Quiet Monday morning thoughts...

  My brother drove me to the Bible and prayer, or my lack of a proper start to the beauty of the Summer morning outside my Computer cave window and my thankfulness that I can truly believe.

  A ton of work is awaiting my attention, having returned from a very small but as always successful Appleseed event, I even have reports to file, rifles to clean and put away.  And I found out more truth while upon the road and range that isn't on my computer feed, nor is drawing national attention but is there in all our lives, troubling us.

  So I share: Seventh stepping being a critical part of spreading the word about the wonders of an Appleseed event with safe marksmanship, having history and honoring our heritage, the Shoot Boss, me, has to encourage the shooters - to tell everyone to wear their Appleseed Project t-shirt, tell their story and talk about the RWVA message so I did.  And I learned a large truth.

  I found that a shooter, who really learned and improved a lot, can't tell family nor co-workers and friends about the two days with me... SHOCK!! But then I realized the shooter had just become my introduction to the S to the 4th power, (Super Secret Shooting Society!). Never fired a rifle before Saturday, the shooter's final shots went out safely on target on Sunday, but has been invited back with the normal admonishment - dry fire practice, read the study materials and think well of us.

  I won't tell you the shooter is afraid of nothing - that there isn't a real effort to paint the NRA, shooters and such with the same color paint one uses for the horrors one sees on the entertainment and news media. EVIL, and those that are brave enough stay and find out an uncomfortable truth, maybe the fear that is spread from the top of the human pyramid to the bottom dwellers isn't based on truth.  Because there is EVIL in the world, a younger white man murdered nine real Christians, and the news media, the entertainment folks and the ones that want to spread fears began looking at everything to blame his actions on... and a feed frenzy of the fearful foolish began.

   Confederate Battle flags sales stopped, memorials defaced, cakes only baked celebrating homosexual and Christian kills for ISIS or the newly government certified homosexual marriage unions - but not for the lovers of History. The unknown attackers of truth, always hiding their names, their emails and their hardware from the press for protection.... they have decided that only what they think is worthy and we have to wait for their daily feed. 

   But they can't hide the truth, just try to twist it to their benefit. The family, friends and the faithful in that famous church in Charleston demonstrated the way. They reached out in prayer, in strength and Christianity or just great faith in our Father for forgiveness of the murderer and his salvation. Exercising God's Love for all those less fortunate, less blest and so wrong in their actions. Like any muscle, skill or art and craft, one must exercise those things one wants to improve upon - from marksmanship to basket weaving or prayer and finding the truth, exercise more real love in your every day. Evil can't stand against it, and stupidity can't be fixed, but salvation is for everyone.

  One has to accept responsibility for one's sins, ask forgiveness and call upon the LORD. He sent His Son to show you the way, those murdered believers are in Heaven with the thief that died with Christ, and that is the truth. Say a prayer for me, and my brothers and sisters. Thank you.
 

How do you stay at Liberty... well?

  Tradition tells us that the United States of America were founded on Liberty, and the politicians finally designed a Republic to represent the People and States in the larger world, and that the Questions of almost everything would be decided at the lowest level - the citizen.  Then the politicians decided they needed to organize and keep limited the number of successful political parties competing for power over the citizens and states that they were supposed to represent and work for...

   Money crept in there from the start, always how do we pay, not worth a Continental, and debts lots of debts to cover, interesting times lots of bad ideas, lots of immoral choices and lots of troubles in various directions. But always a theme that the nation was conceived in Liberty - that changed to Freedom around the time of the Civil War, because all men were going to be Free. Noble idea, morally a very good one, and used to promote the idea that all the people now must obey the government... where did that come in? I was sure the idea was that all free men would live in Liberty and the government would respond to them, the citizens...

  Of course, if you spend a lot of lives and money beating to death the folks that want their Liberty, for the sake of the freeing of slaves - sounds like you do know who has the power, the Federal government. Now I will always hold one truth, that freeing the slaves and ending slavery in the United States of America was a great result of the conflict. Imagine that the British Empire did it by discussion and voting long before America (do you think that shows better intelligence in Britain, or just honorable politicians?), and there were more slaves in the British colonies than in the United States.  Not so important as many truths about the flags and the cause and the evil men do... for whatever reason. Evil is evil.

   There are many people that will tell you that you must obey the police, not true, you should cooperate, but until the local police assume the care and protection of you under arrest, you don't have to obey them. There are lots of great police out there, ask them if you can help, but don't fret obeying them. They will kill you if you are a bother, or they will say they have it under control.

Lead armored vehicle flying the Confederate Battle flag

  There are some famous commentators on cable and television news, that reinforce the idea that when the government says something you must obey. Again, not true, you should cooperate or object quietly. In the end, they will kill you and tell the story their way, always... History is always written by the victor - why do you think Islam is a religion of peace - because you must submit to live.

   Now the worst part of the political parties, the huge sums of money and the various political action groups, is that no one is really doing a good job representing the people. Some strange economic ideas have slid in the mix - less government regulation and taxation means more economic activity. The government is needed to coordinate actions by the nation in defense, in justice and in sound money for commerce. They don't know anything about free markets, banking, trade, education, innovation and industry -- and few government folks can milk a cow - so how do you think they do at fleecing and milking the modern American economy? You do know the reason that we rent Russian space vehicle space - is our government program was a failure.  Which government transit system is working? which private systems are working?

  Don't worry good folks, do the very best you can, the government doesn't love nor will it save you, it needs to get out of the way.  But always try to be polite, have good manners and better language and they won't know what to do with you. You are a free person at Liberty in the most wonderful trainwreck about to happen in the world.  There is no way you nor any of the fools in government will ever pay off nor down the national, state or county debts... mainly because the people that hold those bonds and notes buy more representation than you the citizen.

   I expect we are all going to die. But the next time some one tells me that slavery was so morally wrong that we will never be forgiven for building a country with it... I will remind them that if life begins at conception (scientific fact) then all abortions are immoral.  Nope, I don't want to punish the women not smart enough to find alternatives - I really feel sad for them, really.  Living in liberty means always being responsible for what you do, and we all should work on being better folks. Have a great day!

The ugly stuff thrown around out there... or the things I would rather never learn about...

  My brother made a comment about something being metric - so I had no idea what he meant so I went looking. And was immediately offended. 

  Not that was what my brother intended, but he had nothing to offer that was good, so he slung it out. He does not think it was offensive. But then he is a modern kind of guy and can be swayed into all kinds of stuff - some of it really wonderful - others not so much.

  I, on the other hand, am just a old man, with the big belly, balding pate (no, I don't use that term much), with in a rut that could just get big enough to be buried in... almost up to my axles.

  The Governor of South Carolina took the Confederate Battle Flag down, and I do think she did it so well. But then I have always thought it best to be used in movies, or placed with honor over the graves of Confederate soldiers and veterans. Remember, it only matters to me, you should have your own opinion. I have long been upset by people that want to change the message to their advantage, normally for political gain. The one that come immediately is homosexual marriage. By my definition marriage is a union between a man and a woman - most often for establishing a new family. I have been told I am wrong about that, kind of like believing that Democrats care about the people, or Republicans have more to offer than Democrats cause they are all rich. Most things that everyone knows are needing fact checking.


  When you don't fact check, there are perceptions to overcome, and you will probably miss what is happening because you don't have to understand to be entertained. I could be seeing a lot of ugly in my world because it suits the humans wandering around lost. Kind of like Moses coming down from the mountain with God shining from him and seeing the people locked in lust under a golden calf, made by his brother. It could really make one angry.

  Not me, I hope for salvation, built upon the idea that God loves us.  For sure a government, made up of self centered fools doesn't love us. But then a government is only an organization to harness people to pull the wagon or the plow and get the job done.  Isn't it?

  I do hope you all have a wonderful life, and that you have family, friends and good strangers to love better than they deserve. Lots of laughter and lots of love. Be very good out there, and make all your shots count.

 

First day of Summer, and my wife takes me out for steak and ice cream...

   Perhaps we shouldn't read the comments on Facebook, especially when a person from the fool camp is posting what is good sense to themselves, and many other silly things they thought you meant or said.

   I expect all gun control, or common sense gun laws to be as poorly written and enforced as the drug laws, drunk driving laws and rape laws. So I don't hold much hope in the government solution to any of those things, why give them more that they can't handle?

  When my brother says they aren't coming to take my guns, he forgot about Waco, Texas and Ruby Ridge.  The most recent Waco, Texas incident with the motorcycle clubs makes me wonder if he should be wary of riding around large groups of bikers.

  All the great laws about driving, often held up as an example of what the government could do to make shooting firearms safer, has a much higher death toll than firearms, daily.  So, how is it that the increasing regulation of firearms would make anyone's shot within one minute of angle?

   But I have enjoyed a French film today, and the steak was perfect and so was the company, do hope your day was wonder full.

When you get lemons... make the best of it, limey...

  So I didn't have sweat pants, so I turned around and went to the range.



And I shot my M1 and admired other fine shooters and weapons. No one was killed, wounded, nor felt fear during the entire time I was there.  Should have invited the clueless to watch, and maybe shoot a round on target.


Just forty rounds for me, finding my zero, synthetic 1907 sling marked from CMP.

I do like to look and talk to the other shooters, not enough to bother them, but it is part of the learning experience. 


The Blues are playing loudly in my home, pardon me, I am going to take some down time reflecting on how Mad Max Fury Road worked, and why there were so many males in that one tyranny. It doesn't work that way, really, and most of those shots couldn't have happened - ah, fantasy violence. Do you think a sip of whiskey would help?

your America is just so evil, bad, frightening and soon to die from suicidal tendencies...

  We watch the news and we all feel the pain of death and destruction, and if the news wasn't enough we watch comedians tell racist jokes, or bad jokes in poor taste, or we just say 'everyone says it' as if that were okay. Everyone being a quorum. Or our entertainment if it isn't soft core sexual romance, or hard core almost pornography, or action movies which mean killing forty-two bad guys in ninety film minutes while telling the tale of a dying spy trying to re-establish a love life with his wife and daughter, a family love with the daughter.  America is a terrible place.  Except it isn't.

  Yes, there are some terrible evil people in America. There are some terrible businesses, there are some scientists that publish their best work, which doesn't stand up to peer review. There are some really drunks in America, some strung out dope addicts, there are people you never want to meet, places you never would want to work, and certainly you wouldn't move into 'that' kind of neighborhood. There are pastors that stray, flocks that get fleeced and everyone knows about 'that' church and the type of worshippers whispered about there.

  So sad, that isn't my America. In my America they aren't afraid of guns, bad guys and poor folks. In my America, they do the best they can everyday - no matter what is on the news, who just died, and who was born. In my America they don't fit a category, not a single category, because they change as fast as the wind in Oklahoma or as slow as the ice in Alaska. In my America they find their truth and live it, every day, they believe others are always going to be doing better and bigger things than they will, because they aren't proud just persistent.  In my America, most aren't as intelligent as I am, but almost everyone is more loving and connected to others, I have a lot of work to do on my shortfalls.

  In my America, a smile and a real laugh shared, is more important than that often cited number from Wall Street - pick your favorite.

  In my America, there are troubles and there are things to fear, but there is so much more that is honorable, good, kind, brave, cheerful, thrifty, clean and worshipful - in my America there is more to be thankful for than there is to flee from, or complain about.  Now, I hope you are living in my America, or coming to visit, because I want good things to happen to us all.  Be with the LORD.

Luke 8:14 distractions... now where are those...

  I was going to write about distractions Saturday, they had been piling up and were becoming bothersome - since I really do live on little victories, in my life and in the way I train my troops. No one comes in the military as a superhero, they may have characteristics but the military will take the others and grind them all to fit the mold.

  But I did get distracted and wrote about something else. So when I went to worship the Bible verse the pastoral candidate built his sermon around was about the sower and the seeds. And verse 14 jumped out at me. Mainly because the publisher had stopped the citation at verse 14 in the bulletin, although the Pastor got to fifteen like we all should.

    Luke 8:14 As for the seed that fell among the thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.  

   I am not producing mature fruit, and I am pretty mature, but always distracted. I have discipline, I weigh myself every morning, and as I walk back from the kitchen (where the scale is) I think of something else so by the time I am at the computer cave, I have not the last numbers of the weight, the first one hasn't gotten to one nor three so the two is solid in my mind.

  One return and two spaces later, I made my breakfast, said good bye to the wife off on her hiking, brought the sprinkler in from the hose, photographed the roses, eaten breakfast to the music of EDM, and am scheduling my dry fire position practice, listening to the morning news and preparation for going off to the YMCA, to return to mowing the lawn later and other distractions as needed.

  I have something to write up for Fred of the RWVA and my own thought processes. I have to mull over plans for July adventures, there are numerous really good things I should be doing, and I will as soon as these little distractions are back on the shelf out of sight and out of mind... but I could call Hal and ask when we are doing 'lunch'. If I only had a cellphone or such...

What is truth? what is true? How do I know?

  Questions, wonder, test and verify... I am not a child amazed by the family magician's parlor tricks, or was I educated to become accepting of the leader's message and his primary circles 'good' intentions. Does the larger community of men, mean that we don't have to try as hard to find our way, there will be a sale on GPS locators at Cabela's, and everyone knows that the satellites won't ever go down in our life time. Although, they really do go down, it just doesn't get reported and there are duplicates coming along, better ones.

  Questions asked by old men at the YMCA, about the military and the Military cable offerings, and I wonder just a bit if the cooking shows or Martha Stewart don't have the same problem? They tell us information, the things they are highlighting, using, the techniques and we the audience is supposed to believe in them. Smoke and mirrors, magic?

  If the dollar is so sound, how do those crisis points happen where the government must step in? And when they make the movie about it, the ten books about it, the talk shows and speaking circuits -- will we really know what happened to Enron? Why hasn't that happened to EXXON or BP?

   Okay, those are big things too far above our pay grade. So why if I had a good public education with lots to learn and full of stuff I use in my life, why can't the schools provide that now? Or is the truth that they do and can, but the lens on the culture is tiny and people want to make money from my fears (I have only grandchildren to be concerned over and they have real parents that will make them wonders - no matter the public schools).  There is that to consider, like Mike Rowe suggests, the push for college for everyone isn't working nor necessary, life long education is, and schools for crafts and other stuff will be of more benefit.

   Once, poetry and music were used to remember things, now you have a smartphone and are constantly in touch with plans and people -- or are you? The input from others might only be a software program on a machine, or banks and banks of machines, telling you how much you are really loved... what is true, how do you find the truth, or is the constant noise too much.

There are more errors and bad stuff on my new system than ever...

  No, it isn't broken, just troubled and restless and doesn't love me. Kind of like the government.

   It is Father's Day month and I thought while looking for pictures of my father that it is really about family. One of the best things I have ever been is a father - with all my imperfections and stupid and general flaws in behavior - I am a father and that works for me. Since it was one of the big ones on my list of things I wanted to be that makes me successful.

  But for me, just to sire a child wasn't enough, there had to be a marriage and a family, cause I was part of one growing up, and I like some traditions. If there is a common link between my father, me and my son - we marry well and we marry great women from a very different culture, it does make for interesting times.

Commom folk, the little people, the meek and those a peace with... your world...

 I turned into my regular fat old man on the way to the YMCA this morning, after a wonderful solid night's rest in my own bed. Kind of a splash of cold water - after being one of the center of attention this weekend at an Appleseed.

  You see, there at the Appleseed, I am an expert, I have shot Rifleman, I tell the real History of April 19th, 1775,  and I am respectful but demanding in the shooter's learning the rifle safety and marksmanship - just to 4 Minutes of Angle.  That can almost swell my head to larger than any hat size. I make new friends, marksmen, and patriots (actually only show them there is more out there than they were paying attention to) and for those brief two days I have become almost as important as Captain Parker that fateful day. Do a good job and I feel like a hero.

  Today, I have to reorganize my home life, pack the Appleseed stuff away, iron the Rifleman 5.11 shirts and work trousers by Dickies. Sharpen my halberd, which I did demonstrated during Sunday lunch as I added to the shooters' knowledge of yesteryear. Never did get the musket out to shoot, since it was really hot.

  I am happy to be special for the Appleseed for those common people that come to the shoot, to learn, to improve and to maybe join the call to Liberty. They aren't special, except that they come to get better. As I watch some television reporter/commentator that knows not the NRA, the Federal gun laws nor has ever tried to buy a firearm at a gun show--- telling the watching world what she knows about all of that (just displaying common leftist ignorance and rumors - and I thought she was smarter than that - but she sounded just like my brother).

   The British regulars didn't think much of the common rabble, mob, rebels and such, their officers had even a lower opinion... and both were wrong. Doesn't it seem funny that as soon as Liberty is achieved, the larger organization begins to whittle away at it or enclose the people in enough 'protections' for their own good that one might find more freedom inside a prison, where there isn't anything left that they can take from you?

Divisions, all good Generals want lots of divisions...

  My reading of Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fisher, brought a lot of information and thoughts to my mind. About how important leadership is in time of troubles, steady, calm and courageous leadership. And of course some more Continental Soldiers that would stick around and soldier properly.

  One new piece of information was reading how General Washington bemoaned the backcountrymen that didn't know a thing about rifles. I think he was probably correct, how many times have I met shooters with the most excellent equipment; rifles, sighting systems and slings, ammunition, and they barely qualify because they aren't shooting well, they think the shot done when they jerk the trigger...

   And one would have to just look at the evidence that trained Continental Soldiers that fought about the same as the Redcoated Regulars had a lot to do with General Washington's final successes.  He just couldn't get them to replace the fallen, sick and wounded, or just tired fast enough to build more divisions. When he got down off his high horse, and sat and discussed operations with his staff and generals of his divisions, he started accepting some reality after crossing the Delaware after the retreat across New Jersey. He was going to go to war and win with what was available, he would work harder to get more divisions, lengthen the enlistments, and train the Continental units better in the best European traditions, but he had missions for the backwoods boys under Morgan, and the militias could work with his Continental Divisions just don't expect too many miracles from them, they weren't Saints and calling them Hosts was a real stretch. Some seemed more a social club, the richer Associators actually bought their horses, horse pistols, sabers and carbines and then even some light cannon.  They would assist General Washington by crossing the Delaware when he called it off for weather, and alerting the Hessians that militia were troublesome before the General would get it right and cross to make his famous attack.  But they weren't the only militia crossing the Delaware and assisting the General or just making life miserable for the Hessians and the other scattered British troops trying to forage and winter down in New Jersey.

   Fascinating reading, will have to get back to it when my print copy shows up with better map views than my kindle give me.  But the author calls attention to the fact that Tidewater Noble as George Washington was, with his type of society and polish, thrown in with the rabble and riftraff of a rebel people becoming a flexible and even more polished in his leadership skills and his definite handling of his subordinate leaders - often sent far from headquarters to perform impossible missions.  He aided them with what he could, encouraged them, but kept his eye on the prize.
  
   He could only defeat the British Empire and gain independence by, keeping an army in the field, not getting captured, nor defeated into surrender. And once in awhile he had to win, which often meant fooling the enemy, doing things unexpected and allowing your subordinates enough rope to make a victory possible. The whole battle for Princeton is great to read about, not that I would have liked to be one of the many soldiers marching that night and running into the enemy on the road, surprise!

   If the mililtia hadn't existed it would have had to been invented, General Washington needed local forces and friends to make up for missing maps, to provide early warning and information on roaming British units, to cut off some of the Regulars' rations (they never had time to put in crops).  A lot of supply ships would fall to privateers, which made those goods available for the Continentals. Those little independent minded but all for the cause of Liberty, militia units and leaders would be evidence that the Crown would not rest well in the thirteen colonies, soon to be thought of as states.

   To my mind, even gentleman George Washington, could have learned how to herd cats with enough time. Read about his lack of love of Congress and you will see it.

Nothing ever happened to me... not like it was told from Hollywood...

   I could show you a picture of me, in my normal pose in Vietnam 1970-71, and I don't look like Martin Sheen going after COL Kurtz, nor like Forrest Gump, it just wasn't me in those movies I should have tried harder. It isn't like media isn't telling a truth, are they not? Everyone knows that all the US Troops were draftees (I wasn't) and stoned (when did that happen?) or hooking up with hookers (???). I wrote a lot of letters (free mail), read a lot of books, and lost weight eating everything I wanted. It was hot, cold, wet, sweat, and bugs abounded. Not quite like it was presented on the screen. I did see some Miss America contestants, and didn't know how to talk to a lady nor what to say. Real non-resident alien life forms - the lovely young ladies and the over-armed officer protection team (???).  I wrote lots of silly words that I don't re-read ever, so something was going through my mind, but for sure nothing important, news worthy, nor recorded for posterity ever happened to me, thank the LORD.

  I was thinking as I watched White House Down yesterday, that Hollywood knows nothing about weapons and shooting skills either. The Delta Force team took forever to get off the helicopter on quick rope, the three fast moving bombers moved so slowly they could see a girl waving a banner on the WH lawn, and by my projection the time to drop their load was way earlier... do you think Lucas got that Death Star bomb drop right in the film as it would have worked in real physical space?  Yeah, I know that was Luke Skywalker and the FORCE I was questioning...

  So since I am a terrible threat to everyone, being a Life Member of the infamous NRA, I decided to take a poll and see where my audience wanted my efforts.  Shooting or visiting the YMCA?  I did both, ripping off about eighty rounds, not killing, wounding nor upsetting anyone. Okay, the man beside me moved his target before I put mine up, but he wasn't upset. So I would have to guess those governors, mayors and all those people against my right to keep and bear arms - just didn't count in my life today. And they didn't get the message to be on the look out for me, either.  Now, I sure didn't make a smiley face like Mel Gibson, nor do one of those pull down and stare down for one killing bullet like his partner did. Just can't get up to that Hollywood level of expertise. By my count, all the firearms deaths of the Old West haven't even caught up to the Hollywood productions, and some of those Indians and bad men were killed over and over -- they did some splicing of old war party attacks on John Ford's movies, and J. Wayne had gotten older in just two years about thirty... can't measure up to the truth of a great movie. I am such a lesser mortal.

  Now I was happy enough with my shooting, since it wasn't perfect but good enough for all I would ever need it. The reason to have a pistol is to have a weapon to get you to a rifle, according to someone that should have told the movies about fantasy. But they are fantasy aren't they? Just fly away and pretend you are there...

   I figured out when I was very young that my mother and father weren't the same as those on television nor the movies. My sisters and brother weren't like the ones I saw, what we did wasn't the same (imagine hours of movies about people reading books, playing card or board games or chores!) The churches in the movies were brighter, the people purer and the music just so much better.

   The romances are better in Hollywood, too. Although the number of divorces in the stars lives is way up beyond my parents'. But the stars really do know how to portray real love and romance and we should all model ourselves after their true portrayals... yeah, like I am going to shoot like Jimmy Stewart in Winchester 73, I don't think so. Yeah, I have to like not living nor acting like Hollywood, one reason I don't fear much is that I am not being overly influenced by flights of fantasy making millions from fools like I could have been once upon a time.




  

History is written by the winners, or Hollywood screen writers and sometimes Historians...

    David Hackett Fisher writes books about History, and the RWVA uses Paul Revere's Ride as the base for the Three Strikes of the Match and the Dangerous Old Men stories that are shared on the two days of Appleseed marksmanship training and in Libertyseed events at schools and organizations without firearms. So when I found he had written a book: Washington's Crossing (Pivotal Moments in History) I had to get my kindle version because I had the DVD, The Crossing, starring Jeff Daniels , which I had watched and watched many times.

   
   Imagine how much I could learn from the book - since I had the Hollywood writer's version... little did I know how much was untrue and untold by the DVD.  Of course I knew there was much more in the printed word, and my mind is much better than my vision for expansion into depths uncharted by machines or the minds of lesser men.  Okay, I do know that you only have a little time to get the message about the event on the screen and into the minds of the audience, and Shakespeare for all his glory, didn't really have all his plays exactly as History would tell them - so I will expect the medium to incite a little curiosity and then the searchers to go out and find the truth they need in other evidence and reporting.

   If I were to read all the tales about the attack at Trenton, there would be a core of citations that would lead me to my opinion (I wasn't really there, except in spirit). It is a good day, will visit the YMCA, to sit around and talk, no sweating today, and then I will see a movie Ex Machina, one cannot live by old wars alone.

What do you think they have to talk about? Nothing interesting they are too old...

  By dividing our lives by peer groups, education levels, genders, professions and so many other categories we miss a lot of truths.  Two young hip people talking about the latest fun, fad or foolishness may glance at two elder folks and in a break in their busy texting and conversations, make that remark - what do they have to talk about - and a response - nothing interesting, they are too old...

  The younger folks have missed the truth, they aren't looking at two old folks, kindly thought of as Seniors in modern America, and as 'grand folks, fathers and mothers' in other cultures.  They don't understand they are looking at surviving veteran Time Travelers.  Yes, you think you know what Woodstock was about, but some of them were there, and they could tell you what it was really like. Or when one of your friends does something really stupid and dies for no good reason, they can likely tell you what it was like when that happened to them, but I don't think they will. I think they have a mission not just to travel into our future until it is time for them to report, but not expose the youngsters to the most terrible things that men will do to men when they go really wrong.

   We are all time travelers, marching ever onward towards the end of the journey. As we stop playing with toys and tots and grow into adults why we do things, what might be better, what didn't work in the past and no reason to think it will work now -- all those questions and challenges may have answers found in those elder time travelers, ask them before they slip into memories and silence.

   It is the day to remember the dead, one whole day a year to remember people that gave up time travel for a duty to protect their loved ones, the future, an idea long repressed, or just lost it trying to make a difference and bring peace. You would have to ask the other surviving time travelers about it, the ones that didn't keep traveling on, they are reporting to the higher authority.

   Here on Earth, in the United States of America, here you could walk the gardens of stones, listen to politicians or catch the remaining family talking about the person named on the Memorial or written upon the marker. I hope it brings them a little peace, an important part of the Time Traveler is to reflect and remember the fallen, the departed, the ones that gave purpose and texture to our lives in love, and laughter. We wished for them to linger longer - but the pace is constant and it doesn't make long stops anywhere except in the mind of the Time Traveler, until they wake up to find it has all changed while they slept. Ah, Time Traveler, make sure that recliner and other serious distractions DO NOT get in the way of your participation, you are on a mission - to observe and report, to adjust and overcome, and to constantly enrich the journey before you, too, drop out to report.

Things that make you think no one really knows enough...

  Well, it is Memorial Day weekend, and the holiday spirit is good. At my church someone had put together a video tribute for fallen of America's wars, monuments and pictures with the total number of war dead for each. Although I saw it twice I didn't catch the war dead for the American Civil War, the War Between the States, but the video had started with the proudly rippling in the wind Stars and Bars, the first National Flag of the Confederacy: http://www.usflag.org/confederate.stars.and.bars.html.

    Then cut to a picture of a Civil War battle field, maybe the numbers were in the clouds and I didn't see them clearly. What struck me, since I recognized the flag immediately was that as talented as the video editor was in putting it together he didn't know he was rippling the harmony of those that might think the Confederacy was an enemy instead of a wayward brother.  I will of course forget to see if I can help the editor in the future.

   I did great things yesterday, got my demonstration rifle with a mounted green laser prepared for the next Appleseed and my own dry fire here in the home. I am so far behind in my reading and writing, I may never catch up, so the procrastination pile increases and awaits my attention. Be good.

Raised my ire, it did, just raised it right on up...

   I do hope I am not bothering anyone anywhere. Just wish y'all the best possible in your life and loves.

   I have been very happy as a member of the Revolutionary War Veterans Association, I first joined in 2005, but then after getting targets, lots of reading from Fred, and a t-shirt which I still have, there wasn't an Appleseed shoot anywhere near where I was nor likely to be any time soon. So, after a year, my interest in an organization that sounded good, would be fun to work with and learn how to shoot better and maybe get an M1 Garand one day, well, my investment hadn't paid off, and my membership and interest waned and withered and died.

   Until sometime in 2008, I bought an M1 Garand and a bunch of 30-06 in clips and in boxes, and there was now an Appleseed in Yakima, Washington in October, so I signed up again and paid five year membership (because I could save twenty dollars). That started my Appleseed Trail - all linked on the left side of this blog. In 2011 and 2012 I was medically absent more than present, but there were special people to come back and help and celebrate their moving up in the organization, and gosh, just have a great time remembering, Bickleton, WA April 21-22, 2012, those were the wonder years of a great time.

  Anyway, the health improved and I started back on the trail, and working on Appleseeds. Times were a little tougher, ammunition wasn't always available and sometimes the shoots weren't as well attended as we liked. But still there isn't much better than two days of rifle marksmanship and heritage and history of April 19th, 1775.

   For some strange reason people that love Liberty don't like to be organized, homogenized and pasteurized. And some folks just want to be in charge... every organization will have them, find them and work with or under them... which could be a problem, like herding cats, it just doesn't always work smoothly. So, volunteers depart in singles or droves depending on how much noise they made and how off the permitted track they went. 

   What seems to be worse, is that the leadership (those that think they are in charge and want our attention) will run around talking about disloyalty, and shame, and sending volunteers into the corner or off the forum for a 'time out'.  Maybe King George the Third should have sent the rebellious colonists into the other world, without recourse except to stand on their own two feet. It sure would have been less costly in the long run, in blood and treasure. 

    To make sure those of us still volunteering and working know all the bad stuff about the departed members and why we shouldn't have any truck with them ever again - they send out letters, one of which I received today, and it just raised my ire. and I wondered again how people get so rude, uncaring and merciless. Doesn't really matter, I am only an old fat man back in the corner of the world and I wish all the parties all the best for all their best. No need for shunning or shouting or chastising.  We really all can get along in Liberty - but it is easier if one is nice and thoughtful and respectful of differences and others.

Define yourself, your life, your country and your choices...

  Maybe we don't do enough looking into our mirror, we don't want to see what we have become nor acknowledge that it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, because you aren't in the grand scheme of things, are you?

  Rifleslinger was looking at many things, measuring and analyzing and working on more better for the longest time. His admirers thought it was great he was doing it, and isn't that a nice way he did that.. or this.. how does he find the time? You do realize this is my story, my blog and I am telling it my way.  He was never wrong, but sometimes mistaken, but he could work it out and come back at it from a different angle.  A young man with energy and passion, why would he do otherwise?

  I am still trying to find the meaning of Liberty, honor, manliness, gentleman, meek, good, bad, and such. They (who think they must be obeyed and are correct) keep redefining what it means to be American, I think it is great to be an American, even in the broadest sense of the word (everyone in North and South America). My brother is ashamed of all that was done in the name of America - killing civilians, corporate cuddling, and tons of other bad stuff trumpeted by those of a different point of view.  I know that humans are sinners, do not accept blame for their sins, nor do I define my country, America, by the criminals selling drugs and shooting up rival biker gangs, or disobeying the strict gun control in Chicago along with other laws and killing their neighbors and innocents. I just thank God that I am not a fool of their disorder.  And I look for my own to fix, address and correct or make good enough, good being the easier than perfect to achieve consistently. But the truth that hurts the fools the most, America and Americans have done wonderful things for civilization, PEACE, prosperity, opportunity and the future -- so I am an American and proud to be one.

  A Facebook friend found no money in his bank account today, it had been cleaned out. That is bad, really bad, how can that happen? Did we make it too easy to move money electronically? around the world, across town? Is it an attack by ISIS or Russian Organized crime or just the neighborhood youth with too much time on the computer and he is only playing? I am hoping it all works out, as he mentioned he has no money for lunch now. Dillinger would have left him a few bucks, but then Dillinger was an honorable thief, or something like that.

1960 Fifty years of Marriage and their posterity, Will and Beulah Dungey

 

  Did you question getting out of bed this morning? There are many things to fear out there, and you could die from any of them at any time, the government is only really trying to take care of its own, which does seem to be the elected class and those connected to the same. But I am cynical, or should that be spelt 'SINinCal' (nope, that looks like a word for modern California). Well, time to go to the YMCA, otherwise it would be movies or FOXNews and death by degrees of reclineritis.

 

Another broken promise? nah, the Shoot Boss would honor it if reminded...

  Seems like a hundred miles down the road from Lone Pine Range I remembered promising targets to take home for practice before the Appleseed was over, but I had finished grading the fourth Appleseed Qualification target of the day and had shifted my natural point of aim to returning to my nest - HOME. On the way, after a hundred miles of travel to the East side of Washington State I had wondered if I had closed the garage door before I drove. Something to gnaw over in my mind... (I had!) Subtle messages of the time to come when I really will know knothing about anything. Yeah, I know how I spelled that MS makes squiggly red lines under my most creative efforts to move the language my way.

    There are thirty seven pictures in my camera and I will share a couple here. It was a five hour drive with re-fuel stop and the darkness helps it go quickly, but two AM is still early to start. I get to Lone Pine Range before the Shoot Boss is really stirring from his tent, the smart guy slept there last night and will wake up ready to go, almost. Getting his boots on after breakfast, imagine an Appleseed Shoot Boss that doesn't need coffee to start his engine.

   We get started with introduction to RWVA and the Appleseed mission, the crew, and roll right into the pre-history (before April 19, 1775) then safety then bring the rifles to the line. Safe the line, post first Redcoat and the day is well started. Lots of room for improvement.  Six shooters and two instructors, one of which must be a line boss, which leads us to dropping too many words, and confusing with more information than prepared to handle. We only teach four safety rules, six steps to making a rifle safe, six steps to making every shot, three things to do to find NPOA, how to time a Rifleman's Cadence (one shot every respiratory pause) and then the steady hold factors for three sitting, one kneeling, one standing and prone position, and three basic sling configurations. Every other word added on is just slowing the training and the building of mind and muscle memory, like sticking honey on everything you want to eat up - the calories go astronomical. Keep it simple, repeat the same words over and over, we are changing your biologic software.
  Now we do tell the History of April 19th, 1775 and Boston, Lexington and Concord. Just enough to make you want to know more, we hope. Establishing a connection between Liberty, marksmanship and firm resolve is important.
   Day one has presented all training, fired two Redcoat targets for group evaluation, and two scored Appleseed Qualification targets. One AQT was used for training. Handed out t-shirts, homework study packet and lots and lots and lots of advice for the next day.

   Second day, same old verse, a little bit louder and a little bit... so, review, refresh, and get to shooting better just because, we again have a full three man crew and change Line Boss and positions. Redcoat target to begin, sighting square target to adjust sights upon, Inches Minutes Clicks.

And two scored AQTs before lunch when we will hear the three dangerous Old Men stories. And the shoot boss brings out his Brown Bess for show and tell. No shooting it on this range but the bayonet means business.  I scored two more AQTs after ball and dummy and carding the sights drill and then I give out my card, and get one back from one shooter and I start the drive back home, thirty-six hours after I started this trip. In five and one half hours I will be home safe and sound. And so tired, that I barely download my camera for sharing photos.

  Had some great talks with Jack the range owner/manager, about being older more parts falling out of warranty and what is going on in his shooting world neck of the woods. He has always been a supporter of events, competitions and even dog trials. He and I thought about the big events that once were at this little range, and for some strange reason he has always worried that I wasn't sleeping comfortable, then we would exchange some military stories. Just lovely old men talking in the shade.

It just gets so much better on the road and the range...

  Got up early on Saturday morning, put the last rifle in the Caravan, hit the GPS with coffee and breakfast and drove off to meet the crew at Jefferson County Sportsmen Club in Port Townsend. The weather was perfect for scenic views of the Olympic Mountains as dawn broke, too often it is foggy or stormy. Kenjo has control this weekend, the Shoot Boss, nice green hat. Nineteen shooters signed up, and a whole crew, look there is CubFlyr (Al) with a young man named Jack.  It was good to see Al, and young Jack was impressive.  A lot of repeat Appleseeders, good to see them coming back for a bit more polish. Fixer would earn his Red Hat this weekend, Yankee Terrier would be instructing a lot for progress checks. TioNico would be instructing as a red hat, so six instructors for the shooters to ask and get answers from.
  The day rolled right along, two sighter squares after the Redcoat in the morning, lots of instruction and a few equipment adjustments but time was good, I got to be the Line Boss before lunch, lunch time was historic background, First and Second Strikes of the Match. The first afternoon continued instruction, positions, shooting on an AQT for the different adjustments, getting groups smaller, six steps for making the shot, NPOA, timing of the shoot with the cycle of the pause in breathing. Had enough time for full scored AQTs and the Third Strike of the Match, and re-shoot the Redcoat (improvement!!!!) and more.  T-shirts and homework handed out after the Shoot Boss motivates the shooters to prepare for another fine day of shooting Sunday. Several repeat riflemen are honored and some new riflemen made - loud Huzzahs ring out for each. We clean up after casing up the rifles and putting them in the vehicles. Short meeting with the Shoot Boss about the day and the assignments for tomorrow. He is good about making sure we all get an opportunity to do some of everything.
  Most of the crew will camp out on the range, they have cold running water and toilet facilities, two campers have cooking ability (a microwave?) amazing, I gobble down too many of the Hershey Nuggets set in front of me, I will be fat forever and it wasn't Al's stew that Jack, Al and I chowed down on. The stars shine, the coyotes howl and the night goes too quickly, but solid sleep for all. We get up, shaved and changed and fed again. Yankee Terrier will be bringing doughnuts and Danish more coffee and TioNico will press out some of the best. Totally spoiled but then we are prepared to properly greet the returning shooters, I have the parking lot duty.
   Everyone, except two, return, and we review safety, and then bring the rifles to the line and start with a redcoat target and then sighter square to check sight adjustment and grouping. We will do AQTs, review all positions, all of yesterday's instructions, and work to bring better effect on targets. There are the ball and dummy drills and the carding of the sights for NPOA trust building. More AQTs before and after lunch, shooting the peppermint, exploding targets are a hoot! More Riflemen are made patches awarded and honors shouted out, the instructors rotate through getting some trigger time, I do find that my Liberty Training Rifle is not on perfectly, but just making sure I have and trust my NPOA and focus on the front sight, I score enough to know once I practice and sight in the rifle, I will be making it. All rounds out in time for each stage and my last three rounds on the fourth stage could be covered with a quarter. I am a happy fellow.
   I go get dressed for show and tell, flintlock, hunting shirt, hat, powder horn and possibles. Demonstrate the trade flintlock that PaulW left in my care. Al comes up to hold all the stuff, I load, step by step, aim and fire at a target, and hit! Yeah, so cool. So I ask and get a volunteer to come up and do the same thing, Heather steps up and measures a charge, charges the flintlock, primes the pan, aims on the same target and shoots it - better hit than mine, still makes us all happy. So I sign and give her the target with the wrong date on it (I took my watch off to be closer to Historic period dress).
   Oh, well, the three Dangerous Old Men stories are related, the Shoot Boss will get some more awards like Jack's Junior Patriot, for being a great young shooter. And one last Redcoat target and the shooting has really been improving all weekend. Everyone is tired, putting the rifles away, then doing a great job of cleaning up.  Saying that good-bye to people you have just become friends with and hope to see again, to the crew which you really hope to work with again, back to the vehicle and the drive home, the toll bridge and waiting wife (who didn't sleep at all Saturday night). Next time she comes with me, or I drive home daily.

North Carolina Park Service Notes follow...
 Equipment of the Continental Army Soldier
During the war, Continental soldiers were the core of the American Revolutionary war effort. These were the men that General Washington and Congress depended most upon. Congress raised the Continental army by calling on the individual states to organize regiments of soldiers. North Carolina was asked to raise two regiments of five hundred men each. Eventually it sent ten regiments of infantry to the Continental Line. These regiments were formed into a single brigade called the North Carolina Brigade. This brigade joined Washington's army in 1777.
The Continental infantryman had equipment that was like that of the British soldier. In addition to a musket, he carried on his right side a leather or tin cartridge box that held twenty to thirty rounds of ammunition, a musket tool, and a supply of flints. On his left side he carried his bayonet in a leather scabbard attached to a linen or leather shoulder strap. Each soldier had a haversack, usually made of linen, to carry his food rations and eating utensils. The utensils usually included a fork made of wrought iron, a pewter or horn spoon, a knife, a plate, and a cup. He also had a canteen of wood, tin, or glass to carry water. A knapsack held extra clothing and other personal items such as a razor for shaving, a tinderbox with flint and steel for starting a fire, candle holders, a comb, and a mirror. Soldiers also often carried a fishhook and some twine so that they could catch some fish when they were near a lake, creek, or river.

 Equipment of a Militiaman

The Continental army often used the local militia to help out. The militia, made up of male citizens over sixteen years of age, was the defense force of each state. Regiments of militia were called up for service by the governor or the commanding general to serve for a campaign or for a period of time as needed. These soldiers were told what equipment they had to bring with them.
The militia soldier carried equipment that looked different from that of the Continental soldier but that usually performed the same or similar function. His knapsack was generally made from linen or canvas and sometimes painted. His haversack and canteen were usually similar to those used by the Continentals. He also had an ax and a blanket.
A militia rifleman carried his rifle, knife, tomahawk—a light ax, water bottle, a powderhorn for his black powder, and a hunting pouch that held other shooting supplies. Sometimes a patch knife, used to cut a patch of cloth, and a loading block, which held patched bullets enabling the rifleman to load quicker, were attached to the strap of the hunting pouch. In addition, a charger measured the amount of powder to put into the rifle when loading.

Uniforms

Uniforms were a vital consideration to the armies. During this period, battles fought with black-powder weapons would produce enough smoke to make it difficult to see more than a few yards. Clouds of thick smoke would form over the battlefield. It was important to distinguish between friend and foe. Because the smoke was white, bright colors were used for uniforms. The British wore, for the most part, red and scarlet uniforms; the French, uniforms of white and differing shades of blue; and the Americans, dark blues and browns.
Congress did not adopt a Continental uniform until 1779. However, soldiers attempted to have clothing similar to the others in the company or regiment. Many volunteer companies entered the war in uniforms purchased by themselves or their commanders.
The uniform of the American soldier was made up of:

• a hat, usually turned up on one or three sides,
• a shirt made of linen or cotton,
• a black leather stock, worn around the neck,
• a wool coat, usually with collar, cuffs, and lapels that were a different color
• a waistcoat or vest, usually made of linen or wool,
• a pair of wool, linen, or cotton trousers, either breeches that were gathered just below the knee, or overalls,
• stockings, and
• leather shoes.

Congress adopted brown as the official color for uniforms in 1775. But there was a shortage of brown cloth, so some regiments dressed in blue and gray. In September 1778 Congress received a large shipment of uniforms from France. The North Carolina Continental Line regiments received blue coats faced with red collars, cuffs, and lapels. In October 1779 Congress adopted regulations requiring North Carolina troops to wear a uniform made of a blue coat with blue facing and laced with white around the buttonholes.

Wow! Friday, and I WIN!

  Visited the doctor, scheduled maintenance check, passed. Went to the YMCA to sweat a little, did same, showered and changed and met cousin and wife at steak house and spent three and a half hours talking, went home to see if the Factor was worthy, but I fell asleep so maybe I wasn't. Then my wife returned with a bunch of clams and oysters and I got up and maintained the yard, mowing everything green and above best. Then I actually loaded the Caravan out except for one rifle, everything else is on board, doors locked and I only need to put clothes on and on. Ready or not, Appleseed and Port Townsend are about to meet again.

Falling up the stairs, Gravity rules!

  Arriving with a bang at the YMCA yesterday, I tripped and fell up the stairs loudly, catching myself just before face plant. The backpack was annoying in its inability to compensate as fast as my body for the departure from vertical. Still, I now had everyone's attention and gasps of concern for the fat old man struggling to look cool getting back up and on to work out. I did say I was fine, just clumbsy. Yes, I am leaving it that spelling, kind of alluding to the climb... not performed to perfection.

   On I went to row to the MixxFit class below, they have to have the best core work out, and the music is constant for the whole hour. Rowed twice for eleven thousand meters total. Did two bicycle runs for about fifteen plus miles, with about four hundred and eighty more miles pedaled I will be over five thousand recorded miles upon the expresso.com machines. I have miles that I worked out that weren't recorded, things happen. On my second time rowing I was watching two different college age women run laps, they were beautiful, full stride, soft foot placement and seemingly smooth and tireless. A real joy to watch, then one looked over her left shoulder and her right foot got in the way of her left lift and she went down as fast and harder than I had on the steps, she kind of caught herself, but made sure everyone knew she was okay, and then walked on to where she sat and stretched out with the other runner. Gravity rules.
 
  Finished the day celebrating my wife's birthday, at home and dining out. The call from our son to wish his mother a happy birthday, always will be the highlight of our life. Take care out there, gravity rules and we do so much better erect and balanced on our feet than horizontal on our face.

I drink alone...

  Title or theme of a country song, wasn't it? Anyway, I have again decided that I don't drink well, much better than I did in my youngster days but still not professional grade in anyway. So I will make an effort not to drink alone. Survived last night entirely without any demon rum or its brothers, although I had just purchased three bottles of booze with my lottery tickets - giving the government tax monies on two different sin tax levies. Not even tempted by the marigeejauana marketing, and I am positive legalizing prostitution won't get my money either. I do love being so boring.

  Wrote the checks I could have done yesterday, in the mailbox now, have to get one address and send "And the Good News IS..." on for my son to read while he is under way, sounds like the only thing my son has ever written to me in Naval terminology. How cool is that for a sailor approaching his twenty year mark? Watched 'Imitation Game' understood the whole thing, cheered the victory. Watched 'Black Swan' and understood nothing but was very sad, which I began to believe was the point. I have been watching many other movies, but nothing to comment upon.

  Time for shooting this weekend, need to check out two rifles for sighting tomorrow maybe. The neighbor has almost finished his fence repair, so strong now. Staining only remains. My wife is again concerned that Home Depot and the subcontractor aren't concerned enough about her problem so will be beating them up again. And I have put down beauty bark where I have been promising myself I would for the last fifteen years. Gosh, it is almost ten and I am not on my way to the YMCA yet, sigh, move faster, work harder, die younger... so much to do, so much time to get it all in and I am scrolling on facebook, but isn't the art provided making a comment on content?

Go to the range and get pictures...

   ANZAC Day isn't it? I have the DVD Gallipoli ( Mel Gibson and Mark Lee) to watch and end the day. So I should go and shoot the musket and find out if I can safely load and fire it. Must wear a red RWVA cap for luck.

   So I load out and go to the range, and take two shots, one at twenty-five yards, and one at fifty yards. When I get more powder, I will load buck and ball, and get data for twenty-five, fifty and one hundred yards. It was fun, and I got someone to take pictures so I am happy.      I share:





 the hole at four-thirty near the black was twenty-five yards greased patch ball, 75g of FFg powder.

  moving the target back twenty-five more to fifty yards, the hole at the 6:30 point with large drop for many unknown reasons, no sights want to cobble something together. Same greased patch ball and powder charge.

  You do understand this is all about me and how wonderful my day has been, another tool for the Appleseed instructor shoot boss and box.

Life as rated ...

  I have been watching too many movies, and always love that there really aren't any ratings for movies I have long loved and have seen many times before.

  But then I grew up in a G rated era, oh the language would slide into PG-13 when the ten year olds were still figuring out how to cuss up a bit. But in public if you didn't want to thought mentally challenged you just didn't use vulgar, profane or obscene as communication nor for filling voids in your thoughts.

  Romance was more G rated than R, the idea there was an X out there to cross was not to be on the list to ponder. If it was a brief discussion of how many of the graduating Senior girls were still virgin, the thing I was amazed about was that anyone really knew - I had no interest in asking for the truth, I was content that all women were to be treated as ladies, even if they were never going to raise themselves to that level. And as I matured and the culture diseased and rotted, my definition of lady matured with my appreciation of true feminine virtues - I was living in a heavily male environment, just a voice on the radio became sensuous and to die for.

  Before becoming a professional state sponsored killer all my fighting was G rated. Even carrying and studying how to use a knife never made me use one in a fight, it just was on that list of don't kick the man when he is down rules of conduct. All life and limb combatives are at least R, and mass destruction is always X, and being olde means I don't have to go there anymore, everything I could do will come as a complete surprise - to me as well as those engaged and observing.

  Some will argue that X rated lives matter, but I am actually sure that there are more G rated people's lives than there are X, but they don't seem to make profitable story lines for media promotion. I took my wife and we watched Woman in Gold, the movie theater was fuller than most of the movies I normally attend, hmm and most of the audience were old folks like us, and the movie did mention the terrible things the governments did under the NAZIs and since. But then you knew that governments can't be rated X, since they have no soul and believe in only their own divinity.

   Humans are only one type of primate, the more hairless variety, with some humans being a lot less hairy than others. The best type of humans are humble and humane and far above the common animal everyone is - living in G rated with ones eyes open to improving that might be a great thing.

The Patriot Day's Appleseed Shoot Boss Report

  Get up early Saturday morning, packing the Caravan for the Appleseed while brewing coffee. How much coffee does a Shoot Boss need to get over the 'what ifs'? Have everything including the prepared t-shirt box with stuff for handing out. Really I do have to fix the demonstration rifle's front sight and the holding of the green laser for NPOA, although when I demonstrated the effect of adjusting the relaxed body on each of the corner squares of the sighting squares I do thing they got it. Eat my breakfast on the move up the highways to the ferry boat, pull in just a bit early, pay my round trip and wait to load at six.

   The weather is beautiful this weekend, and I will stay in wonder of it all weekend, just perfect.  I get to the range, pull over and start adjusting things in the van, soon Tracey pulls up with the trailer and she opens the gate and we get started setting up.

   Nikki is back from college for the weekend with a friend willing to shoot, and Nikki will do all the demonstrations and coach her friend... since she wasn't signed up it was another indication of favor upon the event. We can only be so lucky. No strange twists in my COI, but as I was explaining to the crew, no one even knew the ferry would run, the Shoot Boss would show and how would they have done without me? The other Red Hat (full instructor) Nick would get a shoot box of material in clear containers to carry around just in case from a retiring instructor paulw.  Paul gave me his battle road maps and old Appleseed banner, and a flintlock musket with all the stuff (yes, even the powder horn, possibles bag, and powder and ball and flints and patches and tons of graciousness).  It was really good to see him again, many great shoots we had done together, will be praying for his continued success in his retired life.

   By keeping the instruction simple and less wordy, we got the second sighting square done in the morning and posted the Appleseed qualification target (AQT) for training on after lunch.  I gave a brief pre-April 49, 1775 history, Nick gave the First Strike of the Match, and Fixer the Second Strike.
Ball and dummy drill, then continued working on shooting positions, NPOA, six steps in making the shot. Good demonstration of transition commands and getting down into the prone position for the third stage of the AQT, with magazine change and four NPOA verifications and shooting in rifleman's cadence to make the time limit.  Then sitting position, and having the shooters do the sitting positions without being slung up with rifles worked pretty well. Fewer distractions. We would get our first Riflemen of the day with the two AQTs that followed all the training which would seem like the program is marvelous, but Andy and Alfie were shooters before they came to Appleseed, and Andy had done some serious rifle competitions in Enfield Competitions, and loves to shoot. We had two repeat Riflemen, Kevin is always looking for that two fifty score, and he really wanted to do it on a Red AQT, which we had this weekend.  Matt was still on, just not on every stage every AQT. Happens to the best of us.

   Final Redcoat target was much improved over the morning one, passed out the Homework packet of knowledge, the t-shirt bundles (three styles - change is). Told everyone to prepare for Sunday shooting, and the Memorial Volley. Range cleaned up quickly, many hands make work light and fast.

   Off to Bob and Tracey's place for cookout and bonfire! and sleep the wear away. Waking to coffee hot shower and breakfast, duck eggs! Bob and Tracey seem to do life really well and are so sharing I am always happy there. How do I get two great weekends in a row? 

    Back to set up, prepare and greet the shooters, second day, quick refresher training on everything, as bit too quick, but we back up and cover what was sped over, and the first Redcoat target goes pretty well, now we work on making the shots the same, repeatable. The groups should look very similar in each target engagement, the distance isn't changing, no wind.  Young Gabe gets some help adjusting into a loop sling, he has conquered the shot upon respiratory pause, now he needs the trigger control. Many of the shooters need working on the trigger control. I think the idea of the rifleman's cadence is sinking in, as more and more shooters are getting all their rounds shot on the transition phases. But they need to trust their NPOA more and not squeeze the trigger until at rest, all the bullet hole between targets are only zero point shots. 

   After lunch time Dangerous Old Men stories we prepare to fire the Memorial Volley fourteen rounds for fourteen names from that day two hundred and forty years ago. Not military precision but very good for a people in Liberty the volley roars as the names are read. Ralph had brought center fire rifles for the crew to fire, the only one not shooting was the Shoot Boss, Line Boss (me!). Imagine that was happening at the same minute in time zones across the country. That is cool.  I would cover the Known Distance training since Alfie had set up demonstration targets.  We shot peppermint, we had team shooting, 

   Bill gets a 210 a repeat rifleman, and a ceremonial wetting down with the Charles River water...
and we had Red AQTs to shoot before it was time to allow the shooters and their rifles one last time on the final Red Coat target of the day. We hadn't lost any shooters through the day, most of the instructors had an opportunity to shoot.

   Clean up, hand out of targets, business card and material to encourage future attendance at Appleseeds.  Hoping everyone would have a safe trip home and that they would tell everyone what a fun time they had.

Great weekend, wasn't it?

  Friday, about nine in the morning I started driving across Washington towards Troy, Idaho. I didn't have the correct address for the GPS, but if I could get to Troy I would remember the remainder of the way to the Redneck Manor. Stopped for an hour's nap then continued in to Idaho and the Redneck Manor, where I was warmly greeted by friends.

  Nice dinner and lots and lots of catchup talking it has only been since the last time I had motorcycled through, the wedding in Moscow, so there was much. And life goes on, everyone had an early call in the morning and we went to sleep, until coffee time.

  Breakfast and carpool to the range, which meant I didn't bring all my stuff. Only the t-shirts would be missed. Six shooters to teach, four instructors and away we went. Official report is to the left, one Korean War veteran, a Marine, who would decide he can't do it the way he once did and will be selling his firearms. He had some beauties and for a man that thinks he can't do it any longer, he was hitting targets fine, just getting up and down was a challenge. We did get two scored AQTs in on the first day, and Ben made 210 points exactly and was awarded his Rifleman patch.  Bob, the host range member working the grill and the chili pot, made us a fine lunch, much appreciated. The glass on his grill shattered when cold water hit it from the roof, he would replace it the next day, a man has to have the proper tools.

  Back to the Redneck Manor for food and sleep and more talking. Saw something new to me, cup cakes ready to take somewhere, with what looked like an apple in the middle - and I couldn't figure that out. Why? Until I stood beside and above them, and noted the ceramic applelooking thing was holding the plastic wrap above and away from the icing on the cupcakes, perfectly. Always learning.  More conversation, the baby refused to miss anything and hadn't slept all day nor into the evening.


   Up the next morning to do the miles to the range and set up, taking all vehicles because we wouldn't be coming back, we would go straight home. As much as I don't think much about the smarter super deluxe phones, they sure do catch some great pictures while no one is minding. Thank you very much, Ed, that is the happiest I have been caught in awhile.

  Short one shooter in Ethan, our eight and a half year old shooter from yesterday but the remainder were on and attempting to put it all together, the most difficult thing to do is to build a repeatable pattern in your target engagement. They were all better shots on the second day, but no more Rifleman scores, although the Redcoats proved improvement. Another hamburger and chili and we were cleaning up and closing up. I left at about three, knowing six hours on the road was ahead of me, I had had a wonderful weekend just full of good people and good shooting and great stories about Liberty.

Meetings of minds...

  So day two of YMCA in April, and still doing light workouts, between exercises I say hello to one of the regulars and another man spots my Rifleman t-shirt from Fred's M1A Stocks, and he asks if I like shooting. Which gets me to expounding on how wonderful I am and the RWVA and Appleseed and the next two weekends traveling to clinics in Idaho and up in Coupeville. I even take him to my locker and give him my business card and a trifold.

  Then I go to the bicycle machine to do 13.5 miles, while there another rider says hello and some stuff about exercise, he talks to a girl and an older man and the second is a long conversation and he isn't pedaling by this time I have knocked out 15 minutes of my ride.  When he does get started he gets a three point something trip and away. So then we talk, about exercise and talking and spirit and doing good. I think he is practicing his preaching, since I am the third in a line of conversations and there is a thread there he is sharing. Nice way to spend the forever on the bicycle, even if it is my favorite trail.

   By evening I am testing computers and Skype.com so I call a cousin in New Zealand, it is about tea time. She gets off her device and we chat a bit, and sure enough in comes the tea for tea time. And that was a cool thing, and I got to meet some one that almost knows something about me, since she had been reading some of those weekly letters I had thrown out in email chains to keep my mother connected. Those did seem like the good old days.

  So I close down a bit, and start watching the Lego Movie, but missed a large chuck of it due to falling eyelids.