You really don't know History, just whatever media feed decides you should know...

  So there is one, or many football players and other celebrities that want to make a statement. Go right ahead and make it, make others that have honor, respect and just good manners and kindness so very sad at your problem with reality.

  So more are going to knee, fine don't stand kneel, that is what serfs, slaves and lesser folks  have always done in the presence of 'greatness and nobility' and other high mucky-mucks. To stand in the presence of the King was just like carrying a firearm around the President, something that could very much get you killed or whipped.

   You don't have to stand with me, and if the terrible America you live in continues to oppress you, I probably won't stand for the oppression, but then maybe I don't try to replace my relationship with God, with idols of nationality, tribe, gang or goofs. The America I live in allows you to be a fool, or just an earnest protester of all that the sinful self-centered nature of man displayed in your life. But Prince Estabrook stood with the rest of the men of Lexington against the King's troops in the raid upon Concord. He wasn't sitting in protest, he took up arms to defend his town, part of the training band since 1773. Freed by his owner at the end of the Revolutionary War because of his service. 

  I am so happy to tell you that people aren't all as terrible as you have been led to believe, will be happy to have you stand beside me in all efforts to be better in our lives and as citizens of a country founded upon Liberty, that needs some more heroes.

Just us Americans from the baskets of Deplorables... ah, the ruling elite.

   Being of the unwanted common folk from Europe, I understand the term 'baskets of deplorables', they are the crude material that owes nothing to a ruling elite, whether royal, noble, beknighted or just special because they think they are and have a like circle of worshippers. The kind of folk that would build a new nation and keep it working, until bankers and barkers show up to make them all believe they need a special kind of leadership, or hero to make it all beautiful again.

 Having woken up sure I should be dead, I am always sure that beautiful is in enjoying not being dead.  Now, I am sure the bankers and barkers will still be the major problem when whomever has been selected to 'run' the country, or ruin the country.  Since no one is talking about making our currency sound, paying down or off the debt, or shrinking government the illness will continue, and the nation folds into a historic memory, and who studies History anymore? 

Fifteen years and we aren't celebrating American independence and self initiative.... why?

  So some mention on THE FIVE, at two o'clock in my afternoon on the West Coast, about Flight 93? You, of course know which flight it was, made me want to know more about the flight where the proper politically correct answers were ignored and the government regulations disregarded. God, imagine a world where men were at Liberty and responsible for their own safety. So I went to Amazon.com and ordered the two most frugal books for my kindle about that famous, you do know all about it, don't you?

  So, I have started on the cheapest of the two books, and love the retelling about an American life, most of us are foolishly in denial of.... hey, stupid, you have been wrong before!  I love the book and the writer, and do hope my buying her offering of a story the media fails to trumpet and examine will help her and her family in their grief and pain caused by stupid terrorists and government agencies in their lock step stupidity. Time to go to bed, God does love you, yes, you, more than you understand, you haven't turned off the telly yet, have you? I rest my case, there isn't a hero going to save you from your sinful nature, He already came and died for you, and now, God still loves you, stupid is always a choice.

I now know that knowing where Aleppo is is a Presidential qualifier...

   But I couldn't find it in the US Constitution, nor remember it from my public education, nor does it pose any threat to my fat old man idea of normal. But then I am sure President Nixon didn't know where Firebase Phoenix was either... and they elected him twice. Since he understood the Watergate Break-in, we all figured out how wrong the voters were, although he did get us out of Vietnam. No children, 'breaking-in' wasn't allowing the kids to bounce upon the mattresses until they fell asleep.

   Browsing the Facebook feed I find some glitter of interest, a well written piece about a firearm that I don't and won't own - just because I have limits on my expenditures and it isn't loaded and at hand for the defense of all I love and value... how do you decide which firearm to carry, train with and feed ammunition through on target? How do you that don't want anything to do with 'guns' save yourselves when ugly stomps into your life... Aren't we all glad that most of the ugly is only on the media feed showing us in our soft comfortable safe zones, showing us what to fear, and all the stupid ideas about how one doesn't want to be the new ensign on Star Trek. Don't worry, whomever is selected for the office of President is going to take us to places where such leadership is reactionary, and never addressing the rot in our nation that we could fix with or without a central heroic authority figure. Once a long time ago, I attended a house fire, and the neighbors showed up, the paid professionals showed up soon after and then the media reported about it the following day.  That worked for me, aren't I lucky that I don't attend home fires often in a lifetime?

   Our common shared values, which don't seem to be as many as there were when I was younger, hold us better than something that looks really attractive since the team worked on the image of the candidate, since the experts analyzed the thoughts, plans and opportunity for success and failure... what? failure? that is not an option, it is only how it could go wrong...

  But our lives are mostly, very correctly successful in our own small way - there just isn't enough drama in them, not enough for commercial sponsorship.  Well, maybe tomorrow another thought or two to share, my dreams were of motorcycles and riding around, good dreams.

Recycling, same stuff only harder... you liberals understand...

  years ago, when i was younger and lighter and beautiful, I purchased a 5.11 Tactical Series from the NRA, a fine 5.11 vest to carry concealed and labeled with an NRA over my heart. Sigh, like those looking for firearms would ignore me because of the NRA letters over my heart and ignore the prints of guns under canvas...  Well, I was smarter than that.  I went from a Large which is just barely enough to stuff a firearm under to a XXL, which will hide two and still be useful with pockets and opportunities to carry more and imprint less. Now I think I will donate all the extra fishing and other things vests to the Goodwill folks, for sale, cause I won't use what is impracticable.  I had an idea and much doesn't match it.

  If I could only get slimmer, says the fat man, who still remembers the boy from weddings ago, that said I wasn't fat. He was kind but still wrong, still I do think he was also very right - just not as critical on me as I should be. Love him, Lord.

   I finished my bottle of Drambuie tonight and the Blues are playing, another glass bottle to recycle.

You looked and signed up to help...

  There were twenty shooters signed up to participate in the Appleseed event in Waitsburg (at the other end of no where land America from my end) - only 296 miles away, five hour drive, need to be there by seven thirty, GPS works if the heat doesn't pop it off the windshield, leave at one thirty get there by six thirty, except you know you need to stop, wash your sleepy eyes and move the legs to prevent blood clots.

   What do you take with you? A demonstration rifle with sling, although you have a Mossy Oak sling on it now, check the laser (works!) get a GI Web sling (promptly leave it on the day bed under some other guy gun junk). Your target rifle, business cards, Course of Fire, timer on clip board with cheat sheet for reference. A small tub of cherry tomatoes to snack upon, water bottles, a mug of coffee to drink towards Tiger Mountain... all your normal gun guy stuff - gun guy because your wife isn't. Her car has some of her hiking stuff, her comfort stuff (not for her, for her passengers).  You close the door, start the car, close the garage door and glance at the GPS and the clock and drive away.

   Getting to the range you take a couple of pictures and say hello to Dave, the Shoot Boss and Joni his lively lady.  Then get ready to 'Meet and Greet' as shooters pull into the parking area. By time to start the introductions, to make sure we start off as professional and organized it is still windy but sunny.  Seventeen shooters, some of which have an Appleseed already, or two. If they will listen we will talk, so we probably shared too much to absorb, but it was all good.

   I kept trying to emphasize the breath in, breath out, focus squeeze and follow through over and over again.  Keep it simple and they may stop fussing their shots trying to make them perfect. Each shooter has a thing or two they could fix, but they need to work on it until it is natural, relaxed and repeated.  Boy that wind will get blamed for large groups, but it is always the shooter, their position and trigger control. With the natural point of aim found and soon believed, the groups start to shrink as they get tired. Two AQTs and a Red Coat and I am back on the road on my return trip.

   The important thing is the safe return to the home and my wife, I did stop for a big Mac and big fries and milk shake on the way, but it seemed like I had been on the road driving for a couple of days, but it was all the same long day. What is best is remembered as one shooter coming up to show me that what I had gotten through to him had really worked, and as I looked at his target it showed the truth of his new skill level. Saw one AQT with a hundred and ninety plus score, so I think Sunday will really be good with a night's rest and a little refresher in the morning.

   My Sunday will be great, too.

Okay I am dressed now....

  Woke early, made coffee and weighed and measured and took my pills, the day has started. Yesterday was similar but I was driving in support of my wife, so it went her way and saw a whole different world than my normal, since it was like I was pryed from my nest and everything seemed new and strange. None of it was, but it was freeing me from the media buzz that drowns out my normal boring life.

  I went straight to my doctor's post op appointment and passed with flying colors, hope all your experiences with medicine are as seamless as mine seem to be. Speaking of seamless, I stopped at the tailor shop wear I had ordered six name tapes for pick up today, and they had called twice yesterday about that order and had to leave messages. The order wasn't ready this morning, no joy, go back at 1630, I think they need a better English speaker at the counter, but then I suspect the shop has changed owners.

  I am watching Mama bird bathe in the bird bath, then the two new flyers show up to copy what they just saw.  Too cool, will have to put more water in the bath, this is the second nesting this year, looks like the birds have done well.

  I stopped at the YMCA (too early for me and my group) for coffee and a crumbly fat muffin. Then I drove away looking for whatever. I found the Tactical Tailor store, which has been there in that place for twelve years and is having a sale of 25% off on everything, thank you very much. Saves them some moving costs, since this store is closing to get into the factory floor space and open there. I purchased three items and their closing the store is the reduction in Middle East wars for American military.  And maybe the idea that no one will be needing militia, mall ninja nor just cool wannabee combat load stuff if Trump is elected... or something like that. 

   I have printed out and read the course of instruction for tomorrow's Appleseed event in Waitsburg, Washington. I am only doing one day, five hour drive each way but it will be good to work with the Eastern Washington and Idaho crew for that day.  The doctor said I could start exercising LIGHTLY on Monday - No POWER YOGA - take my time and don't test any limits, none. I guess he doesn't want to fix anymore of my problems.  I did say if he needed a recommendation I would write one.  But he didn't need one, has all the work he needs now.

  Well, I can go fill the bird bath and look for my missing desert web belt, I was just called by the English speaking employee at the tailor shop about my name tapes, second or third generation, most of America doesn't understand immigration --- most of America hasn't walked any miles outside of our comfort zones and safe spaces - and don't appreciate how ill mannered, thoughtless and cruel we can be in our arrogance -- of course if you do get outside of America - you will find a similar arrogance in other cultures and nations, but they don't pretend to be accepting.