I am about to check out of my motel and head home. This time around, as in almost every time I needed an inexpensive motel on my hunting trips, vacations or whatever, I opted to stay at a Motel 6 for at least part of my stay. I say for at least part of my stay because this time Brendan and I spent 2 nights at Holiday Inn in Binghamton. I had just enough points in my Priority Club membership, with a few hundred left over, to get us a free room for 2 nights at 15,000 points a night. Almost all gone now, I think I have just over 300 points remaining. Probably no free nights next year unless I use my Visa card an awful lot. Holiday Inn was nice this time around, nice clean room, decent restaurant - better than when I stayed there a year or two ago and had a horrendous night in a room where the window kept blowing open and the heater was screwed up and other things that were annoying.
Back to Motel 6 though. Most Motel 6's I have stayed in over the years have had fairly nice, clean but spartan motel rooms. Spartan is the keyword for all Motel 6 rooms as far as I can tell. What would you expect for a motel that charged about $10 a night the first time I stayed there back in 1979. Now they charge just under $40 for a single person (at least that is the rate in Binghamton, NY). For that you get a bed or two, a small table, a clothes rack, a mirror, a dresser or dressing shelf, a television with cable channels including one HBO station, air conditioning and heat, and a bathroom. There may or may not be a pool at your choice of Motel 6. The one in Binghamton does not have one I have ever seen.
As said, the Motel 6's at which I have stayed have been clean for the most part. I do not like seedy motels though I have stayed at a few more, over the years, than to which I would care to admit. A few of them have been Motel 6's. One was in Fogelsville (...berg?) PA and it was, in my opinion, an out and out dump. I remember then staying at the one in Binghamton a short time later and how happy I was that in years past it was clean as a whistle. I commented on that to the lady behind the desk back then and told her i had recently had a bad experience at a Motel 6 and that it was the dirtiest motel I had seen in many years. She told me she could guess which one, then proceeded to correctly name the Motel 6 in Fogelswhatever, PA. She explained that not all Motel 6's are ACCOR Motels but some are franchises where they paid to use the motel 6 name. The franchises, according to her, did not have to live up to Accor Motel standards and therefore often gave a bad impression of Motel 6 in general. I always checked, after that, to assure any Motel 6 at which I stayed was an Accor Motel. The one in Binghamton used to be one; now I wonder if it stillis one.
The Motel 6 in Binghamton, NY, in my opinion, has nose dived in quality control. The place is not what it once was and is long overdue for an overhaul. Last year or the year before, I stayed here and the carpet in the hallways was bunched up in places; you could easily trip and fall due to it. I complained to management about it. Guess what was the first thing I noticed on this stay. Same carpet, all bunched up in places. Plus I noticed the carpet was filthy or so it looked to me. The carpet in my room was also pretty dirty. Inside my room I also noticed dirty spots on the walls, cracks in the bathtub, no stopper in the bath tub or bathroom sink, leaking faucet on the sink (when you turned it on it leaked out of he top onto the countertop. Some of the light bulbs flickered, when i checked I found them to be only partially screwed into the fixtures. Tightening them corrected the problem but why did I have to do that!
I had a room with 2 beds (just in case Brendan would have decided to stay a night or two beyond the two nights he was with me at Holiday Inn). I turned down one bed and the sheets and pillow cases were creased and rumpled, one pillow case appeared to me to be somewhat yellowed, and one pillow case was only about 1/2 the way on the pillow. The sheets were not tucked in on the side of the bed. All looked as if someone had slept in this bed then the bed was hastily made without putting on clean sheets and pillow cases. There was also a hair on the bed and it was not mine. The other bed looked as it it had been properly made with fresh sheets; of course, I slept in the clean looking one.
I made a complaint, on Sunday night right after I saw it, to the front desk clerk. She told me she would alert the manager the next day. No one got back to me on it. Well, yesterday when I got back to my room after hunting, I figured no one even checked on it as it appeared the same exact sheets were left on the rumpled looking bed and once again the covers just thrown over them. I also noted that while the bathroom had been cleaned somewhat, the throne had not been cleaned. I called the front desk this morning to tell them to prepare a refund of two nights as I am checking out two days early (they charge your card upon arrival for the whole stay). They said - no problem. In a few minutes I will find out if there is a problem or not. They will find out that I will no longer be staying at Motel 6 in Binghamton and may not stay at another Motel 6 dependent on the reply I get to the letter of complaint I will send to Motel 6 corporate (Accor Motels).
Not only were the above things at issue but I asked for a room at a specific section of the motel and they got that wrong going in the opposite direction down the hall from the room I wanted. When I asked for it to be changed at check-in, the clerk told me 'that is the room they gave you' and then looked at me with what I thought was a pitiful but dimwitted look on her face. I should note that yesterday morning, when I went to the lobby to grab a cup of coffee while waiting for a tow truck (a whole other story that delayed my start hunting yesterday be a few hours), I heard a clerk complaining to another about the lady who had worked the night before not getting anything right. The lady they were complaining about was the clerk who checked me in. One of the complaints was she did not even know enough to turn on the light for the Motel 6 sign one it was dark. The sign was dim while she was working as I suppose were her wits.
All in all it was not a good experience. In my opinion, Motel 6 in Binghamton used to be a bargain but now I think it is just a dump, another seedy motel I would not care to stay in again. Of course that is all only my opinion, maybe other people still like it but I am spending my money and my opinion is what sways me to spend or not spend at any given business. Motel 6 Binghamton is not getting my money again until they improve markedly.
Holiday Inn, on the other hand has improved markedly since I had a problem there a year or two ago. My last two stays were pretty nice there. Thing is, I cannot afford a few days to a week at Holiday Inn for each of my hunting trips. I suppose next year Brendan and I can stay at Holiday Inn a couple of nights and once he leaves for home, I will stay at a less expensive place, maybe Comfort Inn. Time will tell.
All the best,
Glenn B
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Deer Win Again
I wish I knew what it is that I have been doing wrong. Seems to me I have been doing it the same way I did it when I bagged deer with some consistency but there must be something different because I have not gotten one in years. Heck, I did not even see one from any of my stands this year and I even stayed out a few hours in the rain yesterday. Brendan, he was another story. At least he saw one even though he decided not to shoot. I must have done something right there, I rattled that one in - just never saw it. Oh well, more on deer hunting in a future post and maybe more hunting this coming weekend, and the next weekend and the next if it takes that long. I have until December 12th to get myself some venison! I am hopeful Brendan will tag along at least once more - he is the best hunting companion I could have with me at any time.
All the best,
GB
All the best,
GB
Saturday, November 20, 2010
A Young Sensible & Responsible Hunter & A Safe Shooter...
...would certainly be a fitting way to describe my son while on his hunting trip out in the woods today. He handled his rifle with the utmost care and that means safely at all times. That included when he saw a deer that I had rattled to within shooting distance. I did not see the deer, even tough it apparently passed in front of me first. When Brendan saw it, it seemed it may have spooked slightly and was trotting past him into the underbrush. He said he could have taken a shot but did not want to chance a shot at it because it was moving away at a trot. He has been deer hunting about 3 times now, not gotten one yet, was very anxious to get one today, saw one yesterday (the day before rifle season opened) so was even more anxious, but yet had the restraint to hold off on taking a risky shot that may have resulted in an only wounded and lost deer - or worse - in a stray shot. As he told me, one shot - one kill. I have got to hand it to him and have to say I think he deserves an 8 or 10 pointer for his first deer.
I also have to hand it to him for not slipping and falling on his arse like I did today. I turned, looked at him once the pain subsided a bit, and said he must have gotten a bit of a laugh seeing me go down like that. He would not answer me but did have a bit of a telling smile on his face at that moment.
Tomorrow is another day, well about 5 hours of another hunting day for Brendan. He has to leave early. If he gets one, I will leave at the same time. If he strikes out, then I will stay to try to bag one myself. I get to stay until as late as Wednesday if I want.
All the best,
Glenn B
I also have to hand it to him for not slipping and falling on his arse like I did today. I turned, looked at him once the pain subsided a bit, and said he must have gotten a bit of a laugh seeing me go down like that. He would not answer me but did have a bit of a telling smile on his face at that moment.
Tomorrow is another day, well about 5 hours of another hunting day for Brendan. He has to leave early. If he gets one, I will leave at the same time. If he strikes out, then I will stay to try to bag one myself. I get to stay until as late as Wednesday if I want.
All the best,
Glenn B
Friday, November 19, 2010
Redundancy - It Can Be A Good Thing
re·dun·dan·cy /rɪˈdʌndənsi/ Show Spelled
[ri-duhn-duhn-see] Show IPA
–noun, plural -cies.
1. the state of being redundant.
2. superfluous repetition or overlapping, esp. of words.
3. a redundant thing, part, or amount; superfluity.
4. the provision of additional or duplicate systems, equipment, etc., that function in case an operating part or system fails, as in a spacecraft.
The word is a big part of my hunting system. If you were to see me when I pack my car to go hunting, you might think that I was going for a month or at least that double the amount of people were going on my 5 to 7 day trip. Some years, I have thrown so much gear into my car so that it was doubtful that a deer would have fit in there had I bagged one. No, I am not one of the guys who drives around with a deer on the roof of the car, I have it cut up before I start my homeward trip and then put it all in a cooler or three - so it has to fit in the car. I guess the coolers are a good place to start. I bring two with me when I remember them. One makes a great gear holder on the trip up, the other holds lunch and snacks. Of course, if I get a deer I have to dump everything out and then fill them with frozen venison for the ride home Yes the guy who butchers it also freezes it). Notwithstanding the redundancy of having two coolers along, if I actually get a deer, two likely will not be enough and I'll probably have to buy a third cooler to hold it all. Nope, my coolers are not the biggest! If Brendan fills his tag, he will have to figure out something for himself - like maybe spending some of his own cash this time around for a cooler or three.
The cash department, now there is something concerning which I think almost everyone would agree - redundancy is a good thing. More cash on hand is almost always good.I bring along enough for what I expect to spend on the trip, then try to double it. The doubling of the cash, like the doubling or tripling of the coolers, is relative to the cutting up of the deer. It is darned expensive to have a deer butchered. When I started hunting seriously, over 25 years ago, I soon learned that if I had squirreled away enough cash for food, beverages, lodging (not always needed since I often had a place to stay on my uncle's farm), gas for the car and change for the tolls (pre E-Z-pass days) and whatever else I might need to get me through - it was not near enough if I bagged a deer because I had to have it cut up. Back then it cost a whopping $25 to $35 but bear in mind that gasoline was probably .50 cents a gallon and everything else was dirt cheap compared to today's prices. Now it will cost me about $125 for one deer to be cut up; so much I am tempted to bring it home whole on the top of my car or propped up in the passenger seat, and try to do it myself with a hand saw, a cleaver and knives.
Knives, there is another thing on which I double up or even quadruple up for my hunting trips. The knife is one of the most basic formed tools that humans have ever used yet, regardless of how basic, it can be one of the most useful tools in our possession at any given moment. I would hate to be out in the woods, driving in my car, or even riding on the subway without one. Being out on a hunting or fishing trip without one could simply ruin your day. I mean what is I do shoot a great trophy sized deer and then reach for the hilt of my knife in its sheath and come up empty handed. 'Heck, where is my knife', I wonder. Then I remember feeling like I got stuck while walking through some heavy undergrowth and as if a bush had grabbed me on my right side about a half hour before while still-hunting. I literally had to violently jerk my body to get free. Must have been that the knife somehow got pulled out of my sheath then; probably never find it now. Oh well, I reach into my right hip pocket and come up with a good folding knife. I proceed to field dress the deer without having to worry that not doing so in a timely manner will lead to ruining the meat or the chances of having the head and cape mounted.
When hunting or hiking, I make it a point to carry at least two knives and many times carry three. One is almost always a straight edge and the others are folders. There are plenty of other reasons like the one given above that could cause me to lose a knife. So, I almost always carry more than one while afield. About the only reason I do not have more than one would be because I forgot one or both, or lost one somewhere along the way. I am much less likely to wind up with no knives if I make it a habit of carry two or three at all times when out and about in the fields, forests or on the water and come to think of it when pounding pavement on city streets too.
Speaking of pounding the pavement, I sometimes do a lot of walking while hunting, sometimes not. Almost every time I hunt though, I wind up crossing water. Waterproof boots or not - my feet often get wet. I find one of the best fixes for this, when hunting, is to change to dry socks. Of course, I wear wool socks while hunting and wool will keep you warm when wet but I don't think it does as good a job when soaked. In addition, wet socks cause your feet to get that dish-pan hand sort of look and are much more prone to getting blisters. A change of socks or two is usually in my back pack when out hunting or hiking - wet socks be darned!
The topic of getting wet naturally leads one to think of water. Here is something you need a lot of during the course of a day. Water hydrates you, helps keep you comfortable in both hot and cold temperatures, and can help stifle bouts of coughing. These are all very important considerations during a hunt. I usually carry at least three bottles of water while hunting. I also carry a Camelback pack with a hydration system. Depending on what I am doing, I may or may not fill its bladder. When hiking out in AZ, I always filled it and also carried a couple to few bottles of water with me. When hunting or hiking here in NY state, it depends on how much walking I'll be doing. On this hunt I will probably only bring along 3 to 4 bottles of water. Note, I could carry all that water in the bladder, so why don't i do that instead of carry 4 bottles? If you have ever fallen while hiking and landed on your backpack, you may realize you can burst the bladder. I could also burst the bottles but with 4 of them chances are one or more will survive the fall and I will still have something to drink. Not so critical where I will be hunting, there is a lot of water around, unless of course I fall far from water, break a bone and have to stay put a night or more in the woods or under the desert sun.
Ah, the sun. It brings up another concern. If it is bright and making it hot, or behind the clouds and allowing it to get cold, or if it is rising or setting and causing glare - there is one thing that can make life easier for you - a good hat. I carry hats for warmth and to help prevent glare. The hats I usually carry are either weather proof, water repellent or will keep you warm when wet. One of the best hats I carry in my pack is a boonie. It helps keep my head dry, helps somewhat to keep it warm, and definitely helps to fend off glare. I also carry a watch-cap or two while hunting, mostly just for warmth but at least one of them is waterproof and keeps my head and hair dry. While fishing I often wear a ball cap. Hats are easy to lose because they can blow off your head in high winds or just be left behind if you take a break while hiking. I try to always carry 2 hats with me while hiking or fishing and usually three while hunting.
All this duplicity can wind up making a back pack pretty heavy when you consider that not only do you have your basic pack fillers but you have doubled or tripled up on a good number of them. When hiking, my day pack weighs in at about 20 to 30 pounds, much of the weight change depending on how much water I have along. The thing is, with what have along, if I did fall in the wilderness and say break a leg, I could probably survive for several days to well over a week on with what I have brought along with me and remember that is stuff in my day pack.
The only drawback I have ever encountered, besides it being heavy for an older middle aged fat man to carry, is that because it is so heavy I wind up making way to much noise in the woods to still-hunt. So I thought once upon a time. Now, after years of carrying a heavier day pack, I realize that it is okay to lug it along as long as I do everything right while out there stalking game. Things like taking 4 to 10 steps at most then waiting for about 15 seconds to as long as a minute before taking another step. Believe me, after a couple of hours doing that the 20 to 30 pound pack weighs a ton but I would rather have it with me so I can enjoy my lunch inn the woods and if need be so I can live to see another day in the event of some sort of accident. Speaking of lunch, did I mention I also pack some extra food...
Heck, is it that late already? I've got to go pack all our gear into both of the cars we are taking this year. Nope, I do not always take two cars on a hunting trip, just this year Brendan has to be at school on Monday and if we do not already have a deer by then, I am staying upstate a few more days. By the way, I planned to leave earlier this morning, that is until someone came home at 3AM snockered. He is still asleep but will get dragged out of bed in about another minute. Later for you, I have some dragging to do. All I can add is thank goodness we are not redundant about who is till sleeping, otherwise we may never get going.
All the best,
Glenn B
[ri-duhn-duhn-see] Show IPA
–noun, plural -cies.
1. the state of being redundant.
2. superfluous repetition or overlapping, esp. of words.
3. a redundant thing, part, or amount; superfluity.
4. the provision of additional or duplicate systems, equipment, etc., that function in case an operating part or system fails, as in a spacecraft.
The word is a big part of my hunting system. If you were to see me when I pack my car to go hunting, you might think that I was going for a month or at least that double the amount of people were going on my 5 to 7 day trip. Some years, I have thrown so much gear into my car so that it was doubtful that a deer would have fit in there had I bagged one. No, I am not one of the guys who drives around with a deer on the roof of the car, I have it cut up before I start my homeward trip and then put it all in a cooler or three - so it has to fit in the car. I guess the coolers are a good place to start. I bring two with me when I remember them. One makes a great gear holder on the trip up, the other holds lunch and snacks. Of course, if I get a deer I have to dump everything out and then fill them with frozen venison for the ride home Yes the guy who butchers it also freezes it). Notwithstanding the redundancy of having two coolers along, if I actually get a deer, two likely will not be enough and I'll probably have to buy a third cooler to hold it all. Nope, my coolers are not the biggest! If Brendan fills his tag, he will have to figure out something for himself - like maybe spending some of his own cash this time around for a cooler or three.
The cash department, now there is something concerning which I think almost everyone would agree - redundancy is a good thing. More cash on hand is almost always good.I bring along enough for what I expect to spend on the trip, then try to double it. The doubling of the cash, like the doubling or tripling of the coolers, is relative to the cutting up of the deer. It is darned expensive to have a deer butchered. When I started hunting seriously, over 25 years ago, I soon learned that if I had squirreled away enough cash for food, beverages, lodging (not always needed since I often had a place to stay on my uncle's farm), gas for the car and change for the tolls (pre E-Z-pass days) and whatever else I might need to get me through - it was not near enough if I bagged a deer because I had to have it cut up. Back then it cost a whopping $25 to $35 but bear in mind that gasoline was probably .50 cents a gallon and everything else was dirt cheap compared to today's prices. Now it will cost me about $125 for one deer to be cut up; so much I am tempted to bring it home whole on the top of my car or propped up in the passenger seat, and try to do it myself with a hand saw, a cleaver and knives.
Knives, there is another thing on which I double up or even quadruple up for my hunting trips. The knife is one of the most basic formed tools that humans have ever used yet, regardless of how basic, it can be one of the most useful tools in our possession at any given moment. I would hate to be out in the woods, driving in my car, or even riding on the subway without one. Being out on a hunting or fishing trip without one could simply ruin your day. I mean what is I do shoot a great trophy sized deer and then reach for the hilt of my knife in its sheath and come up empty handed. 'Heck, where is my knife', I wonder. Then I remember feeling like I got stuck while walking through some heavy undergrowth and as if a bush had grabbed me on my right side about a half hour before while still-hunting. I literally had to violently jerk my body to get free. Must have been that the knife somehow got pulled out of my sheath then; probably never find it now. Oh well, I reach into my right hip pocket and come up with a good folding knife. I proceed to field dress the deer without having to worry that not doing so in a timely manner will lead to ruining the meat or the chances of having the head and cape mounted.
When hunting or hiking, I make it a point to carry at least two knives and many times carry three. One is almost always a straight edge and the others are folders. There are plenty of other reasons like the one given above that could cause me to lose a knife. So, I almost always carry more than one while afield. About the only reason I do not have more than one would be because I forgot one or both, or lost one somewhere along the way. I am much less likely to wind up with no knives if I make it a habit of carry two or three at all times when out and about in the fields, forests or on the water and come to think of it when pounding pavement on city streets too.
Speaking of pounding the pavement, I sometimes do a lot of walking while hunting, sometimes not. Almost every time I hunt though, I wind up crossing water. Waterproof boots or not - my feet often get wet. I find one of the best fixes for this, when hunting, is to change to dry socks. Of course, I wear wool socks while hunting and wool will keep you warm when wet but I don't think it does as good a job when soaked. In addition, wet socks cause your feet to get that dish-pan hand sort of look and are much more prone to getting blisters. A change of socks or two is usually in my back pack when out hunting or hiking - wet socks be darned!
The topic of getting wet naturally leads one to think of water. Here is something you need a lot of during the course of a day. Water hydrates you, helps keep you comfortable in both hot and cold temperatures, and can help stifle bouts of coughing. These are all very important considerations during a hunt. I usually carry at least three bottles of water while hunting. I also carry a Camelback pack with a hydration system. Depending on what I am doing, I may or may not fill its bladder. When hiking out in AZ, I always filled it and also carried a couple to few bottles of water with me. When hunting or hiking here in NY state, it depends on how much walking I'll be doing. On this hunt I will probably only bring along 3 to 4 bottles of water. Note, I could carry all that water in the bladder, so why don't i do that instead of carry 4 bottles? If you have ever fallen while hiking and landed on your backpack, you may realize you can burst the bladder. I could also burst the bottles but with 4 of them chances are one or more will survive the fall and I will still have something to drink. Not so critical where I will be hunting, there is a lot of water around, unless of course I fall far from water, break a bone and have to stay put a night or more in the woods or under the desert sun.
Ah, the sun. It brings up another concern. If it is bright and making it hot, or behind the clouds and allowing it to get cold, or if it is rising or setting and causing glare - there is one thing that can make life easier for you - a good hat. I carry hats for warmth and to help prevent glare. The hats I usually carry are either weather proof, water repellent or will keep you warm when wet. One of the best hats I carry in my pack is a boonie. It helps keep my head dry, helps somewhat to keep it warm, and definitely helps to fend off glare. I also carry a watch-cap or two while hunting, mostly just for warmth but at least one of them is waterproof and keeps my head and hair dry. While fishing I often wear a ball cap. Hats are easy to lose because they can blow off your head in high winds or just be left behind if you take a break while hiking. I try to always carry 2 hats with me while hiking or fishing and usually three while hunting.
All this duplicity can wind up making a back pack pretty heavy when you consider that not only do you have your basic pack fillers but you have doubled or tripled up on a good number of them. When hiking, my day pack weighs in at about 20 to 30 pounds, much of the weight change depending on how much water I have along. The thing is, with what have along, if I did fall in the wilderness and say break a leg, I could probably survive for several days to well over a week on with what I have brought along with me and remember that is stuff in my day pack.
The only drawback I have ever encountered, besides it being heavy for an older middle aged fat man to carry, is that because it is so heavy I wind up making way to much noise in the woods to still-hunt. So I thought once upon a time. Now, after years of carrying a heavier day pack, I realize that it is okay to lug it along as long as I do everything right while out there stalking game. Things like taking 4 to 10 steps at most then waiting for about 15 seconds to as long as a minute before taking another step. Believe me, after a couple of hours doing that the 20 to 30 pound pack weighs a ton but I would rather have it with me so I can enjoy my lunch inn the woods and if need be so I can live to see another day in the event of some sort of accident. Speaking of lunch, did I mention I also pack some extra food...
Heck, is it that late already? I've got to go pack all our gear into both of the cars we are taking this year. Nope, I do not always take two cars on a hunting trip, just this year Brendan has to be at school on Monday and if we do not already have a deer by then, I am staying upstate a few more days. By the way, I planned to leave earlier this morning, that is until someone came home at 3AM snockered. He is still asleep but will get dragged out of bed in about another minute. Later for you, I have some dragging to do. All I can add is thank goodness we are not redundant about who is till sleeping, otherwise we may never get going.
All the best,
Glenn B
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
It's Hard To Say Goodbye to A Friend...
...especially difficult when it is for the very last time. Today, many of us did that, we said goodbye to Mike T. So too did many a family say goodbye to a beloved husband, father, brother, uncle... Many of us, myself included, shed some tears - it was a rough one. We will miss Mike a lot; the truth be told, I miss him already. I take some solace in the fact that his sendoff was truly a heart lifting one, probably well over 250 people at the church and as many as 150, or more, at the cemetery. The amount of support for his family, from his coworkers, was truly humbling and astonishing. He was that kind of a guy, he made his mark on others and it was a good one that will probably prove to be long lasting.
Me, I am still finding it hard to believe he is gone and I suppose that many others who knew him feel likewise. I know that his family feels that way even more so; how could they not. The thing is though, even though he may be gone, he still lives on - I do not doubt it. The priest who said the mass told us about eternal life in Heaven. He also took it a step in another direction and reminded Mike's children of the importance of family because Mike lives on in them forever as long as they pass on his loving ways to their children and so on.
I am not much of a religious guy. I believe in a higher power, a supreme being, but not in any conventional church going manner. I also believe in eternal life of a sort. I take solace in a song, one I've posted here before. I need to post it again if for no other reason than it helps me remember that each time I see a single drop of rain I should think of Mike and others I have known who are gone from this world as we knew them. The song, in their absence, makes me think of those whom we may think are not with us any longer. Truth is they may be there right next to us. They are with us everywhere, all the time, with the song playing or not. That is, if we just care to see them, even in a single drop of rain. They'll be back again and again and again.
Happy trails my friend, until we meet again.
All the best,
Glenn B
Me, I am still finding it hard to believe he is gone and I suppose that many others who knew him feel likewise. I know that his family feels that way even more so; how could they not. The thing is though, even though he may be gone, he still lives on - I do not doubt it. The priest who said the mass told us about eternal life in Heaven. He also took it a step in another direction and reminded Mike's children of the importance of family because Mike lives on in them forever as long as they pass on his loving ways to their children and so on.
I am not much of a religious guy. I believe in a higher power, a supreme being, but not in any conventional church going manner. I also believe in eternal life of a sort. I take solace in a song, one I've posted here before. I need to post it again if for no other reason than it helps me remember that each time I see a single drop of rain I should think of Mike and others I have known who are gone from this world as we knew them. The song, in their absence, makes me think of those whom we may think are not with us any longer. Truth is they may be there right next to us. They are with us everywhere, all the time, with the song playing or not. That is, if we just care to see them, even in a single drop of rain. They'll be back again and again and again.
Happy trails my friend, until we meet again.
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Wife & Daughter Are Away, The Men About To Go Hunting, So What Could Be Better?
Yes, we seemingly have got it made. The two of us have had the house man castle all to ourselves for almost two full weeks already. We have lived like real men and enjoyed it. We eat when we want, clean the dishes when we want (or should is say I clean them when I want)watch what TV we want, sneak a snack when we want,fart when we want and for the most part just goof off all the rest of the time. Of course, there have been our four constant undisciplined pains in the neck our lovable and well trained dogs. My wife gets up and takes them out early every morning and sure enough the biggest one has come to me somewhere between 5:00 and about 5:45 every day for me to let her and the others out. I would not mind much but she licks my face to wake me each time she comes to get me. I guess I should take even dog kisses when I can get them , after all the wife will be home in a week and that will be the end of them.
Seriously now, we have been having a good time and mostly keeping the house in good order. It had better be in good order this Thursday when my mother-in-law arrives. As I look around, from where I am sitting right now, I can see that may take some doing. The place needs to be vacuumed. I am guessing the leaf litter all over the living and dining room floors would not be appreciated by a woman as much as we men seem to enjoy the autumnal decor. The dogs seem to drag it into the house when they go out to do there potty thing in the backyard - which reminds me I had best clean up out there. Yes I walk the dogs, have been walking them frequently but not quite every day (the 2 1/2 to 3 hours back and forth to work each day really cut into my time) but I also let them out back when I am short on time. As for those leaves, I suppose the wind has blown quite a few into theman cave castle house when I have left the door open for the dogs to come and go. They sometimes pester me incessantly as when I am on the computer or trying to watch TV or while I have been readying hunting gear for the trip later this week. Yeah, maybe I ought to vacuum tonight! I mean with us not having vacuumed in almost two weeks it is beginning to look so much like like the forest floor we might soon start attracting wildlife! I would hate to wake up tomorrow and find deer pellets on the dining room floor but then again maybe it would save us some gas we would have used to drive to the hunting grounds. Nah, never happen - not a deer within scores of miles of our place. Oh well, too bad for us. Okay - vacuuming goes on the list of must do's.
When I look around a bit more, I see we need to throw out some shipping boxes and a lot of junk mail. It has all sure been piling up. The boxes seem to have been here almost the whole time the gals have been gone and they just keep multiplying. My son received a big box of shooting accessories, I received some ammo, a couple of pairs of boots (both pairs going back for a refund since neither one fits), and we have received at least one or two other things. Of course, if my wife was home they would have been thrown out either by her or by me because she would have pestered me into doing it long before now. As usual, I was thinking of using them for this or that and just left them laying around trying to think of something useful to do with them. Out they had best go before the mother of she who must be obeyed arrives for her 4 day stay to watch the dogs while we men are on the traditional November hunting swaray.
As for the kitchen, which I cannot see right now, it is pretty clean - well except for the stove top. That needs a goodhosing down cleaning off. I wonder, what is best to clean a range top? Maybe I can squirt it down with Gun-Scrubber or brake cleaner. On second thought maybe a sponge soaked in warm sudsy water and some elbow grease might be better followed by a few squirts of Windex and a bit more elbow grease. Sounds like a job for my son. Okay add that to the list to do before the Oma gets here.
As far as dishes go, let me just say that the dish washer has been getting a workout. I often do dishes by hand when the wife is home but since they seem to pile up quicker when she is not around, I have been depending on the dishwasher. Someone at work, yes it was another man, told me using the dishwasher saves money and energy instead of constantly running the hot water (as we men do when we wash dishes). I can see the logic in that and besides the dishwasher does a darned good job of it and I don't wind up with dishpan hands! As it is tonight, my son got into the act and he started the dishwasher all by himself. I am proud of him - he is getting it!
Seriously now, we have been having a good time and mostly keeping the house in good order. It had better be in good order this Thursday when my mother-in-law arrives. As I look around, from where I am sitting right now, I can see that may take some doing. The place needs to be vacuumed. I am guessing the leaf litter all over the living and dining room floors would not be appreciated by a woman as much as we men seem to enjoy the autumnal decor. The dogs seem to drag it into the house when they go out to do there potty thing in the backyard - which reminds me I had best clean up out there. Yes I walk the dogs, have been walking them frequently but not quite every day (the 2 1/2 to 3 hours back and forth to work each day really cut into my time) but I also let them out back when I am short on time. As for those leaves, I suppose the wind has blown quite a few into the
When I look around a bit more, I see we need to throw out some shipping boxes and a lot of junk mail. It has all sure been piling up. The boxes seem to have been here almost the whole time the gals have been gone and they just keep multiplying. My son received a big box of shooting accessories, I received some ammo, a couple of pairs of boots (both pairs going back for a refund since neither one fits), and we have received at least one or two other things. Of course, if my wife was home they would have been thrown out either by her or by me because she would have pestered me into doing it long before now. As usual, I was thinking of using them for this or that and just left them laying around trying to think of something useful to do with them. Out they had best go before the mother of she who must be obeyed arrives for her 4 day stay to watch the dogs while we men are on the traditional November hunting swaray.
As for the kitchen, which I cannot see right now, it is pretty clean - well except for the stove top. That needs a good
As far as dishes go, let me just say that the dish washer has been getting a workout. I often do dishes by hand when the wife is home but since they seem to pile up quicker when she is not around, I have been depending on the dishwasher. Someone at work, yes it was another man, told me using the dishwasher saves money and energy instead of constantly running the hot water (as we men do when we wash dishes). I can see the logic in that and besides the dishwasher does a darned good job of it and I don't wind up with dishpan hands! As it is tonight, my son got into the act and he started the dishwasher all by himself. I am proud of him - he is getting it!
As for me and the son, we have not seen much of each other for the past 2 weeks even though we are the only two in the castle at this time. We do meet now and again at strategic locations throughout the castle such as at the refrigerator, trying to get to the shower before one another, when he is coming in and I am going out, or when I am coming in and he is going out, and an occasional chance meeting now and then. Only about three times have I had to knock on his door to see if he was up and getting ready for school and he already was up and at em. I suppose we have met at the fridge more than anywhere else that being the source of nourishment and cold beer chilled liquid refreshments.
We did have a chance last night to go over the game plan for bagging our game this coming weekend. He was nice enough to stay home to watch the dogs on Friday when I went upstate on my final scouting trip of the year, when by the way I got permission to hunt on the farm my uncle used to own . So, I made sure to show him some aerial maps of the area in which we would be hunting and to describe the layout to him in detail to give him an idea before we actually take a look at it on Friday and hunt on Saturday when the deer season opens.
Somehow, by tomorrow at the latest, I have to grab hold of him long enough to convince him that he should vacuum upstairs and I will do the main level and the basement. Then a quick spiffying up of the kitchen and the bathroom and we should pass inspection by anyone's mother-in-law. Not that mine will really be inspecting, I just want the place to look nice and clean for her when she gets here so she does not get any ideas about having to clean up the place herself. Hey wait a minute, I have an idea...nah better not even think of it!
Oh well, tomorrow and Wednesday should be somewhat busy days around here. If you happen to pass by my place and see two people in aprons, well let me just say it will not be me and Brendan but probably be the maids we hire to get the job done!
All the best,
GB
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ballseye's Gun Shots 101 - Preparing For The Hunt, It's Not Just About Your Gun
Brendan and I will be going deer hunting later this week. If we have any luck we will each bag a deer and maybe one of us will get a bear. Both extremely nice on the palate. With those high hopes in mind, I have been busily getting ready for the trip.
I drove up to the farm that my uncle used to own, stopped to see the current owner and asked for permission to hunt there. I think was about to tell me "no" when I added that I had stopped by last year to ask and she said 'no' then but told me to try again this year. That and a smile was all it took. We have permission to hunt on her farm, about 150 acres. We will only be hunting on the side across from the house and barn and open fields. it is mostly wooded but has a lot of deer trails and a lot of deer sign. I know about the deer sign, because once I had gotten permission I asked if I could also walk the property that day.
I headed across the road from the house, crossed a stone damn that holds a pond in place, and set out into the evergreen forest. After a short walk, maybe 100 yards at most, I was on the edge of the other side of the evergreens and about 50 yards from a rise going up to a ridge. The area I was in, as I well knew from hunting there for many years, is a natural funnel for deer on that side of the road. It is somewhat clear therein and in an area of about 40 or 50 yards by about 70 yards, I counted about 20 piles of deer droppings, most of the pretty darned fresh. The deer walk through this area to go to a lawn like area and some apple trees. They come down the mountain on a few different trails that converge on the northern end of this spot and either walk out through the evergreens the way I had come in or walk to the south end of the farm property and then head east to the grass and apples. I doubt there are anymore apples on the trees but to tell the truth I did not look. Regardless of apples or no apples, the deer use this area with some frequency. This is where I set up a stand for Brendan to hunt. I just marked off the area with hunter's orange tape and left it at that. Oh, I also set up a drip bottle full of Buck urine over a mock scrape. Traveling a bit further north to an even more open area, I banged a right and headed about halfway up the mountain to a spot I knew that bucks often came through in the past. I have not hunted her in about 8 years but there were the rubs, some on the same trees as had been used in past years. It was not a surprise to me, I know the lay of the land pretty well on this farm; it would have been a big surprise had I not found deer sign where I expected it.
All this deer sign does not guarantee anything except that deer have been there. There is no guarantee they will be there again,at least while we are hunting, and no guarantee we will see them even if they are there, and no guarantee we can bag one or two even if we see a bunch of them. Over all the years I hunted there, I am guessing I bagged about 8 to 10 deer there. That was in a period of about 19 years of hunting there once I moved back to NY from CA. I saw deer more often but did not shoot for one reason or another, the road or house in the path of the bullet should I miss the deer, a doe and I did not have a doe permit, the deer were too small (born the same year I was hunting), or they got spooked or just never got close enough for a shot (I almost always hunted with my shotgun so needed them about 50 yards or less). I am hopeful that this year, with us hunting on a place with which I am pretty familiar, we will not only see some deer but that Brendan will get one in his sights and that his aim will be true.
I am digressing from the getting ready for the hunt part, so allow me to get back to that. Most of yesterday, I got hunting clothing and gear ready for the trip. I did about 6 loads of laundry including all of our coats, rain gear, hats, and all other outer clothing we will be wearing while hunting. I also did some of the regular wash, heck am doing more of that as I type. As each load was in the machine, I set about making sure most of all of our other gear was in order. I packed a day pack for Brendan to include essentials he possibly would need in the event of an emergency. So far his pack contains:
His license back tag attached to the back of the pack
A pen (for license requirements if we get a deer or bear)
12 to 15 sheets of paper towel sealed in a Ziplok plastic freezer bag (stronger than toilet paper and just as soft, has many uses the most important being hygiene)
8 or more high energy food bars (like granola but the chewy type)
A first aid kit
A folding knife
A knife sharpener
A flashlight
Several extra batteries for the flashlight
A self adhesive Ace type bandage (this thing can have many first aid uses beyond a sprained ankle or wrist)
A space blanket
A plastic poncho
A Compass
Glow Sticks (some 12 hour duration, other shorter duration)
A few packages of hand warmers
A deer grunt call
A bottle of deer scent
A bottle of odor blocking spray (so the deer don't smell us)
Two packs of deer cleaning gloves
waterproof/windproof matches in a sealed container
An emergency whistle
Extra wool socks (in a plastic freezer bag)
An extra hat
A blaze orange safety vest
Extra gloves
Nylon cord (to make shelter if needed)
A walkie-talkie type portable radio
A couple to a few bottles of water will be added on the day of the hunt. And some other items will also be added. Being that we expect to hunt only about 100 yards from the road this year, we or you would not likely need all these items but if an accident happens, that requires you to stay out in the woods overnight or longer, you can bet you would be happy to have them. So I always hake such things with me. I had a small but full backpack on Saturday on my scouting trip. Yesterday, I also started to get the stuff ready for my pack which will include a few more items than what I mentioned above.
I still have a lot of stuff to get ready including the guns. Before I handle the guns though, I will, actually already have, packed the deer scent. I have several bottles of it this year - in fact too many. I bought some, forgot I bought it and got some more. I plan to use only one or two bottles on opening day. One is doe estrous scent from a single deer. It as a whopping $15 for one ounce. (Imagine getting rich selling deer urine.) The other is a bottle of buck urine. One is to attract the buck to a mate, the other is to get him there in a hurry and in a wired emotional state because he thinks there is a rival there for the same mate. One has to be careful about not getting either scent on ourselves as Whitetail Deer have been known to attack hunters who had deer scent on their clothing. The bucks sometimes get so enraged and or enaged during the rut (mating season) they are blinded by both love and jealousy- so to speak.
Then onto the guns. Getting them ready will include a cleaning tonight. I like to have that done at least several days in advance of the first day of hunting so residual smells from gun cleaning solution or oil will be less strong than if just applied. I also need to make sure we have the correct ammo ready to go. Nothing could ruin an opening day as much getting to your spot, then going to load up, only to realize you either forgot your ammo or brought the wrong caliber - well that is unless you forgot your gun. The shotgun and whatever rifle(s) we bring along on this trip will get placed into silicone gun socks before going into the gun cases. We will at least have a long arm apiece and I will probably bring one extra just in case one of the others has a problem. I will also make sure to bring along a gun cleaning kit and I will probably put that into my gun box along with some tools, cleaning solution, oil and so on.
Once done with them, I will waterproof my boots, probably also tonight, well in advance of being in the woods. (I bought new boots online, even got two pairs one in my size and one a size larger but neither fit, both too tight, so I am using my old pair again.) Of course I have other things to get ready. I need to fill up the cars with gas tonight. I do not want the smell of gasoline on my hands for at least a few days before the hunt. We are probably taking two cars this year because Brendan only has a day and a half to actually hunt. If we don't get lucky and bag a deer on the first two days, then I will stay a few more days to try to get one. If we are in luck right away, then I will leave when he does on Sunday, or who knows - maybe I will go bear hunting.
You get the idea, don't you? If you are going hunting then you should be just about ready to shove off at least a few to several days before the season opens. That way there is no last minute searching for things, no last minute fumbling with things, no mistakes because you were in a hurry, no aggravation because you left two or three hours later than you should have, no accident or ticket because you were driving 25 mph over the speed limit to make up time, and there will more likely be a pleasant trip to your hunting area and some fun days out in the fields or woods.
All the best,
Glenn B
I drove up to the farm that my uncle used to own, stopped to see the current owner and asked for permission to hunt there. I think was about to tell me "no" when I added that I had stopped by last year to ask and she said 'no' then but told me to try again this year. That and a smile was all it took. We have permission to hunt on her farm, about 150 acres. We will only be hunting on the side across from the house and barn and open fields. it is mostly wooded but has a lot of deer trails and a lot of deer sign. I know about the deer sign, because once I had gotten permission I asked if I could also walk the property that day.
I headed across the road from the house, crossed a stone damn that holds a pond in place, and set out into the evergreen forest. After a short walk, maybe 100 yards at most, I was on the edge of the other side of the evergreens and about 50 yards from a rise going up to a ridge. The area I was in, as I well knew from hunting there for many years, is a natural funnel for deer on that side of the road. It is somewhat clear therein and in an area of about 40 or 50 yards by about 70 yards, I counted about 20 piles of deer droppings, most of the pretty darned fresh. The deer walk through this area to go to a lawn like area and some apple trees. They come down the mountain on a few different trails that converge on the northern end of this spot and either walk out through the evergreens the way I had come in or walk to the south end of the farm property and then head east to the grass and apples. I doubt there are anymore apples on the trees but to tell the truth I did not look. Regardless of apples or no apples, the deer use this area with some frequency. This is where I set up a stand for Brendan to hunt. I just marked off the area with hunter's orange tape and left it at that. Oh, I also set up a drip bottle full of Buck urine over a mock scrape. Traveling a bit further north to an even more open area, I banged a right and headed about halfway up the mountain to a spot I knew that bucks often came through in the past. I have not hunted her in about 8 years but there were the rubs, some on the same trees as had been used in past years. It was not a surprise to me, I know the lay of the land pretty well on this farm; it would have been a big surprise had I not found deer sign where I expected it.
All this deer sign does not guarantee anything except that deer have been there. There is no guarantee they will be there again,at least while we are hunting, and no guarantee we will see them even if they are there, and no guarantee we can bag one or two even if we see a bunch of them. Over all the years I hunted there, I am guessing I bagged about 8 to 10 deer there. That was in a period of about 19 years of hunting there once I moved back to NY from CA. I saw deer more often but did not shoot for one reason or another, the road or house in the path of the bullet should I miss the deer, a doe and I did not have a doe permit, the deer were too small (born the same year I was hunting), or they got spooked or just never got close enough for a shot (I almost always hunted with my shotgun so needed them about 50 yards or less). I am hopeful that this year, with us hunting on a place with which I am pretty familiar, we will not only see some deer but that Brendan will get one in his sights and that his aim will be true.
I am digressing from the getting ready for the hunt part, so allow me to get back to that. Most of yesterday, I got hunting clothing and gear ready for the trip. I did about 6 loads of laundry including all of our coats, rain gear, hats, and all other outer clothing we will be wearing while hunting. I also did some of the regular wash, heck am doing more of that as I type. As each load was in the machine, I set about making sure most of all of our other gear was in order. I packed a day pack for Brendan to include essentials he possibly would need in the event of an emergency. So far his pack contains:
His license back tag attached to the back of the pack
A pen (for license requirements if we get a deer or bear)
12 to 15 sheets of paper towel sealed in a Ziplok plastic freezer bag (stronger than toilet paper and just as soft, has many uses the most important being hygiene)
8 or more high energy food bars (like granola but the chewy type)
A first aid kit
A folding knife
A knife sharpener
A flashlight
Several extra batteries for the flashlight
A self adhesive Ace type bandage (this thing can have many first aid uses beyond a sprained ankle or wrist)
A space blanket
A plastic poncho
A Compass
Glow Sticks (some 12 hour duration, other shorter duration)
A few packages of hand warmers
A deer grunt call
A bottle of deer scent
A bottle of odor blocking spray (so the deer don't smell us)
Two packs of deer cleaning gloves
waterproof/windproof matches in a sealed container
An emergency whistle
Extra wool socks (in a plastic freezer bag)
An extra hat
A blaze orange safety vest
Extra gloves
Nylon cord (to make shelter if needed)
A walkie-talkie type portable radio
A couple to a few bottles of water will be added on the day of the hunt. And some other items will also be added. Being that we expect to hunt only about 100 yards from the road this year, we or you would not likely need all these items but if an accident happens, that requires you to stay out in the woods overnight or longer, you can bet you would be happy to have them. So I always hake such things with me. I had a small but full backpack on Saturday on my scouting trip. Yesterday, I also started to get the stuff ready for my pack which will include a few more items than what I mentioned above.
I still have a lot of stuff to get ready including the guns. Before I handle the guns though, I will, actually already have, packed the deer scent. I have several bottles of it this year - in fact too many. I bought some, forgot I bought it and got some more. I plan to use only one or two bottles on opening day. One is doe estrous scent from a single deer. It as a whopping $15 for one ounce. (Imagine getting rich selling deer urine.) The other is a bottle of buck urine. One is to attract the buck to a mate, the other is to get him there in a hurry and in a wired emotional state because he thinks there is a rival there for the same mate. One has to be careful about not getting either scent on ourselves as Whitetail Deer have been known to attack hunters who had deer scent on their clothing. The bucks sometimes get so enraged and or enaged during the rut (mating season) they are blinded by both love and jealousy- so to speak.
Then onto the guns. Getting them ready will include a cleaning tonight. I like to have that done at least several days in advance of the first day of hunting so residual smells from gun cleaning solution or oil will be less strong than if just applied. I also need to make sure we have the correct ammo ready to go. Nothing could ruin an opening day as much getting to your spot, then going to load up, only to realize you either forgot your ammo or brought the wrong caliber - well that is unless you forgot your gun. The shotgun and whatever rifle(s) we bring along on this trip will get placed into silicone gun socks before going into the gun cases. We will at least have a long arm apiece and I will probably bring one extra just in case one of the others has a problem. I will also make sure to bring along a gun cleaning kit and I will probably put that into my gun box along with some tools, cleaning solution, oil and so on.
Once done with them, I will waterproof my boots, probably also tonight, well in advance of being in the woods. (I bought new boots online, even got two pairs one in my size and one a size larger but neither fit, both too tight, so I am using my old pair again.) Of course I have other things to get ready. I need to fill up the cars with gas tonight. I do not want the smell of gasoline on my hands for at least a few days before the hunt. We are probably taking two cars this year because Brendan only has a day and a half to actually hunt. If we don't get lucky and bag a deer on the first two days, then I will stay a few more days to try to get one. If we are in luck right away, then I will leave when he does on Sunday, or who knows - maybe I will go bear hunting.
You get the idea, don't you? If you are going hunting then you should be just about ready to shove off at least a few to several days before the season opens. That way there is no last minute searching for things, no last minute fumbling with things, no mistakes because you were in a hurry, no aggravation because you left two or three hours later than you should have, no accident or ticket because you were driving 25 mph over the speed limit to make up time, and there will more likely be a pleasant trip to your hunting area and some fun days out in the fields or woods.
All the best,
Glenn B
And Now For Some Man Cave Dietary News...
...I just had a wonderful breakfast I have been up since 5:08 AM to let the dogs out but only got a chance to eat now - just afternoon. There is not all that much in the fridge ready to be cooked, even the bacon is in the freezer. Normally I might make some eggs and toast, coffee and a glass of OJ. I have eaten way too many eggs over the past week so I decided to make something else, something healthy. Today the only regular thing I had for breakfast was the OJ. The rest of it consisted of about 8 slices of good Genoa salami, two slices of lacy Swiss cheese, two pieces of whole grain bread and enough butter to grill it in when put together to make a sandwich. (in other words enough butter to clog an elephant's arteries in one day).
All I can say is man was that ever so delicious. Not quite as delicious as the leg of lamb, broiled potatoes smothered in olive oil, garlic and salt, and steamed carrots I had for dinner last night but pretty delicious anyway.
This afternoon, I have to get some vacuuming done, then visit my mom, then go grocery shopping. Life without a wife - for 3 weeks - not so tough and I like my own cooking and will continue to like it as long as it does not kill me.
All the best,
GB
All I can say is man was that ever so delicious. Not quite as delicious as the leg of lamb, broiled potatoes smothered in olive oil, garlic and salt, and steamed carrots I had for dinner last night but pretty delicious anyway.
This afternoon, I have to get some vacuuming done, then visit my mom, then go grocery shopping. Life without a wife - for 3 weeks - not so tough and I like my own cooking and will continue to like it as long as it does not kill me.
All the best,
GB
Saturday, November 13, 2010
"...small things that you remember, the little imperfections that make them perfect - for you!"
Mike T., a coworker of mine and someone I considered friend, a pretty good one at that, passed away yesterday. He was recovering from cancer. He was back at work and seemed to be doing okay but had a number of other health issues. He died peacefully in his sleep possibly from a heart attack shortly after coming home from the doctor's office. It was a shock to me and all who knew him and of course mostly to those who loved him the most - his family. He leaves behind a wife, son and two daughters.
He was a good man, and I mean that, I am not saying it on the spur of the moment due to emotions or because he was my friend. From what I know of him, I know that he always meant well for his family. Like all parents and husbands - he had his times of difficulty with his wife and kids but I know for a fact he loved them all very much and was very proud of his children and only wanted the best for each of them. I also know he was a good honest worker who got the job done and did it well at that. Add to that, he was a good friend to many. Finally he was not the perfect man, he had his little imperfections, he probably had some big ones too, maybe ones that don't seem so big to anyone right now but he certainly was a good man despite any imperfections or maybe because of them.
Today, I got something from another friend, Pat. Pat did not know Mike. There was absolutely no connection between them of which I am aware; that is except one. That one has got to be one of the most shocking coincidences I will ever experience. You see, Pat sent me an email today and attached to the email was a video called The Funeral or maybe just Funeral. Uncanny it came at this time of grief. I almost did not open it. Then when I started to watch, I thought it was a joke and I almost turned it off because I was in no mood for jokes about losing loved ones. Then I realized it was no joke and soon enough tears began to flow. I think, even had I not just lost a friend, the tears still would have run down my cheeks while watching this. It is one of the most, if not the most, powerfully emotional short videos that I have ever seen. I cannot believe the timing my friend Pat had in sending this to me but coincidences happen.
Watch it, it is pretty short, only just over 3 minutes. Learn about relationships, about love, about being married, about family, about imperfections of those for whom we care, about how we remember loved ones when they are gone and how much we will miss them. Watch it and learn something too about how we should treat them while they are still with us - because in the end we will miss them and things about them we could never have imagined would become important to us once they were gone, the imperfections that made them so uniquely special.
I have watched it, several times now. I think I have learned something from it. What about you!
I will miss Mike and his sometimes seemingly caustic but truly friendly mannerisms. He often addressed me as "Hey Fucker". The first time I heard it I thought I was about to be yelled at for something or another, he seemed mad as hell - then he grinned at me and all was well. Thing was, when he called me that, it always was in a friendly way even if at that first moment it seemed a troubling tone. I will miss many things about Mike but most of all, I may miss that about him, his calling me "Hey Fucker". While it only was a two word greeting, the way he said it, followed by his warm hearted smile, said it all about his sharp intuitive wit and his warm hearted intentions behind that sharpness. I guess it could be seen as one of his little imperfections, an imperfect way (to some) to express affection or friendliness; but for me it was one of the little things that made him perfect. I am all that much a better man for having known him.
To his family, I wish them strength and togetherness at this trying time and throughout the rest of their lifetimes. Remember him as a husband, a father, a dad, the guy who tried to his best for you all even if it meant you got to see his imperfections at times, and as someone who loved you all very much and who saw you as the perfect family - for indeed that is what he was and how he felt for you.
All the best,
Glenn B
He was a good man, and I mean that, I am not saying it on the spur of the moment due to emotions or because he was my friend. From what I know of him, I know that he always meant well for his family. Like all parents and husbands - he had his times of difficulty with his wife and kids but I know for a fact he loved them all very much and was very proud of his children and only wanted the best for each of them. I also know he was a good honest worker who got the job done and did it well at that. Add to that, he was a good friend to many. Finally he was not the perfect man, he had his little imperfections, he probably had some big ones too, maybe ones that don't seem so big to anyone right now but he certainly was a good man despite any imperfections or maybe because of them.
Today, I got something from another friend, Pat. Pat did not know Mike. There was absolutely no connection between them of which I am aware; that is except one. That one has got to be one of the most shocking coincidences I will ever experience. You see, Pat sent me an email today and attached to the email was a video called The Funeral or maybe just Funeral. Uncanny it came at this time of grief. I almost did not open it. Then when I started to watch, I thought it was a joke and I almost turned it off because I was in no mood for jokes about losing loved ones. Then I realized it was no joke and soon enough tears began to flow. I think, even had I not just lost a friend, the tears still would have run down my cheeks while watching this. It is one of the most, if not the most, powerfully emotional short videos that I have ever seen. I cannot believe the timing my friend Pat had in sending this to me but coincidences happen.
Watch it, it is pretty short, only just over 3 minutes. Learn about relationships, about love, about being married, about family, about imperfections of those for whom we care, about how we remember loved ones when they are gone and how much we will miss them. Watch it and learn something too about how we should treat them while they are still with us - because in the end we will miss them and things about them we could never have imagined would become important to us once they were gone, the imperfections that made them so uniquely special.
I have watched it, several times now. I think I have learned something from it. What about you!
I will miss Mike and his sometimes seemingly caustic but truly friendly mannerisms. He often addressed me as "Hey Fucker". The first time I heard it I thought I was about to be yelled at for something or another, he seemed mad as hell - then he grinned at me and all was well. Thing was, when he called me that, it always was in a friendly way even if at that first moment it seemed a troubling tone. I will miss many things about Mike but most of all, I may miss that about him, his calling me "Hey Fucker". While it only was a two word greeting, the way he said it, followed by his warm hearted smile, said it all about his sharp intuitive wit and his warm hearted intentions behind that sharpness. I guess it could be seen as one of his little imperfections, an imperfect way (to some) to express affection or friendliness; but for me it was one of the little things that made him perfect. I am all that much a better man for having known him.
To his family, I wish them strength and togetherness at this trying time and throughout the rest of their lifetimes. Remember him as a husband, a father, a dad, the guy who tried to his best for you all even if it meant you got to see his imperfections at times, and as someone who loved you all very much and who saw you as the perfect family - for indeed that is what he was and how he felt for you.
All the best,
Glenn B
Friday, November 12, 2010
Soldiers' Holiday Care Packages 2 And 3 Are In The Mail
As it turned out, I could not fit all the items shown in the post below into one box at the post office today so I sent it all in two packages. One box contained just the cigars and the other box contained everything else listed in the previous post. Of course, that set me back almost double what it would have in postage had I just bought another box but then I would have had to pay for a bigger box and would not have gotten flat rate postage. I probably would have saved something doing it that way but I was pretty flustered after some nasty Hopefully these will arrive within the next few days and hopefully my assigned soldier will acknowledge that he received them. This time I used delivery confirmation so even if he does not contact me, I should find out if they were delivered.
Thanks again to all who have contributed so far.
All the best,
Glenn B
Thursday, November 11, 2010
2nd Soldiers' Holiday Care Package - Contents & Accounting
The contents for the second Soldiers' Holiday Care Package, of Fall/Winter 2010, will consist of:
One 10 pack of Hi-Chews (another fruit flavored candy)
One 30 count box of Funbites (a berry flavored all natural candy)
One box of Bicycle playing cards containing a dozen decks of cards
One 40 pack of Doublemint chewing gum (not 40 sticks of gum but 40 packs of gum with 5 sticks each)
One box of 100 Slim Jims (I am going to triple check to make sure these are not prohibited, if they are not allowed I will refund the money back to the donation account and I will get fatter eating them)
The above, with tax, went for $52.09.
Then a separate purchase was made of the following:
Two boxes of Sancho Panza Double Maduro Cigars, 8 per box.
The cigars went for $58.85.
The total price for the contents of this package was: $110.94 (not including shipping which I will pay for out of my pocket). Click on the image of the receipts to enlarge it (the image shows both receipts).
So far I have received a total of $175 gross or $168.42 after the PayPal fees were deducted. I contributed $25 to this care package above what I will pay for shipping. That means of the $110.94 cost of the contents of this package, $25 came from me and the remaining $85.94 came from the donations I have received. That leaves a remaining total of $82.94 in donations. That, along with my future cash input of about $25 per package from my pocket, should be about enough to fill two or three care packages that do not contain any higher priced items like the cigars.
I am hopeful, that once again as in past years, I will be able to buy some decent folding knives to include in the care packages from us. If I am going to be able to do that then I probably am going to have to depend upon some additional donations. If you have not donated anything yet, and if you can spare a little something, please do so. The link is on the right hand side of my blog near the top in the red area.
By the way, if you are waiting to hit the lottery before you donate, or if you are waiting for the moment you can scrape something together because you are hard up for cash, please forget about it. I only am asking for something you can spare and am not trying to twist your arm. A ten spot or a fiver would be nice but I will gladly accept a dollar - but please, only if you can spare it. More than that is always acceptable too but again only if you can spare it. Let me tell you, it humbles me each time I receive anything toward these packages especially during these hard times. Anything I receive will go toward the cost of the contents of the packages and toward what I believe, and I am sure you believe, is a good cause. That cause is helping make it easier for some of our men and women who are on foreign soil, in hostile lands, and are in harm's way while they are making the world safer for us.
All the best,
Glenn B
One 10 pack of Hi-Chews (another fruit flavored candy)
One 30 count box of Funbites (a berry flavored all natural candy)
One box of Bicycle playing cards containing a dozen decks of cards
One 40 pack of Doublemint chewing gum (not 40 sticks of gum but 40 packs of gum with 5 sticks each)
One box of 100 Slim Jims (I am going to triple check to make sure these are not prohibited, if they are not allowed I will refund the money back to the donation account and I will get fatter eating them)
The above, with tax, went for $52.09.Then a separate purchase was made of the following:
Two boxes of Sancho Panza Double Maduro Cigars, 8 per box.
The cigars went for $58.85.
The total price for the contents of this package was: $110.94 (not including shipping which I will pay for out of my pocket). Click on the image of the receipts to enlarge it (the image shows both receipts).
So far I have received a total of $175 gross or $168.42 after the PayPal fees were deducted. I contributed $25 to this care package above what I will pay for shipping. That means of the $110.94 cost of the contents of this package, $25 came from me and the remaining $85.94 came from the donations I have received. That leaves a remaining total of $82.94 in donations. That, along with my future cash input of about $25 per package from my pocket, should be about enough to fill two or three care packages that do not contain any higher priced items like the cigars.
I am hopeful, that once again as in past years, I will be able to buy some decent folding knives to include in the care packages from us. If I am going to be able to do that then I probably am going to have to depend upon some additional donations. If you have not donated anything yet, and if you can spare a little something, please do so. The link is on the right hand side of my blog near the top in the red area.
By the way, if you are waiting to hit the lottery before you donate, or if you are waiting for the moment you can scrape something together because you are hard up for cash, please forget about it. I only am asking for something you can spare and am not trying to twist your arm. A ten spot or a fiver would be nice but I will gladly accept a dollar - but please, only if you can spare it. More than that is always acceptable too but again only if you can spare it. Let me tell you, it humbles me each time I receive anything toward these packages especially during these hard times. Anything I receive will go toward the cost of the contents of the packages and toward what I believe, and I am sure you believe, is a good cause. That cause is helping make it easier for some of our men and women who are on foreign soil, in hostile lands, and are in harm's way while they are making the world safer for us.
All the best,
Glenn B
Soldiers' Holiday Care Packages - Update 11/11/2010
As you are aware the first package went out awhile back, I think it was on October 30th. I have not received any confirmation that it was received nor have I received a return to the emails I sent to my assigned soldier. This is the first time a soldier has not replied to me. Maybe he does not have email available to him right now, if not I trust he will send me a letter letting me know the package was received. Hopefully all is well with him. If I hear from him, I will let you know.
I have some items for the second package together. It mostly consists of snacks but there are also two boxes of 8 cigars each going into this care package. I don't know the size of Mike's unit but I am hopeful that 16 cigars will be enough to allow everyone in his unit to get at least one. Five cent cigars these are not, I think the total for 18 of them was almost $60. I hope I picked good ones, they are a maduro (dark wrapper) type. Cigars I have sent in the past have always been a big hit. These may make it in time for Thanksgiving; I will try to mail the package out tomorrow (post office is closed today). When I mail out the package, I will post a listing of all of its contents as usual.
All the best,
Glenn B.
I have some items for the second package together. It mostly consists of snacks but there are also two boxes of 8 cigars each going into this care package. I don't know the size of Mike's unit but I am hopeful that 16 cigars will be enough to allow everyone in his unit to get at least one. Five cent cigars these are not, I think the total for 18 of them was almost $60. I hope I picked good ones, they are a maduro (dark wrapper) type. Cigars I have sent in the past have always been a big hit. These may make it in time for Thanksgiving; I will try to mail the package out tomorrow (post office is closed today). When I mail out the package, I will post a listing of all of its contents as usual.
All the best,
Glenn B.
Frank Woodruff Buckles - The Only Surviving American Veteran...
...of World War One is 109 years old (born February 1, 1901) but is still active in his pursuit of doing right by America and is a true patriot. Just yesterday, Mr. Buckles urged Congress to pass legislation to create a national memorial in Washington DC dedicated to those who fought in WWI. Can you imagine that there were 5 milion Americans who served in WWI and there is no national memorial for them? Mr. Buckles is the sole surviving American to have served during WWI out of 5 million Americans who did likewise. Now try to imagine, just for a moment, how it must feel to be the sole representative of 5 million other brave Americans and to realize that some 92 years after that war ended, our country has still not seen fit to erect a memorial to the brave soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who served us then. I would imagine he might be frustrated and disappointed to say the least, maybe even mad as hell but one thing is for certain - he is not a quitter and has not given up the fight. As for me, I never realized there was no national memorial in DC for those who served in WWI (shame on me). Well, here I go, once again I am about to ask you to contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and maybe even the president. Send emails, write letters, call them on the phone and urge them to pass legislation to create, and then to actually erect, a memorial to those who served in WWI before the very last veteran of that war is gone. You can also go to the site of The WWI Memorial Foundation to make a donation to the group that is striving to have such a memorial dedicated to those who went through: The War To End All Wars. As a nation, we owe it to them, it would be right that at least one of them gets to see it done before he too is listed among the missing.
Mr. Buckles, my hat goes off to you sir. I salute you and must tell you it is an honor to realize that there are citizens in our country as patriotic as are you. Keep up the fight sir. I am hopeful that the memorial to those who served in WWI will be achieved for you to see!
All the best,
Glenn B
Note: I am not sure how timely is the following info but it is what I came across regarding WWI vets. There are only 3 surviving veterans of WWI worldwide (who joined the military before the armistice which was effected on November 11, 1918 ) and there is one WWI era survivor (who joined after the armistice but before the Treaty of Versailles was signed.) Each has their own story, see the following links. Frank Woodruff Buckles is the only WWI Veteran from the United States of America. The other two who went through the war as servicemen/woman are: Florence Beatrice Green of England born February 19, 1901 and Claude Stanley Choules of Australia born March 3, 1901). Amazingly all three are born within a month and a couple of days of one another. The one WWI era veteran is Jozef Kowalski of Poland, born February 2, 1900. He was born a year earlier than the others but it must say something for being born in February or early March. See this link for more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_surviving_veterans_of_World_War_I
That there is no national memorial in our nation's capital for those who served in WWI is a terrible shame. Let's get that righted. The below is the text of the emails I sent to my two senators and one representative in Congress:
"I urge you to take immediate action toward the creation of a National Memorial in Washington D.C. dedicated to those brave Americans who served in WWI. The reason I urge immediate action is because there is only a single surviving American veteran of WWI and it would be right and fitting to have the memorial legislated, budgeted and erected while he, the sole representative of so many who served in that war, is alive to see it. Frank Woodruff Buckles is that sole WWI American veteran and he is 109 years old. Surely his time on earth is short but he is still with us and still fighting for what is right and just relative to the other 5 million Americans who served in that war. I urge you to take action before it is too late, before the last surviving American Veteran of WWI is listed among the missing!"
HAPPY VETERANS' DAY
To each and everyone of you who have served the United States of America in her military service, I send out my most sincere wish that you have a happy Veterans' Day.
For any of you of any nation and old enough to have been in the first big one, the one for which todays' holiday was created when it was originally called Armistice Day, and I know there cannot be many of you left, I wish you happiness and good health at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. God bless you.
All the best,
Glenn B
For any of you of any nation and old enough to have been in the first big one, the one for which todays' holiday was created when it was originally called Armistice Day, and I know there cannot be many of you left, I wish you happiness and good health at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. God bless you.
All the best,
Glenn B
Anvils Away : Coolest One (Their title but actually it is pretty darned cool at that!)
I have found something I must strive to do before I die though the only anvil I own is about 3 or 4 inches long. So, I have no idea where I would get two anvils of proper size but if I ever do run across a pair, well I sure know where to get the black powder. After seeing how high the darned thing went, I have no intention of using that short a fuse or being that close if I ever do get the chance to blast one off.
Anvils Away : Coolest One
All the best,
GB
Anvils Away : Coolest One
All the best,
GB
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Anyone Want to Give Me 2 or 3 Grand To Buy A New Dell (or any good brand of) Computer?
Nope, I did not think or expect that you wanted to do that but just figured I would ask anyhow. Seems the old PC may be on its last legs. Not under warranty anymore, it had been for about 4 years but when that ran out they refused to upgrade the warranty as they had done in the past for an additional fee. Lately, when I turn it on it beeps repeatedly then either the fans or drives go into overdrive, or it does nothing, or it shuts down after a few moments. After several tries, like 10 to 20, it suddenly works properly and turns on. I imagine sooner than much later it will just stop turning on.
Anyone ever have a similar problem and know of a solution besides a bullet to the motherboard?
Right now buying a new desktop is just about out of the question unless I find a genie in a bottle or lamp or unless I find someone with lots of cash to throw my way or unless I buy it on time.
Luckily, I recently bought a 16 GB USB drive. I filled it tonight with things I want to save in case the PC crashes. Amazingly enough, I got virtually everything I wanted to save on there plus my wife and son's documents. My daughter has nothing on this computer from what I could tell.
All the best,
Glenn B
Anyone ever have a similar problem and know of a solution besides a bullet to the motherboard?
Right now buying a new desktop is just about out of the question unless I find a genie in a bottle or lamp or unless I find someone with lots of cash to throw my way or unless I buy it on time.
Luckily, I recently bought a 16 GB USB drive. I filled it tonight with things I want to save in case the PC crashes. Amazingly enough, I got virtually everything I wanted to save on there plus my wife and son's documents. My daughter has nothing on this computer from what I could tell.
All the best,
Glenn B
Mysterious Missile Fired Near Los Angeles - Why Are So Few Media Outlets Reporting It
I would think a missile being fired near Los Angeles, during rush hour, would be pretty big news. The thing is I can only find stories about it at a handful of online sources. I have not tried television, have no access to one now as I am writing this up at a Starbucks while on a break.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40087187/ns/us_news-security
http://wireupdate.com/wires/12150/mysterious-missile-launch-seen-off-los-angeles-coast/
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/11/video-catches-mystery-missile-launch-off-la-coast.html
I saw it first at the first link above. Then I found it at some other 'major' news sites but also found it missing at Fox, CNN and so on. If this was not some prank with a hobbyist rocket kit, then this could be a major security issue for our country. The mystery of who fired it, why they fired it, what they fired, how it was armed if armed and so on all need to be answered post haste. A military screw-up by U.S. forces is possible, then again so are things like: a terrorist's missile that misfired and went to sea, a drug trafficker's missile test, a psycho firing a missile, some home spun loony rocket scientist firing one off, a foreign nation's missile being misfired, an enemy's missile being deliberately fired to send a message or any of many other possibilities including a prank initiated by the traffic helicopter crew that got the picture of it. This is all part of the mystery and it needs to be solved now. Another part of the mystery though is why this is not being reported on in ore detail by more of the media - bear in mind it happened last night.
All the best,
Glenn B
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40087187/ns/us_news-security
http://wireupdate.com/wires/12150/mysterious-missile-launch-seen-off-los-angeles-coast/
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/11/video-catches-mystery-missile-launch-off-la-coast.html
I saw it first at the first link above. Then I found it at some other 'major' news sites but also found it missing at Fox, CNN and so on. If this was not some prank with a hobbyist rocket kit, then this could be a major security issue for our country. The mystery of who fired it, why they fired it, what they fired, how it was armed if armed and so on all need to be answered post haste. A military screw-up by U.S. forces is possible, then again so are things like: a terrorist's missile that misfired and went to sea, a drug trafficker's missile test, a psycho firing a missile, some home spun loony rocket scientist firing one off, a foreign nation's missile being misfired, an enemy's missile being deliberately fired to send a message or any of many other possibilities including a prank initiated by the traffic helicopter crew that got the picture of it. This is all part of the mystery and it needs to be solved now. Another part of the mystery though is why this is not being reported on in ore detail by more of the media - bear in mind it happened last night.
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, November 8, 2010
You Tell Me - Do You Agree That There Is Something Very Wrong With This Video?
I am a member of the North American Hunting Club, mostly to get their magazine. They send a lot emails to me some with hunting hints or tips and others just outright annoying - mostly the latter with advertisements. Tonight I received an email from them with the subject line: "Video: Woman In Woods Fends Off Attacker". So I take a look by clicking on the video screen in the email. That takes me to another website with the video.
The video is obviously not a news or documentary type I thought it might have been before going to it. It is instead, a pretty cheesy advertisement for a Green Laser Sight. In it the woman is walking through the woods, a bad guy is hiding in the woods near the trail, he gets the jump on her and is holding a knife and is only about 10-15 feet from her max, she drops the binoculars she had been peeping through, goes to her purse, opens it, pulls out a pistol with the green laser sight and points it at the guy with the knife, who as I said is probably not more than 10-15 feet from her if that far away. Then it turns into a commercial that is, in my opinion, one much akin to those alarm company commercials on television where the alarm going off startles the bad so so much he just about pees then flees and the alarm saves the day. Watch it, you will see what I mean.
Then answer me this: Am I right when I think - There Is Something Very Wrong With This Video, As In The Message It Is Sending?
http://www.viridiangreenlaser.com/video/walkinthewoods/
I just may have to unsubscribe for the NAHC emails after this one!
All the best,
Glenn B
The video is obviously not a news or documentary type I thought it might have been before going to it. It is instead, a pretty cheesy advertisement for a Green Laser Sight. In it the woman is walking through the woods, a bad guy is hiding in the woods near the trail, he gets the jump on her and is holding a knife and is only about 10-15 feet from her max, she drops the binoculars she had been peeping through, goes to her purse, opens it, pulls out a pistol with the green laser sight and points it at the guy with the knife, who as I said is probably not more than 10-15 feet from her if that far away. Then it turns into a commercial that is, in my opinion, one much akin to those alarm company commercials on television where the alarm going off startles the bad so so much he just about pees then flees and the alarm saves the day. Watch it, you will see what I mean.
Then answer me this: Am I right when I think - There Is Something Very Wrong With This Video, As In The Message It Is Sending?
http://www.viridiangreenlaser.com/video/walkinthewoods/
I just may have to unsubscribe for the NAHC emails after this one!
All the best,
Glenn B
It's Raining, It's Pouring...
...oh no it's not. Actually it is sleeting (yes that is actually a verb). I just went to the window to check after hearing the rain pelt the windows rather more loudly than usual and with a pinging noise at that. It is only November and the rain is coming down as ice. It promises to be a wet, cold, bone chilling sort of a day.
I'll keep warm somehow.
All the best,
GB
I'll keep warm somehow.
All the best,
GB
Today In History - Bourbon Is Born...
...or so goes the story - sort of! In November 1789, Elijah Craig, a baptist minister residing in Kentucky, opened a distillery. (Gotta love a preacher opening a distillery, my kind of religion!) His distillery produced an elixir known as Bourbon which was whiskey distilled from corn. According to some, he was the first to distill whiskey from corn thus being the creator of Bourbon on November 8th 1789; however, according to others, local farmers in the area had been distilling whiskey from corn for at least a few years before Craig did it. Regardless, he was credited with the creation (not the original creation but a rather divine one at that). He has also been credited, or at least his distillery has been credited, with being the first to use charred oak barrels to age whiskey thus adding a taste to spirits that may have indeed been Heaven sent.
Today, he may best be remembered because of Elijah Craig 12 and 18 year old Bourbon which is produced by the aptly named Heaven Hill Distillers. I used to drink bourbon but not for awhile now. Still though, at around only $45 per bottle for an 18 year old bottle of whiskey, I may have to try it. If you go out to buy it, shop around first, some places ask over $75 a bottle!
All the best,
Glenn B
Today, he may best be remembered because of Elijah Craig 12 and 18 year old Bourbon which is produced by the aptly named Heaven Hill Distillers. I used to drink bourbon but not for awhile now. Still though, at around only $45 per bottle for an 18 year old bottle of whiskey, I may have to try it. If you go out to buy it, shop around first, some places ask over $75 a bottle!All the best,
Glenn B
Saturday, November 6, 2010
And Now For Something Really Scary...
...click on the link and watch the news video (sorry you have to watch a short ad first) about a new missile system. The world is a scary place and getting worse day by day. Oh yeah, before I forget, I'll take two.
All the best,
GB
All the best,
GB
We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About - Part II (now I am the parent)
When I was in my teens and young twenties, one of our favorite sayings, among my friends, was We Are The people Our Parents Warned Us About. Little did I ever expect there would be a Part II to that saying but now that I am a parent and now that I have seen what is in the pictures, I can attest - Part II is upon me except this time: I am the parent and my son just may be one of the guys I warned my son about! Of course, I say that tongue in cheek, my son is a good man. Yet, when I saw him tonight, his first night as a motorcycle owner, I almost needed to have a good stiff drink. Thing was I had just finished a good wee dram of Knappogue castle Irish Whiskey and another was not needed. What was it they used to say about having a drink: Take Courage. Well I have entered a brave new world of sorts tonight (even if he dragged me into it), one in which it seems I just have another thing to 
Now maybe it scares me because I never rode myself except as a passenger. Quite a few Fact is, he went to take motorcycle lessons about 2 months ago. He had a long wait between then and now to get the bike since he was waiting for the seller to pay off his loan, then for the title to clear, then to get insurance, register it and so on. It was also being checked and worked on at a dealership, basic maintenance is all, and paid for by the seller as I understand. He picked it up this afternoon. I hope he has not forgotten any of his lessons; he is out riding tonight. Shit, did my mother (only real parent I had) worry about me like this - probably worse since I was not as good a kid as is my son! He is a good kid, so why should I worry? I mean if I can trust him with a brand new car on the road, and both an AK-47 and an AR-15 in the house and at the range, and trust him as my hunting partner, I should be able to trust him with a motorcycle - shouldn't I! Oh well, as I said, it is a brave new world into which he has dragged me and I am not going to worry too much, I am just going to take courage. He will be okay. Of course, if I ever seem him try to pop a wheelie I may just have to pop him one on the front of his dome; then again, I think he knows better.
By the way, the bike is a 2002 Yamaha V-Star 650cc with 4,000 miles on it. That is about all I know about it besides that it looks pretty darned
All the best,
Glenn B
ps: See anything spooky in the picture? Take a look at the window in the top shot (click on the pic to enlarge it first). Those two bright dots are eyeballs, all 4 of our dogs were flipping out when he showed up on the bike and one was right at the window when I took the shot.
Happy Meals Versus San Francisco The City Should Come Out The Loser But It Is Up To You
I would not spend even one penny of your money, let alone my own money, to travel to San Francisco or do business with anyone therein. They are beyond the realm of normality in that city as I see it. They are, in my opinion, so anti Constitutional, so pro disgusting behavior, so pro illegal aliens and now with the Happy Meal ban have proven themselves to be nothing more than a group of kooks run amok with nanny-state control issues as to be totally repugnant to me. The people of San Francisco, on the whole, it seems to me, are the penultimate leftists of the world and those of the entire state of California a close second.
If McDonald's Restaurants bow down to the powers that be in what seems to me to be this modern day equivalent of Sodom, well the chances are I will never spend another penny with McDonald's either. What I think McDonald's should do is fight an all out legal battle and start a campaign to have their customers speak out about this. If that fails then close all restaurants within San Fransisco. Why, because if they bow down or even if they do nothing now then more such legislation is sure to come from other kooks throughout the nation. My bet would be NY city will be next. Chances are that within 5 or 10 years you will only be able to get vegetable burgers at fast food restaurants if this keeps going. Sure, you can say it is an isolated incident, just taking place in one city and a city of loons at that; let me remind you that NYC already forced restaurants like McDonald's to post calorie counts or shut down. Also, bear in mind that our latest Supreme Court Justice Kagan believes it Constitutional to allow the government to control what you eat. Maybe not as isolated an incident as you may have thought. The seeds have been sown nationwide from coast to coast. his is all purely nanny gone berserk type of over control and more is on its way unless it is stamped out now.
Proponents say this will stop childhood obesity and help reduce cases of childhood and adult diabetes, one on Fox News this morning even implied that these meals cause cancer! Want to make a difference in childhood obesity and diabetes, then allow parents the liberty to exercise parental rights and force their kids to work-out in gyms and to allow parents to give their kids a whack on the ass if they catch them snacking between meals. This is a parent's job not the job of a city government. Government is no substitute for good parenting, good parenting requires a sense of responsibility not a sense that someone else will do it for you. Someone else doing it for you is a nanny state mentality or a welfare state mentality. Then again - isn't that the mentality that is rampant in California?
What can you do? Buy more Happy Meals. Contact McDonald's via letters at: McDonald's Corporation, 2111 McDonald's Dr., Oak Brook, IL 60523; or email at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/contact_us/social_responsibility/social_responsibility.html. Let them know that you support them and not San Francisco's new law. Also let them know that if they bow to the new law in San Francisco without a legal battle that you will no longer support them or buy from them. Contact the mayor of SanFransicko Francisco and tell him you will not visit the city nor spend in it. Contact the governor of California and tell him likewise. Also make sure to contact the Congress people for your own state and let them know you will not stand for overbearing government like this in your area. Stop it now or live with it later.
All the best,
Glenn B
If McDonald's Restaurants bow down to the powers that be in what seems to me to be this modern day equivalent of Sodom, well the chances are I will never spend another penny with McDonald's either. What I think McDonald's should do is fight an all out legal battle and start a campaign to have their customers speak out about this. If that fails then close all restaurants within San Fransisco. Why, because if they bow down or even if they do nothing now then more such legislation is sure to come from other kooks throughout the nation. My bet would be NY city will be next. Chances are that within 5 or 10 years you will only be able to get vegetable burgers at fast food restaurants if this keeps going. Sure, you can say it is an isolated incident, just taking place in one city and a city of loons at that; let me remind you that NYC already forced restaurants like McDonald's to post calorie counts or shut down. Also, bear in mind that our latest Supreme Court Justice Kagan believes it Constitutional to allow the government to control what you eat. Maybe not as isolated an incident as you may have thought. The seeds have been sown nationwide from coast to coast. his is all purely nanny gone berserk type of over control and more is on its way unless it is stamped out now.
Proponents say this will stop childhood obesity and help reduce cases of childhood and adult diabetes, one on Fox News this morning even implied that these meals cause cancer! Want to make a difference in childhood obesity and diabetes, then allow parents the liberty to exercise parental rights and force their kids to work-out in gyms and to allow parents to give their kids a whack on the ass if they catch them snacking between meals. This is a parent's job not the job of a city government. Government is no substitute for good parenting, good parenting requires a sense of responsibility not a sense that someone else will do it for you. Someone else doing it for you is a nanny state mentality or a welfare state mentality. Then again - isn't that the mentality that is rampant in California?
What can you do? Buy more Happy Meals. Contact McDonald's via letters at: McDonald's Corporation, 2111 McDonald's Dr., Oak Brook, IL 60523; or email at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/contact_us/social_responsibility/social_responsibility.html. Let them know that you support them and not San Francisco's new law. Also let them know that if they bow to the new law in San Francisco without a legal battle that you will no longer support them or buy from them. Contact the mayor of San
All the best,
Glenn B
Friday, November 5, 2010
Fall Is In The Air - The Dogs Know It
Yesterday was the first full day of my wife's and daughter's trip to Germany. That meant I was supposed to man up, get my butt in gear and start taking the dogs for their daily walks. It was pouring - they stayed inside except for a quick potty call to the backyard. Same thing last night, it was raining pretty heavily when I got home form work so just a quick trip to the backyard. This morning was a different story.
This morning I rolled out of bed at about 5:45 to let out the dogs. The morning air was damp, and the steely gray look of the skies promised more rain although it was holding back at that moment. The dogs seemed reluctant to go out but they did. Once back inside they all devoured a cookie (dog biscuit) or two and I left them to themselves and tried to get some more sleep. I was off from work today and could sleep until ten or so when I would have to get ready for a doctor's appointment. They let me sleep too and the 2 chihuahuas joined me under the covers. They love snuggling to keep warm, not with each other so much as with people. The big ones stayed downstairs. By 8 I was up again, this time the big ones seemed restless. I knew what it was, they were chomping at the bit to be outside for a walk. I grabbed their leashes off the hook on the wall and they started whining and jumping with eagerness. Once outside they both sat obediently and let me put their collars on, then we were off.
I don't know if it was just that they missed their walks yesterday or that Fall was in the air but they were pretty frisky on this walk. There were a lot of piles of wet leaves under this tree and the next and that one over there and they wanted to sniff at em all. I imagine getting your warm nose down right into a pile of cool wet leaves must be a rush - well for a dog anyhow - because they sure seemed to enjoy it. Heck, I could smell that certain pungent but not unpleasant and earthy aroma that the downed leaves of a damp fall day give off and it was a good smell at that, one that had me thinking of the upcoming hunting season. Of course, with the two of our bigger dogs Mimi and Roxie, it was not just the leaves that got them going tugging at their leashes. They too were thinking of the hunt but of a more immediate nature. They were on the hunt and I was tugged along many a scent trail right to the base of an old oak tree often left wondering just who was 'on' the leash. That's because they are both nuts about squirrels, especially Mimi and she taught Roxie to be likewise. Mimi runs at break neck speed, jumps fences in a single bound, climbs trees (or tries to) in her attempts to catch squirrels (and birds but squirrels are her favorite prey). Roxie now tries likewise, Mimi was a good teacher. When we got to a small local park with a good number of trees, they both went almost wild sniffing for squirrel scent.
Of course, this is not a great habit for a dog in an urban setting and it is pretty urban around our home. So I let them have some fun then had them both heel. It has been so long since I have walked them they both seem to have forgotten the meaning of the word heel. They soon started remembering though, a tug or three on the choker chain and a stern growling "NO" and they were getting it again. They even walked passed 2 squirrels about halfway through our walk and only furrowed their brows and peaked their ears - then when I said hell, they came right along with me with nary a tug of the leash. Back to another wooded and grassy park-like area and they were given the liberty to pull as they wanted as they sniffed the ground here and there seeking out the scents of other dogs, or cats, or squirrels and birds and I am sure making an aromatic map in their memories of the way we went.
Once home they were spent and relaxed. I made breakfast and am still enjoying a hot cup of Sumatran French Roast, mmm good! As I was taking the first few sips, I did some surfing of other blogs and I came across a piece that inspired me to write about my walk with the degs this morning. Yes I wrote degs, it is what we call the dogs sometimes. The blog that inspired this piece today can be found over at Upland Feathers at this link. It is a much better written piece than was mine, and is also about a man and his dog, or was that a lass and her dog (could have been either) and some fond memories of Fall being in the air and both the dog and the human knowing it and enjoying it together!
As for me, I am looking forward to 3 weeks of walking the dogs even though the skies opened up and the rain poured down on us for the last 1/2 mile or so of our walk today. It was all good anyway. Who knows, I may keep it up once the frau returns and before you know it I may be fit and somewhat trim again. As for the present, I need to get the two little ones out for a walk later this afternoon or this evening.
All the best,
Glenn B
This morning I rolled out of bed at about 5:45 to let out the dogs. The morning air was damp, and the steely gray look of the skies promised more rain although it was holding back at that moment. The dogs seemed reluctant to go out but they did. Once back inside they all devoured a cookie (dog biscuit) or two and I left them to themselves and tried to get some more sleep. I was off from work today and could sleep until ten or so when I would have to get ready for a doctor's appointment. They let me sleep too and the 2 chihuahuas joined me under the covers. They love snuggling to keep warm, not with each other so much as with people. The big ones stayed downstairs. By 8 I was up again, this time the big ones seemed restless. I knew what it was, they were chomping at the bit to be outside for a walk. I grabbed their leashes off the hook on the wall and they started whining and jumping with eagerness. Once outside they both sat obediently and let me put their collars on, then we were off.
I don't know if it was just that they missed their walks yesterday or that Fall was in the air but they were pretty frisky on this walk. There were a lot of piles of wet leaves under this tree and the next and that one over there and they wanted to sniff at em all. I imagine getting your warm nose down right into a pile of cool wet leaves must be a rush - well for a dog anyhow - because they sure seemed to enjoy it. Heck, I could smell that certain pungent but not unpleasant and earthy aroma that the downed leaves of a damp fall day give off and it was a good smell at that, one that had me thinking of the upcoming hunting season. Of course, with the two of our bigger dogs Mimi and Roxie, it was not just the leaves that got them going tugging at their leashes. They too were thinking of the hunt but of a more immediate nature. They were on the hunt and I was tugged along many a scent trail right to the base of an old oak tree often left wondering just who was 'on' the leash. That's because they are both nuts about squirrels, especially Mimi and she taught Roxie to be likewise. Mimi runs at break neck speed, jumps fences in a single bound, climbs trees (or tries to) in her attempts to catch squirrels (and birds but squirrels are her favorite prey). Roxie now tries likewise, Mimi was a good teacher. When we got to a small local park with a good number of trees, they both went almost wild sniffing for squirrel scent.
Of course, this is not a great habit for a dog in an urban setting and it is pretty urban around our home. So I let them have some fun then had them both heel. It has been so long since I have walked them they both seem to have forgotten the meaning of the word heel. They soon started remembering though, a tug or three on the choker chain and a stern growling "NO" and they were getting it again. They even walked passed 2 squirrels about halfway through our walk and only furrowed their brows and peaked their ears - then when I said hell, they came right along with me with nary a tug of the leash. Back to another wooded and grassy park-like area and they were given the liberty to pull as they wanted as they sniffed the ground here and there seeking out the scents of other dogs, or cats, or squirrels and birds and I am sure making an aromatic map in their memories of the way we went.
Once home they were spent and relaxed. I made breakfast and am still enjoying a hot cup of Sumatran French Roast, mmm good! As I was taking the first few sips, I did some surfing of other blogs and I came across a piece that inspired me to write about my walk with the degs this morning. Yes I wrote degs, it is what we call the dogs sometimes. The blog that inspired this piece today can be found over at Upland Feathers at this link. It is a much better written piece than was mine, and is also about a man and his dog, or was that a lass and her dog (could have been either) and some fond memories of Fall being in the air and both the dog and the human knowing it and enjoying it together!
As for me, I am looking forward to 3 weeks of walking the dogs even though the skies opened up and the rain poured down on us for the last 1/2 mile or so of our walk today. It was all good anyway. Who knows, I may keep it up once the frau returns and before you know it I may be fit and somewhat trim again. As for the present, I need to get the two little ones out for a walk later this afternoon or this evening.
All the best,
Glenn B
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