THANKSGIVING 2018 & BOYS WILL BE BOYS.........

Early morning, early in the Thanksgiving week, a second light snow fall sets a winter mood for this holiday week. The turkey comes out of the freezer this morning and set for thawing by her. She is in charge of the all Thanksgiving dinner. I sit, observe over the next few days and visit as she prepares the full meal. 

What is different this year is it is just her and me and a large turkey. She says she does not know how to make a small turkey dinner. More than anything, I believe that she does not want to. Something will be lost if she is not up before dawn "fixin" and a "makin." How could we ever spend a Thanksgiving Day not getting the home ready, the table set and the meal cooked? How could we not have that moment when all are around the table (even if it is just her and I) saying thanks and seeing it all come together. I do not know if we can give that up until it is no longer possible. I, for one, absolutely need/want that plate of Thanksgiving smothered in gravy. 

If you have never seen this Thanksgiving clip from Everyone Loves Raymond, then enjoy. Even if you have, you still cannot help but laugh again. 

It is what's for breakfast, Thanksgiving morning when no guests are expected. I can cut into that fresh baked pumpkin pie and add "a little whipping cream." 

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We ventured out on Black Friday and was able to get through three hours of some shopping. We did not step into the busy cities or malls. Knew better!

Her went into a specialty store for some specific do-dads only to find several dozen folks waiting in line and just one cashier. I want to say I am surprised but no. Not much adds up nor makes sense anywhere these days. 

I spent some time in a local book store, but found nothing of interest. Not there are not good books and new books that may interest me. I am not a good shopper when it comes to this. Maybe too much to chose from. I need a good suggestion or two. Adventure? Underdog wins? Her has all the classics and I should just belly up, pick one and work through it. 

Last of the warmed up turkey this Saturday morning and have officially run out of gravy. Saved the remaining white meat for sandwiches and the mashed potatoes for frying with eggs in the morning. 

Pot of soup has been made and several containers already frozen. Thanksgiving has run its course this season in the food department. 

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Christmas, wedding anniversary and New Year's around the corner. In that order. What for her for the first two: New Years is always a few freshly steamed lobsters and an old movie. Then winter remains until a season changes as we again look forward to all the next three seasons bring. Full circle over and over and that is OK with us. 

I have purposely left out the nagging parts of me in this post for the crazy world. I am, in fact,trying to figure a path that keeps me away from all public TV broadcasting. Maybe a little FOX news, but even they are drinking the Kool -Aid and skirting full stories. I will keep to my blog lists; skim headlines and stop from time to time when one of the best ones catches my fancy. 

Son suggested I need a project. "Build a model dad. We talked of having RC gliders ready to fly come spring." True, but my office is one of the rooms where we keep the door closed to help keep the core of the home warm during winter. Not motivated to work in a cold room. 

I do not want to mess up part of that living space with a small table and model. But I need to find an activity that keeps my daily interest.

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Easy weather week ahead here, some shopping with her and me on the local roads. 

Enjoy the days ahead. The new year may prove to be rough and tumble. 

Thanks for stopping in this week.  

AND THEN THIS JUST BEFORE I PUBLISH MY WIFE SHARES THIS. 

BOYS WILL BE BOYS, EVEN IN THE ROBOT APOCALYPSE.

Wow, just wow. There are extremely talented people out there. Maybe, just maybe eleven and twelve minute home made movies are the wave of the future of entertainment. How many movies have you watched where the first minute grabs you, will not let go and holds you till the very end? How many?

Turn up the sound, sit back and enjoy.

HATING ON WINTER & OPERATORS IN THE COCKPITS

HATING ON WINTER

Millions and millions of people affected; weather reporters kicking around a half inch of fallen snow and indicating they have seen some kind of emergency vehicle on the other side of the highway; schools starting two hours late and again first fallen snow in New Hampshire indicates danger danger is near, hint media reports. 

There are a few vehicles that have failed to negotiate the groomed freeways and easily identifiable from their colored blinking lights in the dust of snow. The rules of the road always and consistently do not apply to some folks.

It is the first official snow fall this onset to winter, a new winter season and media's need to hype it up feel the same as winters past.  

My wife has been hating on winter this past week. For sure a "passionate dislike" for the cold, wintry mix, low grey clouds, wind that drills through all layers of clothes and the ultimate fact that she needs to get out in it to do necessary responsibilities. 

She worries about me out working last minute physical things and that fact that I will be out this week blowing snow off of our 800' drive way.  She will be on the two way radio to make sure all is well when I am down at the bottom of the driveway and out of sight. She worries.  

We awoke to 4" of snow! It has a beauty all of its own if one is willing to look. I always look, always. The two half cord wood piles were completed by son before the first flakes and he hauled away the left over dregs in his little trailer. We are both concerned that winter may be bigger that our wood storage given the amount of wood we are burning early this season. Those two piles are insurance against that last stick out of our wood sheds while winter is still on.  

OPERATORS IN THE COCKPITS  

A recent article regarding a Lion Airlines 747 crash that killed all on board after take off in Indonesia.....

"It seems that the operators were caught off guard.............." starts the story. It is this reference to the two pilots being referred to as operators rather than pilots.  

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PILOTS

"Pop" was my wife's father. He was a pilot's pilot. Visit my blog for the story. 

On a "mission" to Cuba to pick up a plane load of rum in a B-24, Pop and his crew had stopped long enough to have a few drinks before heading back to Jacksonville. Pilots and crew have been known to have drink or two from time to time. 

After take off the crew settled in and eventually all fell asleep for 2 hours. Flying on autopilot, the crew woke up "somewhere over the states." 

Pop always laughed when he told this story. 

And then there was the story of a mid-air collision he was involved in on a bombing mission that turned his B-24 upside down. He flew the plane out of that and landed safely with the tail of the other B-24 impaled on the nose of his plane. 

And the story of the young instructor pilot who was checking Pop out in a DC-3 at night over Love Field in Texas. The instructor wanted pop to stall the plane and then perform correct stall recovery procedures. Pop did, the instructor asked him to do it again. He did and the instructor was "fracking" with him. Pop knew it. The instructor asked him to do it again and pop pulled the nose up to a full stall and the DC-3 rolled inverted, at night, over Love Field. Pop recovered. Scared the shit out of the instructor pilot. 

Pop could tell a war story and a flying story like none I have ever known. 

Pop and many men and women like him who have flown in the military are pilots. Seat of the pants pilots. Excellent, tested and trusted pilots.

Two pics of "Pop's B-24

BIG FAT MAMA 1
BIG FAT MAMA 2

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If the folks sitting up front in commercial jets are now referred to as operators, than times have changed and not for the good. I learned recently that today's airline pilots can get type-rated in a large jet airliner having never stepped inside the plane. All accomplished inside a high technological flight simulator. 

These folks are exceptional at utilizing all of the technology inside the modern day airliner. But are they missing the seat of the pants flying that is needed beyond the modern technology? I find their landings at my destination airports are very good hints if there are operators or pilots in the cockpit. 

Just maybe a good old seat of the pants flying experience might have helped in the Lion Airlines crash. Maybe!!

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APPLE PIE IN A JAR

MOONSHINE

a recipe 

A recent weekend gathering of friends meant some homemade food and snacks. I was told someone brought fresh apple pie and my interest was peaked. In the kitchen was a small cardboard box with a dozen jars of  apple pie moonshine. I have never tried moonshine. 

I was immediately reminded of Mags Bennett apple pie moonshine. It was not what it was. Anyone to whom Mags offered up a glass of her apple pie moonshine was in for a one way trip. The Justified TV series was one of the best I have watched from the very first episode. The music in many of the episodes was as enjoyable. 

I tried a sip of the apple pie moonshine and was amazed at the flavor and taste. Excellent. But I was not going to try more than that. I did though get to take a glass jar home and the day will come I will try it. 

There are a lot of recipes on the net for making this and I do not know if I am going to try. If I were younger and not diabetic, I would for sure. I enjoy making mead and tap a little of that from time to time, but I may just pass on the moonshine. But damn, that sip was mighty yummy!!

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The chill of winter is in the office this morning. The wood fire is going and the core of the home is comfortable. Thanksgiving looms next week and I am looking forward to a plate of fixins, covered in gravy and that very first bite of a hot buttered run through a puddle of that plate gravy. 

Enjoy the holiday and gatherings. I hope you do not have to put up with political discussions as a part of the holiday. Thanks for your visit here this week. 

GUN THREAD .22 REVOLVERS

Tag is Courtesy of FORT SCOTT Munitions.

SMITH AND WESSON        .22 LONG RIFLE     MODEL 34-1    

DOUBLE ACTION REVOLVER   

Serial number indicates early 1970's year of manufacture

I am personally a fan of revolvers and know the pro and con arguments for owning and shooting them. This gun holds 6 rounds and whether it is used for plinking, small game hunting or self protection, the 6 round load means the shooter must get the job done with just that. A con in many folks book, plus the .22 caliber is not widely viewed for self protection. Then again it depends on who you talk to and how this particular gun may fit into a gun owner's wants and needs. 

If there is one of these particular pistols pictured above in your family, never ever sell it. Take care of it, clean it, shoot it and hand it down when the time is right. 

Pros:

* Reliability / simplicity of function and use. No muss, no fuss. Pick up the gun, point/aim at the target and pull the trigger. Do it again and again till the 6 rounds are spent. If one of the .22 cartridges does not fire, pull the trigger again. 9.9999 times out of 10, all six cartridges will fire. Choose quality ammunition and those odds go up. 

*Trigger pull is long and most often is a little harder than other hand guns minimizing an unwanted discharge in a shooting rotation. A gunsmith can polish the trigger action making it smoother. Money well spent. Spring kits are also offered to lessen the trigger pull. Always always use a qualified gunsmith.

*This particular revolver pictured above will fit most anyone's hand. It is light weight by most standards.

*A .22 caliber cartridge gives off minimal recoil making the pistol great for beginners to advanced shooters.

* .22 caliber ammunition is affordable and now readily available in any quantity wanted. 

When you visit with anyone who poo-poo's revolvers, keep this video in mind. Jerry Miculek. You can become as proficient you want to through practice. 

Cons:

*Slower reloading times

*Less rounds available in one shooting rotation vs. semi-automatics. Means less firepower in a prolonged gun fight. 

*Size for conceal carry

There are many articles on the net covering revolvers vs. semi-automatic handguns. It always comes down to personal preference, comfort, fit and ability to shoot. As always, do your homework.

For this blog I shopped for .22 double action revolvers. Here are two others I found at local gun shops.

CHARTER ARMS .22 LONG RIFLE REVOLVER    6 SHOT   $344.00

The pistol comes with a life-long manufacture guarantee. It fit my larger hands, was of medium weight compared to gun size and double-action trigger pull was reasonable as was single action. 

A good entry .22 revolver for the price. 

Another review I found on the net.

$714.99

SMITH AND WESSON MODEL 617    .22 LONG RIFLE   4" BARREL   10 SHOT  

In this case, you do get what you pay for. The above revolver is far superior to the Charter Arms. At over the twice the cost, it is 10 times the pistol. My opinion. 

The pistol is solid and a little heaver. Ten rounds gives the same as most all off the shelf semi-automatic .22 caliber pistols. Being a little heavier means less recoil as the weight of the pistol absorbs some of that. 

.22 SPEED LOADER FOR THE MODEL 617 Good demo. Notice 10 out of 10 on target. 

Speed loaders are available for most all revolvers and calibers. 

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Watching new shooters and not-so-new shooters try to manage semi-automatic handguns at the range always leaves me wanting. More often than not, the semi automatic pistols jam for various reasons. Biggest reason being the shooter does not fully know his/her handgun. Then I watch them twist and turn the pistol wondering what to do. Out of 10, out-of-the-box pistol shooters I watch, 5 will have issues that most always need someone else to intervene to clear and make the gun ready to shoot.  

Everything from ammunition choice, not properly cleaning the gun, a loose grip or improperly loaded and/or inserted magazine, the stoppage of a shooting rotation due to gun malfunction can be life-threatening. It also presents a safety factor to shooters that do not know how to clear a stoppage. All of this can be cleared up through good education and a shooter willingness to learn, apply and practice practice practice. 

The revolver is a very good first pistol for purchase to learn shooting and be very safe in the process. The .22 caliber revolver is an affordable tool for all around safety and learning. The above Smith and Wesson model is worth the price and will forever be a keeper. 

Yes, there are other very good manufactures and models. I  arbitrarily chose the two above because the two gun shops I visited did not have the others in stock for this review. 

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BE THE BABY BEAR 

HEAVENLY FATHER PLEASE HELP US....."

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This past week has gone by in a blur. Elections came and went in the blink of an eye.

I care not of any of the politics today nor processing through each agonizing moment for the next two years. Much time has freed up in my head and living. Who knew!

With the help of son this past week, the "castle" on the hill is all but ready for the approaching winter season. All the leaves were removed and blown away, only to all return last night in the wind. BUT, this happens every year, I just forget about it.

The woodshed is buttoned up and yard tools, buggies and the such stowed. A half a cord of fresh cut wood still nags at me, but it is not essential for this winter. It would be though, a safety net if this turns out to be one of those winters to remember.

The snow blower is mounted on the tractor and the oil and filter are fresh. Front mount rubber chains have been pre-fitted and may be tried this season for the first time.

The driveway will be cleaned and sanded the day before first official snow fall.

Winter can arrive tomorrow full blast and we are ready. 

Not full blast last night, but a teaser of what is to come.

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Cold in the office this morning. Fire on high working to get us to 70 degrees in the house. 

Stay safe, get the turkey and fixins', be thankful and I appreciate your stopping by this week.

NEW TECHNOLOGY

NEW TECHNOLOGY (for me)

I have been talking new cell phone for a few months now. Samsung S7 or S8. If money were not an issue I would choose the S9 Note. But it is and a new S7 out of the box was "rolled back" and cost appropriate. Son has had one for over a year now and loves it. 

One of the reasons to up-grade was for the photos and video. The two photos above were taken on a rainy day off of our front porch. Only editing was the size of the photo for blogging. I could have enhanced in Photoshop, but wanted to see how the cell phone camera grabbed these late fall colors as is. 

I have been a photography buff for over 50 years and to have a multi-use tool that is also a great camera means no lugging camera gear. Another upside is that it is always with me at home and on the road. Good basic photography always at hand is much better than a Canon camera left in the bag at home.

I also like that video has image stabilization - which I need at my age.

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NO ACORNS THIS YEAR

In most years past, the ground pictured around the bird feeder is covered with fallen acorns. They have ripened and fallen, wind helped plus squirrels tripping from treetop to treetop knocking them to the ground. 

But the barren ground, seen here, this season is usually covered to the degree that walking this path would be walking a path of freshly fallen acorns. 

Last year was an abundant year and the squirrel and chipmunk families flourished. What mother nature has provided in years past, she is not providing this year.

Chipmunks and squirrels clean the scraps scratched off from the bird feeder. But due to the desire of these critters to want to nest in our garage, I am not feeding them now.

When snow is on the ground and the garage doors remain down other than our coming and going, I will be the good caretaker and feed the little buggers. But for now, the squirrel and chipmunk rendition program is in affect. Wife says the hardest part of all of this is getting the little black hoods over their heads. 

Squirrels and chipmunks are not being hurt, just relocated using Have-a-Heart traps. In fact, I have not caught one in the garage for well over a week now. Sign of a successful program. 

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5 MINUTE ARTISAN BREAD

Dough keeps for two weeks in the fridge and the flavor of the baked bread increases as the bread refrigerates. 

The dough for this particular loaf was mixed 4 days ago. Baked for 30 minutes at 450 degrees.

Winter is here. If you are not a bread maker or are a hater of warm home made bread smothered in butter, than change your evil ways. 

A warm slice of bread with butter is a meal in of itself. Can you just picture a slice of this in your lunch box tomorrow?

While I am at it!

Ham and Bean soup

I used two cans of pinto beans. One can was blended in a little water using an immersion hand mixer and added at the end of an hour simmer. This is the secret to any good bean soup giving it thickness and flavor. 

I used 4 cups of real chicken broth and a little more water for pot size. 

I used leftover ham and ham pieces from the freezer. Ham is always in our holiday season meal routine. Save your leftover ham pieces and make this soup this winter. Add some cooked elbow macaroni noodles for more flavor and bulk. Even better the next day. 

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BREAKING A HABIT

I have said here several times that it takes about three weeks to break a habit. It works. 

But I cheated the other day and tuned into an NFL game in progress. That lasted 5 minutes before I turned off the TV and went on with other projects and interests. My longstanding interest in watching NFL football is gone.  Erased with no after taste.

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ELECTIONS IN TWO DAYS

Locally and across the nation, this election will be one of the most important in our nation's history.  

Neither a far right nor a far left agenda is good for this country. 

We have stood fast for years and years working peace in our country without world wars on our home lands. Maybe all these years have made us soft and we think that this has always been and thus will always be the way. In truth, this nation and freedom have always been under attack. Always and if you read history, you know this to be true.

My hopes are high but so are my fears. There is currently a lot of talk and actions of violence. Skimming headlines, I am also seeing more and more talk of inevitable wars coming. Also more common now are stories and fuzzy pics of alien space craft.  Absolutely nothing surprises me anymore. 

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HEAVY RAINS AND LOCAL RIVERS OVER THEIR BANKS

This happens a few times a year when we get the heavy rains moving up from the south coupled with a weather pattern that is stationary over our state for a day or two. Over 2" of rain in the past 24 hours. 

River noticeably over its banks and just with in a few feet of the bottom of a covered bridge. 

Photo taken from inside the covered bridge looking west. Banks over flowed. 

Another local covered bridge with river water over flowing into the adjacent flatland's. 














Same bridge and normal river flow earlier this year. 

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Work, play, love and for Goodness sake, laugh often.

Get out and vote Tuesday.   

Thanks for the visit. I appreciate.