An interesting video from way South Louisiana, These folks live in the marsh, they are catching crab. While waiting on their folks to come for the crab boil, I saw then do something that I have personally never seen. Preparing wild thistle for a salad. Interesting.
I had the opportunity t yesterday to talk with a young man who is jus beginning his military education. He had questions and I did what I could to answer them. We talked about national strategy, failures in leadership, political will, logistics, all the big picture things that determine success or failure on a large scale. Not winning battles, but winning wars.
This was not a discussion that any soldier might have at the company, brigade or division level. This was deeper, something that we might study ant the Command and General Staff College, or the War College. Deep questions about national resolve and logistics on a grand scale.
It was a very interesting conversation, both in the depths of his inquiries and his grasp of broad principles. I hope that my meager efforts helped to broaden his understanding, or at least to motivate him to seek deeper understanding.
So, YouTube claims that the US Navy is using lasers as weapons in the strait of Hormuz.
I was personally using lasers in the M60A3 in the mid-80s. We used them for ranging and we thought that the ability to do so was high-tech, whizbang science. Now, the Navy is shooting down drones with them.
Well, this is the 21st century.
Last night when we closed the shop, Zach's car was charging with 13.8 volts DC, but the concern was if he had killed the battery when he drove it home with a dead alternator. We had made plans for him to get to work if the battery had become an issue, but when we locked the shop last night, his keys were on the roof of the car, along with his shop key.
Zach has to be at work a 5:00 am, and PawPaw ain't normally awake when he leaves the house. I awoke this morning to see the backup plan was still in the driveway, and when I walked out to the shop, his car was gone. I guess he figured it out.
Currently, the dawg and I are out in the shop. It's thundering and lightning and rain is pattering on the steel roof. Ain't nothing happening outdoors this morning and judging from what the weather weenies are telling me, this afternoon may literally be a wash. I have biscuits in the oven, and I can find something to occupy me here in the shop.
Y'all have a great weekend.
Got up this morning and promptly got involved in a little fender bender near the house. No one injured, just sheet metal and plastic. Got the police out to work it and then called the insurance folks. Took the car to a body shop. Ate lunch. Belle cooked chicken and dumplings. On the way home from the body shop, I stopped at Harbor Freight and bought a jump pack. Call it intuition. I needed one anyway. I have an old-style wheeled battery charger that will jump a car, but the new ones are so much nicer.
After lunch, Grandson Zach shows up with car problems. Dead battery, car won't start. Jumped off the car, with the new jump pack, got it in the shop, then started the diagnosis. Called an expert, got the bad news. Alternator. Zach's car in an '04 Toyota, so there is that.
Pulled the old alternator, went to the parts house for a fresh one. Taught him how to put in an alternator. He did it, not me. The car is running and we have 13.8 volts DC. Life is good.
I'm hoping the battery in his car holds a charge, but it is still under warranty. We'll worry about that tomorrow.
I believe that it is the cocktail hour.
There is this town called Mandeville on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana Mandeville sits at the north end of the Pontchartrain causeway on the lake leading to New Orleans.
So, this dumb SOB in a stolen truck decides to hijack another car from a gas station near the north end of the causeway. For some reason, the hijacking goes wrong and our dumb SOB gets back in the stolen truck and heads south on the causeway. But, his stolen truck runs out of gas at mile 10.
Hilarity ensues. Our dumb SOB decides that the only rational action is to leave he causeway and jump into the lake. After being told that he can either get in the boat or drown, he decides to get in the boat.
The club got together tonight to load ammo for Louisiana State. 6000 rounds of CFDA wax bullet ammo in 4 hours. Of course, we ate. Belle cooked beef tips with rice, lima beans with tasso, yeast rolls, and two small cakes for dessert.
The ammunition is now ready. All that needs to be done is all that other stuff. This will be my 10th Louisiana State.
This is why I married a Med/Surg nurse.
At any given time, piddling around in the shop, I might realize, or someone will point out, that I am bleeding. A paper towel and a piece of painter's tape and I have a handy-dandy band aid.
My gal doesn't fait at the sight of blood. For her, it is rather humdrum because she's seen it millions of times. It's her life calling to stop the bleeding, clear the airway and check pulse.
Y'all have a great weekend.
