RANDOM ROCKTOBER RUMINATIONS

The past two months have been absolutely crazy. I've made many attempts at writing here going back to late August, and part way through writer's block or just plain dissatisfaction sets in and I save it to a draft file.

I do have a lot to say about a lot of things political, and I'm going to leave those alone right now, and maybe forever. Who knows. All politics is local, pretty much, and I've adopted a wait and see attitude on this situation I'm alluding to.

More importantly, we'll be doing some shooting in a variety of settings over the next few weeks. El Fisho Jr. and I were starved of much outdoor shooting this summer due to the stifling temperatures and string of record-breaking 100+ degree days in my part of the Heart of Texas.

We've gotten a bit of rain lately, and my very localized area has had no real water issues during the drought, owing to a lot of man-made factors that do a little rerouting of nature. Still, my Bermuda grass is coming back well and the San Augustine has shown signs of life outside the shaded areas where it survived the summer. Despite watering and all sorts of hired gardening and lawn help, the part of the yard hit by the direct sun  for most of the day just gave up the ghost about mid-August.

Our rose gardens made it and are doing pretty well, but thanks only to some shade and lots of drip watering.

One day soon we'll be in a locale and residential setup where we'll have gardens and crops and no yard to speak of. Not self-sufficient by any means but certainly able to move in that direction over time.   

Getting back to the lack of shooting we were able to do this summer, I mean, stuff was and really still is so tinder dry that the flame discharge from a firearm could easily ignite a serious fast spreading fire. As we had in our area just a few short weeks ago.

Indoor range shooting is always a mixed bag. There are certain ranges in Houston and College Station that are well-ventilated. Being well-ventilated is the key not only healthwise but as far as having as much as a level of comfort as one can in a shooting gallery with loud hand cannons blasting away.

Still, a well designed HVAC system that not only keeps it cool but keeps the air filtered is always the mark of a great range.

We'll be shooting at a competition next weekend, an informal qualification  in some sort of combat handgun competition. I'll be shooting a stock out of the box Glock Model 19 with the only modification being a Pachmayr slip on grip. I'll be shooting cheap ammo too, yet I think I'll do well.

My buddy who is one of the organizers says they're big on Sigs in this group and not so big on Glocks. Pity.

Then it'll be off to a friend's HUGE family farm about 100 miles or so west of Houston. Rolling hills. Water. Several homes and cabins. Several places set up to shoot shotguns and rifles and pistols. Without any pressure from time constraints or someone wanting our stall or shooting position at the long distance rifle range.

That's what I miss about not having our own place, as it's been for a few years now, but that will soon change.