Hello & Good Morning!

[Diane Amberg]

So, yesterday we had another storm come rumbling up from the south that brought spooky warm winds and lots of rain. The fall leaves here are just beautiful but are beginning to fall now.
    We took the big leap yesterday and got our H1N1 shots. So far so good. No reaction of any kind. We have lots of flu here with two deaths in two days and and awful lot of very sick kids. The hospital ER waiting rooms are over flowing and AI DuPont Hospital for Children has seen hundreds and had to admit several. The docs and nurses are exhausted. We aren't ready to put up treatment tents just yet, but it may come to that.

[Jo McDonald]

We have SUNSHINE in Bucklin, KS. 

Can you believe, I clicked, poked, fussed, and clicked some more and lo and behold -- I was able to acces my membership from Sherri's log in page. 
Gee Whiz -- I'm proud of myself !

[Mom70x7]

As well you should be!

Congrats! 

[Teresa]

Good Rainy Thursday morning.
I've been back in good old Kansas since Tuesday morning and although we had fun  in Hot California.. I am so glad to be home.
We both shot in a very large competition Cowboy Match in Norco California.. I have only shot Cowboy Action competitively 3 times and each time it was only against about 10-12 people. So it was the first big match I had ever shot in and I was really nervous on many levels. 400 experienced shooters is different than 10.. LOL
Kjell of course has been competing for 15 years so him telling me that I would do fine and to just relax wasn't really helping with my first time jitters.
Cowboy Action shooting is all shot with single action period correct guns. no semi automatic modern guns in this..
This match was 3 days long.. The first day was side matches of speed and times shooting with a shotgun. I use a 1897 pump action Winchester.  Each shell having to be loaded individually each time. I always shoot heavy loads but a friend there told me to try a "ladies load" which is a lighter load and different shell.
First stage 10 shots..10 shells.. In my hurry I pulled a shell out of my belt and dropped it. ( can't pic it up ) so grabbed another one... telling myself mentally to not panic.. to stay calm. So I  dropped it in and fired.. hitting my target but when I pulled back to eject, it hung up .. the crimp was longer than my barrel so I had to manually get my finger in there and dig it out.. ! I tend to panic under timed pressure normally but this time I knew I had 10 of these to do .. and my time was going to suck so I needed to remain calm and work through it.. I did too.  
Finished up .. clean stage ( no misses) but my time was bad cause of the mishap.
I didn't do too bad that day ( changed and went back to my heavy loads with no problems after that)  but no way even close to what everyone else was doing.
Then Friday and  Saturday was the 12 stage match.. Each stage consisting of different scenarios shooting 10 pistol ( 5 rds in each gun) 10 rifle  and anywhere from 2-10 shotgun ..
Had a couple mishaps that were wonderful learning lessons.. totally got over shooting in front of lots of people.. found I could move fast and still hopefully not feel like a dork.. learned to stay calm and work through whatever came up without getting upset and battle rattled... so all in all I considered it a positive learning experience on so many things on many levels and a beginning to many many shoots in the future.,. ..

I had 8 clean stages out of the 12.. but my times were not to my satisfaction. ( are they ever? haha)  
Sunday , they had the awards ceremony and you could have knocked me over with a feather when my name was called out for 2nd place winner in my category of lady 49ers.. !!!
I mean I was shocked!! I never ever thought I would even be in the top 20 let alone 2nd!!  I got a plaque and a belt buckle.. It didn't really even sink in until about 30 minutes later and then you couldn't slap the smile off my face..  
Kjell was 70 over all.. I was 199 overall... cool huh?
So guess who is now ready to fly out anywhere to shoot in competition matches.. ??~~~  

[Cheyenne]

Teresa,
You make Cowboy Action Shooting sound like SOOO much fun...let me know if and when you guys do it semi locally....i'd like to go check it out.

Cheyenne

[larryJ]

Congrats on doing so well!   Had I known you were going to be there, I would have dropped over for a visit and a greet and meet.  Norco is not too far from me.  I have attended rodeos there for a few years in the past. 

Larryj

[Rudy Taylor]

I'm hesitant to get a massage from a girl with gun powder underneath her fingernails.

I'm just sayin ...

[Jo McDonald]

 

You might look for a tree to hide behind, pardner --- you never know what sort of day she is havin'!!

[greatguns]

The spooks and monsters can make their move now as I just finished making the popcorn balls.

[patyrn]

What fun, and the little goblins will love your treats!  Alas, in the larger community we live in, homemade treats are OUT and everything must be wrapped for the safety of kids.

I think every child who ever went to school in Howard, Kansas remembers the warm popcorn balls Hazel Moore and her mother distributed every Halloween out of their kitchen.  I mean, they were fresh out of the syrup and so unbelievably yummy!  She made everyone "sign the book" and I enjoyed going through "the book" with her several years ago and remembering lots of forgotten faces.  

Hazel's niece and husband, Joyce and Al, are in Howard this weekend and will be helping Hazel hand out Cracker Jacks to spooks who stop by Twilight Manor!  Take your little ones by for a treat and a big hug from a great lady!  She would love to see you!  The tradition continues....................