Lifetimes

 A good revolver should last your lifetime and be passed along to heirs.

I started police work in 1980.  About 1984 I got a good deal on a used SW Model 66 and strapped it on.  IN the 80s the Model 66 was considered the ne plus ultra of police handguns, surpassed only by the Colt Python.  Everyone carried them.  The city cops, the parish deputies, the state troopers.  Everyone carried a Model 66.  I carried mine until about 2004, when the sheriff I worked for made everyone go to a brand new semiauto, the SW M&P.  

That old Model 66 had multiple thousands of rounds through it.  Not only as a duty pistol, but as a woods-cruising gun, and a test bed for reloads.  There is literally no telling how many thousands of rounds whet down the tube of that old gun.

Last year my younger son (a Glock guy, through and through) was visiting.  He's a cop in New Mexico.  He told me that he was in line for a slot at the Firearms Instructor school and needed to buy a K frame or L frame revolver.  I went to the back of the house, got my old 66 out, and handed it to him.  I told him that the revolver had "push-off", a symptom of a worn revolver.  This occurs when you can cock the hammer to full cock, then push it off with thump pressure ont he hammer spur.  He said that he would have it looked at.

Later, he called me and told me that he had sent the revolver to Smith and Wesson for a complete action rebuild.  It went through the custom shop, where the craftsmen rebuilt it.  They told him, in a phone call, that the revolver had left their factory in 1973 and was definitely in need of a tune up.  Not abused, just well used.

His next call, a couple of weeks later, was to ask how I carried it when I was plain-clothed.  I told him to buy a good pancake holster and don't look back.  He sent me some pictures today.

I have to admit, the old gal looks pretty good.  New grips, good internals, and a nice leather holster.  Who knows, in another 40 years she might get passed down again and make another trip to the Custom Shop.

Dehydration

 Went to my primary care doc this morning and gave labs, then came back this afternoon for a checkup.

My doc likes bourbon, is a member of bourbon club, and we've talked about whiskey.  I think that life is too short to drink bad whiskey, and I'm trying to expand his horizons just a bit.  So, this afternoon, I took a bottle of Redbreast 12 Irish whiskey.  As we were wrapping up the medical portion of the interview, I asked I were the last patient of the day.

"No," he replied, "I have one more to see before the day is over.

"That's too bad," says I.  I took out the whiskey bottle and put it on the table. "But, if you go get a specimen cup, I'll pour you a dram to sample later."

He left to get a specimen cup, returning promptly.  "What is that?"

"Redbreast 12" I uncorked the bottle and handed it to him.  "This is what Jameson aspires to be."

He took the bottle and poured a generous dram into the specimen cup, then nosed it. "Oooh, that's nice."

Doc and I walked out of the exam room to the counter where his staff works, and he put the specimen bottle on the counter beside his laptop. One of his staff was charting on the other side of the counter.  She looked up, saw the specimen cup and exclaimed, "He's dehydrated."

The doc and I laughed.  We told the assembled staff that it was 12-year-old Irish urine and was not to be sent to the lab.  Doc would be taking it home later for special analysis.

Politics

 Earlier this week, I saw video of former president Trump laying a wreath at Arlington to honor those service members killed under Biden's watch.  It seemed to be a respectful and dignified wreath-laying ceremony.  Some are claiming that Trump should not have paid homage to our fallen, and that the ceremony was simply crass politics.

Horsefeathers.

I didn't see Demented Joe or Cacklin' Kamala honoring our fallen.  Nor did I see Command Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Walz laying any wreaths.

One member of the Old Guard defended President Trump.

The veteran, Lucas O’Hara, said on social media that he worked at Arlington for three years during his time in the military, and he lauded Trump's composure at the event. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is facing criticism following reports that cemetery staff warned them not to take photographs at the Monday event.

"I have witnessed over 75 wreath laying ceremonies performed by politicians and conducted 524 funerals in this cemetery during the time I served in the Presidential Honor Guard for three years. What I got to witness yesterday was the most respectful and solemn ceremony I have seen," O'Hara wrote. 

What the Harris campaign, along with its surrogates and sycophants' are distressed about is that they didn't think to lay a wreath   If the sitting president or vice president does it, it's good television.  If Trump does it, it's pure crass politics.  Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Later

 I'll tell you all about it later, but today I've been enmeshed in a bureaucratic snafu.  When everything comes to fruition, I'll tell you all about it, but mum's the word until we get it sorted out.  It's a good story and deserves telling.  It all started in 1984, when life was simple and I had life figured out. Times have changed since then.

I had a boss once who had a needlepoint hanging behind his desk.  "Never Let The Bureaucrat Win".  That's where we are right now.  I'm grinning right now at the absurdity of the whole situation, but they are about to piss me off.  If need be, I'll write a letter to my congress-critter.

Monday Tidbits

 Have y'all heard about those two astronauts stranded on the space station?  They were supposed to be up there for a week, but some sort of problem reared its head and they are stuck up there.

Two NASA astronauts have been stranded on the International Space Station for 56 days12345. They were originally supposed to return after a week, but their return has been delayed due to equipment problems with the Boeing spacecraft they rode to orbit.

If it was me up there, I'd be well and truly pissed.  I heard someone say today that they might not get them home until February.

 

Memories

 Belle cooked a quick lunch last week, using a frozen meal.  It was good, but I couldn't put my finger on it, till it suddenly came flooding back to me.  1973, Fort Knox, KY,   We had just come out of the field, and the chow hall served a hot supper.  Salisbury steaks, mashed potatoes, sweet corn.  It's amazing how memories work.

I normally drink Evan Willians in my afternoon cocktails. On Saturday, for reasons I can't explain, I picked up a bottle of old No7.  Jack Daniels flagship hooch.  I poured myself a Jack and COke, and the memories came flooding back.  Totally different taste.  

I wish I knew what vodka they were using in the Fort Dix bar in 198.  That was a TDY to remember.

Batteries

 For the longest, I resisted battery-driven tools.  However, over the past couple of years, I have to admit that the technology has gotten better, and that battery powered tools seem to be okay.  

Year before last, my gasoline powered string trimmer went kaput.  Last year, I didn't do any string trimming at all.  I got as close as I could with a push mower, and said the hell with it.  But, this year I has some spots in the yard that were starting to look a little ratty, and decided to get another string trimmer.

Over the past several years, I have acquired a couple of battery driven tools, the black-and-yellow brand.  Specifically, a drill and a nut driver.  They work just fine.  I decided that when I bought another string trimmer, it would be nice to have it work on the same battery that my drills use.  Yesterday, I was at the local lumber yard and saw such a device.  It came with a 5 amp hour battery and was the right colors.

It seems to work good.  I don't have to worry about mixing gas, or chokes or carbs, or any of that.  Plug in a battery and get after it.  I wouldn't use it for a commercial application, but for around the house, it seems to be fine.  I have another battery to add to the collection, and they all interchange.

A while back, this brand went from an 18 volt system to a 20 volt system.  If you have the old 18 volt motors, there is an adapter that will let you use the new 20 volt batteries.  Or, you can go to Vanon batteries and buy their knock-off.  My sons use Vanon batteries and seem to like them. You can get them either from the factory, or go through Amazon.  Either way.

Pry Bar

I got out the pry bar earlier this week to help demolish a deck.  Later on, during a break, I pondered how long I had owned that pry bar.

It was the spring of 1974  my (now departed) wife and I were in an apartment in the college ghetto in Natchitoches and she wanted some renovation.  I went to DeBlieux' Hardware on Front Street and bought a small pry bar.

Fifty years later, that pry bar is still serving me well.  Oh, and about that first wife.  She didn't die.  She just departed.  Last I heard, se was doing well, living in northern Arkansas

Mommas and Daddys

Grandson Lucas wants a dirt bike.  His mother gave grudging permission, with conditions.  First, he has to earn it.  Second, there will be safety gear involved.  Helmets, chest protectors, etc.

Lucas and his dad came up with a scheme to rebuild a derelict lawn mower so that Luke could learn basic wrenching and earn the money to buy a dirt bike.  It's a Skag frame with a rebuilt 25 horse Kohler engine.  It should be a capable machine when finished.

Belle and I were talking about the difference between Mommas and Daddys.  We agree that no Momma ever told her adolescent son, "Boy, what you need is a dirt bike."  No momma ever said those words.

Ya gotta let them grow and make mistakes.  Will Lucas come into my shop one day, limping, maybe wearing a cast?  It's a possibility.  I hope he doesn't hurt himself, but sometimes you just have to gas on it.

Monday Tidbits

 We got a little rain today, on and off.  Our last rainfall was July 26th, so we appreciate it.  Cooler temps, and moisture on the ground.  It's a good thing.

I'm disassembling a deck I built 20 years ago to complement the pool.  It's become an eyesore and Belle ha been not-so-gently hinting that it needs to go away.  The problem is that I can't get any equipment into my back yard, so any demolition has to be accomplished one board at a time.  It's going out the same way it came in. One board at a time. This morning I made good progress.

It's like the old question: How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  That deck is kind of like that elephant. One bite at a time.

Today is Orville Wright's birthday.

Weekend Weather

 Hot is the prevailing word.  Very hot.  Triple digit hot.

The weather-weenies tell us that we have a chance for a thunderstorm, but it won't cool us off much.  I started a project this morning, and quit today's work before 9:00.  I'll continue in this vein for the next week, starting early and being inside when the temps get unbearable.  I'm retired and don't need to be n a hur

Roadwork Update

 At the end of the workday, this is what we are left with.  It looks like they have done some base work, filled holes, compacted, and widened it a couple of inches.  It's better today than it was yesterday.

I suspect that they are going to put a layer of asphalt down, but whether they work on Saturday is a matter of claim.  We'll see tomorrow morning.  Still, it's better now than it was yesterday.

Roadwork

 The road in front of the house is raggedy, no doubt about it.  When we moved her 20 years ago, it was a quaint country lane.  Years later, with white flight and folks moving to the outskirts, there are subdivisions and houses in places that I never imagined.  Our quaint country lane has become a traffic artery, and the road has sufferered.

But, the powers that be are doing something about it.  I'm not sure what they are doing, but there are tax dollars being spent.

Looks to me like they are spreading soil cement prior to an overlay.  This is a good thing, and hopefully the road will be better for it.  Belle has a doctors appointment in a couple of hours, and I hope that she is able to leave the house.  We shall se.

Buckles

 Cowboys like buckles.  The gaudier the better.  This year the club voted to make our Top Gun series to be trophied in buckles. They paid extra in the club fees to make the buckles a reality.

This morning, I went over to Molly's Custom Buckles and designed some buckles for the club. The process was not as daunting as I expected, and Belle likes the design.  I gave them the club credit card information, and in a few days I'll get the artwork back for approval before it goes to the production floor.

I once heard a rodeo producer say, "It's amazing what a cowboy will do for a $4 buckle."  Well, they ain't $4 anymore.

Lasers - Aircraft

 Don't point a laser at an airplane.  It's considered in very poor taste.

SHREVEPORT, La. (KPEL News) - A Shreveport woman is in serious trouble after shining laser pointers at two aircraft, which is a major federal crime.

April Nicole Poitras, 45, of Shreveport, entered a guilty plea in federal court to multiple charges and faces up to 5 years in prison and up to a quarter million dollars in fines.

Seriously, just don't do that.  Lasing an eyeball can cause serious long term issues.

Ernesto

 It seems that we have a storm in the Atlantic that the NOAA has nemed Ernesto.  The tracks show that it isn't coming to Louisiana, nor to the mainland US.

Some of the islands are going to get wet, but this thing will mainly be a fish storm.

Great Ideas

 A good idea is a good idea, and should be adopted, regardless of which side of the political aisle comes up with it.  Bad ideas, conversely, should be mocked and discarded.

President Trump has a good idea several weeks ago at a function in Nevada. He proposes to make tips to service and hospitality workers exempt from taxation.  He calls it No Tax On Tips. This idea has been enthusiastically applauded, to the point where our sitting Vice President adopted it this weekend at a campaign rally. Kamala Harris should be commended for getting on board with a good idea, even if it were conceived by her opponent.  It's a good idea that the country can get behind.

I'm sure that the idea would take some sort of Congressional approval to be implemented,  Kamala Harris is, constitutionally, the President of the Senate.  She could introduce legislation today to remove the tax on tips.  It's a great idea, why not today?

When Kamala tells us that she will do something as soon as she takes office, we should remind her that she is already in office.  Do it now.

Insurance

 Like most Americans, I pay a mortgage note on my little acre.  The bank requires that I maintain homeowners insurance. They roll the insurance and taxes into an escrow account.  We pay them a monthly note, they pay the insurance and taxes from the escrow account.  It is all standard practice.

I live in Louisiana, a truly backwards state in many respects.  We have hurricanes, which damage houses.  That is reflected in our homeowners insurance.  After Katrina, Rita,  and more recently Ida in 2021, a number of companies declined to do business in Louisiana.  Those that remained, jacked their rates. 

 Finding affordable homeowners insurance in Louisiana became a challenge.  Everyone's rates went up, including PawPaws.  As a result, our mortgage note increased.

I just got back from the bank, and we think we have this mess straightened out.  We hoe so.  Insurnace is one thing that I do not want to worry about.

Memes

 Two memes I saw today.

Heh

Quiet Skies

 Evidently, the TSA has a watch list that is called Quirt Skies. Until this week, I hadn't heard of it, but it became news.  According to a Google search, Quiet Skies is:

The TSA's "Quiet Skies" initiative started in 2010 and was expanded just last March. The program, as first reported by the Boston Globe, identifies travelers, including American citizens, who could pose a threat, but may not have been accused of a crime and are not on the no-fly list.

So, some bureaucrat at TSA decides that you might be a problem and puts you on the list.  How very Stassi-like.  As it turns out, they put Tulsi Gabbard on the damned list.  For no apparent reason. 

Every time I get around TSA critters, I get a case of the screaming red-ass.  I do not understand why the large aviation carriers continue to allow those people to harass their customers.  TSA screening in airports is probably the worst decision of the 21st century.

Drought

 It looks like we are in the August dry season.  According to the weather folks, our last measurable rainfall was July 26th.  There is a chance of rain next week, but we'll have to wait and see about that.  That is good for the hay farmers.  July was fairly wet for us here in central Louisiana, and now it's dry.  Two weeks doesn't make a drought, but it is a pretty good start.

I mowed this morning, and the grass isn't "crunchy" yet, but that will come soon.  The temps are supposed to me in the mid 90s today, with the heat index in the 100s.  I'm fairly sure that I'm going to stay indoors the rest of the day.

RJ45 Connectors

 I broke an RJ45 connector today, those little things on the ends of Cat 5 cable.  It's not critical, so it can wait a few days.  But, I did some Googling around, and educated myself on replacing them.  Seems rather straight-forward.

So, I went to Amazon, ordered the crimping tool and some pass-thru connectors.  They came as a kit, and this seems to be a skill that should be in my tool kit.  There seems to be two main protocols for the color scheme in wiring these connectors.  I'll have to pay attention to that.  It seems that scheme B is the most common, but I'll look at the broken connector to see which protocol the last guy used.

These cables rum my range, connecting timers, lights and displays. I probably have a couple of thousand feet of Cat5 in the shop.

Who?

 I see that Kamala picked Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate.  

He claims to be a retired Army Sergeant Major, and while I generally have a lot of respect for the rank,  folks who served with him say that he bailed on his battalion, retiring early rather than deploying with them to Iraq.

He was the governor who let Minneapolis burn during the George Floyd debacle.

He was the governor who set up snitch lines to report neighbors during the pandemic.

He seems to be more "left" than Kamala.

Grady Judd

 Ya gotta love Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County, Florida.

This one short encapsulates his understanding of law enforcement.

"You point a dead deputy's gun at the SWAT team, you're going to get shot a lot."

Debbie

 Pray for Florida, and Georgia, and The Carolinas.  Pray especially for those folks who moved sourh after the pandemic and don't know about hurricanes.

There are a lot of folks in a bind this morning.

It Begins

 The trailer is packed and we leave here at noon.  This afternoon we set up for the Louisiana State Championship, and tomorrow early we begin shooting.  I'll be off line till Monday.  Y'all have a great weekend, and I'll touch base next week.