A Chance to Take a Breath

Is it just me or did the past week just fly by? I got so busy with things around the house. Now it is Sunday early afternoon, just finished the last cup of coffee for the day, and we will soon be off to a make up baseball practice for NW. It was rained out last week. Being a Sunday afternoon, I wonder how many kids will actually show up. Due to his age, ND is back on a little Tee-Ball team again. The other tee-ball parents make me drop my mouth, they make me sigh and shake my head and that is all I have to say about them right now.

Yes, fall baseball is in full swing for us, I am happy to have kids who love to play outside and not sit inside on a game console all day. While our boys do have kindles,  I really limit the usage.
Some times  they get upset with me because they want to take them to school.
"But all our friends do".  I remind them, that school is for learning, and not playing on games all day-and they are not their friends nor I the friends parents.
 And all so, it was their uncle who purchased the expensive item for them, and if anything happened to it, it will be he to whom they answer to.

I love listening to them chat about their baseball future, right now they really do love the game, and have high aspirations.. One tells me he promises to be in the major leagues and buy mommy and daddy a big house on stilts overlooking a river. The other tells me he will make a One hundred thousand million dollars, and have the fastest pitch ever.
ND also asked what the world will be like when he is a man,and I just don't have the heart to answer him...
I smile, and tell them that with hard work, they can one day become that professional player they are dreaming about... 

-JUGM

Armed Citizen Progect

Last evening while skimming through the local TV news station, I came across an interesting story out of Orlando, Florida.
A group called The " Armed Citizen Project" works with gun manufactures and gun retailers to help give free or discounted shotguns to residents across the country.  And it is all perfectly legal.

Currently, they are canvassing an Orlando, Florida neighborhood passing out fliers to interested homeowners. In addition to the shotgun for home defense program, they also offer self defense and gun safety classes.

I mean why not? Our government gives out free cell phones..free this, and free that.. why can't a group of people try to help homeowners with their personal protection.?

As you can figure, there will always be that one negative person. In this story a middle aged  homeowner who has lived in the community for over 25 years with out incident. She did not see the need for this program, and called it irrational behavior.
Senior and I never thought our home would get broken in to, however in December 1999 we walked in as the break in was in progress. They stole our computer, and was tearing through
un-mailed Christmas cards thinking they had money in them. Our dog started barking as we opend the door, the bad guys jumped out of the back window they had broken to gain access.
 At that time we did own 2 fire arms, but neither of us was carry concealed.

My point, is that there is always the first time. And usually it takes that first time to open a persons eyes to the realities of this world.
When this Nay -Sayer, and most likely liberal feminist leaves her fantasy world gets raped, beaten and robbed in her own home and community of 25 years that nothing bad ever happens in, what will she say knowing that she could have defended herself ?  and worse, now she has put herself out there on the news saying she does not own a fire arm, and lives alone..... I guess she never heard the term "OPSEC"

Facepalm *sigh* 

-JUGM

Things Happen For A Reason

What is the saying " There is a reason for everything" ?  As you all know we were actually pretty excited about this past weekends camping trip to the New River in North Carolina. The boys had never gone canoeing before and were "over the moon" about it.
We drove 500 miles, to get to the campground " New River Campground" to meet up with my Brother in Law and his Girlfriend Moo-Moo and kids.
Well, "No Pets over 15 #s" was posted...and as you can guess, people were there with dogs over that weight.
"No Alcohol" signs also posted...and as you can guess, yes there was indeed alcohol being consumed.
"No Firearms" Sign posted as well...  and as you can guess... 
Basically none of the policies were enforced.
I don't mind alcohol as long as you can drink responsibly and have respect for other campers around you.

We set up camp, the extended family came in later, we cooked out hamburgs, hung around a campfire, and had a couple of drinks ourselves.
Senior, the kids and I retired all around 11pm.  That is when the campers on the other side of us, began their party. Until 345am !  Senior got up and did ask them to keep it down, they didn't.
We only got about an hours worth of sleep.
 It was then we realized, as nice as the river is, and the mountains are, this campground is nothing more then a place for the locals to hangout and party. Saturday morning I complained to management and they refunded us one nights stay.
 Senior was upset and tired, all he wanted to do was to pack up and leave, not so much because of us, but for the safety of the disruptive campers, another sleepless night and no telling what Senior would do. He knew that being in a small mountain town , and campground that caters to the local- If there was an incident, it would not bode well for him being from out of state.

That also meant no canoe trip for the boys, they were heartbroken. But, it was the fact of the matter that we did not drive 500 miles to put up with a bunch of drunks.  Then, as we are heading down the mountain, the rain started. I looked at the radar on my phone...
Dark, Dark greens and yellow blobs were moving in to the mountains.
I told Senior, "you know things happen for a reason, No way did I want to be out on that river, in a canoe, in a monsoon, with two small children".  He shook his head, weary from lack of sleep and agreed.

It was not until Yesterday, that Seniors brother called to check on us, that he told us "Be glad you left, the rain was horrible and we were miserable the rest of the day, and for those campers, they went on the 10 mile canoe trip, and was double miserable, because they were in that mess longer"  Karma!

See, if it hadn't of been for  those obnoxious drunk people, playing poker and partying until 345am, we probably would have stayed, and got soaked. And our boys could have gotten colds from canoeing out in the rain-- or worse!
 Instead, we left Saturday morning ahead of the weather. Went back to the Estate in South Carolina, and spent the night  in a nice warm dry house, and yes got a good nights sleep.

So here are some pictures I snapped :




Brother in Laws and Moo-Moos Campsite
It started raining on Friday night, so they tried to erect a tarp for cover
That is all the kids they brought.

At least we were surrounded by the Beautiful Mountains

 

The New River

 

Wednesday.....

Guess what day it is?   lol   The boys absolutely love that commercial..  Ours started off rainy, now its windy. The weather is cooling down here/ It is a welcomed event.

We are in packing mode, this upcoming weekend is our  1 1/2 day camping trip with my Brother in Law and Moo-Moo, his daughter and two of her daughters, and a grand daughter--teenagers.  hmmmmm (sigh). I keep hoping for typhoid fever to strike or some sort of plague, but as of yet..no such luck. Senior and Moo-Moo were argue texting yesterday over meals and cooking. Senior suggested we just take our Mountain Houses, or some MREs and see what they do. HA!

 Really, I am actually anxious to go on this venture. We will be in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Virgina border, canoeing on a river and camping near its banks. All of Gods beauty will certainly give me a reason to smile.

Since I will be relaxing I am bringing along some reading material:

I have all three books, and have completed reading them. I love all three, but back for a second round of Book 3--it is the best!.
Has any one out there read these? If not then you should. But it is a trilogy, and you can't just jump in there..you got to start with Book 1.
 You know the Washington Navy Yard Shooter? Really kind of relates in Book 1.  If you read it then you know what I mean.

I am sure while sitting around the campsite with it open and my nose stuck in it, that I will get some questions..  Oh didn't I mention?-- My Brother in Law is a Liberal. I know he voted BO the first time, and I am pretty sure he went back for a second dose of the kool-aid. 

Well Senior just walked in the door, so I need to go and get back to packing.. 

-JUGM

Constitution Day

This morning over myself packing lunch boxes, and a breakfast of buttered cherry pop tarts and milk. NW asked me If I knew the importance of today.
I, thought.. " ummm No, can't think of anything"

"Mom...its a very important birthday, its the birthday of the of our constitution"
Then I googled, and yes.. Today is Constitution Day.  "Wow", I thought- I had no Idea.

It was the summer of 1776 when the framers first met and voted to end our union with Great Britain. Tired of the Tyranny, they elected to declare our independence from King George. Thus the Declaration of Independence was signed. ALso that year the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was created, this is actuly known as the first consititution. The only problem was that the Confederation had no money, it could not pay its troops or any of its debts.

 

So, in May of 1787, the Continental Congress, convended again, to basically correct the Articles of Confederation and redraft the document.
Yesterday NWs class was given the history of that Continental Congress.. many arguments over what would be in this document, and several "sloppy copies" ( as he put it) were written. And finally they all agreed on a final draft.

The sad part about today is that unless you are a historian, or an 8 year old student..you probably were not aware of the importance of today's date. I certainly wasn't.
 It's not a National Holiday, there are no fireworks, no back yard bbqs or parades, and certainly no hot dog eating contests.. In fact it probably will not even merit any mention at all on the nightly news.
But yet it is just as important as the Declaration as this is the basis for our government and country.

For me though the most part is the Preamble, so eloquently written:

"We The People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

All of this was signed 226 years ago today on September 17, 1787.

Remember the 343

 

Of all the stories that came out of September 11, 2001. The stories of heroism from the 343 Firefighters that gave their lives trying to rescue others is the most poignant. .

 

It always hits home with me on this anniversary, because my father was a Firefighter for almost 40 years. . It is a family, and when one or more of your family perishes, we all feel it.

 

That day, mothers lost their sons, children lost their dads, and wives lost husbands.However there were those that  lost both husbands and sons. But all of us in the family of firefighters lost our brothers.

 

Some had actually just got off duty and headed home, but when they heard on the news a plane had flown into one of the towers they turned around because they knew this was something big and every man would be needed. What an unselfish act

 

They all answered the call, When every one else was running out, they were running in.

 

Thank You and RIP.

 

 

Blame it on the Screw....

Blame it on the screw that Senior found in my tire. For if it had not lodged itself in there, then I would have gone about my day as I had planned and not side tracked by sitting for over an hour and a half at the tire store. I could not complain to much though, they did patch it for free, even though I did not purchase the tires from there.
 Finally the Cherokee was finished. I sent a text to Senior who was working near by to see if he wanted lunch. He said sure, and we had a brief but nice little outing.

I had an hour to kill. did not want to drive back to our little area then over to our subdivision, then leave again to get the boys from school. Senior had said he needed a veggie tray for his last class tonight. They were having a "pot luck". Okay, my original plan was the store earlier in the day, but since it was wasted at the tire store, I will go now.  I really hate driving around so much. But, I am also a firm believer on if you are out...then stay out and get your errands done.

I get to the store around 1;30. that is about 40 minutes I had to waste before getting ND. I browsed like I normally do. Picked up a few groceries, including the veggie tray. Checked out and headed to the car. It was 2:05 and I was right on track for picking up the boys.

That is when I first saw her. She was leaning on a car parked next to mine talking on a cell phone.  I could hear she was crying and something about her medications had her upset. I went to open the drivers side door. She had hung up, and was sobbing.

{I do know what some of you will say.. And yes my guard was up, and my hand on my glock. I know to be careful,I was wary of the other shoppers going to their cars, and where her hands were at all times-security cameras were every where, and store employees were sitting at a picnic table near us. }

" Oh Hell! "  I thought......  "ma'am, are you okay? "  I asked. I just involved myself.  She looked up, with a bit of surprise on her face.
"No, I just moved here and because I am not a resident I can not get prescriptions filled, and my back is killing me, I came all this way out here from California..and now I just want to go back"

At this point, I expected her to ask for drugs, or money. But she didn't. She never asked for anything.
 She told me her story, most of which I still can't figure out. Like why she  couldn't get a rx filled, If the original was at Walgreens.
And how she was married for 24 years, but separated from her husband 18 of those years.. wow! And now he wants her back. She just went on and on for what seemed an eternity.

 I know I could have got in the car and drove off. But, it was something an old preacher once said that made me stop. He said " We are tested every day. You never know when that person in need could be Jesus in disguise"

 Things always happen for a reason... And I think the series of events starting with the screw in my tire put me in that spot at that exact moment, more for my benefit then hers. Lately, I feel as though my level of compassion and nice-ness is being tested. I needed to know for myself that I truely am not the mean catty ogre a couple of former friends have made me out to be.

I nodded my head a bit, then told her I would pray for her. I wished her luck..and I truely meant that. I did keep my word and said a silent prayer as I drove off.

-JUGM