OT Don 'n Mary update

Tonight, via internet, I signed up for the required training to renew my carry permit that would expire in May if not renewed. The required training and range qual is the same as for a new issue. I selected this trainer because he offers training for vets for less than half of usual price, and he's 10 minutes away in Brooklyn Center. That is gonna be one long, boring Saturday, except for the gunsmoke part. Gunsmoke is always fun. They do the range qual at Bill's in Robbinsdale, where I fired and barely passed my first range qual about

5 years ago. I intend and expect to max it this time. I resolve to be shut-mouth tolerant of such contingent of macho jerks and redneck fools as I may find myself in company with for that little while. I appreciate the quiet respect the proprietor offers to vets.

The date is 19 March, 2 weeks hence. I hesitated a bit not knowing what Mary's sched might be but we tawked about that a bit today in the car enroute to Mayo for chemo. That's a 90 minute ride both ways, time to be next to each other, hold hands and talk as we feel motivated to or not. Snoozing is permitted for the passenger if not the driver. The driver keeps serious coffee at hand.

Mar doubts that she'll be released from rehab any sooner than that and hopes that she won't be. That's a completely rational and very positive attitude. She continues to make progress, slowly but steadily, but she's got a ways to go before she'd be regarded as able to live without significant assistance. I am presently able to provide significant assistance but (moment of clarity) that isn't and shouldn't be the measure of her readiness. I'm older than she is.

If push came to shove and they did release Mary on that Saturday, I think Dave would be happy to transport her and her stuff from there to here on a Saturday. I think he's grateful as hell that I'm doing what I'm doing so he doesn't need to show up for a couple of hours every day, he being a workin' stiff and all. The facility can and does meet the needs of residents/inmates, but Mary clearly does prefer being cared for by me. Well duh, I guess.

We talked about that a little this evening, after the ride down to Mayo and back for chemo, which was my whole day since I was in the car after a wakeup, make coffee, climb into clothes and chogie. I noted that today went really well. She thought similarly. I observed that one reason it went really well for me was because I was able to leave there by about 1900. It's still a dark drive home and I'm still not home much before 2000 (8 pm) if I stop at Cub for vittles, and I don't get my supper until 21:00 since I need to prepare it, later if I take a break upon arrival home to have an iced tea and watch a TV program or read a few pages. I don't think she'd thought about how that works. I'm not complaining but I felt a need to put it out where we could look at it together.

I can't do my best at caring for her if I don't take care of myself too.

Comms happened, we're in accord. Nobody else in that facility has anything remotely resembling the daily hands-on care from family I provide to Mary. I know she appreciates it bigtime, she says so often.

I tonight discovered the difference between the baguettes at Cub that were $0.99 vs $1.99. The $1.99 jobs are take 'n bake. Toss them in a hot oven for 8 minutes, they are freakin' wonderful. I chopped the one I bought tonight into 4 chunks, put the other 3 in a ziplock and thence into the freezer.

I really like good French bread with hard crust and soft white interior. Yummy!

Reply to
Don Foreman
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Don, Is the qualification course set up so someone in a wheelchair could pass it?

DL

Reply to
TwoGuns

Damn, you are making me hungry.

I have a IDPA qualifier tomorrow at the club (indoors) so I'm going to get some gunsmoke time in. Actually I drove the 35 miles out to the club to shoot plates outside with my air weight J frame but with the snow we recieved last night the road out to the hand gun range was impassible so I fell back to plan two by heading over to a gun show to pick up some powder, cleaning patches, and a speed loader for the snubbie.

How often do you have to renew? In Michigan we only have to take training once and then 'self study including range time' three hours.

Having alternate support lined up is wise. There isn't a big S on your chest, you can get sick or find yourself sidelined due to mishap.

As always, I'm thinking positive thoughts about Mary's outcome.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

Give Mary a smile and a hug from me Don.

Jeff

Reply to
jeff_wisnia

Yes, if the person chooses the right course. Different courses use different ranges. I don't think a wheelchair would be any problem at Bill's in Circle Pines (northern suburb) and I know at least one CCW instructor that takes his students there to shoot qual.

Reply to
Don Foreman

We must renew every 5 years. I have no quarrel with demonstrating proficiency every 5 years, but sitting in class for several hours hearing the same stuff every time seems silly. Michigan's approach makes more sense, or maybe an hour or two of refresher on laws and legal considerations.

Reply to
Don Foreman

You want the "nice" smile or the lecherous leer by proxy on your behalf? I won't tell Judith either way.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Which is the one he was wearing in that photo? I have a hard time distinguishing.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

you can get

Yes, or just burn out. I don't even have a little s on my chest, just an elastic brace for a cracked rib.

Fortunately, I have lots of willing backup. Laura, one of our shooting buds, has even offered to provide transport to Rochester and back if that would be helpful.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Train once, renewals at 5 years in Oregon, too, with no refresher needed. To keep myself honest, I just bought a Front Sight Liberty Tree membership for $300. It's a lifetime mship which allows multiple

2- and 4-day Defensive Handgun courses, multiple 2-day Tactical Shotgun courses, and multiple 2-day Practical Rifle courses.
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-- Life is full of little surprises. --Pandora

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Haven't done the chl thing yet, although that's hard to admit as a Texan. I've been planning to do it when my Kimber is broken in, which it just about is. No malfuntions at all with the Wilson combat magazine. I'll probably go to Cowgirl Guns in Liberty Hill for the course. The owner, the cowgirl, teaches that course.

By the way, just visited a new range past Liberty Hill. Very cool. Only eight pistol positions, but each one is a bunker large enough for a match, and you can use steel targets as long as they're AR500, use the 180 rule, etc. You drive in and set up as you wish. Owners come by regularly on 4-wheelers to monitor.

My middle son and I had a blast, shot a variety besides the .45's, including a 1935 PPK in 7.65mm with both magazines and original holster Dad loaned me. He said it's unreliable and always jams. Looks like the reason for that was magazines that haven't been cleaned since it was built. I took care of that. We'll see how it does next time out.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Pete Keillor

once and then

It might need a new recoil spring after 65 years. Also, the PPK's made by Walther were a bit fussy about ammo.

Reply to
Don Foreman

once and then

Sounds like a fun time. Since ou left Michigan for better weather, I'll remind you why you left. ;)

I showed up at the club today 15 minutes before setup time just because I hate to be late. I walk up to the clubhouse (also is indoor range) and get greeted by a member giving me the why are you here stare. Turns out a ccw class is in progress, the guy that runs IDPA resigned and I just drove 30+ miles for a non-event.

I really want to shoot my 442-1 airlight J frame snubbie. So I grab the electronic muffs, my bag of different ammo and head off down the snow clogged road to the outdoors handgun range. The snow got a lot deeper the longer I walked, the freezing rain made it a nasty march. Just get on top of the snow and then punch through. Like climbing 16" stairs.

Being over 50 and a bit rotund I took some pauses at times to get that jackhammer I call a heart back down to a slower rate. I was walking in some 4x4 tire tracks but those ran out eventually, then it got hard. Step up, punch down, pick up foot again, notice that the plastic shopping bag with 3 boxes of ammo is dragging on top of the snow. I'm just over

6' tall. Finally I get to the range bay with the plates and a steel torso outline. I'm back about 25 yards, the heart is thumping and I'm noticing that the plate rack with 6" swinging targets has the fallen targets sitting almost at snow level. I think to myself. I'm going to just stand here, get my breath back and dump some rounds in to that big steel torso plate.

First off some old .38spl 130g winclean I bought a long time ago. How long? Price on box

8.99 . Nice satisfying sounds of lead on steel. Not much of a challenge but I did manage to do what I came out to do. Shoot.

Next was some WW white box 125g JHP .38spl +p. I'm wondering how that is going to hurt. The side of my thumb didn't like it but it was less deadly on my end than the muzzle end.

Then I tried out some of my IDPA +p loads I normally shoot in my 4" Security Six. That was actually pleasant. 158g LRN 22BHN 5.2 unique.

By then my heart was back in my chest, time to trudge forward and set the plates. Yes I tried to shoot them to reset them since they are on a hinge. Snow and ice on rail prevented that.

Damn, this snow is getting deeper. Must be the shielded firing pits, snow gets in, never blows out. I make it to the rack, beat the ice off the rack, set the targets.

Hike back to 25 yard line. Yeah, I know this isn't a 25 yard gun but I'm not going back to reset the targets again. Rapid fire, I got two plates with 5 rounds. Slowing down and feeling that long creepy travel after the hammer stacked, got the rest. Blasted off at that steel torso target with another cylinder and headed back out.

The trip back was a lot easier, I walked in my tracks. I kept thinking that if only I had brought my 36" snow shoes, this would have been a walk in the park.

On a good note, my uncle has been on me to get a wrist monitor for BP so I can check it during excersize. Well I bought one and checked bp on the drive home. It was better than I've seen in ages. I'm running correlation checks with my arm cuff type monitor since the wrist type isn't the most accurate.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

once and then

to be late.

electronic muffs,

jackhammer I call a

those ran out

Price on box

did manage

Slowing down and

only I had

better than

monitor since the

Well, at least you got to shoot, and a workout to boot. Yeah, that's why I left, plus Texas is home.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Pete Keillor

once and then

I'll keep that in mind after I check these mags. Thanks. Seeing the dirt, munge, and even a stick I got out of the mags, and the fact one of the mag followers hung 2 rounds down, it seems reasonable to suspect the mags.

Dad paid $25 each for the PPK and a byf43 P-38 when he was flying out of Duxford in '44-'45. Got them off a gi.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Pete Keillor

Take those things a part and clean them! Then do the same for the firearm.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

Done. That's how I found the stick.

Reply to
Pete Keillor

The PPK has to be the easiest pistol ever made to field strip. Three seconds with eyes closed.

Reply to
Don Foreman

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