As I finish the blueberry pancakes my wife made me yesterday...

   ... I have time to think about where I was before she realized I was among the missing.

I had gotten up early, loaded my Marlin LTR into the caravan and driven a hundred and thirty-four miles to Ariel Appleseed. I was early, it was locked up and quiet in green stillness, only a rabbit and I walked the morning on the quiet range. Kenjo would show up to unlock but by then the rabbit and I were ignoring each other. Janer and Shadowman came and everyone started unloading and setting up. Mostly I stayed out of the crew's way. It was their shoot, and I was a shooter.

  The shoot rolled right along, the Shoot Boss loves people, Appleseeds and spreading the word. So as a last comment for the day I told him  "Too many words."  I haven't trimmed my Historic stories enough, unless I am under the time gun - but I have gotten to the point of presenting enough stuff quickly, that they will have to check their research notes, our flyers, and another Appleseed to see it settle into the fabric of their shooting life. KenJo sent (an email) advice and important preparations to the shooters before this Appleseed. And still they come unprepared. Which is the way we meet life, totally unprepared, and we have to adapt and overcome.

  I shouldn't write about others' preparations, my Liberty Training Rifle has hated rear sights since I picked it up at the gunshop missing a set. I bought and replaced them, and found the Loctite works for a little while, and then the evil imp makes life loose and out of sorts. My sights kept moving, although 75% of my first morning shots were not exactly as they should have been, but I could see the sights sliding back. After a ball and dummy drill with Jeff as my coach I was walking my self through the steps of making the shot, in rifleman's cadence on the NPOA, which brought me back to making better shots by the AQT, only one for record for me. I did fire the final Redcoat, but sure enough as I got out of the sling, the rear sight was on the matt saying, Liberty or death.

  I was very pleased with my magazine switch, and picking up NPOA, and getting all ten rounds off on stage 2 and 3, and most were where I needed them. My standing was adequate, all ten rounds in the dark 4 and 5 areas. So I need more dry practice on positions and rifleman's cadence. I did very well on the stove pipes and one attempted double feed. If you are paying attention clearing them and settling back into NPOA and rifleman's cadence comes quickly and you will be done in plenty of time. I did shoot Jeff's target once, but caught myself after the shot and went back to my target.

  I got hit by Jeff's brass many times but it didn't stick, when in the standing position one of my 22lr brass ejections hit my relaxed support fingers, bounced and settled in my palm to cool. I continued my shot after I turned my support hand up ninety degrees to allow the brass to drop free and returned to cadence.
Two minutes is a long time, plenty of time for great shots and adjustments.

   I really enjoyed the time spent practicing what I preach and proving to myself that it all works and it is the way. I still get a kick out of listening to others tell the three strikes, to meeting the shooters and seeing what they are shooting, and how well it is working for them. Families sharing their skills and just doing stuff together in the great weather, it is all good stuff.

This day is ending well, I have mounted and am sure that the rear sight is no longer going to slip off, I will keep watching it. Another day I will zero it again and make sure it is hitting where I have set it. IMC the only way to make proper corrections.