Guess while I've been under the weather, I've not been checking my emails that much. There are currently 1,104 emails in my inbox - all unread. Maybe another 90 in the spam folder. Oh well, had best start at least weeding out the junk and deleting it.
All the best,ETA: This post has been edited to add more info mostly on my stay in the ER and to add stuff about my ambulance ride to the ER. I left that out purposefully at first but to tell the whole story it really needed to be included. I am thinking of filing a complaint against the EMT who rode in the back of the ambulance with me and when you read what happened you will understand why. The thing is I am sure no one else, except maybe the driver would remember what he was saying about me and I doubt the driver would back up my side of things.
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Just an update on my condition. I am feeling a lot better but still quite weak & fatigued. I guess that will all pass with time, my doc, yesterday, told me it may take up to another month for me to feel much better. She also told me that my immune system must be stressed to the maximum what with the illnesses I've had over the past several months. I find that quite believable considering I've recently been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (confirmation of earlier suspected diagnoses of RA), had a UTI, had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, was diagnosed with a less than normal heart beat efficiency (it does not pump the normal amount of blood with each beat and that was diagnosed close to the height of my several months illness that was finally diagnosed as RMSF), had oral thrush, have severe osteoarthritis in both hips, have hypothyroidism, have gout, have hypertension, have both types of sleep apnea (obstructive and central nervous system), have GERD, have extremely high PSA (and it's been recommended I get a prostate biopsy) and then atop all of that came down with COVID-19.
As far as anyone thinking this illness is not serious, you are out of your minds. I still think the flu is probably the more dangerous but that is based on the Spanish flu of the early 20th century having killed up to an estimated 15 to 100 million and having infected an estimated 500 million or about 1/3 of the world population at the time (source). It may happen again but the thing is there are polyvalent flu vaccinations that seem to do the job at keeping the flu at bay. As for COVID-19, it also is quite dangerous in my opinion and has the potential to become much worse than any version of the flu to date. Here is why I think that:
I am 65 years old. As far as I can remember, in all of my life I have not personally known even one person who died from the flu. In just one year (more or less) I personally have known 4 people who have died from COVID-19. In addition, as far as I am aware, there have only been two times in my life that there have been outbreaks of different versions of the flu in the same year. The last time was in 2009 when the Swine Flu hit. I had the flu that year while on a work assignment in AZ. It was diagnosed as Swine Flu. I can attest, it was pretty bad. Was it as bad as my current/recent bout of COVID-19? That is hard to determine because of vast differences in my health condition from 2009 through now and because of other considerations such as my age.
In 2009, I was relatively in good health. I had what was diagnosed as a branchial cleft cyst in the right side of my neck. I had hypertension and was diagnosed that year with sleep apnea - both types. Otherwise I was pretty healthy and fairly athletic. I got hit hard by the flu but was able to go out with my son when he visited me in AZ (doc told me I was not contagious any longer when he was there but man was I still sick). Going out meant things like we went fishing one day and I fell asleep in 100 degree or so temps while he fished in a lake that was almost boiling and caught one small sunfish as I recall. We tried hiking too but I could not walk more than maybe 100 feet without almost collapsing. I got over it before he left and we had some fun together and actually got in a nice hike or two in the mountains. If 'd have had COVID-19 at the time, I think I would have been in a similar condition but I think it was different having it now than if I would have had it then - that just as i think the same flu may have totally debilitated me or maybe even killed me if I had it now.
The difference now, in my overall health from then, is huge. Read again what I had then and what I have now and bear in mind I also had stage 4 throat cancer in 2011 and the effects of 7 weeks of radiation a several chemo treatments will be debilitating to me for life. Then again, merely those things I had just before coming down with COVID-19 are enough to knock anyone for a loop as far as your immune system goes. Anyone who says to me - you just have the flu has not been paying attention to what I have already written about my health relative to COVID-19 in prior posts. While this illness knocked the crap out of me much as did the swine flu, it also had some additional effects that the swine flu did not. Be that because of my declined health since 2009, my current age, the actual differences in the two diseases or whatever - I do not know.
The differences between my last bout of the flu and COVID-19 are many (and bear in mind I may forget to include something because there are many differences in my symptoms and this stuff played havoc with my little gray cell's ability to remember things while sick). Here are at least some of the differences between my case of COVID-19 and my bout of Swine Flu as for symptoms:
Flu = slight congestion, rapid onset of other symptoms to include: aches & pains throughout my body, extreme fatigue, medium to high fever for a couple to few days, maybe several days (heck it was 11 years ago and hard to remember but I did have fever). Aches and pains remained fairly constant in degree - very bad throughout from day one.
COVD-19 = first two or three days: runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing up some phlegm. After day three or so - gradual development of aches and pains throughout my entire body, loss of taste & smell (on and off). I developed some pretty bad stomach pains too and then diarrhea. My appetite in the first 12 days or so was almost nonexistent. Someone who saw me outside my apartment, when I took out the pooch, was aghast at how much weight she thought I had lost. Best I can figure (from my weight at doctor yesterday and what I recall it to have been) is I lost about 10 - 12 pounds within the first 10 days or so. I do not think I lost any weight when I had the flu but really do not recall for certain. After realizing I was losing weight that was so noticeable to others, I forced myself to eat more and have already gained some back. I am taking probiotics to fight the runs.
The cough continued steadily, though only a few coughs a day most days, through at least day 12. I coughed up blood for at least a few days prior to going into the ER on day 10 (after diagnosis); more on that to come below. Blowing my nose also produced blood in that same time frame, often more than when I coughed. I still have the sniffles (runny nose) just a bit or actually those came back yesterday.
My hip pain increased markedly throughout the first week (then got somewhat better probably because I was sleeping 16 to 20 hours a day throughout the first week and a half or so and was not walking much at all). It has gotten worse now I am up and about again.
I had a fever every day from about day 2 or 3 (after diagnosis) up and through day 13. The fever came and went each day; the highest I recorded was 101.8 but I am certain it got higher at one point when I had forgotten my thermometer downstairs and I was in bed sweating and freezing and shivering at the same time until it broke. Most days, the fever ran between 100.4 and 100.8 degrees - not high but recurrent. Sometimes I was feverish up to three times in a day separated each time by the fever breaking for a couple or few hours. This was extremely different from the fever with the flu which was more or less constant until it broke and that was it.
On about day 10 (after diagnosis) I was out walking my dog. (I had to walk her because no one would board her because I had COVID-19; in fact two people were extremely nasty toward me because I evidently had the nerve to piss them off by notifying them I had this disease & then asking them to board my dog.) Anyway, while out on that walk, the world started spinning. I do not mean mild light-headedness - I mean spinning like when a very drunk person lays down in bed and tries to sleep and it seems like they are on their way to visit the Wizard of Oz as the tornado picks up the house and spins it wildly. I also had a sudden onset of severe shortness of breath and pain in the center of my chest while breathing (both in an out but more on the inward breath). I more or less collapsed to my knees purposefully because I realized I was about to pass out. I bent over and lowered my head and after several minutes was able to unsteadily regain my footing & wobble over to a park bench and sat down. I sat there for how long only my dog Skye knows as she sat patiently by my side looking at me as if she knew something was not right in our world that day.
At the moment I went down to my knees - with the extreme dizziness, sudden extreme shortness of breath and chest pain while breathing - I was thinking maybe that was it for me! That truly is how bad I felt at that moment and it was scary. The flu never even came close to doing any of that to me. It took me quite the time to regain my willpower to try to walk home and then to continue the 1/4 mile or less to get there. My best guess, is that it took me 20 to 30 minutes after getting up from the bench where I had rested for an unknown amount of time (I will venture a guess of maybe 15 minutes to a half hour or so).
I was all alone except for my mongrel Skye - there was not another person in sight to look to for help and man I wanted help and wanted it badly; no phone either, I had forgotten it in my living room. That feeling of being on my own, except for Skye, was frightening but I had been there before and was determined to get home no matter what and having Skye with me was somehow comforting and gave me strength of will. I went to the ER that day, via ambulance. (I dread getting the bill for that even though a representative of Blue Cross told me they would pay for it despite charges for an ambulance usually not being allowed under my health plan; she said because it was due to COVID they would pay and I hope she was correct.) That was day 10 or so after diagnosis, and I went to the ER as per the recommendation of my doctor when I called her office that day upon getting home from the dog walk in the park (she apparently had forgotten all about that when I saw her yesterday).
Let me just say some things about the ambulance ride (and this piece was edited to add all of this on the night of the same day I wrote the rest of it). The EMT who was in the back of the bus with me was a pompous piece of shit - there is no other way to describe him as I see him. He was from McCallen, TX or close to it. He boasted about how he was a special volunteer and how he had been trained to do what he was doing and was sent to northeast TX to save us - yes he said to save us. Then, after a good few minutes of his braggadocio, he finally asked me about my situation. Somewhere in there he remembered to put on his protective gas mask - that is what he donned. I told him I had been out walking Skye and about what happened. He immediately began to berate me in a nasty and condescending tone telling me I was spreading COVID-19 because I went outside. I explained the diagnosing nurse practitioner told me it would be fine to walk my dog so long as I wore a mask and practiced social distancing avoiding other people by at least six feet (quite easy to do in that part at this time of year and considering the whole COVID thing and I did not come within probably 30 to 40 feet of anyone while out with her except the one woman from the apartment complex who said it looked as if I had lost weight and she already had been infected and survived a bout of COVID-19).
He then implied, almost said it straight out, that I was lying as he actually said no doctor had told me it would be okay to walk my dog (which he was right about because as I said it had been a nurse practitioner but he was wrong in the essence of what he was saying). He then told me that what I was supposed to have done was to have locked myself in my apartment by closing and locking all my windows and doors and then staying inside for two weeks (the urgent care facility I went to when diagnosed recommended 10 days to 14 days and the braggart also said outright that no one told me 10 days even though I have it in writing).
hen he lectured me on how it was common sense that I should have done everything he had said because it is the only way to prevent the spread of this disease - locking one's self away in complete isolation. I was going to bring up the study from Europe, I believe by the Dutch, that showed the ineffectiveness of lock-downs but held off. I did tell him no one would care for my dog and thus I had to take her out (figuring he would see the common sense in that being a necessity instead of allowing my dog to answer nature's potty call inside my apartment on the carpeting) and was about to ask him what he thought I should have done when my dog needed to defecate or urinate. I again held off because I realized trying to make sense to this guy was like talking to a rock with lips.
He had an overwhelming sense of self importance and machismo as far as I could tell. He actually kept puffing up his chest while lecturing me and spoke down to me in a rude and nasty manner and kept repeating it was common sense not to walk my dog and to lock both of us up in my apartment. At one point I finally asked him if all of it was common sense why he needed all the training. He finally shut up when I asked that and got to taking my ID. As he did that, he began to talk to the driver. His words, although not exactly as I remember them I am sure, were at least very close to these in what he said and definitely had exactly the same meaning as these I write here: 'Hey you want to hear what this guy says. He says his doctor told him he could go out and walk his dog and spread the virus. Can you believe that. No one told him that, can you believe he walked his dog and spread the virus...' On and on he went along that line of arrogantly putting me down.
When he gave me my ID back, holding it in a piece of paper towel (and not wearing gloves - so much for his supposed training) I asked him if he would like my health insurance information. I said, and I quote as best I can recall: "Your insurance information is the least of my worries." and he refused taking it. Then he ranted on again about how foolish it had been for me to walk my dog. When we got to the hospital a few minutes later, after some radio communication with the ER, he opened the side door of the ambulance and guess what I heard - he immediately started to say to someone something to the effect of: 'Hey do you want to know what this guy said. He said his doctor told him it was okay for him to walk his dog and spread the virus.' He told that, in sum & substance, to at least two other people. One as he wheeled me into the ER - an orderly or whatever you call them who tried to assist him (and he puffed up is chest again and nastily told the guy he did not want or need his help) and then he told the first nurse who attended to me the same thing in essence as he had told the others. I am almost willing to bet he is still telling that to folks today.
Allow me to get to the ER and normal medical personnel. I got immediate attention while there. They ran lots of blood tests (had to do them over because my blood coagulated while waiting to be tested), they also did a EKG, took chest x-rays in my room and hours later finally did a CT Scan of my chest. I saw the same doctor there two or three times, saw the nurse on the afternoon shift several times (his name was Andrew and he is from Las Vegas - he was also a volunteer) and I saw the nurse on the night shift even more than Andrew. By the way, did I mention it already - her name was Lucy and she was rather cute and very personable and quite caring - certainly one of the best nurses I have ever met in an ER. She spent quite a bit of time caring for me. She too was from or near McCallen, TX and right after I described the pompous buffoon from the ambulance to her, I realized I may have screwed up and hoped he was not her husband. As it was, I got the idea she knew the guy and that she thought likewise about him as did I (maybe she was his wife after all and knew him to be just as I described).
While there I was diagnosed with what they told me was COVID Pneumonia but not bad enough to require a ventilator. After spending most of the day and night there, I was sent home either very late that night or very early next morning (I do not know the exact time) with a tank of oxygen. They called a cab for me. I protested that and the nurse Lucy told me there would be an approximate 10-12 hour wait for an ambulance and the cost would be approximately $2,000 and I would have to pay because ambulance rides home were not considered a medical necessity. That blew my mind (man I hope Blue cross comes through on the ambulance ride to the ER). Lucy was able to talk me into taking a cab. She gave me an N-95 tight fitting face mask for the ride. She also instructed me not to talk to the driver more than absolutely necessary and said everything would be fine because as she put it, they unknowingly transport COVID positive people all the time (I swear she told me all of this). Being
pretty debilitated physically and mentally at the time, I was not
thinking straight or would have refused the taxi and instead would have
demanded some other form of non-ambulance but medical transport. As it turned out,I took the cab.
Anyway, the window was open for the ride home, I made sure of that. As for the driver, being I had the tank of oxygen and such and looked half dead, I am pretty sure he guessed what I had. It is truly unthinkable that hospitals, after about a year of this, would not have set up a transportation system for patients that did not involve ambulances or risking a taxi driver getting this illness. We were at my place in about 10 minutes so at least we were not together long in the cab. I gave him about an $8.00 tip, the ride was $12 or so. He was amazed; he said he usually is happy if the passenger has the whole fare that is due him let alone gives him any tip at all - such is life in Texarkana.
Home and on oxygen. When the oxygen tank ran out a day or two later it was replaced with a machine that evidently extracts oxygen from the air and I have been using that since. That was delivered to my apartment and set up by a technician. He was not concerned that I had COVID-19 and was fully aware of the fact I had it as I told him as soon as he arrived and before he came into my apartment. He said that is mostly with whom he had dealt lately - COVID patients.
One other note on the ER. Why they did not hydrate me at the hospital is a mystery. I was obviously dehydrated that particular day and passed maybe an ounce of urine when asked for a sample and it was very dark. It took at least an hour or two to get even a sip of water from them at first. I thought I had been hydrating okay at home but must have slacked off due to sleeping so much. Once they finally gave me a couple of small cups of water and then a huge one (by the nurse on the night shift - quite the cutie did I say already and just outright very attentive) that cleared up but the night nurse told me my kidney function (usually excellent) was not very good that day. My regular doc explained to me yesterday that merely could have been because of dehydration alone as my kidney function, tested shortly before I was diagnosed with COVID, had been excellent as usual. Hopefully it is back to the same already or will be soon.
Moving on to the now: I have continued to be very fatigued since I passed the recommended number of quarantine days - 10 days (or 14 if the patient has a fever beyond that). I went longer than even the 14 days, I think it was 17 days in quarantine because my fever was still present on day 13 after diagnosis. Then I went to see my doctor, that was yesterday. I feel much better now but still not very good, in fact still pretty fatigued and ill in that regard. I still have the sniffles and a bit of a cough (when I wake up) but am no longer coughing up blood, no longer have a fever, and most of my aches and pains are gone.
As to the flu symptoms, back in 2009, as best I can remember, once the flu's fever passed the flu and ll its aches & pains and such itself cleared up fairly quickly. I am guessing a week after the fever was gone. Right now, I still feel very fatigued from COVID-19; my doc told me I may feel this way for another month. I do not look forward to feeling out of it for that much longer but do look forward to being completely rid of the symptoms of COVID-19.
That is what COVID-19 has done to me so far. As they say, your mileage may vary - some folks suffer almost nothing, others much worse than me and of course hundreds of thousands has died from it.
And to think, now they say there is a new strain out already in a year or so after the first and it makes it easier to catch the disease. I don't remember the flu ever doing that - not that it changes from year to year but that it remains in full force throughout the year, ravaging the the community & continuing to claim new victims while it changes itself into a new version before the preexisting one has disappeared. Besides all that, I truly believe this to be a man-made virus, as in for use in germ warfare or population control and believe in my heart that the chi-coms either unleashed it purposefully (my bet) or accidentally but what does either matter now that it has been released? (That was rhetorical question -retribution and responsibility is why it matters now.) Here is hoping the vaccinations work and that as many people as possible get them. You don't want one - fine by me but don't start an argument with me because I hope they work and that people get them.
Stay healthy my friends,
Glenn B
PS: give me a few days and I may actually read all of what I wrote & proof read this.(ETA: well it took less than a day.)
Just an update. I got out of ER late Monday night or early Tuesday. Sent me home with a tank of oxygen. I hooked myself up to that once I got home. Then I slept all day yesterday. They told me at the ER I had pneumonia due to covid-19 so I am just as surprised as anybody that they sent me home but the doctor said it was not so bad. Bad enough for the oxygen though which reminds me I have to call to get another tank. Thank you to everyone who keeps checking up on me and wishing me well. I think I'm going to beat this, feel a little bit better today than in last 10 days.
I'll be going to the emergency room today as soon as I can get there. My covid has taken a turn for the worse, I...
I wrote that several hours ago. Am in ER now, been here maybe an hour, where I almost cannot believe the speed of care I am receiving. I guess Covid patients rate A1. Everyone being great. Waiting on CT Scan of chest.
Finally found a place to board Skye while I am in hospital. A&B Animal Rescue of SW Arkansas, the rescue where I got her. It is the only place that would take her and Corinna Alexander, the lady who runs the place, agreed without hesitation to take her in knowing I have Covid.
My son drove down from Benton to.pick up Skye and they are on their way to rescue now.
I hope no one catches this because of me.
All the best
Glenn B
I wish all of you a Merry Christmas who celebrate and to those who did not I hope you have a merry day at least had ahappy Festivus for the rest of us.
Unless you're probably wondering about my bout with. I am still at home and still breathing on my own and that's making for about as Merry a Christmas as someone with this illness could have. In all I am pretty miserable but happy to be holding my own so far. Fever here, then gone, then back, exhaustion and lots of pain. Hoping to beat it soon.
...but hanging in there and doing my best to fight the Covid-19. I've been sleeping anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a day over the past three days. The hardest thing during each of my days, besides trying to stay awake, has been walking the mongrel. I am lucky that Skye remains mellow even though her activity level has been cut drastically die to me being ill. When all this is over, I plan to cook her a nice bloody medium rare ribeye steak and if the hips allow to take her for a nice long walk.
As for me, I've got most of the classic symptoms: tiredness, weakness, coughing up phlegm (though not much coughing), runny nose, mucous when I blow my nose, sore throat, fever, loss of taste and smell (or at least a great reduction to both but I can still taste a bit especially salt and I could smell OJ faintly), general body aches. Luckily, I cannot smell myself, have not had the energy to take a shower in 3 days. I tried to get into the tub a few times but with the hips hurting so badly and now the weakness from the Covid, it's been impossible for me to get my leg high enough to get in there. Feeling somewhat better right now and if I still feel this way tomorrow, I'll do whatever it takes to shower; washing with a damp washcloth does not cut it. They have me taking a Z-pack and some cough medicine as needed but I've only had the cough syrup twice. The odd thing is as soon as I started the antibiotics my joint pains started to feel somewhat better; while they still hurt (especially my hips and lower back) that needs to be looked into because it has happened the last three times I was prescribed antibiotics.
What amazes me about all this is the coincidence that within two or three months, I've had two potentially fatal diseases. They say third time pays for all and I am not looking forward to a third should it be headed my way.
All the best,
As I see it, I have more reason than ever to wear a mask now, to cut down on the possibility of me spreading it to some other poor slob. Wish I had reliably always worn mine when in stores and such, the little gray cells being old and somewhat decrepit forgot too may times to remind me to don one (and please have the decency not to start an argument about whether or not you think masks work because at this point I am in no mood to get a face full of controversy from anyone).
All the best,
Glenn B
Last night, I ordered a 500 round "case" of Remington Military & Police 9mm training ammo yesterday and the same of Federal 9mm training ammo as well from Target Sports USA (always though a case of 9mm had 1K rounds in it). Wow were those ever so expensive! I am gambling that getting it now is better than getting it once Biden is sworn in as president, especially if the demonkrats win the two Senate seats in Georgia. Either way, with them winning both seats or not, a Biden presidency is not going to be good for ammo prices or so I am betting, thus my gamble on getting it now.
Still, I have to wonder about my sanity since it cost me over $550 for the thousand rounds and because I already had a decent supply of 9mm on hand; ammo that I got at good prices when the world - or at least the U.S. of A. - was still more or less normal! Seems like a much longer time ago than it actually has been what with all that has happened since last January or so!Anyway, all this nonsense and anarchy, chicanery and political corruption has me buying ammo whenever I can lay hands on it. As far as that is concerned, the sky high prices have changed almost nothing in my ammo buying habits.
I have been thinking of signing up for Medicare part A and while doing that had the thought I should check to see what I'd get if I signed up for Social Security. As it turns out, if I had never worked for the federal government and ONLY worked for the jobs outside the federal government for which I worked to qualify for having enough quarters for Social Security (or in other words never worked at all in the 32 years I had of federal employment) I'd get about $356.00 a month of Social Security payments. Not much but as I said most of my work time was that 32 years in the federal civil service and I get a pension for that - from a pension plan I paid into. Because of that the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) though, no doubt thought up by an it's okay to screw others out of their due progressive, they will reduce my monthly payment to about $151.00. Note not by $151.00 but to $151.00 which is less than half of what I'd normally receive, for the same amount of quarters I worked outside of the civil service, had I not been receiving a federal pension under the Civil Service Retirement Act.
Now, while some of you left leaning types may think that great, and while even some of you more conservative types may think it grand as well; I think of it this way - I am getting screwed out of what anyone else who did not work for the feds is getting. I paid enough into Social Security to get $356.00 per month period. Just because I receive a federal pension, which program I also paid into every month, I and millions of others are being punished for our service so that some liberal blood sucking leech can get from welfare what I earned and what I deserve.
Personally, I'd settle to get all the money I paid into Social Security back in my pocket and to see Social Security completely abolished BUT if it is going to continue then those who paid into it by way of jobs outside of their federal service, and who amassed enough quarters to receive Social Security payments, should get the amount anyone else would get for having paid in that much.
Bitch, bitch, bitch, moan, moan moan, that's it for now.
All the best,The COVID-19 Pandemic is at another peak or s they tell us. Me, I believe them, at least around here in TX where it is at its first real peak - at least in eastern TX. Despite that, life has not ended here. Stores are open and business goes on for the most part with most people wearing masks but not all. If you wear a mask it's fine by me - I wear one when in crowds or in stores as they are required by state law or rule or regulation or whatever. If you do not wear one, well maybe you are right and masks are bullshit but then again if not and you failed to wear one and get sick, nothing personal but I won't mourn you. Of course, if you do not wear one and it is later shown they greatly reduced the chance of you spreading it, and you got it and passed it on to someone else because you did not wear a mask - fuck you - rot in hell.
Now as this post's title suggests, I - in fact we - may be tempting fate this weekend - again. The we being Brendan. We will have tables at the gun show in Conway, AR. We'll both be wearing masks and have alcohol gel at hand. Hopefully we won't catch any nasty shot like the Rona V or the flu. Stay well my friends.
I can only hope that upon his passing, the spirit of Chuck Yeager zoomed high in the sky as he so often did when I was a kid in the 60s. He was the first human to break the sound barrier, which he did in the late 1940s (long before I was born). Before that, he started his flying career during WWII and was soon assigned as a fighter pilot and saw much action shooting down many enemy planes; in fact, he became an Ace by shooting down 5 German planes in one day. He was shot down himself prior to that, survived serious injuries, and went back into the action. Later, in his flying career, he trained other pilots and remained active as a test pilot into the mid 1970's. It may not seem like much now but to a kid in the 60s, he was essentially an all American demigod.
RIP General Chuck Yeager.
All the best,
Glenn B
Sources:
https://www.chuckyeager.com/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/us/chuck-yeager-dead.html
Click on this link. While the ammo is currently selling for around $50 per box on GunBroker, the rifle plus the ammo and all else is priced just a tad high - don't ya think!
All the best,...but my son loved it and still does, I think. It was okay by me and pretty funny and while my favorite character in it was Walter Sobchak, I found this at Wally World the other day and had to have it:
Really, I'd much rather trust a guy like Walter with my back - he's my kind of gun nut - but this cup is awesome anyway - and it is BIG (and full of very strong coffee that I am enjoying as I type)!
All the best,Shame on me or at least on my screaming hips. Hard to sit here long enough to write anything meaningful.
Will try to get a little done this weekend - starting today being it's:
FRIDAY!
I often wonder how many folks who have a nice big and fancy Thanksgiving dinner actually give thanks for the bounty or even for the meager sustenance, whichever is the case, in their lives. I know I do and I do it with all my heart. I probably do not thank the same entity as do you, or a priest in church, or a butcher at the supermarket, or the guy who fixes my car or a hairstylist, or an unemployed bum or a disabled military vet, or, the checkout clerk at the drug store or whoever is giving it today but I do offer my thanks. Some folks thank God, the Gods, Nature, the Universe, The Force, each other and so on we each do it in our own way. I think more or less universally and thank them all, even the turkey that gave its life so my son & I can feast today. Me, even though I am not to sure that all of them exist,I figure why not cover them all just in case.
I also want to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for stopping by to read my blog. You folks are great. Enjoy the day, enjoy you dinner, enjoy what company you have if any and if not then enjoy the solitude and peacefulness of that.
All the best,I went day before yesterday to get groceries, including what I need to cook a nice Thanksgiving dinner for Brendan and I. He's going to come to my place for the weekend. Shopping can be a pain in the butt in general but it's even more so when the one doing the shopping is under the weather. Some of the symptoms I suffered from badly over a 4 or 5 month period and not so badly over close to a year if not a bit more, have returned. The worst is extreme fatigue as seen in my falling asleep at all times of the day, then waking a little while or even hours later as tired as before I slept and being unable to get a good night's sleep due to hip pain. Tramadol (the pain medication for the hip pain keeps me awake many nights) and having to pee several times a night are both keeping me up for a good deal of the night. It's been almost as bad over the past few days as it was at the height of my illness when I was ultimately diagnosed with a UTI and then Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever a week or so later. Not looking for sympathy just giving all the info on what's made my shopping such a pain lately; I've been like a zombie shopper.
So, I went shopping for all the fixings for a really nice Thanksgiving dinner on Monday. I was planning on getting a fresh turkey as opposed to a frozen one. I found some at Sam's Club but many of them looked disgusting as if someone had mangled them before putting the plastic wrap onto them. So, I figured I'd get one at Walmart or Albertson's. Thing was, when I brought my stuff home from Sam's Club, I had to take a nap. I passed out for a few hours and when I got up felt even tireder than before so I never made it to Walmart.
Not to worry, I'd go on Tuesday. I had a doctor's appointment and thought I'd go after that. Went home first and passed out again for a couple of hours. Finally got up enough steam to go to Wally World late last evening. The only fresh turkey's they had were Butterballs that all weighed over 20 pounds. That's just a wee bit too much for a two person, one dog, bird. I figured 'd go to Albertson's and then to Sam's to get one of the mangled ones if the other place had none. Called Albertson's and the girl who answered the phone sounded dimmer than a burned out light bulb; she told me she did not think they had fresh turkeys but it was obvious she had a difficult time understanding what is a fresh turkey. So off to Sam's - but holy crap I had to step on it, they were closing in 15 minutes or so. I got there with about 5 minutes to spare; went in and grabbed a bird that looked okay that was just over 11 pounds and grabbed a chunk of excellent very aged old cheddar cheese. The turkey was frozen a tiny bit here and there, I guess the cooler was a bit too cool, but I am pretty sure what little was frozen will thaw by Thursday morning when it goes into the oven.
Then it was off to Albertson's. Neither Walmart nor Sam's Club had poultry seasoning and that is an absolute must for the stuffing, at least for my stuffing. Neither had sage or thyme either or I'd have gotten them and made my own seasoning. While at Albertson's, I also got some apples (I hope I am up to making an apple pie later tonight), some sliced almonds (for the stuffing along with an apple or two) and another thing or three.
It was just a royal pain in mine arse considering I was more or less a zombie as to how I felt. I could have just fallen asleep standing over but supported by my shopping cart. Funny thing is, I had another terrible night's seep last night but while a bit pooped now, I feel pretty good today, it's not like I am totally exhausted as I was for the past two or three days. Sometimes the Tramadol seems to have these effects: it rids me of all or or at least most of the pain, it keeps me awake and I lay there in bed totally awake but also totally relaxed and the next day I feel fine and awake but need to take a brief nap in the afternoon or late morning. I don't get it, that is why it does that but I wish it did that every time but there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to when it will work like that or opposed to that when it will just cause a lousy night's sleep making me feel like crap the next day.
Anyway, all the shopping is done - or so I hope. I am looking forward to a nice feast for which we can be thankful to our creator whether that be God, the Gods, Nature, the Force, the Universe and the big bang, my mother & father and that smaller bang on New Year's Eve (my guess based upon my date of birth and the fact that most folks born around my DOB were conceived on New year's Eve or so I have heard tell), all of them combined or whatever. Despite all my ailments as of late, I have a lot for which to be thankful, one of the biggest & best is coming over for Thanksgiving dinner and the weekend. Wish we could be with the rest of the family in NY - even my wife regardless of the separation - it would be a nice time. As it is I am thankful for all of them in my life and that they all have their health. There are many, many, many other things for which to give thanks - far too many to list but I am thankful for them all.
I hope each and every one of you - regardless of faith or not, and regardless of race, color, ethnicity, political stance, sexiual orientation, or just about anything else (at least for those of you who are decent folks in the broadest sense of the word decent) have a truly excellent Thanksgiving. And remember, if you possibly can do it - don't forget to watch The March Of The Wooden Soldiers (aka: Babes In Toyland) and to listen to the entire song: Alice's Restaurant (aka: Alice's Restaurant Massacree). It's not Thanksgiving without
them.
All the best,
Atwoods Ranch & Home is a store much like Tractor Supply. I went shopping at the one in Texarkana, TX today. I have shopped there fairly often.
Today, I bought three 50 caliber ammo cans there.They were marked down to $10.49 ea. from $14.99 each, seemed reasonable to me since not all that long ago they were going for $9.99 at a few stores. I also got some other assorted things around the store. When I checked out, I thought the final price seemed high, checked my receipt & saw they had charged me $14.99 each.
I asked someone to help me with that. Instead of calling the guy at the gun counter, who was about 10 feet away from the ammo can shelf with the sign facing him, she asked me to show her where they were displayed. So, I said okay and walked back there with her. She looked at the sign, looked at me frowning and said what the sign said and what it said on the can labels was not the same because the sign said tactical & the labels did not. Then she spoke to the clerk at the gun counter. As she was talking to him, she looked at me and frowned again, 2turned her back toward me, & started whispering to him. What's a guy to think when they do that. I was half expecting store security to show up O/C cans a'spraying. I think that clerk was trying her best to prove the axiom: "Some people would have no manners at all if not for bad manners" as she kept talking in a very low voice and looking over at me. If she was not telling him that she thought I had changed signs, which is what I suspected, then she was just being outright rude to have done that.
The gun counter clerk guy came around the counter and looked at the cans, then looked at some other further down the aisle. He told her they were the only ones that had been marked for $14.99 and that they must be the ones on sale (apparently he did not know until he looked). Instead of her saying okay, she then called for the manager; of course, he did not show up. After waiting there several more minutes, as she inspected the sign, the cans, then seemingly the tape holding the sign to the shelf, then she tore off the sign. We waited some more but the manager never showed up nor did a second person for whom she or the gun counter guy also had called.
When I asked what was going on, she said the sign was not for them, that was the wrong price for them and she said it in a rather sarcastic accusatory tone. She also said someone must have put the wrong sign there (in a long & drawn manner). I asked, in a somewhat incredulous tone, what she meant by that! She stayed mum. I then asked, would they honor or not honor the price. I admit was beginning to get a bit upset at being treated, in my view, as if she suspected me of criminality. I also wanted to get going, ten minutes or more must have passed since she went to the ammo can shelf with me and I'd already probably been in the store for about a half hour having had to check several cans to make sure the lids were not so loose as to fall off as soon as you opened them (as they did on many of the cans) and also spent time shopping for other things as well. In reply to my question, she said something very close to this: 'Here is what you can do, you can take them or just leave them right here' and she said it in a rather haughty tone.
I did not leave them right there but did not take them home with me either. I asked where I could get a refund and she told me at the service desk. So, went to the service desk up front and left everything I had just purchased on the desk & asked for a refund for all of it. The nice girl at the desk, whom I have dealt with many times before and she has always been pleasant, was rather surprised when I calmly and politely (which was my demeanor throughout) told her I wanted a refund on everything. I told her I was not about to stand for the disrespect and seeming outright suspicion I had been shown nor would I stand for the store not honoring the price they had on the item.
She called the manager. Another few minutes waiting passed. This time he finally showed up. For some reason, the manager gave me the refund even though the clerk at the desk said she could handle it. I should note, they require people to wear face masks when shopping there (but do not enforce it since many customers do not). They also require their employees to wear masks. All of them had masks on but guess where the manager wore his - on his chin not covering his nose or mouth. Just saying because it shows a lack of professionalism that was about to reveal itself in yet another way.
It took at least 10 minutes for him to key in only 7 items. I do not know if that was because he is always slow as molasses or because he was giving me a hard time for asking for a full refund or some other reason but suspect he was giving me a hard time (but that could just have been me because I was getting quite irritated by then but did not display my irritation). During that time, he never once said something like: 'Hi sir how can I help'; did not say 'good afternoon sir'; did not ask 'what is the issue here sir'; did not apologize for having the wrong sign up; never offered them at the price on the sign or not even one of them at that price as a consolation; never once displayed courtesy, respect or good manners and acted like he did not give a shit his customers. Around that time, I mentioned I would not shop there again, still remaining calm and courteous in my demeanor, and he said nothing. I was getting pissed off but still remained calm. I took the receipt and asked if that was it and he said yes and I left.
I had needed those cans and needed them today; yet, I did not need them as badly as I needed a refund at that moment. I've spent a decent deal of money in there over the past few to several months since I first started shopping there. I certainly am nowhere near their best customer spending-wise but I was a loyal & respectful customer and I deserved to be treated with at least some respect in that regard - first by the first female clerk & then by the manager. After all, I was spending my money there. I also treated them with respect - even more, I think, than what was due to them with their attitudes. Bottom line, I will not ever again spend even another penny there.
It was not so much that they would not honor the price; had the female clerk respectfully and courteously said something like: 'I'm sorry sir but somehow this sign was not placed correctly, there were other ammo cans on sale for that price' or something like: 'Sir, I'm sorry, someone put up the wrong price for these cans' - I probably would have taken them anyway. Instead, I got a refund on everything because, in my opinion, the female clerk was a snotty disrespectful type & the manager was not much better. That's too bad because everyone else with whom I have ever dealt there has always been respectful, courteous, quite professional and just ever so very nice. Then again, no loss to me, I can shop at their competitors.
Just my luck, I had to back a little while later and I was not happy about that. I had been so upset that I forgot my cell phone on the countertop. When I got back, the nice young lady was still at the desk; she evidently had placed my phone aside. Yet another clerk gave me the phone because the nice gal was busy.
The lady, who handed me my phone, told me that what happened was the on sale ammo cans had been at the other end of the store - pointing to the unlikely area of the garden center. She said they had run out of those cans and someone (I am guessing she meant someone who worked there because she was not at all accusatory, sarcastic, or disrespectful) had then moved the sign over to the cans I had bought that also had been regularly priced at $14.99 and had done so without realizing they were different cans that were not on sale. By then the nice girl at the desk was free and she joined in affirming that was what had happened. Imagine if the first clerk had respectfully told me that. I would have accepted that as an honest mistake on the part of the store and taken the cans home with me at the higher price. Of that I have no doubt since I had needed them and had expected to pay $14.99 each being that I had already bought some there at the higher price recently.
Anyway, I explained what had happened in more detail to those two nice ladies, in a polite but loud enough voice for the other one to hear me. She was a couple of registers away. I also told them in no uncertain terms that Atwoods had lost me as a customer because the other female clerk, the one who had helped me first had been so disrespectful and seemingly acted like I had moved the sign. I wished the nice two a happy Thanksgiving and as I was walking out the nasty bitch first clerk yelled out "Do you want to talk to the manager sir". Since I already had talked to him but he basically was not talking, I must admit, I had to do everything in my power not to yell back at her: Go fuck yourself as I walked out the door for the last time.
...because I scored six (6) boxes of 38 Special +P this morning, then went to the dog park with Skye and had a nice time playing a bit of fetch where she gets the ball but does not bring it back, and because I stopped at a local second hand junk store antique store where I found tree heavy duty, large and very inexpensive beer mugs. Only $1.00 apiece. Put a smile on my face because Brendan & I will use them on Thanksgiving.
As I was saying, I was happy. Then suddenly, I received a text from Brendan and I was no longer happy. My happiness meter went from high all the way to breaking and going boing! I should mention it went up - not down and I was ecstatic! Here is why:
 |
| Not sure but I think it's a 6 pointer. Sent him a text asking but no reply yet, lousy service up there |
After many years of deer hunting with me, he had never gotten a deer. Then last year, he bagged a doe - one shot while hunting in AR with his boss. Single shot to get tat one. I don't know the details yet about the buck he got today but it was also one shot. I do know a little from a couple of texts he sent to me. He did not have the best angle from which to shoot - it was facing him head on. Here is how he described it in a text to me:
"Got a buck"
"Was not broadside. Was looking straight at me. Flopped over and died. Quick and clean."
His whole face is glowing in that picture and so it should be! By the way, that rifle - it's a Savage - don't recall the exact model - I think one of the various model 10 or 100 rifles, 308 caliber (he chose from a selection of 5 or 6 rifles and chose wisely). Whatever - it's gotta be good luck. We were at a gun show last month and I shelled out $20 apiece for a couple of raffle tickets. Later on in the show, a guy working the show and a gal asked if I was Glenn B. I said yeah and asked why, she was smiling and then it hit me. I had bought the winning ticket. I let them transfer it to Brendan as an early Christmas gift. I love it when things truly come together and they certainly did with that rifle, the ammo I gave him for it, and the skills I helped teach him shooting and out in the woods. He may be a middle aged man now but I still say: 'That's my boy and I'm quite proud of him!'
I don't even know if ecstatic explains how I feel. He has been hunting with me for big game since he was 16. We went on a trip to Maine back then and he bagged a young boar black bear. That was also a one shot kill - it went through the heart & lungs. He is a good shot, takes after me shooting and may surpass me someday (but not quite yet😉). The only thing that could have made me feel better about this, well it's if I would have been there with him. That's okay though, maybe next year, who knows. As I said though, the happy meter got busted when I saw the photo. I suppose, the only guy happier than me about this is Brendan.
As for me, I have not bothered to go hunting this year. Too much pain in my hips. Seems to be getting better though, wouldn't you know 2 weeks into the season! There is a late season in December and truth be told, it's been so warm around here that I'd rather go then. Somewhere in between now and then, I hope to be eating some venison, from the buck he shot today.
I should add, I told him to have the head mounted.I know it's not even close to a trophy buck but as a taxidermist told me maybe 35 years or so ago when I got my first buck, an 8 pointer on my uncle's farm, you may never see another like this. I've seen them alright, quite a few and two with 12 or 14 points - but I never got another as big as that first one. I offered Brendan $250 toward mounting it; I hope he takes me up on it.
Me, I have a decent stock of ammo built up. If the dems take control of all three houses - The Senate, The House of Representatives & The White House - there most assuredly will be a huge tax implemented on guns & ammunition. How huge, try 35% or higher; I am pretty certain that was the figure they tried in their last attempt to tax the people out of being able to purchase ammunition. The dems, led by the raving lunatic Schumer have tried to legislate such a tax for decades. We pay enough, actually more than enough, taxes right now. They may also try to legislate what types of ammo and how much of it someone can buy. Thus I have a abundant amount of ammo built up and keep adding to it.
Heck, the democrats, should they gain overwhelming control of the government, may even attempt to repeal the 2nd Amendment. I am sure it seems like an outrageous idea to some, the talk of an extremist (which I am not) but it does not seem all that far fetched to me. This is next to last month of 2020. Did you ever imagine, even for a moment, that things that happened in the United States this year would have ever happened - not just in your lifetime but ever? Had I made some predictions last year in 2019 and told you that a group of fascists, garbed in black, would take over and defiantly rule some of our cities or at least pars of them and that authorities would facilitate them doing so and even march with them - would you have believed me? Had I told you that hundreds of thousands of people would demand defunding the police - would you have believed that? What about elected officials assisting rioting crowds to tear down monuments, not only of confederate soldiers but also of Abraham Lincoln in the name of fighting racism? Lincoln of all presidents! Would you ever have imagined cities in flames as rioting and looting became commonplace and state & local elected officials would do nothing to stop and in some instances encourage such behavior then would attempt to to claim the president of the United States was responsible for causing or exasperating them, while at the same time turning down his offers for assistance at regaining the peace? You probably would have said I was nuts had I told you they were coming within the next year. Could you ever have imagined the response of governors of some states to a global pandemic was to blame our president for it while governors like the one in NY who allegedly forced elderly ill patients into nursing homes spreading the virus among the most vulnerable & where thousands died because of his orders; and even though NY had the highest death rate (up at least until I wrote this as far as I am aware) - the governor in essence would claim that his was the shining example of how to deal with such a crisis as he failed to utilize emergency hospitals and a hospital ship provided by the federal government? I culd not have imagined that even that bloviating buffoon Cuomo could have done so but apparently he did.
Then somehow - crisis full speed ahead - it wound up that some folks felt a need to stockpile toilet paper! Would you ever have believed, even or a moment, that during a crisis, one of he first things stores ran out of, absolutely down to the bare shelves, would be toilet paper. Not me. That anticipated tax on ammo that I mentioned above, the one I think dems would be sure to legislate if they gain full control, I do not anticipate such a tax on toilet paper no matter what (but of course I could be wrong) so I am not running out with the droves of hockey mom preppers and stay-at-home daddies to buy reams of it. I see no need to build a stockpile of it; I do however have one or two spare package(s) of it any given time as I do with most things. I try to keep enough on hand, of anything, to be ready for what may come, in fact I have a need to do so that is ingrained into my psyche. It’s not that I am driven by the mentality of a hoarder – I do not hoard things except maybe ammunition but I usually have at least something extra of the things I use frequently so that I could use them in the event of an emergency. What kind of emergency, one that would ether cut off supply or prevent me from going out to get it. It could be as simple as me coming down with the flu or something more exotic like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (and I know first hand about how debilitating is that one) and being to ill to go out shopping with any regularity.
Right now, should our supply line, of the necessities of life those we usually get at the supermarket and other stores, somehow be cut off, I could survive for at least 1 if not 3 months on my current stocks and do so comfortably during shortages of just about anything. Well anything except maybe some of my medications because they are prescription meds but I do have a supply of the really important ones set aside to last at least a few extra weeks – hopefully they will not be needed and hopefully I could survive without them if I ran out.
The fact is this: I
have an actual psychological need to have some extra set aside for leaner
times. That mindset, the one making me prepare for tough times is a healthy one not the mental illness of a true hoarder. It is due to a few very good things in my life that shaped who I am today: my great-grandmother telling & teaching my siblings and I about her poverty stricken
life in Europe where her family was taxed to the point they enjoyed the luxury of eating meat only a few
times per year (their animal protein was almost solely from eggs & dairy
products and they had little of that as well) and how she came to America and gained wealth through sheer determination & very hard work; my mother suffering through the
Great Depression and telling me & my siblings stories about it and thereby teaching us the valuable lesson that having a good work ethic could pull us through; my family was dirt poor when I was young and my mom worked extremely hard to provide for us; and finally - a cold war mind-set to be
prepared for the end of the world as we knew it maybe even for the end times. They seemed near – those end times - as
Krushchev & Kennedy brought the world ever so close to nuclear destruction. Tough times and the promise of the literal end of the world, at least as we knew it seemed to hover too close over our heads every day of my childhood into my teens and
early adulthood. That was just the way of the world as it was back then but my family taught me how to prepare for it and survive to some good degree. I learned more on my own as an adult while I worked for a living.
Those things and the work ethic that I saw in my great-grandparents and in my mom, who worked hard for every penny they had (and my great grandparents amassed a good amount of wealth after they came to America pretty much penniless) were painstakingly passed onto me and shaped my life. It all prepared me for a lifestyle in which I'd work hard to achieve having something to always put aside for leaner times. Luckily for me and my generation, leaner times were mostly avoided but that dragon may have been disturbed in its slumbers and it looks have reared its ugly head on the near horizon. If you are not prepared for it, shame on you. If you want to prepare now, you're a little late but as is said - better than never. Toilet paper though should be just about the least of your concerns as to what to have on hand should that dragon come your way.
All the best,
The title of this piece is a question I often wonder about. Current
& recent manufacturers of ammunition often state their ammo will
last 10 years. From what I can gather about that, the consensus is that
figure is essentially made up for legal reasons but I am none too sure
that is the case. Many of the self appointed experts on ammo shelf life,
who tell you that seemingly have no clue if that is correct or if at
least some modern ammunition (that made within the past 50 years for the
purposes of this piece) will actually only last 10 years others say almost indefinitely. My guess is almost all quality ammo
will last much longer than 10 years but I wish someone could tell me factually how
long it will actually last. Those who write about it often make
reference to ammunition that was made 50 to 100 years ago that still
fires reliably and imply that today's ammo would be much the same. For
one example of such, see: https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/10/28/can-ammunition-go-bad/
The thing is that ammo made more than 30 years ago has a good chance of
having been made using corrosive primers (keeping it to western
countries, East Bloc countries were still producing corrosive military
ammo, I think, into the 1980s and may still be doing so for all I know).
I have been told (personal communication with several gunsmiths,
military collectors and ammo dealers) that it is a known fact the
materials used to make those old time primers does not break down much
over time and thus ammo from way back then often works just fine today
if it was stored properly over the years. I have also been told that
modern, non-corrosive, primer materials are quite different and will
breakdown over a period of 20 to 25 years. Me, I don't know and I do not
know if the folks who told me so actually knew and thus the question in
the title: What is the shelf life of modern non-corrosive ammunition.
What I do know is there are poor ways to store ammo and better ways. I
try using the somewhat better methods but do not go to extremes. So, I
have stored it in climate controlled rooms inside sealed ammo cans for
the most part. Climate controlled? Yeah, inside my house at ambient room
temperature on the cool side - as in my basement. I also keep it at low
humidity or at least try. So, sometimes I put desiccant pack into the
ammo can along with the ammunition. By saying I do not go to extremes, I
mean I do not do things like vacuum sealing every box of ammo or ammo
can a some folks do.
What about results? I can say without a doubt, the ammo I have stored
that way, so far, has all reliably fired whenever I have decided to
shoot up some of the older stuff; some of that being 25 years old or
older. Right now, I think the oldest commercially available defensive
pistol ammo I have on hand is probably from the mid-1980s to mid 1990s.
That is Winchester 9mm NATO FMJ ammunition. Never a problem, it goes
bang every time. I think I have only a box or two of it left and doubt
I'll shoot it; probably will keep it for nostalgic reasons. It is from
the time when I with the U.S. Custom Service Office of Investigations
running narcotics smuggling & money laundering investigations but
also had collateral duties as a firearms instructor (no I was not a desk
jockey) 
and got oodles of free ammo for practice to keep up my skills. I also
have some older 22 LR ammo that still goes bang too, some probably from
the 1960s or 1970s. Always amazes me that it still goes off if I shoot
it up; the thing about it though is I'll not ever depend on it as
defensive carry ammo but I might need to with some of my older 9mm
someday. I know, I probably should have rotated it out years ago.
I also have some other old defensive pistol ammo in the form of Speer
Gold Dot Hollow Point +P. I think I have around a case of that from
shortly after 9/11 - replacement ammo paid for by my homeowners
insurance due to loss of personal ammo I had stored at our range in 6
WTC on 9/11. That stuff, I think, needs to start getting shot up but
right about now for practice. I am going to hate to use it because it is
about 1/3 of my 9mm JHP and may be irreplaceable with current politics
as they are but I doubt it will last forever so may as well use it up
soon. Again, I know, I probably should have rotated it out years ago;
yet, I am wondering if it will last another 19.5 years or so and still
go bang.
Anyway - back to the question more or less: Does anyone here have any
actual technical, manufacturing, scientific knowledge as to the shelf
life of how long modern made non-corrosive ammunition will last and
still go bang reliably? That it lasts well beyond 10 years, even 20 to
25 years if properly stored, is doubtless at least in my experience.
What do you guys think?
...a big crater shaped pock mark, or so I am guessing. The earth just missed getting clobbered by a small house sized asteroid last Friday - Friday the 13th (must have been our lucky day), one that was moving at over 30 thousand miles per hour. Actually they figure it would have disintegrated had it gotten closer to our atmosphere but when was the last time they actually witnessed one that big get that close, with 250 miles, and actually head right at us instead of skimming by like this one did so that they know for sure! Never. (Source.)
Ouch.
All the best,...just a few minutes ago listening to Rush, online, when he took a commercial break. I was not paying much attention to the commercials, could not tell you what any of them were about; well, except for one. One began with a mellow voiced middle American accented gentleman talking about spanking. He went on to discuss how spanking is an age old, effective and totally acceptable, form of discipline for children. It was excellent, not only because of the screaming spanked children 👿 in the background, but because I fully believe such to be the case - that spanking is acceptable, when only done if truly needed and when the spanker is not at all angry but completely in control of his or her emotions.
I spanked both of my kids a few times in their younger days, usually on the thighs although my son got it on his arse more than once, even did it with a belt once to each (very mildly - but snapping that belt a few ties & giving them only one light whack had all the desired effect you could want and later all I needed was to snap it leather on leather not on butt and it worked.
Anyway, they got their truly fair share of spanking, their share of which was pretty rare and only when the transgression was serious enough to warrant the fear of a an arse whooping (more so than an actual spanking of any severity). Spankings of my daughter ceased probably when she was about 10-12, at least from me - left it to the wife to decide if she ever needed another which she did not. When my son was about 12 or so, and had done something very seriously wrong, I told him to drop his drawers (something my daughter never had to do) & bend over my knee. I had waited about 5 or 10 minutes after telling him off in a fury - because I did not want to administer any punishment that was even in part fueled by my anger over what he had done (and I was angry that time). He hesitated and sheepishly asked if there was some other way we could handle it because it was embarrassing to him. That was good. Why? Well because he knew or guessed I respected him enough to give him and option and because he knew what he had done was serious and deserved punishment but also had arrived at a level of maturity to know there were other ways to do that without spanking him. That exhibited quite a bit of maturity and responsibility for a 12 year old. So, we talked over what he had done wrong and I obtained a solemn promise he'd never do it again, and I doled out a punishment after asking him what he thought it should be (and his idea was more severe than what I had in mind). Of course, I also told him if he did ever again, he'd not only get the belt but would get it hard (it was that serious). He never did it again (and the it shall remain a mystery to you forever).
Back to that commercial with which I agreed and enjoyed. The amazing thing about it was that at the end the gentleman said it was sponsored by the state legislature of Oklahoma. You'd never here anything like that in NY from its legislature! I love it here even if where I live is a pimple on the backside of Texas.
Pardon me if there are any obvious spelling or grammatical errors above, my hip has been killing me; so, I just drank a modified zombie with four different types of rum and am having a large dollop of white rum right now because the pain medication has failed miserably and it hurts like hell and I've got to kill that zombie without delay!
ETA: got a decent afternoon of sleep regardless of the pain and that was a good thing, pain is much less now.
