Author Archives: Joel

Almost hit sixty today. You think I’m gonna hang around indoors and play with the ‘pooter? You nuts? Tomorrow may be as bad. which is to say, as good. I had three different off-site tasks for today, but tomorrow’s a … Continue reading →

Note to self…When cleaning chimney pipe, either take the damned thing outdoors or pay more attention to what the other end of the cleaning rod is doing. That is all.

It would be cheaper, and I can’t see how the results would differ. Two pull quotes from an article I couldn’t even bring myself to finish… The White House’s outrage over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to speak before Congress … Continue reading →

My anti-mouse experiment needs work. I put four traps under the hood last night, got two confirmed kills and two missing traps. Searched till my fingers were freezing and couldn’t find them anywhere. Also got a third packrat in the … Continue reading →

After all, she’ll turn four this year. Woke to an email from daughter, announcing that Ari the Husband had decided he was sick of waiting. No word on Kaelyn’s reaction, but I’d be surprised if she’s not cool with it. … Continue reading →

I’ve genuinely lost track of how many packrats I’ve killed in the little space between the Lair and the woodshed. Got another last night which makes at least six… And every time I put a mouse trap under the Jeep’s … Continue reading →

Courtesy of commenter MR, The history of Spam! Complete with recipes! I didn’t know the bit about its part in WWII (“It’s why war is hell.”) but am not surprised that Spam has recently become a part of ironic hipster … Continue reading →

No, indeed. I “feel a responsibility to choose another path that is as life-affirming and as sustainable as [I] can make it while still remaining connected and participating in [my] native culture.” Get a load of this shite. Voluntary Poverty … Continue reading →

I bought him a bed while I was in town. And then I put his blanket in the bed, so it would smell right.He’s not convinced.He’s not entirely unconvinced…Well…okay. For now. I got back home just in time for the … Continue reading →

I personally think a simple whipping would be sufficient. But then I’m a moderate M1A shooter. Also, anyone who’d hang that much rail farm on an M1A is clearly an apostate from the true Church of the Immaculate M1A*, and … Continue reading →

My neighbors D&L go to the big town about 50 miles away once or twice a month, and normally I just give them money and get them to pick up my glaucoma meds. More and more I find the experience … Continue reading →

For lo, he is annoyed with your entire species. The War on Rodents marches on. That’s the second from the powershed, for eleven in total. Gone are the days when I thought these things had substantial non-negotiable territories and that … Continue reading →

The etymology of the word Derp is beyond my means or interest to track down. I believe the person responsible for applying it to gun accessories is Tam, though I can’t defend the opinion. Nor am I prepared to offer … Continue reading →

An absolutely gorgeous day today. It’s already mid-fifties at noon and there’s talk of sixty. Which makes it a great day for light-hearted off-grid hijinks, like… Neighbors D&L have this incredibly high-tech wood stove. I have never figured out the … Continue reading →

Spent some time in the reloading shack yesterday afternoon, and have to say – Cool! There were 170 once-fired .44 Special cases in that care package! The box of bullets is valuable, thank you very much, but the cases are … Continue reading →

I got care packages today! A generous contributor sent me an email a few weeks ago saying that in cleaning out his reloading shack recently he came upon some .44 Special components he didn’t need, and today they found their … Continue reading →

There’s a discussion shaping up at Claire’s place over two wildly disparate interpretations of that I-594 demonstration in Washington last week. Personally I can’t wholeheartedly sign on to either view. I disagree with one side’s compromise and the other side’s … Continue reading →

It’s possible Caleb meant the question ironically, though in context he sounds serious… Yes. If the law is idiotic, and it’s in your way and you find it obnoxious, then the proverb for the day is “Screw’em if they can’t … Continue reading →

Second in a row! The mud is drying! Tellya what, since this winter I seem to have kicked the chimney fire phobia that plagued me for the past two seasons, I like it clear and cool. I’m charging through my … Continue reading →

Stop messing with my head. Holder limits seized-asset sharing process that split billions with local, state police Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Friday barred local and state police from using federal law to seize cash, cars and other … Continue reading →