Memories

Saw an article today that got me to thinking about Mamaw.

See, she had a computer for... well, forever. She learned to do accounting on it, had the 3.5 floppy version of a graphics program to make signs. Later on, it was the repository of her photos, and solitaire. But then, I started blogging. After that, nothing would do but I bookmark my blog for her. After Blogorado I, the bookmarks were added to... everybody that attended.

SIL and I were talking about something funny someone had put up on Facebook one day, and then nothing was gonna stop her from having an account. She never posted, but she kept up with everyone else. She emailed and sent pictures, she haunted the Food Network website. She got a phone that would text, and she did, some.

Then she got a smartphone. She got it after we discovered the brain tumors, and she learned how to use it. She teased people with it. She could make it bark, and look up the weather. It took a lot of repetition and showing her, but she learned how to use it.

I was linking someone to a post on my blog the other day and stumbled across a comment she'd left.

I was going through some old photos and found some of her riding Etta.

We deleted her Facebook account, but still, because she was who she was, through the internet tribe that we built, through this blog, she left an electronic imprint on the world, in addition to the physical one.



The internet is forever. Thanks to the internet, she can be too. And that is an amazing thing.

New Year

As seems to happen often enough 2011 was full of ups and downs.Once again though, I think the year has left me a better person, better able to take what life throws at me and fastpitch it right back at the metaphorical dangly bits. In the end, I call that a win.

Bring it on 2012. I got this.

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Conspiracy!

From my own family no less! It appears that after a long streak of not being able, for one reason or another, to keep my presents a secret, Farmmom went to great lengths (even recruiting my boyfriend to blatantly lie to me about being an anxious weirdo in order to find out where exactly my gun was) to keep this one secret.

See, it seems that EvylRobot conspired with her too. He sent her some leather, she did some tooling, sent it back, and he made a holster out of it. Throughout all of this several people managed to keep it a secret from me.

The finished product is nice:






I was told I had to do a review, on top of being bamboozled by my dearly beloveds. What a world.

So far I'm impressed with the workmanship. Farmmom's tooling is great, the rose is one that I had admired a few times on a belt pattern (this is me sucking up to my mommy) and Robot's craftsmanship is good. There's gonna be a little fit adjustment as I wear the holster in... it's a little stiff to form to me where I prefer just yet, but the difference in position is about an inch, so it's not that huge a deal, as it breaks in a little I'll move it and it'll conform.

I like that the clips are reversible. I can wear it IWB or OWB and the swap is a couple of screws. The clips are also extremely sturdy and very much stay where they're put, which is a requirement. Also, I'm a big fan of where he put his logo. I don't mind advertising for him when I'm showing it off, but I like that it's covered when the gun is in the holster. It wouldn't work well with the rose on a full time basis.

It's pretty clear that Robot uses something with a texture as his backing when he works his leather.. there are some cross hatched markings on the back side of the leather, and an odd mottled texture behind his logo, all on the back, where it won't show, and will probably disappear with wear. Not a deal breaker on the holster, were I paying for it, but being as familiar as I am with leather and having a passing acquaintance with working leather, it's something I noticed.

I'll update more as I wear it and figure out how it's gonna break in. So far, in the adjusted position it's fairly comfortable, for a brand new holster about five times thicker than I'm used to, since my last holster for Walter was a floppy crappy thing.

I am very pleased with my sooper secret gift, though.

Merry Christmas Everybody

Here's hoping that all have a happy, safe, and loving time this holiday season.

White Christmas?????

We spent yesterday morning trying to get feed to critters. We spent the afternoon curled up by the heater watching it snow and blow.

This morning Farmdad had to dig the door out so the dogs could go do their business.





They loved it. They could look in the dining room window!

As of yet there is not a highway in the county that is open

Banner Day

Monday was a banner day for me. Farmdad and I took a road trip up to see Salamander and play in the funshop he works at.

See for all of my untold years I have bought several weapons for Farmdad, Farmgirl and the son and grandson and had bought myself a rifle or two but had never bought myself a pistol. I've had several over the years. Some were gifts. Sometimes Farmdad would come home with something new and tell me "honey look what I got for you!!" thinking that would keep him out of trouble and some were just flat stolen from him when I particularly liked something he came up with.


After fighting with Workman's Compensation for over two years they decided that I was due a small (very small) settlement. I got said check in the mail a couple weeks ago and was trying to decide what to do with it when life went "Rodeo" around here.

This weekend it hit me what I wanted to do with it. I was gonna buy a pistol for myself. I mean what else would be as satisfying? What else would help get rid of the stress of the last several months than turning money into smoke and noise? I needed some recoil therapy and it would be so much better with a new toy.

The shop Salamander works at always has a very nice inventory. I figured I could find something there that just begged me to take it home since every time I go in there I have to wipe the drool off my face. I still couldn't afford some of the pistols they always have there but was sure something would catch my eye.

We arrived shortly after the shop opened and I ran Salamander from display case to display case looking at this one and that one. Eventually I narrowed the choices down to 3 or 4 different pistols and of course they were all in different areas of the store. Needless to say I finally made my choice and Salamander started the paperwork.

This is what I ended up with.







A Smith & Wesson M&P 9. No it's not flashy. No it's not anything anyone is gonna squee over. But it felt nice in my hand (after we changed the backstrap) and it talked to me. It wanted to come home with me and be my friend.

I also got Farmdad a Ruger 22/45 for Christmas, which he got early since he was along and actually picked it out for himself.

We stopped on the way home and ran some ammo through both of them and I am extremely pleased with my new little friend. The recoil is just barely there and the darn thing shoots very well. I was hitting quite well with it from the very first round. I don't have anything on paper since we just stopped on a country road and just threw a couple soda bottles out there for targets but the soda bottles looked a bit ragged after just a couple magazines. It is a very FUN gun to shoot and I am quite sure I will use up the remainder of my stash of cash buying ammo for it.

In Lieu Of Flowers

Mamaw rarely could handle flowers anyway, most of them set her off coughing. So, for our extended tribe who may wish to make a gesture, we ask that you donate to Hospice rather than send flowers.

Hospice is a wonderful, caring organization, and group of people, who do far more than they get credit for. The organization and people here were invaluable to us.

Feel free to donate to your local hospice care organization or if you prefer (one friend has already requested the information) you can donate to ours in her name:

Baca County Hospice
210 E 10th St
Springfield, CO
81073