It's a "from the bench" post but apparently certain people only hit the blog if the correct labels are in place (cough, cough, Tam). Need some help here. How do I take care of this:
There are some markings on it!
Sharps? Or Sharpe?
So the deal is how do I take care of it, can I fire it, and if I can how! This weapon has not been touched for over 40 years for maintenance, but would love to take care of it and fire it if someone knows what to load it with! And as a bonus I have no knowledge of this type of firearm! Any help for the history, care, and firing would be appreciated!
I have lugged this thing around to many gun shows for many years, but no one wants to tell me anything about it other than "how much for it".
One of the local TV stations will not show a 30 second PSA of this video as "it's too graphic". Excuse me WSOC, or We Scare Our City with "it bleeds it leads" local news? I do have to say that this technically is one of the best special effects efforts I have ever witnessed, especially for a public service announcement. The crash is truly horrific.
Quick demonstration of the special effects is here, but they really chose the background music badly. Best to leave it off in my opinion.
Last week we had a shooting here at a convenience store. "Police said Robert Christopher Young, 23, was shot and killed late Thursday after exchanging gunfire with the clerks in the store off U.S. 74."
Today, the District Attorney releaced this statement:
“The honest, hard-working families that operate small businesses must be free from the fear of being robbed," Snyder said in a statement. "Those that choose to rob should be filled with fear that they will suffer the same fate as the deceased. In Union County, we have a no-return policy on armed robbery."
No charges will be brought against the two armed clerks. He also instructed the Chief of Police to return the clerks handguns. Nice touch! You will get my vote again!
I leave Independence VA. I want to take VA-94 to Fries VA. This route is also called the "old way" and the "high water bridge" way to get to Fries from Galax. But I see "ROAD CLOSED" signs for 94. I do not know why this occurred, but must go back to Galax to take the "new way" into the town. I do not know why the distinctions were made, both routes have always been there as long as I remember.
Click on any picture to enlarge!
But the high water route is special to me. Here is a Google overhead of this old steel girder bridge over the New River:
Here is a more intimate shot!
And yes taken from the passenger side of the ostentatious ride! I cherish the picture more now because I know that this bridge I will never cross again. An overloaded tractor trailer damaged it. It will be replaced with a pristine sterile bridge I am sure.
So after a really big lunch at my Aunt's house I and many others head to the family house:
One of my cousins is a professional photographer and wanted to get pictures of my Grandparents children in the house that is currently undergoing restoration.
First is a recreation of this photo taken some time ago:
Here is the current version:
I have lost an Uncle and two Aunt's in the time frame between these photos. And in case you are wondering the couch is the same and many Naugas gave their hides for this couch! I slept on it many times.
So for now the house is alive once again with footsteps, voices, and laughter. Stories told of times past and life lived here in this place. I have the same stories for this place but one generation removed.
Then we head upstairs:
Once again, since 1968 off and on there is a Mustang parked here:
Upstairs below where I took the shot of the Mustang we find this:
I am told that this was my equivalent of a car seat back in the day. It was passed down to at least one Aunt for her child.
The house had some great features, it had integral directory assistance:
I have volunteered to take care of the phone. Northern Telecom and should still work.
In a previous post on Fathers Day I posted a picture of the back yard. Here is what it looks like now:
As quickly as everyone converged and brought the house to life again, they leave. The house is silent once again. The house is still in the family however and I am reminded of a post from someone else that said: "And still the sun will set on us all...one day...best that we ensure our own shadow is cast upon ground that pleases us best. While we can." How true. I will defend this place and although it is not mine, I feel that it is. I grew up here. Learned many things about self reliance and will of the human spirit. Learned to shoot a shotgun here, fish, and if you see a snake in the garden, shoot it!
Time to go:
This is very sterile driving.
So after retuning home, a toast to the people I carried to their graves and the thanks for what they taught me.
I have made it to the top of the mountain. Sorry, no pictures from the ride up the mountain, I was busy! As I chose to push it once again Goodyear Eagle GT+II's vocally give me warning that if I continue to ask of them what I am, immutable laws of physics will come into play shortly! There are no job deadlines, mortgages, or other such things that burden all of us during this exercise. It all bleeds away as it is all about you, the machine, that moment in time, and the road ahead. It commands your full attention just like shooting. And for a brief moment I am alive again in the moment. And young! Virginia awaits:
Before I go to my Aunt's house, I choose a detour to Independence, VA. I want to see the place where my grandparents are interred. Here is a picture of my Grandfather. Adults called him Ace, the grandkids called him Paw-Paw. He is on the right in this picture:
I do not know the gentleman on the left, but perhaps a family member will know after seeing this post.
Now the matriarch of the family.
This is the front porch of the house. Notice that with kids running around, no one went to Wal-Mart to pick up the plastic expandable gate. They built something. This woman was always loaded with Dental Rose snuff in the lip and said every time you visited that she had nothing cooked, but always seemed to whip out pintos, corn bread, slaw, sausage, and the best homemade biscuits EVER! She would even whip out deer and traditional sausage. She was called "Granny" by the grandkids and "Minnie" by the adults.
Many life events took place here. Here are one of my Uncle and Aunt's on the same front yard:
My parents were married here:
Pop is on the right!
But back to the here and now. I visit the graveside in Independence:
Decoration Day is on Father's Day here, but it looks like my Aunts have already taken care of this task. Friends from nearby Sparta, NC will be here tomorrow as well and make any adjustments if needed for this day.
The view from the site is extremely serene and peaceful. If I choose to be traditionally interred I can only hope to be somewhere as beautiful as this:
I am now late for the reunion and although sometimes losing cell phone service is a wonderful thing and as you can imagine cell phone coverage is dicey at best here. I need to get going. Although I just turned 48, my parents will be parents after all and become concerned shortly.
I head back out after leaving a 20 dollar donation for the Cemetery upkeep. A WWII veteran and his two sons are attending the grave of the wife and mother to them as I leave. I thank him for his service and after I explain why I am there all is well between all of us. We are all paying respects.
Now to Fries. The chariot awaits:
The Magnum Opus continues! I feel this warrants a part three!
