Wikipedia translation: "One must not be ground down by the bastards" or "Don't let the bastards grind you down". But lil Mutt translation: "Don't let the events of today lower your attitude toward life, for there are better days to come".

The first date with Linda by ourselves. Boy, that girl could smouch! And she still can if I can catch her.

Our prayers for you and Cassie!

Ah, I had to back off on pizza. It drives my blood sugar too high, just too many carbs. I like about all pizzas as long as there's no anchovies. And, super thin crust now. Bah! Don't get old!

Wow! Chuckay, I don't have any other Daisy products except the three .22 lrs. But a double barrel daisy interests me. I have to do a little research. What's the story behind you getting it? It looks great, too.

I think I can answer that, Plum. First, they do not have the faith to tell us why they fell the way they do. And secondly our faith anchors us to the word of God so that we can be strong in that word and in that belief.

Chuckay, I have a pretty nice 39A. The prices are whirl winding up. I got into mine in a trading deal with a guy who wanted my Kay banjo more than I did. He gave me a 39A ad a hundred bucks, so I let him have my banjo. I didn't didn't play it very well anyway. I stocked up on ammo before Covid and now I sell a little now and then. I've probably have 12/15 thousand rounds of .22LR. Linda and I would shoot about 500+ rounds a week and we were shooting 9mm, but it went crazy during Covid and we switched to .22s. And we've slow our trips to the range down to about once a month.

Mr. Samples, you mentioned the words "sure shot" and it wrung a bell. In about 1920, a company in Toronto, Canada, named Cooey Machine and Arms built a little .22 bolt action single shot. I found one reference that they made and sold a .22 rifle to Sears and Roebuck and they called it their "Sure Shot". But, I can not find an image or description of it. I don't know if there was lettering on the gun or if it was a slogan. But, this could have been the gun that was found in the abandoned house. Sorry I couldn't find any more info for you. I'll continue to dig as time allows. Yes I do have some stories about collecting, like the one I shared with Cuckay. How ever I think I need to go back to the beginning. So I'll share with you my first "hunting" adventure next week that went way SOUTH.

Oh, Mr. Samples, my heart sank when you said the little .22 went down the well. If I have a fetish, it is for old .22 rifles and old .410 side by side shotguns. I own more than a hand full. The rifle you described was most likely a "falling block" or a "rolling block" rifle. Both are similar. Production of these type rifles started in the 1880's and is continued today with reproductions. Many were Stevens Favorites, Savage model 74, Hopkins & Allen model 922 and Remington model 4. These are very collectable today. And, yes, Barnacles, the old Quakenbush is also very collectable. I don't own one yet. They are quite expensive. I'm online almost every day looking at auctions across the country. I'll find the right one someday. Did you know that Daisy also made a .22 lr for a while ? I have all three models that were made, a single shot bolt action, a five shot clip bolt action and a semi-auto.

Bruce, our hearts open up for you and a prayer is whispered. I have to be the luckiest man in the world. Linda and I are working on our 60th year and it is still a great adventure.

So sorry, Above. But, Lucky was lucky. He was where he wanted to be. I only hope I can claim as much some day. We only have one cat, a barn cat named Spot. Yeah you're right, he has one big spot. He's not a big cat and his color is orange with the big white spot on his side. We have an agreement. We stay out of each others way. We'll pass each other in the feed room or I'll see him laying in the hay room or when I feed the chicken and duck, he'll walk by. Ever night he comes to the garage and meows for Linda to feeds him. The only problem is that he digs in my garden and craps in the hole. Some times I think if I catch him, I'll kick the crap outa him, but, I probably won't. Especially when I find a half eaten rat on the porch or in the garage. However, now that you have an opening, if I can catch Spot, the freight from here to San Fran ain't too high. Expect him in a few days.

Kandy, we've had a couple of heelers, Einstien and Vitchy. Both great dogs. Unfortunately traffic took them both. Then we went to Jack Russell terriers. After we moved to Decatur in 2013 and bought the farm we went back to the herding dogs and got Cowboy and Kimmie Kae. Herding dogs are great, except, like the Jack Russell, they have a lots of energy. So, you need a way and the room to channel it off. But, they are great choice for a companions.

Oh, Grizz, Chylo is a charmer! That blue eye really locks on, doesn't it. Cowboy has half a blue eye and Kimmie Kae has a blue spot in one of her eyes. Chylo, being a Schnauzer reminds me of my brother-in-law and his wife. They had one and she got the idea that the hair around his eyes was bothering him. She decided to remove it. She first thought about cutting it back with scissors, but then decided the sharp ends might poke him in the eye and blind him. Then she decided to use hair remover. She went to the drug store and asked the pharmacist for advise on the best type of hair remover. He walked her over to the hair care products and showed her the different hair removers. He advised that Neat or Nair would be good. He then told her that if she use these on her armpits, she should not wear a tight sweater for a few days. She replied that it wasn't for her armpits. He then said if she used it on her legs that she should not wear stocking for a few days. She then told him it was not for her legs, but it was for her Schnauzer. He then told that she should ride her Honda for at least a week.

What a great pair on top. That bull is super, straight back, heavy neck and he's long. In the last few years Dad had the farm, we change from White Face to Santa Gertrudis. But Dad passed in '97. My brother and I tried to keep the farm going, but, with our work, we sold it in '99 and moved Mom into a smaller house a couple of miles between us. She lived until 2013. I noticed the five strand wire fence behind the pair, it looks tight enough to play Yankee Doodle on. Reminds me of the time Dad and I were building a cross fence on the farm. It was only about a 150 yards long and we had set cedar post and had strung the first wire. We were stretching the second strand. I was on a 8n Ford tractor, had the wire to the end and was suppose to pull it tight as Dad stapled the wire. I should have set the brake, but, no, I was holding tension with the clutch. My foot slipped off the, the tractor jumped forward and the wire broke. Made a hell of a noise as it was recoiling back toward Dad. Of course he heard it coming and stood straight up and froze. It wrapped him pretty good. It took about ten minutes to cut out with the fence pliers. We got in his 50' Chevy pickup and drove to the house. Mom called old Doctor Wiss and I drove Dad to the office and met the doctor. By the time we got there, it had been a half hour and Dad was bloody from the waist down. He went in and he told me to clean up the pickup where he was sitting. I took newspaper and wiped it as clean as I could then went in. Doc Wiss had Dad stripped down laying on a table. He must have had at least 40 deep scratches from his waist down. Luckily there was only a couple of places he need stitches. His jeans were ripped and his drawers were bloody, so the doctor gave him a white gown to wear home. But, what really made him mad was that we lost a 100 yard of wire. This really hurt me because at twelve he wouldn't let me drive the tractor for a while.

Coyotes have always been fair game. I shot hundreds. Wild hogs are now a problem here. I've never thought of buzzard as a problem though, Chuckey. I know you can't shot them. How do you handle it? Take the calf and it momma under some type of cover? And pythons? Sixteen feet? We a diamond-back rattler now and then and a four/five footer is something to talk about. I've only seen three or four six footers in my life. By the way, NICE looking calves! Was that one a Charlet and did I see a Gert baby? We now raise Zebus after a long bout with Boer goats.

Saw, they're looking at me. Linda took the picture The attention was because there was a treat involved. But, it is amazing how much they pick up. Every morning we'll feed the cattle about 6:00. If I'm late, they'll let me know. Then we come in and after breakfast I ask if they want to go feed the chickens and ducks. What a howl because they are so excited. But, the most exciting thing for them is to go riding in the pickup. They ride on the back seat with the window partially down. What a ruckus. One of them is with me all day. When night comes, they're spread on the floor all over the bedroom. They're my pals.

Above, hold your chin up. If this is the first time, you're lucky. If not you know what it's like. Losing my parents was worse. I've never lost a child, but I can imagine what that would be like. I've had to put down several dogs and for an old man who is supposed to tough, I ain't! Linda and I both cried. Illegitimi non carborundum