C Rations

 C Rations were an individual field ration used in the US military during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.  The Army was still using the when I went through basic in 1973. Simultaneously beloved and loathed by the troops, it was what you had to eat in the field. Twelve meals to a box, a mixed carton of joy and loathing.

The worst meal in most troops opinion was the Ham and Limas.  It came with a dessert of fruitcake. Both were inedible, but this guy liked it. Each C Ration came with an accessory pack that contained toilet paper, a heat tab, paper matches, cigarettes, and a toothpick.

My favorite C was Poork Patties in gravy. One day on a break I was hungry, so I took out the Pork Patty can, lit a heat tab and was merrily heating the tin when the Drill Sergeant wandered by.

Him: "Private, what are you eating?"

Me:  "Pork Patties in gravy."

Him:  "When was that packed?  Look on the bottom of the can."

I lifted the can to look at the bottom. "Drill Sergeant, this says 1948."

Him: "Damn, Private, that pig has been dead longer than you have been alive.  I'm going to watch you close te rest of the day."

The Army later came out with LRRP rations, which were totally inedible, then followed those with MRE rations, which are still used today.  If I had my choice, I'd pick C Rations every time.

Cleaning My Turkey FRYING OIL with CORNSTARCH

Have y'all seen Bruce Mitchell's method of cleaning frying oil with corn starch and water? It works, I'm here to tell you it works.

I've used this method in the past.  I didn't have to use it today because it's been two days since I fried the turkey and the little crumbs had settled in the bottom.

I thought it was witchcraft the first time I tried it.  Go slow when pouring the corn starch mixture into that hot oil.  Go real slow.

Leftovers

 Yesterday we focused on leftovers.  That big ham was sliced off the bone. The bone is in the freezer for a pot of beans later this year, the ham will go sandwiches or omelets, or any other recipe where applicable.

The turkey carcass was boiled for stock and the leftover meat will go into a gumbo tomorrow.

The other odd bits will either be eaten or discarded.  One of the grandkids brought a big pot of queso dip.  I'm going to re-heat it in another hour and eat it over fried potatoes.

The weather outside is miserable.  Cold, clammy, rainy, the kind of cold that seeps into your bones.  It is altogether a good day to build a fire.  Those cheese fries are going to taste good later on.  Belle is looking at the weather report, and saying that a venison chili is in our future for Monday.

I see that folks north of us across this great country are having a rather intense winter storm.  As a young man, I lived in the snowy North for three years and snow lost all of its appeal for me.  I'll deal with the oppressive heat of summer, but I don't care if I ever see snow again.

Right now, though, I need to figure out how to save all that cooking oil in the turkey fryer.  I have four gallons to deal with.

Thanksgiving

 The turkey was moist, and the ham was savory.  The yams were sweet, and the cornbread dressing was delicious.  The green bean casserole, excellent. Yeast rolls, or course, with cranberry sauce and assorted desserts.  Let's not forget about the gravy

We fed, by my count, sixteen today.  I have much to be thankful for.  My friends, my family, and the bounty that the Lord has blessed me with. I hope that each of you had a remarkable Thanksgiving. Tomorrow begins the Christmas season.

For myself, I will be sorting thru the debris.  I have to put away the turkey fryer and clean that big pot that I use once a year.  Then Belle and I will eat leftovers. I'll put the turkey carcass in a pot and boil the bones for stock, saving the leftover meat.  This will become a traditional gumbo that I cook each Sunday after Thanksgiving.

It was a very good day and I am relaxing with a bourbon and counting my blessings.

This Factory Ammo

Surfing the intertubes and this video pops up. The guy is griping that factory ammo is not consistent. Imagine that.

This guy asked for recommendations, and I have one word for him.  Handload. For about $200 you can start making better ammo than you can buy. The thing about handloading is that the initial $200 investment turns into $1000 or more. Then you start chasing nodes, and Es and Sd and before long you wonder if you are a shooter who wants good ammo, or a handloader who has to shoot experimental ammo so that you can load it again.  You start chasing bug hole groups and find yourself down rabbit holes.

Don't get me started on making your own bullets.  That rabbit hole is so deep, you will wish you had mining equipment.

When I was running a SWAT team, my marksmen shot Federal God Medal ammo.  It was the most consistent factory ammo we could find. My agency required factory ammo, so we shot Federal Gold Medal.

The ammo companies make good ammo.  It goes bang and will generally do what it is intended to do, but the simple fact remains that theirs is a bulk manufacturing process, and they don't have the time to spend that a good handloader will spend on each round of ammunition. If you want the very ammo for your rifle, you have to build it yourself.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I have to prep a turkey.

Accountability

 So this whole kerfuffle over illegal orders has ginned up some controversy.  Senator Mark Kelly and whatshername Slotkin are being called to account for their indiscretion.   As well they should.

Slotkin gave an interview where she claimed that she knew of no illegal orders that the President had given. She acts as if the whole controversy was framed as an educational exercise, to let junior officers and enlisted know that they should check with JAG officers if they the ink an order is illegal.

Senator Mark Kelly, a retired naval officer, is in the limelight.  Supposedly, SecWar Hegseth is launching an investigation to see if Kelly violated any portion of the UCMJ by his participation in that video.  Captain Mark Kelly, USN (retired) may soon learn that he has not been relieved of his obligation. He may find himself before a board of his peers to explain himself. An officer might disagree with the President privately, but to do so publicly puts him at risk both criminally and financially.  

I was taught as a young officer that discretion is the better part of valor. You may disagree with your superiors, but you had better be damned sure that you are right, and you must be willing to suffer the consequences of being right.

I recall once that I was given an order that I thought was a bit shaky.  I asked for that order in writing.  When he asked my why, I simply explained that at my Courts-Martial, I could present an affirmative defense. He backed off and modified the order so that it would not conflict with regulation.

There are ways to "buck" an order. YouTube is not the way to do that.

Two Things

 The big political argument this week is rather specious.  A bunch of well-meaning Democrats came out with a video that reminds enlisted members of our military that they are not required to obey unlawful orders.  That is true, as the oath of enlistment spells out.

“I, ____________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice”. 

Patriots were outraged.  While it is true that our military members can refuse unlawful orders, it is also true what President Trump pointed out, that sedition is punishable by death. 

That is also true.  Sedition is considered a bad thing in military service. One can be hanged, or shot, for sedition.

Both sides of this argument are telling the truth.  No military member is required to follow an unlawful order.  And sedition can get you shot.

Both sides are being silly, and I'm glad I could clear that up for you.

Equal Opportunity

 Because those porch-pirate videos keep populating my feed, I am learning things about those miscreants who think it is okay to steal from others.  There is no demographic.  Old, young, skinny fat, well-dressed or tacky.

What surprises me is the outrage they inevitably exhibit when the trap is sprung.

Or, I'm all wrong and these are staged simply for the clicks and entertainment.

The parish (county) where I reside has its problems, but locally, porch-pirate doesn't seem to be a concern.  Perhaps it is our affinity for the 2nd Amendment and our general loathing of thievery. I'm not saying that I would shoot a thief, but depending on the details of the encounter, it is certainly an option.

Frying Turkeys

 I'm seeing a bunch of Turkey frying videos on my feed and the one thing they never cover is how much oil to put in the pot.

That depends on your pot and the size of the turkey.  Once you have chosen your oil, and your turkey, it's time to prep the turkey and make sure that the bird will not overflow the pot with the hot oil.

The turkey must be fully thawed.  Please, God, do not drop a frozen turkey into hot oil. It will explode and at a minimum, a trip to the Emergency Room will be necessary. Once the bird is thawed, season it however you will.  Inject it, or rub it, or whatever.  It's your bird.

The way I was taught to do it was to test it before you lit the burner.  Simply put the bird in the pot, add oil until it covers the bird, then take the bird out.  Then light your burner and heat the oil to the desired temp.  When putting the bird into the hot oil, go slowly. Painfully slowly. Wear gloves and take your time.

Let the turkey fry 3 minutes per pound.  A 12-pound bird takes 36 minutes.  After frying, let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Bon apetit.

Making Arrangements

 While we were off shooting this weekend, we got word that my mother had died. While it was unexpected, it was not totally unexpected.  You know it's cooing, but you are never really ready for the news.

She led a good life and I'm convinced that she is at peace.  She wanted to be cremated and that is going to take a few days, but there are still arrangements that have to be made.  Belle and i will go to the funeral home this morning.  She pre-planned her funeral several years ago and I'm going just to review the plans and try to insure that her final wishes are honored.

I'm okay, I really am.  We lost Dad on 2007 and we had Mom until Friday afternoon. They taught us how to live, and they showed us how to die.  Death is part of life, that is just the way it is.

Mom's favorite holiday was Thanksgiving, and her Thanksgiving menus were legendary. For the past several years I have hosted Thanksgiving at my place with Mom in attendance as the family matron.  That is probably when the grief will kick in hardest for me, not having her at the table.

So now, if you will excuse me, I have to play out the final chapter of an absolutely remarkable life.

Good Shoot

 We just finished up the shoot in Mobile, AL and we are ensconced in the hotel room. The host put on a very good shoot at his home range.  Hats off to the local club, Benders Bandits  Good shooting, good food, good people, who could ask for more.?

Your scribe, known here as PawPaw, is known as Major D in the CFDA.  We all have an alias, and because I am a retired US Army Major, and because that is what my troops called me during Desert Storm, I answer to that alias reflexively.

Today, I came in 7th place by the simple expedient of hitting the target.  In this game, one cannot miss fast enough to win. You gotta hit the damned target.

Not to shabby for an old, fat man.  We will head home in the morning.

Prepping Guns

 Belle and I are leaving tomorrow morning for a shooting competition in Mobile, AL on Saturday. I spent this morning getting the guns ready. A Colt SAA has 10 screws on the exterior of the gun.   I found at least one loose screw on each of the guns we're taking.  Nothing destroys confidence like having a gun come apart on the firing line.  It really throws off your timing.

Now, the guns are clean and tight, the ammo is packed and I'm working the list. Boots, guns chairs. Luggage, update the GPS. The list is fairly long, but we've been doing this for years.

This is a very minor competition, a Jackpot Shoot at a local club.  Those are normally the most fun, because there is less competitive stress.  Just people having fun. What I enjoy about these local shoots is getting to see folks I don't normally get to see.  It's like going to a family reunion with people we actually like.

Red Beans

 With this cool weather, it's time for a pot of beans. I use Camellia brand, I've learned to trust them over the years. I've been using them for 60 years and I've never found a piece of gravel in them.

In other parts of the country, it is pinto beans, or white beans, but in Louisiana, it's red kidney beans.  I've cooked them every way you can imagine.  I've used all sorts of sausage, salt pork, bulk breakfast sausage, ham, or anything pork.

These days, my recipe is simple.  Get out the Crock pot. Rinse your beans, cut up a pound of good sausage.  Drop the beans ad sausage in the Crock pot with a little salt and ten cups of water. One pound of beans, one pound of sausage, ten cups of water.  For two pounds of beans, 16 cups of water.  Put the lid on the Crock pot,  Set it on low, and go to bed.  When you get up in the morning, give them a stir.  At lunch, make a pot of rice.

Yesterday as I was prepping the beans, I realized that I had a half-rack of ribs left over from lunch.  I dropped that in the bean pot along with the sausage. This morning, I fished it out, removed the bones and shredded the pork. It will be just fine and cleaned up a leftover that I didn't want to deal with.

If I'm using bulk sausage, I brown it first. If you want to use an onion, dice it fine and drop it in the pot. For cheap, easy fixings, a pot of beans is hard to beat. I'm going to feed six folks today for less than $10.

Red beans and rice.  It's what's for lunch.

Veterans Day

 The eleventh day of the eleventh month, marking the armistice that ended the Great War.  Today, we call it Veterans Day.

I see that the Senate yesterday voted to end the shutdown.  Eight Democrats joined Republicans to put it over the finish line.  Tomorrow the House should vote and send it over to the White House.  Presumably, the troops will get paid and the Pore N' Starvin will get their food stamps.

That is a good thing, I reckon.  Although I have seen over the past few days, a number of the perennially broke types posting reels on Facebook and YouTube, complaining about not having food on the table.  Only in America can someone post on the internet about such things while enjoying ownership of a smartphone.  It's supposed to be Supplemental Nutrition, not the primary plan. To my mind, SHAP should be limited to basic food.  Dry beans, salt pork, flour, sugar and cornmeal. A box of milk powder.  Stuff like that. I understand that the US has huge stocks of cheese in underground caverns.  Let 'em eat cheese.

Later today I'm going to put on a pound of dry beans to make Red beans and rice for tomorrow.  I'm not too  good to eat red bens.

First Frost

 Happy Birthday, Marines.

I think we got our first frost this morning.  A light frost to be sure, but a frost nonetheless.

I made the first gumbo of the season yesterday, not so much that it was cold, but because it was the second weekend in November and I was ready for gumbo.  I never know how ay people I am going to feed for Sunday lunch, and I do not advertise my menu. Many times I don't know what I am cooking until I start cooking.  Still, people show up.  I fed 13 yesterday.

Today, Belle wants something warming, so I think I'll cook a potato soup for lunch. With diced tasso and lots of cheese.

If you'll excuse me, I'm off to the grocers.

It's The Bee

 The headline in the Babylon Bee from yesterday.

Mamdani Moves Mayor's Office Under Children's Hospital

That is funny right there.  The boy is a Hamas supporter. 

In other news, I was talking with my son last night, and he told me about a new product for guys like me who carry revolvers daily.  Revo-Mag.  It's a way to carry a reload in your pocket that is not as bulky as a speedloader. Supposedly faster than a speed strip. Interesting.

The weather-weenies are telling us to expect some weather in advance of this cold from, but for the life of me, I'm not seeing it. At least locally, there is not much rain in the forecast. Odd, that.

Algorithms

 So, my feed has filled up with these little shorts where porch pirates are getting their comeuppance. with dye packs. The algorithms, they are algorithm-ing.

Like this one.  Or, this one.

My question, Is this a real thing or are they AI generated?  They are amusing for sure, but how many porch pirates are out there?

Elections Matter

 The Democrats had a good night last night, electing governors in Virginia and New Jersey. That was to be expected, both being blue states.  New York elected a commie mayor, and we'll have to wait and see how that plays out.

These results really don't come as a surprise to me.  What would have been surprising were if the results were any different. What will be interesting is how these results play out in the face of the upcoming midterm elections.

I've only been in NYC once, in the early 80s as a tourist.  I saw what I wanted to see and got the hell out of there. Eight hours, bucket list done.  Those folks can have that place.  I suspect that in the wake of this election, some will be leaving.

Pot Roast

 Last night, Belle and I were discussing the lunch menu for today.  She mentioned that we haven't done a pot roast in a while, so I determined to make one today. It's an ancient recipe, on that has been in the family for decades.  My grandfather used to make it every Sunday, as part of a larger meal.  My grandfathers Sunday table was legendary, with pot roast, meatballs, baked mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, English peas, and a host of other sides.

The basic pot roast recipe is here.

Even though my last name happens to be German, my heritage is more mixed, like all Americans.  I have German, Dutch, Scots-Irish, and Cajun blood running through me.  My Scots-Irish grandmother, for example, loved crawfish, but I don't recall my Cajun grandmother ever eating a crawfish.

I recall as a young officer, I was sent to Fort Dix NJ for a two-week class.  One night, several of us went off post to have dinner at a German restaurant.  I thought it was exotic and ordered German Pot Roast as the entree. I was somewhat disappointed to find that it was precisely what my grandfather had served ever Sunday. I did learn about schnitzel and bratwurst on that trip.

The roast is in the oven.  In anther hour the kitchen will start to smell like what I think heaven will smell like.

Monday Muse

 Are we still in the government shutdown?  I haven't noticed and don't really care. As a "small L libertarian", the less government, the better.

PJMedia asks the rhetorical question, "How many illegal aliens are drawing food stamps?"  For me, the answer is that one is too many.  The migrants I know, all of them legal, are hardworking souls that pay their own way.  If you are coming to the US to mooch, then you are in the wrong place.  Go home and mooch.

I understand that some people want to keep the gravy train rolling, but eventually you run out of other people's money.  And every tax dollar that the government squanders is other people's money. Now, I understand that two federal court judges are talking with Trump about how to get the money flowing.  It seems that the US Dept of Agriculture has some $5 Billion set aside for natural disasters.  This is not a natural disaster.  This is Democrat stubbornness. They can end it today by voting to end it.

On a more personal and local note, Belle wants me to make my stuffed chimichangas for lunch today. She has a list and will soon be on her way to the grocers.