Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is bearing down. I found this drawing in stylish green ink by none other than Buggy in the late 80's. As seen, he titled it "Cuckoo Turkey Bird" (with an underscoring of STUD PUPPIES/ MEAT AND DOUGHNUTS/YUM-YUM). I know this 'blog has suddenly become all things Buggy, but I ain't lying when I say that it just happens in the wild. He's got a deal happening (obviously). One might be starting to think that I got some kinda thing for Buggy and maybe I should come clean with it, but truly ... it happens right here in the wild. We were looking through Kitty's High School art portfolio today and I said, "Should I go get my High School art portfolio, too?" So, I did. But the first thing I found was a sketch tablet that had become (at some point) a community sketch tablet. Suddenly I saw the Buggy contribution. There's no way that he remembers it. I like it. A lot. Stud Puppies? Meat and doughnuts? You decide ...

My Beloved Buggy (circa 1988)

Well, "MAN CAMP" became:

"Bob gets smoked in the shoulder by a 70 lb, 6 foot long, treated, 4X6 timber pummeling down upon him like a battering ram launched by his understudy Brent". It was bad, but he'll be okay. I don't feel too bad, but 6" to the left and I may have taken out my poor Bob's head ..... lesson 102 in how dangerous construction can be if you stop caring simply because of an animosity towards things that frickin' weigh a lot .... things that make you angry (namely 70 lb. pieces of lumber that must be moved). I will report on how my Best Man feels tomorrow. It was a huge blow -- probably the biggest non-love-oriented blow I have given to a loved-one in my life. "Do not turn your back to Brent when he has a large timber in hand that he's at odds with and wishes to throw it into the hole" ... but there he was, right in the crosshairs. Our Buggy ... taking one for the team.

Puzzle Piece #1

Note: the ancient keyboard. Note: the comely sign. Note: The Reverend before he had actual papers. Now, wait for it. (clue: funerals & give-aways .... bonus point: 10/16 is the Scout birthday day ?!?)

Skiddin' in the Hole

Well, there are days.... and then, there are days. This was not a good day. But there was good news. No one got hurt, the skidloader wasn't damaged, the crane hired to pull it out was relatively cheap and, most importantly, the freshly poured concrete basement wall didn't cave in. Post crane hoist, I drove over to the Edgewater to meet the dudes for some plates of roast beef & mashed potatoes and a few cocktails to calm the nerves. Deer hunters were filing in while we ate, giving our table the nod and loading up at the bar with a few stories to tell in brief. For me, it was a night of sitting in a forest of big guys with big hearts and bigger plans.

Foot Smokin'

This is a photograph that came in last week which took place in the wee hours of the wedding bash when the die-hards were still gathered around the bonfire. I had heard rumors about this moment, but this is the photo proof positive that the Rev, in lieu of having his feet anointed with oil post nuptials (as Jeebus would have), instead smoked a cig from the foot of the only female groomsman on the altar. Selah!

Buggy & John: Chief Counselors at "Man Camp"

I got this "postcard" from Brent late last night, sent via a newsgroup.....

While you were all going over the mayoral races, I was shooting holes in a 50 gallon drum with my Springfield WWI rifle and also putting a hole in the middle of a Copenhagen snuff can at 60 yards with a 12-gauge (the hunter- dudes were impressed). Then I toured the Ahlman's gun shop in Morristown (currently displaying 3,000 guns!). The highlight of that tour had to be the greasy early-thirties type dude with a Renaissance Festival t-shirt on holding forth on WWII Japanese sniper rifles (how he took his to the range and found it to be deadly accurate, adding: "Now I know what our Marines were going through"). Then, I went to WallMart where my buddy Bob bought a camouflauge backpack and a bucksnort. Oh, and I also had lunch at Arby's. Wow, what a day ... hunting season in Cannon Falls!

I also hear that he's continuing work on the Rapture Accelerator and has the basement poured on a 20x40 house addition he's building with these guys somewhere in the Sogun Valley. This is all the news I have for now from Navigator who is spending these fall months in "Man Camp". Sounds like he's having fun!