Shop Heaters

 Ever since we built the shop, we've heated it with propane.  For several years w4 used those little round heaters that sit atop the propane bottle, and they did okay, but had some flaws.

Those did okay, threw a lot of heat, and sucked hard on a propane bottle. Normally, after three 8-hour days, they would suck a propane bottle dry.

I wanted an upgrade, so I went searching on Amazon and found this one.

It has three panels that can be turned on or off, it lights easily, and it is on casters.  Additionally, the propane bottle sits on a shelf in back.  We've been using it for a week now, and Belle really likes it.  It throws good heat, she can adjust it for more or less heat, and it seems to be pretty frugal on propane.   We've been using it for a week, and it is still on the same bottle we set it up with.

If you are in the market, click on the link above.

Crawfish Season

 It's officially crawfish season in Louisiana.  Today, I went to the local boiler and got five pounds with potatoes and corn.  Belle and I feasted on that for lunch.

It's also competition season in the CFDA.  In March, we get started in earnest, and that means loading ammo.  One of the rules of CFDA is that the host club furnishes the ammunition for sanctioned matches. This ensures that every competitor is shooting the same ammo.

I'm taking 10K rounds of loaded ammo to Texas State in late March.  They will use my brass, reload it, and bring it to Louisiana State in late May.  Loading CFDA ammo is completely different from standard ammo.  Technically, the only tool you need for CFDA ammo is a thumb. I can load, comfortably, about 500 per day.  I loaded 650 today before my thumb got sore and I decided to call it off.  I have about another 4K to load. It'll get done.

DC DEI Spill

It appears that our nation's capital just suffered the biggest raw sewage spill in the country's history.  Fromm reports, this happened in January and it dumped millions of gallons of raw sewer into the Potomac River. That ain't good.

They are trying to figure it out.  It seems that some of the blame can be laid at the feet of the chair of the Water Board, who is neither an engineer nor a water systems operator.  No, she's a DEI hire. Instapundit lays out the case.

Dr. Unique N. Morris-Hughes is a DEI bureaucrat, non profit “educator”, grant disperser of taxpayer money, & former asst head of a boys charter school

I'm sure that Dr. Morris-Hughes is a charming, educated person, but it this who the residents of Washington DC want running their water system?  Water systems are large, complicated, dirty infrastructure that is the backbone of modern civilization. Getting clean water into a city and dirty water out is a highly technical job. Just because someone has a PhD in Some Unrelated Bullshit, doesn't mean that they are a good candidate to run a water system.

Rest In Peace, Cowboy

 I see that one of my favorite actors died today.  Robert Duvall, at age 95.

He was one of my favorite western actors.  Many know him for his role in The Godfather, and he did a great job there, but I liked him better in western movies. My absolute favorite is Broken Trail, a movie based on a true story.  Of course, many people remember his role as Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove.

Rest in Peace, Robert.

Sunday Music

Y'all have a great Sunday.

Beignets

 Beignets (ben-yay) are a New Orleans pastry, popularized by the Cafe DuMonde in New Orleans.. Normally eaten at breakfast with a cup of hot coffee, If you can't make it to the Big Easy, you can buy the mix on store shelves or from Amazon.

Or, you can make beignets yourself with what you have in the fridge.

Get a can of whop biscuits.  You know, the kind in the cardboard roll.  The kind you whop on the counter to open.  Yeah those.  Cut then into quarters, then drop them in hit oil until they are golden brown.  Drain on a rack or a paper towel lined tray and sprinkle confectioners' sugar across them.

Serve warm.  You are welcome.

Belts

 I used to own a number of belts.  Duty belts, dress belts, gun belts, casual belts and everyday belts. This morning, I was down to two.  A dress belt I used on dressy occasions, and an everyday belt that held the Model 60 on my waist.

That dress belt was bought, as I recall, sometime around 2004.  It hasn't been worn since I retired in 2019.  All the other belts that own, (excepting the competition rig that carries my Colt holster), went away over the years.  So, I'm down to three belts.  The dressy one, the everyday rig, and the competition rig.

Today, I had to go to a funeral.  I put on slacks and got out the dress bel.  Put it on and when I went to tighten it, broke that sumbitch in half. It had dry-rotted.  Just damn.  I put on the everyday belt and went to the funeral.

I need to go buy a dress belt, something that looks better than the plain, old everyday rig I normally wear.  And that pisses me off to no end.  It's just aggravating.  Now that I think about it, my everyday belt is about five years old.  It might use an update too. I guess it's time to go down to Boot Barn or Cavender's and see what they have hanging in the racks.

And that's where I am with that.