Belly Band

So, I've been carrying the P32 in a Uncle Mike's belly band, and it's been long enough that I think it's time for a review.

First off, I was dreading belly band carry, even though it fit the necessary criteria nearly perfectly: highly concealable, low risk of printing or flashing, even when I forget about it.

I'd heard a lot of stories about how uncomfortable and hot belly bands were, as well as how difficult it was to keep them in place without cinching them down to Victorian Era Duchess proportions.

I'll note here that all of those stories were from men, because I think that perhaps women have an advantage when it comes to belly bands.

It's called a waist.

For me, I don't have any problems with the belly band staying up, so to speak. It straps around the narrow part of my waist and the shape of my body helps support it.

It's not entirely comfortable but it's not uncomfortable enough to turn me off of it as a method of carry.

The Uncle Mike's specifically, I could take or leave. It's the only belly band I've tried so I don't know if it's the best or the worst, but I'll give a run down of my likes and dislikes on it.

Likes: It's a mesh material, so it breathes. I don't wind up with a super sweaty strip around my stomach. The elastic is stretchy enough to move with me, but stiff enough to be secure. It also has an adjustable velcro strap to secure your pistol, so you can carry more than one gun in it if you like.

Dislikes: The seams are fairly stiff so if you're not paying attention when you strap it on, and one gets rolled under, it can get pretty uncomfortable. The holster pocket is a one size type thing, so if you don't get the retention strap adjusted just right there can be some wash. The draw is a little awkward, too, since I position the pistol directly in front. Boobs create great camo for the pistol, but without some practice, they can really get in the way of your draw.

All in all, for what I need it for, the belly band is a win. I'd put up with a lot more discomfort and dislikes for the conceal-ability, and the horror stories turned out to not apply as much as I expected.

If you've got a pocket pistol but your pockets aren't big enough, or you need a deep concealment option for some reason, I'd say consider the belly band, over all.

Finally, Some Relaxation

Wednesday night I worked, closing as usual, to get up Thursday morning, drive mom to PT, then back home, and head south to Elsewhere, TX.

It was a very, very long day Thursday, but it was so worth it. Hanging out with Phlegmmy Thursday night was a blast, and she's totally right, her bathroom rocks.... an appropriate setting for a bath goddess, indeed.

Friday I followed in a state of awe as she flew through stores like a stylish whirlwind, accomplishing a purely shocking amount of shopping in a minuscule amount of time. The thing that took the longest time was when LawDog and I got distracted in Sam's by the lure of free cutlery, which lure faded when we realized the enthusiastic man wasn't giving away the knife he was sawing on the hammer with, but a cheesy paring knife.

Then, back to the house where I mostly tried to stay out of the way, and did accomplish hosing off the deck chairs. I always feel awkward when someone else is cleaning their house and I'm there. I want to help, and then I realize I don't know where anything goes, and I remember how annoyed I get when someone puts things away in a place that, to me, seems completely wrong-headed, so unless I'm specifically given a task, or can find something that is extremely difficult to mess up, I just try to stay out of the way.

People started arriving Friday evening and the party was fabulous, as all of Phlegmmy's shindigs are.

Can I just say right now, for the record, that I accept absolutely no blame for any anatomically correct chocolate treats Evyl Robot may come up with. And I'd like to thank Jennifer for letting me be on the other side of the ass grabbery for a change.

One of these days I'll have to get the motivation up to update my bloggers I've met roll, since there have been several additions.

The Farm Fam came home tired, but smiling. We all needed the relaxation and had a lovely time, lovely food, and lovely company.

Tonight, I work. Tomorrow, we're off to Denver for a visit with the surgeon... must remember to grab some steaks, since I did promise him if he fixed mom I'd bring him T-bones.

I'm going to be exhausted for a while but it's in a much better way than I've been dealing with, and I must remember to do something like that more often!

Caffiene Shakes: I Has Them

When you're short on sleep need to go, No-Doze is your friend. When you basically run on it and sugar for a weekend... not so much.

However, it was totally worth it.

Now I just have to figure out how to put my eyes back in my head and make my body stop vibrating.

Oh God My Job Edition The Second

Not so much a complaint this time as an amusing anecdote...

It seems one of our local coke heads (puh-lease you don't grow your pinky nail on your dominant hand out just because you like the way it looks next to every other nail being trimmed short) got his tongue pierced recently.

How do I know? Because he came in last night and asked for:

"Shome Schig Schagsh, and a Shigari-yo."

He also looked like someone belted him across the mouth with a two by four so I'm guessing that it was done by one of his buddies rather than a licensed piercer.

I just hope that when and if he gets all infected he doesn't come in drooling yellow goop.

Oh God My Job Edition The First

Because I'm sure there will be more of these.

Last night, 11:40:

Truck belonging to the traffic control company working south of town pulls up. It's ok though, I just made coffee, so I'm good.

Chick comes in, putters around a few minutes, and I hear the cappuccino machine cranking away. Ok, whatever.

Clueless Construction Chick: "Miss? The machine isn't working, it's just putting out water."

Me: "Oh hell my co worker cleaned it earlier she must have forgotten to flip the switch from rinse back to run." (Open machine, flip switch, turn to walk away, cringe as she pours the water from her cup into the drip tray.) "That doesn't have a drain, please don't pour things in there."

CCC: "It's still not working, see?"

I turn around, and she's holding the button down with no cup under it, running water into the drip tray.

Me: "Ma'am, that doesn't drain... Ma'am.... PLEASE STOP." (Because at eleven forty when I've already done 90% of my cleaning I really do not want to deal with a massive spill, thanks.)

CCC: "What?"

Me: "The only drip tray that has a drain is the soda machine. Every time you pour crap into any of the others, the clerk has to clean it."

CCC: "Well that's kind of dumb, they should all have drains."

Me: "I agree, but they don't. I'm sorry that the machine is not functioning correctly and I will put an out of order sign on it but I don't know how to fix it."

CCC: "That's ok I'll just get something else, I didn't really want cappuccino anyway."

At this point I refrained from telling her to get the hell out of my store and go terrorize the ones across the street. Barely. I also refrained from dumping the one hundred and eighty degree water from the drip tray on her head.

But it was a close thing.

I really need some fumbling adorable young high school boy to come in and buy condoms or something to give me a boost. (What? It amuses me when they come to whisper at me and ask where they are, and how they panic if anyone else walks in the store.)

Between the Mexican guys who come in and buy scratch tickets, then go to the back of the line and stand in line while scratching them without bothering to see if they've actually won anything before handing them to me to run through the machine (why bother scratching it if you're not going to actually play the game?) and the old lady who comes in at ten or eleven every single night and makes me check what number the books on her favorite scratch games are on (so far I've avoided what the other night gal says she does to her... holds her hands over the counter where the tickets are and picks up the "vibes") I'm getting to the point where I'm about ready to order a big rubber dildo and bring to work to stash on a shelf just so that I have something to make the nights suck a little less. (Edit: by watching customers notice it and freak out you sick minded individuals)

As an aside, I just got done reading The Princess Bride, the abridged version, and I think I might have caught some kind of parenthetical disease from Mr. Morgenstern.

Home!

Sweet, sweet home... my own bed, my pups, my beautimous wide open spaces, and elbow room!

Not to mention a lack of smog and smoke from nearby fires (not that I'm complaining about the fire, I think most of Colorado would probably happily roast marshmallows while Boulder burned...) sirens in the night and weird-ass people talking to themselves and suddenly turning to me saying "Isn't that right??" (Seriously, this happened to me twice. Neither time was at the hospital, where such things might be somewhat more expected.)

Farmmom made the trip better than we expected... some understandable stiffness, and a whole assload of "god I'm tired" made it home with us, but she's in good shape.

Soon, I'll have posts about two different carry methods for the P32, belly band, and ankle holster. For now, I'm going to go snuggle with my pups and get some sleep... and probably walk to work tomorrow... I am so sick of vehicles!

A Quick Note

Whilst I'm winding down from driving in Denver.

Mom is out of the hospital and spending tonight in the hotel room with her pup... she only had to sit down on her snazzy walker (we got her the one with the seat and basket, just cause) once on the way to the room. She's tired, of course, and drugged, of course, but glad to be out of the hospital.

Tomorrow morning we have an appointment at Doc's office, then snag the last of the needed materials for home, and get the hell out of Dodge... er... Denver.

It's a nice place to visit, but I couldn't live here. No way, no how. Too damn many people, all crowded together like cattle in a pen... *shudder.*

Anyway, just updating. Sleep now.