It was downright nice outside when I got home last night,

but it's back to hot today. The front came through without triggering rain in this area, but the cooler temps were very nice. Actually, it's been 8-10 degrees lower today than last week, so even without rain, very nice.

Hot as hell in Fort Worth over the weekend, clean air alerts, the works. And Saturday night through Sunday morning, into early afternoon, little to no wind. As in not even the tiniest leaves on the smallest twigs were stirring. Not often that still in this region. Sunday morning helped set up the misting line over the back porch, and at first the mist was barely drifting.

Damn. I just checked my Sitemeter stuff, I've had visitors from Spain and Finland today. This here internet is somethin' wonderful.

If you've never been to Cabela's, and you get a chance, go. The one in Fort Worth has a drool roomGun Library, which is the room with the serious collectibles and safari-grade stuff; you can get a case of the vapors just walking in the door. Along with the Merkel double-rifles and 1873 Winchesters and Colt Navy revolvers, and such, in one case was a Pocket Hammerless in .32 that looked new. I mean, no wear at all. And they had the original box it came in. No, you don't want to know. And, in the main area, they actually had the bullets Dad wanted me to look for, so he's got a couple of boxes to load. And I got a box of .380 to help feed the new Colt; at this point I'm really glad I've been saving the .380 brass I found at the range.

Speaking of fine stuff, on Saturday was helping friend run some errands and, pulling into Ace Hardware, a few places down I saw a sign that said "Fine Guns", so we went there first. Stepped in and oh.my.lord. Shotguns. Doubles and singles and a few pumps, all Huglu made in Turkey. Plain and fancy, all with wonderful balance. Many with engraving that almost counted more as carving, beautifully done. And considering what you were holding, the prices weren't bad. If you're around Keller, the shop's at 1540 Keller Parkway, Suite 103, a little down from Ace. Very pretty stuff, including cases and shellbags and such. Their website's TRImports.com. I think they're about to do some business, because friend had a list of people he was planning to tell about them.

Those white grips on the Colt? Inside they're marked 'Franzite' and 'Chicago'. Did a little digging, apparently they were a big supplier of aftermarket grips for handguns. I guess these are imitation ivory, which isn't bad; I'm trying to decide whether to get a set of repro originals for it. According to the serial number, this originally came with the black hard rubber. But the white doesn't look bad at all on it, so for the moment they stay on. If I want to get fancy I've got some nice walnut and maple in the garage, and a set of checkering tools...

Crap. Looking at Tam's place, I find there are people who really will look better dead.

Damn. I just looked at Kevin's place, and it's been three years since Acidman died. I've still got him on the blogroll; just didn't want to take him off. The man was living, as Kevin put it, a slow-motion train wreck, but DAMN he could write. And did.

Borrowed from comments on the subject of getting the attention of the morons in Congress who passed another bill without knowing what was in it:
ADMONITION, n. Gentle reproof, as with a meat-axe. Friendly warning.
- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
Like I once said, "Just one little comet, c'mon..."

And one more thing:
TSA: "You guys seem to be treating this as a big joke. Why is such a serious matter so funny to you guys?"

K13: "Honestly?"

TSA: "Yes. Why is it so funny?"

K13: "Ma'am, you are afraid that we are going to replace the water in our 5 gallon water jugs with some sort of liquid explosive, is that correct?"

TSA: "Yes."

K13: "And that we might use a liquid explosive to conduct a terrorist attack on an aircraft, or the terminal. "

TSA: "Yes."

K13: "You are aware that as part of my job, I drive a rolling 8000 gallon capacity bomb. And seeing as I haven't crashed it into the terminal, an airplane, or a baggage cart screaming 'Allah Ackbar' yet, what makes you think I'd use a water cooler as an explosives cache. . . . "

TSA: ". . . . . . "

We got our coolers back the next day.