(no subject)
Foods & Feasts was a blast, as always. Had a bit of a cold, going in, but nothing like what kept me home last year.
Thursday: Got the car mostly loaded, then dashed out to Silver Diner for a slightly unconventional "dinner", in that they had their brunch menu out. Stoked up. Got home. Finished packing-and-loading. Assisted in medicating the furball. Hit the road.
I have now had an utterly new experience on I-95. On 95, 295, and I-64, there were ZERO traffic jams. Traveling between 1530 and 1700 on Thanksgiving, I should try it again. Got to the hotel, switched the reservation to my name & reward card, checked in, and cyber-potatoed.
Friday: Got to the Fort at 0830, brought in weapons, bandoleer, and haversack. Asked about med chest. The supervisor said I was on military Friday, and medical Saturday. Our other surgeon, Mike, was on med that day. Assisted him with setting up, then off to the Court de Garde for a day of fun and shooty goodness. We managed to do a few fire-by-ranks, including a couple times where we did 3 shots with two people. The trick is to call the commands for the second-rank shooter slowly enough that I've got 15-16 seconds to reload. Lunch was what Fred referred to as "twice-neglected pottage", a beef-turnip-etcetera stew that'd been hanging in the fireplace a couple of days. Meant we didn't have to go foraging.
Had one moment where I showed my true colors a bit. Had finished a demo, and a visitor said something about "if people only had those, Ft Hood wouldn't have happened". I said that it happened because there was one guy with a gun, in a gun-free zone.
"But, he had an automatic machine pistol."
"Nope. The FN FiveSeveN is a pistol, period. It holds a lot of rounds because it shoots really dinky bullets."
"What? But, it's called the 'Cop-Killer' on the street."
"That's media BS."
Was told later that I shouldn't have interjected opinion (the last statement) into the conversation. Mulling it over, I came up with a factual response to use the next time it comes up:
"Well, there's no documented instance of a FiveseveN killing a cop in this country. That includes the cop who was shot with one at Ft Hood."
After the Fort closed, a number of us went to a new multi-Asian buffet cum Mongolian grill, Wasabi. I have to introduce A. to this place. It has a Sushi buffet, usual Asian buffet line, and Mongolian grill. While waiting for my Mongolian, I was contemplating the soup area. Thought to myself, "Would topping with kimchi, be gilding the lily?". Nah. Went ahead and did it.
Saturday: Got in bright and early, and set up my den of scariness in the Governor's house. Explained a dozen or so times over the course of the day, that this was a temporary one, and the near end of the new row-house would be the Guv'nor's when it was finished. Meanwhile, had a wondrous good time talking about the Virginia Company's health-care plan, such as it was. I need to snag myself a bone-chisel and a terebellum, somewhere along the line. That way I won't have to borrow the Fort's to talk about the items from Woodall's goodie-chest that have been dug up on the Island. Late in the afternoon, had the goofiest photo-op request ever from a family of visitors. They had a friend with them who was an MD. Wanted a shot with him bent over, head on the table. The good doctor was standing over him, about to drill his head with the trepan. That was pretty odd, but then they asked me to stand behind the patient, brandishing the Clyster of Evil. Should've given them my email address so I could get a copy....
Lunchtime, Terry came by to relieve me so I could forage. Had some Pease Concrete, pottage that had set up solid. Also had a slice of pumpkin stuffed with force-meats / onion / garlic / herbs, and a slice of stuffed turnip with the same. Got some odd looks from the visitors, as I snagged my incision-knife from the table to cut the turnip...
Dinner was going to be at a resurrected Sal's Italian Restaurant. Since they were jammed to the point were all nearby parking was full, we adjourned for a second evening to Wasabi. Throw me in that briar patch. I just hit the spots in the buffet that I'd missed on Friday.
Today: Grab a munch, and hit the road. Have to pick up some items from the CW gift shop, and stock up on some other 18th C goodies. Will probably stop at Gander Mountain on the way home. Given the time, will call A. and have her email me the grocery list...
Thursday: Got the car mostly loaded, then dashed out to Silver Diner for a slightly unconventional "dinner", in that they had their brunch menu out. Stoked up. Got home. Finished packing-and-loading. Assisted in medicating the furball. Hit the road.
I have now had an utterly new experience on I-95. On 95, 295, and I-64, there were ZERO traffic jams. Traveling between 1530 and 1700 on Thanksgiving, I should try it again. Got to the hotel, switched the reservation to my name & reward card, checked in, and cyber-potatoed.
Friday: Got to the Fort at 0830, brought in weapons, bandoleer, and haversack. Asked about med chest. The supervisor said I was on military Friday, and medical Saturday. Our other surgeon, Mike, was on med that day. Assisted him with setting up, then off to the Court de Garde for a day of fun and shooty goodness. We managed to do a few fire-by-ranks, including a couple times where we did 3 shots with two people. The trick is to call the commands for the second-rank shooter slowly enough that I've got 15-16 seconds to reload. Lunch was what Fred referred to as "twice-neglected pottage", a beef-turnip-etcetera stew that'd been hanging in the fireplace a couple of days. Meant we didn't have to go foraging.
Had one moment where I showed my true colors a bit. Had finished a demo, and a visitor said something about "if people only had those, Ft Hood wouldn't have happened". I said that it happened because there was one guy with a gun, in a gun-free zone.
"But, he had an automatic machine pistol."
"Nope. The FN FiveSeveN is a pistol, period. It holds a lot of rounds because it shoots really dinky bullets."
"What? But, it's called the 'Cop-Killer' on the street."
"That's media BS."
Was told later that I shouldn't have interjected opinion (the last statement) into the conversation. Mulling it over, I came up with a factual response to use the next time it comes up:
"Well, there's no documented instance of a FiveseveN killing a cop in this country. That includes the cop who was shot with one at Ft Hood."
After the Fort closed, a number of us went to a new multi-Asian buffet cum Mongolian grill, Wasabi. I have to introduce A. to this place. It has a Sushi buffet, usual Asian buffet line, and Mongolian grill. While waiting for my Mongolian, I was contemplating the soup area. Thought to myself, "Would topping with kimchi, be gilding the lily?". Nah. Went ahead and did it.
Saturday: Got in bright and early, and set up my den of scariness in the Governor's house. Explained a dozen or so times over the course of the day, that this was a temporary one, and the near end of the new row-house would be the Guv'nor's when it was finished. Meanwhile, had a wondrous good time talking about the Virginia Company's health-care plan, such as it was. I need to snag myself a bone-chisel and a terebellum, somewhere along the line. That way I won't have to borrow the Fort's to talk about the items from Woodall's goodie-chest that have been dug up on the Island. Late in the afternoon, had the goofiest photo-op request ever from a family of visitors. They had a friend with them who was an MD. Wanted a shot with him bent over, head on the table. The good doctor was standing over him, about to drill his head with the trepan. That was pretty odd, but then they asked me to stand behind the patient, brandishing the Clyster of Evil. Should've given them my email address so I could get a copy....
Lunchtime, Terry came by to relieve me so I could forage. Had some Pease Concrete, pottage that had set up solid. Also had a slice of pumpkin stuffed with force-meats / onion / garlic / herbs, and a slice of stuffed turnip with the same. Got some odd looks from the visitors, as I snagged my incision-knife from the table to cut the turnip...
Dinner was going to be at a resurrected Sal's Italian Restaurant. Since they were jammed to the point were all nearby parking was full, we adjourned for a second evening to Wasabi. Throw me in that briar patch. I just hit the spots in the buffet that I'd missed on Friday.
Today: Grab a munch, and hit the road. Have to pick up some items from the CW gift shop, and stock up on some other 18th C goodies. Will probably stop at Gander Mountain on the way home. Given the time, will call A. and have her email me the grocery list...