Good Weather, A Little Time To Spare, Range Night!

 Susan and I fed the dogs early and went to Carmi! Nice breeze, mid-80s, great company, good times!

 

Wednesday Windage: Let's Talk About Wounds

 I have to say up front that I have my prejudices on how to carry, and what type of holster to use for carrying. Kydex that covers the trigger on your semi-auto, striker-fired, no-manually operated safety, pistol is a solid safety system. You still must operate safely when drawing, and reholstering. Reholstering with a semi-auto to me means removing the holster, inserting the firearm, and then reattaching the holster; but never over the appendix for me. Drawing in a hurry, under stress, means that you might make a mistake. Mistakes can wreck you. 

Now, let's listen to a surgeon explain what bullets can do to a body.

Tuesday Torque II: Allis Chalmers 6-12 Duplex, 1920

 Merle keeps finding them, we keep posting them! I have never seen one of these. It is an early articulated 4 wheel drive tractor from 1920, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is a unique relic. I have never seen a picture or heard of these. Tuning the two engines to run with each other is probably a real trick. Many Thanks, Merle!

Tuesday Torque: Melting Babbit Bearings

Pouring new babbit bearings is a skill that engine hobbyists may learn. It comes in handy, even if you have just one bearing to replace. This is a connecting rod bearing on a really big bearing at Youngstown Steel Heritage, being melted out in preparation for a new bearing to be poured.  Huge thanks to Merle for spotting this one!

Final Big Transport!

 Wilbur and Olive went to their respective homes last week in Pacifica and Reno. The van hauling ten rescued Schips went from Central Point, Oregon to Wisconsin, then Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and then to drop off dogs from other customers to New York, then Florida. One dog from the hoard is left to deliver on Monday, by Galveston Bay. Littlefoot, the favorite of the staff at Dogs For Better Lives.

The transport dropped two with us in southern Illinois. We have Vesper and Leo. Vesper was fostered for three months by a trainer in Wisconsin and we will be having her spayed this week.  Leo needs a little finishing, but he is decompressing well since his 40 plus hour trip in the van. Both are beautiful dogs and will make fine pets for someone. 

Vesper

Leo

There are only four dogs left to adopt now, and all are out of Oregon and in the Midwest.  Back To The Old Grind!

Early Fall?

 The last two morning have felt like fall is in the air. We had 59 degrees when we got up Friday, and we had mist on the pond. Today the high was only in the mid 80s. It will go beastly again, no doubt, and I am glad for the relief the crops are getting.

Weekend Steam: Big Boy At St. Louis and Kansas City

 Leaving St. Louis:

Leaving Kansas City:

This Would Be A Blast, But My Firewood Is Too Darn Precious!!

 

Major Milestone For The Hoarded Schipperkes!

                                                 Wilbur

                                                                              Olive

Wilbur and Olive are the final dogs to leave Dogs For Better Lives at Central Point, Oregon. Susan was hoping to have all the dogs placed and moved by the end of July and that has happened! Eight dogs are now in the Midwest, with two going in their respective homes tonight in Wisconsin. The rest are going to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Texas. Wilbur and Olive were picked up by our transporters today, Thursday evening, and are on the road. Wilbur is going to Pacifica, California and Olive is going to Reno, Nevada. The hard part for us is done now, and phone calls will slow down. Spay and neuter reimbursements will be processed for a few more months, and then this project will be over. The good people in Oregon who volunteered made it all possible, and many generous donors made the rehabbing and transports work. Dogs For Better Lives invested countless hours with the dogs and they have come out in great shape. Photos and videos of adopted dogs in their homes are coming in now, and they are a joy.

Pacing Big Boy