Boom Boom Boom Booom!

So, in preparations for a squirrel hunting trek coming up in a couple weeks, I went shooting yesterday afternoon. The real need was to pattern my .62 caliber fowler (identical to the one in the header of this page, just without the sling lug). I have shot this gun probably 100-150 times, but always just shooting round ball. So I went to one of the places I can safely shoot and loaded 'er up.

I started out shooting 75-grain powder loads with an equal measure of shot. For those of you who have never shot a muzzle-loading shotgun it takes a little bit of work. My first load I poured the powder down, then put in a nitro card over the powder, followed by a cushion wad, which I had to start down the barrel about 3 inches. Then, the measure of shot and an overshot card. All this, I started to run down the barrel.

Problem. The cards and wad, combined with the powder blocking the touch hole, created a pressure chamber which made it almost impossible to get the load all the way down.

The rest of the loads, I seated the nitro card and cushion wad on the powder before pouring the shot. This worked quite a bit better.

On to the shooting. I had a piece of cardboard that I was shooting at which would allow me to check for holes or irregularities in the pattern. With the cards and wad, I consistently got patterns of about 20" at 15 yards. Really good patterns.

I also did a couple shots with flax tow for wads over the powder and over the shot. This worked as well, but was not quite as uniform of a pattern. Tried using grass as well, with similar results to the tow. It would kill a squirrel on a tree limb, but if I were shooting birds I would probably want to stick with the cards and wad.

Nest challenges? Pattern the .62 caliber flintlock pistol and start shooting trap/clays with the fowler.

Great Music Monday-City of New Orleans

Sorry for the light posting. I was having internet problems last week, and was at a rendezvous over the weekend.

Anyway, on to the music.

This week's selection of Great Music is a piece composed by the late, great, Steve Goodman, who also composed a couple other great songs about my favorite baseball team, including "Go, Cubs, Go" and "A Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request". Goodman also wrote, with John Prine, the David Allen Coe song "You Never Even Call Me By My Name."

But the song chosen for this weeks Great Music is "City of New Orleans." Arlo Guthrie made it famous, but countless others have covered the song. Willie Nelson got Goodman a posthumous Grammy award for the song. The song takes you on a trip from Chicago to New Orleans riding the rails on "their father's magic carpet made of steel."

The video is from a live concert of the super-group The Highwayman, which includes Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings.

So All Aboard for a "Southbound Odyssey."





As always, leave thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

Great Music Monday-Four Green Fields

While at the Blogcrawl on Saturday night, Wes of Bodhran Roll, Please and I were talking about some of the previous selections of Great Music, in particular some of the Celtic pieces that have made the cut.

During the conversation, Wes mentioned a song that he was reminded of when listening to last week's selection, Kilkelly.

The song? This week's piece is a song written by "The Godfather of Irish Music," "The Bard of Armagh," Tommy Makem.

Four Green Fields. From wikipedia: is a 1967 folk song by Irish musician Tommy Makem, described in the New York Times as a "hallowed Irish leave-us-alone-with-our-beauty ballad."^[1] Of Makem's many compositions, it has become the most familiar, and is part of the common repertoire of Irish folk musicians.^[2]

The song tells of an old woman who had four green fields; and how strangers tried to take them from her; and how her sons died trying to defend them. Its middle stanza is a description of the violence and deprivation experienced by the Irish, including the people in Northern Ireland (part of the UK), though the British are not explicitly identified (nor Saxons, nor Danes). At the end of the song, one of her fields remains out of her hands:

"But my sons have sons, as brave as were their fathers;

My fourth green field will bloom once again," said she.

The song is interpreted as a parable of the British colonisation of Ireland and the current status of Northern Ireland. The four fields are the Provinces of Ireland with Ulster being the "field" that is still in British hands, the old woman a traditional personification of Ireland herself (see Kathleen Ni Houlihan).

Makem frequently described the song as having been inspired by a drive through the "no man's land" adjoining Northern Ireland, where he saw an old woman tending livestock. She was oblivious to the political boundaries that loomed so large in the public's eye; the land was older than the argument, and she didn't care what was shown on the map.

The song's penultimate line ("But my sons have sons, as brave as were their fathers") is often interpreted, sometimes critically, as support for militant Irish nationalist groups like the Irish Republican Army (IRA). However, the song had been written prior to the outbreak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and decades after the Anglo Irish War and Irish Civil War. The song was (arguably) mirroring what some might believe to be a romanticised view that many Northern Irish people had of militant republicanism at the time, and perhaps still do today. It also reflected the tension of daily life in the face of a military occupation, where one was advised, regardless of politics: "Whatever you say, say nothing", to quote a popular song in Makem's repertoire. On emigrating to the U.S., Makem was astonished to find a cordial relationship between the public and its police force, something he had not experienced in Armagh.^{[citation needed]} This penultimate line is sometimes sung as, "But peace will come, my lands will be united".

Makem commonly sung the song as an encore.

The video is a slideshow that someone created and posted just a few weeks prior to Tommy's death on August 1, 2007.

Please leave thoughts or suggestions in the comments.

Blogcrawling

Sitting at a picnic table, drunk and crawl from blog to blog.

Whoo hoot.

Found the New Adventure

If you remember back in July, I told you about looking for a new adventure.

Well, I have found one. Sorta. It's not really new. Since I have been involved in it for over 15 years.

If you haven't caught on yet, I have rejoined the workforce and am off of stupid f&^king unemployment that paid crap.

I have gone to work full time in the family recycling business. My official position is Vice President, Sales, Marketing, and Safety. So far, most of my work has been distributing curbside tote bins in communities where we have programs. I am also going to be getting my CDL to be able to fill in running roll-off containers or evening doing curbside collections.

The business started 15 years ago chopping newspaper as animal bedding with our forage chopper and square baler in the farm machine shed. Now we have 25 full time employees, four curbside trucks, one hook-lift roll-off truck, and we have programs in all or part of 8 Western Illinois Counties.

The benefits package is pretty fair. 15 days paid-time-off. 6 paid holidays. Health Insurance. IRA. Plus, they are pretty much going to be paying for all my fuel since I am using my truck to do the deliveries routes I have been working on, which includes pulling a trailer and lots of stop and go. Of course the company should pay for the fuel and such doing this work, but I can also use this fuel to do my own running.

The only downside to this new position is the pay cut I took. To the tune of about $13,000/year. Now before anybody reading this flips out on me let me explain a little bit. My old job, I had a 100 mile/day commute which was costing me $100-$125/week in fuel, which translates to $5,500/year that I won't be spending just to get to and from work. And since I am also getting fuel put in my truck, that saves another probably $500-$1,000/year of personal driving. Plus, I don't have to spend 2 hours/day on the road plus do the job. Granted, I may have some 9 and 10 hour days, but the 5 minute commute is nice. So really, I have only taken a cut of about $7,000/year. Which requires more careful budgeting to make my truck payments and pay my other bills. Plus, I pretty much have to quit carrying my credit cards. Although, that is not all a bad thing. I had racked up a HUGE credit card debt. In the 5-figure range. Ended up cashing in a bunch of savings bonds, dating back to when I was just a really young kid, just to get them paid off so I wasn't paying $200/month in interest.

I also have some other flexibility in my schedule to get personal business done, like banking, attending civic functions for groups I belong to, and if I need some extra time off I can get it. Like this week, I was trying to get the ONW Newsletter finished and into the mail. I didn't get started running copies until 6:30 Tuesday night. I was able to work late Tuesday night to finish up the newsletter and start work late.



Anyway, I am a back to work and it is kinda nice. Although, I wouldn't mind being retired already.

Bluegrass Sunday...

...with and Celtic twist.

In this week's Great Music Monday post, I mentioned being inspired by the night before.

So, here in the words of Paul Harvey, is the rest of the story.

Sunday afternoon I headed down to Wil, Red, and Ark-Builder's house to work with Ark-Builder on his 1st Degree Catechism for Masonic Lodge. After a couple hours of practice and the arrival of Teme and the Man From Ohio, we had a good dinner of chili and then headed off to Budde's in Galesburg for Bluegrass Sunday.

Bluegrass Sunday is basically a jam session/open mic night for Bluegrass. Spoon River String Band played for a while, and then some other played. They were all good, except one dumbass, trying to do some sort of modern alternative music. It was all we could do to stop Wil from booing him off stage. At one point, I had to turn around because I thought a woman had started singing with him. But no. It was just this same guy. He was douche-worthy.

There was also some "guy" there who was just getting ready to start playing when we left about 10:30. He was wearing a sweater with flowers down the sleeves, just like your grandmother wears, accented with the scarf and a purse. And I do mean a purse! All the while, sporting a beard. Wil knew him.

Anywho, after a couple of hours, there was no one on stage so they told me I should go up and do a couple Celtic songs. First one out of the gate, "Goddamn Dutch." I don't know how many times I have sung this song in the past, but this night, I actually offended somebody. Come to find out, this guy had moved to the area from the Netherlands a little over a year ago.

After a little while I went up and did a couple of other songs, including the "7 Drunken Nights," "The Minstrel Boy," and "General Taylor." After I did one or two songs, I went back to my beer and another guy got up and did "A Nation Once Again." Then one of the bartenders got up and did a couple of humorous songs, including one called "Viagra in the Water" about a truckload of Viagra crashing into a town's water supply.

Then the guy from the Netherlands, who had been playing bass for a few numbers earlier got up and did a song native to his country. It was pretty dang cool. This was followed by the guy who had done Nation Once Again doing a song, I guess, from "The Sound of Music" and then following up with "Black and Tans." This of course forced me to do two more songs. I figured since my new Dutch friend was doing a song from his country, I would welcome him to the land of the Swedes (there is a HUGE Swedish population in this area), so I did my best rendition of the intro of "Swedish Chef" from The Muppet Show. Complete with the "Bork!Bork!Bork!" And then I followed up that with my final song for the evening since we were getting ready to leave, "The Parting Glass."

Evidently, the Celtic stuff went over pretty well, as I was heading for the door, the wife of the owner stopped me and said how much she enjoyed the stuff I had done. As we were going down the road, Ark-Builder, who also works at that bar, said the owner's wife told him he was responsible for bringing me back for the high holy holiday in honor of St. Patrick.



Looks like I need to get really serious about doing some guitar practice and song learning. I think I now have two places to play around St. Paddy's next year.

Great Music Monday-Kilkelly

This week's selection is one I was inspired to do after the experience of last night, but that is another post for either later tonight or later this week.

Anywho, this week's GMM song is one that I originally heard on a CD by Father, Son, and Friends. The song is called "Kilkelly" and is based on a series of letters sent from a father living in Kilkelly, Ireland to his sons John and Michael who had come across the ocean to America. The letters cover the time period from 1860 to 1892.

The video for the song is actually of Robbie O'Connell with the Clancy Brothers. A little different version than I am used to, but a still just as moving.





As always, leave thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

Great Music Monday-Momma Look Sharp

Damnit. A day late again. But this one is worth the wait.

While at home feeding Omar tonight, my folks had America's Got Talent on the tv. One performer in his video intro talked about his mother and sang a song about mothers. Which got my brain to wandering (not that I needed anything to help my mind wander, but this particular instance focused the wandering).

As my mind wandered, it traveled back to a rendezvous years ago and a song that a couple old friends used to sing.

The song comes from the musical "1776" and is titled "Momma Look Sharp." An amazing song from the point of view of a Revolutionary War soldier laying on the battlefield, shot and dieing, calling for his mother to come find him. At the end of the song she comes to him.

The lyrics (because they are very powerful):
Courier:
Momma, hey momma, come lookin' for me
I'm here in the meadow by the red maple tree
Momma, hey momma, look sharp, here I be
Hey, hey, momma look sharp

Them soldiers, they fired. Oh ma, did we run
But then we turned round and the battle begun
Then I went under, oh ma, am I done?
Hey, hey, momma look sharp

My eyes are wide open, my face to the sky
Is that you I'm hearin' in the tall grass nearby?
Momma come find me before I do die
Hey, hey, momma look sharp

All:
I'll close your eyes, my Billy
Them eyes that cannot see
And I'll bury you, my Billy
Beneath the maple tree
Courier:
And never again will you whisper to me
Hey, hey, momma look sharp

The video is of a 2008 production of "1776" done at RMU (I don't know where or what this is).

Anywho. Simply an amazing piece.



As always, please leave thoughts or suggestions in the comments.

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Update.

For some reason the stoopid embed of the video doesn't seem to be working, at least for me so here is a link to the video. Go watch it.

Range Report - Sigma and PT1911

So this afternoon I went shooting to address a horrible injustice to myself.

I headed to one of our farms that has gotten overgrown and is far enough away from other houses that I can shoot. There is an old barn that needs bulldozed with a concrete cattle lot outside.

I set a a piece of plate steel and painted a some orange dots on it and shot several clips through the Smith & Wesson Sigma SW40VE. A .40 S&W caliber pistol. The gun functioned well, my biggest concern is the way shells eject. I would notice casing flying directly over the top of my head. The final casing out of one clip actually hit me in the forehead. I dunno about this. The recoil is very manageable, however, having not actually sighted it in, my shots were tending to be a little low at seven yards. I am going to need more range time to get the feel for this one, which worries me, as I want to be able to instinctively shoot a pistol, in case it would ever be needed for home or personal defense. But I am not giving up on it yet.

I also shot several clips through my Taurus PT1911, which is Brazilian gun maker Taurus' model of JMB's classic M1911. I have always wanted a 1911 and I saw this one on sale a couple months ago. Worth the money. Performed flawlessly. Like the .40 S&W, the recoil was very manageable and it really just felt good in my hands. Plain and simple, I like this gun. It is still in the back of my mind to change the factory knurled plastic grips to wood, but other than that, no changes. Just sight it in, but its does have a more natural point feel. Kinda like my Ruger P90 for me.

All in all, it was a good day on the range. The PT1911 proved itself worthwhile and the jury is still out on the Smith and Wesson Sigma.

I shot a video at the end of my shooting comparing how I shot the Sigma and the PT1911 straight out of the box. But YouTube is taking forever to upload right now. I'll embedded it tomorrow.

Frustrations and Progress

I haven't blogged about the Omar, my wonderpuppy in a while, so I thought tonight it would be a good way to multi-task.

Sarah Palin is giving her speech to the RNC. So far, sounds really good.

But anyway, the puppy.

Two and a half weeks ago Omar went to his first Rendezvous. All went very well. Other than Thursday night he thought it better to tug on his leash than lay down and sleep. After 5 minutes, I decided it was better to keep him in his routine. Short walk to the truck for his kennel and the rest of the night was uneventful.

Of course everyone loved him. And most couldn't believe he was only 14 weeks old. The only time he barked was when people played with him. And oh how people played with him. Hours and hours. Sunday night, Omar was so tired he didn't really feel like eating. But that cleared up quickly.


Fast forward a week. Sunday morning I went out to mow the yard and thought it would be a good chance to let Omar run off some extra energy. It takes me about 90 minutes to get the yard finished. The whole time Omar was free to run with the farm dog.

Big mistake. I have spent quite a bit of this week going back to basics. The problem is that Omar had decided it is more fun to run around chasing cats with the farm dog and ignore me than follow commands. But, after being caught off guard by the leash flying over his head and my imposing frame stepping between the two dogs, we are making progress.


Then, last weekend Omar went to his second rendezvous. We had kids running through the camp all weekend, the shooting range not too far away, coyotes outside of camp (not really close, but they were audible). He took it all in stride. The first bark all weekend? Monday as we were getting ready to tear down. Everyone was amazed. The Man From Ohio made a comment over the weekend (right after someone else's dog ran to the end of his chain barking at a young child and scared the child so much he cried), that he didn't really like dogs at rendezvous. But if they were all like Omar, it would be alright. The issue is that dogs like Omar attend events and are good dogs, and others see these good dogs and think "I can bring my dog, too" when their dog is not good around people.


And then to today. I got home around 5:30 and brought Omar out of his kennel. I don't know what it was but he seemed to have an extra shot of energy. We spent about 45 minutes outside running, playing, and training. I was able to somewhat get his focus when he was playing with the farm dog. Still not to the level of response I will demand, but progress. When he playing with the farm dog he was in and out of some 5'-7' weeds, so I decided to take him across the road to do some more work in tall grass. I about fell over laughing the way he was running around.

I shot some video on my phone, but can't figure out how in the hell to get it off the phone (if anyone can tell me how to get videos off a motorola razr v2, please help). So for now, enjoy the photos.

Omar sitting
Omar laying down
Omar running

Great Music Monday-40 Hour Week (For a Living)

Seeing as today is Labor Day. A celebration of the working men and women who make this country strong.

And just for the record, I didn't plan to have 2 song by Alabama in a row.

Anyway, this weeks song is 40 Hour Week (For a Living). The kind of song that sorta make you proud to be blue collar, and you can't seem to help but start singing along.

So for all those who work a 40 hour week (or more), Here's to you.





As always, leave thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

Upcoming Weekend

Leaving early tomorrow morning for a weekend at Rendezvous.

Pierre Bulbona Rendezvous. Within spittin' distance of the site of his original trading post in Bureau County. This will be one hell of a shooting event. I will probably end up shooting at least 3 gun matches (rifle, smoothbore, and palisades), plus archery. The range is all down hill and can be pretty tricky. The palisades match, at least in the past, is shot in pairs and is a timed event. Ten minutes to shoot as many targets as possible. Including some that pop up for only 5-10 seconds. Wil and I have shot it the last two years. The first year we though we did pretty well but actually ended up sixth. Last year we ended up 2nd by only one target. Tootsie Pops. But they didn't come up as a shootable target until about 8 minutes into to the match. Wil and I were both shooting smoothbores and by that time, the barrels were so hot you couldn't touch them and when you tried to aim- the heat was causing so much distortion that you couldn't see the tootsie pop.

This year we are going to win.

Other than the matches, this will be a weekend to relax. Some music. Good amounts of alcohol. I spent $140 at Friar Tuck's earlier this week. 5 Bottles of Dragon's Milk, 7 cans each of Muphy's Stout, Belhaven Scottish Ale, and Bemish Irish Stout. Plus a HANDLE of Captain Morgan's Private Stock Spiced Rum. And I will probably have an extra case of beer in reserve.



Back Monday. Will post some new music and maybe pictures.

Great Music Monday-Angels Among Us

I know, I know, I know. I am a day late.

But this week's Great Music Monday is worth the wait.

One of my favorite country groups of all time is Alabama. They were making awesome music before I was born, including greats like "Down Home," "Born Country," Roll On (18 Wheeler)," "Cheap Seats," Dixieland Delight," "High Cotton," "If You're Gonna Play in Texas," and lots of others. At least 41 Number 1 hits in their repertoire.

I saw them in concert twice prior to their retirement. Once at the Illinois State Fair and then when they were on their American Farewell Tour. Not a flashy show, just lots of great music.

But they have one song in particular that really hits me. "Angels Among Us." This song ranks very near the top of my all-time favorites. When I was searching for a good video tonight, I played the selection below and it literally gave me goose bumps multiple time.

It is a beautiful mix of Randy Owen's vocals, the children's choir, strings, and piano.

Listen to the lyrics, and think about when you were an angel to someone.





As always, leave thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

Confirmation

Saturday I attended a Family Reunion. It was for Grandpa's family on Mom's side. The reunion was held in Mom's hometown in Iowa. This is actually a reunion I don't mind attending since I actually know some of these people, lots of 2nd and 3rd cousins (unlike the reunion that was for Grandpa's family on dad's side, since Grandpa was an only child, the closest cousins I have there is something like 5th or 6th-I didn't attend this one).

The folks, Grandma, and I headed out Friday night (Grandpa passed away in 2004) around 6:30. It's a 3 hour drive and we made a short stop for a quick bit of supper. We had reservations at a motel and when we got there, they had screwed up the reservations. The rooms were supposed to have queen-sized beds and didn't, they stank, and reminded me of this horrid SLEep eAZY motel I had to stay in while working on a project in Bloomington. At least this motel Saturday didn't have a beer label stuck to the wall in the room (the Bloomington one did). After consultation of those of us in our car plus my Aunt and here Fiance and his son, we decided to go somewhere else. It turned out to be a smart decision.

Saturday morning we had to go pick up some food and then to the Reunion. It was actually fun. My Grandpa was one of 5 kids, and those 5 had 15 kids. Of those 15 cousins, 12 were at the reunion. The three that couldn't make it, 2 are in Tennessee and one is in California. This was the first time this family has gotten together since 2001. Since then, 3 of the 5 original siblings have passed away. The other two seem to be in pretty good health and show no sign of slowing down any time soon. Which is good.

It was also cool that so many of my generation were there, and all but two of us had kids. Actually, I think my Grandma was the last of the 5 original siblings/spouses to become a Great-Grandparent (my nephew CB).

Anyway, we had a few games, including "Name that Tune" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" which pitted the Cousins against everyone else. These two games solidified my as a total nerd. I pretty much answered every question for our side in the 5th grader, plus new all the answers for the Cousins, even without out the multiple choice. They ended up giving my the prize for the game. NERD.

Then, in "Name that Tune," I literally moved my chair up to be able to reach the bell without leaving my chair. It got freaking scary how many tunes I knew, including lots that were popular before I was even BORN! TOTAL NERD!!!!!!!

Or as Bill Engvall says, "15 degrees off Cool."



The only thing missing now is the glasses and to be camped out in my parents basement playing dungeons and dragons. It's bad enough my computer is in the basement, just not at my parents.


What a Nerd.

Reflections

Today seems like a good day for some reflection on life, since as of today, I can no longer claim to be in my early 20's.

Yep.

26 today.

Holy crap.

Why didn't I get a freaking memo or something.



So I have been doing some reflecting on my life and where it is at. And I thought I would share some observations and thoughts with you.

There is a possibility that this could sound bad, I don't know how it is going to go from here on out. Just know I am not depressed nor contemplating anything stupid.

Work: What work? I am unemployed....For the second time....in 13 months. I graduated from college in 2005 with a 4.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Department Scholar. Top student in my department. But still, I am on the unemployment line. Royally sucks.

The strange thing about it, I have very little motivation to find something new. I had an interview last week, but my heart isn't really in it. I know that I don't want to go back to an office. I am totally burned out on sitting behind a desk all the time. I actually am looking at a possible home based business and then starting to build canoe paddles, guns, knives, clubs, axes and such-splitting my time. Then I could dictate my own schedule and not have to answer to anybody.

Health: The last visit I had to the doctor was about a year and a half ago as part of a wellness screening for work. Including a blood work-up. Basically-healthy as a horse. Cholesterol just about perfect. No high blood pressure. Only one problem....Overweight. And not a little bit. If you've ever heard of Morbidly Obese. That's me. At my worst, I was 434. It has come down some, but I could still damn near cut my weight in half and still be a good sized guy. My brother dropped a bunch of weight over the last few years and I am jealous as hell. If you've never been big, you don't quite understand how the world is for the fat. I try to not let it stop me from doing thing. Actually, I have amazed some friends at the things that I do accomplish being my size, but it still is a hindrance.

Dating: What the hell is that? Last date? Pull out the calendar to count. August 2008. Graduated August 2005. 2003-2004 Junior year. Yep. Last date was January 2004. 4.5 years ago. One date. Before that? No freaking clue. Hell. I'm a virgin. With no intention of changing it any time soon. At one point a couple years ago, I was actually told I needed to lower my standards. No chance in hell.

Life: WTF? I live with my parents. And am rapidly approaching creepy geek. I'm on the computer almost every night. From the Basement of a house (at least not my parents basement), I have played and for a while was damn near addicted to an online game (Call of Duty). The only thing missing is the glasses and stalker complex.


But the good stuff.

Family: I have a great family. Two great parents who have worked their butts off their entire lives to make sure my brother and I had all the opportunities we could want. They also instilled concept of civic duty and being active in community organizations. Lots of activity. I still have two grandmothers living and both are here it town. Their health is not the greatest, but they are still around. My brother has a wonderful wife and they welcomed their first child in April. The nephew is such a cute kid, I just wish I could go see him more often, but we always seem to have schedule problems, and the three hour drive is not condusive to quick trips for an evening or something. I have one aunt getting married for the first time next June. The other aunt is married to a really great uncle. Their three kids are around the same age as my brother and I. They are doing great, too. One is a private school teacher in D.C. and is trying to finish up her Masters Degree. Her twin sister is working in South America. And the brother is a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Friends: One of the biggest blessing in my life is my friends. The Motley Crew. Dog, Squatchy, Evil People Inc., Lunchbox, SeanX, and me. 6 friends from High School. We've done some crazy shit. The re-enacting friends. Lots of them. Started out as folks I would only see at events, but now they are all good friends who I communicate with regularly, visit, shoot the shit. Like the old saying, "Friends are the Family you choose."






I guess life ain't too bad, even when your lost.

Heritage Days

A little slow getting this put up, but anyway.

I headed out Thursday morning. Got set up and spent the rest of the day lounging around and catching up with friends.

Friday morning after breakfast at Two Eagles Kitchen, I had to head back home to prepare for the Masonic Lodge Golf Outing that I was part of organizing. Pretty good day. 17 players. My group shot 7 over on 18 holes, which wasn't bad, especially since I didn't remember how to swing until the 14th hole. After dinner, headed back to the rendezvous. Got there about 9:00.

Spent the rest of the night partying. The women were having a bachelorette party and trying to get guys to pole dance for them. (Evidently, I started something terrible at Bloody Lake)

Saturday started with breakfast at Two Eagles again. After breakfast, I had about hour to relax before the day started running at warp speed. The thing about Galesburg, is that we always have a "Fashion Show" on Saturday, and somehow Wil always ropes me into participating. So I had to put on my 18th Century Gentleman's Clothes. Black and white cocked hat, frilly shirt, couch killer weskit, fancy coat, knee breeches, clocked stocking, buckle shoes, fine walking stick. Hotter than Hell (in more than one way). And then for the show, I got to have Ktreva on my arm as my consort. Everyone was Jealous. And then Cow was following along behind as my Haiji manservant. Carrying my chair, and a box with a chalice and bottle of wine. Every time I stopped walking, the chair came out, I sat down and Cow poured me a glass of wine. I was on first. And after I got done with my short speech, we moved off to the other side of the area where the show was being held, continuing to maintain 1st person. Wil, who was emceeing the show, told us after the show that someone came up to him and asked "Who does that guy think he is?! And what is that woman with him, his concubine? And that Haiji with him?" The guy was genuinelly pissed about it. It was great.

As soon as the show was over, I had to set up the archery range. Once the range was set up, was the ONW Company meeting. After the meeting, was the actual archery match. A simple shoot that seemed to really screw with some people. I gave all the shooters a target and told they were shooting for group-10 shots. The shoot took about 2 hours.

Once the shoot was over, several of us cleared the range to set up for the Wedding. It was all done in a colonial style, and was very cool. Congrats again to Mr. and Mrs. Dragonfly.

The wedding was of coursed followed by the reception. Very cool.

And finally, I was able to get out of the Gentleman's clothes and back to something comfortable. About 8:00pm, there was the camp meeting where prizes were awarded. And I was done for the day. Even considered going to bed. But I didn't and after sitting around and jawing with some friends, I wandered down to where a bunch of folks were playing music. A couple guys requested I do a song or two, so I did, along with Wes.

All in all, it turned out to be a good day, but tiring.

Sunday, was again breakfast at Two Eagles. Western omlette and blueberry buckwheat pancakes. Damn good.

And I had nothing else to do for the rest of the day. The family showed up, so I talked to them for a little while and they went wandering. I was the last person to get packed up and out of the area where a bunch of the ONW/River Scum camped. Really didn't want to leave.

Of course, Omar the wopdog went along. Everybody loved him. Some threatened to kidnap him. And he was really tired. But it was good socialization for him.


I want to go back. Everything was so much easier there.

Take Notice

It was brought to my attention that over the weekend, especially on Sunday, my attitude towards some people may have come off as being like I was upset with people.

This is not the case.

If you felt like there was a problem, it was not intentional, simply the rest of my life weighing in on my mind and distracting me from the time I was getting to spend my friends.

Please take no offense.

That is all.

Great Music Monday-45 Years

I know it is late, but it is still Monday when I am posting this.

Saturday, I was at a rendezvous and attended the wedding of two people I am honored to call my friends.

So, in honor of them, this weeks Great Music is a piece composed by the incredibly talented and taken too soon (age 33), Stan Rogers. The influence of Rogers is still felt today, especially on folk music singers. The stuff I like to do includes several Rogers' compositions.

The song is "45 Years."

Lyrics:

Where the earth shows its bones of wind-broken stone
And the sea and the sky are one
I'm caught out of time, my blood sings with wine
And I'm running naked in the sun
There's God in the trees, I'm weak in the knees
And the sky is a painful blue
I'd like to look around, but Honey, all I see is you.

The summer city lights will soften the night
Til you'd think that the air is clear
And I'm sitting with friends, where forty-five cents
Will buy another glass of beer
He's got something to say, but I'm so far away
That I don't know who I'm talking to
Cause you just walked in the door, and Honey, all I see is you

(CHORUS)
And I just want to hold you closer than I've ever held anyone before
You say you've been twice a wife and you're through with life
Ah, but Honey, what the hell's it for?
After twenty-three years you'd think I could find
A way to let you know somehow
That I want to see your smiling face forty-five years from now.

So alone in the lights on stage every night
I've been reaching out to find a friend
Who knows all the words, sings so she's heard
And knows how all the stories end
Maybe after the show she'll ask me to go
Home with her for a drink or two
Now her smile lights her eyes, but Honey, all I see is you

(Chorus twice)

The video for this song is by The Bard of Cornwall, a young performer from Canada who does several Stan Rogers pieces, along with lots of Celtic stuff. And while most of the videos are shot in the kitchen, they are still good.


So, for Mr. and Mrs. Dragonfly, this is to you. May you have 23 years and another 45 years, and more beyond that.




And as always, leave your thoughts in the comments, along with suggestions for other Great Music.

Rendezvous Time

Leaving tomorrow morning for Galesburg Heritage Days Rendezvous at Lake Storey Park. I need it.

Then, have to come back home Friday to play in a Golf Outing that I helped to organize for my Masonic Lodge.

Then back to the Rendezvous. Saturday I am running the archery shoot, plus the Fashion Show, and Dragonfly's wedding.

Maybe something new on Sunday night.

Interview

Went to the interview.

Very Strange.

Two separate interviews. This company does a different style of interview than I have ever had. They called in a Behavioral Based. Both interviews went the same way. "Tell me about a time when x happened?" X could be "when you encouraged a peer to excel" or "when you got someone who is more timid to speak up" or "when your plan turned out to be wrong." I kinda knew this is how it would be, but it really threw me for a loop. Felt like I struggled more than in any other interview I have ever had.

Really, I have no idea how well it went. I can't tell if I nailed it, or if I came across like a fish out of water.

Really, I am up in the air as to whether I would accept a job offer or not. 55 miles each way. Plus some on call time. But 39 paid days off a year. 15 vacation, 5 sick, 4 floating holiday, 9 paid company holidays, plus 6 summer Fridays. And because of the type of work, they kept telling me the pay is supposed to be really good.

We'll see.



I am still thinking of doing a home business and just being self employed.