we really get to shooting again. Over the winter, we shoot. Our IDPA matches don’t go away and most winters, we get some practice time in, especially since Christmas usually means new guns to play with. However, usually starting in mid-February, we really get cranked up again and this one is no exception. Starting on Saturday, we have our monthly IDPA match (and the weather report thus far is favorable). Then we have a steel challenge match. Then we have a practice weekend. That is followed by a work weekend and IDPA classifier. Then our monthly IDPA match followed the next weekend by a steel challenge match. The first weekend in April is a USPSA match. We finally take a weekend off to get ready for the state IDPA match followed by a quarterly CMP match. Maybe that’s why I like spring so much better than winter, more recoil therapy.
Cricket will be shooting her first classifier in March. She is ready to shoot the state IDPA match. She is excited. Bugaboo wants to start shooting the matches with a .22. I’m not sure we can work that out. Unfortunately, despite her incredible strength, the M&P 9 is still a little much for her. She loves shooting it but I’m not sure she’s ready for all the movement involved in a match. She still needs a lot of work but she’s feeling left out. Thankfully, she will be able to shoot the steel challenge matches with a .22. Also, I’m hoping they’ll be doing the Sporter match with the CMP match in April. She loves that match.
Sunshine, guns and friends. What better way to spend a season!
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 and is filed under Children, Global Warming, Guns, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
Instead of being 38*F and cloudy, it’s 50.5*F and sunny. Yippeee!
Yesterday, we spend the beautiful day cleaning the deck and burning boxes from Christmas. We are ready for spring. In the past, we have grilled all year round. This winter, not so much. I have cooked inside more this winter than I did for the two years prior combined. I’m looking forward to global warming coming back to Alabama. I think the weather girl said this morning it’s been weeks since we’ve gotten up to the average high. We are supposed to be in the low 60s this time of year. There’s been days when we’ve been half that.
We named the puppy. She loved chasing snowballs so our black puppy that has feet big enough for a great dane is names snowball.
More later, boss showed up.
This entry was posted on Monday, February 15th, 2010 and is filed under Chaos, Global Warming, Pets, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
The snow is still here. The roads are not iced over and the sun is shining full and bright. The SUN is shining. The weatherman said cold, breezy and cloudy. It is cold and there is a slight breeze but the Sun is shining. Did I mention the sun is shining.
I’d like to go to the range but the snow melting is making things really slushy. Slushy muck doesn’t make for good practice. It’s hard to run stages in the muck. Rain doesn’t leave it this mucky.
I need to go to town and do something for DH for Valentine’s Day. I can’t package up what I plan to give him but the girls want to give him something. He said no candy but then he’ll eat ours. He loves 5.11 socks but for Valentine’s Day from his daughters?
Did I mention the sun is shining? Can you picnic in the snow? Mr. and Mrs. Snowman are in the front yard.
This entry was posted on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 and is filed under Guns, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (1)
I spent Wednesday in Georgia touring our project with the head scientist working on it, a co-worker and a gentlemen from another company that does the same thing. He was very impressed. One of the things the company I work for prides itself on is going far beyond what is required by regulations/law. I had never had the tour before. It was a great learning experience. However, it was cold. It was 36*F at Noon when we finished the tour and there was a 20+ mph wind. I was mostly dressed for it. I did forget my had and I do not have good warm gloves. That will be remedied. But, being out in the fresh air, walking miles of stream really helped my mood a lot.
Yesterday, I was just all out with meetings and trying to schedule a variety of trips for my boss. I never really had time to think about anything. Today, we have SNOW!! It has been snowing since 7 am and continues still at a heavy wet pace. I’d say we have more than 2 inches of accumulation now. It is very wet and and since it is 34*F, it is melting some also. However, tonight’s low is predicted to be 21*F. That means this very wet snow is going to be ice and lots of it.
We are having loads of fun in it. We are learning how to make snowballs for fights. You pack them too tight and they hurt. I caught a large heavy one in my low back. The lightly packed ones are fun because they explode on impact. If you can manage a high chest hit, they get a face full of snow. We’ve made several snowmen. One is about 5 ft tall. The others are smaller. Cricket made a snow horse.
The little puppy who is still nameless is loving it. Forrest, our 5 year old lab mutt just seems to think it is another day even through I don’t think he’s seen this in his lifetime. We had a light dusting last winter.
I’m hoping the power stays on but if it doesn’t, we’re prepared. And, there is chili and cornbread for supper.
This entry was posted on Friday, February 12th, 2010 and is filed under Global Warming, Weather, Work.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
Thanks to a bit of recoil therapy yesterday, I am feeling a bit better. DH had done a little more work on the trigger of my M&P 9 and I gave it a run through yesterday. It’s nice. Unfortunately, it was 42*F with a stiff wind out of the north. I was hoping today would be some Very needed respite for the cold and gloom but unfortunately, the sun has not appeared and the mercury hasn’t made it out of the 30s, much less into the 50s they were predicting. I’m beginning to wonder about the weather people. Are they idiots or do they keep “improving” the forecast so we’ll get up each day. Too much more of this gloom and I won’t want to get out of bed. At least there are ribs on the barby. Tomorrow’s forecast is as cheery as today’s was. I wonder if it will be right. Even if it is, my ass will be stuck in a windowless office. I wonder if I can manage a two-hour lunch at the park.
This entry was posted on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 and is filed under Guns, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
After yesterday morning’s commute, my mood did not improve much over the course of the day. I’m really considering a “daylight” lamp. They are expensive but since I’m not sure we are going to see much sunshine for a while, it my help my mood. I am finding myself grumpy a lot of the time and traffic really getting to me. The endless cloudy days are tiring. We’ve gotten just under another 3 inches of rain in the last 24 hours.
Any suggestions on a lamp you like?
This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 and is filed under About Me, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
The Survivalblog.com is a must read every day for me. Over the weekend, he linked an article, suggested by a reader about freezing to death. It is older (1997) but quite interesting. I’d be interested in knowing what advances have been made in determining why the cold affects people different ways. As Freezing Persons Recollect the Snow–First Chill–Then Stupor–Then the Letting Go
I personally don’t like the cold much. Even as a child when I spent a good bit of time outdoors, I did not like the cold. Now, with spending much of everyday in a climate controlled environment, I really don’t like the cold. With the long, cold, wet winter we’ve had this year, I am getting climatized to it. A year ago, I would have not considered being without long-johns on a day like today (cloudy and 45*F). But, none on now. I’d still rather not be outside though.
This entry was posted on Monday, February 1st, 2010 and is filed under Survival, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
It looks like the puppy will be staying with us. It is not housetrained. It’s taking out the last two nights a couple of time. Tonight it is supposed to be very stormy. That will be fun. Hopefully I can get someone else to do it.
The other animals of the family are not so happy she’s around. She loves to jump and bark at the kittens trying to get them to play. She’s gotten swatted by little kitten nails a couple of times. I don’t think the big cats have gotten close enough to her to need to swat her. She needs it to realize she can’t pounce on the little things. She will grow much faster than they will.
I’m looking for another crate. We crate train our dogs. I was lucky to find the one we have now used for only about $30. It’s a $150 crate. I could use one the next size down. Hopefully one will come up soon in the classifieds paper. I may check Craig’s list too. Freecycle is another idea.
This entry was posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010 and is filed under Pets, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
I’m sick of the weather. I know you’re sick of hearing abou it. Yesterday was supposed to be partly sunny and a high of 65*. I barely made it out of the forties with dense cloud cover and a brisk wind. Now is 65* and pouring rain.
Despite the weather, I’m feeling a bit more recovered. I have been sleeping well though I have missed my morning workout several times this week. Yesterday DH and Cricket got the ball joints put in my truck. Now I have to find a shop that can align a 1 ton dually. Hopefully someone near my office can do it.
Bugaboo and I baked gluten-free brownies. It was not my usual recipe and while very edible, they are more blondies. I was wondering about them when they called for so little chocolate and no cocoa. I will make them again but in addition to the little bit of chocolate, they will have white cholocate chips and probably macadamia nuts. I will have to remember to pick macadamias. I don’t keep them around the house.
Earlier, I went through some clothes I had set aside. I got a couple of things repaired and a stack of clothes to take tomorrow to have altered. Being as short as I am, it’s hard to find clothes that fit right. I have some pants and a jacket that need hemming.
Right now, I think I’ll read some more. I’m working my way through a pdf book I found on a survival forums called “Shatter”. It is the sequel to “Deep Winter.” Or, I may take down the curtains in the kitchen. They need washing and hemming.
Tonight, we are going to have grilled chicken with marinara. I’m not sure what veggie. Broccoli would be my choice but I think we’ve had that several times this week already. I think tomorrow will be Taco Soup.
This entry was posted on Sunday, January 24th, 2010 and is filed under Life, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (0)
Our montly IDPA was yesterday but due to the rain, Cricket and I stayed home. We got all the laundry washed and put away. Later today, we will finish up with what was used over the weekend and start the week fresh. DH did go to the match. Only 17 people showed up. I guess considering the rain, that was a good number. It rained the whole time. I’ve done that before and might do it again in the warm weather but not the cold.
Last night, we played with the electronics kit we got for Christmas. We attempted and succeeded at the second project, a transistor radio. We picked up some station in Spanish. It sounded like it might be from Cuba. We are all learning a lot about electricity and electronics.
We also grilled pork tenderloin. I tried a new rub recipe. It included fresh ground nutmeg, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder and salt. That’s one of the best pork loins we have done. The cinnamon needs to be cut down a little bit but the meat was so moist and tasty. It hit the spot nicely. Tonight it will be burgers and fries.
This entry was posted on Sunday, January 17th, 2010 and is filed under Children, Cooking, Guns, Weather.
Author: EmmaPeel / Comments: (2)