Smoke on the Water

Shooting for Stogies

Well, Ma Bell finally saw fit to complete the trenching and burying of a new fifty-pair main trunk to the marina from the neighborhood junction box about 400 yards distant.

They got that done late Saturday, but I wasn't here to partake of the renewed connectivity.  Well, actually I did get home late in the afternoon, but after a long day at the range, gunstore and tobacconist, it was time for an early snooze for me.  The zero-dark-thirty wake up alarm to be almost two hours across town for the start was a bit of a shock, too.

Instead, I spent a good chunk o' the day at the West Houston Smoke & Powder Crawl.  It was a pleasure to meet-up with Marcus of On the Patio, and Matt of  Baboon Pirates.  Eugene from the Nation of Riflemen Forums was there too, with his M-1 Garand. No, it wasn't a blogmeet, as most of the "crawlers" were from the old AOL cigar forum.  But that's all right, we may have converted a few of 'em to the cyber'd page.

At least I did come home with more cigars than I went to the event with.  Matt has the story, and I'll update with more photos as I receive 'em.

On the winning score?  Must have been the tee-shirt!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the range to the new job.

Comm Out

Rivrdog here again. The Cap'n is safe, well and in good spirits, but his phone service is Tango Uniform (can I say that on the Quarterdeck?), or, for you land bound, out of service. He can't blog until it's restored, probably sometime tomorrow. Leave messages here in the comments and he will get to all of them soon. Thank you.

Thanks

Along with the huge amount of work its taking to set the New Dawn aright, post Rita, I have another long, long list of duties to perform.

The most important of which is thanking my friend Rivrdog for his true loyalty and friendship, as so ably demonstrated in my absence as Rita chased me hither and yon.

Mariners, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, Coasties......there is a bond which ignores the boundaries of branch, which goes to the core of the brotherhood which is the service of arms.

And it lasts forever, people.  For.  Ever.

I shall ever be indebted to George for his standing in the gap as the New Dawn struggled against the wind on hier lines, and as I struggled against a seemingly endless litany of burdens as Rita swirled her course through the history of our lives.

This is a public thanks, and only one of literally hundreds which I shall reply to by personal e-mail in the days  and weeks to come.  So many comments and letters of support.

To each, I owe my thanks and gratitude.  And a note to say so.  I'll be working diligently to answer each and every one.

To George, I owe the thanks of the readers of  Smoke on the Water.  On behalf of us all, George, Thank you!

I would be deeply honored, if each of you who reads this please visit Rivrdog's blog, and second my notion of thanks on the comments on this post in which Rivrdog wrapped-up his own Rita reports.

Go now please, and do that.

On a lesser note, I have accepted a decent job offer, and shall start in that position this coming Monday.

As promised, the voyage continues.

It's ON!

The West Houston Smoke & Powder Crawl, IX

Rita's passing did not affect the range, the route or the schedule. 

I hope to be there at least for a bit o' pistol shooting in the morning, and the first cigar or two.  Time and (the lack of) money will proscribe my making the entire crawl, but I still look forward to meeting new friends and maybe discovering a new favorite stogie.  Or three.

If you're anywhere near the greater Houston area, you really need to consider making the drive to American Shooting Center on the far West side of town.

9:00 Start - American Shooting Center, 16500 Westheimer, 77082  281)556-8086.
Rifle/pistol at $8 per person, including a target and range officer (Not a
target -- give him cigars if you like).  For shotgunners, they have Skeet or
Trap, Five Stand or Sporting Clays.  The Shoot-out, at a one cigar buy-in, is
slated.

Cigars, gunsmoke, fine food and premium spirits to follow.

Zero Nine Hundred Hours.  I can do that.