safeandsecure

Mmmmmmmmmmm.  Bacon ...............

  Dave, that right there is like the trifecta -- -- know you handled it great.  It's hard where adults are concerned; kids ... ... that's worse. 'Preciate you, Brother.

  I can't take credit for the "helpers" idea; got that from a man older and far wiser than I am.  I can only take credit for paying attention and remembering it when I needed it.  Heard my LT giving that advice to a couple of kids at a working structure many years ago.  Still miss you, Harold.

Sorry, Dave.  We all want to shield our loved ones, especially the young and innocent, from the bad things out there.  I had my kid with me when we ran up on an accident scene -- one of the first ones there.  I told him to stay in the truck, but you know kids ... ... ... anyway, he saw stuff that he didn't need to see.  We ended up having to stay around until a med evac chopper left the scene, so we had plenty of time to talk.  Don't know if this will help, but after we talked a while about the "bad" things, I tried to steer the conversation around to all the people who came to help.  You know, see the "good" even in the "bad."   There are always "helpers."  Seemed to do him some good at the time, but as he ended up in fire (like me -- my fault, his mama says) and ems (even worse, as far as seeing "bad" stuff), that may have done more harm than good.  He's turned out to be a good medic.  I've worked with him, and he's proficient, but even more important in my opinion, he's compassionate with the patients and their families.  Seems he's turned into one of those "helpers," and while he'll never get rich doing it, there are a lot of rewards to offset the emotional trauma that he experiences.   Don't know if that rambling story is worth anything, but maybe one of your grandkids will work in mental health and prevent someone else from going through what they have.  I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Patience?  He finished from scratch in about 6 minutes !!! MAD fast !!!   J/K   I have a lot of those hand tools -- brace and bits, draw knife, etc.  Remember using them years ago with my dad and granddad.  Have them stored, and have absolutely NO desire to "retire" my power tools and go back to them.  Boring a hole with a brace and bit in a locust fence post or a 6 x 6 at the barn in order to hang a gate or door would literally take half a day and produce sweat and sore muscles.    While I also admire anyone with his talent (which I obviously do NOT have), and enjoy watching said talent, I personally want no part of going back to the days of "muscle" powered equipment.  I remember thinking that the guy who invented electric milkers ought to have won some kind of Nobel prize.  Same with a tractor vs. a mule.   Don't mind watching work though!

Before I give you my theory on why older folks drive more slowly ... let me say that I've lived in the "fast lane" in the past.   Once passed a THP who was running his emergency lights and siren. Didn't really mean to, but heck, he pulled out in front of me while I was tooling down the road at (according to my speedometer) about 140. I didn't have time to stop, and running into the back of him seemed like a senseless thing to do.  So I passed him.  Double yellow lines, on-coming traffic, and it was raining.  And we were in a 45 mph zone.  I did pull over (as soon as I got back in the right lane and got slowed down enough).  And the Trooper didn't ticket me, believe it or not (and I DO have witnesses!)  Had to sit with him, in the patrol car, for what seemed to be about a week and a half, and took a really thorough butt-chewing, but he let me off with a warning --- something about not wanting to have to explain in court that he got passed while running emergency traffic, or something to that effect.   Also, I'm one of the few people (still living) who has had a fire engine airborne.  Not once, but twice. (And again, have witnesses - second time that happened, had a deputy sheriff tell me that he didn't know one of those things could get that much air.)   But I'm older.  And as RedLights&Sirens has noted, I've pulled one too many body parts out of wreckages.   Now, to my theory.  Not only do we get older -- and hopefully wiser -- but as we age, our eyesight and reflexes fade. Not really sure when that happened to me, but I simply can't drive the way I used to.  So I've slowed down.  I won't tailgate.  I won't slow down and then speed up if you're trying to pass.  But I DO drive the speed limit or less.  And if I'm passing something in the left lane, I MIGHT exceed the speed limit by 5 mph or so.  If you are running more than that, and happen to get behind me while I'm getting around something going slower than I am, you'll just have to live with it.  At least I HOPE you live with it.  I'd hate to have to stop and pull YOU out of some wreckage.  Don't care if I never work another wreck with injury, honestly.  And if you'll let me get far enough ahead of whatever I'm passing to see it in my rearview mirror, I'll move back into the slow lane.  And I'll probably smile when you blow past.  Maybe even admire whatever you are driving (think George Jones' "Hotter than a 2-dollar Pistol") -- --

Steel --- just noticed this.  Gotta say, a steel makes a sad song sadder.  Great job, sir.   And George: never met him, but his music has spoken volumes to me.  I can't say I loved everything he ever did.  But I loved most of his music.   Today's service (got to see it on channel 5+ tonight) brought out some emotional performances.  Especially Vince Gill.  I never cared for most of his stuff, but I always liked "Go Rest High on That Mountain." Think more of him after watching and listening to him perform - and break down - at today's memorial for ol' George. And, there were others (for example, Alan Jackson).  Don't think anyone will ever fill George's shoes, though.   Hope and pray that George is still singing in heaven tonight ... and envy you, Steel, just a little, for adding that little "something" that makes a great song, performed by a great singer, an unforgettable listening experience.  (Don't envy you for the "bow," though ...)

Confidence -- agree completely.  Especially the next-to-last paragraph.  What was that comic/cartoon line? "We have met the enemy and he is us!"  You can't legislate away personal responsibility and expect anything different.   Thanks for a great post ...

DUDE! Don't quit now! This is getting interesting!

Hello, Joe, and welcome.  'Preciate your service.   I'm with you on the "black rifles," but to each his own, I suppose.  And I'm with you on the Ruger Mk III, too.  Love to shoot it.  HATE to break it down and clean it.   My dad (Korea era) loves my Ruger mini-14 -- and the .223 works well on varmints.  But when he inspected an AR with me at the LGS, he noted that it just "didn't seem right" to him.  Guess we're all getting older and set in our ways, 'cause my boy really likes 'em.

Ol' Ray.  Always liked him.  Still do.

In my son's case, it's a DCS foster child.  DCS is handling affairs.   They only intended to help the DIL's family-member/foster mother in keeping the child for a day every once in a while, and ended up falling in love with him (as we all did).  He's just 2, but does have some issues (as we all do).  Anyway, they have had their first visit with an attorney to begin the adoption process after about 8 months as foster parents to the lil guy.   Edit: Wanted to adopt sooner, but had to wait for the court process to end parental rights.

FWIW, my son and DIL have been foster parents and are in the adoption process.  You are right to be concerned, but in my son's case, the DCS case worker asked and he honestly informed her that yes, he did have firearms in the house, and that they are secured unless on his person, and that seemed to be sufficient.  Adoption still in the early stages, but the fostering process seems to me to be just as rigid as the initial adoption interviews and home studies.  Just confirming, from our perspective, the above advice and info.  Might also note that those case workers are like everyone else: some really good ones, some maybe not so good.  My son got a good one.

  Right on the money.  She's my 3rd shelter dog.  All the rest were strays who ended up staying --- except for the little "house" dog of my wife's; also a rescue (the dog, I mean, not the wife).  Long story short, I said "I put my foot down. NO dogs in the house."  Two days later, I paid the "adoption" fee and brought this little "attitude" home.  Guess it's obvious who's boss at this house.  Gotta say, though, with the old hound outside being deaf, this little creature in the house lets us know when someone's at the door or coming in.  And I do believe he'd give life and limb to protect us (although a warning is about all he's big enough to follow through with).

GREAT video. My old hound is 19.  She's deaf, half-blind, and has arthritis.  But she still "talks" to me each and every time I step outside, and loves me better than my better half does.  I thought I was saving her from a shelter 18 years ago, after my last dog passed away.  Turns out she was meant to watch over me and my home and family instead.

I know the "lives saved" argument was made, then, too.  But to me, that's not the only reason: Attack us, prepare to be paid back 100-fold.   And again, America didn't START the war.  But it sure ENDED it.  Maybe we need leaders willing to make the tough decisions today.  Maybe?   And as far as our educational system goes ... well, it doesn't go where it needs to go.  Twisting the truth is no better than a lie.

  Nah.  That's part of the problem.  I usually say whatever comes to mind.  Do think I'll skip this one ...

   :biglol: ... but I don't believe I'll share this one with my better half ... (she doesn't have the fine sense of humor that I do  ... )

Congratulations to you and momma.  Enjoy.  Kids go from birth to 30 in what seems to be a couple weeks.

Highlander --  :up: to Bob's!  You're a little too far away for me to visit regularly, but I PROMISE to stop in and drop a buck or two when I'm in the area.  'Preciate businesses like yours. 

Not in your neck of the woods, but there's a place called Warrior Camo in Smith County, between Carthage and Granville.  I haven't had any work done there, but saw a couple of long guns that they had done for a retired Trooper/Federal Marshal that looked great.  Did pick up a handgun from them, and have purchased ammo (yes, ammo).  They don't have a lot of ammo in stock, but the last I bought was a box of .22Mag for $4 +tax ... and no, that's not a typo.   If you want to contact them, here it is: Warrior Camo 42 Orchard Lane Chestnut Mound, TN 38552 615-897-2094

  Well, that makes ME feel better ... ... I look about 20 years OLDER than I am ... ... But I suppose it evens out, with Ray minus 20 and me plus 20.  It's all good.   But then again, anyone who remembers when Ray's "Harry the Hairy Ape" was on the radio ain't no spring chicken.

Ol' Ray Stevens gave some good haircut advice years ago ... "When you get a haircut, you better go back home."   Course, ol' Ray would be considered "politically INcorrect" these days, ie., "Ahab the Arab."   He had some good stuff.  Haven't heard much from him in the past few years.

Glad you are home.  Prayers that your recovery continues to go well.

Welcome -- 'preciate your service.