2 corners (short length of guy and 2 stakes)
This gives you a sheltered-on-3-sides area just big enough for 2 people, a stove and your food (but you have to be organized – can't have lots of stuff all over the place cause there's no room for it all) with a narrow entrance (you can offset the hiking pole to make the entrance bigger). And you can vary the openness of the shelter by adjusting the length of the corner guylines. Very versatile.

Has anyone tried Polycryo film as an overhead tarp? (the material that GossamerGear sells as groundcloths). GG's size would make a pretty tiny tarp but it's sold as window insulation in larger sizes.

I'm not thinking of this if you expect to be camp in exposed spots