Going to have to make adjustments in my life...

   Going to the range on Saturday cost me ten dollars for my day and target, and I only fired fifty rounds.  Time to do some serious looking into local ranges, cause I can't afford ten dollars every time I need to break away from my electronic time wasters.   I need many more breaks from the monitors of computer and cable. Don't we all?

   My target from Saturday looks a bit wild, but seriously, I started standing at fifty yards. Those are the upper right ten shots. Then I did some major sight corrections on the rear sight, moving it far left and down then I ended up left of the target still high shooting prone without sling.  So I then adjusted a bit back and shot from the bench with sling and was close enough for the day.  I intend to refine the sights, prone with sling, at twenty-five yards, soon.

    Now that brings up my OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder,  my Stevens model 414 Armory is a beautiful old target rifle, but for me to shoot it where I am aiming the front sight is far right and the rear sight is cranked far left. Which does put my shot on target, but I don't think I am that crooked, the rear sight must have been placed wrong when it was set up.  That makes me think I should put an adjustable sight on the receiver, but then I would feel the loss of the 'cool' in the original purchase that makes me so happy, even now. Constant struggle, luckily, I am so frugal that if it isn't broken, it isn't getting fixed. Unless the Lottery slams my way.  And we are betting that won't happen soon.

I am often shy in public, for good reason...

   Seems that Donal Trump and a young Bush made video history trashing the fairer sex - all they did was not respect the kind of women they dreamed all women would be in their fantasies - maybe not the women's fantasies... Then NBC decided that they would wait until they needed something to disrupt Trump, like a blackmailer for future benefit.  Somehow the tape, saved from Secretary Hillary Clinton's destruction of all that excess bad vibes records missed the tape against Donald. This is why I am so happy that I am much more Earl than my fool fantasies.

   I remember telling lies about sex in high school, and hearing some even better (impossible) ones from other guys that had even less of a clue than I did. See, we didn't have sex education, we had health classes which highlighted health not happiness.  It was better to be shy than shamed.

   I am not qualified to discuss sex and those strange things people lump with sex that don't seem to produce more humans.  I have opinions, but I remember being told by another soldier that I really had no idea what fool or terrible things were being taught to my son in his school.  But I was always sure if he wanted my opinion on something he would ask.  I have a broad reading of many things, and for sure I blame the Hefner Playboy Philosophy for much that was wrong with my era in America. Not that I read beyond the point of noticing that giving women the liberty to be free of moral and community restrictions allowed them to be better exploited by the power structure, normally male.

   Then the government goodness loosened the divorce laws, increased the male penalties for not having a successful marriage and supported women in their solitary liberation from having to partner with a man for survival, the government cares for all the helpless doesn't it?

   What can I say, marriage is a government program regulated to benefit the community and like most government programs not as good as what it took over.  Where families and community were responsible for maintaining the marriage, not the heartless government. Regulate until you control it to death.  I seem to have missed my point about being shy... will get back to it one day.  I respect women, enough that I seldom talk with them, they and men are not on the same frequency and it is very difficult to have a meaningful exchange of ideas.  I am always happy to find the exceptions to that generality of mine, and will then blurt out something that will cause them to wonder at who I really am, as it doesn't seem I fit their expectation.

   Aren't I happy I am so shy? Yes, I am...

No, I am not going to listen to what the Democrats want me to hear from Trump's vulgar mouth...

   I am sure his smut isn't better than my own, and I don't use that language anymore, and can't remember when I was fool enough to publish it to the innocent.  I am sure that he, Donald, doesn't want me to think that he is nonredeemable, he must know that as a Christian I know everyone is flawed, all have been redeemed, and must accept Jesus as their savior for forgiveness...  so, only the godless communists and others need to find the LORD, quick! Because the End is near.  There it is on the internet, so it must be true.

    I went to see the foot doctor on Thursday morning, and it didn't go as nicely as the televised shows and commercials on cable... but then this is reality. A couple of weight bearing x-rays taken, and an appointment scheduled for the 1st of December.  So off I went to the YMCA, and my coach was doing nothing so I complained about not having a strength test since the first one... mistake on my part. The devious fellow made an instant appointment, told me to get in gym clothes and come back and I would take the test... ha, ha, ha...   So I was back in about ten minutes, and we went to the machines he wanted me to work.  He would tell me what my high was six months ago, and I would set what I thought I could do eight times in good form.  If I wasn't straining on the last two reps, he would think I was cheating myself and add ten to twenty pounds for what I should have done, in his mind not mine. Then he ran me a complete new program after plugging in the new maximums. Ugh! Have I a new stress in my life? Yes, I do. So for the last two workouts I have added very few sets, not changed the weights up much, although I have lowered some in my least favorite exercises, and then added sets and did more reps.  Interesting, being pumped up instead of plumped up.

   Conversations of olde men:  Sitting between sets or exercises or while walking something off, there are conversations.  About five Vietnam Vets (American) are my fellows talking about wars and wonders, two of them were end of WWII and Korea and then RVN to retire, and two are just into the Southeast Asia mess and then out to better things, and then I am the youngster - RVN to Gulf War I.
Now the challenge is to remember I came to work out, not socialize with my compadres, what we talk about is always more interesting than sweating or straining against gravity. Not more interesting than yoga pants and smiles from the heart. But we aren't long distracted by beauty, since we want to wring out our lives to hang out with folks that appreciate where we were when we were young, handsome and so foolish -- but always doing our best.  Not all the tales are of success, often a flub or fluke or just fool hardy - but not to be repeated, not by us. Names of people now long gone on, or gone to parts unknown, men we remembered because they mattered  in our lives. Olde men talking, the common term is 'war stories' but you won't get them if you aren't part of the group, trusted. Some times a youngster will listen a bit and then ask a question, looking for an answer they can understand, and the answer will come back depending on the perception of the old man as to what they can understand and what they will do with it.  So often, it is just a lie, tease or less than truth -- no harm intended. The answer isn't in an answer, it was in the story and the triggers going off in the listener's mind. Most minds aren't ready for the stories we tell. So they don't get out in public much.

   Time does fly when having fun, suddenly it will be time to get ready to leave, and I still haven't done my normal ten miles on bicycle, ah, I will do something later.... yeah, maybe so.

  Now to be perfectly honest, I haven't read Hillary's speeches to the FatCats of Banking and Business, but then I am fair and balanced except when I get up to walk or move. Then my eyesight and awareness might be in conflict with the realities of gravity and foot placement.  Am I not so happy that my voters' pamphlet has arrived and the ballots come out on 25 October.  Yes, I am, but I still must hope the contenders clean up, ask forgiveness and respect the voters' choices. We should all work to become better than we knew possible, just like straining against gravity, it will only make us better at living. 

Just because I can I want to make a point...

   Community policing does not mean putting police in charge of the folks and talking to them, it should mean that a well regulated militia is the security of a Free State... yes, I borrowed those words.  In communities where neighbors take care of each other - it happens, sure they may call for the law when it gets beyond the ability of the neighbors, we call for medical assistance and fire but the first people to see the need start taking action.

   Part of the current weakness in American values and virtues is the idea that only the government can handle the problems. But it can't, you really need the people and not just for votes and taxes.  They must be more than subjects of the ruling elite, their bankers and barkers.

Pictures of a near past...

   Photos are history, and we do spend a lot of time taking them and sharing them and then suddenly forgetting about them...
    But they do capture a moment, when you were young and beautiful, and your smile had real teeth. Do they capture your joy, your love, your quietness in the dark?  Maybe not, but then you are quick to change as the time moves right along.
   As I do repetitious exercise my mind is moving much faster than any of my muscles and I can go from thought to thought faster than the speed of light. Honest, I have measured it, NOT. Just seems so.
    When is it going to be normal to see Appleseeds on the evening news? Not any time soon, the safety record is nice, the problems with marksmanship can be measured in inches, converted to minutes of angle and on your rifle into clicks of your sight adjustment. We don't even measure if the heritage of Liberty and standing your ground gets through to the shooter, we just want to set an example of change that can improve your ability with a rifle, and your interest on how we got to the America of today, from the Colonies of yesteryear. 
     Still finishing A Race to Remember: the Peter Norman story interesting how current culture ruins a great story and lives. Seems to happen everywhere that God is forgotten or denied.

  Next objective on my plate seems to be in Idaho, a Known Distance Appleseed, the Shoot Boss expects his crew to shoot, and I like to see if I can handle my 1903A3 the way it should be treated. I tried to buy six hundred more rounds from CPM, but my credit cards don't seem to work on their software, no purchase made, although I have plenty for the preparation and the shooting on the Appleseed, ammunition remains a sound investment before the End of the World as we knew it.

   

Struggling with Microsoft... badly...

   After my last update one of my software programs had disappeared, so I had to work with MS and find a way to find my pictures downloaded from my camera. Ugh! Bill Gates created a company that hates me, if Apple products weren't so dear.

What did I learn while teaching Sunday school, by Tuesday...

   It does seem that the software hates me, it didn't even save the three paragraphs I had written when my finger bumped one of the marvelous fast keys on the more better super sexy keyboard. I went away to a glass of warm milk, and a few solid hours of sleep.

      Again:

   So teaching on Sunday the subject got around to cursive, and all the children tell me that they all write cursive which I thought was fine. Then we went into when they use it, and I demonstrated my signature. Then I attempted to write a sentence, to see if I still could and found it painfully slow...
do you remember that cursive was a faster smoother way to place in ink, words and ideas upon paper?  Not without use it isn't.

  So I started looking for some proper paper to send a hand written letter off to Juan Williams of The Five.  One would think I could just email, but really, does anyone not against Hillary save emails from strangers?  As I wandered the little storage areas of my oldest desk, I found a file folder full of print outs from 1996 through about 2001, not everything sent through my computer, but the favorites and best and the last evidence I have of doing something besides checking in on Facebook. Even pre blogging period stuff.

   As I read through the mail, some from my sisters, mother and me, I noticed real people and emotions and cares and support and stuff that is so different from today. The first thing I noticed the format was of the weekly letters we wrote for snail mail. And that as my list of people to be bothered by my missives grew the receiver addresses grew ponderous - pretty vain to think that many would like to receive my thoughts. I had to hand write my aunt, like I had my parents, until they all got computers. But we didn't change the format, care nor the content as we reached out.  But then maybe we had been weeks or months between messages in the days of boat and rail delivery of mail. One set of my grand parents lived and worked in South America. Boat mail for years and years.

   Very rich, and since my mother is in Heaven the memory even better.  How would that be to one day have my great grand children read and understand more about how she felt about the time after my father past away? So I watched a Chinese movie, titled Home Coming, subtitled just for me. The plot was of the father turned in by his daughter to the authorities - yes, that did happen. He was found guilty and sent to the Northwest to re-education and work camps. While there he wrote letters to his wife, that were on any scrap of paper he could find in the dark and kept secret. Finally some many years later a letter was sent telling her that he was returning on the fifth. She would go down on the fifth and hold a sign with his name waiting, each month. When he showed up, she didn't recognize him. So he pretended to be a neighbor that would read letters from this big box full of letters. Very sad, but very powerful story.

Anyway, back to what I was writing about:

I posted on Facebook this statement:
      "Oh, that was fun, looking for some writing paper and finding a fat folder of emails from ago. Mother, sisters and my exchanges from when we still wrote like it was just the different type of writing and conversation on our loves and lives. Real treasures there for me, since life isn't the same."

reply: "We are all the poorer for the loss of intimately personal correspondence."
reply: "Too true, we pretend not to have time. It seems to be the best way to capture time and the people in their era."
reply: "Imagine if we didn't have the correspondence of our forebears. All we would have, as an understanding of their motivations is the record of their actions."
reply: " We find we may not share their fears nor their values." 

Which prompted this posting from a Fb friend:
  "To my friends, family, and loved ones: Please, write each other. Send a letter to someone you know. Talk about things that are intimately personal. Connect with one another." 

   I do need to get prepared to write that letter. Yes, there is email, telephone and all kinds of almost face to face, but if you don't put it on paper only the heartless NSA will have an idea of what was sent when... and that isn't your heart's history. 

What can be controlled? That is what you will have to control...

   One of my facebook friends is out to control his growing abuse of fast food joints... I told him to carry a sack lunch of apple, pickle and sandwich to a park bench - that he can control, and it would work.  In everything there might be something one could control.

  The fool terrorist bomber from NJ and NY, where they really do such a fine job of controlling guns that only law enforcement and the criminals have them always, has difficulty controlling pressure cookers and home made bombs. And I do understand that, they do very well when finding the bomber, confronting and taking him down and into a fine Christian Hospital system and then a secular jail. Great job folks. But they can never control the madmen and terrorists that randomly attack.

   In a traffic investigation, some policepersons, taze and shoot to death a big man. What was his crime? He wasn't listening nor following orders, I can't tell if the man was deaf or hadn't time for stupid police out of their box, was wanting to get back to taking care of his own life. Maybe if the police stopped you to ask questions they should pay for your time, instead of shooting you? Everyone gets to watch the video, the police need to investigate and then get ready to lose one former officer to the criminal justice system. For sure everyone with an interest in the victim should do a civil suit of the law enforcement agency and the shooter.

  Only Hollywood gets to write the story, from beginning to end, and then present it to warp everyone's ignorance in a particular direction, as entertainment that is fine and useful. But as education it isn't.

   Don't lay your motorcycle down, ride it until you stop. Gravity rules, always.  I do recommend Sully, for lots of reasons - none of which have to do with gratuitous sex, loud pistol shots and lots of blood. Just good guys and gals doing the very best they could when it got out of hand.  Really, see the film and remember, keep flying the plane.

I have been trying to get this out for days...

  I go to the YMCA for a place I can sweat and pretend I will get ripped. Okay, I no longer am concerned about looking as good as those they hire upon the media - what those men and women look like is all part of the illusion, not a reality. Yes, they can be in most excellent health and at the peak of their athletic ability but Tom Cruise is still short. Good actor but vain and arrogant and short.

  One of the better parts of going to the YMCA is talking with the other old guys, we are constantly solving the world's problems and enjoying the tales of yesteryear in wars and service in foreign parts. No WWI vets, but we cover WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the later adventures in failed foreign policy. We also have people that just want to talk a little about anything without getting into an argument. Hmm, not a bad place to do that.

  Still, I get more out of listening to the stories, tales and ideas I would never hold with than I do from watching the media presentations of what they want me to view for their upcoming commercial interruptions. And you know there are hours and hours of ideas I would never hold with in MSM. So if you are worn out and discarded by the world, do go to the YMCA, you may find similar folks just happy to tell you a story and listen to your own.

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.

We are never as prepared for adversity as we thought....

  I love to ask young folks if they have a pen knife, for few use a pen knife to sharpen and shape quill pens any longer, but I would bet Thomas Jefferson and George Washington had one.  But I remember playing with Case and Barlow folding knives when I was on recess at grade school. And I wasn't the only boy and there were common sense rules of conduct around the knives. My major problem with folding knives came with a bad reputation for acting tough and fighting - so naturally it was assumed that if I had an opportunity to draw a blade and cut someone I would.  But I was never that afraid nor stupid. That didn't keep me out of trouble for the ease of making me look cruel, stupid and totally dangerous.  The answer from most modern children not on a farm is that they don't have one, aren't allowed to have one or that they don't need one... for various reasons, it all depends on the family.

  Well, I was up early and had a couple of shipping boxes from Cabela's to recycle and the taping was resisting this feeble old fellow, so I went for my knife, one of three I normally carry around. Sorry, you are in the wrong pants, no knives in your pockets... what to do? Could go all the way back into the house and get one of several within reach of this computer terminal, or to the car, or to... they are everywhere except on me beside the trash and recycle containers. The closest stash is the tool shed, but all the good knives are behind all the tools and stuff that we use daily.  Looking inside the closest blade is the two handed machete - okay, I can cut tape with that bad boy. I did and then folded the cardboard so I wasn't packing too much air in the container.  Put the big ugly but sharp tool in the sheath and return to hang in the tool shed. Go get coffee and breakfast and put a knife in your pocket as you continue to prepare to face the world outside this little quiet place.

  Yesterday I had haunted the Exchange looking for shampoo and shoes and a man stopped me and asked if he looked familiar? And did I live on 152nd Street? I told him, 'No, I live on 159th Street Ct E.' and he says he was my neighbor back then when we bought our new homes in 1995. So I spent a pleasant hour talking with him about all the things that have happened to us in the years since.  Very enjoyable time. I really ought to pay more attention to other folks, they moved to a bigger home when the second son was born. But then I would have to ruffle some feathers, and I don't want to bother anyone.  When I was low on one of my medications I called the doctor for a new prescription, but I was told I had to check with my pharmacy since the doctor had given me one in June that had refills. I checked and the pharmacy doesn't have that so I won't get any, one less daily pill.


  I stopped to get a report on all my checking account transactions for this month, I was about two hundred to four hundred dollars different from what the ATM said, which could be a problem if I weren't aware. The clerk printed out the two page report and I balanced my Quicken program and found my errors, which makes me very happy - love pretending I know what I am doing.  Off to visit the YMCA, still can't do more than walk, but I have hope for after the doctor's visit Friday. Spent some time walking, lots of time talking and listening and saying hello. Then back home to wife and lunch and more resting, saw two programs and then went to the Blues don't need to think for music. I am not performing.  The day has gone well, guess I can take my gun off and shower and prepare for sleep.

   There is some feeling that the internet is really bad when users bully and pick on the other users... but that only works when one pays attention to fools. People offend me constantly when they use vulgar and profane language... but I am old and stable enough to ignore their problem, they never notice I don't use it and never wonder why I don't cyber visit their comments more often. But then I am not important in their lives, just a shadow of whom I was once upon a time.  Do good stuff and make me smile for happy. Night!

I wish you all well, really, take care out there.....

  A woman calls me awake from my dreams, a commanding attention voice - she knows me enough to make it work. I lay in the darkness thinking about the coming day. Dividing it into pre-op, surgery where I won't know anything, and post-op.  Works for me as long as I get to post-op well... nothing to worry about, although I never did see the certification of the medical team involved.

  Still in darkness and awaiting and thinking, not going back to sleep. I get three of my medicines and a swallow of water to help them down... says so right here on my instructions. Aren't I happy I can read? Why, yes I am.

   What I am even happier about that I don't have any enemies. And immediately think of the Magnificent Seven and Conan, although there were a few periods in my life I was actually trying to end other's lives and they mine - we didn't even know our names. It was only business, Sonny.

   No drama, now, I get to sit on the porch in the rocker and watch the world pass me by.  There are those that have little real ideas that might hate me because I am an NRA member, or fear me because my parents didn't raise me right like their parents did, there are those that do keep calling my home to ask for my attention and money because someone has put me on a list of folks to contact.  I quit answering a while ago. Me and Alexander Graham Bell will have a few things to discuss...

  Ah, the light has arrived. I may continue on my preparations... hope to see you on the otherside.  Be well, and do good with lots of love... the LORD needs more and more.

Ah, the Olympics in Rio... much better than watching the election cam'pain' in America...

   I don't think much of tribalism, it is necessary as a survival tactic in the wilds, but I do love best efforts... so I like to watch the Olympics, even the sports I don't understand are interesting.  What I have done mostly is mute the talking heads, good music in the background and a book to get back to on the commercial interruptions. I don't care how many gold medals anyone wins, how many Olympics competed in, this one and this effort that is a moment I can share and smile about.

  The professional lawn crew attacked the yards and they look so good, I may never push a mower again (if I won the Lottery). The panic of the modern males of this Century, over not having the hand strength of their grandfathers being blamed on many things. The truth is the ladies don't either -- my mother sifted flour, kneaded bread dough and hand washed the dishes until her children got big enough to share. What makes any modern person think we get fat from only calories eaten and not in the lack of calories burned doing 'stuff'? Once walked around, now we drive, walked to school in first through sixth grades, walked to the Little League practice.  All the tools my dad used were hand tools, no batteries and seldom power cords.

  Our lives changed with power and light, in many ways for the better and others not so much. We need to rely on our abilities to survive, and live well.  Find your place and work it well.

I don't always get what I want, but then I do get everything I need...

  I was supposed to be motorcycling across the country with Ligonier, Pennsylvania as my final destination for my 50th High School Class Reunion.  But since the only one I have ever attended was the 40th, that may be the only one.  Ligonier is a wonderful place to grow up, for History and amusement and security of the mountains encircling you. Thinking I could ride my three speed bicycle off to Florida to join Castro - just wasn't going to happen, although I did have a really great ride in the darkness going downhill Fast! when I had given up the struggle.

  Since I wasn't on the Trusty Triumph and an Appleseed event was going to be held in Port Townsend, that was where I went to help out. Great group of folks, and I learned something about and from each of them.  You know the instructor crew had lots to share with them... and gentle constant reminders of what they should be working on with every shot. So near the end of the second day I am watching one shooter have no respiratory pause, none. But he was hoping to catch the trigger as the front sight hit the target... hmm, that doesn't work.

  Still everyone had a good time, shot safely, and got better at all they understood and were practicing.  Hot weather baked us a bunch, but the breeze didn't die and there was lots of water. If I were a believer in the rifle making all the difference between shooters, I would say if it didn't have an ancestry from Czech Republic, the two new riflemen shooting their bolt action rifles would look convincing. Especially since these aren't the first Riflemen I have seen shoot that well with those rifles.  Seriously, it has to do with the shooter, six steps of the shot, and relaxing into sling and position and trusting Natural Point of Aim. Throw in Riflemen's cadence to keep from fussing the shot and anyone can do it; if the rifle doesn't jam, the ammunition all goes off, and hot brass isn't bouncing behind your safety glasses or on your arm.

   We did encourage all the shooters to practice dry fire with totally unloaded rifles in their safe zone, to join a local range and to come back to another Appleseed when their have it all in their muscle memory...  I found a note on my Facebook, my niece is guiding some middle school young ladies during their difficult years, that will be great - she has a wealth of women's wisdom to share and she is approachable. For sure what is on the screen isn't how reality works and trying to model yourself on fool behavior just doesn't work. In the history presentation of April 19, 1775 in the powder raid from Boston when the colonials had had enough, they at least weren't distracted by entertainment and too much media misinformation.

   Our two Riflemen, were also the two that cleared the final Redcoat, there is always hope for America's future, hope to see y'all on the range one day. I can tell you about Inches, Minutes and clicks... and get your sights on target.

Time to replace the old RWVA cap...

   I had so much fun with the crew instructing the Civil Air Patrol cadets, all 21 of them, although I only really worked with eleven of them on the right bay.  They looked mature and professional in the woodland camouflage uniforms I had stopped wearing in 1995, with shiny cadet ranks insignia on their collars. Well spoken and polite I could almost forget they were only youth, and since there was no obvious horse play and they were paying attention.

   Only one AQT (Appleseed Qualification Test) on the first day, and one on the second day, the last half of the second day was spent shooting for their NRA score on their discipline. They can wear what they earn on their CAP uniforms. As one young cadet told me, this was only her third day of shooting a firearm, glad she was training with us, a very good start. A few had been shooting longer and more often, but this was a good opportunity to advance the marksmanship and firearms safety.

  Since all instruction except the KD (known distance) was given and practiced they have a fine start and will come along nicely in the future if they have their own rifle and ammunition and attend an Appleseed. I am looking forward to it.  We told the three strikes of the match, and the dangerous old men stories.I decided to upgrade my Red Hat, we should use my old ones to help illustrate the difference in the officer's redcoat and the enlisted men's.

   The preparation for the Port Townsend Appleseed began as soon as I returned home, all the clothes are washed and ironed. Two copies of the COI (Course of Instruction) are printed out with the Checkin Sheet.  After I get back from there I will be preparing for my surgery and recovery, time does fly when having fun.

I seem to have become freer... the election just won't matter until November and I may ignore the noise...

   I had my yard professionally mowed and edged, will every two weeks for three total times in August. My wife wants the couch moved but not enough to bother me about it until I am healed up. And I will have to write a letter to the LVHS Reunion folks to say thank y'all but I am not going to be able to make it, sorry.  It is official my surgery is on the 18th, be home by evening.

   Neither major political party Presidential candidate impresses me, the media covering the election even less. I am holding out for Ron Paul, but he should have run as a Libertarian in 2012, and Rand Paul should have looked at doing it in 2016. What I think is going to happen is the country is going to really suffer from stupidity by government and maybe survive to the next election cycle, but maybe not. I don't think I will be written in enough to secure the Electoral College votes so I am not going to be the President and you won't be able to blame me for whatever happens, it won't be my fault.

    I have an marksmanship clinic for the Civil Air Patrol this weekend in Olympia, and next weekend is Port Townsend with fifty (???) registered.  Don't know about those numbers, it would be different.

Noticing what I see when no one is looking...

  I slept outside the range waiting until I could bother them with my presence, driving when the commute isn't on is wonderful. So as I woke and watched periodically I noticed the concealed and the open carry and those that carried bags with stuff into the range. Lovely, the CC folks didn't imprint badly, but if you were looking it was different on the back right hip from the left. The open carry didn't care but carried in exactly in the same place - not where I carry but then I am of the don't worry about that old fat man group.
 
    You know, the old men that gather in the mid-morning for coffee and conversation in every fast food joint that isn't going to run them off after giving them a hot cup of coffee and maybe a pastry.  Groups of five to six, every morning like clockwork, the ones resisting the joining showing up at least twice a week, but not more. They also show up to pretend to work out at the YMCA, the local range to bust caps or talk about wonders and tech at the local range they built when shooting was a hobby.  Old men everywhere that have certainly outlived their utility, the nation no longer needs nor cares about them... they get their checks and go over in that corner and don't disturb us with the reminder that life becomes aged as it marches on relentlessly. And they all know things that everyone should, but don't want to cause a ruckus when talking about buying gasoline at twenty-five cents a gallon and earning a healthy two dollars and fifty cents an hour in the days of eighty-five cents an hour minimum wage... but then you would have to listen to them tell you that the bankers like inflation for their own reasons.

  Old men, put them off in their corner and don't see them, they aren't manly, sexy, nor do they ever look prosperous.  But they might not be what you see on the media that feeds your vision of what has worth: because there is little morality, honor, dignity of labor nor appreciation for real 'love' of others that will bring anyone to the theaters or cable to view for commercial exploitation among them. The media has only false visions of fantasy to feed the feeble minded, and the feeble minded buy it wholesale. The difference between Roy Rogers with two pistols and a wife, good buddy and a dog and a horse, and Clint Eastwood with one pistol, and Jason Bourne with no idea why he does so much bad with so little reason is too great a jump for y'all cause y'all are young... the Hollywood tech on all the gun play is still very poor.  John Wesley Hardin would have killed them all, easily.  But John wasn't a fine man even in his day.

   My point about what you don't see in those old men, is the years of work and sacrifice that made their families fond of them and their example years after their best was gone or going quickly.They loved hard, deep and well.  You may not know it, but they shot firearms in the most dangerous times for the victory they had to win.  Most of it won't make it into History, nor books nor movies and they don't brag nor talk much about it, because you that haven't, really don't understand.  You reach out to shake their old hands and say thank you for your service and they almost cringe because you don't get their nightmares and shakes and have so little idea.  But they smile gently and say thank you, because they are shaking your hand and accepting your thanks for those that they never forgot that died right beside them in some unknown place for some forgotten politicians' vision of victory. 

   Living in the fantasy of experts that will make it all better - just give them more money, help them win the war, the election or the White House! Nah, go out and make your corner of God's great creation as beautiful as He wants it to become, and don't ask for honors nor accolades, just forgiveness for the times you were a weaker vessel, and get back to making it all better. Or, just sit with the other old guys over coffee and talk about when you were stronger and sexy and mattered.

Difficult to be a nation if you are only tribal in your culture...

   Tribes, still major challenges to third world countries, countries with borders usually surveyed by some greater nation bent upon making their lives better than they were... the ones that brought trade, weapons, languages and foreign cultures to 'civilize the natives, or kill them off'. China, in their own idea of perfection, continues to call and think of themselves as the Central Kingdom and gather more tribes under their protection.

   In the uneducated of America, families, clans and tribes are still very critical for our self image. Everyone has a favorite sports team - college or professional. But no one is voting based on that tribe are they?  But then the smart people decide that they can control the American tribes by keeping them in bondage - to start with by making them fear their neighbors.  You don't really know what is happening in that home next door, do you? One of my siblings thinks you might have a tank, but since he is an outgoing guy, he likely will try to talk you out of running it around without some kind of permission. He does believe in Democrats, the law and whatever fool notion suits his fancy. He has a good heart so I am not worried about his neighbor, the tank, nor his fool notions. He has no power, I did say he believes Democrats. 

  Anyway, as I was growing up, American, with a mother that spoke two languages and had lived a long time in Uruguay that was just learning how different America was from her American parents and what they had exposed her to... they had protected her, a bit. She knew all the slang, foul language, curses and nasty stuff in Spanish, but had no idea about English, until she met American college girls with bad mouths and attitudes attempting to put her in her place. Children, behave and play nice.

  I moved often enough as a child that I started to feel being the new kid was my role in life, that probably hardened me and I wasn't shy about fighting to get over it. Still, I could make friends and have as much success as everyone else does in maintaining level headed poise.  All illusion, I was a loner more than a joiner, quiet more than vocal, boy on the edge of the room, crowd, neighborhood.

  Don't know how it happened, I just don't care much about race - the human race is fine, but all the degrees of purity don't match my idea of what is... I like people; nice people, happy people and hard working people. They come in all sizes, shapes and situations.  If I catch a phrase or word or accent I can't identify, I may ask where you come from - but it is just to increase my knowledge not as something I need to control or worry over. I had a real marksman one day on the range and I asked if he shot much, he said 'right much' and I knew where he came from and why he shot so well.  Buford, imagine remembering his name after so many years.

   I grew up American, and before it was real important, knew that I wasn't going to get everything the other children had in wealthier families, cause we were middle class - before it became a dishonor to be just one of the multitude.  Somewhere about college age I got to be an honorary WASP, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, but that was because some one else wanted to control me and my actions, I was never going to be anything but one of the Dungey boys, like my cousins and my father and uncle. That was plenty unique enough for me.

  Anyway, I have enough racial and cultural friction and charms around me that I know all those thinking that nothing will ever change, haven't been paying attention - everything changes mostly for the better. 

   I was trying to figure out why, the America I grew up in had changed so badly with all the technology and scientific advances. We got soft, and worse, our cultural leadership decided we only wanted sex drugs and rock and roll.... which is another myth.  But I think I isolated the corruption, they powers of media introduced pornography into everyone's entertainment menu.. when I was a teenager - adult books were prohibited, badly written, full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes and not well edited - not worth the cover price.  But the industry started to clean it up, make it literate and something one could talk about over Kinsey and coffee. It bled into major movies in little ways as they lowered the standards by slapping a rating on the movie to protect the public, or was that to promote the movie as 'risque'? Edgy. I realized they had done that with the guns violence, the murder rates in novels, television and movies. No wonder everyone thinks guns are terrible, they have consumed so much pornographic violence, seen as normal, they are starting to believe everyone is doing it.

   Honest, most of us aren't doing it, aren't going to do it, and are not looking for it when it raises up and hiss's at us with opportunity. I am still hoping they are going to sing more traditional hymns in the church I attend, at least the prayers haven't been sexed up.  Ya'll continue to be your best out there, we are so running out of time, and civilization is the opportunity of good folks at liberty to love each other and the Lord, every day in every way.

Suffering from pain and ignorance I go to the emergency room...

    No, I didn't tell my wife, nor leave her a note - she would worry if I had.  She had her own doctor appointment to make this morning and I wanted her thinking about it and her driving. So I got my Kindle and drove off to the emergency room, parked and walked in and introduced myself and asked for help.  Normal blood, fluids, temperature and pressure measurements and then the doctor shows up checks the pain the body and asks the questions and prods and pokes... he has knowledge and lines me up and they print out a few pages and tell me to put my clothes back on, see my primary physician and get scheduled for an operation.  Seems I only have an Inguinal Hernia. Out patient surgery some day when we can all be prepared for it.

   Being overweight is a contributor, but I figure the work outs could have been another but I will blame the Front Body Lunges (since I like them so little). I was so happy that it wasn't any of the real problems I had feared that as I drove out of the parking lot and spotted a beautiful woman walking along on this beautiful morning I waved and smiled happily and she waved and smiled back. Yeah, and she was a blonde, makes me think I should wave and smile much more. Thank the Lord.

They all have little stories they share and they will never be on the news, thank the LORD...

   I was struck by how many stories from the twenty-five plus people I worked with this weekend will never be the kind of story I will tune in to hear on entertainment or news media on Monday... of course these are all not 'larger than life' nor 'too big to fail' folks, these are just 'the folks'. And immediately my mind added 'and we're watching out for you!' If you don't know where that comes from it has to do with 'where the spin stops' on FOXNews.

Earl tells the Third Strike of the Match

 

   Three hours on the highways, safely, with stops for fuel and food and coffee and rest, that is a busy highway.  Still reflecting in the two day Appleseed event, it was great, weather was excellent with enough rain to keep the dust down and the grass greening and the shooters dry and comfortable. Over twenty shooters, six to seven instructor crew, a well worked Course of Instruction with a willingness to adapt, change and overcome gently each shooter's needs.  Must have been gentle, I had smiles and farewell handshakes at the end of day two, I was already very proud of the progress they had all made, the safe firearms handling and the interest in establishing an independent course into our nation's future (where we find ourselves living now) that our foreneighbors took in April of 1775.

  I could tell you how I gently harassed Bruce into doing it the way we taught and worked for him, and he didn't disappoint. One of the little stories was the man shooting next to him, was his brother-in-law and the woman, sister/wife, was a better shot (they said) than either of them. Just one of the little stories. At the safe table cleaning an AR, on Sunday morning, a pistol shooter that recently came to rifle. How did he get there? Well, his story is that he worked for someone that was short of cash but had too many firearms and the person on his first Appleseed event, first time with a rifle, was given that fine AR with stuff on it, and a shotgun as compensation. He assured me the transfer was legal, I didn't ask just advised to make it so if it wasn't. But really Mayor Bloomberg wouldn't be happy, but he didn't like large sweet drinks either - so we know he is crazy.

   Yes, lots of little stories on the range, from the man with a tricked out wooden stock Ruger10/22 in Scout Configuration, Cooper lives! with leather three point sling! He offered me an opportunity to shoot it, love real shooters they always share their love of their rifle and skill. The last time I took up someone's offer and kept nailing the three hundred yard steel target (which I can't hear) I hurried up and found my own 1903 A3, thanks to the generosity of another shooter in California, delivered to my door by some fine shipping organization. Temptations must be resisted, I can only fire one rifle at a time,

  So about four hundred rounds fired on targets, safely, stories of Liberty and April 19, 1775 delivered sagely, and our Revolutionary War Veterans Association mission delivered passionately - cause we live this stuff. If nothing else ever happens, my hope is all the crew and shooters have the warm memories of a fine two days they didn't turn on mindless noise and learned something, building our future one Rifleman at a time.  And We the People had several, HUZZAH! HUZZAH! HUZZAH!

Make America Great Again, really what do you know about America?

     After losing my job to force reduction, budget cuts, or just no one needed me anymore... I decided to ride my Trusty Triumph across America and see the home range of the RWVA and Fred, and visit my mother in her nursing home. I was going to help with an Appleseed in Spearfish South Dakota, and another in Saint Augustine, Florida, I was going to visit family and bloggers that I read and admire.  When I had lots of wishes before I never had the time, now I had the time.  So I would sleep on rest stop benches or beside the motorcycle on the ground or sometimes in a motel along the way. That was six years ago, and America was great then, the Americans were, too.  What changed? Too much rude behavior, not enough real love?  In 2012, I decided to support Ron Paul because the other political party was doing strange things - but the Republicans were as against me and Ron as they were against President Obama.  I didn't believe then anymore than now that the government is going to cure its own ills.  We are talking about people that think they are in charge.

      So in another election year, the Olympics look very good.  That is an inside joke for Washingtonians. Donald Trump caught the mood of the folks, and he was kind of an outsider and he wants to make America great again... but I noticed he has little idea of what makes America great, he isn't alone in that, President Obama has little idea, either. When you are the center of your own life story you may not understand what makes America great is all the little lovely life stories out there. It isn't the economy - but the activity, it isn't the leisure and luxury, but the full belly, sore muscles and clean hands and heart. Lending a hand, making things right, trying harder for our future, the future that we won't live but want our posterity to enjoy.  It isn't really Fly Over Country - it is America where most of us live, work and love. Where most of us believe all lives matter, that race no longer does, that our rights end where yours begin and government never ever gave us any rights, but a very long list of wrongs.

   No, Mister Trump doesn't get it, he sees what he wants and may want to accomplish, but he doesn't know what most Americans do, and he always tries to get around but end up a winner.  He is not humble nor kind, how could I follow his lead?  He isn't going where I am, and he doesn't know nor believe in the American People - he ought to, but he doesn't.  Remember that I contributed to four Presidential candidates this year, each immediately dropped out, there were four I thought could do the job better than the current main two contenders

    The only acceptable solution to making America great again is shrinking the government. shrinking the National Debt, stop listening to the liars and nasty fools.  Go on and be humble and kind, and it will frighten the ruling elite, they do want us crying in our dependency, they make rules about milk, agriculture, water and air -- just so we can never go it alone without their permission... Donald Trump is not a changer, he is a player and he may break some rules but only for himself and friends not for real Americans.  The Media and the political parties are supported by large money, most of America is small money, most of America is likeable or will just leave you alone - not what Donald Trump wants, he likes his name and likes it everywhere. I like my name, William Earl Dungey, don't forget to write it in for President. Thank you

What I am thinking, as if it matters to anyone...

   I am not voting for the two major political party nominees, just won't.  First, it doesn't really matter, second, I have had it with thinking that the people supporting either party will ever out weigh the dollars contributed by special interests. And the best reason, neither of those nominees will ever love me the way Jesus did, they just aren't that caring.

  So I am thinking the FBI has told us that Secretary Hillary Clinton is not capable enough to care for herself, nor the nation. They were kind and I understand that, my mother would have done a much better job as President than Hillary, but she wasn't much more competent in a nest of snakes than Hillary will be, Hillary thinks she might be Momma Mongoose, but I don't.  She is a wife of a serial sexual fool, the mother of a daughter, who has married and born two grandchildren for her posterity.  She has many fine qualities for her dedication to making herself wonderful and making us all think she cares about us little people. She wants to control my guns and I don't think she is capable of using that kind of power correctly, neither is the California legislature, the Governor of New York and many others that pretend they are smarter and better than I in keeping my gun violence to a level of none.  I have been doing great for years and years.  Really, be nice out there, pray that Hillary and Donald's troubles go away and the nation gets a fine President, but God probably thinks we could do better as His followers than we could as the President's Men.

   Now remember that what I wrote here won't change a thing about who Hillary is, what she has done, nor is likely to change the way she is..  She is a woman, older, no longer sexy, and losing control and fearing her failure, her enemies, and people seeing her in her weakness. I understand much of that, love her anyway, but don't elect her into that steaming swamp of cess, she would not become saintly there, haven't seen anyone become a saint there.

I seem to be misunderstood... but it is my fault...

   My son finally caught me on the telephone and we talked a bit, he wondered that I was spending three hours working out at the YMCA. When I reflected upon it later I realized I should have mentioned that a lot of that time is spent in conversation with other old men that have just a little reason to hurry on as I do. We once ran around working, playing, learning and being creative at almost top speed, and not so much anymore. But thanks for asking.

    In the spirit of resisting the domination of the English Crown I found this fine little book for my Kindle. Commando: A Boer Journal of the Boer War by Deneys Reitz.  
 
   Not all resistance movements, independence movements nor conquests work out the fairy tale woven by old men that should have known better. But breaking down the illusion is needed for the best approach to a problem.  You should be as positive about life as I am, this photo of one of my wife's agricultural projects sums it up well.

   Well, Independence Day weekend, church tomorrow, shooting afterwards and then rolling around without Facebook feed nor FoxNews - cause my plate is full and has only room for the ones I love, which is a whole lot of y'all and yens.  Yes, that is English from places I have been.

Found at the library...

  The White Donkey, Terminal Lance, graphic novel by Maximilian Uriarte (good work, sad story).  God's War; A New History of the Crusades by Christopher Tyerman to be followed by Holy War; How Vasco Da Gama's Epic Voyages turned the tide in a Centuries-Old Clash of Civilizations by Nigel Cliff.   That should quiet my quest for more about how we got to this point.

   I have decided to join Barack Obama in leaving off the name of the religion associated with the terrorists, ISIS and ISIL. Since there seem to be many blaming the NRA for guns and Christians for attacks on homosexuals or other groups of different than thou, I am starting to understand the pain of group mentioned for heightening fears of unknown but now blamed. The truly godless are constantly attempting to rip the soul away from the solace. If they can't have belief then no one else should either. And if media or madness can use God, NRA, Christian, Moslem or Satan to make you bend to their influence and fears - then they aren't alone in the void. Now there are at least two of you without an anchor in the storm.

   So, June is almost over, time to go out with a strong finish. Lovely internet, sent a hundred dollars recently found to the Salvation Army for West Virginia Floods 2016. Better than the Clinton fund, the Republican Party or the Democrat Party... at least my money will do good.

So you go to Men's Bible Study for prayer and fellowship...

   And as we wait for our leader, who went back to get the hymn books, an old Special Forces guy talks about gun politics that he doesn't think belong in America. Another man says he is going to get a gun, and he wanted to know what I thought about a pistol for less than a hundred and fifty dollars, giving him my no where near expert opinion, I told him he should be willing to pay more for quality especially if he thought it would be to defend himself and his loves.  Another fellow asked how many times had he needed a firearm in the past - which drags up the whole I have a right conversation.

   I do mention that no one should do anything from fear, and tomorrow we will look at his schedule for an opportunity for us both to go shopping for his gun. The leader shows up and we go into the Bible Study and where Jesus says that having hate or unforgiveness in your heart is just like murder. Which was a great place to go with this feisty group of old men that still think they are 'guys'.

   I was able to steer the conversations towards truths, not ever mentioned on media nor by the pushy powerful pretenders on their thrones of self importance.  It was agreed that most of America doesn't need a firearm, but when they might there isn't anytime to get a gun, training or a lawyer if the shooter was wrong. It was also very true that most of these Christian men don't trust the government any farther than they can throw them... which isn't very far. Found another .32 caliber rimfire revolver, a closet keeper far from the box of ammunition which is likely as old as the piece. What we get from long ago and far away from where we are now.  My grandfather's knife, pistol and Holy Bible are not as important to me as my memory of my grandfather coming to our house with our dog and two pheasants and a shotgun under his arm, and they let me pick bird shot out of the bird in the basement. He was an American and not on anyone's list.

Making a killing, Business and politics of selling guns...

  An article in the New Yorker magazine, by Evan Osnos.  I listened to him on Fresh Aire (error?), the PBS show that is supposed to inform us that can't read... or some such thing.  I can read.

  I did like some of his points, saying that fear drives a lot of concealed carry and gun purchases -- I always tell my audience never do anything from fear, but no one listens to me much. I agree that fear does promote gun purchasing, every time Bloomberg or President Obama says something about the gun violence the public does seem to run out and get more guns and ammunition. I like to believe it is because the buyer knows that the government doesn't love them, won't be there to protect them. And then to add to the fear, the writer explains that most guns will increase the potential death by gun risk of everyone around the buyer... who is spreading fear?

  Here in the very drier West, there are forest fires and there are building fires and we fight fires, but I haven't seen the effort to get fire making devices under strict control of the government. Still arson is a crime, which will be prosecuted after the fact.

   Since my conclusions about the gun question are different than the writer's, should my words or his be censored, only one of us is correct?  But that would prohibit the freedom of the Press, and the link to the 2nd Amendment is so clear as to be funny, and ideas like ISIL and ISIS publish are killing more people in the name of a religion that seldom promotes violence any more than the Old Testament - and it is official policy to not censor the noise.

  The alarming amount of time spent by news media, entertainment media and game media spilling a lot of untruths about firearms, sex and what is cool - promote a lot of fear, and envy, and copycats.  You all need the truth and it will set you free.  Then go get your Concealed Carry Permit, get some solid training, and practice and then maybe a firearm because it can be a safe addition to your life and loves' protections.  

   

  

Who is telling the tale?

   There is a government in the United States of America, why there are still so many levels of government I am no longer sure. If cities in the nation can decide they don't have to obey laws from the Federal government aren't they in rebellion? No, the Democratic Party still needs the votes from them for political power...

  But there are forces, powerful ones, that want to attack me in my little part of the country. I am not alone, there are people in high places, at all levels of government and media that promote the idea that the government is the only way for us all to get along.  Have you looked around and found that government agent making your day lawful and wonderful? Oh, look there is a police vehicle over there, there is a Highway Patrol officier over there.  Not that they have a thing to say to me, I know they are looking for the local drug distributor, the local rapist and the local mad terrorist of all the various causes... aren't they?  Or at least the local home invader?

  No, the truth is that the forces of the government don't spend time looking over your shoulder to find you doing something that they fear. Doesn't stop them from trying to frighten you into compliance with their superior thought processes.  When I was sixteen a uniformed State Trooper stood in front of five hundred plus high school students and said they would be cracking down on underage purchasing of tobacco products.  Being a teenage boy, I went out and purchased my first two packs of cigarettes, Marlboro, of course. I am sure I have done other things based on the idea that they couldn't tell me what to do, especially if they were fools and had no idea of how much smarter I was than they.  I quit smoking eight years later, on my own and for my own reasons.  I do like to say I didn't smoke nor drink for years and years because I didn't like the taxes they levied on the products.

  So we come to the gun control debate - on my side there is no debate - the laws against murder, assault and mayhem are all the government needs. I may need a gun to defend myself against the forces of evil, wherever they come from, but for sure I will not fight for my guns when stupidity is running loose, or amok (I love that word). Anyone that thinks a law that restricts guns is a wonderful idea is stupid, and those that suffer the government to control the guns will end up like the Native Americans, killed without mercy and nor apology. And when you are defeated, stuck on a reservation with very little prospect since it is the government that will be caring for you, since you aren't really to be trusted with your own life pursuits... how successful is that program working Washington, DC?

Tamara Keel and real gun control

   Over and over recently I have heard the largest mass shooting in American History when talking about the Orlando night club attack. But it isn't, the Wounded Knee event was bigger.  No one studies History anymore, but the pro gun goofs will constantly point out that governments kill more citizens than any terrorist organization, always.  And for the same reason, to frighten you into compliance, the British Empire tried to kill enough Indians to stop independence and they couldn't.

   I am delightfully old, but so much wiser than those poor stupid people sitting there in the House, pouting because there is no gun control. I looked at Tam's target for today, all her rounds were on target she has that gun under the only meaningful control she and Indiana need.  Which is what Liberty is all about, individual responsibility and self control. Remember it isn't the law abiding citizens that are the problem with guns, never have been. If we tied the ability to keep and bear arms in the well regulated militia to the right to vote (which is not in the Constitution) the anti-gun Democrats would fold.  They need as many stupid people voting as possible, even the dead ones, and the pro-gun goofs also don't want stupid people doing stupid things around them, muzzle sweeps as well as failure to properly clear the firearm on the range and vote for stupid representatives in office.

  Me, I don't think the government will ever love me, so I will remain an observer. Good night out there, make everyone of your shots count, if they aren't where you called them, they don't count.

  

Father's Day, I do hope you are carrying...

   I am off to church, and I am carrying.... my Bible, love in my heart and my love in my vehicle, love for those long gone before I could love them as much as they loved me, love for those just becoming wonderful in their innocence and discovery. Love for the great good folks everywhere doing likewise, carrying their best and blest forward into the world to make it better.

  oh, I might be carrying a pistol with ammunition, but I do trust in the LORD more than my self, I have fallen short before and would not like to disappoint again. But working on my humble and kind, I am not ashamed to ask for forgiveness if I do, nor to boast if it all works better than I expected, go gently into our day and use only the kindest of touches.

Mission impossible... two or three examples of things that will never be...

  My wife told me to clean the gutters today, since the heavy rain last night wasn't going out like it should have but running over the edges of the gutter - may as well have just a roof. That was easy. just allow myself enough energy and ambition to make my wife happy and I can do that mission.  I received a few emails asking me to do some things for people in far off places - today and in the future, done for today and looking into the future - I am reasonably competent and agreeable to help.

  But people much smarter, paid better and seemingly more responsible want to change my position in their world - for my protection. They are gun goofs and anti gun goofs, both extremists and it seems it is all or nothing. So their impossible mission is to limit guns or get everyone to carry responsibly. Depending on their point of view is how much Liberty the individual is to have. To me it is very simple, do not infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and expect them all to be part of the militia that will provide the security of the free State.

  Must have been better citizens back in the day of Presidents Washington, Adams, and Jefferson -- but there weren't really. It was expected that the people were good, honorable and very responsible for their own conduct. Yes, it was expected and understood - and no one thought it would be perfect and it wasn't, but they were willing to stand up and be counted when needed. Loyal to the Crown or to the cause of Liberty - they were willing to stand.

  My belief is that there are still many good people, of the kind that founded America and its principles.  Although, I do think there are people trying to change the norm and make us all very afraid.  Just like they want to gloss over the ugly truths about History, or make it into entertainment that has to have sex... on screen, like the founders would have done it on stage or in the streets? I don't think so, they did have children.

   People that have little or no idea keep talking about the AR 15 used in the Orlando atrocity, although it wasn't an AR 15, the same people act like whatever that weapon was - it was a military grade firearm.  It wasn't, although if George Armstrong Custer could have had one with five magazines per his troopers, he would have loved it. Today's military wouldn't want it, although they could have used it better than the killer did. So there are a lot of emotions being wrung out over the fears of something they do not understand. So Congress is going to debate and pass some kind of law, because it will somehow magically stop any such thing in the future... same government that disarmed all the passengers in the safety of the aircraft so that thugs could cut throats and frighten everyone into cooperating, with the hijack rules to the crew to cooperate and get the plane on the ground. Government failure to expect modern terrorists, always sure they have all the answers.  The government isn't really that smart - or it wouldn't have a 19 Trillion Debt it will never repay.

   So Americans everywhere, there is no Safe Zone, even Disney World can't provide one. They allow illusion of safety without providing it.  I expect every alligator to act and attack just like they all do as a survival method - they and Crocodiles have been around longer than current human food sources. There is no way that Disney nor Florida will be rid of the threat of attack by very simple minded big reptiles, that place is a very natual home and they walk about at night, too.

   There could be a Gun Free Zone from sea to shining sea - although America is bound by oceans not seas, seas is poetic.  Ideally, all our enemies would love it, a totally disarmed peasant population, even the ruling elite thinks no one is as sane nor as safe as they are, but they do hire protection since many have no intention of standing up to be shot nor to shoot.

  That whole gun free thing in England works well, a member of Parliament attacked by knife and killed by gun.  How does that happen?  There is surely more to that story to come.

   In the end on the Orlando atrocity, the killer (I object to calling him a shooter, cause I am one) wanted exactly what he got, his picture and name all over the internet, media and like all his selfies, he will be thinking he looks so good to all those that aspire to his brand of being the only character that counts in the movie of his life. He imagines he makes a very sexy hero, and looking at that rifle he bought - it was bought for its sex appeal (in his mind anyway). A mall ninja with exotic overtones of green and black. Just from the amount of time he spent calling 911, his wife and texting - it was all about him... kind of like the real ISIS, it is all about them and the religion is just a cover.

  There needs to be more love and respect in the world, all of us need to work on it daily. For sure don't look to Government nor PC to provide it - those don't have souls nor hearts.  Learn to shoot, learn first aid and prepare to do both -- which will always happen when least expected, just like the Boy Scouts  Be Prepared - and then help in everyway you can.

  For those that don't know most of the fear of the firearms and the harm they can, and do cause is all based on the entertainment and news media. If this country doesn't live in Cambodia under the communits - The Killing Fields is an attempt to describe how the world ignored atrocities instead of stamping the evil out.  Not the same reason, but the same ugly evil is sitting in Syria and Iraq trying to survive and spread. Why don't you understand you are the solution to evil?

Morning has spoken...

  So I am up with the East Coast folks, for no good reason, but I endeavor to persevere.  So I check Facebook feed, am fed up. Then look to cable for news, and am really fed up, so much so I turn it to Korean soap operas, mute and disregard. I weigh and best measure soon, then I put my YMCA bag together, and clean up the weapons and their cleaning tools, doesn't everyone start the day by cleaning up the little procrastination piles?

  I make the coffee, doughnuts are fattening so I just make my gruel, in lesser amounts, just enough. Take it out to the back porch to sit in the field recliner (don't give them to the Army that hardly marches enough as it is). I enjoy the morning nature noises and the cool arrival of light not provided by capitalism, government goodness nor appreciated by those that think it isn't a real miracle.  Alright, I have miles to go before I sleep, but I do have another clothing challenge thought upon while I was fueling the body. how to add another knife to the mix of concealed tools. XXXL hoodies hide so much.

  I read the Bible, play with photos and print outs and will have to start buying my printer ink cartridges from Amazon.com, since my normal supplier is moving on to the newer improved stuff... sigh. Brick and mortar will fall to the internet.com if they don't watch out. 

XXXL Hoodie hides so much