Countdown to 2010!

I can honestly say how proud I am of getting through Christmas Day without:

1) Once saying "Bah! Humbug!" even though my Sweetie is a huge Dickens fan.
2) Hearing "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."

That is the very definition of a sane day at home with the family, albeit extended. The crab legs were a huge success...I wish I'd bought more, although it would have been too hard to get a mortgage on short notice. The two sides from the Mustard's Grill (my favorite restaurant in Napa) cookbook were also pretty good. My Sweetie made French bread from her favorite bread book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, which is a masterful cookbook.

It's hard to even think about wrapping up a year in which the war in Iraq was won and no one cared, the entire economy went on life support, a cheeseball crooked Chicago machine pol ended up as President of the United States and the Relentless Clintons are back in power without sounding like a nattering nabob of negatvity. Jonah Goldberg has an interesting piece over on NRO:

This may sound like the usual conservative caterwauling about social unraveling and balkanization. But it isn’t. I don’t know that society is any less healthy because it lacks a theme, and I’m certain I don’t want Washington to invent one for us.

Still, I do think society craves a theme, which is one reason why Barack Obama’s airy rhetoric of unity appealed to so many people, particularly recent college grads, the wealthy, journalists, and others most directly immersed in, and responsible for, the self-indulgence of recent years.

In lighter news over at DRTV, Marshal Halloway notes that U.S. Fire Arms will be premiering 21st Century revolvers at SHOT.


"According to a newsletter received today, USFA is coming out with a new SA series called “Shooting Master”. Not much info to share besides this picture, but this model(s) will be manufactured in calibers 357 S&W Magnum, a new USFA® .41 Short Mag. and .44 S&W Magnum.

The 2009 introductory pricing for the initial model is MSRP of $899.00. Colors Shown above are: Coyote Tan, Sage Green, Forest Green, and Federal Brown. Also available: Sniper Grey and Black Graphite."

Well, I'm going to have to ponder this new development. I can always rationalize a new .44 Magnum (even though I have 2 of the Lipsey .44 Special small frame Blackhawks on order for cowboy action shooting, destined to replace my .357 50th Anniversary Blackhawks). I am a little disappointed that Doug Donnelly didn't choose to offer a Chinese Red version, which I (alone) would have scooped up quick like a bunny. I'm glad to see USFA offerring their superb guns at prices that don't require you to sell off two Kreugerrands, which is a pain in the butt since you have to dig them up in your backyard and the ground is already frozen thanks to global warming.

I woke up this morning thinking I was going to shoot the Single Stack Classic in Quincy this year with a 9mm. Maybe that has something to do with the crab legs, or perhaps at the end of the year I think of myself as minor caliber. Then, without opening my eyes, I started cataloging what needed to be done to a 9mm 1911 to make it a gamey competition gun. In a word, or rather two words, Wayne Novak. Which means I'll have to grovel if I go ahead with this plan.


I was thinking of the Para LTC, their light-weight Commander-sized single stack 9mm, which would at least mean I wouldn't be looked at as terminally gamey...which is hardly an issue considering how crappily I shot last year's Single Stacks. The LTC I have is already very reliable, which is rare in a 9mm 1911. It took two sets of gunsmiths and a sacrificed goat to get the full-sized Kimber 9mm running 100% a few years back.

I could probably shoot it just like it is, as it actually shoots metter than I do and the sights are fine, but ideally I'd like the LTC just like my S&W .45 lightweight GUNSITE Commander...which has been Novak-ized. I'd need sights...at least a fiber-optic front for my aging eyes, a bit of a trigger job and maybe a Bar-Sto barrel, althought I'd have to ask Wayne what I'd be buying over the Para match barrel. I'll also have to round up some more Wilson 9mm 10-round magazines so I can take what small advantage shooting minor allows.

I've got some digital camo AlumaGrips with blood donor checkering, and I can probably talk Steve Lauer at DuraCoat into doing the frame in Chinese...er, Manhattan Red...I'd keep the slide black, doncha know, for tradition's sake...ha ha.

Of course, I could just take a deep breath and it'll all pass...