I usually post book reviews when I finish them, but these were so good that I read all three ([amazon_link id=”0345522478″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Hounded[/amazon_link],[amazon_link id=”0345522494″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Hexed[/amazon_link], and[amazon_link id=”0345522486″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Hammered[/amazon_link]) pretty much back-to-back. The Iron Druid Chronicles is a series about the last surviving druid, now living in modern day Arizona, and dealing with all sorts of supernatural problems. And by problems I mean power struggles between angry gods from various pantheons, werewolves, vampires, witches, demons, and more. If you’re a fan of the Dresden Files, you’re probably going to enjoy these books too. From the author’s site it looks like books 4 through 6 got picked up so new ones will be on their way starting this summer.
Author Archives: Pat
Stronglifts 5×5
I’m not calling this a New Year resolution since I’ve been lifting for a while now, but Mehdi and team just released an iPhone app for his Stronglifts program. I’ve dropped everything back to the starting weights and am concentrating on getting my form better. If you want to find out anything about the program, head over to the site and read up on it. Me, I’m going to be picking heavy things up and putting them back down.
Tearing Down The Sportster
Reese and I got started on the Sportster’s restoration by removing the fenders, gas tank, and some other small bits. He was a huge help, finding the perfect tool for the task at hand, lending a hand when needed, and freeing my arm when the rear fender dropped down and pinned it on the tire.
We’ve got all of the sheet metal off now, and I will be working on getting it repaired this spring. Next up is getting the oil tank and engine out so that the frame and oil tank can be stripped and powder coated. It’s got a long way to go before it’s ready to ride, but we’ve taken the first step on the journey…
Some Range Time With Reese
Reese and I went down to the range to try out that Rossi .22 rifle today and had a blast (pun intended). The sites were out of adjustment, but a little tweaking got that sorted out nicely. He was hitting the steels pretty consistently and we were able to start working on fine tuning grip and stance a little more. The rifle is great! It’s a youth sized gun, so no fitment problems, and easy to operate. We had some misfires, but I’m blaming that on the cheap .22 ammo, not the gun. In all cases save one, cocking the hammer and firing again did the trick. That one was just not going to go off, and the primer area had a nice hard strike. We’re definitely giving it two thumbs up!
Reese shooting the Rossi .22
NICS Background Check Hell
Chris goes into some detail about the issues he’s having with NICS background checks. It’s a good read, so please take the time to visit and see just how badly screwed up the system is. So screwed up that it’s denying someone their rights, even though everyone is agreeing that he’s not a prohibited person.
Rossi Matched Pair
While out finishing off some Christmas shopping, I happened to find myself at the gun counter over at Dick’s Sporting Goods, looking at one of the Rossi Matched Pairs. It’s a neat setup, with interchangeable single-shot barrels in .22lr and .410 shotgun. It’s youth sized, so I thought it would be great for me to work with Reese on basic marksmanship and safety. I was pretty impressed with its fit and finish, and since the price was extremely compelling (and there was a rebate to boot), the last one in the store came home with me. We’ll see how the little guy does with it when he comes down to visit…
No More NFA CLEO Sign-off Soon?
If this article over at Outdoor Wire is to be believed, the ATF is poised to remove the CLEO sign-off requirement for Form 1 and Form 4 paperwork. That means that individuals will be able to complete NFA purchases in counties where the sheriff is hostile. In Texas that includes Bexar (San Antonio), Harris (Houston), and Dallas (Dallas) counties. In other words, a sheriff will not be able to deny someone their constitutional rights simply because they don’t like them.
I would still advise against going down the individual transfer route. It leaves ones family unprotected, as opposed to a well written trust. That has been the legally permissible route to get around CLEOs that refuse to sign off on NFA paperwork. One big reason why it should still be the route of choice is that it allows you to put your family on the trust as well as you. That means that they can legally be in possession of the NFA items as well. For example, lets assume you and your significant other go to the range with a suppressor and you are injured and have to be taken to the hospital. If you’ve done an individual transfer, that suppressor can’t be in anyone else’s possession. It’s an illegal transfer, which is a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison. So your significant other could not take it home to lock it back up in your safe (you DO have a safe, right?). On the other hand, if it were transferred via a trust, and the significant other is on the trust, it’s good and nobody’s facing jail time.
Keep an eye on this, because it sounds like they’re going to open a comment period, and you can expect the opposition to come out of the woodwork. They love CLEO sign-off on everything, even though it is used to deny people their rights for political reasons.
Laphroaig Tasting At Lonesome Dove
I got invited to a Laphroaig tasting at Lonesome Dove this evening, and since the weather had finally cooled off I decided to attend it kilted. I arrived a little late thanks to construction traffic on 121. When I got to the back of the restaurant I was greeted by some of the Beam Brands folks who were getting the tasting portion going. They were surprised that I wore my own kilt, and directed me towards where Simon, John, and the rest of the guests had gone. They were down at the Stockyards taking pictures and waiting for the cattle drive.
I made my way over there and met up with the group. The Scots were pretty amused that I showed up wearing my own kilt and we had a pretty interesting discussion about state tartans.
After taking some group photos and watching the longhorns get herded down the street we went back to Lonesome Dove and enjoyed a dram of the 10 year old. It’s the classic, still the best in my mind (though the cask strength does give it a run for its money). After that we had some line dancing lessons, which I attempted, but bailed after the first round. I have two left feet, and it was apparent that someone was going to get hurt if I stayed on the dance floor. The rest of the crew and guests had a good time though.
We then got in line to get our food, which, in Lonesome Dove tradition was delicious. There was a black bean medley, some spicy potato salad, their signature cole slaw, wild boar ribs, pulled pork, and a berry cobbler.
Paired with the meal were four different scotches; 10 year cask strength, triple wood, quarter cask, and the 18 year. Simon and John gave small talks about pairing each of them with parts of the meal (the triple wood went very well with the cobbler) and floated around the room talking and taking pictures.
As things were winding down, I was talking to some of the Beam Brands folks who were in from Chicago and pointed a couple of them over to USA Kilts. As I was leaving they gave me one of the kilts they’d brought for the guests to wear. It turns out that they were supposed to be taken home by everyone in attendance, so now I’ve got a Sport Kilt Original in Gordon Modern added to the collection!
Here’s a picture of John Campbell, me, and Simon Brooking at the tasting.
John, me, and Simon
Hard Magic
Do you like 1930s detective stories? Do you like the Dresden Files? What about a little action like Sky Captain or Kill Bill? Then get over to Amazon and pick up [amazon_link id=”1439134340″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Hard Magic[/amazon_link], the first book in the Grimnoir Chronicles series by Larry Correia. Have fun reading about magic using ninjas, gangsters, pirates, and soldiers. Blimps? Got ’em. John Moses Browning? Yep, he’s there too! This is a seriously fun book!
Dead Six
Diverging from the sci-fi/fantasy fare a little, and because I picked up a signed copy from Uncle Hugo’s, I just finished reading [amazon_link id=”1451637586″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Dead Six[/amazon_link]. It’s a collaboration between Larry Correia and Mike Kupari, and is more along the lines of an action thriller than his previous offerings. If you liked John Ringo’s Ghost series, you’ll like this one.
It tells a single story from two different points of view, and kept me guessing until the end. The action is well written, with lots of firearms references throughout. You can read the dust jacket notes on Amazon for a better plot teaser than I could write. But like I said, if you like military thrillers, you’ll probably enjoy this one.