Just Driving Around In An Oven

"How's it goin' Padre?"

"A bit chilly, what?"

Meaning it's 105* in the shade and Devil take the hindmost. Undaunted by an I'm in a preheating oven kind of feeling, I climbed into the rig and drove to the Pick 'n Steal. Old habits die hard and there, predictably, was First Baptist shining in the sun.

I always wonder if being First translates to Best. Do the First Families of the town go to the  first baptist church in the town? Perhaps they do, though once they would've been Episcopalien. Well, we messed that up.

Whatever, unfold the frame and scoot across the melting asphalt to the Shamrock and the best filling station coffee in town. I tell you, the shop's AC's a welcome relief. How did Texans get by without air conditioning?

Well, they mostly didn't because no one wanted to move here before it happened. Note, Dallas and the associated metrosprawl have only ballooned out of proportion subsequently. Which brings us to shooting.

A few years ago I'd think nothing of getting out in the heat and blasting away for a day in the August sun. 105*? Whatever, pass the ACP and all the rest. Now? Not so much. 

Mind you, I don't have much choice coz the leg's busted. How's that going to work out for September 1 and dove? Set up on a tailgate with a couple of Mojos out front and a 20? 

This, as with so much in life, remains to be seen. In the meanwhile, try not to melt.

God bless,

LSP

Good Morning Texas, Walk The Dog

The Compound's first morning evolution runs like a well oiled machine. Stand to by first light, wake Sleeping Beauty, feed dog, drive Sleeping Beauty to hallowed halls of rural academe, say Morning Prayer, walk dog to the Pick 'n Steal and back. As you can see, this operation may be irregular but its not slack.

Neither was Blue Scout as he went on his morning constitutional in today's weirdly cold Texan air. Why so cold? Because anthropocentric global warming has caused temperatures to drop; it's colder now because it's warmer, unless you pay a weather tax, obviously. Regardless, the dog moved along briskly in the crisp, chill air. Then I noticed his shadow.

There it was, walking alongside him, a shadow; the shadow of his inner self, a wolf! That's right, Blue Scout is, in fact, a wolf, a shadow wolf. 

With that in mind, a lesser dog sensibly stayed well clear of my beast's avenging fangs. We walked on, unopposed.

The First Baptist sign got a good seeing to though, and the Methodists were singled out for special treatment. I'm not sure why. 

Then back to base, where the local PD were taking down a nearby drug dealer who goes by Chucho (dog). I had a pleasant conversation with a couple of the officers and compared notes. We have a common interest in getting the local bad actors off the streets.

Thief

Speaking of bad actors, I returned from the intelligence briefing only to discover that Blue 5th Column had stolen all the butter off the kitchen counter. Good thing it wasn't steak.

Your Friend,

LSP

Texas Massacre

Texas is rocked by the worst mass shooting in the Lone Star State's history. By now we all know the details, how Devin Kelley fired five magazines of 5.56 into a small church in Sutherland Springs, killing at least 26 people and wounding 20 more.

Thank God  for the plumber who had the bravery and skill to shoot and chase the deranged Kelley, putting an end to his killing. Kelley's motive? Apparently domestic conflict with his in-laws was the motive and doubtless his aggressive atheism made shooting up a church all the more appealing. 

How could this catastrophe have been prevented? By the Airforce reporting domestic abuse Kelley to the FBI on his dishonorable discharge, which might have stopped him from buying a firearm. Or, as a noted art philosopher commented, "By everyone qualified to carry a weapon actually carrying one." 

Good point. If everyone had been carrying their pistols Kelley wouldn't have got so far. That he did, and that such a thing occurred at all is a tragedy.

Pray for the victims of this atrocity and their families.

LSP