Annie's Stuff

The Herd

2012-01-18T11:42:00.001-05:00

Condition Butterscotch

2012-01-14T14:07:00.004-05:00

Springfield

2012-01-10T19:37:00.006-05:00

This was my Merry Birthmas present to myself.
Since the gun store where I work is a Springfield dealer, I'm considered a Springfield employee and I can use their ProStaff Program for a big discount (as in "below" wholesale!).

So far, I've got about 300 rounds through it, and can't wait to send more. It's difficult since I work past dark and the weekends are jam-packed with errands and such... but I go to the range whenever I can.

MiniMe bought me some targets for my birthday, and the very first shots I fired were at the targets she gave me... here's the first mag:

Then I stapled up a zombie target. Holy crap, those are fun.
First shot with the Springfield at the zombie...
BOOM! Head Shot!

It's incredibly fun to hit them.
But somewhere in the zombie melee, I inadvertently clipped off the girl's thumb;

Well...if you ask me, she should be thanking me. I mean really... bringing an ax to a zombie fight? Come on.
Weighing the pros and cons of missing a thumb or becoming undead...I did that chick a favor.

Adele

2011-12-18T12:09:00.004-05:00

Deja Vu

2011-12-14T11:58:00.005-05:00

That feeling that "I've done this exact thing before in this exact way"... everybody gets it. You know, even if you've switched off a light or opened a door a zillion times, there's that one odd time that you'll have that "I've done this before" feeling.
Happened to me just a little bit ago...with one weird difference.
It wasn't just a feeling like I'd done something before. This time, I actually remembered dreaming it. YEARS ago. Like...two houses ago. I remember waking up from a dream of doing the exact same deja vu thing in *this* house. I remember thinking, "yeah, right...I'd never have that kind of furniture and all those Indian knick knacks."
I'm telling you...I had that odd deja vu feeling and looked up from what I was doing...straight at all my Indian knick knacks.
I feel really ooky.

Sometimes, you should just know when to shut your pie hole.

2011-11-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

How YOU doin'.

2011-10-03T08:45:00.002-04:00

New Corner of the Net

2011-09-28T10:38:00.006-04:00

Stop on by and check out the spankin' new Military Arms Channel discussion board.
A great bunch of guys launching a new forum for a community of like minded people.
You don't have to be "military" to enjoy the camaraderie...but your love of freedoms and toys that go "bang" is a plus!
<--They'll be linked over there under "Hang with my Posse".

Sorta Siblings

2011-09-13T10:34:00.005-04:00

My brother is visiting from Louisiana.
My sisters, he, and I all met for dinner last night.
Here's the crew and what follows is how we are connected:

From top left (clockwise) is me, Jef, RayAnn, Valerie, & Nikki.

Jeff, Nikki, and Valerie all share the same mom & dad with each other.

RayAnn shares the same mom as those three, but has a different dad.

I share the same dad with those three, but have a different mom.

In other words; Jef, Valerie, and Nikki are full siblings to each other.
I am their half sibling by connection of our dad.

RayAnn is their half sibling by connection of their mom.

RayAnn and I are not related at all. But we've claimed each other as "sister" through the years when referring to each other...and as far as the rest, we usually all leave the "half" out of "half-sibling".

My family puts the "FUN" in "dysFUNction"! It works. :)

Words to Live By

2011-09-03T15:07:00.002-04:00

1911 Lurve

2011-08-19T21:11:00.001-04:00

Just cuz. :)

That's what you get.

2011-08-17T20:17:00.002-04:00

Sunscreen? Check.
Sunglasses? Check.
Loose cover shirt? Check.
More sunscreen? Check.
Shoot for five hours? Check.

Money Talks

2011-08-08T20:54:00.001-04:00

Mistaken Identity

2011-07-17T19:45:00.003-04:00

Just so happens, I'm not the only one of my shootin' peeps who happens to own MidwayUSA's "Shooter Competition Bag".
It looks like this:

I decided I was gonna solve the potential problem of "mix ups", at least from my end.
None of the guys will get confused and pick up MY bag now.
First pink primers...now this;

Now, I know you're probably saying "Well, maybe the bags won't get mixed up... but what about the brass bag?"
Got that covered, too.

I Guess They Really DO Own Us.

2011-07-15T07:32:00.005-04:00

Friday Tune ♪♫

2011-07-08T07:07:00.004-04:00

They're Getting Someone Locked Up

2011-07-01T18:41:00.003-04:00

Man, the media makes me mad.
Today, some new laws for my state go into effect, one being that not only can you carry a loaded handgun on your person on your own private property (like always) now you can ALSO carry a loaded handgun on private property belonging to someone else, as long as you have permission of the owner. In addition, you no longer need a license to transport a handgun (provided it's unloaded and enclosed in a non-easily accessed place).
Up until this point, if you bought a handgun you could transport it (unloaded and cased) from the place you purchased it to your home or to and from a place of repair. But that's it.
Many gun owners who live in places where they don't have land to go shooting on were forced to pay for a license just to transport to a shooting range or to an NRA class or training.
This law makes it possible for people to participate in safety classes or just go plinking without paying a fee to the local police and to the state.
However, the Media is spinning it all wrong!! I can't tell you how many people have come into where I work and said that now anybody can carry without a license...because they heard it on the news! NOT TRUE!
If you do not have a license, you MUST have the handgun UNLOADED, CASED, and NOT easily accessed. You may load it when you get to the range, or to someone's private property (with their permission), but when you get ready to head home...UNLOAD it. CASE it. Put it where it's not easily accessed!
News anchors, journalists, editors of papers, and a host of other media types are irresponsibly reporting FALSE information and the well meaning law abiding gun owners are going to suffer! I'm not one that cries "Sue! Sue!", but in the case of someone going to jail, losing their guns, and creating a hardship on their families, I hope it will be possible to play back the broadcasts and place blame where it's due.
Be safe, Hoosiers. Check it out for yourselves here.

Happiness is...

2011-06-27T06:47:00.003-04:00

Finding 100 rounds of stashed ammo that I didn't remember I had!
(No wonder that bag was so heavy...)

After the Credits Roll

2011-05-31T08:03:00.003-04:00

It sure got quiet out there.
Movie dialog stopped.
Credit roll music stopped.
I waited a couple more minutes thinking they'd left the living room
and went to ask if they wanted a late snack...

..and found;

zzzz...

FEDS n' stuff

2011-05-26T22:29:00.004-04:00

It occurred to me that I've been chatting up the FBI, schmoozing with BATFE and shootin' with cops on my day off.
People are gonna get the wrong idea...

You made the cut

2011-05-19T08:18:00.002-04:00

A Good Day To Burn Powder

2011-05-04T15:52:00.004-04:00

*BONUS EDIT*
I was invited to go shooting by the guy who bought a GSG and let me shoot it first...remember that?
Anyhow, I said, "well, the forecast is calling for rain..."
The reply was, "Are you afraid your candy ass is gonna melt?!!?
I thought, "Oh, it's ON now!" but knew if I didn't do well, I would never live it down. Seriously. :P
So we met at a range that had some sort of qualifications going on for the cops...and decided to try a different range. My range. At least I was on "home turf". HA.
So here's a pic in lieu of an ARR (I took the left, he took the right);

OH, and by the way...there were 2 tight groups between our two plates and one on top of the right side. These were done by this fellow playing "chase the bullet", and the one between our 2 plates was done with him shooting my S&W22.

Boutonnieres

2011-05-01T19:36:00.003-04:00

Are tricky the first time you tackle one...

Creative MiniMe

2011-04-14T13:08:00.002-04:00

Give her a pottery wheel and a kiln...
She'll make cool stuff.

Where else?

2011-04-09T18:39:00.004-04:00

Have you ever been in a store and seen a mom helping a kid shop for pants or shoes?
You know how "mom" always turns the kid around, checking for fit...tugging up the waist band and seeing how much room is left for tucking in a shirt or whatever?
Or "mom" will check the toe room of a shoe and have the kid walk up and down the aisle a few times?
Well here's a twist that I never expected...
Today I saw a mom helping her son shop for a proper holster for his carry gun.
They checked the fit of the pistol in several styles/colors/materials of holsters. He tried them on and the mom was helping switch from holster to holster and called me over to ask some advice.
I told them I'd often seen moms still helping older kids shop for clothes for special occasions or whatnot...but that holster shopping was a new one to me and I thought it was great mother/son bonding. :P
Where else but here? I love where I live.

1911 Extractors

2011-04-02T21:00:00.012-04:00

The function of the extractor is to extract the case from the chamber, then provide a pivot point for the ejector to toss the case out of the ejection port.
There are external extractors and internal ones, too.
Here's how to tell the difference by a glance at the gun...
With a gun design incorporating an external extractor, such as my Kimber Ultra Carry II, you'll see the extractor immediately behind the ejection port;

With an internal extractor, the appearance of the slide is smooth from the ejection port all the way back, such as the Rock Island Armory:

The damage to brass is sometimes done by extractors. To ensure they do their job efficiently, you have to take care to not misuse them. It's possible to over stress them, causing them to lose tension and possibly breaking the hook in the process. One way that happens is when people manually drop a round in the chamber and then let the slide slam full battery (shut) on that round. This forces the extractor to pop over the case rim instead of the way it was designed to function. The intention is for the case rim to slide up under the extractor's hook, which would not force the extractor to bend awkwardly backward.
Always let the firearm perform the intended function...stripping off the round from the magazine and feeding it into the chamber. Forcing the extractor to *pop* over the case rim is hard on the mechanism...and your 1911 will thank you not to do it.
Shoot safely!

Firing Pin Block

2011-03-30T07:47:00.007-04:00

What is the purpose of a firing pin block?
It's to prevent the firing pin from striking the primer if the firearm was ever dropped.
Employing a firing pin block means that even if your gun is loaded and all the safeties are OFF, dropping the firearm will not cause an accidental discharge.

What are the kinds of blocks?
Colt's original design is just called a firing pin block. It is disengaged from pulling the trigger as shown:

In a clone, such as Kimber, Sig, etc., the firing pin's block is called the "Schwartz Safety" and is affected by engaging the grip safety as shown here in a Series II illustration:

"Series 80" and "Series II" mean the same thing; firing pin block.
"Series 70" and "Pre-series II" mean the same thing; NO firing pin block.
How can you tell the difference if that isn't stamped on the gun?

If the name doesn't denote that it's a series 80 (Kimber's II) or a series 70 (Kimber's pre-series II), you can tell by locking the slide back and looking up underneath.
Here's my Kimber Ultra Carry II... Note that in the grooves on the RIGHT side, there's a round plunger. This is indicative of the firing pin block.

Here's my Rock Island Armory, a copy of Colt's series 70...note the lack of that circular plunger in the right side groove - No firing pin block.

Proper Handgun Fit

2011-03-24T20:56:00.007-04:00

One of the best ways to ensure good hits on your target is to have a gun that fits your hand properly.
Improper fit leads to a poor grip form and style and that's one sure way to miss what you're aiming at a majority of the time.

Here is how to "try on" guns when you go shopping.

Before you pick up a gun, determine where the center of the web of your hand is...
That's the fleshy part between your index finger and thumb.
The point where it recesses the most when pushed, is the center of the web.

When forming your hand into the shape as if you were holding the gun, imagine a line drawn from that point down your palm..
that is going to be exactly where you want the backstrap to fit.

With the gun in your hand and WITHOUT scootching, wiggling, or otherwise adjusting your grip, you want to be able to reach the thumb safety (if there is one)...

And the magazine release...

Hitting the mag release with your firing hand is important for a couple of different reasons.
First, it's a good idea to have the magazine dropping out of the way while your support hand is on the way up to insert a loaded mag.
Also, if you have to change your grip at all, you will not have a proper grip and your aim/hit will suffer.
Wiggling your shooting hand around to the left (even a millimeter) will cause your follow up shots to pull to the right (as your hand twists to compensate for the new direction your index finger will pull). No matter how slight you think the difference is with gun in hand, the results will show widely on your target.
This happens if the gun is too large/wide for the shooter's hand.

This is one of the many reasons why the best way to purchase a gun for another person is to take them with you so they can "try it on".

There are ways that you can alter the grip to help the gun fit you better.
Some stocks (like Springfield's XDM, for example) have three different sized backstraps to change out.
On other guns (like the 1911 pictured above), you can change the grips to slimmer styles and also install an extended mag release.

Shoot safely.

A Great Afternoon

2011-03-21T19:46:00.003-04:00

Left work and the sun was shining, but the temps were comfortably cool.
Got home and decided to pack a range bag with the GSG (.22) and the Dan Wesson revolver(.357).
I took a little over 3 dozen clays with me and plinked at first... then decided to use the clays as targets while I ran some drills.
They didn't last very long... it was the most awesome kind of fun!
Perfect weather, perfect temps, perfect light...and I was happy with the way I shot.
Practice, practice, practice...It all pays off. :)

The Chatty Ones

2011-03-09T16:49:00.003-05:00

Who are the most chatty people on earth?
COPS. That's who.
Seriously, coppers... "I have to go now" actually MEANS "I have to go now!"
It doesn't mean "but I'll stand here for 15 more minutes and chat about reloading"...
Even though that's exactly what I'll do because I don't want you to get your feelings hurt and follow me out to give me an ego induced TICKET.
If you're not Ponch or John, I'm not sticking around longer than I have to.
In fact, Ponch can take a hike too...

Magazine Bumpers

2011-03-07T17:42:00.003-05:00

I picked up a pack of five (Pachmayr) and came home eager to screw the bumpers onto some of my 1911 mags.
Then I realized, the mag floors weren't pre-drilled. BumperBummer.

Instead of possibly screwing it up (pun intended), I think I'll take some of Jay's sage advice and try some double-sided automotive tape first.

New ShooterChick Blogger!

2011-03-05T19:16:00.004-05:00

WOW! You people are not going to believe this...
There's yet ANOTHER awesome shooterchick type who uses (and get this) Very Expensive Custom Designer Targets! Does that ever look familiar?? :D
Of course I think she's extremely creative and has great tastes...
And apparently she's quite the shot!
Welcome her to the Blogosphere!
Hop over there and say Howdy!
← You can find her over there on the blog roll or just hit up this very coolio link;
BANG BANG! :)
This is sooo getting the coveted "awesomeness" tag!

New Toy

2011-03-02T20:39:00.006-05:00

*Plus Update*
So I brought home a Dan Wesson to add to the wheelie family.

I found some original grips floating around the net and snagged them for $20 bucks.

I have to find a tool to change them out...

Ammo is ready to go...now I just need the time to go shoot.
*Update*
Just got a box in the mail with some lead cast by my net-friend Don in MardiGrasVille!
THANKS, Don!

Txt Convo

2011-02-22T21:26:00.005-05:00

Me: Where my O.G.s at?!
MiniMe: Mom, ur so lame.
Me: That did not sound like a holla.
MiniMe: I ain't no holla back girl.

Breakfast With The Grim Reaper

2011-02-20T08:53:00.003-05:00

That's what it probably looks like...
Mr.Chaos tends to get his hair cut super short when he goes to the barber. This morning (as well as many others recently) was still below freezing temps, and the programmable thermostat hadn't kicked in for the set time yet, creating a chilly house.
Mr.Chaos was sitting across from me at the dining room table eating breakfast in front the big window... It was cold out there. He was wearing an all black sweatshirt and decided to put the hood up over his nearly shaved head. But it's not one of those fitted hoods, so it came off looking sort of Emperor-ish.
Passersby would have been amused...or frightened...
My oatmeal needs warmed up!!

Glock Go Boom!

2011-01-30T19:23:00.002-05:00

This crossed my path yesterday...the fabled "Blown up Glock"...not so fabled anymore.
Luckily, the shooter kept all his digits. Not sure what caused it, as the word "reload" was never mentioned.
Good luck finding the trigger and slide stop...

Coffee, My Coffee...

2011-01-18T22:17:00.003-05:00

I found this coffee-house-esque cup for five bucks.
It looks just like the ones you get from coffee shops, except it's totally insulated and microwavable.
Somebody at work has several of them, so I wrote my name on mine...and now it's even MORE "coffee-house-ish". Heh.
It fits the drink holder thingy in the van perfectly.
I haven't yet, but soon I'm going to ask the coffee lady a few doors down from work if I can just pay for their large coffee and have her dispense it right into my cup.
It's really yummy coffee! :)

Things are not always as they seem.

2011-01-14T15:48:00.005-05:00

Mr.Jet took the day off because I had the day off...
He took me to lunch and then we just bummed around Ft.Wayne.
One of the things we like to do is hit the thrift stores. He likes looking through the books and junk and I just kind of wander around until something catches my eye that I didn't know I couldn't live without.

I never look through stuff like purses and such... because I don't carry one.
However...

Something caught my eye that gave me a good idea.
I saw this neat purse that had a roomy interior, big expandable side pockets, a zipper pouch inside, and lots of divided sections sewn into the inside walls.

Upon seeing this, most chicks might think "Zippered pouch = keys/wallet/phone security at the mall."
CLOSE. It's "keys/wallet/phone security at the range."

They might think; "expandable side pockets for sunglasses, camera, novel, gloves..."
No.
It's "expandable pockets for electronic earmuffs, shooting glasses, stapler, 1st aide kit, PatchWorm."

They might say; "inside divided sections for pens, paper, nail files, hair barrettes, chewing gum"
No.
It's "inside divided sections for magazines, small ammo boxes, speed loaders, chewing gum."

Now you might think this set me back a pretty penny...
but it just so happened that we landed there on some kind of "everything is half off" day.

My coolio impromptu chick range bag...
cost a whole dollar.

It's Not Silly Putty.

2011-01-13T19:39:00.001-05:00

Why "All Guns Are Always Loaded"

2011-01-12T11:18:00.005-05:00

Which one of these mags is loaded?

Working in the gun store, I'm very disciplined about opening the action of a firearm before handing it across the counter.
Occasionally, an older one will cross my path that I'm not familiar with, and I have to ask someone how to open it. Once in awhile it's the customer, who usually knows more about the specific gun they're searching for than I do. They're always glad to help, and I'm always glad for the lesson.
It's just good practice to treat every gun like it's loaded, because until you verify FOR YOURSELF...it is.

Last week someone filled out a federal 4473 form to buy a Colt 1911. While they were finishing up the paperwork, I went in search of the Colt's box before I called in for the background check. When I returned with it, the customer and I were putting all the Colt's belongings in its case and we noticed there was a Kimber magazine in the magazine well.
Thinking that someone accidentally switched them, we went looking through the Kimbers to see if there was a Colt magazine in one.
Not having found one, and also establishing that the recent Kimber sales all had Kimber mags...we determined the cause of the switch to be a previous customer testing his mags in potential guns to see if a newly purchased gun could possibly share mags with what he already had.
The kicker is that if he'd done this with a loaded magazine, even to test for fit, there could have been a loaded firearm on display.
Although I always rack the slide to verify the chamber, I never look at the bottom to see if the appropriate mag is with the correct gun.
We've even found a Ruger in the case with the magazine inserted (and jammed quite stuck) in backwards.
It always pays to check, because when things get overwhelmingly busy, and there aren't enough hands and eyes to supervise from one side of the counter to the other...things can happen. Bad things.

After finding that mag in backwards and finding the Colt with the Kimber magazine, it adds a step to the self-imposed rule of checking the chamber..."check the mag, too".
Thankfully, it was no big deal, other than a switched name brand...but it could have been. And that's what should keep us all on our toes; the "could have" part.

The GSG 1911

2011-01-10T14:41:00.003-05:00

It just keeps gettin' funner and more funner! :D
Spent a couple hours sending lead downrange with shooterchick.
I'm so glad I bought this gun.
For the first time today, I tried shooting with winter gloves on. It was really different, not being able to feel that trigger break, but it was fun to do something new. It was shooterchick's idea...I always have gloves in my winter coat pockets, but rarely ever wear them. I don't know why...I just don't.
Anyhow, I tried it with the GSG since it feels the same in my grip as my Kimber or Rock. Here's the target from a few mags plus a few more shots. There were three dots on it initially. The middle one abandoned ship.
Take note of the upper left corner of the cardboard...see that hole blown away?
Shooterchick pinned a key chain up there and blastinated it. It blew the key chain through the cardboard. We found part of it, but not the middle. She's gonna put it back on her keyring and carry it...

Dick Winters

2011-01-10T08:38:00.002-05:00

Remember Shifty Powers? Another member of Easy Company is joining him. RIP.

Here's the article:

Dick Winters, the former World War II commander whose war story was told in the book and miniseries “Band of Brothers,” has died.

Dick Winters led a quiet life on his Fredericksburg farm and in his Hershey home until the book and miniseries “Band of Brothers” threw him into the international spotlight.

Since then, the former World War II commander of Easy Company had received hundreds of requests for interviews and appearances all over the world.

He stood at the podium with President George W. Bush in Hershey during the presidential campaign in 2007. He accepted the “Four Freedoms” award from Tom Brokaw on behalf of the Army. He was on familiar terms with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, producers of the HBO mini-series, the most expensive television series ever produced.

Winters was always gracious about his new-found celebrity, but never really comfortable with it. He never claimed to be a hero and said that he had nothing to do with the national effort to get him the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor.

When people asked him if he was a hero, he liked to answer the way his World War II buddy, Mike Ranney, did.

“No,” Ranney said. “But I served in a company of heroes.” That became the tag line for the miniseries.

In an interview shortly before the miniseries debuted, Winters said the war wasn’t about individual heroics. The men were able to do what they did because they became closer than brothers when faced with overwhelming hardships.

They weren’t out to save the world. They hated the blood, carnage, exhaustion and filth of war. But they were horrified at the thought of letting down their buddies.

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Winters and his troops from Easy Company, 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, parachuted behind enemy lines to take on a German artillery nest on Utah Beach. Winters made himself a promise then that if he lived through the war, all he wanted was peace and quiet.

His company fought through the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of a death camp at Dachau and to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest at Berchtesgaden.

The war described in “Band of Brothers” is ugly, but the young men developed character under fire, Winters said. He was glad the miniseries showed war realistically, not either glorified or demonized as in so many movies.

He wanted people to understand that success in war depends not on heroics but on bonding, character, getting the job done and “hanging tough,” his lifelong motto. In combat, he wrote 50 years after the war, “your reward for a good job done is that you get the next tough mission.”

When the war ended, Winters kept his promise to himself. He married Ethel, bought a bucolic farm in Fredericksburg, raised two children and worked in the agricultural feed business. He didn’t talk about the war until the late historian Stephen Ambrose wanted to put Easy Company’s exploits on paper.

Following the miniseries, Winters turned down most requests for interviews because he said he didn’t want to appear like he was bragging.

But he did feel the story of Easy Company was an important one, especially for young people. He was more likely to accept invitations by local school groups and spent time with students at Cedar Crest High School, among others. A talk he gave at Palmyra Middle School drew hundreds of spectators.

People who knew Winters during and after the war said he is exactly what he appears to be. He could lead without ever raising his voice or swearing. His friend Bob Hoffman, a Lebanon architect, said Winters’ eyes could “burn a hole right through you.”

The men who served under him and people who only met him later in life call him a hero, no matter what he says.

According to the book, one wounded member of Easy Company wrote Winters from a hospital bed in 1945, “I would follow you into hell.”

He received a standing ovation from 500 veterans when he spoke at the dedication of the Army’s Military History Institute in Middlesex Township in September.

When President Bush was in Hershey in April, he called Winters “a fine example ... for those brave souls who now wear our nation’s uniform.”

Ambrose, the author of “Band of Brothers,” said in a 2001 BBC interview that he hopes young people say. “I want to be like Dick Winters.”

“Not necessarily as soldiers, but as that kind of leader, that kind of man, with basic honesty and virtue and an understanding of the difference between right and wrong,” Ambrose said.

Today's Date: 1911

2011-01-09T14:37:00.003-05:00

For all you 1911 lovers on 1-9-11...

Happiness is...

2011-01-08T20:15:00.003-05:00

~
A Bucketful of Brass...

A Compliment and a Pay it Forward!

2011-01-07T19:58:00.004-05:00

The gentleman who owned the GSG 1911 I borrowed and returned via a mutual friend came to see me at work today. He said he was seeking me out for two reasons...
One was that he wanted to hear how his gun shot and was relying on my AAR to cut to the chase and clue him on some details that he might want to know before he gets to take it for a spin himself. (He landed in the hospital and won't be going to any range for a bit).
The other reason was to tell me how impressed he was at the care I took with his gun.
He told me that he's very picky about the way his guns are cleaned and doesn't loan them out as a rule...but when he occasionally does, he cleans them whether anybody else did or not. But not this time. He actually shook my hand when telling me that I did an excellent job in his book and he sure wasn't expecting it. He extended an open invitation to shoot any of his guns at any time because he can tell that I really take care of the things in my charge.
That felt good.
But...
Totally wasn't all on me. I owed the pay-it-forward compliment to Jay, who taught me what I know so far about how to care for my stuff. His things are well loved and cared for and it shows. I only hope that years from now, someone will think the same about the things I have loved and cared for...thanks to being taught the right way from the start.

Color Me Happy.

2011-01-05T17:20:00.002-05:00

Decided to run back to the range and try some hi-vel today while it was still light out.
Grabbed a box of CCI Stingers and a box of Winchester Super X. Shoved a handful of hi-vel Federal in my pocket for good measure.
Intentionally over-lubed the moving parts...and voila! I'm calling all the issues "fixed". :)

It Figures.

2011-01-05T07:56:00.005-05:00

Well...I shot the GSG 1911/22 yesterday.

I did some things that I should have known better about...so I ended up screwing the pooch.

Had about 4 stove pipes and twice that many failures to extract. By failure to extract, I mean when the trigger was pulled, the round was fired, but then the slide either never slid open/closed, or if it did, the spent case never got pulled out...because when I pulled the slide back manually, there sat the empty case with the next round either in place (or in a couple instances) trying to get into place.

Probably the crappy ammo (Federal Champ, Rem Golden...those are the only ones I had on me from yesterday, but I'll try different ones next time because it sounds like High Vel will be the order of the day)...

Also...could have been the cold. It's windy & below freezing temps and I used regular oil instead of synthetic (which I usually DO use in the winter)... Anyhow, I won't get a chance to go again until Saturday, now...and the forecast is STILL not my friend.

I'm gonna clean it again, I'll over lube it (which sounds like what's being suggested all over the gun boards), and use the synthetic stuff this time. I'll also try some better ammo. I should have known better...but honestly, the crappy dirty junk works fine in the revolvers, so that's why I even still had it with me...

Lesson learned.
I'm about 93% sure it was ammo/cold related.

The reason I say that is because (like I've said before) when I put this GSG on layaway, an acquaintance asked me if I wanted to borrow his to shoot, to see if I really liked it.
He'd had it for weeks and never took it out of the box... so I was the first one to shoot it (after I field stripped it and cleaned all the GI grease off of it.)
I used better ammo in it (Federal Bulk pack) and the weather was deceivingly "spring-like" (around 50)...it shot flawlessly and was a ton of fun.

So the differences were:
below freezing temps
Crappy ammo

I won't have a chance to run it again until the weekend...but I think I'm gonna pick up more CCI (I'm out) and maybe some Aguila, too. Somebody mentioned that, and I'd forgotten all about it. Aguila is more high vel too, which seems to be what people are saying works best. One guy said that it's stated in the manual...but I looked and I didn't see that. Maybe it's written in the section where it says you have to remove the hex screw or the area where it's stated that the spring is tapered and it should go back in with the wide end under the cap or you might bugger up your slide's function. Oh, that's right...it *doesn't* say that anywhere...

Yesss!! It's HOME!

2011-01-03T17:28:00.001-05:00

Gave the loaner back (with sadness...)
and took mine out of layaway (with much JOY)!!

GSG 1911/22 Takedown

2011-01-02T21:57:00.013-05:00

I asked an acquaintance how he liked his GSG since he's had it for a couple weeks.
He said he hadn't even had it out of the box yet! O_o
When I told him I just put one on layaway, he asked if I wanted to take his home for the weekend and try it out. I'd be the first one shooting it.
I didn't even have to think about that one.

I really liked everything about it, except the front sight height.
No problem...it comes with THREE. Take your pick.

When you first get it, it comes with that white GI grease on it. Clean it before you shoot it...

Pop out the slide stop;

Push out the pin next to it FROM right to left.
Use the end of the provided Allen wrench;

Use the Allen wrench to take out the screw;

Now the slide will slip right off the front;

The rest comes apart like normal...bushing turned, spring out,barrel out...just like a regular 1911;

Clean it, and reverse the steps to put it back together...sans white grease!

*note The instructions keep repeating to "decock" it, but I think since the company makes Walthers, they are sticking that in there without realizing that you don't do that. It's impossible. The act of pulling the slide back to the take down notch cocks the hammer back. And all the illustrations show the hammer back in each step. So ignore that part about "decocking".
Also... Be mindful that for a function check to pull the trigger and have the hammer fall (not dry fire...use something to cushion it!), you've GOT to have a mag inserted. I found this out after I *thought* I'd gotten stuck on the reassembly...I panicked and called Jay. After I talked him through to where I was, he told me to go ahead and put the mag in and check it again. Uh..."again"??
Derrr...
You can pull the trigger on a real 1911 with the mag out...
but not on the GSG 1911/22. So just a heads up there. :)

2011

2011-01-01T21:01:00.003-05:00

This year marks the one hundredth anniversary of the 1911 gun platform.
Happy Anniversary John Moses Browning!
I'm celebrating by getting myself a little GSG 1911/.22 to keep the RIA and the Kimber company. Everybody needs a little brother or sister, right? They've been bugging me for one...
Besides, even though I reload...shooting .22s is way cheaper when it comes to just general plinking.

An acquaintance loaned me his GSG for the weekend and I went out to shoot it earlier just before it got dark. I'm impressed with everything except the sights. Lucky that the GSG comes with three front sights (one on the gun and two others in the case).
The GSG 1911/22 has a three dot sight. Normally,you'd want to view them as three aligned (side by side) dots to hit your target where you intend to. But I found that the factory set sights make me drop the front sight dot LOWER than the two rear dots...so it takes on a "V" rather than a straight line. When I get my GSG out of layaway, that'll be the first thing I check after a preliminary cleaning and trip to the range.
Happy New Year.

Just Spreading Some TSA Christmas Cheer...

2010-12-15T16:11:00.006-05:00

Thanks to RonSC from RimfireCentral.com for the find!

Flick? Flick who??

2010-12-12T17:27:00.001-05:00

I Got This...

2010-12-06T20:07:00.004-05:00

"I got this." I'm sure that's what the driver of a great big pickup truck with great big tires was thinking when he was barreling down a snowy/icy road this morning.
I was on my way to work, and he was in the other lane, oncoming.
He started to fishtail a little and then slid over into MY lane and ended up sliding right on into the guard rail on my side of the road. I had enough space to stop...and I waited. The dude rolled down his window and gave the "I'm OK" thumbs up, so I slowly pulled way out and around him. That was a tense moment!

At my very own WalMart

2010-11-28T21:33:00.003-05:00

I knew I should take a pic or nobody would believe it.
Not only the door...the fire extinguisher, too...

Identifying Brass

2010-11-21T16:38:00.005-05:00

So here's the deal.

I went to the range this afternoon and had to wait on a guy who was already there.
He was shooting an AR, but walking up about 10-12 feet from the target...which is a whole 'nother story.

Anyhow... when he signaled that he was done, I walked down with my gear and asked if he was a reloader who wanted help finding his brass. He said, "no, I was just picking up what I saw to kind of police my area here..."
I said, "Is that a Rock River?"
He said, "No, it's a BushMaster."
I said, "Neato. Looks like you've got some EO Tech sights on there. Do you like them?"
He told me he did and then picked up a couple more pieces of brass and plunked them into his case. I picked up two and tossed them on his mat by his bag. Not being familiar with them, I said, "What are you shooting? .223?"
He said, "Yes".

OK, this is the important part to remember. ".223?" and "Yes".

He left and the hubster and I shot for awhile ...since I reload, we were picking up my .45 brass and found lots the other guy's stuff kind of right in the spots where we'd seen him walk up to the targets and rip through a mag or two.

When I got home, I was thinkin' that it didn't look like what I remembered shooting when I got to play with a couple ARs...so I did some looking around online.

Correct this if it's not so...but I don't think these are .223.
I think they're NATO 5.56 ...

But wouldn't somebody KNOW their own rifle's ammo caliber??

By the way, there's no mistaking that these were from that guy...

So here they are...what are they?:

H&R 949

2010-11-18T15:48:00.002-05:00

That is all.

RIA Update

2010-11-12T18:11:00.001-05:00

Remember my barrel troubles here?
UPDATE:
Sent the barrel back on November 1st. It came back home in today's mail.
They assessed it, rechambered it, it passed the go/no go gauge, and they said that there have been a few with the same issues coming back... so they ARE aware of it and are making efforts to QC them better so tightly chambered ones aren't going out the door.
Sounds like mine was reamed on a day that the tooling was getting worn.

New tooling, rechambering, a polished feed ramp, and a quick turnaround in the mail.
Function checked my .452 reloads and it's feeding them like a champ. Decided to run to the range before dark and test fire.
All my .452s sailed through and went "BANG" at the appropriate times.
I'm calling it "fixed".

School Tells Boy "Take the Flag Off Your Bike"

2010-11-12T07:55:00.001-05:00

What a friggen joke. Apparently, in California (well, that about says it all right there...) there's a 13 year old kid who has an American flag on his bicycle to show support for the veterans in his family. The school administrators said some other students complained....and you see where this is going, right?? You just have to see the insanity for yourself to believe it. (Click here for text and video)
Good God, where are we headed? And why are we all in this handbasket?

Veteran's Day 2010

2010-11-11T07:40:00.002-05:00

Semper Fi, Devil Dogs.

2010-11-10T07:44:00.003-05:00

Here’s to the Marines I know:

My big brother: Jef
My nephews: Rusty, Darrin, & DJ
Friends; Jay, Jon, Paul, Mike

Wheelie Addiction

2010-11-05T20:39:00.003-04:00

Meet the 949... keeping the 676 company and giving it a run for its money in accuracy!

I have been remiss.

2010-11-03T17:06:00.004-04:00

MiniMe brought to my attention that she's the only one who hasn't gotten a chance to shoot the H&R 676 yet.
I shot it. Spousal Unit shot it. Nephew shot it. Friend shot it. But not Mini.
It was on the verge of raining...so what to do, what to do?!
RUN to the range, of course!
She finally got her turn.

Lurvely...

2010-10-29T19:34:00.005-04:00

Trip to the range tomorrow? A MUST for the new 676.

Playing "Dress Up"

2010-10-25T16:27:00.002-04:00

I put some ebony grips on the Rock...

Bullet Diameter Can Bite Your Butt.

2010-10-25T08:02:00.003-04:00

Took the new batch of reloads to the range Saturday and they wouldn’t let the Rock go full battery.
At first I was sweating it because I thought I’d done something wrong when making them, but I followed my previous notes to the letter…so I didn’t know what it could be!
Then we tested them by sending them through Jay’s mag in his Kimber. They were fine.
Then my mag in Jay’s gun…still fine.
They also fed through my own Kimber in function check without a hitch.
We took them back to his house and pulled out the calipers and micrometer.
Using the barrel as a gauge, we discovered that the cases would not even seat, because the bullet was too big.
The ones that flew through just fine were .451.
The ones that would not let it go to full battery were .452.
It’s chambered really tight.
Pics:
A reload with a .451 bullet seated, using the barrel as a gauge;

A reload with a .452 bullet…not even close;

*UPDATE*

Sent the barrel to Armscor Precision Advanced Tactical (RIA) and they rechambered it not-so-tightly.
It eats everything like a champ now, just like the Kimber.
Great customer service, excellent communication, and FAST turn around time...
11 days total from the mail drop to having it back in my hands.

Reloading - It's for girls.

2010-10-21T06:41:00.000-04:00

Rawkin' the Rock

2010-10-13T21:17:00.003-04:00

I took the new Rock back to the range today and shot at some very expensive designer targets (i.e. stickers on a paper plate).
I had fully intended to shoot factory loads exclusively for the first few hundred rounds, but changed my mind and decided to chuck some of my reloads through it. It ate whatever I fed it like a champ!
Here are the first three shots using my most recent reloads:

To sweeten up the Rock, a member on a gun forum said that they won some ebony grips for 1911 that they could not use and asked me if I wanted them.
I offered to pay for them plus shipping, but they said it wasn't necessary.
Nice.
Since I don't really know this person well, Jay is letting me give out his P.O. box as a shipping address instead of my house address, and then he'll hand the grips off to me when we all meet up at the big show (weekend after next).

Huh. Who knew? shrug

2010-10-11T08:14:00.001-04:00

Who knew this song was about a Rock Island Armory 1911 Commander?

New Hawtness

2010-10-07T17:51:00.002-04:00

Shotgun traded off? Check.
Employee discount? Check.
New lurve purchased today and dragged to the range?
CHECK!!! (Even let MiniMe shoot, because she brass-dawg'd for me)

Enjoy the awesomeness that I now bestow upon you for your viewing pleasure...
You may click for embiggenation!

My Day Was Covered In

2010-10-06T17:29:00.003-04:00

Best. Day. EVAR.

I got to shadow different people doing a little bit of everything from sales to smithing. It was way too much fun! One of the best parts was calling people waiting on deliveries or repairs and tell them their stuff was ready to come pick up. I felt like the gun fairy granting wishes.

I was talking about wanting to bring in my Winchester and put it on consignment...a guy wanted to buy it sight unseen for close to what I was thinkin' for it...

When I got home tonight, I picked up MiniMe and took her back with me so I could drop off the Winchester, fill out some papers for it, and let her look around and meet some of the guys... and then I let her in on the second-best part; Two doors down - - - DONUT SHOP!
So we walked over there and had celebratory donuts before heading home.
I swear to Bob I wanted to pitch a tent and stay...

How it all went down...

2010-10-05T15:37:00.004-04:00

First I was all...

Then I was all;

Then I was;

But I just kept thinking;

But I just kept looking, and then;

Turns out, it's going to be;

YAY!!!

I miss him

2010-09-23T19:16:00.001-04:00

What Is This?

2010-09-14T10:09:00.004-04:00

When we bought this house, these shrubby things were out in front in some mixed landscaping. We ended up not liking them there after several years and put them in the back yard in a corner... but they never ever EVER had little berry thingies on them before now. What are they? Are they yew berries? Because those are poisonous...and I don't remember exactly what they look like, but I *think* it was this:

Yawn

2010-09-10T16:45:00.002-04:00

Getting up and going to work at O'dark Thirty sucks.
The bonus is that I'm done around 2pm and still have the afternoon to call my own...but the bad part is that I'm so tired, I don't want to do anything with it.
I hope my sleep patterns adjust soon. Yargh.

Muse

2010-08-29T10:25:00.002-04:00

Just some music from a band that MiniMe likes.
This is not her favorite song, but I like it. :)

Inside & Out

2010-08-27T20:15:00.002-04:00

What's outside right now?

What's inside?

GoD & DoG

2010-08-26T20:02:00.005-04:00

Blast from my sugared up past...

2010-08-22T19:37:00.003-04:00

So I'm in the grocery store and I'm thinkin' I want to grab a bottle of water out of one of those little mini-fridge deals by the check out lane. Once I'm up there, one of those "Mt. Dew Throwback" bottles caught my eye. I heard about them a little while back, but never tried one. I decided to give it a shot since they were supposed to taste just like they did when I was a kid.
I also grabbed a snack bag of Hot Fries, thinking that if I was going to revisit my past, I better "go big, or go home!"
Once inside my van with the engine running, I popped open the bag and took a sniff. I've always loved those stupid things! Then I twisted off the cap of the pop bottle and took a sip. OMG. It really DID taste different! I'd go so far as to say "better"!
I'm sitting there being kind of nostalgic over a snack (hey, don't judge me) and I flipped on the radio...only to be met with Don Henley singing one of my favorite songs from that era - Dirty Laundry <--Click to hear it

I make my living off the evening news
Just give me something, something I can use
People love it when you lose, they love dirty laundry

Well, I could've been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry

Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em all around

We got the bubbleheaded bleach-blonde, comes on at 5
She can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye
It's interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry

Can we film the operation? Is the head dead yet?
You know the boys in the newsroom got a running bet
Get the widow on the set, we need dirty laundry

You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone
Just leave well enough alone, keep your dirty laundry

Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're stiff, kick 'em all around

Dirty little secrets, dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody's pie
Love to cut you down to size, we love dirty laundry

We can do the innuendo, we can dance and sing
When it's said and done, we haven't told you a thing
We all know that crap is king, give us dirty laundry

Suprise!

2010-08-20T20:35:00.002-04:00

In a corner of our back yard, we've got some shrubs planted with some lilies in front of them.
Not long ago, the spousal unit pointed out that right behind the shrubs, there was some kind of weed sprouting. We decided just to let it go and see what it looked like.
(Hey, don't hassle me...some weeds are quite pretty!) :P
After a little time passed, guess what we found!

Surprise! I'm now the owner of a sunflower!
MiniMe is gonna love it.

Macro Setting

2010-08-10T15:08:00.002-04:00

I just like it.

More Sunday Statues

2010-08-09T11:38:00.008-04:00

My aunt came for dinner last night and afterward we drove to a city where other statues like these were on loan again.
I didn't take pictures of many...

But decided goofiness was in definite order!
So we had some fun with it...

And for those of you who did NOT believe me when I said that I walked up behind a cop writing a ticket...a grabbed his sidearm without so much as a flinch from him...
Suck it! :-D

TLC

2010-07-28T14:47:00.019-04:00

A little Ballistol...
a little super-fine 0000 steel wool...
And a lot of love;
(click photos to see bigger)

A Day in the Sun With "The Duke"

2010-07-27T06:54:00.010-04:00

I took the rifle out into the sun yesterday and snapped some pictures.
(Click on them to see them bigger)
I really love the coloration in the wood grain.

Especially the underside...

There's a lot of rust pitting, so I went to the hardware store and picked up the recommended 0000 Steel Wool.

I haven't had much luck finding a manual for step by step instructions on taking it down or reassembling it, and I even checked the mecca of manuals, Steve's Pages.
Jay told me that there's only about three ways that the thing can come apart, so he had me describe what I was looking at and send pictures while he talked me through taking it down by trial and error.
There wasn't much rust underneath where the barrel and action were encased with wood...we really thought there might be since wood could have held moisture, but it looked to be in decent shape.

He advised me to spray it down and let it sit for an hour or so and then wipe it down and let it go at that.
As far as the stock...I'm not touching it. Every nick, ding, and scratch stays.
Rust will be detrimental, so I'll stop that, but the stock won't be changed at ALL.
I know most people would start breaking out the sandpaper and the Tru oil, but I want to keep it just the way it was in my dad's hands and my uncle's hands.
Somewhere along the way, before it ever arrived in my family, someone had carved "J.W." in the stock. The running joke is that it must have been John Wayne's rifle. Hence the nickname "The Duke". :)
Nope...not gonna change a thing. Just cleaning it up.

Besides, didn't the Duke say "...I won't be laid a hand on"? *grins*

Keeping it in the family

2010-07-25T20:40:00.005-04:00

My aunt surprised me with one of my uncle's rifles tonight.
She told me that when I was really little, he bought it from my dad.
She talked with all her kids and they all decided together that it should go to me.
It may not be worth fifty bucks, but I wouldn't trade it for fifty grand.

I don't know anything about it yet...but I'm going to find out.
Here are a few pics:

Too stinkin' hot

2010-07-18T12:19:00.001-04:00

Heat indexes over 100.
Humidity at 80% +.
Heat advisories... Yargh.
I grew up in Florida with no air conditioning and it was never this bad!

A little Fray

2010-07-09T12:11:00.000-04:00

Oddity on my street

2010-07-04T17:52:00.003-04:00

It's not uncommon for people to find early parking on my street for the 4th of July firework display. We're walking distance to the town's festival attractions and from the field where the pyroshow will take place at dusk.
What is uncommon, however, is the pattern of vehicles across the street.
Call me kooky, but how often does this happen anywhere but a dealership's lot?

I love a good 4th of July Parade

2010-07-03T21:36:00.004-04:00

Watchin' the Mini do her thang...

You see some crazy stuff!

And sometimes Elvis!

Barbie

2010-06-29T22:44:00.003-04:00

I have a friend with LOTS of Barbie stuff from the 80's & 90's still new in boxes.
If you're interested in contact info, reply in the comments. Thanks.

Lord of the flies (and bees and rats...)

2010-06-23T20:41:00.006-04:00

Freaky. There's no other word for it.

Apparently, Obama attracts insects and rodents like no other.
Bees swarm him. Flies are swarming him. And don't forget the rats he attracts (not just the politician types).
He's some kind of Pied Piper of pestilence or something...and I fricken love it.
Hey. It's entertainment, OK? It keeps boredom away.

Anyhow...here's the "pics or it never happened" drill:

The rat that ran to the podium and stayed there crisscrossing a few times:

Bees swarming when he was leaving to play some ball instead of doing the church thing;

And the fly that kept circling his head and landing on his face:

Word from the White House is that the place is thoroughly infested and it's irritating the crap out of all the people working there. Obama has been chasing after flies with his briefing papers to swat them.
Guess he's given up on the bare hand trick from last year...

They don't make 'em like they used to.

2010-06-23T10:50:00.003-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to discuss the current state of affairs with a very nice lady who has a decent grasp on the economy and the inner-workings of our government.
We talked quite a bit about the increases of utilities in our area and the Health Care mess.
We talked about the prices of everything going up and up and the quality going down.
She told me the last dress she purchased was $150 dollars and even though she bought it because it was machine washable, the first trip through a gentle cycle made all the seams rip right out. The tag said it was from India.
Her last car couldn't stay out of the repair shop...she was frustrated that she didn't buy American. At the time, American made vehicles were more expensive and she couldn't budget for one. So she bought a foreign car and ended up paying the difference every couple of months in repair costs.
While we chit chatted for a bit about the way things are in comparison to the way things used to be, she picked up a newspaper and read one of the article headlines...shook her head and dropped the paper back on the table.
She told me of all she's seen and done, she's never witnessed such a failed government in all her years...
She's 99.
They don't make 'em like they used to.

Happy Father's Day.

2010-06-20T12:36:00.001-04:00

Please enjoy this special father/son moment;

Lurve for all the MiniVan families

2010-06-19T10:15:00.005-04:00

Green Things Installment 3

2010-06-09T09:05:00.012-04:00

So we've read a lot about those upside down tomato thingies and looked at one of the "kit" things. We decided to give it a shot, but just make our own. Supposedly, peppers can benefit as well, so I tried one with a pepper plant, as well.
Even if no fruit is produced from either of these, I think it's really interesting to watch how they grow. Not only are the stems curling up to meet the sun, but the leaves are twisting and flipping over to make the "top" sides face the sun.
It fascinates me.
What's that line from Jurassic Park? "Life will always find a way"...? It's remarkable to watch them adapting, adjusting, and overcoming their flipped circumstances.

Meanwhile, my Veronica Royal Blue plants are getting vibrant blooms coming on. I love that color. There are three plants side by side and one is blooming first.

A different one has more blooms that are just about ready to take center stage, and I can't wait until they do.
There will be a couple dozen blasts of color when it does.

I've got tons of lilies ready to appear on the scene...should have divided them last fall.
They are sure gonna be pretty.

Their color is amazing and they haven't even opened yet.

Beyond everything else, I just find it amazing that these things aren't all dead.
My whole life (up until about 2 years ago) anything growing in the ground or in a planter would DIE if I so much as glanced in its general direction. I'm just happy that Midas touch seems to be lifting.
Some day if we live in a place where I can create my own shooting range, I'll plant tons of stuff on my berm. Not only because it's neat to look at, but because plants help deter soil erosion and the berm will stay in place instead of wearing away. :)

Dress The Part

2010-06-05T19:53:00.006-04:00

I'm not really a good "shopper". I like to help MiniMe pick stuff out for special occasions and I like to buy gifts for others...but to shop for myself - bleh.

I've found that the only "shopping" I really enjoy is when I'm in a gun store or attending a gun show. If it's related to that, it becomes fun. Otherwise, "meh".

However...the spousal unit took me shopping today to add things to my wardrobe that help me dress around my carry gun. AWESOME. I usually hate to try things on and when I have to, it's a flurry of "pull it on, check the mirror, peel it off and go". Things get tossed into a "get it" pile or a "put it back" pile. No such thing as a "maybe" pile. I either like it or don't at first glance. Usually, it's mostly "don't".

Today was different. I LIKED trying on different things and seeing how things draped over my carry gun to conceal it. I tried some things on twice, just because I wanted to see it again. Usually, I'll come home with *maybe* one thing...today, I ended up with over a dozen. YAY!

WHAT is on FIRE?!

2010-05-28T20:09:00.004-04:00

So it's the last day of school for MiniMe and one of her friends came home with her today.
Here's the spillage by my front door that says "one extra kid after school".

They decided to do their hair and makeup and split to another friend's place for an impromptu pizza/video game party.
Anyhow, so they leave and I'm minding my own business surfing the net and doing laundry. All of the sudden I get a whiff of something that smells like it's kind of hot...sort of like a distant cheap candle. Then it got stronger, FAST.
I bolted out of the room and ran straight to Mini's room where I was nearly 90% certain I'd find a hair straightener plugged in and laying on the carpet or the bed.
Nerp.
The farther I back-tracked, I realized it was super strong the closer I got to the kitchen/dining room and the only two things that were running were a spankin' new dishwasher and a twenty-two year old dryer. I thought for sure the dryer was on fire.
That smell was the smell of hot wires burning.
I felt the door...no heat.
Opened it...no smell.
What...The...?!
I went to the dishwasher, which was running the "dry" cycle and I felt the front.
No hotter than "normal"...so I popped the latch and cracked the door.
I got hit with a lung-full of the most acrid stinky smoke (not steam...SMOKE) that I've ever smelled since a hairdryer caught on fire once when I was about 17. I REMEMBER that smell.
Anyhow...
INSIDE the washer, a little plastic lid had come unsecured and slipped through the top rack, through the bottom rack, and landed right smack on the heating element coil thingy.
Yargh!!
I reached in to pluck it off fast and the plastic got stringy like cheese.
The bottom rack rolled and bumped my hand and my thumb and index finger sizzled on that stupid thing right along with the lid.
Ouch.

Mkay.

2010-05-27T17:15:00.002-04:00

You know how you're not supposed to park close to a fire hydrant because you might block access?
Today, I saw a hydrant at the edge of a Wendy's parking lot...
with TWO spaces marked off as places to park. Right in front of it.

On the other side of it, there was a stretch of about 50 feet or more of grassy ditch and then 70mph interstate.
Huh.
Couldn't figure that one out...

Green Thing Update

2010-05-27T07:25:00.004-04:00

So I couldn't bring myself to toss out the sprouts.

Now, what.

Don't Text & Drive!!

2010-05-23T19:37:00.004-04:00

MiniMe: Mom!! Don't text and drive! It's against the law now in our state!

Me: I'm not texting! I'm taking a picture!

MiniMe: What?! DON'T DO THAT EITHER!

Me: There's nothing that says I can't take a picture.

MiniMe: There was a cop *right there*!! And it LOOKS like you're texting. He's going to pull you over for texting and you're going to go to jail or something!

Me: I wasn't texting.

MiniMe: Argh!! MOM! Quit messing with your phone! That cop is RIGHT THERE!

Me: Then how come I see cops texting and talking on their cell phones all the time?

MiniMe: Because they're hypocrites!

Me: So you're saying...I might beat the rap, but I won't beat the ride...

MiniMe: What...no...what? MOM! Just DRIVE.

The face of teen mother-henning
(and she tells me to turn down the radio, too):

What are these?

2010-05-19T11:09:00.005-04:00

OK, plant people...
What are these:

Plant One:

Close up:

Plant Two:

Close up:

Annie's Stuff

The Herd

Condition Butterscotch

Springfield

Adele

Deja Vu

Sometimes, you should just know when to shut your pie hole.

How YOU doin'.

New Corner of the Net

Sorta Siblings

Words to Live By

1911 Lurve

That's what you get.

Money Talks

Mistaken Identity

I Guess They Really DO Own Us.

Friday Tune ♪♫

They're Getting Someone Locked Up

Happiness is...

After the Credits Roll

FEDS n' stuff

You made the cut

A Good Day To Burn Powder

Boutonnieres

Creative MiniMe

Where else?

1911 Extractors

Firing Pin Block

Proper Handgun Fit

A Great Afternoon

The Chatty Ones

Magazine Bumpers

New ShooterChick Blogger!

New Toy

Txt Convo

Breakfast With The Grim Reaper

Glock Go Boom!

Coffee, My Coffee...

Things are not always as they seem.

It's Not Silly Putty.

Why "All Guns Are Always Loaded"

The GSG 1911

Dick Winters

Today's Date: 1911

Happiness is...

A Compliment and a Pay it Forward!

Color Me Happy.

It Figures.

Yesss!! It's HOME!

GSG 1911/22 Takedown

2011

Just Spreading Some TSA Christmas Cheer...

Flick? Flick who??

I Got This...

At my very own WalMart

Identifying Brass

H&R 949

RIA Update

School Tells Boy "Take the Flag Off Your Bike"

Veteran's Day 2010

Semper Fi, Devil Dogs.

Wheelie Addiction

I have been remiss.

Lurvely...

Playing "Dress Up"

Bullet Diameter Can Bite Your Butt.

Reloading - It's for girls.

Rawkin' the Rock

Huh. Who knew? *shrug*

New Hawtness

My Day Was Covered In

How it all went down...

I miss him

What Is This?

*Yawn*

Muse

Inside & Out

GoD & DoG

Blast from my sugared up past...

Suprise!

Huh. Who knew? shrug

Yawn