Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

Members
  • Posts

    16,221
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

Everything posted by Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

  1. Interesting. Evidently the Second Amendment applies to illegal aliens (aka "Newcomers," as per the President): https://bearingarms.com/tomknighton/2024/03/16/prohibiting-guns-for-illegal-immigrants-ruled-unconstitutional-n1224214 Interesting.
  2. There's the old saying, "Don't let the door slam ya in the @$$ on the way out." In his case, I hope it does. Several times. Hard. And a few folk from this side of the border along with him.
  3. Are any of y'all familiar with or even heard of the "Federal Firestick" muzzle-loader ammo system? Time to re-invent the wheel, I reckon, and at the bargain price of only about $2.50 a shot. I think I'll be stickin' with my percussion Hawken and flintlock Ferguson for a while.
  4. "Consumable" gifts can be practical, and the ones I give are always appreciated - case in point, the shotgun shells. The key is something that I like to practice: thoughtful consideration. I tend to put a good deal of thought into gifts, and try to come up with sometimes unique ideas - like looking for something that I'm sure would be a happy surprise, usually something the recipients would not likely have bought for themselves. One thing I absolutely will NOT give is cash or gift certificates. I think that's the lazy way out. Anyone I'm going to give a gift to deserves a bit of thought. I just cringe at the argument "Oh! But that way they can get what they want!" There's a bit of a risk; like with @Pat Riot's buddy, sometimes folk don't realize the value of the gift - not just the intrinsic value, but they may not understand the effort. One example: I once gave a good friend and his new bride a pricey Waterford crystal whisky decanter for a wedding present. He was delighted; she just smiled politely and remarked "nice bottle." And then, back about '89 or so I bought the Former-Missus-Hardpan a just-for-the-heck-of-it gift: a really nice Dooney & Bourke purse. After all, who wouldn't like something with an embossed leather duck and a brass duck fob? She was surprised and really liked it, but she'd never heard of the marque - she was more of a J C Penney type. And Penney's did not carry 'em. A couple of weeks later we went to visit an aunt of mine in a nearby city. When we walked in, Auntie looked at the FMH and burst out "Omigawd, L! You have one of those three hundred and fifty dollar Dooney & Bourke purses with the ducks!" The FMH was shocked; she could've bought ten or more of her usual bags for what I'd paid for that thing. But she suddenly really appreciated it a LOT more! And that's okay. The important thing to me is that I know I got them something cool - even if they don't.
  5. You know of which I speak~!! Something like eighteen years ago, on a trip to SoCal, Sassparilla Kid and I had the opportunity to have dinner with Tom and Shawna. First contact - and DAMN, but my jaws ached by evening's end from the grinning and laughing. Some people truly deserve the title "Salt Of the Earth" - it fit them! And Tom is what Louis L'Amour would've described as "one to ride the river with." Someone recently referred to Forty as "Gunny." I always think of 'im as "Cap'n Gunny." (I'm sure you know the story. My God... I busted out in guffaws and snickers just remembering it!) Please pass the Kid's and my best on to the ol' cowpoke....
  6. Damn. Can't understand why I hadn't seen this thread 'til just now. Well... I've been prayin' for Forty for lots o' years; just ramped 'em up a notch! But he's a tough 'un ~ he'll be back on the circuit before ya know it! And for those of you who have never sat at table and shared a meal with Tom, if ya have the opportunity, do it! You'll walk away with a grin that'll just keep comin' back!
  7. I gave my godson a case of 12-ga trap loads for a wedding present. (My son - his "cuz" - gave his bride a shotgun. She's a trap shooter too. )
  8. A couple or so miscellaneous rambling points.... First off, @Buffalo Creek Law Dog, train stuff ain't never in the wrong spot on a train discussion. Now, on the california public school system's Mission project, there are - not surprisingly - wacko left forces at work trying hard to stop it. They've been at it for quite some time; hopefully they'll never succeed. I've wondered if that might have been how the Kid came to have a "choice" some twenty-two years ago. I once dated a "train gal." In fact, she was actually a retired trainmaster. She called me a "foamer.*" At Boy Scout camp one summer I met a dad who was a Railroad Merit Badge counselor - qualified by his job working for BNSF. When I told him about this gal one night at campfire he laughed so hard he literally almost fell off the log he was sitting on. *
  9. In the california public school system there exists an interesting thing known as the “Fourth Grade Mission Project.” During the fourth grade, kids engage in a study of the California Missions, write a report and either individually or as teams construct a model of one of the missions. In preparation for this, during the summer of 2002 between third and fourth grades, Sassparilla Kid’s mom and I took him to three different missions on weekend trips. And I helped guide the Kid in preliminary research and search for plans and materials for his project. Well, with the school year underway, the day came for the assignments. At supper that night, we eagerly asked the Kid which mission he had chosen. His reply was NOT what I expected: “Dad! They announced that they were gonna try something different this year! We got to choose from some ‘non-mission’ projects, and I picked somethin’ else really cool!” Hmph. So much for preparation. Okay… so what project did you get…? “Well, Dad – I chose the Transcontinental Railroad! Wanna help me?” I did, and it WAS cool. Beyond the academic guidance, I happened to have a resource: a good buddy who had a railroad history, of sorts. When Bob was a kid, his dad bought an old lumber camp, and built the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Buying and restoring a couple of old Shay locomotives, he turned it into a dandy tourist attraction with two miles of track. After he retired, his oldest son, Max, continued to run the operation. (Max and Bob actually lived and grew up on site). So I called Bob, and asked if he could arrange for the Kid to interview Max. He did, and on the scheduled Saturday, we presented ourselves at Max’s house on site. Over a nice breakfast, the Kid interviewed Max about steam railroad; history, operations, and more. When the coffee and cocoa were done, Max asked the Kid if he’d like a tour of the shop and a locomotive – of course he would! And then came something really neat: Max showed the Kid how to do a pre-firing inspection of the Shay locomotive scheduled for the morning runs; checking lubricating oil, grease, fuel oil and water levels, brakes… the entire list. And when they completed the cab check, under his close direction, Max actually had the Kid fire off the oil burner. They kept busy with a multitude of tasks and lectures, until finally enough steam was raised to move the engine – at which time Max had the Kid “drive” the locomotive out of the barn and into position to start the day. There’s something special about watching your ten-year old operate a real steam locomotive – that was terrific day. In all, the Kid spent several delightful hours with Max and his toys. One week later, off to the Rail Museum in Sacramento for more "research." Another fulfulling trip, and the youngster was able to find a great deal of information and material for his project. But, at one point after the “work” part of the trip was over, we found ourselves walking around Southern Pacific 4294 - "The Million Pound Beast." And a really cool beast she is! When we climbed into 4294’s very spacious cab we noted a really bored looking docent perched on a stool, studiously ignoring us and another small family. The Kid looked about, and began describing to me the various gauges and controls. “Yeah, Dad, here’s the steam heat gauge, the steam pressure gauge, the water level sight glass…. brake lever, the Johnson bar, of course, and here’s the reverser…” and so on. I listened attentively, and surprisingly, so did the bored docent – he was sideways focused on fourth-grader lecturing his dad. Eventually, he stepped back, put his fists on his hips, looked about, and declared “ya know, some of it might be bigger, but this is pretty much the same as that Shay locomotive I was driving last weekend.” When he said that, there was a loud “thump!” as the docent’s boots hit the deck, and with an astonished look on his face he burst out “What! What did you say, kid? You got to drive a Shay!?” Startled the heck outta both of us, but led into a lengthy discussion and personalized teaching session between the grizzled old railroader and the kid. What fun! Oh - and the Kid got an A++ on his report and project.
  10. Southern Pacific 4294 - "The Million Pound Beast" This "Class AC12" 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward steam locomotive was used by SP to haul trains over the Sierras from 1944 to 1956; the "cab forward" design allowed the engineer and fireman to breath while passing through the snow sheds and tunnels. Although the cab was forward, the tender was in the traditional location behind the locomotive; since it was oil fueled, the fuel was pumped forward - not possible with coal.
  11. Streamlined? Not so much. Power? Oh yeah! Union Pacific "Big Boy No. 4014"
  12. Howdy, Sarge! Well, made it home last night ~ and the trip was for the most part good. Got to visit with family, spent Saturday at the Tucson Festival of Books, but the highlight (for me!) was the Air Museum. I’ve been to some pretty good museums - Planes of Fame in Chino, and even the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. But in my not-so-humble opinion, Pima was better! DANG but there’s a lot of aeroplanes there! My favorite display was the B-17 in the 390th Memorial exhibit. Met up with a really knowledgeable and affable docent – the fella gave me an odd look when I asked if that particular airframe was Douglas built – “the rivets. Douglas built ‘em under license from Boeing, and used LOTS more rivets.” That brought a smile. “As a matter if fact, it was!” And when I mentioned that Helen Brimstone’s mom had been Donald Douglas’ personal assistant during the war, he got downright excited, and pretty much ignored the rest of the visitors for the rest of our time there. Did not make it to the ACE Hardware on Houghton - really wanted to, in the hope they might have had some Unique in stock. Ran out of time after the museum, but thought I might on Sunday on the way out. But it didn’t happen. After dinner Saturday evening, I came down with a mighty unpleasant bout of food poisoning. Still working through it (or is it working through me? ). Gas was only $3.30 in Tucson, and in Yuma where we topped off after visiting my ol’ frat bro Bill “Wynuts.” Next gas in Upland (california) was exactly two bucks a gallon more. Way to go, gav…! Stopped in Upland to visit a cousin and his family; he and his son sent me off with an RCBS Pro-Melt 2 and a pound of Unique! Yippee~! One of the highlights at the museum was the Avenger - Dad was a turret gunner, flying off the old Ranger. The old man at the museum in 2007 and me last weekend:
  13. All in all, a most happiest to ya, Forty~!! (And try to stay outta that ER, unless ya really gotta go)
  14. Thankee, Sarge~! Criminies... just filled up last night at $4.40 at the local "cheap" independent station - probably higher today; that $4.40 represents an increase of fifty cents or more a gallon over ten days ago. *Grump!* Headed out pre-dawn tomorrow from north of Fresno to visit youngest sister in Tucson, the air museum on Friday, and the Festival of Books at the university on Saturday. Off to Yuma Sunday to visit an old college buddy (Bill "Whynuts" from my stories). Then, So Cal to visit other family. Ol' Half-Breed Pete tells me that Tucson has a hardware store (Ace?) that sells "toys and ammunition." If I can figure out where it is, I just might have to stop in. Not that I'd smuggle anything back, mind you, but it'd be fun to look.... Dang... I'm tired just thinkin' about it!
  15. Gonna be in Tucson this weekend... how's the weather there? And gas prices??
  16. And the fella giving Smoke's eulogy was Parley Baer, who played Chester on the radio Gunsmoke.
  17. A moment of dashcam levity, courtesy of our Russian friends from almost ten years ago:
  18. No it don't. It tastes like rabbit. Yuk. Admittedly, I yam jaded - literally lived on rabbit for an extended time in my teens. Cooked one once for my son when he was in his early teens ~ he liked it. I tried a taste. Yuk.
  19. Dunno if it's truly "the forgotten episode" or not, but it's billed as such - and I hadn't seen it before. At any rate, it's a "flashback" episode that explores the origin of the Paladin:
  20. BW, after all that hospital time and hospital food, a jar of Vegemite just might start sounding like a treat. Truly... you and that sweet lady of yours are going to be due a good steak dinner with all the trimmings right soon. And save the Vegemite for dessert!
  21. Dang, Dave... awful glad no one was hurt. Many near-misses, but my one actual encounter was with a california black-tailed forked- horn buck vs my 1974 Fiat 124 Sport Spider. I won. Fiat suffered a cracked headlight; deer, a broken neck. And he was quite tasty. So I have a cousin who had an uncle (no direct relation to me) who had severely messed up two pickup trucks back in the 1970's with nighttime deer collisions coming out of Mariposa along the old Central Yosemite Highway. Well, needless to say, he was disgusted. When he healed up from the one that came through the windshield, he proclaimed that he was done with the deer. After he repaired (or replaced - don't remember that detail) he set out to make good on that declaration. He somehow managed to weld up some frame extensions forward of the front bumper. To these he welded two upright pieces of pipe. Then, he laced a bunch of spliced together bicycle tires into a "web" in front of the grille. "Next #*$&^ sumbidgin' deer that jumps in front of me is gonna git his @$$ boinged right back into the #*$&%& woods!!" They musta got the word, as he never had another critter of any sort dash in front of him.
  22. Oh... THAT kind of "Pull!" I was thinkin' sumpin' like THIS!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.