Ides of March, when Ceasar fell to fury....

Since we are confused and upset and not following the leaders....

  Day four without the YMCA and leaving the home, this cold is hanging on me and my wife gets better and feels free to rejoin society. She hid much longer, but she was much sicker. I refuse... and I can't find my keys since yesterday at the mailbox.

   So today, consider rebuilding the country and mainly, what is needed in a Federal government and what is not.  For the current one is going to collapse when stupidity can no longer be covered up by good intentions unpaid for, or that must be given at the point of a gun.

   No departments of Homeland Security, Education, EPA, BAFTE, Labor, Commerce, and the host of others too numerous to mention.... cause if you don't have contact with them what are they doing? Well, as much as they can to spend money, regulate what evers, and award favors.  And if you think about it, that is what people outside of politics do - so why do we need the government? To protect us, to have neutral courts for deciding conflicts and wrongs. Law enforcement should be local, and I would keep only the FBI for national and international. The Constitution is a well thought out document and has helped stabilize our nation for many years, but layers from lawyers and professional politicians have really gummed up the promises of Capitalism and smaller government. All to their temporary advantage...

  I guess if I were to be silly and make a small effort to make a better model, I would keep anyone from making political office permanent, the higher the office the shorter the time allowed to be associated with it.

  Oh, After several hours of fruitless searching I have found my keys - reminding me of the LORD looking for the lost at every level... but since I can't find my country, how hard it that going to be to find? Yes, it is already long lost... and we didn't notice it disappearing... someone will write history books about how communications and media changed reality... or spread the illusions.

 

Choices, so many choices... how is one to know which is the right one?

  I am not talking about the Presidential election which the two major look like the other parties are running. You get two votes, one in the primary and one in the general election, and then the Electoral College will cast the deciding votes. Even if it were direct voting your vote is only one of many and you have three choices - the third being not to vote. I do hope you know why you are taking a stand and who or what you are voting upon... They, media and anti-gun goofs, have fooled many of the people much of the time. That won't be the final time someone lies to you, you haven't done enough research nor had enough failures to become smarter about what goes on in your life.

  Man is given commands to live by, rules to obey, or just good advice by God, parents, lovers, family and friends and of course by all the wonderful people in government. The ones that think they rule us or that are sure they are righter than we are.  Real life is often making a choice without rules, consultation or certainty of the ultimate effect of the choice, good or bad. Every action or inaction will produce results - time is flowing and the universe spinning and YOU are not in charge of anything except your choice.

  Evil is there and always working as hard as the Holy are, and in between the two are the future saints and sinners... I do hope we all make the correct choices, every day we should get up and make that bed... because we hope to come back and rest upon it...

  Oh, my personal opinion, if you are doing something because of your fear - then you should look at it and see if you could make a better choice from love. I would hold with the doing things with love, I have never been impressed with my petty fears in all my years.

How does the story go... if you are in denial...

So my wife calls me to bed and I shut off the reading lamp, turn off the stereo, and walk to the bedroom, and along the way I fall down and lead with my head and nose. She asks if I am okay, and I have gotten up walked into the bedroom, pulled back the covers and going to sleep, saying "yes, Dear."

  Several hours later I wake to look in the mirror and I find a bit bloody forehead and the bridge of my nose really smashed and bloody - so I go to take a selfie for the History of the event... and posting it on Facebook to gross everyone out- you just have to have a story. Still thinking I am a fighter, I could pretend I took one for the team, led with my face to block the punch, or just allow them to see I am laughing it off. It is not beyond my personal history that someone has smashed my nose at the bridge so well. High school football practice I kept getting Clark's elbow until I moved out of the way faster.

  Some sympathetic noises (comments) also made me go to the second choice for the story, I had too much to drink last night... song from my youth. Saying so to my wife got her off of worrying too much about it. Although her best friend advised that I should see a doctor, I wasn't going to burden the healthcare system, put some Vapor Rub on the wounds after washing the dried blood off, okay, she could apply some vitamin E. Honey would have worked too, but the bugs are back already. And we had seen Revenant and fear bears bumbling in the woods out back.

   The day hiding from the outside world was spent pleasantly with the Cable guy from Xfinity as he checked, repaired and made our individual sets perfect. He really was great, within ten minutes of the time he was supposed to be here, came equipped to do whatever it took.  And still be a pleasant conversationalist.  We talked a bit about the cableset boxes and why new ones are going to be better than the old ones (larger volumes of transmission) and buy the time it was time for lunch, I had two really well behaved universal remotes and a totally new connections and a modern box ready for the improvement. Oh, we had some conversation about the grid, our time in the middle east, our sons, guns, hunting and stuff.  He never asked a thing about my face, guys don't really.

  In my expanded movie availability I watched D. Washington acting as a drunken pilot in Flight, pretty good movie about bad behavior and the government saving us from evil alcohol, and I especially liked the end.

  So today with my intent to go to the YMCA, and sweat and then return to preparing for Spring, I think I must come clean.  I don't know why I fell, I wasn't drunk but do think that my foot lift wasn't high enough to clear something and I tripped, why my hands didn't catch me is more concerning. When asked about scaring, I had to laugh, my whole face is a scar and a scare- time marched boldly upon it. Is it time for LifeAlert? Or just time to realize I ain't that young anymore?


  

What happens when I don't vote for President? nothing, my vote for president isn't an elector vote...

   Want to make a difference, go talk and work for the difference - anyway that speaks to you as a person of concern about the future.  It will surely mean much more than following fools, listening to the media that knows you have no real mind, that is how they make their money - proving you don't really understand how you have been addled.  So the ass and the GOP don't really love you, nor your choice and they are going to be in charge, so do whatever you want it is still an opportunity to not vote for their choice. Always remembering that None of the Above is not a proper name so that person couldn't be a candidate and win all the positions.

   Thank you Jeb! for bowing out so well.  Now if the GOP would, but it isn't noble.

   Do understand it is all coming down, the 'they against us' only works if you are one of the us and not a they.... but as the elite media, money folks and politicians know... as soon as they labeled themselves as special, worthy and elite... they were no longer us. There is time left, to fix the country, the people, to solve the problems to hold everyone accountable.  But it won't sell, no one is running on it and neither party is answering the real need and moments.

   Just remember that not voting for the highest office in the land, makes just as much difference as voting for it, unless you are one of the Electoral College.  Do pay attention and enjoy your loves and life as long as you can, cause the government will be coming for you and it has failed so much and so many times, but it can't stop trying.

Ever dream you are running???

  Woke this morning from a Special Ops training area where I had come back from a run, and cause I still had something in me, I asked if anyone (from the just landed group) wanted to run along and we took off and sprinted a bit then settled into some serious stretching of the stride.  That was a very cool dream, reminded me of the smoking dreams while I was quitting, where it tasted so good in your dream and you woke up thinking to light up another... that real and happy.

   So I turned in the Xfinity box yesterday, power cord didn't match the juncture it was supposed to and I wasn't going to carve it. Jury rigged a splitter and some cable to connect a second box, and it has been not coming to life, but since the regular older box works, I have only a replacement cable before I go back to replace the box.  I can still get the DVD/videon player to work on the monitor so it isn't anything except the box, and cable connection from the splitter. Yeah, time for coffee and breakfast. We are going to try and see Risen today. Only four showings, like Race, seems Deadpool has many, many more.

   I have decided that listening to Donald Trump would be just as bad as listening to Jeb! every day as President, but was happy to see Condie Rice running in California as it sinks below the fold. Wish one could go back to those really real happy dreams... but they have fled, maybe I should just burst out and RUN!

Missing in action, MIA, missing, inaction... not doing enough...

  So Democrats and Socialists everywhere (except in Venezuela) believe that the government will care so well for us in our stupid greed and danger... sigh.

  If governments were so good, they would grow more food, build finer homes, and hospitals and the education would be the very best. Ever wonder why with the Veterans Administration there is a charity partying well on good folks donations to get better care for wounded warriors? If government education so good, that rich children go to private schools and learn more? Remember that government education at college level will produce an officer prepared to work in a rigid environment with the power of the courts martial behind him. You can add all your personal examples of how the government doesn't get it right most of the time, and certainly not on budget or within standards - and any link between private enterprise and government is immediately a warning that there is probably corruption at some level.

   That is enough tonight.  Having no interest in WWE or reports of the political action of the election year, I did my taxes last night, using Turbo Tax.  And I have one missing document and I will owe a hundred and forty dollars which will be in the April check writing pile.  Last year I got a refund of five hundred and more dollars.  My wife and I are now on fixed income, awaiting the collapse of the markets, the government and our entitlements because we trusted the government goodness...  The truth is the government needs our help, I can pay my bills, but they can't pay their bills. And if they just made the dollar worth what it was in most of American History they wouldn't have the current problem... cause the dollar was once very sound, the banks weren't but the dollar was.

   The banks aren't sound again, the markets are better, but then don't buy on leverage...

Took the last blue pill today....

 And I saw no reason to refill the prescription for another bottle, so I didn't.  Life goes on, on Facebook there was some software to make you participate and go 'Ah!' for Friends Day.  Nice little application of fun stuff.  But "Hi, William" never works on telephone solicitations, used car salesmen, nor on Facebook fun... They think I am like all the others.

  As I sweated gently and pushed weigh around (mine and the machine's) at the YMCA yesterday I marveled at the heroic efforts of many of the patrons, there are tons of folks in recovery, or physical therapy, or just trying to remember how the feet need to roll with the walk as they hold on to the railing to keep from falling.

  My wife comes in to ask why her phone says that it can't make a connection - and I don't know, since it isn't my universe, if I were to guess she hasn't waited long enough for it to wake up, or the end of the world is just outside our door, or someone touched the machine to inhibit her happiness. But it wasn't me...

   I didn't do a hard workout yesterday, started feeling ill and so took a hot shower and went home early, and this morning, although I have packed and am dressed for attending the YMCA again, I don't think so... should we blame it on the election cycle, the total failure of government to get it right, this time since they didn't get it right the last time? No, I think it is just olde wearing on me.

  Which is in a way sad, but again it is the way the world works. I spent some quality time, last night,  with the Awana, nothing holding back joy in playing with the children. I was teased by a five year old seeing if he could move faster than I could turn to look. And we don't even know each others name, but I tickled him behind me and he ran away laughing.  Then off to study Bible Verses and be tested by an adult on their memory and understanding. Only pretty smart third grade girls in our group, but now I know where the young ladies that charmed my coffee time as they ate seaweed soup came from, they have much better pay attention skills than I do.

  Am really thinking hard about that ride to the Class Reunion in Ligonier, PA.  It will probably be my final fling at adventurous glories in my own mind.  A good number of folks have said they would like to meet on my route, imagine, meeting real people and sharing a meal and time... like it was in the good old days.  I have to do much better planning about how long it takes to cross country, even my sleeping on the benches at the rest stops won't get me faster than sixty miles per hour when riding, just lots more hours of a day on the Trusty Triumph and down the road. Will have to find a mapping program to share as the planning unfolds, I did get the H-D Ride Atlas out.

   Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana/Ohio, the rest of Ohio, Pennsylvania, maybe New York and Ticonderoga if they change governors, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama Arkansas, North Texas, Colorado and then streaking for home maybe stopping in rest of Idaho for a bit... whew! That should eat up a lot of August.  Remembering that pictures of me only work if I have given you time for a shot, and here are two from my 2010 trip.

   Take the time, talk and share, for people you could love a little more won't always be there, and there are so many really wonderful ones awaiting us all in the hereafter, but I don't know if they allow motorcycling in the Heavens, only Ghost riders in the Sky....

Who wins? How do we do that?

  So the question of taxes came up in my house yesterday, and my wife wanted to know how much money she had in her IR accounts.  Imagine her shock when I told her the last time I knew or had paper for was from 2013, the year she had set up her automatic distribution, some step on that process had stopped their sending paper copies to our home. I do keep too much old paper records, I still have LES copies, and I can tell you what my budget was in 1973 through Feb 1985 when I went to computers. She would go to the credit union to get the quarterly reports for the in between and I hope start again that wonderful system of mailing the full quarterly report to the account holder.

  This was caused a bit by the Iowa caucus news reporting, very nice MicroSoft app, and sure enough the little captains could figure out how to boost their candidate's numbers quickly, and seemed willing to do so for the cause. Which means to me that not enough has changed in politics. I was pleased that the media darling front runner Mr Trump came in second. He was very gracious after, and that stands him very well. I was pleased enough that Senator Cruz and his team did very well, but mostly happy that Senator Marco Rubio came in a very close to second, third. That was great, the next thing was that before I moved off the cable to our evening WWE session, I get to hear the third place finisher give the victory speech. Wow! How he was covered first, had family and supporters in front of the camera immediately and broadcast first, I don't know. But it happened, he spoke very strongly and well and about all that was important. Finished and I could move on (after all I am not paid to pay attention like the reporters and pundits are)...  

  So we ended the evening with juvenile pleasure in watching wrestling tomfoolery and sipping adult beverages, enough to loosen my tongue and ensure conversation and arouse worry about if I had too much (its okay dear, I can walk to my bed). She remembers long ago and far away and having to care for a much lighter, stronger and handsomer fellow deep in his cups. To sleep to dream and then wake.

   I wake early, as normal, and get up and write up seven checks, put into six envelopes and mail them off.  Looking at the amount left, I will be careful the remainder of the month. Have to learn to spell frugal with a capital letter or all caps.  The Democratic Party sent me a survey to help them against the rascally Republicants, and as long as it isn't on my stamp, okay.

   I go off to the YMCA for sweat producing and stress reducing. Nineteen point seven miles worth. Light conversation but lots of time to reflect as I mindlessly row and pedal ... lots of time. I come to the realization I am not enthusiastic about this election, I am sure the fix is in, as it always is the money folks behind all the contenders are doing more than the voters. In the end, the election held the markers will be called, those responding correctly will be well rewarded and gain power and loot. And that loot is from the nation and the peasants plundered by a very corrupt system. And the fools will respond with it has always been that way.  So maybe this year they, the powers behind the curtain, need to buy my vote and attention.  But they won't.

   It is too costly, and the control of millions is impossible.  I can make my nation and community great, wonderful and powerful again.  At my level, right here in River City.  First response of a real American, question everything and don't comply until it makes sense... and that won't happen too often.  Kind of like wishing for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, well, where you are act like a saint and it will begin.  Act like a great American and that great America will rise up around you - where ever you go and what ever you do - do it well, do it with courage and love and always do your best, so it maybe blest.

Incoming mail made me laugh...

I graduated high school in 1966, so the fiftieth reunion will be this August 20, 2016. Although the announcement letter is written as 2011, five years ago. Hmm, maybe some one didn't really update the last announcement? 

Ligonier Valley High School class of '66 in 2006

Junior Picture ,65

May 1982 Graduation in Heidelberg

Get some muscle over here...

  Famous last words of the folks that don't do their own enforcement during confrontations. The college lady that thought people should be treated as enemies and terrorists, had to ask for muscle and I understand may be charged with inciting violence for those choice words.

  On the other hand, the FBI and OSP killed the old white man protesting government overreach in Oregon, like Waco, like Ruby Ridge. It will be written in History that the killing was justified, the agents of the government, with body armor, fine weapons and super intelligence knew they were going to be killed as an organization and individual agents by a middle aged white guy with his hands in the air and the potential to not cooperate when confronted by fools with guns. Notice the difference in the Ferguson protests and the Oregon one, all that property damage and death is so different.

  I have long held beliefs that godless government has no intelligence nor soul, and certainly doesn't love anyone. And the government, if it is to replace God, needs to get on to loving everyone -- and I hold that truth to be impossible. Institutions are built by men, and are only as good or bad as the men using them. Corruption is always possible, and seems to be a design feature of using failed humans.

   I did notice that the political candidates for Republican Presidential primary in Iowa (I to have been to that state and used Great Uncle Ernie's outhouse, admiring his matchbook collection, and his wife's button collections and their display.) were running out their Christian values, support of the veterans and ability to fix problems. They didn't convince me of much except they are willing to serve, and only two of them were focused on the problems. The others seemed to focus on their capabilities... this is, after all, a 'me' and 'I' generations. 

  Ah, well, certainly much to pray about, the answers are not on the media feed, nor in the ramblings of old fat men with sleepless good intentions to provide for his loves everywhere and knowing there really aren't supermen or even common heroes when needed, just the very best that he can do will have to be good enough, and it should be if done with love and the LORD. Amen

Still waking too early to have any benefit from beauty sleep...

 This is the fiftieth year since I graduated, class of '66 from the Ligonier Valley Senior High School. The Mountaineers, applied to only two schools of higher learning Drexel and the University of Miami. Intending to study Metallurgy, kind of...  If you really knew me you might think that I wanted associated with that logo more than anything, but I don't think fifty years ago that was its logo.

  Drexel was just down Route 30, which made it too close to home, and I really hadn't considered the Pennsylvania Military Academy, but as they said, their last casualty of the Vietnam War was the Corps of Cadets in 1972.  But then my whole life would have been very different, if it hadn't happened the way it did.

  Getting better at using that bowl holder in the microwave for my breakfast oatmeal, nice, very nice.

   While eating I viewed the cable and find no excitement for this years Presidential primary nor the contenders.  Probably not going to get interested again until November.  I have trouble thinking that any of them are going to do a better job than I am, and I have a lot of my own goals to get under control - triggers being one of them, my relationship with the LORD, and stupidity that once made me so very angry now just makes me want to cry for their misery, especially those that have no idea what they are in my mind.  Too well brought up to mention it much? Yes, but recently it is much more the certain knowledge 'I can't fix stupid' not beyond my personal space, anyway. 

   Time to pack out the YMCA gear and head off to watch the MixxedFit class as I row, which always slows me down. I did a minute on Jacobs Ladder, need to do many more minutes of that each session, along with my normal stuff.  So much to do, so little time, and it does seem to be all my own... and I am talking to myself on the blog again. Take care out there.

The weekend without the snow in the Great NorthWest

  I went to the YMCA, rowing and upper body weight machine circuit, since I hadn't visited the Y the day before. I don't go on Sunday.  After some good conversations, I showered and drove off to the Range, to fire my pistols.  Feeding the Browning Challenger II with Winchester bullets instead of Remington seemed to help, many more rounds will also, and I do need to mark the sights with white or quit shooting at black targets. Since there were two other shooters to my right I was very happy with the target engagement and I was flinging brass at the nearest, especially when I was firing rapidly. The Walther P22 had not a problem. More work on trigger control is called for, especially when I finally get all the other bad habits out of the way.

The top target is the Walther P22 and the bottom target is the Browning Challenger II, the trigger control for both, lighter sights for the second and always more practice. Distance is about 7 meters.
Hot dogs and beans for lunch at home, still trying to warm up, since shooting in rain after working out doesn't seem to do much except accept the chill all the way to the bones.

Live the life of a quietly aging gentleman... and to die a free man...

  We do pick up stuff along the way in life, and some of it we love, some of it we need and much of it was thought to be worth the cost for some comfort... and we have been wrong before. Anyway, when I figured out that I wasn't going to get that Idealimage to make me young and beautiful and noticed that I could be debt free before this year is out. Now I can do that. Then when Hillary is elected by voter fraud in November, by January 2017 I can die and not bother my wife. Or when the dollar collapses or the Communist Controllers take charge, or anything that will stress others because they still have to service their debt masters, it won't bother me.  That National Debt isn't mine, I hold no bonds since President Clinton got funny with the interest payouts.

  My new improved concealed carry is wonderful, no one sees it, comfortable and always at hand.

  Not that my world has ever needed me with a pistol, thank God for His love.

  I am alarmed that the Academy Awards are for movies I wouldn't go see on my dollar, and we should have more diversity... but then the Academy isn't America, just a bunch of folks in the movie industry that are trying to make more money by having an awards ceremony for the public, who can't vote in the selection, see how they discriminate?  Well, I for one am not going to the Academy Awards, and I don't watch them either. I do like to see which movies were nominated and which ones were winners, they are usually worth watching.  I won't be buying them anymore, I have too much and I have noticed that as computers and film making become better and better that I am no longer their audience.  Strange, they don't accept me as I am.

Do go see the movie '13 Hours' ... made my wife nervous...

  Since she was deep into the movie she grabbed my arm, and noticed my breathing and muscle tension --- don't worry, dear, I will be fine when the lights come back on. One of the best combat movies I have ever seen, all the secrets are out there.  Things I think are very important to note:  Political Correctness does not a civilized man make, just because you went to some super spy school or hall of higher learning - mortar rounds and RPGs just won't care.  Muslims aren't all out to kill all Americans, they also aren't all going to help or protect you because you may leave them your work car. And, trust me, just because they say Okay, or give a special Hawaiian sign - they might still find working for the bad guys in their favor.  Americans are too often seen as aliens, foreign invaders, that is the danger in NeoCons, IMF and World Bank.

  Europe and English speaking North America have built a children deficit since WWII, the baby boom masked it - but the idea three to four children family was quickly replaced by mothers going to work and putting the children in childcare or school, like the Soviet Union was doing (which I thought was terrible, when I was a child). Europe had too few workers to rebuild, Germany imported Turks, they are still there, and still not German.

  I watch O'Reilly trying to control the words of one of the women that states 'Rape culture' is the way the Muslims live in some of their nations. The rule about women do not go out alone is because without a man to defend her she is seen as the victim looking for an attack.  He didn't want that said, but the females, in the military and other organizations without armed male protections will be raped, have been and the media has covered it up.  Just like certain Afghan males having sex with children, don't want to look and see the problem, but it doesn't go away.  So many lies and omissions in the media, you have to go elsewhere for truth.

  Well, I need to get back to reading about the Maori Wars in New Zealand, finished the 1840s and am working on the 1860s.  Lovely comparisons to the American experience, still if they had been united there would have been more trouble establishing civilization that could fall under the TPPA. Those that think they are special and know it all, should never stop questioning their facts. It ain't necessarily so.

What? me worry?

  It is very quiet in the house, the trash truck just picked up on our side of the street and is heading to the turn about. I have all my finances accounted for and under control. Since it was offered, and I am old and almost dead, I ran my credit score (which I have never ever cared about) to find they score me at 793. Okay, but if they knew how far I am from winning the Powerball they would have upped it.

   It is so quiet in the house, because I don't turn on the television, the cable is on but the monitor isn't. My wife wakes, asks if I am still here, and if it is cold outside -- no, just cool.  I did watch the debates last night, but Rand Paul is as discounted as his father Ron Paul, they must be very good people.  Dr. Ben Carson will end up on that list, he had my vote last night but that was because he had good answers, and I have never been part of the masses.  Trump made a lot of faces, spoke a bit better (not much but a bit), Rubio and Ted were painful to watch attacking each other, JEB! and Kaisic were in their comfort zone. I don't need to watch anymore debates, still wondering who is going to replace Hillary on the Democratic ticket, especially since all the real potential folks to slow the crash of the economy and the country were on the stage in Charleston. There is no superfool that is needed to get the country right - just all us normal ones, we need to make our little lives better and wonderful and enriching and sharing and caring. It will never come out of Washington, DC, and that New York thing they were talking about last night, everyone knew what that was, and there are great people in New York City and metro - held under the thumb of evil folks with really weird ideas.  Maybe Bloomberg will replace Hillary- he has done so much to so many what would a few more do?

   Well, only sixty bucks left until the end of the month, shouldn't eat too much and that would be a good thing!  Take care out there... I have no winning lottery numbers and a 793 credit score, but God knows I need to lose weight, and pay off all debts and prepare for the passing of 2016 --- Olympics in Brazil and elections on television, and less Facebook. Time for the YMCA, ought to get a job.

Church today was very good...

  The sermon was about what Christians are called to do... and away we go, for sure the gun carrying Christians aren't causing all those shooting on the news, but then I thought about them not presenting their case at a CNN discussion with the President either.  For to me, it will always come back to how much one loves the stranger, the other humans in view... no love and shooting gets very easy, and not ever for a good reason. Just lack of love.  And the gun community does its image no good by talking about how they are going to shoot someone when troubles come, they need to mention they are prepared to be the security of the free State... not that they want to shoot someone.

   The off to hold the Sunday School for the fifth graders and since the main topic was Jesus in control of the creation and the story of his being awakened by frightened fellows, and holding up his hand and commanding the storm and the sea "Be quiet!" and in the calm "Be still" the waves stopped rocking the boat... That can get the little ones' attention when done in the Drill Sergeant mode. Still they never give us enough to teach, and do, the children are fast. So we went out for a walk in the Sunshine, temperature 55 degrees, very nice.  We actually have a wetland south of the main church building, protected by a fence.
 
   I released them for their seaweed and rice soup, with kim chee.  And I sat down to talk to the retired Coast Guardsman, and discuss the football season or whatever.  I found Isaac coming by, he and his brother Caleb weren't wearing their ball caps. But Isaac dropped a plastic frog from his pocket, then we emptied his pockets, sharks, lizard, frogs all over the table, so I started having the frogs do flips.  Fun.

Surprising me, two young girls (third graders?) sat down with their meal and started talking and then included me in their conversation! What? They always speak in pace and pitch above my hearing ability, but they are fun, so I asked their names and we had discussions... did I know these girls? Nope, were they in any of the activities I have been part of with the children, Nope.  Here comes another younger girl with her coat over her head looking like she would trip and spill her tray and soup, she didn't but she sat down beside her sister, and she started talking to me, too.  Where did all this come from? My wife says I make a perfect grandfather or great uncle figure.

   One girl told me she had to move and live with her father, until "what's his name" moved out - now I am shocked, and I am wondering how to speak to adult stupidity to her, but figured after some more conversation that she was already working on it. Well, I did introduce my wife to the two sisters before we left the fellowship hall, figuring if they could use a great uncle they could also use a great aunt, they would call the elder lady 'imo' (which could mean mother's sister in Korean) or the word for grandmother since her hair is white.  Yes, a very good day at church today.

Take a 'never have' shooter to the range to hit the target, safely... and remember all you can't teach him yet...

   So I treat an older fellow, that has lots of opinions and talk and questions, to the trip to the range to fire a pistol, in this case my Browning Challenger II with the gold colored trigger, in 22LR. It is a pretty pistol.  Last night I had taken out the pistol and cut down the amount of stuff I thought I would need.  Like a 1911, a revolver, and another 22LR pistol by Ruger... because I realized this was just a one time deal, and I had more than a new shooter was prepared to find out about.

   Our relationship is more about old guys sweating at the gym and talking about old stuff and far away stuff and trying to be noticed.

   We got our basic exercise in and showered and dressed and then we went to Range 15 of JBLM, I paid and showed him the pistol, how it worked, and I was certainly happy that I went slow, since he didn't have any past firearm training.  But I would stand beside him, demonstrate, and then have him perform what I had just shown him... what seemed so natural to me, was all new to him. Since I was in the 'do it safely always' mode, I didn't get swept but there was one failure to clear the pistol properly. Which I caught, pointed out to him, and then corrected when it was safe to do so.

   We had an unexpected coyote on the two hundred yard line, right in front of the rifle shooters, one must have caught it and the line was closed down until it got off. The day was cool to colder, and by the final few magazine I needed heat and a nap.  All his rounds were on the target, but the little stuff I could only help him one technique at a time. So it took some time for trigger control, and such.  Only using one pistol was a fine idea.  I did get some shooting in, but the primary focus was on him and not me.  A good time.

   The rifle side of the range had a signup sheet for the ones that got there late, as we left the pistol side had the same thing, so there must have been many Christmas gifts getting a work out.

In the cold dreary days of Winter...

  I think the bears are correct, hibernate! Although they probably just get real fat and sleepy and waddle off to bed and birthing. I am reading more, and more, and more.... and not just on Facebook, which seldom has whole paragraphs of ponder. One of my friends has contemplated selling her current firearm of choice to buy another firearm of better choice -- I am old school, I just add one, won't sell but would give away what I no longer need and willing to share.  Which, under gun fool and gun goof guidelines makes me an outlaw... more or less.

  I have plans and intentions to be executed of taking an old fellow (ahead of me by a few years) to the range to shoot some pistols safely. He has memorized all the gun safety books I gave him to read and know weeks ago.  That will be one more fellow that understands more than he could with only the media and antigungoofs for references. Plus, I will get to shoot more and improve performance and take pictures.

  I have been shut off from the cable in this house. Seems I haven't provided enough systems to flood our minds, there are only two of us, and the lady of the house says I should have my own and not bother hers. So I have withdrawn from the regular television viewing room. And I don't turn it on, either. Just think of all the Presidential and wannabees that I will miss. Can you feel the grin on my face at that thought? The other thing I noticed is the lack of time and energy to get up and get something more to eat as I don't want to see the commercials.  Reading is great.

  Aside from the take a newbie to the range objectives, I had a call to convert the heathen and the lost of the World, but it is called the Gospel and I am figuring how to stay ahead of the children in Sunday School, watched them running around and playing in the snow in their playground on Sunday last. Don't know how badly the current governments are going to get the threat and protect the little ones, but I do know just watching my own life and journey - they are in for interesting times.

Sleepless... so get up, stop thinking about it...

  Only so many hours of rest required, and you have been living in a sitting position only exercising your eyes and mind... you don't need more sleep.  So you finally get up, since all your thinking was about how wonderful you are going to be today after you get up... like that will happen.

   So you go get your naked weight, take your blood pressure and your medications and supplements, then start working on the current bills with a hot cup of yesterday's coffee. Bill paying is fun, only two today. Post checks and charges in the Quicken software - just reinforcing the news noticed yesterday - during 2016 the mortgage will be paid off, since last years principal payments were more than the remaining principal I have permission to die off in 2017, my wife won't need me.

  Still very cold and dark outside, little things finished here, will wait for the Sun and read away some more time.

Well, 2016 - so Happy New Year! May God bless it greatly...

But, couldn't it have started on a Monday? Since it is Friday I had to get all the garbage out to the curb, started the dishwasher and colored laundry.  The frozen grass crunched beneath my shoes as I tracked around the yard, the cold clear sky had nothing flying in it, I looked.

I had intended to go shoot this morning, in honor of my reading of the document, but will look into shooting tomorrow at Range 15 of JBLM. I have bills to pay today, and mail, and the YMCA doesn't work without me, and since it is a New Year and we already have two documents for the 2015 tax filing, I expect I will owe nothing again.

Quiet celebration last night, finished off that bottle of wine, in the trash this morning, we didn't stay up until Hawaii celebrated the New Year, just too late. I sat and watched young people at the Space Needle, and complained that the director had too many cameras, had little idea of lasting (seven minute) fireworks against the downtown skyline, it could have been perfect, but they kept trying to catch something cool... and missing the moments, missing all the moments.

Don't y'all miss any moments there aren't enough for us as it is, smile more, share and see you next time on the range.