Yep, she's a Valentine baby. My sweetheart. No, I'm not going to tell you how old she is but I will say that we had to have her carbon dated to be sure. Heh heh. Just kidding honey. Please put down the rolling pin.
I'm taking her out shooting (she's beginning to express an interest in the AR and even perhaps some 3 Gun. Yay!!), Skype with the grandkids and then dinner. It's going to be a good day.
So Happy Birthday to the love of my life and the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. All the best things in my life flowed from the day The Good Lord brought you and me together and I am eternally grateful.
I love you.
Six
Showing posts with label Lu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lu. Show all posts
14 February 2014
08 November 2013
This Is What A Feminist Looks Like
We all have strengths and weaknesses. Things we do well and things we don't. A true partnership takes advantage of each party's strengths to cancel weaknesses, strike a balance and create something that is greater than the sum of it's parts. It requires each to contribute and even push past what they think they can do. It assumes an individual desire to learn new skills and a collective determination to work together. It knows no gender preferences only competence and willingness. It's a beautiful thing to be a part of.
I'm usually baffled by so called modern feminists. I always thought that the first real feminists were those Pioneer women who toiled, fought and died at their husband's side. Who took on any challenge, any task, any danger and damn anyone who disagreed with their choices. I find true feminists in the unwavering sharing of hardship and the acceptance of the idea of partnership with all that entails. Independent and yet realistic. Real feminists are wonderful beyond the ability of the the world's finest authors to describe.
Here is my feminist.
Tired, dirty and yet still with a beaming smile on her lovely face. She's a true scion of her Pioneer foremothers. Unafraid and imminently competent. Not just willing to work hard by her husband's side but joyous for the opportunity and confident in her own skills and abilities. Unconcerned about her femininity because she knows exactly who and what she is and how beautiful that makes her. My wife but not my property. My partner but not my slave. She can be counted on in any situation and that makes her strong. Capable of taking care of herself but always making sure I know how much she values our marriage and appreciates me for who and what I am.
Pour some concrete? Sure. You do the heavy lifting with your male body built for that chore and I'll do the rest. The very picture of a proud, confident woman. Surveying her work and pleased with the results. There is no task beyond her. No job she cannot tackle with the talents The Creator gifted her with and which she has honed and perfected over the years of her life.
I have my task. The bags of concrete are heavy and unwieldy. The mixing requires the strength and endurance the Good Lord provided to me so I could be the partner she deserves. Those attributes she knows she can depend on. They free her for her own work. Work she cherishes because she's a feminist. A strong woman who knows her own mind and takes a back seat to no one. Yet she understands where each of us can best contribute and doesn't resent what she cannot change even if she were of a mind to do so.
Ah beauty. Where can it be found? Some find it in the lunatic gyrations of the latest Hollywood sensation abasing herself across the screen for the delectation of her hordes of misinformed fans. Some in the ravings of a leftist icon who professes independence while prostituting herself for fame and public alms. I find it in the quiet confidence and competence of a woman who has shared every task that has come along in our lives. Yes, she is so very beautiful. The moment matters not, just the woman in that small slice of time.
And when the task is finished she takes joy in a shared success. A job well done. Together. 580 pounds of hand mixed concrete and I didn't spread a single trowel full. I did my part and watched as my beautiful partner did hers. I smiled inside as her pride beamed across her features. Who takes such prideful joy from a task like this? Perhaps someone who doesn't care about the job, only the opportunity, surely given by a loving God, to once again share a hardship with the fortunate man she shares her life with.
Maybe I'm missing something important. Perhaps as a man I simply do not understand. That may be but I do know what I love and what I respect. I love and respect my own dear feminist with all her strengths and all her weaknesses.
I wouldn't trade her for anyone else on the face of the Earth.
Six
I'm usually baffled by so called modern feminists. I always thought that the first real feminists were those Pioneer women who toiled, fought and died at their husband's side. Who took on any challenge, any task, any danger and damn anyone who disagreed with their choices. I find true feminists in the unwavering sharing of hardship and the acceptance of the idea of partnership with all that entails. Independent and yet realistic. Real feminists are wonderful beyond the ability of the the world's finest authors to describe.
Here is my feminist.
Tired, dirty and yet still with a beaming smile on her lovely face. She's a true scion of her Pioneer foremothers. Unafraid and imminently competent. Not just willing to work hard by her husband's side but joyous for the opportunity and confident in her own skills and abilities. Unconcerned about her femininity because she knows exactly who and what she is and how beautiful that makes her. My wife but not my property. My partner but not my slave. She can be counted on in any situation and that makes her strong. Capable of taking care of herself but always making sure I know how much she values our marriage and appreciates me for who and what I am.
Pour some concrete? Sure. You do the heavy lifting with your male body built for that chore and I'll do the rest. The very picture of a proud, confident woman. Surveying her work and pleased with the results. There is no task beyond her. No job she cannot tackle with the talents The Creator gifted her with and which she has honed and perfected over the years of her life.
I have my task. The bags of concrete are heavy and unwieldy. The mixing requires the strength and endurance the Good Lord provided to me so I could be the partner she deserves. Those attributes she knows she can depend on. They free her for her own work. Work she cherishes because she's a feminist. A strong woman who knows her own mind and takes a back seat to no one. Yet she understands where each of us can best contribute and doesn't resent what she cannot change even if she were of a mind to do so.
Ah beauty. Where can it be found? Some find it in the lunatic gyrations of the latest Hollywood sensation abasing herself across the screen for the delectation of her hordes of misinformed fans. Some in the ravings of a leftist icon who professes independence while prostituting herself for fame and public alms. I find it in the quiet confidence and competence of a woman who has shared every task that has come along in our lives. Yes, she is so very beautiful. The moment matters not, just the woman in that small slice of time.
And when the task is finished she takes joy in a shared success. A job well done. Together. 580 pounds of hand mixed concrete and I didn't spread a single trowel full. I did my part and watched as my beautiful partner did hers. I smiled inside as her pride beamed across her features. Who takes such prideful joy from a task like this? Perhaps someone who doesn't care about the job, only the opportunity, surely given by a loving God, to once again share a hardship with the fortunate man she shares her life with.
Maybe I'm missing something important. Perhaps as a man I simply do not understand. That may be but I do know what I love and what I respect. I love and respect my own dear feminist with all her strengths and all her weaknesses.
I wouldn't trade her for anyone else on the face of the Earth.
Six
07 September 2013
New Gun!!!
Finally, after waiting and waiting the new gun has arrived. What is it you ask? I'll give you a hint.
The grip should give it away. If not....
A Springfield Armory XDM-9 5.25. The 5.25 refers to the barrel length and the 9 to caliber. Yea verily it is a 9mm bullet hose. It is primarily a competition gun and is used by a lot of USPSA shooters. A lot of others hate it but what do they know. I love it and more importantly so does Lu. More on that in a minute. Here it is in all it's glory.
It came with a veritable plethora of stuff. Two additional back straps to mold it to perfection, three (count 'em three) 19 round mags, a mag loader, holster, mag pouch and the hated and useless gun lock. $760 bucks out the door. The front sight is fiber optic. Gamer all the way baby.
Why this particular gun? Lemme 'splain. No, there's no time. Lemme sum up. Warning: this is competition talk about a gun I got strictly to shoot competition. Any resemblance to a combat firearm are strictly coincidental. (Though I'd take it into a dynamic scenario in a heartbeat but that's just me)
I am currently shooting a Glock 35 (after my Sig crapped out on me) in .40 S&W. A fine pistol but one that just doesn't fit me as well as I'd like, especially when I'm desperately trying to master a new discipline. What I needed was a more traditional pistola, one chambered for a softer cartridge and suitable for hosing those difficult stages when actually aiming just won't do. I looked and searched and asked and the majority decision seemed to be this gun. Then I shot it and was instantly hooked. It's very accurate, easy to shoot and points instinctively. Ooh baby, now we're talking! Plus it's amenable to some simple adjustments (like a trigger though the stocker is pretty dang good) that are not only USPSA approved but that will take it from good to totally fabulous.
But wait, it gets even better. Lu has come along very nicely and is ready to take the next step in her development (Whatever that next step turns out to be. That's still being discussed). She's been shooting her Sig P226 9mm which she adores but which isn't exactly suited for this type of shooting. Recently she got the chance to shoot one of the guy's XDMs and she loved it. So much so that we've been looking at getting her a 4 inch. Then she saw mine and decided to wait until she could shoot it and then decide. Well, she shot it today and can you guess what she now wants? That's right, one just like mine. In fact she has already taken a decidedly untoward interest in my very gun. I have had to take it away from her numerous times. The slobber all over it is just so hard to remove. Hang on a sec.
"Lu, put that down! My gun. Mine."
"But we needs the precious. Yes we do!!!"
"My gun. Bad Lu. Bad!"
Where were we? Oh right. I am also considering a 1911 (Or maybe a 2011. One never knows...) so I can shoot Single Stack and Heavy Metal 3 Gun. If I do that we can share (Yeah, wishful thinking right there) the XDM. I'll probably get it on alternate weekends and she'll yell at me for feeding it junk food and not properly giving it a Sunday bath.
"We loves the precious. Yes we do."
So, there we are. At this point we're cussing and discussing where we're going. I've been perusing the 1911 offerings while Lu tries to hide the XDM. I may just throw in the towel and buy a second one just so I don't have to engage in a continual Tug-O-War with the woman who cooks my food and knows where I sleep. I mean it's only money. Right?
Did I mention that the gun store just got in a H&K MP5 and I have wanted one for like forever? Or that the same gun store is well stocked with a variety of tasty1911s?
Hey Sweetheart? If you really want that XDM I think we can work this out....
"We gots the Precious! Oh yes! Oh yes, my Precious!!"
I'm gonna need a bigger gun safe.
Six
The grip should give it away. If not....
A Springfield Armory XDM-9 5.25. The 5.25 refers to the barrel length and the 9 to caliber. Yea verily it is a 9mm bullet hose. It is primarily a competition gun and is used by a lot of USPSA shooters. A lot of others hate it but what do they know. I love it and more importantly so does Lu. More on that in a minute. Here it is in all it's glory.
It came with a veritable plethora of stuff. Two additional back straps to mold it to perfection, three (count 'em three) 19 round mags, a mag loader, holster, mag pouch and the hated and useless gun lock. $760 bucks out the door. The front sight is fiber optic. Gamer all the way baby.
Why this particular gun? Lemme 'splain. No, there's no time. Lemme sum up. Warning: this is competition talk about a gun I got strictly to shoot competition. Any resemblance to a combat firearm are strictly coincidental. (Though I'd take it into a dynamic scenario in a heartbeat but that's just me)
I am currently shooting a Glock 35 (after my Sig crapped out on me) in .40 S&W. A fine pistol but one that just doesn't fit me as well as I'd like, especially when I'm desperately trying to master a new discipline. What I needed was a more traditional pistola, one chambered for a softer cartridge and suitable for hosing those difficult stages when actually aiming just won't do. I looked and searched and asked and the majority decision seemed to be this gun. Then I shot it and was instantly hooked. It's very accurate, easy to shoot and points instinctively. Ooh baby, now we're talking! Plus it's amenable to some simple adjustments (like a trigger though the stocker is pretty dang good) that are not only USPSA approved but that will take it from good to totally fabulous.
But wait, it gets even better. Lu has come along very nicely and is ready to take the next step in her development (Whatever that next step turns out to be. That's still being discussed). She's been shooting her Sig P226 9mm which she adores but which isn't exactly suited for this type of shooting. Recently she got the chance to shoot one of the guy's XDMs and she loved it. So much so that we've been looking at getting her a 4 inch. Then she saw mine and decided to wait until she could shoot it and then decide. Well, she shot it today and can you guess what she now wants? That's right, one just like mine. In fact she has already taken a decidedly untoward interest in my very gun. I have had to take it away from her numerous times. The slobber all over it is just so hard to remove. Hang on a sec.
"Lu, put that down! My gun. Mine."
"But we needs the precious. Yes we do!!!"
"My gun. Bad Lu. Bad!"
Where were we? Oh right. I am also considering a 1911 (Or maybe a 2011. One never knows...) so I can shoot Single Stack and Heavy Metal 3 Gun. If I do that we can share (Yeah, wishful thinking right there) the XDM. I'll probably get it on alternate weekends and she'll yell at me for feeding it junk food and not properly giving it a Sunday bath.
"We loves the precious. Yes we do."
So, there we are. At this point we're cussing and discussing where we're going. I've been perusing the 1911 offerings while Lu tries to hide the XDM. I may just throw in the towel and buy a second one just so I don't have to engage in a continual Tug-O-War with the woman who cooks my food and knows where I sleep. I mean it's only money. Right?
Did I mention that the gun store just got in a H&K MP5 and I have wanted one for like forever? Or that the same gun store is well stocked with a variety of tasty1911s?
Hey Sweetheart? If you really want that XDM I think we can work this out....
"We gots the Precious! Oh yes! Oh yes, my Precious!!"
I'm gonna need a bigger gun safe.
Six
12 August 2013
35 Years Ago
The lovely and wonderful Lu married me. It was really the start of my life. Our lives together. The DO came along and our family was seemingly complete. Then came a son in law and two precious grandchildren.
A career came and went. We've had highs and lows. Sickness and health. Good times and bad. But we're still together.
I don't think there are any secrets to 35 years together. Nothing profound or brilliant. Just remembering that we love each other and that our lives would be infinitely emptier and sadder alone. In our case the sum of our parts are so much more than more than the individual. Lu and I fit. My weaknesses are her strengths and hers mine. She stays out of the man business and I stay out of the woman. Masculine and feminine. We are happy with who we are and appreciate those qualities we see, and need, in each other.
Lu was the best thing that ever happened to me if only because every other blessing in my life has flowed from that single event. The day she said I Do. That makes me the luckiest man in the world and believe me when I say that is the absolute truth.
To Lu on this day. Thank you sweetheart. For everything. A simple thing from a simple man but that is who I am. I can express it no better and I know I don't really have to. You understand. You always have. On this morning 35 years ago I busted into your room at your house and woke you with a kiss and smile. A few short hours later we were man and wife. A good. A very good day. The best day. You will ever be the treasure of my heart. Time has swept past us in an ever swifter flood but you look exactly the same as you did on that bright morning so long ago. You will always be my sweetheart. My love. My better half. I love you and I always will. I have no idea where the years ahead will take us but I am happy that we will travel that road together. I am content.
Your loving husband
Six
A career came and went. We've had highs and lows. Sickness and health. Good times and bad. But we're still together.
I don't think there are any secrets to 35 years together. Nothing profound or brilliant. Just remembering that we love each other and that our lives would be infinitely emptier and sadder alone. In our case the sum of our parts are so much more than more than the individual. Lu and I fit. My weaknesses are her strengths and hers mine. She stays out of the man business and I stay out of the woman. Masculine and feminine. We are happy with who we are and appreciate those qualities we see, and need, in each other.
Lu was the best thing that ever happened to me if only because every other blessing in my life has flowed from that single event. The day she said I Do. That makes me the luckiest man in the world and believe me when I say that is the absolute truth.
To Lu on this day. Thank you sweetheart. For everything. A simple thing from a simple man but that is who I am. I can express it no better and I know I don't really have to. You understand. You always have. On this morning 35 years ago I busted into your room at your house and woke you with a kiss and smile. A few short hours later we were man and wife. A good. A very good day. The best day. You will ever be the treasure of my heart. Time has swept past us in an ever swifter flood but you look exactly the same as you did on that bright morning so long ago. You will always be my sweetheart. My love. My better half. I love you and I always will. I have no idea where the years ahead will take us but I am happy that we will travel that road together. I am content.
Your loving husband
Six
16 April 2013
I Am A Bad Husband
I'm here to confess and ask for forgiveness. I am a bad husband. First, I am a man so that automatically makes me a bad person but it goes deeper than that. Much deeper.
See, I've decided that Lu is smaller and weaker than most men (Shame! Evil! Sexist!) and therefore less able to physically fend off an attack from a larger and stronger male armed only with kind words and soiled underwear. To my everlasting shame and guilt I have armed her and forced her to take a concealed carry class and get her carry permit. Even worse I have subjected her to the horror of actually carrying a gun with her everywhere she goes.
It started so innocently. A shotgun and a revolver. Nothing really evil, just guns she could take to the range and have a little fun. But it progressed from there. A rifle. Just one, what harm could it do? But that apparently wasn't enough to satisfy my misogynistic tendencies. The gun buying went on and on, getting worse and worse along the way. Harder and more evil guns were purchased culminating in the two most vile decisions I have made. I bought her not one but two Evil Black Rifles with Evil Magazines. Ah, the shame, it burns me!
But perhaps the worst, the most evil thing I did was to buy her a handgun and holster for her to carry a concealed gun on her actual person. Yes, I am that bad a husband and man. I started with insisting she carry a notquiteevilbutstillprettydarnbad S&W Airweight revolver. I bought her a purse to carry it. An innocent purse may the Lord forgive me. Then I made her get a black leather holster for it and we all know just how evil that makes any gun. But I still wasn't done. I insisted that she take classes and even went so far as to teach her about self defense with a gun myself. But I still wasn't done.
See, Lu is a petite woman and carrying a large capacity handgun is difficult for her. So I went and bought a high capacity handgun for her in .22 LR that she can conceal and carry easily. And it's semi automatic and black! Does my perfidy know no bounds? Is there no end to my hatred for women in general and my wife in particular and their safety?
But it's even worse yet. As we were getting ready to head out to a nice lunch today Lu showed me her Airweight on her hip and asked me if her cover shirt was adequate. I was struck with how sexy a woman wearing a handgun was and overwhelmed with both admiration for her and a deep desire to throw myself at her and have my evil way upon her soft, womanly body.
My shame is complete. I have a wife I have encouraged to learn the martial art of handgun self defense and have so equipped her. Clearly I do not understand how much less safe such preparations have made her. Clearly I want some evil to befall her since all those loving, caring individuals on the left have made it clear that no woman is fit nor able to defend her life and honor with a gun. It would be so much better and safer for her to be at the mercy of some thug the left has encouraged and protected and allowed free reign across our society. I admit my criminal guilt and promise to never rectify this situation.
So there you have it fellowSubjects Citizens. I leave it to you to determine my fate. I accept the charges as levied against me but I will accept no plea bargain, make no apologies. I will proudly go to the reeducation camps secure in the knowledge that Lu is safe behind me with her gun on her hip.
And for anyone who decides that pretty, petite, middle aged woman is an easy mark please I give you this warning. Lu doesn't agree with the idea of disarming those who most need the protection of a gun and has made the conscious decision that anyone who attacks her or someone she loves deserves the pain she will dish out. And trust me on this, she can Bring It. That's her answer to the question of arming the fairer sex. Because she is the poster woman for 'Fairer Doesn't Equal Helpless' and no ignorant liberal mouthpiece is going to tell her any different. Pro Choice has more than one meaning kids. Something to keep in mind as you continue hypocriting all women as both too strong to need a gun and too weak to handle one at the same time. The real irony here is that sentiment is exactly 180 degrees wrong. Women are strong enough to handle a gun and (in many cases) just weak enough to need one. To deny women the means for self defense is to wish harm upon them all. Perhaps that is the real crime here?
I suppose all this does indeed make me a bad husband in the eyes of some but not in the beautiful blue eyes of the woman I love most. I am content. It is a verdict we can both live with.
Six
See, I've decided that Lu is smaller and weaker than most men (Shame! Evil! Sexist!) and therefore less able to physically fend off an attack from a larger and stronger male armed only with kind words and soiled underwear. To my everlasting shame and guilt I have armed her and forced her to take a concealed carry class and get her carry permit. Even worse I have subjected her to the horror of actually carrying a gun with her everywhere she goes.
It started so innocently. A shotgun and a revolver. Nothing really evil, just guns she could take to the range and have a little fun. But it progressed from there. A rifle. Just one, what harm could it do? But that apparently wasn't enough to satisfy my misogynistic tendencies. The gun buying went on and on, getting worse and worse along the way. Harder and more evil guns were purchased culminating in the two most vile decisions I have made. I bought her not one but two Evil Black Rifles with Evil Magazines. Ah, the shame, it burns me!
But perhaps the worst, the most evil thing I did was to buy her a handgun and holster for her to carry a concealed gun on her actual person. Yes, I am that bad a husband and man. I started with insisting she carry a notquiteevilbutstillprettydarnbad S&W Airweight revolver. I bought her a purse to carry it. An innocent purse may the Lord forgive me. Then I made her get a black leather holster for it and we all know just how evil that makes any gun. But I still wasn't done. I insisted that she take classes and even went so far as to teach her about self defense with a gun myself. But I still wasn't done.
See, Lu is a petite woman and carrying a large capacity handgun is difficult for her. So I went and bought a high capacity handgun for her in .22 LR that she can conceal and carry easily. And it's semi automatic and black! Does my perfidy know no bounds? Is there no end to my hatred for women in general and my wife in particular and their safety?
But it's even worse yet. As we were getting ready to head out to a nice lunch today Lu showed me her Airweight on her hip and asked me if her cover shirt was adequate. I was struck with how sexy a woman wearing a handgun was and overwhelmed with both admiration for her and a deep desire to throw myself at her and have my evil way upon her soft, womanly body.
My shame is complete. I have a wife I have encouraged to learn the martial art of handgun self defense and have so equipped her. Clearly I do not understand how much less safe such preparations have made her. Clearly I want some evil to befall her since all those loving, caring individuals on the left have made it clear that no woman is fit nor able to defend her life and honor with a gun. It would be so much better and safer for her to be at the mercy of some thug the left has encouraged and protected and allowed free reign across our society. I admit my criminal guilt and promise to never rectify this situation.
So there you have it fellow
And for anyone who decides that pretty, petite, middle aged woman is an easy mark please I give you this warning. Lu doesn't agree with the idea of disarming those who most need the protection of a gun and has made the conscious decision that anyone who attacks her or someone she loves deserves the pain she will dish out. And trust me on this, she can Bring It. That's her answer to the question of arming the fairer sex. Because she is the poster woman for 'Fairer Doesn't Equal Helpless' and no ignorant liberal mouthpiece is going to tell her any different. Pro Choice has more than one meaning kids. Something to keep in mind as you continue hypocriting all women as both too strong to need a gun and too weak to handle one at the same time. The real irony here is that sentiment is exactly 180 degrees wrong. Women are strong enough to handle a gun and (in many cases) just weak enough to need one. To deny women the means for self defense is to wish harm upon them all. Perhaps that is the real crime here?
I suppose all this does indeed make me a bad husband in the eyes of some but not in the beautiful blue eyes of the woman I love most. I am content. It is a verdict we can both live with.
Six
14 February 2013
Happy Birthday Lu
You are the light of my world, my heart, my very soul. The day you entered my life was a blessing beyond measure. I will try and show you today how much I love you and hope you forgive me for not doing the same every day of our lives together. Though I may often fail to show it please know that I always have and always will love you. You are my partner, my companion, my wife and I am so grateful. You have ever honored our vows and been faithful and loving in good times and bad. Always by my side and in my heart. No man has ever been more blessed than I.
My Valentines sweetheart. In my view this day is blessed more than all others because it saw you ushered into life and into my heart. May I always remember and ever remind you just how special you are and how much you mean to me. I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I promise to do all I can to make you feel loved and appreciated. Today and every day.
Happy Birthday my love.
Your grateful husband
Six
My Valentines sweetheart. In my view this day is blessed more than all others because it saw you ushered into life and into my heart. May I always remember and ever remind you just how special you are and how much you mean to me. I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I promise to do all I can to make you feel loved and appreciated. Today and every day.
Happy Birthday my love.
Your grateful husband
Six
09 February 2013
Thoughts On The Week
We took Angus to the Vet on Tuesday. He's doing very well, improving every day. We've worked very hard to keep his cast clean and dry and Doc was gratified to see it's condition. He decided not to change it and said the stitches could stay in until we see the surgeon. That will be on the 19th. So far so good.
Pneumatic nailers are a wonder. When you're doing extensive reconstruction, especially repairing structure and putting in new stud walls, they're priceless. Of course they can turn around and bite you in the butt toot suite if you get careless. Or finger as the case may be.
Yeah, shooting 16 penny nails into your digits is moderately uncomfortable.
From the 'No Sexism Expressed Or Implied I'm Just A Guy Talking From A Guy's Point Of View' department.
For all you high speed/ low drag gun guys out there a word on training your significant other. Sometimes it's Ok to let someone else do a little education. There's an clear and certain tension in any relationship. Everyone wants to be viewed by their spouse/girlfriend in a certain way and they feel the same. They want us to see them as they want to be seen. That creates a special relationship that can occasionally be a problem in the training environment. Watch for it and before tempers get short and things are said that can't be unsaid look outside for help. I'm not saying you can't or even shouldn't train her, you should if you're capable, but be aware of the potential pitfalls and keep your ego out of it. Lu is spending the afternoon with her mother at the range with another trainer I know and trust to sharpen her semi-auto pistol handling and manipulation. There is no special relationship between them and he can impart knowledge and techniques without ego or feelings getting in the way. Sometimes it's simply best to step away until a certain training hurdle has been cleared before again taking up the mantle of instructor for someone you love. There are times when we are the worst possible choice as an instructor for our wives and girlfriends. Understanding that and knowing when to step away for a bit makes you a better trainer. Not to mention husband.
The remodel has hit a small snag. It's currently snowing/raining and I can't finish the roof and ceiling joists until things clear up a bit. I need to get on the roof and remove a one foot diameter stove pipe and don't dare until I can get the huge hole in the roof weather sealed before it floods the room. Stud wall construction next week. Doors and windows have been purchased and I think I should have enough lumber to get at least most of the rest of the way through. We're a bit above my initial estimation. I think we're at about $1,200 so far. Since that was my initial estimate and I haven't yet bought a single sheet of sheetrock it's fair to say I suck at guessing.
Lu's birthday is next week. She's a Valentine baby! We stopped with the whole gift buying thing a long time ago so we'll probably go out to a nice early dinner and then snuggle at home.
With the weather bad I foresee a relaxed weekend with lots of battery recharging. Speaking of which, I do need to get the motorcycles out, get the batteries tended to and fire them up. First ride of the year isn't far away now. Can't wait.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Our thoughts and prayers go to all our brothers and sisters in the northeast. We hope you all weather the storm alive and well.
Six
Pneumatic nailers are a wonder. When you're doing extensive reconstruction, especially repairing structure and putting in new stud walls, they're priceless. Of course they can turn around and bite you in the butt toot suite if you get careless. Or finger as the case may be.
From the 'No Sexism Expressed Or Implied I'm Just A Guy Talking From A Guy's Point Of View' department.
For all you high speed/ low drag gun guys out there a word on training your significant other. Sometimes it's Ok to let someone else do a little education. There's an clear and certain tension in any relationship. Everyone wants to be viewed by their spouse/girlfriend in a certain way and they feel the same. They want us to see them as they want to be seen. That creates a special relationship that can occasionally be a problem in the training environment. Watch for it and before tempers get short and things are said that can't be unsaid look outside for help. I'm not saying you can't or even shouldn't train her, you should if you're capable, but be aware of the potential pitfalls and keep your ego out of it. Lu is spending the afternoon with her mother at the range with another trainer I know and trust to sharpen her semi-auto pistol handling and manipulation. There is no special relationship between them and he can impart knowledge and techniques without ego or feelings getting in the way. Sometimes it's simply best to step away until a certain training hurdle has been cleared before again taking up the mantle of instructor for someone you love. There are times when we are the worst possible choice as an instructor for our wives and girlfriends. Understanding that and knowing when to step away for a bit makes you a better trainer. Not to mention husband.
The remodel has hit a small snag. It's currently snowing/raining and I can't finish the roof and ceiling joists until things clear up a bit. I need to get on the roof and remove a one foot diameter stove pipe and don't dare until I can get the huge hole in the roof weather sealed before it floods the room. Stud wall construction next week. Doors and windows have been purchased and I think I should have enough lumber to get at least most of the rest of the way through. We're a bit above my initial estimation. I think we're at about $1,200 so far. Since that was my initial estimate and I haven't yet bought a single sheet of sheetrock it's fair to say I suck at guessing.
Lu's birthday is next week. She's a Valentine baby! We stopped with the whole gift buying thing a long time ago so we'll probably go out to a nice early dinner and then snuggle at home.
With the weather bad I foresee a relaxed weekend with lots of battery recharging. Speaking of which, I do need to get the motorcycles out, get the batteries tended to and fire them up. First ride of the year isn't far away now. Can't wait.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Our thoughts and prayers go to all our brothers and sisters in the northeast. We hope you all weather the storm alive and well.
Six
19 November 2012
Quilts By Lu. Expressions Of Love
Anyone who spends time with me eventually gets an ear full of my praise for Lu's quilting skills. This is a woman who makes amazing quits. She's even gotten blue ribbons at the county fair and in her opinion she's grown as a quilter by leaps and bounds since then. To say I'm proud of her skills is a massive understatement. She even made one for a local wounded warrior many years ago. I'm not a braggart by nature though I do make an exception for her.
The very best part is that she's handed down both the skills and interest to her daughter (The DO) and her granddaughter (Babygirl). The DO is already a very talented quilter in her own right and Babygirl gets that look in her eyes whenever they sew together. You should hear them when they gather to discuss techniques and fabric.
So, what does her work look like? I'm posting some here but as you peruse keep in mind this is only a very small sampling of her works. Just what was immediately handy. She's done many for others including baby quilts for many of the family's newborns. And bear in mind that these are pieced together quilts, made by hand from cut out pieces and sewn together by a woman who gives attention to detail an entirely new definition. Hundreds of small cuts and seams. Over and over again. I lack the knowledge to sufficiently explain it all but for those who do this work no explanation is necessary. For the rest of us the beauty speaks for itself.
Lu does no small wall hangers. Her creations are meant to be used as what they are.
The details you have to look close to see but that are so important to her.
Quilters are adapters, their skills showing up in other places. Like the curtain rod that doubles as a place to hang in process quilts for perusal and work.
Small pieces that make up the whole.
Sewn together with sure fingers and a nimble mind.
Tying versus quilting. Lu does both and understands the differences. I do not but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the time, skill and love that goes into each.
My favorite is still being made but with her permission I'll give you a small taste. My military quilt, detailing my service.
Completely hand done mind you. Nothing beyond a sewing machine plus her vision, love and skill. She wants it to be perfect and is determined it will be so. She's using all her considerable abilities on this one including hand stitching. She made the crossed cannons from a pattern she spent months getting exactly the way she wanted it. Tracing and re-tracing. Stitching and re-stitching. She's put it together and taken it apart more than once simply because it's for me and it has to be exactly according to her vision. It's beautiful but not just because of how it looks. It's because the person making it for me is beautiful.
Every time I see one of her quilts I can see the love writ large across it's surface. In every stitch, every seam, every pattern. Lu doesn't just quilt, she creates reflections of her heart. Expressions of who she is and how she views the world and all those she loves. An angelic soul. She can so easily bring me to tears of joy and happiness.
I am simply the luckiest man alive.
Six
The very best part is that she's handed down both the skills and interest to her daughter (The DO) and her granddaughter (Babygirl). The DO is already a very talented quilter in her own right and Babygirl gets that look in her eyes whenever they sew together. You should hear them when they gather to discuss techniques and fabric.
So, what does her work look like? I'm posting some here but as you peruse keep in mind this is only a very small sampling of her works. Just what was immediately handy. She's done many for others including baby quilts for many of the family's newborns. And bear in mind that these are pieced together quilts, made by hand from cut out pieces and sewn together by a woman who gives attention to detail an entirely new definition. Hundreds of small cuts and seams. Over and over again. I lack the knowledge to sufficiently explain it all but for those who do this work no explanation is necessary. For the rest of us the beauty speaks for itself.
Lu does no small wall hangers. Her creations are meant to be used as what they are.
The details you have to look close to see but that are so important to her.
Patterns and colors. The palette of the quilter.
Quilters are adapters, their skills showing up in other places. Like the curtain rod that doubles as a place to hang in process quilts for perusal and work.
Small pieces that make up the whole.
Sewn together with sure fingers and a nimble mind.
My favorite is still being made but with her permission I'll give you a small taste. My military quilt, detailing my service.
Completely hand done mind you. Nothing beyond a sewing machine plus her vision, love and skill. She wants it to be perfect and is determined it will be so. She's using all her considerable abilities on this one including hand stitching. She made the crossed cannons from a pattern she spent months getting exactly the way she wanted it. Tracing and re-tracing. Stitching and re-stitching. She's put it together and taken it apart more than once simply because it's for me and it has to be exactly according to her vision. It's beautiful but not just because of how it looks. It's because the person making it for me is beautiful.
Every time I see one of her quilts I can see the love writ large across it's surface. In every stitch, every seam, every pattern. Lu doesn't just quilt, she creates reflections of her heart. Expressions of who she is and how she views the world and all those she loves. An angelic soul. She can so easily bring me to tears of joy and happiness.
I am simply the luckiest man alive.
Six
03 November 2012
What We Need Today Is Another Lu Shooting Post
Just to take our minds off the pending election.
This was day two of the Lu/S&W M&P 15-22 experiment. We went back to the super secret high desert test range but this time we had something new to shoot at. Steel poppers. Again, I primarily functioned as instructor and magazine loader. These sessions are all about her.
Here's Lu with the poppers in the background. Just something we picked up at the Big Outdoor Store. I love reactive targets. They're an excellent training tool because the shooter gets immediate feedback and who doesn't like to see the steel dance? If you enlarge the picture the you can get a better view of the popper.
An action shot. If you look closely you can see that the second from the left hanging plate is in full recoil.
She's looking good, no?
Good body position. Nice slight forward lean.
Head down on the stock. We experimented with the stock position and worked on getting a good and repeatable cheek weld. The results spoke for themselves. She rang those little gongs with great regularity.
No range day is complete without a little pistol work. We brought my MKII.
Lu has worked very hard on her sight alignment. She's right handed and cross eye dominant so has had to teach herself how to wink so she can close her left eye. Something she cannot do naturally. She's getting better every day. She's also learning how to shoot iron sights with both eyes open but being cross eye dominant it's a difficult process and one we're taking slowly. She's better with the rifle than the pistol.
Just like the rifle, she rang the poppers with great success. And had a ball.
Another good and successful day at the range. I love the poppers but there are a lot of great ideas out there for reactive targets. Dann has some great ideas for inexpensive and effective targets. Here and here are just a couple. I am so trying out those dum-dums.
Six
This was day two of the Lu/S&W M&P 15-22 experiment. We went back to the super secret high desert test range but this time we had something new to shoot at. Steel poppers. Again, I primarily functioned as instructor and magazine loader. These sessions are all about her.
Here's Lu with the poppers in the background. Just something we picked up at the Big Outdoor Store. I love reactive targets. They're an excellent training tool because the shooter gets immediate feedback and who doesn't like to see the steel dance? If you enlarge the picture the you can get a better view of the popper.
An action shot. If you look closely you can see that the second from the left hanging plate is in full recoil.
She's looking good, no?
Good body position. Nice slight forward lean.
Head down on the stock. We experimented with the stock position and worked on getting a good and repeatable cheek weld. The results spoke for themselves. She rang those little gongs with great regularity.
No range day is complete without a little pistol work. We brought my MKII.
Lu has worked very hard on her sight alignment. She's right handed and cross eye dominant so has had to teach herself how to wink so she can close her left eye. Something she cannot do naturally. She's getting better every day. She's also learning how to shoot iron sights with both eyes open but being cross eye dominant it's a difficult process and one we're taking slowly. She's better with the rifle than the pistol.
Just like the rifle, she rang the poppers with great success. And had a ball.
Another good and successful day at the range. I love the poppers but there are a lot of great ideas out there for reactive targets. Dann has some great ideas for inexpensive and effective targets. Here and here are just a couple. I am so trying out those dum-dums.
Six
17 October 2012
New Gun And Range Report (Plus A New Shooter!)
I've written before about gun enthusiasts versus casual shooters, especially as it relates to Lu. She loves to shoot and is very good at it but she's a product of her upbringing and limited training. She is comfortable with single shots, revolvers, pumps, bolts and levers but semi-autos, either handgun or rifles, make her uneasy. She is never quite certain, deep down inside, whether or not she needs to do some sort of manipulation to make it go bang and she has to stop and really think whenever reloading comes into play. In a casual setting, one where she's just plinking and not training, she's fine but throw in pressured training and she has issues. It's a problem for us because I have based my home defense plan around high capacity semi-auto pistols and AR15 pattern rifles. Yeah, it's a problem. Again, that's totally my fault. I should have gotten her up to speed on semis a long time ago but I didn't and that is a massive failure on my part. One I am going to address.
I decided to start with getting Lu comfortable with the AR rifles first because if we can get her skillful with that weapon then a pistol should be much more simple. To me the best way to get her going strong was to ramp down the training aspect and give her a training tool she'd be comfortable with and was fun to shoot. Nothing makes training easier than having fun. Enter my answer. Mind you it's my answer. Yours may differ.
A S&W M&P 15-22. I considered just getting a .22 conversion for one of my ARs but one of Lu's complaints was the weight of the rifles. At 5 1/4 pounds the Smith is very light weight and I'll later go to work on one of the ARs to lighten it up considerably. Composite everything except the barrel, bolt and bolt guide rails the thing is really easy to carry and hold off hand.
The controls mimic the AR platforms exactly.
It's a blowback design with a light weight bolt so cleaning is much easier.
The guts seem pretty much AR standard, including the robust hammer. We had no failures to feed or fire and got good primer strikes. The trigger is fairly heavy but crisp with no appreciable creep or slack.
Enough about the technical aspects. How did it shoot? Very well. We didn't do any accuracy testing (the first range session was purely a fun shoot) but anecdotally I was very happy with it. It shoots very softly, as you'd expect with a .22 long rifle, and put every round in a 10 inch pie plate at 10 yards. That may not seem exceptional but one of the shooters was a brand new shooter. I'll get into that in a bit.
To address the training and gun handling issues I mentioned earlier my plan was to introduce Lu to the gun as gently as possible with no pressure or expectations. I even did all the magazine loading.We headed to the range with one of Lu's co-workers and his non-shooter wife. There was a bit of subterfuge going on here. He wants an AR for himself but she's resisting, not quite understanding the attraction. This was the perfect opportunity to slay two dragons with one bolt.
We started the day on the line with two Ruger pistols, Lu's MKI and my bull barrel MKII. Again, yours truly did all the magazine loading and gun manipulation (short of the actual shooting). The setting was low key with the emphasis on fun and trying some new stuff. Lu is well acquainted with her little Ruger so had her usual load of fun. The new shooter (TNS for short) was pleasantly surprised. She had a ball. The first thing I did was have a safety brief. The very next was to assure her that I was not not not one of those idiots who think it's funny to hand her a hand cannon and laugh at the results. I told her I wouldn't give her anything to shoot that would hurt or cause her discomfort. No YouTube follies here.
With that success in my pocket out came the rifles. We started with a pair of 10-22s because hey, they're 10-22s and who doesn't love those little guns? Both women had an absolute ball. All that was required was range safety and a good time. Smiles were in abundance. One of those rifles is Lu's so no manipulation issues were encountered and with the relaxed atmosphere she quickly got into a good groove. A good sign.
After about half a brick of fun it was time to bring out the New Gun. Lu was first up and I have to say that after the first magazine she had a grin plastered on her face that never left. I acquainted Lu with the controls but didn't ask her to manipulate any except the safety. Easy, gentle and fun. More will come later, and there will be a later. This gun did exactly what I hoped it would. Relaxed Lu and let her handle an AR pattern rifle with minimum pressure and maximum fun. She can't wait to shoot it again. In future range sessions I will be slowly adding in gun manipulation skills and tasks but only as she and I deem her ready.
Same with TNS though she was pretty much divided on which rifle she liked best. I also didn't fuss over her or give her too much input in this first of hopefully many more range sessions. She shot everything and is a natural shot. She had an absolute ball and never once missed, hence the short range and large target. If a new shooter has that much fun and initial success you're halfway toward making a true Gunny.
All in all it was a great day and an excellent purchase. I highly recommend the S&W rifle. It's light, easy to shoot, relatively inexpensive (I paid $569), 10 different kinds of fun and cheap to shoot. For smiles per dollar spent it's an absolute steal. Lu now has a rifle that she loves as opposed to one that she's intimidated by and that should make acquiring the skills I need her to have much easier. As she progresses I'll modify the AR I have set aside for her to make it smaller and lighter to more nearly mirror the little Smith. This has reinforced in me the idea that it's a bad assumption to make that all other shooters can simply pick up a gun, any gun, and shoot it competently just because you can. That lesson is now permanently impressed in what passes for my brain.
As for The New Shooter? That was pure icing. I talked with her husband just today and a 10-22 purchase is already being planned. I think we may have a brand new shooter joining our ranks and that makes me very happy. I'm not Keads or Dann yet but I am doing what I can.
A very good day indeed.
Six
I decided to start with getting Lu comfortable with the AR rifles first because if we can get her skillful with that weapon then a pistol should be much more simple. To me the best way to get her going strong was to ramp down the training aspect and give her a training tool she'd be comfortable with and was fun to shoot. Nothing makes training easier than having fun. Enter my answer. Mind you it's my answer. Yours may differ.
A S&W M&P 15-22. I considered just getting a .22 conversion for one of my ARs but one of Lu's complaints was the weight of the rifles. At 5 1/4 pounds the Smith is very light weight and I'll later go to work on one of the ARs to lighten it up considerably. Composite everything except the barrel, bolt and bolt guide rails the thing is really easy to carry and hold off hand.
The controls mimic the AR platforms exactly.
It's a blowback design with a light weight bolt so cleaning is much easier.
The guts seem pretty much AR standard, including the robust hammer. We had no failures to feed or fire and got good primer strikes. The trigger is fairly heavy but crisp with no appreciable creep or slack.
Enough about the technical aspects. How did it shoot? Very well. We didn't do any accuracy testing (the first range session was purely a fun shoot) but anecdotally I was very happy with it. It shoots very softly, as you'd expect with a .22 long rifle, and put every round in a 10 inch pie plate at 10 yards. That may not seem exceptional but one of the shooters was a brand new shooter. I'll get into that in a bit.
To address the training and gun handling issues I mentioned earlier my plan was to introduce Lu to the gun as gently as possible with no pressure or expectations. I even did all the magazine loading.We headed to the range with one of Lu's co-workers and his non-shooter wife. There was a bit of subterfuge going on here. He wants an AR for himself but she's resisting, not quite understanding the attraction. This was the perfect opportunity to slay two dragons with one bolt.
We started the day on the line with two Ruger pistols, Lu's MKI and my bull barrel MKII. Again, yours truly did all the magazine loading and gun manipulation (short of the actual shooting). The setting was low key with the emphasis on fun and trying some new stuff. Lu is well acquainted with her little Ruger so had her usual load of fun. The new shooter (TNS for short) was pleasantly surprised. She had a ball. The first thing I did was have a safety brief. The very next was to assure her that I was not not not one of those idiots who think it's funny to hand her a hand cannon and laugh at the results. I told her I wouldn't give her anything to shoot that would hurt or cause her discomfort. No YouTube follies here.
With that success in my pocket out came the rifles. We started with a pair of 10-22s because hey, they're 10-22s and who doesn't love those little guns? Both women had an absolute ball. All that was required was range safety and a good time. Smiles were in abundance. One of those rifles is Lu's so no manipulation issues were encountered and with the relaxed atmosphere she quickly got into a good groove. A good sign.
After about half a brick of fun it was time to bring out the New Gun. Lu was first up and I have to say that after the first magazine she had a grin plastered on her face that never left. I acquainted Lu with the controls but didn't ask her to manipulate any except the safety. Easy, gentle and fun. More will come later, and there will be a later. This gun did exactly what I hoped it would. Relaxed Lu and let her handle an AR pattern rifle with minimum pressure and maximum fun. She can't wait to shoot it again. In future range sessions I will be slowly adding in gun manipulation skills and tasks but only as she and I deem her ready.
Same with TNS though she was pretty much divided on which rifle she liked best. I also didn't fuss over her or give her too much input in this first of hopefully many more range sessions. She shot everything and is a natural shot. She had an absolute ball and never once missed, hence the short range and large target. If a new shooter has that much fun and initial success you're halfway toward making a true Gunny.
All in all it was a great day and an excellent purchase. I highly recommend the S&W rifle. It's light, easy to shoot, relatively inexpensive (I paid $569), 10 different kinds of fun and cheap to shoot. For smiles per dollar spent it's an absolute steal. Lu now has a rifle that she loves as opposed to one that she's intimidated by and that should make acquiring the skills I need her to have much easier. As she progresses I'll modify the AR I have set aside for her to make it smaller and lighter to more nearly mirror the little Smith. This has reinforced in me the idea that it's a bad assumption to make that all other shooters can simply pick up a gun, any gun, and shoot it competently just because you can. That lesson is now permanently impressed in what passes for my brain.
As for The New Shooter? That was pure icing. I talked with her husband just today and a 10-22 purchase is already being planned. I think we may have a brand new shooter joining our ranks and that makes me very happy. I'm not Keads or Dann yet but I am doing what I can.
A very good day indeed.
Six
11 August 2012
34 Years And Counting
Tomorrow Lu and I celebrate 34 years as husband and wife. Words simply cannot convey how I feel about her and our years together. We were teenagers when we got married and the odds were against us. Through hard work, understanding, not a few tears and as much love as two people are capable of we are still here, standing together against all the world has to throw at us. I am honored to call myself her husband and grateful she chose me. I have no idea why but I'm keeping my peace, simply happy that she did.
This is one of my favorite pictures. It shows Lu as I have always seen her. How I will always see her. The most beautiful bride the world has ever seen.
Thank you sweetheart. When all is said and done love is all we truly have to give and you have always had my heart. I will love you forever.
Your loving and grateful husband.
This is one of my favorite pictures. It shows Lu as I have always seen her. How I will always see her. The most beautiful bride the world has ever seen.
Thank you sweetheart. When all is said and done love is all we truly have to give and you have always had my heart. I will love you forever.
Your loving and grateful husband.
24 July 2012
Catching up
-First, I'm going to go on a rant about Penn State here so please bear with me for a moment.
We've all heard the story. We all know what happened and more importantly what didn't happen and should have. Now Penn State is facing some of the toughest sanctions the NCAA has ever handed down. My take?
It's not enough. It's not even close to being enough. They should chain the doors shut, turn the the student body loose to pursue their academic interests somewhere else. Penn State should be razed to the ground, the remains burned to ash and then the land beneath salted to nothing ever grows there again. The very name Penn State should be stricken from the English language, never to be spoken again in polite company.
Yes, the current athletes and students had nothing to do with what Paterno and company did and failed to do. So what? Nothing will ever wipe this stain from Penn State. Nothing. Better if it had never been than to continue to exist knowing what happened and was allowed to happen. I've been there and I know, from the investigator sides of this particular coin, what child abuse is and does to the victims. There is simply no way Sandusky could have carried on his perversions and victimizations for literally over a decade without there being institutional knowledge. Was there denial and three monkeying going on? Assuredly but tell me the functional difference between pretending you don't know and acknowledging you do know but ignoring it. May Paterno and all the rest die in ignominy.
-The laundry room is coming along nicely. I've got it wired and the dryer installed. Plumbing later this week. I'll try and get pics posted later today for those interested.
-Bradley Wiggins won the Tour De France and it wasn't even close. Congratulations Bradley. He's the first Brit winner in it's 99 year history and when you add in 6 stage wins by Brit riders I'm thinking their riders are the absolute best in the world at the moment. Kudos to SKY cycling team and all our cycling brethren from across the pond. Well done my friends. My boy Cadel finished 7th which just proves that if you're relying on me for betting information you're going to be broke and frustrated. I can't even win at Old Maid with the kids.
-If you're going to mumble and mutter crazily to yourself in a public place do try and be aware of your surroundings. The large man watching you like a hawk is armed and now hyper aware of what you're doing and if you go off you're probably going to get curb stomped. If you're really lucky. Word to the wise hopefully being sufficient.
-Chrisi is having good days and bad. I fear we're in her final weeks. Lu starts crying every time it looks like we're there. So far she's still hanging in there but it's obvious she's having a hard time walking or even getting off the floor. She's incontinent and pretty much stays as close to Lu as she can get. I may do a post about caring for elderly dogs in the near future. Please keep a good thought for Lu and her beloved Chrisi.
Update; It's become clear today that we're now in Chrisi's last days. Lu is being as strong as she can, which is pretty damn strong, but the knowledge that she's about to lose her friend of 15 plus years is tearing her up. I'm not exactly helping as I seem to break down about every time I look at either of them. We're going to see the Vet on Friday.Oh Lord, this is going to be so hard. Again.
On the same lines. For Cindy and Tucker. You guys are in our thoughts and prayers.
-On the other hand Angus has a new favorite toy. I bought him something to chase that's not a retriever bumper so it's pure toy. It's an el cheapo frisbee and he loves it. He's still trying to get the whole snatch it out of the air thing down (he tends to try to grab it in the center) but he is improving. Of course most of the time he just runs around carrying it in his mouth biting little spots in it but at least he's having a good time.
-On the gripping hand Car Guy two new kittens. Really dude, if you keep this up I'm going to send you a flower print mumu and a subscription to O magazine. Your man card is in dire jeopardy.
-Happy Pioneer Day! It's a purely Utah celebration of the founding of Utah. It's as big a celebration here as the Fourth with parades, fireworks and a holiday day off. Of course, it's been thunderstormy with flash flood inducing rains here for the last week so wish us good luck with the whole lights in the sky thing.
-With apologies to everyone else posting wonderful stuff Borepatch is On Fire! He's not leaving scorch marks he's decimating the enemy. Warning; high caliber intellect on display.
-I need a range day. Bad. It's been weeks and weeks so I'm getting the Gun smoke DTs.
Just a small glimpse into what passes for my mind these days. Man, I need a new brain.
Six
We've all heard the story. We all know what happened and more importantly what didn't happen and should have. Now Penn State is facing some of the toughest sanctions the NCAA has ever handed down. My take?
It's not enough. It's not even close to being enough. They should chain the doors shut, turn the the student body loose to pursue their academic interests somewhere else. Penn State should be razed to the ground, the remains burned to ash and then the land beneath salted to nothing ever grows there again. The very name Penn State should be stricken from the English language, never to be spoken again in polite company.
Yes, the current athletes and students had nothing to do with what Paterno and company did and failed to do. So what? Nothing will ever wipe this stain from Penn State. Nothing. Better if it had never been than to continue to exist knowing what happened and was allowed to happen. I've been there and I know, from the investigator sides of this particular coin, what child abuse is and does to the victims. There is simply no way Sandusky could have carried on his perversions and victimizations for literally over a decade without there being institutional knowledge. Was there denial and three monkeying going on? Assuredly but tell me the functional difference between pretending you don't know and acknowledging you do know but ignoring it. May Paterno and all the rest die in ignominy.
-The laundry room is coming along nicely. I've got it wired and the dryer installed. Plumbing later this week. I'll try and get pics posted later today for those interested.
-Bradley Wiggins won the Tour De France and it wasn't even close. Congratulations Bradley. He's the first Brit winner in it's 99 year history and when you add in 6 stage wins by Brit riders I'm thinking their riders are the absolute best in the world at the moment. Kudos to SKY cycling team and all our cycling brethren from across the pond. Well done my friends. My boy Cadel finished 7th which just proves that if you're relying on me for betting information you're going to be broke and frustrated. I can't even win at Old Maid with the kids.
-If you're going to mumble and mutter crazily to yourself in a public place do try and be aware of your surroundings. The large man watching you like a hawk is armed and now hyper aware of what you're doing and if you go off you're probably going to get curb stomped. If you're really lucky. Word to the wise hopefully being sufficient.
-Chrisi is having good days and bad. I fear we're in her final weeks. Lu starts crying every time it looks like we're there. So far she's still hanging in there but it's obvious she's having a hard time walking or even getting off the floor. She's incontinent and pretty much stays as close to Lu as she can get. I may do a post about caring for elderly dogs in the near future. Please keep a good thought for Lu and her beloved Chrisi.
Update; It's become clear today that we're now in Chrisi's last days. Lu is being as strong as she can, which is pretty damn strong, but the knowledge that she's about to lose her friend of 15 plus years is tearing her up. I'm not exactly helping as I seem to break down about every time I look at either of them. We're going to see the Vet on Friday.Oh Lord, this is going to be so hard. Again.
On the same lines. For Cindy and Tucker. You guys are in our thoughts and prayers.
-On the other hand Angus has a new favorite toy. I bought him something to chase that's not a retriever bumper so it's pure toy. It's an el cheapo frisbee and he loves it. He's still trying to get the whole snatch it out of the air thing down (he tends to try to grab it in the center) but he is improving. Of course most of the time he just runs around carrying it in his mouth biting little spots in it but at least he's having a good time.
-On the gripping hand Car Guy two new kittens. Really dude, if you keep this up I'm going to send you a flower print mumu and a subscription to O magazine. Your man card is in dire jeopardy.
-Happy Pioneer Day! It's a purely Utah celebration of the founding of Utah. It's as big a celebration here as the Fourth with parades, fireworks and a holiday day off. Of course, it's been thunderstormy with flash flood inducing rains here for the last week so wish us good luck with the whole lights in the sky thing.
-With apologies to everyone else posting wonderful stuff Borepatch is On Fire! He's not leaving scorch marks he's decimating the enemy. Warning; high caliber intellect on display.
-I need a range day. Bad. It's been weeks and weeks so I'm getting the Gun smoke DTs.
Just a small glimpse into what passes for my mind these days. Man, I need a new brain.
Six
02 May 2012
Lu's Half Marathon
Last Saturday was the Hurricane Half Marathon. 13.1 miles of "what the hell were you thinking". This race also has a 5K that Lu and I ran last year. When asked if I was going to run it with her I broke down into gales of laughter. Uh, no. Lu would be going this one alone. Well, the kids and I did our best to encourage her without actually doing anything more stressful than getting out of the pickup and cheering madly.
Up at 0500 so she could make the bus at 0530. Turns out we could have dropped her off ourselves but who doesn't like a nice school bus ride at odarkthirty?
What does one feed a hungry crew and runner just before a torture test? Jelly donuts of course. Breakfast of champions.
The start line. We figured about 500 runners. The ambulance in the distance is confirmation that this race is not for the faint hearted.
Lu getting warmed up for the 0630 start. Surprisingly it went off almost exactly on time. It was cool early so Lu started off with that yellow jacket. By the time she got to The Hill it had disappeared.
On your Mark. Get Set.
Go!
And they're off.
Lu started off well. She has a good pace, not exactly record breaking but sure and strong. This is a woman who, up until a few years ago, didn't really do any kind of serious exercise. Now she's learned she loves to run and can she ever run.
This is OMG Hill, last seen here when Lu and I were riding up it during a 29 mile charity ride for Spina Bifida. Lu is waaaay down there at the bottom. Go sweetheart. You can do it!
Hurricane PD were being kinda difficult about things so I didn't manage to get a shot of her at the top but I did get this one just past the summit. Still looking strong. The top of the climb is at the 6 mile mark.
Lu at the 7 mile marker. Over halfway!!
Lu coming up on the 11 mile point. She's still looking good but by this point she was ready to be done.
11 Miles and now running through town. Almost there.
At this point we called Sarge and MIL and met them at the finish line. You can't see her but Lu is just up ahead, on the home stretch.
The kids running a few steps with Lu heading into the finish chute. We think it's vital for them to see us doing stuff like this and participating as much as they can. Besides, how cute is that?
Lu crossing the finish line. We don't have her official time yet but it was right at the 3:08 mark. She was shooting for under 3:30 and feared the 4 hour cutoff so she was ecstatic at her time.
That is one Hawt Chick right there. Is there anything sexier than an athletic, confident woman? Down boys, she's all mine.
There are awards and then there are Awards. The kids spent hours making sure Lu was properly recognized by those whose opinion really matters to her.
This was something Lu has wanted to do for a long time and the smile of joy on her face tells you all you need to know about how she's feeling. It's also testament to staying active and never letting fear rule you. Age is a challenge not a barrier. Go. Do. Have fun.
I'm so proud of you sweetheart. You did good.
Six
Up at 0500 so she could make the bus at 0530. Turns out we could have dropped her off ourselves but who doesn't like a nice school bus ride at odarkthirty?
What does one feed a hungry crew and runner just before a torture test? Jelly donuts of course. Breakfast of champions.
The start line. We figured about 500 runners. The ambulance in the distance is confirmation that this race is not for the faint hearted.
Lu getting warmed up for the 0630 start. Surprisingly it went off almost exactly on time. It was cool early so Lu started off with that yellow jacket. By the time she got to The Hill it had disappeared.
On your Mark. Get Set.
Go!
And they're off.
Lu started off well. She has a good pace, not exactly record breaking but sure and strong. This is a woman who, up until a few years ago, didn't really do any kind of serious exercise. Now she's learned she loves to run and can she ever run.
This is OMG Hill, last seen here when Lu and I were riding up it during a 29 mile charity ride for Spina Bifida. Lu is waaaay down there at the bottom. Go sweetheart. You can do it!
Hurricane PD were being kinda difficult about things so I didn't manage to get a shot of her at the top but I did get this one just past the summit. Still looking strong. The top of the climb is at the 6 mile mark.
Lu at the 7 mile marker. Over halfway!!
Lu coming up on the 11 mile point. She's still looking good but by this point she was ready to be done.
11 Miles and now running through town. Almost there.
At this point we called Sarge and MIL and met them at the finish line. You can't see her but Lu is just up ahead, on the home stretch.
The kids running a few steps with Lu heading into the finish chute. We think it's vital for them to see us doing stuff like this and participating as much as they can. Besides, how cute is that?
Lu crossing the finish line. We don't have her official time yet but it was right at the 3:08 mark. She was shooting for under 3:30 and feared the 4 hour cutoff so she was ecstatic at her time.
That is one Hawt Chick right there. Is there anything sexier than an athletic, confident woman? Down boys, she's all mine.
There are awards and then there are Awards. The kids spent hours making sure Lu was properly recognized by those whose opinion really matters to her.
This was something Lu has wanted to do for a long time and the smile of joy on her face tells you all you need to know about how she's feeling. It's also testament to staying active and never letting fear rule you. Age is a challenge not a barrier. Go. Do. Have fun.
I'm so proud of you sweetheart. You did good.
Six
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