Two New Projects For 2009

A Mossberg Model 46B, circa 1938-1946, with a broken stock in need of some surgery followed by some TLC.

A Mosssberg Model 46M(b), circa 1947-1952, also in need of some TLC.

I really enjoy the challenge of refurbishing these old rifles. Right now, I am awaiting their delivery via the Brown Truck Of Happiness (BTOH). More pictures and information will follow as this project continues.

Some Before Christmas Pictures Taken in NC

Baby Dees first Christmas. That's not her present but she sure liked the ribbon.

Here we put Baby Dee next to her big brother and to see what happens.

Hmmmm. The baby notices her older brother appears to have something interesting in his hand.

Here, her focus becomes more intense.

Here Baby Dee moves into phase two, her let me see it now phase.


And finally, the total investigation phase.

The Christmas Play

In early December, Ise played "Joseph" in the church school play. He got upset the final day of practice because "Mary" was giving him to much direction; so he informed everybody that he quit.

"Mary" agreed to stop with the constant direction of "Joseph" and the band played on. Little does "Joseph" know what awaits him in the coming years.

The show started at about 6:00 pm and by the time it ended at or about 7:00 pm there were little actors and actresses asleep in their positions on the stage. You can see here, that "Joseph" is looking for his own manger.

Boys Bowling

Over Christmas we visited our daughter, her husband and their two children. Here are some pictures of Luke with his his son, Ise bowling. I came along to work the camera.

This is Ise with the bowling ball he used.

This is a typical delivery. The ball is relatively large when compared to the bowler but that didn't seem to phase him.

And we have pins that are knocked down. This is not their first time bowling and Ise had a really good time.

Ruger SR9 Recall

Sturm Ruger & Co. will retrofit all Ruger SR9 pistols starting with serial number prefix 330 (330-XXXX) with new parts at no charge to the customer.

In order to ensure correct fitting the new parts must be installed by Ruger at their factory in Prescott, AZ.

If your Ruger is subject to recall, call (800) 784-3701, fax (928) 541-8873, e-mail SR9Recall@ruger.com or visit www.ruger.com.

You must provide: name, address, telephone number and your pistols serial number.

Ruger will send you, instructions, a shipping label, and a shipping container so your SR9 can be returned to the factory at no cost to you.

For your inconvenience, Ruger will return your pistol after update with a spare magazine free of charge.

If your SR9 is eleigible for update Ruger says "Do not load or fire your SR-9 until the retrofit is complete."

Pictures From North Carolina

This is Joseph greeting the audience after his performance in A Mighty Day presented by his preschool on 11 December 2008.

As the crowd moves on, so does Joseph. The play started at 7:00 pm and by the time the play was over it was obvious that more than Joseph's sister was ready for bed. Some of the kids fell asleep in position during the play. All in all, it was fun and a pleasure to watch.

Baby Dee, wants everyone to know that boys are not the only people who can be pirates.

Some Memories Of S'Mores In August 08

Nana is the senior Girl Scout in this family and Nana loves S'Mores.


You don't even have to be a Girl Scout to know you need a campfire to make S'Mores. Since our area of Florida has had its share of forest fires, Nana got her own firepit for the making S'Mores.


Making S'Mores is more fun when you have a crew to roast the marshmellows. Here are a Ise and Gus at work toasting their marshmellows.


Not everyone likes their marshmellow on fire. To some crewmembers it was upsetting when their marshmellow caught fire.


Then again, sometimes you have to get close enough to the firepit to at least warm the marshmellow.



Properly prepared S'Mores have a short lifespan. Well I guess improperly prepared ones also have short lifespans. While Baby D looks like she wants a S'More, this picture was taken just shortly before she decided she was going to eat real food. Perhaps that was the "last straw" that got her to eating real, not baby, food. If you tried to eat a S'More that close to her now there would be a problem.


Gus ensures their is no fire on his marshmellow.


This could be an Irish jig or like my cat, Gus could have realized he should be somewhere else.


Will does not like to wait for the marshmellow to cook. He is the youngest boy and rather than wait, he eats his marshmellows straight up. He has a couple in his left hand.


A shot of Ise and Will goofing around. You have to start traing kids about S'Mores when they are young. However, when they are young they quickly lose interest.


Ise assemblying a work of art, a S'More good enough to give to Nana.

Silver Springs Festival Of Lights

The Blushing Bride and


The Old Salt decided to go see the festival Of Lights at Silver Springs Amusement Park. About 30 minutes into the drive the radio station announced a parade on Silver Springs Blvd in Ocala which is the same street that runs past the entrance to Silver Springs amusement Park where we were headed. We decided to continue, it would workout or we would be on a different adventure.


This is one of the lighted displays in the park which I thought, as a transplanted Yankee, Christmas in Florida.


These white birds are some type of Egrets roosting in the tree across the Silver River headwaters in the park. Also in the tree are some Cormorants. By the time it was fully dark the tree was really full of birds.


This is the parks male Giraffe. Giraffes can give of an odor that make a pole-cat smell like a newborn baby. You have to smell it to believe it.


This weekend the Vietnam Moving Wall was also on display in the park.


As dusk fell the lighted displays got brighter.


A shrub trimmed, spray painted and lighted to look like a peacock.


A cute horse drawn buggy all lit up.


When it got dark, my ability to take a picture became determined by my ability to hold the camera still. Pictures in the dark require a tripod and more effort. I believe this is a photo of Pegasus.


Another shot of Pegasus with a lot more lights in the background.


This group of carolers, minus the kids, sang Christmas Carols for at least an hour with minimal breaks. The kids were invited up to sing "Jingle Bells."


I thought this would make a good last picture, I liked the way the picture turned out. We both had a great time and fully recommend the festival of Lights to everyone.

Today Was Christmas Cookie Day

This is the "Cookie Crew." I think the first and second cookies completed are being consumed in this picture.


Here we have some of the cookies before adding the topping.


These have a topping of some kind of melted chocolate and crushed peppermint candy cane. I know these were not meant for me.


I'm not sure what these are, I heard they have cherry something or other in them. Sorry, but they are not for me either.


Nana and Baby Newbie on the backyard swing. He shines when a camera is pointed at him.


Baby Newbie is playing with the Little people house but I cropped everything out because I liked his expression.


The name of the game is fun. You take an exercise ball and run full speed while rolling over the top. This is Gus in mid-air.


This is Will in mid-air doing the same thing. The ball is only partially inflated at this point. It suffered a thorn when it was thrown into a rosebush the last time the kids were out here.

The good thing is when the cookies were finished most of them left with my daughter and her kids. I love that part.