[MA Deuce The Forever Machinegun]

I love old Ma Deuce.  I don't want one, couldn't carry it if I had to, and don't have a bottomless pocket full of money to feed it, but it would a grand experience if I could put a few hundred rounds through one once again.

 

That and an M-1A1 Thompson submachine gun once again.

 

And an M-2 carbine....once again.

 

It's like driving a Ferrari Testa Rosa....once again.  

 

Ain't likely to happen, but it would be great to do it........just once again.

[Puffing Along]

I had been at Cam Rahn Bay, 'Nam about two weeks when some unfriendly anti-social locals fired a half dozen rockets into the base.  They had been on a tiny little island (dynamited two days later as a "hazard to navigation") a few hundred yards off shore and fired the rockets with long fuses or timers.  They were long gone before the planes got there fifteen minutes later.  The rockets didn't hit much of anything...but next time they might have.

 

Within a few minutes the call went out: "Spooky is coming".  I didn't have any idea what that was until someone told me that some folks called them "Puff The Magic Dragon", but Spooky was easier to say.  They sent two down from Nha Trang and great I saw a bight red "string" come down and stir up the water and heard a loud humming sound...and saw a bright yellow-white flood light on the side of the planes.  It was an amazing light show, with what was coming down from the planes and the refections off to water below.

 

It only lasted a few minutes and I asked the XO who was standing there about the flood light.  Seemed to be too high to do much good.

 

He said he had to go up to Nha Trang tomorrow and we'd go see.   Turned out it wasn't a flood light, but muzzle flash.

 

I only saw them in action once again, but from eight or nine miles away.  Still spectacular but not as good as when they were right in your lap.

 

Antique technology stirring up hell below better than any other plane could do.  The only thing that even comes close is a strike from three or four planes at tree top level dropping napalm

[Bird baths and humming bird feeders]

 That's cool, Joe.  Thanks.  Now I have to find someplace that won'd get too hot the north side would be ideal but I don'r have any windows out there.

 

South and east get direct sun almost all day.  A few trees 30-60 feet from the house, too far to enjoy the birds

 

The west side has a large porch that might be good, but I don't want bird poop all over the deck and furniture.

 

I have been considering a pergola-type of structure on the front of the garage (not visible from inside and might find a way to extend it in front of the porch, but over the rose bushes.

 

I gots some cogitatin' to do.

 

[Ice waves in Lake Michigan]

If someone fell into that he'd last about 45 seconds, maybe an entire minute.

 

Sure is interesting to watch, though.

 

Thanks, Mo.

[I made my wife very happy]

6 hours ago, Dapper Dave said:

OK, that doesn't sound like much, but what it is was my wife wanted to get the frag out of Dodge for a few days. Since her birthday is coming up fast, I decided to make it a birthday retreat, everyone cut off from contacting us, except my son, and just go anywhere we hadn't really been before.

We picked Prescott, since its one of the few towns in AZ we haven't stayed at yet. been through the place, but never stayed.

The Hilton is a nice place, but noisy. Everything was expensive, but what do you expect in the tourist trap area? We walked and walked around Whiskey Row, which led her to complain her brand new Chelsea boots were rubbing a little. Well, that's why I wore mine for a week straight before we went, to break them in.  That piece of helpful advice did NOT go over well...I never said I was smart. On the other hand, she was wearing cowboy boots, which is a first for her. 

I took her for a birthday dinner at Murphy's, which was the very first time I have ever seen her wear a cowboy hat, another important first. She asked for one specifically for this, so I bought her one at CAL Ranch the week before. The food was EXCELLENT, and I was pleasantly surprised at the tab, under $150. Since I came in well under budget, I tipped the waitress quite well. I also hope I can get her to wear that hat more often. No, no pictures, she HATES pictures of her. 

The Prescott Zoo is in need of some serious donors, the animals all look bored or sad, and the enclosures, even though clean and well kept by the army of volunteers, are small. I mean, have you ever seen a fat roadrunner? The only one moving around much was the leopard, and he just looked like he wanted to eat the monkey in the next cage who was teasing him. Then he looked like he wanted to eat us old fat monkeys. Sometimes chain link fence just doesn't look too strong, know what I mean?

We ended with breakfast in the hotel restaurant - they are PROUD of those eggs, I am telling you, $50 for eggs, bacon and ham?

All in all we were gone three days, cost me over $1,000, and she is happy and relaxed. I also managed to find some cowboy related stuff I am donating to my club for giveaway at the Annual Match, a happy coincidence. 😇

If you are in Prescott, I will recommend Bill's Pizza and Nana's Cafe for casual, and Murphy's for great steak. 

If anyone wants, I can add a few photos later. 

 

 

6 hours ago, Dapper Dave said:

OK, that doesn't sound like much, but what it is was my wife wanted to get the frag out of Dodge for a few days. Since her birthday is coming up fast, I decided to make it a birthday retreat, everyone cut off from contacting us, except my son, and just go anywhere we hadn't really been before.

We picked Prescott, since its one of the few towns in AZ we haven't stayed at yet. been through the place, but never stayed.

The Hilton is a nice place, but noisy. Everything was expensive, but what do you expect in the tourist trap area? We walked and walked around Whiskey Row, which led her to complain her brand new Chelsea boots were rubbing a little. Well, that's why I wore mine for a week straight before we went, to break them in.  That piece of helpful advice did NOT go over well...I never said I was smart. On the other hand, she was wearing cowboy boots, which is a first for her. 

I took her for a birthday dinner at Murphy's, which was the very first time I have ever seen her wear a cowboy hat, another important first. She asked for one specifically for this, so I bought her one at CAL Ranch the week before. The food was EXCELLENT, and I was pleasantly surprised at the tab, under $150. Since I came in well under budget, I tipped the waitress quite well. I also hope I can get her to wear that hat more often. No, no pictures, she HATES pictures of her. 

The Prescott Zoo is in need of some serious donors, the animals all look bored or sad, and the enclosures, even though clean and well kept by the army of volunteers, are small. I mean, have you ever seen a fat roadrunner? The only one moving around much was the leopard, and he just looked like he wanted to eat the monkey in the next cage who was teasing him. Then he looked like he wanted to eat us old fat monkeys. Sometimes chain link fence just doesn't look too strong, know what I mean?

We ended with breakfast in the hotel restaurant - they are PROUD of those eggs, I am telling you, $50 for eggs, bacon and ham?

All in all we were gone three days, cost me over $1,000, and she is happy and relaxed. I also managed to find some cowboy related stuff I am donating to my club for giveaway at the Annual Match, a happy coincidence. 😇

If you are in Prescott, I will recommend Bill's Pizza and Nana's Cafe for casual, and Murphy's for great steak. 

If anyone wants, I can add a few photos later. 

 

Next time call me.  I live in Prescott Valley.  I have a spare bedroom with a bath, and a dozen or so fine restaurants within  driving distance, mostly more reasonably priced.  Lots to see around here and you can even pet my dog.  She would be offended if you didn't.

 

We speak cowboy here.

[New infantry weapon, M7]

5 hours ago, watab kid said:

im assuming tounge in cheek here , otherwise i sold my swiss rifles for no good reason , 

That was not one -of my better efforts at sarcasm.  I wanted a 1908 Mannlicher Schoenaur (sp?) sporting carbine  for most of my life.  I finally found one  about four years ago and paid too much for it, but I had been lookin for so long...!

 

It is visually one of the most spectacular rifles ever made and one of the smoothest actions I have ever handled.  I loved that gun but it had two faults:

1. it was cut for one of those "damned German claw mounts" for a scope,  which turned out to be almost impossible to find and then they cost s fortune because they were almost all custom made.

2. Ammo was hard to find and once I did find it (from a guy inOklahoma who specialized in "bastard and orphan" 😛 ammo....at $86.00 for twenty rounds, plus S&H.

 

I sold it for significantly less than I paid for it, one of the few times I didn't either break even or make more than it cost me.

 

That's one of some other ammo starved guns I have owned...mostly all metric stuff.

[Christmas trains?]

You're just like a lot of us kids.  I still play with trains and guns, too.  "D 

[Christmas decorations]

I most certainly will, thanks.  I wish you and your...and everyone else...a happy and satisfying day as well.

 

I'll get up and make breakfast for my dog and me, and then we'll open presents.  I went shopping on Monday and am prepared to be happily surprised at the three new shirts, a horse hair hat band, and a pocket watch that Santa will bring.   My little old dog, Trinket, will have a new collar, leash, and winter sweater, and a handful of treats, along with two new stuffed hedgehog toys.  She's stuffed hedgehog rancher.  These two will make nine of the things, all different colors and covers, and all different sizes. 

 

A marvelous dinner will be provided at a decent cost at Golden Corral and then we have Dutch apple pie and ice cream before bed.

[question for special operators]

Why?   I'm very proud of my service and have a jacket for Army and one for Marines with patches for every place I served.  I wear them to VFW and Marine Corps League events, Toys For Tots drives, parades, and on certain days.  Just special events with other vets.

[New infantry weapon, M7]

33 minutes ago, Sixgun Symphony #62632 said:

The 6.5 Swiss cartridge is mighty fine. 

And it's so common and easy to find.  You'd never be in danger of running out of ammo.  😜

[Been a while since seeing this low of a price on gas.]

$2.69.9 yesterday.

[Will Ghormley belt buckles]

Thanks, Mongo, but that isn't even close.

[Christmas decorations]

I don't have much...no tree, no lights, no doodads at all..

 

I have a 1950 era wind-up toy train with some small decorations in the cars on the mantle above where we would have a fireplace (if we had a fire place) and some cards against the wall behind that.  There are a few other cards on the table below where the TV resides.  I also have an antique Santa outside by the door on a rack of shelves where packages are supposed to be left and seldom are.

 

That's all.

 

Have a vert merry Christmas.

[" I guess they didn't know I was a Marine."]

Semper fi, Marine.  You done good.

[Acoustic Eye]

I truly don't have an answer to that.  I  wish I did.

[Bird baths and humming bird feeders]

I have never had either one but am considering them for my yard now.  I have some questions:

1. Where is the best place to put either one?  Under trees, in the sun, in shady places, etc.

2. Should they be near each other or, if not, how far apart is best?

3. I need to know how to clean them, how, and how often?

4. How do I keep unwanted critters away from them?

5. Will hanging feeders stand up the weather or should I find (or make) one that is on a post?

6. What is the best nectar for hummers?

7. What plants should I put out and where, for the bath and feeder?

8. What should I avoid in each case?

9. Any other help will be appreciated.

 

When my wife was still alive and we lived in SoCal we had humming birds, butterflies, and those big, black, lazy bees that just wander around all over the place.  We had lantana (won't grow here), roses, floribunda, and a few other flowering plants, and a couple of mint bushes.  We also had preying mantises (manti?) in the roses a lot, and I bought lady bugs every spring.  Shawna took care of that, but I never paid much attention.....and here I am, looking to adopt some pretty critters for my yard.

 

I also bought  a bat house and am looking for a place to put it.  They will, I am told, keep almost all flying bugs out of the yard.  Does that include butterflies, bees, and lady bugs?

 

BTW, I have arranged for a couple of tarantulas in the spring.  They eat black widows, fiddle backs, and a plethora of other evil nasties in the yard.  I had two that came with the house but they never came back for a third year.  They are the only arachnids that I can tolerate, and I have even gotten to the point to where I can play with the pair at the local library.

[New infantry weapon, M7]

On 12/17/2025 at 10:35 AM, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

20 seconds and thought he was a moron.

I stopped watching about that time, too.  That jackass had no idea what muzzle control is all about.  He kept on waving that piece around like it didn't matter.   Guys like that give me a goosey feeling just watching them.

[Will Ghormley belt buckles]

20 hours ago, El Sobrante Kid said:

Have you checked on ebay?

Yeah.  Nothing there that I could find.

[Acoustic Eye]

The laws need to be changed.

[Will Ghormley belt buckles]

18 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

I have a good sized box of various buckles with my leatherworking gear - not the same maker, but if you show a picture, I may well have something like what you want. 

Thanks, but it has to be one of Will's very unique buckles.

[Acoustic Eye]

12 gauge loaded with #4 shot would do it close in.  Above that you get a chance to prove your rifle skills.

 

I still think that the officers of every company that makes drones and every one who uses them to 

invade our privacy should have their home and business address published along with their home phone numbers.  We could use their own products to annoy them out of the sky and out of business.

[Little breezy today]

Used to get those kinds of winds in the Pacific  when I lived in there.

 

"Typhoon Condition 1.  Surf's up!!!"

 

Ever seen a B-52 almost on it's side?  Steel reinforced hangers looking like they had been bombed?  Huge vehicles blown a hundred feet off the road?

 

.....and little Okinawan homes made of wood and paper with a ton of tile for roofs, patched and back in living condition in a day or less.

[Free alias]

On 12/7/2025 at 8:30 PM, Cactus Jack Calder said:

Dunn Rowvyn

Dunn Werken 

Dunn Nutten 

 

I had some inspiration from local places and 40 Rod’s “Dunn Tockin”. There is a local gift/junk store named Dunrovin, it took me many years to realize what the owner was saying when he named the store.
An unrelated local farm is named Dunwerkin, that is what finally kick my brain into gear.

The Dunn Nutten was my idea after the inspiration.

 

CJ

Some friends of the family retired on Vashon Island up if the Puget Sound back in the 1950s or '60s.  They named their retirement home Dunroven.

 

I hadn't thought of that for sixty years.  Thanks.

[Helical Magazines]

5 hours ago, Texas Joker said:

A full auto calico will eat a cinder block up.

I don't think the .22 came in select fire or full auto only, but the 9mm did and it was faster than you could imagine.

[Ba-Dump Tissssh - Memes]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

My alter ego!