JWH Moonshine's blog: "Random Stuff"

This is something that has been on my mind for well, probably a few years now. As my youngest gets closer and closer to graduating and enlisting, it seems to cross my mind at least once a day. The past 20 years have been dedicated to raising these girls. One is in college studying pediatric oncology, the youngest is going to enlist (branch of service undecided at this time). Come June 2019, she will be off and doing her thing and well....then what?

For many, many years my passion has been animal rescue. Specifically bully breed rescue/rehabilitation and adoption into forever homes. My soft spot is and always will be the loyal and the bold, Rottweiler. 

So my kids are about to go off into new chapters of their lives and my current foster pups will be adopted by then so... I am thinking more and more about starting a new chapter of my own. I have been doing a lot of research and so far, I like what I am seeing. I am considering getting into SAR. Search and Rescue with K9. 

In order to do so, I would have to start looking for a pup fairly soon. I have already started working on the physical requirements which actually won't require much more work. I'm down over 20lbs and keeping at the 120-125 range which is close to ideal for my height (or lack thereof).  I have done the endurance within the time limit, carrying the required weight with increasing elevation. I can meet (or exceed) the other physical requirements (lifting, dragging etc). The only one I haven't worked on yet is water and that looks like it is not going to be fun, doable but not fun. I have my CPR and a few other certifications already. There are still many, many more to go. It is a serious commitment. Not only physically, but a lot of time and money goes into training, prepping etc. Then there is the pup. Ideally I would need to locate one to begin training when my fosters get adopted. Unfortunately, there is no time table on when the perfect home is going to come along for these babies. When timing is everything, it is one thing I don't have....yet. 

Many of you have known me for years. Some for a decade or so (wow...). So, just wondering if you have any insight or suggestions. Of course you can tell me I am completely crazy, but we established that a long time ago! So...whatcha got? 

My friend Bryan is a Yankee...bless his heart. I've known him for years and give him hell like only a good friend can. He is going out of town this weekend for a wedding and asked me to run his truck in the pre-season mud bog. Just a local thing, not a big deal. He's making some changes to the gear ratio, adding a programmer and swapping out tires. His truck "Yank This" has never placed top ten. Something else I give him hell for. How you can have a perfectly good truck 2500 diesel and not place, must be the driver and not the truck kinda hell. Yeah, the shit talk is real! He said if I run her, he will pay the entry fee and we will split the purse if I win. Sounds good, sign me up.

He just called and said there have been some "changes". Changes? What changes? Since this is pre-season opener, they are changing things up a bit. They will be only two classes- guys and girls and which did I want to run in? OK, wait a minute. So there are no classes? WTH? They are running street class against super modified? Yep. That's severely messed up.

I ask him how I have a choice? I mean, last time I checked, yep-still all girl. He said that was another change. Since I have placed in my division, I can "step up" to the guys division if I want to. They are going by driver, not truck. (Who the hell had this idea?) Now, word has gotten out that I am driving Yank This and my friends are having a field day. Is the girl gonna get Yank This her first place? And better yet, is she gonna suck it up and run with the boys? Damn It. I would not worry about running with the guys if there were classes! But with a street legal truck that has never placed up against who knows what??? I'm screwed! I can run her in the ladies division and probably place (less competition) and catch hell if I do place for not running against the guys....or run with the guys in a truck I have never driven, that has never placed against who knows what? These boys will bring anything that runs and put it in the mud!

Byran is screwed regardless...which I am having fun pointing out. If I place with the ladies, it's still a win for Yank This...but if I place with the guys...lifetime bragging rights are mine.

No backing out now...just a question of which division.

This morning driving to work, such a pretty day.  Sun shining almost 70, just pretty.  I drive almost an hour, so windows down-radio up and on the way to work I go.  I have a lead foot, I know this and that is why I use my cruise control religiously.  Especially when songs come on that I reallyy like, for some reason I just can't seem to sing and not speed. So, cruise control it is. That's why the blue lights really surprised me this morning.

Sure, I saw the cop heading the other direction, but I wasn't speeding so I really didn't give him a second thought.  It was a long stretch of road, speed limit was 45 and it was only two lanes for almost next 10 miles...when sure enough, he had turned around and was coming up behind me.  What the Hell? 

Getting pulled is bad enough. Getting pulled over when you have a concealed weapon is even worse. So I pulled over, turned the radio down, put my hands on the steering wheel and waited. He walks up and says the typical "Do you know why I pulled you?".  I replied that I honestly had no idea, but I had to advise him that I have a concealed carry permit and was in possesion of a firearm. That statement always changes the tone of things. He said that was fine, could he see my license, registration and permit.  Yes Sir, not a problem.

He looks at everything and says that everything seems to be in order and back to his original question, did I know why he had pulled me. Nope, not even a remote idea. He said he had reasonable suspicion.  Ok, now I am suspicious. He then said he had never seen anyone singing with the windows down on a Monday morning and it made him suspicious.  Really?! And would I like to go out Saturday night...wait, what? I told him that I had plans Saturday and if there was nothing else, I really did need to get going as I was heading to work before he stopped me for this nice little chat.  He replied that if I changed my mind, to give him a call and gave me his card.  I told him to come see my plans for Saturday night, and if he still wanted to go out after that--we'd see (wink).  So, I invited him out to the proving grounds Saturday night where I will be running a 2500 diesel through the mud and the muck for all she's worth. Told him to leave the badge at home if he came.

Now I am sitting here wondering what the hell was I thinking?  Oh well...and apparently being happy on a Monday morning is suspicious behaviour (a)

I live in very rural area and the economy here is struggling.  There are no jobs locally, everyone commutes.  There is though, a lot of land.  Much of that land used to be farms-crops and livestock.  Then the farmers started losing money on both...each year with each crop, they would lost a little more.  Land started being sold or auctioned off. 

Big oil tried to come through--and the community shut fracking down, too dangerous-don't want it here.

Wind farms tried to come in- and the community shut it down, bad for the birds.

Then solar come in- they want to put in solar farms and get this, they are giving land owners options to sell or lease the land.  So, the land would once again be income producing, jobs would be created and bonus- renewable energy. Sounds like a win, right?

Well, no.  There are some that oppose not only oil and wind, but solar as well.  People, we have to get energy from somewhere!

The is a huge debate going on right now as to whether to allow solar farms or not.  Some want to see the land developed into housing. Really?!?! Foreclosures are up, sales are down and the schools couldn't handle another housing project.  There are some that want the land farmed, fine- if the farmers could make a living.  (The farmers are actually backing leasing some land to the solar companies). 

There is one objection though that stands out, one that made me speechless and then I just stared, completely stunned.  The objection?

"If we do these solar farms, we will use up all the suns energy, then what will we do".

Scary world out there folks...and they walk among us.

Have a great day and oh, try not to use up all that sunshine on yourself! (h)

Coffee in hand, walking down the hall to my daughters room and I hear her talking.

I hear her say, " I can ask my mom to help you, she helped me pass that polynomial equation test".

I start to walk away to let her finish her converstation wondering what in the world she is signing me up for, then I hear...

"I can't go with you unless you meet my parents".

Ok, I stop, lean against the wall and easedrop just a little...and I hear the following:

"Well my Dad is a redneck, but my stepmom tries to make him act normal".

--other person saying something-- I'm still drinking my coffee, only feeling slightly guilty for easedropping and then she says:

"Yeah, but it's my Mom you have to watch out for, she's crazy and dude, doesn't even try to hide her crazy"

*spits coffee out- laughing and choking at the same time*  Yeah, I'm busted, but I don't care...still laughing!