I departed Hate book, but seem addicted....

  I do seem to want to be about communicating with the good folks out there, many I know and like hearing from.  But Face book decided that I am evil and wants to ban me, or so it seems. They don't want to just provide a platform, they won't toss everyone that uses vulgar words, depending on numbers of youngsters with potty mouths, but we all seem to add to the noise and confusion. Confusion because so many things accepted by modern society aren't good for the people. Prime example is abortion, it is immoral just as slavery was. 

   I get a haircut today, my wife has become insistent, she cuts it to her satisfaction and what ever it is - is perfect. Some will always grow back, and I no longer need to impress other people - I am not selling anything. She lapses into Korean when ever she is unsatisfied, that is perfect since I don't want to know how terrible I am, I would especially hate to hear vulgar language and an upset woman in any language. My mother and grandmothers never used it, never heard it from my aunts. but they grew up in a kinder more respectful era. Time passes on an everyone has permission to be offensive, cruel and stupid - putting down to make one self great, cool, smart-???.  

  I did join the protest and told Land O'Lakes off. I am sad they came out against Indian maidens and removed the icon. They are a cooperative, but hire fools in advertising. The poor lady I talked to jotted down my quest for justice. I really love their whipped butter, will have to explore alternatives - hoping they make a genaric to sell to the military we  buy a lot of great things that way. I felt sad for the lady wiped off the logo, and for the lady that answered my complaint, not because I was offensive but because she was a proud worker and feels betrayed by management (many if us do), but she said many have told her about that logo change. No one wants to live in a beige world, do we? I looked it up, the governor is praising the move, not knowing much about brand loyalty I would guess, she thinks no one is burning up Minneapolis. When you are wrong you can be surrounded by lots of good meaning but equally wrong folks. Well I will have more time to read Moby Dick and the leather stocking tales, won't I? They are still great books, although everyone wasn't woke in those days, ha.ha. Which reminds he of Minihaha and Hiawatha? Rabbit holes, think beige - paint it all beige.  

    

Things change and I wear out...

  So I am up early, just me and the LORD, Southern Gospel comes from Alexa. I made coffee and breakfast. A Face book friend drops off and announces it, I believe I should drop off and not announce it, I don't need notice, God talked to me. 

  I am sad about good and great things, being destroyed, killing the unborn for the salvation of fools? I seem to have everything wrong, they will tell me they always have. Without love, why would I listen?

   Mythoughtsrace, the morning madness a quiet time to think, can't type that fast and not concerned about it. Why disturb others, I write for me and then share can't hide from the devil nor the LORD. The devil will tickle my weaknesses, and the LORD give me strength to resist temptation. American economy is built upon weakness, desires that could be sated by purchase easy free sexy only 99 down and yours. Truth about economy the Amish are part of it, but they aren't a big market are they?

   The YMCA opens up 7 September, but I have not enough money to feed that fancy, remember I went for community and talk to old folks as we watch the fashion changes on the ladies. The energy of youngsters and passing wisdom if there is any interest, not much. I am interested to see how many old fools are alive and returning. I want to think all of them maybe I shouldn't check. Should I wear a mask?

   Politics, are not interesting now, chest beating and old champions posing as saviors and leaders. They look like they haven't served enough humbly. The management teams are slickly polished, nothing sticks to them, the other
side is evil and failing. I have notice there aren't enough reported nice news. Maybe media is afraid of goodness, doesn't sell? I expect the word would be over used and become meaningless, everyone is a hero. how can that be? I know a few heroes and many brave souls doing the best they can where they are.  Never make the news cycle since the news must be ??? supporting the message?

    Well, have a great day! 

    

Change Happens and changing back isn't wrong but dynamic

   Wife and I up at three talking about fifty-two years worth, reheating coffee and love.  I decided to write a letter to my sister in cursive and with a fountain pen - we don't do that anymore, do we?  What a challenge! Like brush painting your messages across the cyberspaces of modern communications since the abacus is still used, are the brushes and ink stones? The first attempt becomes a draft, as I discover how many muscles are engaged and how quickly I tire from the page I finally finish.

I once had a good hand. see envelope from 1969.

So I dream of shooting known distance with my AR...

    Funny, I remember mentioning staying in dry fire/practice back in March and promptly didn't. I was confused. Too many orders from those flattening curves, I was sure I was going to die, haven't taken flu vaccine since departing the Army, they owned my body.

 

   Blogger improved things so I become reluctant to write and add pictures, my fat fingers and ignorance will destroy what little I accomplish.  The fears have closed ranges, the anti-gun goofs believe they will make them safer as the normal untrained and unthinking gun carriers have so many negligent discharges trying to frighten innocents when demonstrating with their new powerful black rifles.  As the political debates and snide remarks about others rise on the internet and on media feeds, I have no idea what is true, and being only two reasons to make my choices having given up on political parties having any worthy ideas or ideals. They can be bought, and most of us need our few dollars for the LORD and His work.

   My daily shows remain The Five and Tucker Carlson, too often preempted by breaking news that doesn't matter to me. Just the talking posing fools looking for attention. Someone analyzed the number of minutes and the ratings reflected. They didn't ask if telling a lie and repeating it make us doubt the whole process, they are all about selling constantly. But we become bitter cynical and cowering from being tainted by the ugly they demand we watch. And we pay for time wasters, why? 

   I have nothing interesting to share, the FBI,Chinese and hackers pay me no attention. Will get to work on the honey-do, or find reasons not to.

We do need to vote and hold the elected accountable, fire the lawyers that aren't volunteers.

   Long title. If they aren't working for free they are just mercenaries. 

Assuming the political elite fear guns, and gun violence. Or really understand they know they can't really control a man at Liberty. He by definition must be attracted by Truth and great ideas, and professional politicians aren't committed to much except power, and exercising it to improve their weaknesses.

Long ago a political body passed acts to ensure compliance of the folks. They being honest named them the Coercive Acts, and the folks immediately recognized the threat and renamed them the Intolerable Acts, the declaration of punishment for believing the folks were free, as they had been for generations or that they were as good as the best of the master class in the nation.  They would have to establish independence like a child becoming an adult, a painful process, especially if the bonds are light and seem loose. 

Legend becomes the myth. For sure the United States of America, are created by the revolution of a rebellious people resisting oppression. They talked and listened, and thought as they worked and lived then built up a resistance by civil disobedience, you know demonstrations, secret societies, public outcry, resistance to bad law, bad ideas and belief that oppression was evil and God was good, master class normally wasn't. When the master class assumed more power by stripping their least offensive population of the means to fight, disarming them in mass, they proved a point. They didn't trust the folk and weren't relying on them as part of the solution to their problem. April 19,1775. They never knew what would happen, as the British would say, diplomatic efforts failed.

Soon enough, the colonies would unite in the Declaration of Independence, and by Right of Arms in the happy defeat of the master class, Great Britain could really become a dominate power in the world. There is a very high cost to becoming the greatest, remembering that Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, and France became Empires all paying a high cost for the privilege of wanting to be first or best among equals? China resisted and Japan embraced changes. Well, we, Americans, get to vote. It is critical because the master class has no love for us, fears us without more stupid laws, that only will be used on the folks. Pick representatives that love us all, that will work for free or room and board. Yeah, might as well try, otherwise you are creating and continuing a masterclass and that is suicide. 

Noticing how little I write with all there is to say...

  Looks like another beautiful day here, since it is the Great Northwest one could say unusual, but aren't all days full of weather, traffic and confusion?  Or are days measured by my happiness? Then they are all better than I deserve, aren't they?

  I should wish that this message finds y'all well. I am watching the end of the world, our world, your world or mine.. but I take no alarm nor sound one. Things happen, and I often miss them entirely. There is an industry dedicated to commercially exploiting me that feels they know more about what is important than I do but I am limiting myself to Japanese broadcast at 7am here, The Five, and Tucker Carlson.  I am dodging President Trump, most of his speech will be repeated and re-interpreted many times. Still able to think for myself, thank you for caring.

   My wife and I grow closer in our government Exile for their fear of our dying of some virus from China, or finding out that governments can't fix any real problems for the majority of their people. I am not sure which it is, cause I think we are good folks at least my wife is. She is really, but there is the difference between us. For what we are the same about? Why is that important to you? My mother's wonder I was always amazed by, but found the more I told her the more people I didn't know, understood incorrectly about me. I think from boyhood at home to the remainder of my life I was always struggling against what my mother knew about men and me.  I must have given up and allowed her to write my story in her mind, she would be close and I became at peace that fixing a little problem for her was easier that convincing her that she wasn't correct about anything. Still love her, badly like most things that others count on.

   I am getting on with the lessening of my footprint upon the world, it isn't large until you try to get rid of it, then there are tons of things. Books take many trips and there is still more than a few remaining, for as much reason as when I purchased them. Tools are in the way, until I want a particular one, and I have gotten accustomed to my wife moving some to where they work for her. Of course, I will wait mulling the project over until my need is gone. When I heard my father confess that his weakness was Procrastination I realized the world he looked at I had never seen.  But I could have found the same, but one never has to get around to it, looking for a weakness - I have so many.

not the soldiers in my story except me

    I miss teaching, not that I am certified like my sister, she knows that to be certified is required for a professional. If I ever taught I would know, although I think she discounted all my efforts in the military because she knows it is just, monkey see monkeys do.  She might be correct, I was never in her military nor her schools. She does take pride in her student's success.  When I measure my success it has never been about the boss but the unit. An officer from DivArty watched in horror my FDC on an alert in Korea getting ready to shoot live on trapped North Koreans in support if the security mission. One man was obviously obliviously sleepy/drunk, one man must have been speeding while he explained how he got the range and deflection on the chart and gave it to me, but I didn't seem upset nor flustered as I computed the data. I always thought alerts were based on enemy opportunity not friendly. He left shaking his head, for those that believe I couldn't have fired without an officer verifying my data? Reality is always trumping assignments, during Vietnam there weren't enough to go around.

  That is enough yarning for today, have a great one!

Was thinking of starting a new blog... but why?

   I want to write again, not post on Face Book, or just roll on about whatever I did on this blog - gun stuff mostly, and what was going on in my life, which is fine for me but not to others. Will have to add 'Keep your finger off the trigger' to the title. And then change the remainder of the blog theme as I wander around discussing stuff.

   25 June the day godless Korean Communists made a military invasion into the southern region of the Korean peninsula, it was a loud demonstration to establish Kim as fearless leader. Seventy years years ago. My future wife was seven. Her brother had a friend with Marxist leanings that joined the victorius demonstrators and never returned after he headed north with the invaders. Her family figured the Commies killed him, don't know for sure. Letters and messages were suspect by both sides for many generations after.   Yeah, civil war isn't. And the war's title is picked by history.

   My family, extended, has had much to do with Korea. I think it has all been good.

So the fools are coming for me.... so says the media..

  I have been disappointed before, it is the reason I trust God before government, so
I am not following the media frenzy. I have personal rules of engagement, the government isn't going to make it better. Unless they are issuing assault rifles (real ones) with ammunition. ha,ha,ha   Proof the government is not 'of the People'.

    Have to venture out and find more money for my wife. I am also going to walk, fat old man style.

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: May still?

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: May still?:   Continue to cower in fear with those in fear of dying from Chinese Communism, or Covid-19 caused by Trump's avoidance of Democrat sche...

May still?

  Continue to cower in fear with those in fear of dying from Chinese Communism, or Covid-19 caused by Trump's avoidance of Democrat schemes to topple him until they saw the advantage such fears of virus no one had an answer for except their favorite Big Pharma corp. Love that sentence.

   My wife and I are doing just great, wife better'n I. I was on a conference call with my sister and younger brother, interesting since I am so anti-cellphone linkage. The FBI has got me with all the rest of those they fear, but there are so many fools on the loose, they only concern themselves with the elite - sure the rest of us can be squashed by hostage rescue teams of their persuasion, for the children.

  No matter went for a trial walk yesterday, didn't tell my wife nor ask her permission -- I have been vegetating on Amazon Prime with war movies. The Russians have put together some great ones from WWII, I did some from lots of other wars and theaters, by various nations. Good history mostly. I have been doing some very uplifting movies, too. To find balance.

  On my walk I admired the flowers, and where possible I noted the bees. Good sign, lovely bees, I don't slow down enough to note bees and birds in my ancient age, I should, they have more work ethic than modern humans.  But lazy calls me, time to read again. Take care out there and go with God, not government.

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: 2 May 2020...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: 2 May 2020...: You don't miss me much, do you? But we are all safe from harm, the fools in charge say so, and they are in charge aren't they?  I h...

2 May 2020...

You don't miss me much, do you? But we are all safe from harm, the fools in charge say so, and they are in charge aren't they?  I have appreciated that they do think I am paying attention and following their instructions, could be I am not - I was warned about spontaneous confession in the corrections center. Anyway they haven't come looking for my dead body nor my compliant at liberty soul.

   The lock down has made me disappear and become totally useless. It is good to be perfect. The metamorphose from a fly on the wall to a bland spot upon the fabric of the nation is complete.  I don't feel as empty and uninformed as I ought according to those that want my attention, it doesn't get them my vote (I live in Washington State and the Democrats will change the total numbers of votes to whatever they need to win) they don't get my money (my desires and my wife's take care of that) and as much as Trump's campaign needs me, their polished posing gets the opposite effect. I am still voting for Ron Paul.

  I rolled coins yesterday, my wife so proud she found even more, over fifty dollars worth, but one has to make an appointment to get inside and deposit them. Another task for my future, the elite will never notice, will they?

   April took forever, didn't you think so? I went to the Emergency Room twice, canceled appointments, saw Red River four times, and many many other old movies. Learning lots about my cable service and voice remote, and gently wonder at the government and Chinese efforts to find information from my communications and viewing pleasures. The amount of electronic trash they record and build computers to analyze, so sad.  I find hiding very easy, look like whatever is expected of my type, do very little, do it slowly and not too much.

 Found  reference on Facebook to someone looking for pictures from his Vietnam days, right battalion, time and I was there - being in the Americal then was an honor, but the war was closing out. The Americal has never been assigned to the United States. Ever wonder why we become Ghost Riders in the digital universe? We will be forgotten and never understood.  Ah, well, enough for today.

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: I have questions, having finished my second illnes...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: I have questions, having finished my second illnes...:  Finished the medicines for the UTI and feel fine now, had something new and terrible to save myself and my wife decided that I would flush ...

I have questions, having finished my second illness...

 Finished the medicines for the UTI and feel fine now, had something new and terrible to save myself and my wife decided that I would flush it out with water, so I am drinking lots of water.

 What is the virus we are hiding from? What does it do to a human, preponderance of its effect and percentages of true victims? Does sheltering in place slow the spread? what is the SWAT waiting for to save us?  How will we know we are over the virus?

   I haven't taken as flu vaccine since I left the Army, but haven't had the Flu. I have had bad colds and coughs, did tke the pneumonia vaccine. Wish everyone in the world good health and all success with the Corona Virus 19.

  Of more to fear, is Government Overreach to get a population in obedience to it. Of even greater concern is a government that can't balance its own books. Give it to the LORD, we can ask questions.

Court Contest to begin, why? Well, the government is crazy...

  I am really bored, don't feel threatened by anything except oppressive government. But I have it great, really. I am retired, no one wants me to work, as my mother said many times too many workers mean that wages are low, unions attempted to fix that, without becoming guilds with a established grading by experience and training, except in certain skills. Overall unions are just thugs that may get you a job, or contract. If they weren't thugs I would have more respect for the union, but they sell political power by benefits to themselves, and that often looks like the guys on top, are getting big bucks.

  Anyway, I haven't gotten the current curse, Covid-19. Since I live in a real hot spot Washington State under Governor Inslee, a progressive Democrat.  I am blest, but no one has demonstrated that the guidelines of social distancing, washing hands, masking if you have a respiratory illness really works. But they don't really hurt me, I am living in my grandchildren's future and am a bit of recluse.  I was for the anti-malaria treatment as soon as it was mentioned, why? Because I remember taking two different anti malaria pills during Vietnam. Something works, take it. I was valuable back then and had to consume all medications, vaccines and such as directed. Now they are just waiting for me to catch something I can die from... and I have choices and don't have to use their medications.  Until they tighten up shot records for travel.

    Anyway, being in America is fine except for the fears generated by media and government, most of the country doesn't pay a lot of attention to the government, until they get in the way.  And we doubt the government because they lie a lot. So does the media and examples are everywhere. And everyone knows the internet is full of experts of all the important stuff. Ha, ha!

   I do see how the end of the world authors got it so wrong, they try to write the Decline and Fall of the America nation in one book with a happy ending and small successes. But it will crumble far slower than computer speed-  being History we will only study the big stuff, but it is all little stuff.

Feeling better, no matter all the terrible news from all around me...

   So I went to the emergency room Sunday morning and the tested me and looked me over and sent me home. Cause of the visit was blood in my urine, actually started passing clots of blood. I am not in the jungles of WWII and have no reason for falling apart but my wife is sure it is because I will not become a Korean, or listen to her expert advice, or submit. Actually I think she knows if I start to pay attention to her I must really be sick and need her help. Her priority for my action was to tell my son, anyway it got her happy.  I text him the entire event and keep him posted.  Ever notice that once under care the patient starts worrying about making a mess or being a burden.  I was feeling bad for leaving a trail of blood, and I wasn't even wounded in action.

   Not that I know anything yet except feeling better now, but I think I have a biologic warfare germ. Evidence was the deep fevered sweat on Saturday morning. Or just getting old and different parts of my body are giving up at their own pace.  I am for the biologic warfare germ, but recovery without medication proceeds just like normal. Food, sleep, lots of water more rest. In the background is constant terrorizing by the media. It is out of our control, we must surrender to the Chinese. America is wrong, doing the wrong thing, we can do better when we get rid of Trump... over and over. How do I know they are just sensationalizing the virus? Not that it isn't killing folks, but really they run their commercials as they cover what people need to know, they aren't serious. 

   Now I can have my own fears, bladder cancer, some other cancer. cigarette caused, or agent orange or too much cable news in my programming. But why have, or surrender to fears? especially when I can't cure any of them. Leave them to God, and work with those trying to help.

   Thursday afternnoon, just got call from the labwork done from Emergency Room. I have a especially nasty urinary tract infection and will be issued antibiotics just have to take a book to read while I wait for the drive thru line to get done. It is long. But I have pleased to need so little.

Boy cried wolf... and no one listened when the wolf showed up....

  So I have way too much time to think... and I notice in my indolence that lying to the folks gets you the expected results, they don't believe and go their own way. Or you weren't lying, but it could have been that way, just looked like a wolf, or you didn't mean to hurt anyone and your couldn't help yourself. You have heard all those excuses in the last few years, about the Presidents, the Congress, the Media, the people, John Q. Citizen and the forgotten and deplorables.

   So we have a new illness, the government can't control it. Where does it say the government is supposed to? It is a problem, so have the government handle it? We will work better on it by hiding in cover - isn't that what we do during 'active shooter' situations? Cower in place, until the guys with the body bags and tags show up... Looking at both situations, I think prayers and divine help is a better start then take action where you are.  Just me, of course, I have been a firm believer in cover and attacking the cause of my troubles - you should have seen the doors I have gone through.

   If you were the first to suffer an illness, what would you do? Most illness is suffered the same way, be kind to the patient, warm or cool, rest, plenty of liquids. Don't forget them but don't bother them, and keep them separated until they are recovered. That looks like something I read before somewhere. Why solitary people can adventure, and if thy have others with them they can write about it, otherwise you have to hope they kept a journal and it survived.

  If my mother and my wife can't get me to obey them in everything, how can the government?
I am going to die, one day it will happen and that is only unknown to me: the when, why, the where.

  And I need to practice my six steps for taking the shot, and get prepared for the daylight - which has snuck upon me, while I have been thinking. Take care out there, your best is needed everyday, really.

Snow day and forgotten appointments...

   So proud of putting the two garbage cans out the evening before and a good solid long sleep after a movie on Prime. Gentle wake up in the morning, prayers and suddenly someone is walking on the porch, I have to decide to arm myself or just open the door and say hello. The government or gangsters would have just gone through the door - so I don't bother arming. Idle thoughts, for years I slept naked, now either cold or body shamed has kept me in flannel or whatever pajamas. Lucky for my visitor - not confronted by a naked old fool.

    It is the installer for the Security system, part of the improved Infinity service for two years. I am still for grabbing the gun first. My wife has opened two of the three doors several times and I get a report each time she does, she won't be sneaking up on me now. Anyway the system is working and effective...  It did take forever, since my cellphone wasn't able to upload the app for the system, then we went around a dozen or more times finding my fingers too fat, the secret stuff I typed unreadable, for security reasons - never mind that I am old and can't remember what I thought I typed. This is just another effort by the machines to try and dominate my life and actions. I am not that smart, but certainly have always resisted obeying what I think is stupidity. And most computers are basically stupid, just fun to play games upon. The installer was very patient and it all came together, but it is easiest to do six steps for making the shot than it is to encode my personal numbers, letters and symbol on the device to make it alarm me. I now have a sign in the front yard, thinking of why I don't want to have one out there, maybe I will put a Trump2024 sign out in front of it.

OK!, Boomer... why aren't you dead yet?

  Because the LORD is in charge and it isn't my time. I am reminded of a Twilight Zone story where everyone would die a terrible death. The mother and father pondered and prayed and finally decided not to take the poison distributed by the government in its goodness. They went to bed and awoke to a world that hadn't died during the night as promised -- except one of the parents had decided to spare the children and had helped them suicide to avoid the terrible death... We had a call from a minister's wife to see if we were ill, alive or needing help yesterday. Nice of them.

   I am so sorry, but I read and study history, and I have thought about war and injury and death. I have my three score and ten and two more. I think Trump is a one term President, but I don't want to catch a virus and give it to him. But he is in that target group that will likely die from Global Warming or the Climate Change. Aren't we all tired of being lied to by media and politicians? I am but worse is always watching people that should know better accepting the lies and their thinking that the government should have an answer and a policy the government is probably causing much of the fool news. Tell me I am wrong. I have been wrong before expect I will again.

  Speaking of wrong, I used Turbo Tax and realized that was a bad choice. No more, went down to the local library and picked up the forms and filed my form in the mail. Including the check. Done! Now I need to watch the crew finish our kitchen remodel tomorrow, the pay all the bills off. Maybe having little extra money now will slow my drifting into fool stuff. But maybe not.

Returning to normal boredom... and moving stuff, always more stuff...

    So, among the uncovered books is The Minute Men by John R. Galvin, am studying it closer this read. Too much great information for Appleseed, but nicely fills in April 1775. Appleseed is only about one day. During breaks I talk with and discuss what we want to move next. The entire time she is constantly moving, cleaning and removing and replacing stuff as she builds the nest of home again.

   We are working on everything, but nothing is critical. The cable is upgraded, but I have junk numbers that want a subscription, and I pay too much now and see no reason to sit and stare stupidly. My local cousin is offered to help me move stuff, but there are two too many people working on this now, my wife and I. The effort exposes our differences and the working together (periodically) makes me love her more.

  I have to craft a careful list of things I must buy, find all that we need but have already in the wrong place, or almost lost. Heavens! I don't know if I have paid the property taxes, but have seen that demand paper - and then there is the Income tax, and the home will still be waiting for my attention. A constant hunt for stuff, and I think I got rid of a lot but finding more, best reason I know not to buy anything (we likely have it somewhere).

   Warrior Poet Society? see something new all the time. Too old to be one now, but like their logo/sign. I am moving into the discarded veteran group. Ask me a story if you have the time.

Up early again, not only my mind is racing but my wife's also...

 
just noticed, I have bubbly commercials for stuff I don't care about that I never see except when it gets in my way. Alexa and I are parting ways, she tried to get me to buy Apple Music for three bucks a month. Just like Congress, she never really loved me.

My wife reports that Canadian Bacon and rice aren't at the Commissary, reason was that the trucks weren't rolling. This from the lady that was going to side step the contractor and get some extra favors from the crew, like move the cable outlet. I went to the Xfinity store and tore up the old contract and got new equipment and two service calls in the near future. Might as well get all I can from the turmoil about losing a favorite and gaining some other opportunities. It is funny finding homes for the recently found stuff we forgot about long ago. My side of the garage isn't finished, yet and the big furniture might get moved this morning, when the crew returns to finish up the remodel.

I want to get it all done so I may return to my normal indolence, what a goal!

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: The Trek back begins again today...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: The Trek back begins again today...:   Early dark here, morning prayer done, coffee started and Alexa has kindly started the Gospel. So the crew cleaned packed up their tools an...

The Trek back begins again today...

  Early dark here, morning prayer done, coffee started and Alexa has kindly started the Gospel. So the crew cleaned packed up their tools and the kitchen looks finished. It isn't but we get one day or two before the finishers return. My wife is ready then collapses into needed rest. She wants to clean everything before we start moving everything back. I want to only move things once and keep only what I won't donate out of this home. We kept way too much of our working affluence, bet y'all did, too.

   As the crew was sawing, polishing and moving stuff I went and got the Instructor Boot Camp materials printed and assembled for the upcoming IBC. Then I started reading through it, don't like the History much, will have to write my own version. Just for Will's desire to record it my way. The remainder of the book is about where I expected it to be. Many don't know I have been with this program for a while - 2008 to now. Very glad the basics have never changed, always saddened there are more captains than workers.  Still remember Ben getting loud about not driving to Port Townsend many hours to watch the Shootboss EARL show. He was stepping up to serve, thank goodness. He kept stepping up to serve, and it showed in the following years. If only our political posers would take George Washington's example - get it done and go home and work and rest. Enjoy the neighbors and grandchildren.

   My personal schedule is to return and a full workout at the YMCA, after a walk around the neighborhood, breakfast and waking wife. Then reorganize the armory and arsenal, ha, ha. Missing one of my Appleseed books with pictures. Take care out there.  Hope to see y'all standing up for Liberty and your Lord and on the range sometime.

Good Appleseed Weekend at Douglas Ridge Rifle Club, Oregon...

  Leave home too ear
ly Saturday Morn, 0125, only 162 miles to go in the dark. Would spend about an hour waiting beside the gate to go inside. Didn't know the code, sleep just fine in Pacifica. Janer shows up and opens the gate I follow her in and park to change clothes. Kenjo comes and sets up the Appleseed direction signs, too many decision points to make choices.  We move the target stands to the line, I notice how old and worn the backers are remembering long ago when they were new. I also have my first fall tripping over my backer and feet. I try our improve and not scare anyone more. Notice! that except for Flipper and Nat the entire crew is older than the shooters.

Mike on target on time

    The morning cold slows the shooting down a bit, but we are using a great PA system, and we get the first Red Coat done and start the roll. Cliff reintroduces himself, met in 2009, and he took an IIT hat and helped a lot of early Appleseeds, he is shooting a loud centerfire, tanker rifle I call it. Two strikes of the match during lunch and the three legged stool to get the shooters back on marksmanship. New positions and we roll along. The sunshine warmed us the remainder of the day and like always goes so fast, One AQT and one new Rifleman, Michael Ross.
 I gave the Third Strike of the Match, and rolled right on into Janer's tale of the telling. We get a Cease Fire, Cease Fire, Cease Fire for wildly wandering game, two fat does that think we won't bother them. Won't see them come hunting season. They will boldly return but not when they could have added to the known distance presentation with practical exercise in distance estimation. Final Redcoat target and Flipper gives Seventh Stepping points. Everyone is safe had a good time and is coming back in the morning, we clean up and pack out, leaving the target stands under the firing line roof for possible rain.

   We all went to dinner, I found a place to sleep in too much comfort, but warm and dry. And I do. At dinner we talked about the good the bad and the ugly... trying to be prepared for the next day and the after action reports. Meal was great, I got large glass of water, then many cups of coffee. Hot Shower and sleep. Motel breakfast and to the range.

   Not everyone came back, the weather is windy and still cold, we do reviews and the third Red Coat of the weekend is shot, three by two posted and sights are verified, with more review to prepare the day. The day marches on, I get to tell the Dangerous Old Man story of Samuel Whittlemore. the After noon period is AQT grind with some peppermint popping. River delivers on a drill, and then scores Rifleman.

   Cliff scores his AQT and requests another look at it and add it up. I do start and then recalculate about three times getting the same answer, five less points because I never find that other bullet hole. That seemed to be when I was falling out of reality. Should have taken a nap. but want to be valuable. The Shootboss reminds me that I can go early, they have plenty of local area instructors.



After River gets his Rifleman patch and I catch the picture I am departing.

  Cliff tells me that it was good to see me, beating on my chest in his joy - right on  top of my pacemaker - as he says he heard I have been having some health issues. I laugh and tell him it isn't that bad. I think I have presented a wasted away appearance, causing some strange concern. Tionico says goodbye and just before I get ready to jump in and pull out Flipper comes up and gives me a hug??? She always does a great job of instruction and I think will have nailed this her first ShootBoss Progress Check. I tell Janer that her clipboard and cheatsheet were left behind and I roll off the range and out of Eagle Creek, OR.

   As soon as the first Rest Stop shows up in Washington, I pull over and sleep for about forty minutes then back on the road, one more stop around Castlerock, then on home. Safe again, unload and prepare for other things that need attention. Life is good.

Day before an Appleseed at Eagle Creek, OR (DRRC)..

  I have packed out the Pacifica, yesterday. Had to get Shooting stuff and my needs out of the way of the kitchen remodel. It has been a busy week, and there is a promise of maybe by Wednesday it will be our home again. Small job. I have to stop at the Credit Union this morning and move a pile of money, moved some myself last night then went to the YMCA and knocked out twenty more miles on the Expresso.com bicycle competition. And two of the staff that seem to be trying to promote this (which means to me that their periodic evaluation will be better if I do something) head to head competition... their voices pitched wrong and they were not paced for tired fat old men - I didn't get it. Did talk a little lightly with my heroine, She is in the lead by a bunch and was working evening clean up/maintenance crew. But I do feel I have done well, self promotion and lying to self at the same time. But if the link works just see: Earl Dungey, a couple of years older than claimed. Many years ago, when younger and sporting I was always pushing my friends to join road races and 10ks to get t-shirts and honor for the units. Finally one of the troopers said why don't we just contribute the money, and have a beer instead of the running. He knew the answer, I was there for the run.

   Goal for today, tidy (reconstruct) a functioning computer system desk and William's work area. Best get to doing, bye!

So what wakes me up in the night? a dream...

"I woke at 2;30, from a dream of parking my bicycle in a rack, looking up and seeing WlaP, tired and harried, telling me he had messaged me and I had't answered.That was when I woke up to ponder and get a glass of warm milk to help me sleep. Now I am only lightly interested in the NRA leadership, the organization is so far off of the track it will really take heavy lifting to get back in the shooting activity lines and training and the best gun folks on the planet. A lot of heavy lifting. There are real experts out there struggling to ignore that fake beacon about 'political power' and gratitude ahead that lays everywhere around the swamp. Floating endlessly around DC, just more swamp gas. I am taking this and expanding it on my blog... don't follow - only my dream started by other stuff in my life. Keep up the good work, all the heavy lifting. Our country and our passions and Rights all need our attention, but I have little left and will have to use it where gentle old men Do Not Need to be reminded of the danger of not living under the rules. Implied threats against open speech (free speech) seem to be all the rage now. I will go back to basics and leave y'all alone."

I left the above paragraph (?) on a comment string on Friends of the Second group on Facebook. Seems like I can't write to please others, I based my not getting a distinguished award in my military career on the fact I spoke freely too often and always when not wanted, so 'they' got me back. Poor CSM Underwood, we had shared the same special quarters in Korea and talked but he thought I respected his judgement and advice because of his position and title. The poor man had to wonder why I listened but not well. Respect is tough when you might not be right, or living really wrong in my face. My problem not the young CSM's.

So, we all know I have never nor expect that Wayne would message me, and I am not sure of the Wayne's on my Facebook Friends would expect better behavior, we went to high school together apart once. And I was a little bit different then too. Not enough to not be accepted as human, which seems a society reaction now on social media (unsocial more often than not)

What a terrible Appleseed, Dude, can't you keep it together?

  No I can't.... but I can feel bad and complain to myself. Great heroic day of riding the Expresso.com bike at the YMCA on Thursday 32.7 miles, getting a dime a mile and accolades from their staff. But I am in demand. Yanni, our Project Contractor for the kitchen remodel, and new flooring wants me and my wife in Seattle. I hate Seattle, stupid Liberals Anti-Gunner central. I don't want to go, but God and my wife love me and my bad attitude won't get better driving around with my imagination of the evil there. The shopping went well and Yanni wants money on Monday, put it on my to do list, get ready for the Appleseed in Redmond, this weekend. No one ever knows the burdens we bear, how old we feel or don't feel until...  Must have been hiding my hate on my face or heart, my wife flees to her friends for food and talk and I sleep on alone, big home for two living as alonely.

  So quick review of the letter from guest Green Hat, the shoot boss. He wants us in Red Shirts and presenting a professional appearance... I think he is arrogant and I add him to the list of AntiGun Leftists in the world, can't be right he is a real competitor in the rifle and pistol world, isn't he? Never met the man... Car loaded out and on the road before six will be there at seven for the instructor meeting, lots of familiar faces. I am late, they started the briefing without me, and I feel the undercurrent from others about the shoot boss, he is going to straighten us out... perceptions and expectations aren't like our normal. But he has his way of making us better. And we aren't the others, we are the ones that showed up, I toy with driving back home and signing up for helping the Appleseed in Oregon at the end of the month. I don't, because I am reminded the event isn't about me or any of the instructors, it is all about the shooters. So I get to go hand out t-shirts and help Flipper get folks signed in. There are very nice name tags laid out, so everyone has a familiar label to be called by name, pin to hats and we will all be a fine shooting community of no longer strangers.

  Some very familiar faces on the firing line, they all remember me and I get some smiles and hellos. The tension between instructors and Shoot Boss isn't noted that I noticed, but I do see waiting by the crew for the shoot boss for 'what are we doing next/' Eighteen rounds by lunch? One Redcoat and a five rounds on the sighting square?  Part of our getting our ducks in order is presentation of Pistoleer Award to two shooters and one daughter of Ben, another winner. Not cool for rifle shooters looking to earn their own awards to see something that they can't get here, by folks they don't know, but are instructors and safety folks, I would have waited on getting the shooters and instruction crew working as a team before a pleasant sidetrack for past performance. Maybe someone might die before the unit gets together again as a whole. A reason we award thanks and note valor when happening in combat, can't wait for return to Base Camp nor Star Trek Enterprise.

  I get the prehistory and the First Strike of the Match, and it was only supposed to be twenty minutes, but I get the hurry up sign from the Shoot Boss - cause I have so much to share as the tale teller. But they march out of Lexington leaving eight dead and many dismayed Rebels behind...I think I was closer to thirty-five minutes than twenty.

   I find my first weakness, I can't get up from the demo position, and not having worked with the instructor before his 'don't get ahead of the instruction' was disconcerting I was waiting for him to tell me what to model next, a demo person doesn't speak until after if asked by the instructor.  Anyway, I was being helped to my feet by a young woman and two men - how do I get so old? You know I didn't want any help just some space and my walking stick. I don't accept the young ladies help, cause I don't accept the men's much either, attitude and stupidity on my part, which I note isn't getting anyone shooting safely on target again. Sigh...

   The lunch time shows up. I wisely stay as line Boss to watch the rifles on line as everyone else goes up to the club house for the Second Strike of the Match and lunch, bathroom breaks become a chore, seems the plumbing isn't free flowing enough, going from two restrooms to one. One of our newer IITs brings me a hot cup of ramyon noodles. I thank him for his thoughtfulness and repay him later. Over all we are teaching or listening to the shootboss instruct everything at his pace and to his standards, and we aren't working well together, starting to look for his mistakes, how we are falling behind and not emphasizing safety. There are also way more instructors than normal, which should be great but we are almost in each others way, the smartest of us start shrinking back and gently correcting the shooters trying to get them to stay on process completing each step and not forgetting anything as the fire on targets. Only one AQT finally on the first day and we clean up to go home and a meal. I can't stay for the instructors dinner, where I understand the having a beer will be pounced upon as totally unacceptable. I wasn't there and don't drink beer unless I have just completed a marathon, ha, ha. That was long ago and when I wasn't drinking anything. Lot of old time memories coming back up, I did mention to the Shoot Boss the old conflict between the back East Headquarters and those of us on the line in our home country or states. He quellshed me quickly, but I have been poking headquarters and staff pukes for too long, I know when my opinions aren't needed -they already have all the answers. Just do it their way, they will go away soon enough. Sigh.

  I did make it home, my wife was talking on the phone, a lovely supper waiting for me, I could get cleaned up, check FoxNews or Japanese Public television to find it hadn't all gone to hell while I was away. Bloomberg was still promising to spend a fortune disarming the peaceful public or at least getting them down to three round bursts. Forgive them, LORD, they know not what they do.

   I do wake up to knowing I hurt and need to move, and the second day begins in the dark, did y'all see that Moon Saturday night? WOW! no cloud cover where you are. Did I mention Saturday was many downpours or steady drizzle and wet is cold. Second day has same beautiful Full moon and not clouds after the morning mist burns away, and I am sick. I pack out much Appleseed extras to give away, lots of reading and notebooks and patches and hanging maps for Will to use in instructing and advertising. Ah, my pile of stuff to move out is getting smaller at home, keep moving, get there again by seven thirty cause we are so set up already. Alexa is really working with me, Blues at night and Southern Gospel in the morning, the Lord loves me. I pick up an instructor sweat shirt to give to ctorg since he needs one to cover his arms against the cold and slingloop.

Kevin is so close but only close.

   Except for being a beautiful day, having lost a couple of shooters over night, maybe their bodies didn't take the wet cold, and weather any better than mine. I finally accepted I was ill, the day sped by and I remember I caught some shooter faults but wasn't effective since we had a round fired from a rifle into the berm, when it shouldn't have been loaded. Process and sequences were not at work, maybe because we still weren't a team going in the same direction. We did get some fine shooters making Rifleman scores, and taking up the IIT hat so I was okay going away early to get home and die quietly, or allow my loving wife to beat me back to better health. I left a shooting mat behind and Andy picked it up and messaged me.

  It is six on Monday morning here, I can go back to bed for a nap, and I will, being retired retired means no one needs me... but then Bloomberg doesn't know I and my millions exist does he? American! armed and at Liberty under the LORD. The two days of the Appleseed we had an Asian couple watching us through the wire fence, I talked to them the second day and told them what we were doing - they thanked me for the information. But I did remind them that we are Americans, we have guns and we shoot them. One of our shooters said his wife is Chinese and she had a relative that learned to shoot an AK in high school, but the rifles all get locked up by the state after the training is over. Yep, that sounds correct, and in Russia on the farms they still have their guns for wolves and lonely state agents of agitation.


 

Well, another week gone, Appleseed in Renton tomorrow...

  Don't forget folks, don't live in fear... all your worst fears will grow because you don't know the truth, or you fear what might be true, or you are too afraid to learn how you shouldn't be so. The government love fearful folks, so easy to control. And if you can, take some Anti Gun folk to a range to get over the idea that a gun makes anyone powerful and deadly. They have no idea how much gunfighters had to practice to maintain superiority... and bullets cost money. Why I swear by dry practice my marksmanship skills and then use 22 lr for perforating paper targets.

  They are going to repair my U of Maryland class ring so I can wear it again.  And today we picked out the style for the kitchen cabinets, floor and hardware. Had to drive to Seattle, for some strange reason I went but it was so stressful carrying all those ideas of liberty, guns, voting the way I want, I was sure they would ask if I minded disarming while I was in town. I have the box to send to my son for my grand or great grandsons or daughters. Of course it is one of those boxes full of stuff that will have no bearing on the world that far in the future - but it is all me and where I was when. Should I include the high school and other books? Ha, ha.

Add some more stress and I should fold up under the pressure, I keep thinking that has a lot to do with questions about me having enough insurance. Ha, ha. Be good folks, better than anything else.

Trauma... weakness piles on to increase discomfort.... it just is life at risk....

   I and my wife are a couple, of old folks with different desires and different priorities. So the first step is to keep out of each other's way, and help each other when we can. In general we had wonderful examples in our families of how to live life. For some reason my wife can't give up shoes, her shoes. They have significance I will never understand. Since she is going to be a widow, she gets to keep the shoes. I am going to empty one shelving unit, disassemble it, maybe to put it up somewhere else, maybe. But every I do bring up moving stuff she balks and wants to do something that won't work, until she thinks it through.

   My problem, almost gone now, it that I thought I had saved all the important stuff for the end of the World, or at least my world as I thought about it. With this much stuff, I need to stop worrying about it. It is not worth my trouble. Inside I want to give everything to someone for their use, beside someone making lots of money from it. I did give the history tactical gaming magazines away today. Since someone else has them, they no longer concern me. My aunt planned and worked better at it than I am, but she was a wonder. I thank the federal government for their destruction of my news addictions. I just don't care - they have been wrong before, and I expect they will be again and again.  I will make sure I have some stuff for Goodwill every day, maybe they can move it.

  Didn't work out today at the YMCA, forgot to lock my locker, forgot to have recharged my cellphone, and so I took the old Vietnamese Mister Li to coffee and we talked, about our whatevers. Well, church tonight and for me that means AWANAS. Now back to moving out before my passing over. Ha, ha... it will never get done but I will be trying.

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: Packed that weekend up and I did well... but getti...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: Packed that weekend up and I did well... but getti...:   We had Men's Village Bible Study at our home on Saturday evening, pray, study and discuss, then pray again and then eat. Who hosts has...

Packed that weekend up and I did well... but getting old, moving to elder...

  We had Men's Village Bible Study at our home on Saturday evening, pray, study and discuss, then pray again and then eat. Who hosts has three days of search for main meats, snacks, paper plates, cups of lots of stuff to clean up. The Spanaway group was once about twelve men., now around seven faithful. What mainly happened was changing the large group of twelve to make more effective local groups elsewhere. I suspect that we got older and died off, our wives had problems, and we were distracted by current events on digital distraction devices. We have a core, each member puts five dollars in the hat/cap and we send the money to The Gideon's International, which means I get unasked for mailings from their contributor lists. I got stuff moved, helped my wife find her roaster, LARGE hiding in the garage since last year. I also was called in to find the crystal water pitcher, which I had misplaced since I put it in the wrong cabinet. I was going by my height and logic, since I could see it (TOP shelf and surrounded by other crystal items). Love being a hunter finder hero of the moment. Why don't we entertain more, my wife feels competition from other women and homes, for my sake, of course. Yes, she knows I don't really care at her professional level.
   Sunday service, adult Sunday school and members stayed around or returned for the 1330 business meeting, agenda  three items, small group of conflictors trying to muscle the church their way, we are still searching for a Senior Pastor. Meeting should have taken no more than one hour and a half, it went on to three hours. I fell getting out of my pew, alarmed too many, felt like a fool pretending I am still spry and able. I am moving to other seats, since the worship areas are not designed by the no longer needed. I will lay by the pool, hoping someone will drag me in to be cured one day.  I was not hurt, I didn't fall on the two little ladies that I was working so hard to avoid bothering. Only my self image was again crushed. No more telephone booths for changing into Superman, everyone will be exposed to gravity. It is a law.

 

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: History and I will be parting soon,

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: History and I will be parting soon,:    My America, the one I grew up in, the one I served as my ancestors did, the one they helped build and maintain is gone. Most of their, li...

History and I will be parting soon,

   My America, the one I grew up in, the one I served as my ancestors did, the one they helped build and maintain is gone. Most of their, little people with little lives will be written away by authors, reporters and nonsense spouted as truth. There doesn't seem to be an office of disinformation, a central control for changing history, language and custom or memory. Orwell thought too highly of the clerks and administrative staffing of the Empire, thinking only that total control would mean more perfection. It doesn't. Accept the flaws and fragility of humans, the variations will allow adaptation and success in addressing issues not dreamed about. Why robots and programming codes will never feel an answer.

   I was standing on the steps of the legislative building in Olympia, (17 JAN 2020) demonstrating for my right to keep and bear arms. The legislature was inside hiding mostly, and working on more infringements to them as their answer to the money flowing in from Bloomberg's Anti-Gun organizations. All aimed at controlling the good folks of the state or the nation. He will always outspend me. I just buy another gun. Well, I don't but there are some that think we all should.  I want to add some evergreen branches and needles to outline the fine animal and the caution to government. Haven't yet. One of those things on the procrastination piles in my mind.

   I was very proud of the demonstrations in Richmond, VA, where the anti-Gun goofs are earning their money from Bloomberg and folks of good intent but lots of not smarts. When wondering why this struggle always goes on, no one is charged with treason for undermining the rules of the Constitutions. No one hangs, loses office for betraying their oath, nothing happens then they come back and try it again. Then I started realizing that most Americans have spent a lifetime of only obeying the laws that fit their purpose. They speed, they drink too young, they know how to buy alcohol after hours, how to get the drugs they want when they want. According to some, they may even cheat on their taxes (because they really don't like being so closely fleeced?)

   In my personal life, I have delivered and sold two loads of books and DVDs from my excess to Half Price Books. Had I more boxes and less desire to exercise and socialize at the YMCA I could be done already. Work in progress. Not the money I am after, will never get that cost back, I had my reading and all they stirred in my mind for as long as I can remember. Thank you, Mom for giving me the joy of great stories and history and busty lasses on Historic adventure paperbacks. Those with the swords and pistols meant fine adventures.  Anyway, I want to have my books find readers and sharers. Some go to sales, some to libraries and some to others interested. Time is getting closer for the remodeling of the home, so much stuff to get moved out or away.

So I am up before reporting to the Green in Olympia, for the Pro Gun Rights Rally, and it isn't about guns.

  It is about Liberty, for I am not marching for the right to shoot anyone, I give that up to the government. They proclaim the law about murder, assault, threats and injury. Those laws need to be there to have the State bear the burden of punishing the guilty. All seems to be based on Biblical Commandments but without God just sinners in charge.  Which means it will be flawed, but it is the expected results of too much power in the hands of too little love, understood nor practiced.

  Timing is everything, the government has gone over to the evil side, the godless side and the blind leading the blind side. No longer working. Always putting more power in the hands of people not accountable to the people, seemingly not accountable to the law even, different laws for different folks, folks that think they are above the law, love, truth or justice... all those are only words, and they don't mean what you think, and we have all been wrong before and we expect we will all be wrong again.

  I am taking my camera, and my intent to keep bearing arms in liberty and love of life. I can do no less, it is like teaching the young or the ones that don't know why it has worked for so long and seems to no longer be working well, or working for tyranny and evil so easily. I think no violence is best, I think speaking up and calmly and critically is important. Just as important as to die for others to live in Liberty and love of their LORD. The pacifists are correct, don't kill just live in the spirit.

  I have questions, mostly it is why they fear folks with guns? Why have they decided that they know why I own guns, shoot guns and feel free to carry guns - it has never been for their fears, nor the strange thoughts that have no truth in their minds, hearts or speech. We need to address their fears, I can't fix stupid, and they are living on lies I can only show them truths and hope to open their eyes, ears, hearts and minds... they project their worst upon their view of life, a very sad dark view.

The last time I marched and stood for the 2nd Amendment

  I have finished my glass of warmed milk, I have thought in my mind about the huge difference in my preparations for a demonstration and Captain Parker's and his training band. No conflict here, but the fools all seem to want one, but I did mention they are fools, didn't I?



 

2020 New Year have to reorganize or just try to...

  So we have a Home Improvement scheduled and I have to organize a life around losing much of my home to workers and improvements. Along with that I want my computer cave to get some love, that project will be all mine. But Procrastination has ruled and now I am going to savagely reduce my library, I have a lot of DVDs and a couple of Blue Ray to dump, then new books to donate to a library, older books to Goodwill, and new military books (I left in 1995) to the local base library.

Slogging along....

  So I have started selling to Half-Price books, watching muted playoff football games, as I read about William the Conqueror's final years of conquest and defense against all comers. You think we really understand today's news - try readings about long ago and far away, although in your genetic and family dinner table tales. They just aren't the same stories. I never finished reading Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose, giving me all the reasons that the mission was a diverse blend of folks. Lewis and Clark took what they could and did the best they could. Kind of like Apollo Thirteen, seeing it from outside the scramble to survive with your popcorn and Coke, not the same as 'Houston, we have a problem.' in Tom Hanks voice. (I do have Undaunted Courage on my kindle, I will read it once I muffle my bias it is a fine adventure) 

    I keep wondering why my dreams keep taking back to Ft Bragg in the 82nd in the 19-whatever years, maybe I want to jog again? Don't worry, as Hal Evans told me, I don't jog... it was more slog along the road side. Probably too painful for others to watch. On a jog one morning, I got a call from the side of the road by the SF folks. It was an SF Major that was one of my fellow candidates in OCS in 1967. This was 1984 or 85. So we talked and it was cool, I was a 1SG and he was a Major. We were both Master Parachutists, ha, ha.

Year Seventy-three begins...

Grandparents visit before off to Europe, 1978

  Good Morning! Wow, lovely good wishes for my birthday - shocking to me, I am now outliving my father. Only in time spent wondering if I should have done it his way... Don't worry, I have figured out that being thankful for all the blessings I have lived is better than trying to catch up with his life - talking with my son last evening made me realize I wish I could have spent more time talking to my father. I miss my son's talking to me over the net while he was in the middle-east where ever. We must have made almost a solid hour some times. I still want to sit around a card table playing Canasta and talking, and making my best plays with my partner.
   My contacts yesterday sent me tearing into old stuff, not finding what I should have, making me realize that I was going to have to dig out from underneath piles of books and papers. New read books are going to the library, used and older ones are off to Half-price Books (but then I might stop to browse and pick some up! Ugh, I might never get out from under!)
    I was exhausted yesterday, no longer feeling ill we went to the service department to renew the wife's car. While there I read Milton Friedman, I am going to have to try him again, later when I won't be falling asleep as my mind wears out why did he say it that way. Car finally finished, washed and returned, we went off to eat steak - it is my birthday, the treat was my wife's and I think I left my NRA Cap there in the booth on the seat. Didn't get my daily dose of The Five, nor Tucker Carlson yesterday (speeds my recovery, ha, ha)  Well, have to start moving, y'all be good.

First visit to the YMCA of 2020...

  Picked up some medication and I noted that for some reason, all these sick folks gather at the pharmacy to catch each other's illness while they await their medication. Likely been doing that for centuries. Maybe home delivery is a better way to get them and control the spread of illness. I stopped quickly at the YMCA before I got my MRI.
   As a I caught up with the older Airborne elder, he told me on of his heart surgeons was looking for someone to teach his college son marksmanship before the Army got hold of him. Seems he is in Oregon in the ROTC program.  I figure he is trying to get a leg up, to be ahead of the rest of his class. So I gave the old paratrooper my card so they could contact me to talk about some familiarization. Have to see what he wants, has time for and where he would like to shoot.
   If he wants to come to Tacoma for a weekend run, I have the rifle, ammunition and local range where he can shoot. There is too much magic in shooting now days. Everyone thinks everything is licensed, regulated, or a professional expert instructors are difficult to find. Maybe it is, we don't draft everyone like in the old days, not everyone has served in the military, the military training is okay, just okay until you get to what your regular unit wants from the soldier and is willing to invest in your training, practice and skill enhancements. The military will almost always go to higher tech and more explosive rounds first. But the new qualification system looks promising.
    No telling what is going to happen about this favor. I am willing to talk, plan, execute for a day anyway, and I can always recommend learning in Oregon with an Appleseed or on a local range with a local NRA or CMP instructor. The next Appleseed weekend around here is 8-9 February, 2020 in Redmond.  Like I said too much 'magic' in how to learn, set, up and experience and practice. No one knows now, and experts are all busy turning out experts in whatever has to do with firearms. But most shooters don't feel uncomfortable sharing the knowledge, some ammunition and opinions. There are lawyers, laws, and liabilities but if the shooter can't learn and follow the four safety rules, I have nothing easier to teach him.

New Year, another chance to get it all right...

  So what is it I will do? Better, of course, just have to do better. We all do. First we have to decide who we are, who we want to be, what can we do about getting there - and always remember little victories count as much as major ones.
 
   I have concerns with the idea that government can replace God, but the government goofs love it, it does increase their power, and they are all about power. So to me, I have to get closer to God, and work on me, for I am the only one I can change to be better. Yeah, I am almost a nice guy, much better than I was long ago and far away. Still I am not happy with my best.  Not brave enough, need to stand up for what I believe and speak well - quietly enough that it may persuade them and not frighten them.

   Take the 2nd Amendment, first- a well regulate militia is necessary for the security of a free state -
That has never ever meant the National Guard, nor the professional military folks, nor the police. It has always meant the law abiding good people that are the foundation of the free state. Currently with the abundance of laws, regulations, decrees and policies, the number of armed and out of control agencies dominating our government structures - they are evidence of power projections from the ruling elite, and I don't mean the elected people, I do mean the ruling elite the folks with money and power and voice. They seem to be the doom of the Republic, and they took over so sublimely. They tell you that it is still a government of the people, by the people and for the people.... beautiful concept, it isn't true today. Find good people, make good people and trust good people. Only then can we regain the Republic.
   Second, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed... which really does mean the I can have my cannon, armed aircraft, tank or single shot .22 short. No restriction on that, the government has been established to ensure I don't kill, maim, wound, assault, or threaten my fellow men. And it is supposed to ensure justice. Don't allow the media or the political hacks project their fears upon you and your harmony with the universe - which is the only weapon the anti-gun goofs have to pretend disarming will protect everyone from death from afar. It is only true if you believe it, in your mind. Being a nice person will save you far more than having a gun or no one else being allowed to own and shoot a gun.

   I will continue to work with organizations that believe in America, its Constitution and folks. I will assist in teaching marksmanship, gun safety and history of the nation and the world. I will also work on teaching young people and discussing with old folks religion and politics and solving problems.

   Trying to become a harmless old man is easy, trying to stay relevant not so much. I keep thinking that Don Quixote and I have too much in common. Y'all have a great new year, and you don't have to start over, you just have to endeavor to persevere.

Season't Greetings... read Washington's Crossing by David Hacket Fisher....

   Day before Christmas and my wife and I stop at the Credit Union to sign for a Home Improvement Line of Credit. Interesting, I don't need to draw on it until I need to write checks, and I pay nothing until they send the money I need to my account. Okay. sounds good. Rather win the Lotto, but we all know that won't happen.

    We stopped at the Berger King for a quick breakfast, and Hal Evans, my old friend was there having breakfast with his sister, who was up from California visiting her daughter and granddaughter.... how cool is that? It became a great time, talk, eat, talk... Catching up a little since the last time we met there for breakfast. She remembered me and my Trusty Triumph from years ago. I do still have the motorcycle, just terrified to try and ride it anywhere. I do need to slow do my clicking with mouse and software. I have to regain control of my Windows 10 machine, seems like it has started to respond correctly.

     Seems cold air and wet hair combined to lower my resistance to  a cold, and I now have a stuffy nose and some sneezing and desire for hot soup, hot tea and honey.. My wife has a desire for a really clean home, in case we get someone dropping by for the holiday. The new vacuum is great, picking lots of stuff.  I try to find some meaning in what is on the cable screen, Xfinity didn't get the new components to us, but it isn't nine pm here yet. Still I have more than I need now. All the other packages and gifts arrived, and I got Merry Christmas greetings and shared some with the delivery folks, trying to make everyone's holiday perfect. So I am now on the Hallmark, fireplace, holiday music from all the eras, and kittens, cats, puppies and small dogs, and rabbits?

   PEACE on Earth and Good Will towards Men. And the angels will sing and life is best when done in the Glory of the Lord.

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: It is Friday, Remember the Deployed... been there ...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: It is Friday, Remember the Deployed... been there ...: and we are still doing that.     Today a break from YMCA, I am waiting on a service repairman. I found my powder horn, just almost where I...