We're Here

Reception for cell and wi/fi is extremely spotty...this will be short.

We have arrived at the condo on the Gulf and all is well. Just back from Sweet Wife's birthday dinner.

Here, I hope are a few photos.

Above, a view from our condo. The deck and water.

And, that's it. Can't get the rest to download due to this very weird wi/fi service....

Anyhow, I'll try again tomorrow.

Stephen

Bits & Pieces

Beautiful day here....warm, light winds. Tropical storm dinking around out in the Gulf. As with all things in life if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans. We have a long weekend planned at Cedar Key. We leave tomorrow morning. What the heck, rainy days make for fine reading.

Tomorrow is Sweet Wife's birthday. She'll be twenty-five. (I bet she smiles if she reads this post.) Anyhow, a few days later we celebrate our anniversary. This weekend is my gift to her. She needs a break from her routine. It's been a rough year and her tears have left tracks on her cheeks which will take years erase.

I will post from Cedar Key between nap sessions. It'll be the first trip in many years without our Little Bit. She'll be missed.

******

Last weekend I joined my friends for a day out at our Boar's Nest. Spent some time on the range. The little (and very heavy) Detonics Pocket 9 functioned flawlessly. I'd been told she would have an awful recoil, a hurt your hand kick. Bullhockey. Her weight absorbed and she fired like a dream. I like her. She'll now replace my backup carry piece in my satchel.

I did order a spare magazine for her which are as rare as hen's teeth. Took me a while to find one but finally came across a little shop out in Kalifornia. Place called Gunclip Depot.. The final tally was a wee bit over forty dollars. Hate it when people refer to a magazine as a 'clip.' If you think you're a member of the gun culture and walk around calling a magazine a 'clip,' go buy a pair of clogs and walk a poodle......

I also wrung out my new to me Para P-12 .45. Again, flawless performance and quite accurate. Not a single hiccup.  Well worth the money paid. I love a good gun deal.

Isn't she pretty....

*****

A few days ago my good friend, Duke, came by the shop and gave me a gift of a bag of his fresh homegrown tomatoes. Most of the bag held yellow tomatoes. Sweet, with a sharp fresh acid taste....remember the tomatoes your grandparents grew in their backyards...yeah, that kind. I took the yellow tomatoes and made a big salad last evening. So good. Thanks, Bubba.

I still have a few left over and hope to pack them down to Cedar Key. They're too good to waste and I'm the kind of fella that enjoys a good tomato with nothing more than a shaker of salt.

*****

Business is slow this morning. Excuse me while I jerk another cup of coffee.

*****

I took a walk this morning. Must have been around three. I have many sleepless nights of late. Anyhow, I eased down to the river and walked out to the edge of my neighbors dock and listened to the crickets and a school of mullet flip and flop from the water. I stood there, hands in pockets, for close to twenty minutes then slowly walked back and took a seat on our front porch and listened to an old owl sing a haunted song until the light of dawn.

When you hear of people speak of lonely it's not easy to relate. I believe I understand, now. Sometimes lonely hasn't a cure. It can become a permanent part of ones life. As of yesterday I'm sure my loneliness became fixed, branded on my soul.

Within the next few weeks I shall make a decision. Is life worth living without a heart....or should I simply thank God for what I have and toughen my soul with the loss and plug forward empty of happiness.

I'm weary.

P.S., Sweet Wife will be 'over' fifty tomorrow. The twenty-five was a joke....

Stephen

Thanks & Welcome

To my new friend and follower, Beth of Red Barn Farm. Beth, I promise to always answer your comments, and if I miss one, let me know and I'll correct my oversight.

Please, if you haven't as yet made a visit to Beth's farm, ride on over and say hello. I'm sure she'd enjoy your company.

Again, thanks and welcome. You are now among friends.

Stephen

The Waitress

She was tall, this waitress. We'd walked into the cafe and took a small table near the back. She walked over said, "Hello." Nice enough. I guessed her age at 30, kinda cute.

It took Sweet Wife all of ten minutes to decide on her selection. Me, six seconds. I wanted the seafood platter, a lot for one. The cafe was cool, felt good.

The tall waitress returned. Asked, "Where's Little Bit."

Here's the thing. We didn't know the tall waitress, never seen her before in our lives. We've patronized the cafe on many occasions, and yes, with Little Bit a few times, but we'd never revealed our names.

I was shocked. Sweet Wife gave me the look. I knew I was in trouble.

I glanced up and asked, "Do you know us?"

"No."

Then, "You asked about Little Bit."

"Yes," she said, "Just wanted to say hello to her. She's such a beautiful little girl. Seems sweet."  Sweet Wife had a very tight smile on her face. I felt like I'd been punched with a rock.

The waitress walked away with our orders. I looked at Sweet Wife, asked, "What the heck just happened?" She said, "I don't know but I bet she reads your blog."

Me, all defensive, "I've never met this woman in my life, I swear."

Her, "Sure, I bet you haven't. Then how did she'd know we're Little Bit's grandparents?"

Good question. The tall waitress returned. Smiled and said, "Stephen, Sweet Wife, what would you both like a drink?"

Okay, now I'd had enough. I said, "Excuse me, but have we been introduced in the past?"

"Oh, no, but I know you. I've read your blog for about six months now and I just love the way you write and I just love Little Bit, and I just love how you write with passion, and I'm learning so much from you. You read a lot of books don't 'ya."

All red faced, I am....from under the table Sweet Wife has kicked me at least three times. I sputtered, "Thank you. That's very kind of you. But please, how did you recognize us?"

I'm willing to bet not two people outside my family and friends are aware I write a blog. She continued, "From Susan, the weekend waitress, you know, the blonde with the curly hair. She reads your blog too and she recognized Little Bit from the picture on your blog. She pointed you out to me. She's the one that told me about your blog and said she just loves Little Bit too."

Sweet Wife is pissed....trust me, I can tell when she's mad. She puts on one of her looks and I know my goose is cooked.

I drop the subject and the tall waitress walks away. When our food arrives we eat in silence. I leave a generous tip and afterwards we walk, in silence, back to our car. We drive home, in silence. We park in our garage and inside our home Sweet Wife turns to me and said, "Take her picture off the blog," she punches me in the chest with her finger, "do it now."

I said, "I'll think about it."

Stephen

One Brave Man

Want to see the face of agony? Then watch....

Praise the Lord and pass the cream.

H/T to Jim, at My Terlingua

Stephen

Thanks & Welcome

To my two new friends, LB of http://bulletsandbiscuits.blogspot.com/ and tyler north of http://americansfor2ndamendment.blogspot.com/. Guys, I promise to always answer your comments.

To my other friends, please take a moment and run over and say hello to these nice folks.

I'm sorry it's taken me so very long to say thanks and welcome, but my life has been complicated of late. I do very much appreciate you hitting that little blue button.

Again, thank you and welcome. You are now among friends.

Stephen

I Promise

Tomorrow I shall post....promise. At present, I'm too darn tired. It's been a long hard weekend.

Stephen