Not much doing.
Couple of the kids came in from out of town to hang out at one of our places in Southern California. And, of course, as I have noted before, since the climate cultists declared we are in a drought, it has been raining off and on, and we have had some nice crisp weather.
Today, however, the weather was dry, still a bit on the cool side, but sunny, and, mercifully, the freeway traffic light.
Perfect day for a cruise. I uncovered the 1973 Mach 1, and fired up the 351 Cleveland, shattering the serenity of the 'hood.
The scarlet beast is running and looking great, especially since I had installed a new but retro-looking instrument cluster with a functioning tach, functioning clock, and a fiery red glow. All worth the considerable money I poured in. Well, the Diplowife doesn't agree with that, but since her beloved Ford Expedition got totaled a couple of weeks ago by some woman who ran a red light while texting, she has soured on the topic of cars. Have a police report that backs up our story, but still am spending lots of time going back and forth with the insurance companies involved, and that's always a joy . . . a joy in which I did not partake today.
Anyhow, I took the Mach 1 Red Sled on a little Christmas Day jaunt through the Temecula wine country, and it was splendid. The new Hurst shifter worked flawlessly as did the rebuilt four-speed transmission. The new wheels and tires gripped the road superbly; the premium-fueled V-8 pounded out a wonderful American tattoo that echoed over the vineyards, valleys, canyons, and highways. I am sure the local wines will be much benefitted.
The only fly in the ointment was that the new retro radio had trouble hanging onto FM stations; I might have to take the beast in for a new antenna. We'll see.
Bottom line: Freedom is good. The nannies of this world don't understand freedom and joy, and have declared war on both. A V-8 is a great expression of freedom and joy--almost right up there with a .357.
I tried to avoid seeing, hearing, or thinking about politics, but without complete success. My number three son, who works in DC, came home, and, of course, we started talking about the insanity that rules there. He was quite disturbed by the packs of feral youths he must confront on his commute on the DC subways; all, cops included, seem to turn a PC blind eye to these "youngsters" loudly shouting obscenities at each other, engaging in mock combats, and threatening, pushing and hurling insults at other passengers. A scene from Clockwork Orange. It was all rather infuriating, and made me glad not to be young anymore or living in DC. A great argument, however, for concealed carry. I wonder how much of that activity by these coyote youths would go on, if they knew that a good portion of the passengers was packing?
Well, back to watching a marathon of British detective films, including a very good one with the always terrific, although odd-looking, Martin Clunes, A is for Acid. The kids are off Ubering around Old Town Temecula, the dogs are napping, and the Diplowife is engaged in a hearty texting exchange with various friends and relatives. A perfect day. I will ruin the mood tomorrow when I start paying attention to the news again.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and best wishes to survive the coming year to you and yours. Love to stop by and read your thoughts on the current state of affairs. With any luck we'll start to see an improvement after the upcoming elections, although my level of optimism about escaping the effects of the economic and societal debacle we seem to be heading toward is not high.
ReplyDeleteIn any case best wishes, I appreciate your work.
I would suggest that your son consider a hammerless revolver(S&W M-38/40/42/49. It doesn't leave any brass and you can pull the trigger while it's in your pocket, heh, heh, heh. For damn sure when I worked in the belly of the beasty I carried - in my case it was a KelTec P3AT, but that was because I was going into different places and needed something that was impossible to see.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with concealed carry (which I do) is that there are not many steps between having it concealed and actually using it. I suppose you can unobtrusively hike your jacket up to reveal it, but from then to looking down at a cold thug is a short trip. Presumably your son is young enough to still appear athletic. Perhaps he could carry a baseball bat and glove on the Metro. The threat is there, but it has plausible deniability.
ReplyDeleteYes, they leave him alone as he quite burly, with a mountain man beard,and arms like a sailor's duffel bag.
DeleteThe trains through the tony Connecticut suburbs are no better. Mornings and late afternoons, it's the youths with the profanity and general disrespect, and in the evenings, it's the drunken twenty-somethings.
ReplyDelete"The nannies of this world don't understand freedom and joy, and have declared war on both."
ReplyDeleteBeg to differ, Dip: They love their fun (hence Al-Gore's manse by the sea and his Tesla); they just don't want you to have yours.
I'm glad you're enjoying your Mustang. My Thunderbird is nesting in the garage for the New England winter.
-Joe the Cop
Reader #004
VA took another turn deeper into communism recently when the AG announced he's canceling the concealed carry reciprocity agreements with 25 states. My FL permit is no longer and good here and I must decide whether to get a VA non-resident permit. Methinks I don't want to give this regime any more of my money but my safety and that of my family (especially in light of your son's experiences) is paramount.
ReplyDeleteFairfax county also opened the door last week to rebranding schools that are named after racist salve owners like Robert E. Lee. It's just too much for the students to cope with going to such an oppressive place every day. I suppose they'll also need to take the Washington out of D.C.
Yeah, those dead slave owners were a real problem. We need to rename Washington D.C., the state of Washington, and all places named Jefferson, Madison, or any and all the other founders of the U.S. because THEY ALL OWNED SLAVES!
DeleteHeck, we should erase the history of the entire world prior to the mid-1800's, and the history of middle east and most of the rest of the world up until *TODAY*.
But instead we're going to pick-and-pillory our historical figures in order to decide "whose slave ownership was ok and whose wasn't" based upon their perceived politics today.
Kindergarteners are smarter than this.... and by leaps and bounds.
- reader #1482
Once removing flags and names gets a start, these hyperactive neo Maoists don't stop. Their quest is unquenchable and will continue until all are equally ignorant of the past.
DeleteBut, but, Robert E Lee freed his inherited slaves on his 21st birthday, the first day that he could legally do so.
DeleteBest wishes to you this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year! Thank you for posting your insights and observations.
ReplyDeleteI am semi-addicted to Martin Clunes on "Doc Martin" which is still running in Britain and for which NetFlix has all the episodes. He actually invented the Doc Martin character. His wife is producer.
ReplyDeleteMy new AR 15 is in the shop getting new sights and then my #2 son and I plan to try it out.
The real joy comes when the knowledge that your car is smog exempt and doesn't have to be tested.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Clunes & his dogs? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322744/
ReplyDeleteCompletely OT being Xmas and all,but what where those movies you were watching.
ReplyDeleteI am an addict.
On Netflix and ACORN
DeleteOur Christmas cheese board: a half truckle each of Glastonbury Cheddar, and Stilton; a Lancashire Bomb, an Époisses de Bourgogne, and a Vacherin Mont d'Or. I think we rather overdid it but, my, it was fine. Good old Jesus, that's what I say.
ReplyDeleteNo guns, but there did figure in the fun a drone, now marooned in someone else's garden, presumably photographing every cat or fox that pokes at it.
That sounds very nice--even without a V8
DeleteMy wife and I have a penchant for British mystery series.
ReplyDeleteSo far, "Inspector Morse" and now "A Touch of Frost."
My wife and I can hardly stomach American Porn, I mean, American Television any more. Even the most innocuous shows will have commercials that leave nothing to the imagination.
Yes, I know we're getting old, however, anyone who says there is not a problem with the amount of skin shown on American shows is sadly mistaken.
Of course, British tv may be just as bad, however, since we are Amazon Prime subscribers, it's much easier to filter out the crap.
/rant-sermon
-Blake
From my sojourns in the UK, I can tell you everyday TV in the UK is pretty bad.
DeleteYou should have been watching BBC in 1977. "Badger Watch" was all there was after 9 PM. A camera focused on a badger hole. Exciting.
DeleteInteresting that the "Progressives" want diversity, except:
ReplyDelete- Not in the cars you can drive (no hot rods, big trucks, SUV's)
- Not in the food you eat (no meat, no fat, no sugar, no salt)
- Not in the clothes you wear (no fur, no leather)
- Not in the sports you play (no hunting, no full contact football, no riding a bike without a helmet, must have pads when skateboarding)
- Not in our methods of celebration (no fireworks)
- Not in the political party you vote for (no Republicans)
- Not in the manner in which you speak (no PC rule violations)
Uncle Ted Nugent would be a better president than a Progressive.