Saturday, during our visit to the Botanic Gardens, I took this shot of this cluster of cactii with a palo verde tree behind it. In spite of all the spines, this section of the garden is one of our favorites.
September 2008
Sunday Target Practice
Sunday is our day for the range. In spite of the fact that we’re great NFL junkies (yes, both of us), we go off to the range while the early games are still underway (they start at 10AM here on the west coast). We miss the first half, but make it home to clean the guns while watching the second half.
We didn’t bring the shotguns today because we were going to use the session to try and improve our marksmanship with the handguns. We made a little headway on that by trying out some of the grips and tips posted by the gunbloggers that went to Blackwater to train with Todd Jarrett. We both noticed a little improvement, but we have a way to go.
Damsel shoots her Warthog and S&W 686 in the video I spliced together today. At one point while shooting the Warthog, she turns to tell me that the hole pattern on the target looked like a happy face. Remember Mel Gibson’s session at the range in Lethal Weapon? In the other part of the video, it looks like only a couple of the seven .38 special rounds produced a nice plume. Actually, they all did, it’s just that the 30 frame per second rate on my camera sometimes misses the millisecond duration of the plumes.
As always, it was fun.
Garden Butterfly
During our visit to the South Coast Botanic Gardens today, this little butterfly perched near the dahlia exhibit. We don’t go to the gardens only for the flowers; we love to see the hummingbirds, butterflies, dragon flies and whatever else happens to come our way.
Click the image for the 1024×768 pixel version.
RNC Best Quotes
Here’s some of what we consider the best quotes from the podium during the Republican Convention.
Mike Huckabee:
Let me make something clear tonight: I’m not a Republican because I grew up rich. I’m a Republican because I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.
Mitt Romney:
I spent 25 years in the private sector. I’ve done business in many foreign countries. I know why jobs come and why they go away. And I know that liberals don’t have a clue. [Democrats] think we have the biggest and strongest economy in the world because of our government. They’re wrong. America is strong because of the ingenuity and entrepreneurship and hard work of the American people.
Fred Thompson:
We need a president who understands that you don’t make citizens prosperous by making Washington richer, and you don’t lift an economic downturn by imposing one of the largest tax increases in American history. Now our opponents tell you not to worry about their tax increases. They tell you they are not going to tax your family. No, they’re just going to tax “businesses”! So unless you buy something from a “business”, like groceries or clothes or gasoline… or unless you get a paycheck from a big or a small “business,” don’t worry… it’s not going to affect you. They say they are not going to take any water out of your side of the bucket, just the “other” side of the bucket! That’s their idea of tax reform.
Rudy Giuliani:
We agree with Joe Biden. Tough times require strong leadership, and this is no time for on-the-job training. Change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy.
Sarah Palin:
Though both Senator Obama and Senator Biden have been going on lately about how they are always, quote, ‘fighting for you,’ let us face the matter squarely. There is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you… in places where winning means survival and defeat means death… and that man is John McCain.
John McCain:
I’m not running for president because I think I’m blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need. My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.
Hat Tip and image credit to The Patriot Post
Watching the Palin Speech
I’m busy enjoying Rudy Giuliani’s speech at the RNC. I didn’t think anything could top Fred’s speech last night, but Rudy’s giving it a go.
Meanwhile, while we will be watching Sarah Palin, you can enjoy this nice panoramic view of Damsel looking into Canyon de Chelly . . .
Click to see the panorama full size.
Today’s Mail
The postman delivered a couple of things in the mail that weren’t the usual ‘opportunities’ for low-interest credit cards, ‘answer this important survey and send money’ or ‘call now for information on cremation.’ Yes, those came today, as usual, but today I received two items I actually enjoyed getting.
First, my Utah CCW permit came in the mail today. Not that it does me any good in California. It’s sort of like when Ralphie of the classic “A Christmas Story” gets his long-awaited “Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring” only to find out that the decoded messages were only “crummy commercials.” At least my “decoder” works in a lot of other states that I visit. We generally plan our vacations to places where we can carry.
The second item was a packet of materials and a certificate declaring that I am now a Distinguished Life Member of the National Rifle Association. The last time I renewed my membership, I only renewed for two years since it would only take that long to become eligible for the “Distinguished” part of the membership. You see, “distinguished” means that you have to be over 65 years old.
Maybe “Extinguished” would be a better word . . .
. . . just kidding. I’m proud of my age and proud of my continued vitality. I still feel 25 years old most of the time without the associated reckless abandon and that’s a good thing.
