I like J-Frames.

That is all.

Francis

Me, my love, and the boy-o spent Christmas in northern Arkansas with my mom. It's the first time in at least 10 years I got to spend with her. We all had a great time. I saw an Elk, which are apparently legal game in Arkansas. My mom baked an AMAZING pecan pie.

And I got a dog. She was wandering the mountainside. And she has character. She looks like a miniature boxer with a nice brindle color and a white flash on her chest. She only has one eye. My son said she looked like a steampunk pirate.

So of course I had to make her a steampunk collar.

Christmas was good, and we got a new pack member.

Spartan

My friend that I made the holster for to fit his Glock 43 put night sights on it. Consequently it no longer drew smoothly from the holster, as they are taller and bulkier than the factory sights. He gave the holster to a friend with a Glock 42, and asked me to make him another one that fit the gun now that he had night sights.

I got a little creative, but I like the final result. More importantly, so does he.

Small business and the entrepreneurial spirit

About 6 months ago, my boy began saying how he'd like to open a lemonade stand. He said he wanted to earn some money. I'm not one to stand in the way of business, but I allowed as how I didn't think he'd make enough money to make it worth his time. I told him to keep coming up with business ideas, and when he came on a good one, we would look closer at it. My lovely bride agreed and supported this plan.

 He had several ideas, some better than others. Selling pancakes in the front yard? Not so much. Going door-to-door offering to plant flowers he was selling? Not bad, but not quite there.

About two weeks ago, he mentioned building birdhouses to my wife. She told him to come talk to me, and we decided that he had a good idea. He wanted to build bird houses, and drag them around the neighborhood in a wagon and sell them. I told him I would invest in his company, and buy him the tools he needed, but he would have to buy all of his materials. He agreed.

I bought him a hammer, and a saw, and gave him one of my clamps. And I let him borrow my hand drill. I told him he can buy his own drill after he sells the first batch.

Took him to Lowe's, and he bought lumber and supplies, totalling about 45 dollars. He has enough lumber to make 9 birdhouses. He promised one as a gift to the neighbor who has been bringing him wood scraps to practice on.

He originally wanted to sell them for 5 dollars each, but I explained to him he would be losing money, not to mention time. I convinced him to try to get $20 for each one.

I don't know how well he will do, but he made 3 today, with little help beyond guidance and holding boards in place from me.

I hope he sells a butt-ton, and it drives him to entrepreneurship.

Retro Rig

A month or so ago, my dad got me a S&W model 36, 3-inch, in trade for some leatherwork I did for him. I've fallen in live with it, and enjoy shooting it. Last week I qualified with it for on-duty carry. Now, when I do field work, and I know I am going to be running the streets, I carry a Glock 19, 2 reloads, secondary weapons, and a shotgun in my cruiser.

But for sitting around the office, doing paperwork, maybe a quick run to the courthouse?

That model 36 has gotten me jonesing for a retro-rig. Something that would have fit in on the scene of a Miami Vice episode. A 1980's leather rig with a hand-rubbed oil finish.

I just finished this one. Now, the holster and belt I already had. The holster I made a few months ago, and the belt was made a few years ago.

But now, I have a simple, understated classic leather rig for my wheel gun.

I'm happy!

Crazy Train

Life has been....busy.... the last 2 weeks. We went to Florida for thanksgiving, and held services for my wife's grandmother. She will be deeply missed.

We got my truck back from the shop. Turned out, not as much was wrong as the shop feared. They fixed it, and their transmission voodoo cost less than $600, which still hurt, but wasn't 2k worth of financial misery.

I took the boy for his first cub scout camp this weekend. Marshmallows, hotdogs, campfires, nature hikes, bike rides... it was a blast. The most telling thing was loading up after the closing campfire last night. We got in the truck, and before I could put it in gear, my son looked at me with a sober expression like only a 7 year old can have. He solemnly looked me in the eye and said quietly "Dad... I had a great weekend. Thanks for taking me camping with the scouts".

It summed up the trip nicely for me.

Now I just unpacked the gear, and hung the Christmas lights, because it's that time of the year.

The rest on the day will be spent relaxing and washing clothes. And that's not a bad way to wrap up a weekend at all.

Make a note:

Sometimes, after 2 glasses of wine, it's important to spend 5 minutes dancing in the kitchen with your wife.

Don't ever let the moment pass, gentlemen. That particular moment will never be here again.

Reach out and grab it.

Pub Glasses

Apparently you can buy cool-ass, heavy duty pub glasses for 59 cents each at goodwill.

I'm digging it.

Half-a-mind

For 2k, I have Half-a-mind to just buy a transmission from J.C. Whitney or Jegs or Auto-Zone for about $1500 bucks. Install that bad boy myself, and save $500. The only problem with that is that I have no idea how to swap a transmission. So the Half-a-mind plan may come out the half-assed plan...

Hazard of buying used

Apparently my truck's Transmission has proverbially crapped the bed. Mechanic says best case, $2k to fix.

Just damn!