Thanks for the day, kid!
A fine Father’s Day out here in the land of Frontier Partisans. I suffered a bit of a disaster yesterday, and needed cheering up — and I got it. Last Friday, The Anvil Blasters hosted a benefit concert at a wonderful venue in Sisters called The Barn on behalf of the Sisters-based nonprofit Warfighter Outfitters, which takes disabled military veterans out on the river for flyfishing and gets them out into the woods for hunting and also leads “engagement missions” on the border and at Yellowstone National Park.
The band was especially sharp and we raised over $3,000 for the nonprofit. Since $150 will put four guys on the water for a day, that cash will do a lot of good.
We were flying high from that gig when Saturday’s gig rolled around. It was outdoors, in sketchy weather. A wind gust caught my guitar in its stand, pitched it over on its face and fractured the neck. It’s a reparable wound, but as you can imagine, that kinda thing will give a feller the blues.
I wasn’t in the best frame of mind this morning, but Ceili wasn’t having it. She got me out to the gravel pit with a truck full of guns — cause there’s no antidote to the blues any more effective than burning powder on Father’s Day with your daughter, right?
She shot my new Springfield XDM 9mm for the first time. She started out dipping the muzzle and dumping her shots, but she corrected and made the chips fly. Then we turned to the long guns and she smacked ’em from near and far, including some snap shooting at which she was uncannily sharp.
I had a pretty hot hand, myself. Then off to the Metolius River for a hike, to be followed by BBQ and Season 2 Episode 11 of Outlander. Still bummed about the guitar, but it’s been a good day.
The TV sets are NOT ours. Sheesh.
Snap shooting.
As you can see, Ceili took care of business. Clay pigeons tremble at the mention of her name.
Happy dad.
Butterflies everywhere on the Metolius.
Marilyn and Ceili get along so well. No teenage mother-daughter drama around here. Which is nice for dad.
Norman Andrews says
Glad to hear you had a good day today, but very sorry to hear about your guitar. It’s been a good Father’s day here in the UK, the Grandsons were here yesterday , and brought “old Pops ” some great gifts, and had a nice gift this morning Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen E. Ambrose, then this afternoon went to a hound show at one of our local hunts, all in all a good weekend.
Norm.
JimC says
Sweet!
cris converse says
a great fathers day! sad guitar day….so sorry. generous, caring people’s guitars should be exempt from wounds.
JimC says
Yeah, sucks, but we adapt and overcome.
Paul McNamee says
Glad you were able to salvage the day, if not the guitar.
Breaker Morant says
Had to work yesterday, but really need to get my 223 sighted in. My firearms crazy 13YO bought me a scope for it. He really needs to be an armorer (or whatever) in the military. Tinkering with firearms is his true love.
Thursday last, he and his 15YO sister shot trap in the Minnesota High School Trap Tourney. 7,000 to 9,000 kids take part. Awesome. It is not really the state tournament, but that is a long story and is a sore spot with some.
Trying to assign him “The Frontiersman” to read. His preferred genre-is “Black Hawk Down/Lone Survivor” type stuff. He is not reading much right now. Damn I-Phone. He has to read something.
JimC says
It’s hard to gt ’em to read books, that’s true. When my “Warriors of the Wild Lands” comes you, you can tell him that the line goes straight from Simon Kenton to Delta.
Matthew says
Any idea when Warriors will be out?
JimC says
I plan to launch the Kickstarter on July 6. Assuming success, I should have the book out in the early fall.
Black Tyrone says
Jim, looks like a fun day! I raised two lovely daughters myself and a son. Children are your wealth and immortality. from my Canadian Irish grandfather. Be well.
ps He had his crew of Micmacs and other Canadian first nation people on the building of the George Washington Bridge 1933. Born in New Brunswick Ca 1888.
Black Tyrone says
Also was an illegal immigrant crossing over at St Paul Minn. Things were different then. Didn’t graduate from 8th grade but ran away accross Canada. He punched{ his words} cattle in 1912 Arizona Terr. Built bridges with Foley Bros Construction Co. out of Montreal Can in Chile SA. During WW2 built ships at Philadelphia Naval yard just too old for military. Yes the O’Shea was a true frontier partisan and not a wanna be. Lastly a Great NY Yankee fan. Died watching a Yankee game! and as legend has it, called to my grandmother for a Ballantine beer before meeting his maker. fond memories.
JimC says
Great story.
Matthew says
Great News. I’ll contribute to the kickstarter.
JimC says
Appreciate.