Well, I was sitting here, reading thru the newest airgun posts ... when I realized that there weren't any! Golly. Probably part of the reason I had to watch Swamp Loggers during the worst of the agony marathon.

I can now report some turn for improvement. Thank God, Kent, and Kelly. This has been the most rough one in about six or more years. Just a flare up from over use. Much of it doing the crab walk pulling sanding belts on the sanding lathe - pushed me over the edge.

Since I could technically perform something like walking, today ... I drove the block to our Post Office to see what the "package too big for box" was on the little yellow card we'd recieved. On the way in, my 89 year old neighbor swung past me in his Buick ... leaped out of the car, and beat me to the post office door. He looked at me in a quizzical way, and said "How are you?". I just muttered that the back had flared up. He seemed astonished ... and said ... "You STILL have back trouble?" Yeah ... I just like it. Can't get enough actually, it seems.

Got home to check mail, and find ... you got it.... e-mail from the Estate's Attorney. Wasn't a happy gram. I think the economy is my fault .... or something like that.

So; I'm gonna survive another round. Yeah ... it's debatable ... but I'm mostly pleased.



Gary

Gotta love that "still?" Apparently, if you've never had a back problem, they are like colds....

Yeah - that's right Jerry. Just run it off. Nice brisk five miles should set it right. Probably just a "couch kink" or something anyway. "Still" ... a comment like that sticks with ya too.

Thanks for your mail Bud.

Gary

Good for you GB. Hope you keep getting better and better.

Thanks Faz,

Guess I'm your counter-part .... Toslofou ..... hahahah

Gary

Glad things are improving for you. You'll have to ask the neighbor for another race when the meds kick in.

Yeah - he's just a smart kid in the neighborhood. haha.

Must be a decent place to get old. Many have done it.

Kelly and I were driving out the alley a long time back. Kelly said ... "Ohhh ... that old lady fell!!" We scrambled up the alley, parked, hurried out of the car. By then, the woman had bounced back onto her feet. Was sort of laughing at herself. Had her broom with her. She'd been sweeping off the sidewalk, dropped her ankle over the edge, and got over balanced. She started fussing that she couldn't get her daughter to sweep, so she had to. But then, the daughter had been ill, and was something like 83 I think.

Yeah ... we asked. She'd just turned 100. Said her husband had died in ... 1944 or something like that. I think she lived to at least 106 IIRC. There's quite a few around. Yeah - their granddaughters are Cougars. hahahha. Can't get the kids to sweep though! hahah.

Gary

OMG! You mean if I live to be 100, I still won't be able to get the kids to clean up? Well, that explains Hemingway...

"Caught on Camera!"

At least there's a smile there!

Yeah - I'm thinking this would make a great Tee Shirt. hahah. Just need the proper slogan ...





This should be good. Any suggestions?

Well - you guys are no fun at all! What .... 10 or 11 hours later ... and nothing?

I was waiting for the:

"Living Fossil"

"Endangered Species"

"Back" into the future ...

"You should have seen me then ..."

" ... in the fast lane!"

Common ... those took a minute ... Gee Whiz ....

OK ... heck ... I'm getting better now. I won't require entertaining very soon ....

"Here's lookin' at YOU kid!"

OK ... I'll stop.

Gary

Good to hear you're on the improve Gary.

A caption? Hmmm, what about :"Limbering up for some 'Barnes-storming' "?

Cheers

Neil

There ya go Neil! It's a winner.



Hope you and your family are well. Always good to hear from ya.

Gary

Hi Gary:

For some reason this pic reminds me of the little yodeler in one of the games on "The Price Is Right" who would climb up the steep incline on a motorized track, only to plunge inevitably off the precipice . . .

-- Jim

Hi Jim,

That was me. I was so good at clawing my way up, only to tumble off the other side, that they hired me. When I got older, I lost that gig. Creeps. I had to start making airguns.

Gary

"Barnes storming" I like that!

So is the recovery progressing? I guess there's really no recovery from back problems just intermissions. Here's to a speedy intermission!

Hi Jerry,

Thanks.

I was just driven back from the shop, by common sense and Kelly. I'd gone out for an hour Wed., I guess. To check on a crate I got in with a gun in it. Then, yesterday, I actually spent a half an hour repairing my cane. Yes ... I'd made one in 08, with a bamboo shaft. It had split, with seasoning, and released the head of the cane. I decided to use another shaft, from my "interesting sticks" collection. I sprayed a bit-O-finish on the stick, preparing to glue on said head of cane as today's big outing.

Estate's realtor never arrived for the 11am appt. (Funeral complications ... probably my fault) ... we reschedule. I made my way out ... glued on said cane head ... and now have a functional Barnes Cane once again. I know, I know ... you should be so lucky too. Anyway ... that was it for now. I can't allow any going backwards. I beat it back here for another ice pack.

My plan is to sit and carve, for days - as my first time really back. I sincerely hope that works out. Of course, my wife's B-Day is tomorrow ... and no gift, as I've been a wreck for over a week now. Lovely. Maybe I can wrap my cane for her. And then borrow it - like Kent does his Kellie's Victory carbine ...

Not dead yet ...

Gary

Seems that whenever I injure myself badly,it's always baby steps back to relative normalcy. Hope you continue to improve. Have you ever thought of co-piloting Kelly's airgun making skills into reality )

Hi Mike,

Yeah ... I'm counting on my grandsons Nathan, Chance, and Bryce. They're about 3. I'm hanging in there til they get up and running. ;?)

Baby steps. You're right. Got an appt. next Monday for my pain Doc up here. Kent's been very helpful with logic and proceedure suggestions. It's five of 12 now. The morning has been a write off. I could now (and only just now) tolerate the shop for an hour maybe. And ... oh joy ... the Estate's Realtor has a 2 pm appt. You can be sure that any small window of opportunity will be absorbed by some crap you have to deal with.

Oh ... did I say that out loug?

Gary

That's alright, your realtor probably doesn't check-in here much.