THE PRETTY PISTOLERA

Phoenix Rocks!

John and I are home from the NRA Convention. We both absolutely love Phoenix.  The weather is great, it's a conservative state, people are friendly, restaurants are good, shopping is phenomenal, and did I mention the weather?  Although I have plenty convention thingys and super fun gunny stuff to blog about over the next few days.  I have to share the funniest story of the weekend. 

Setting:  The party pool at the Mondrian in Scottsdale.  (We chose the Mondrian because it is a cool place... I am totally lying... we got a killer deal at Expedia).  The pool became party central as Saturday afternoon went on.  I didn't really notice (or care) because I was soaking up the sun and enjoying my book.  John finally joins me at 4:00 PM. 

Tracy:  Hi. Glad you made it.

John:  (nodding and grinning from ear to ear) 

Tracy:  Crazy, huh?   Great people watching.

John:  Palm. Springs. Spring. Break. Nineteen. Eighty. Seven.    

Tracy:  Baby, all of these people were born in 1987.

Speedy Gonzalez

I never dreamed I would fall into a speed trap at 6:45 AM on a Sunday morning.  I was releasing endorphins as I drove very fast on the wide open, empty freeway.  It was great until the Missouri State Policeman pulled me over.  He asked where I was going.  I told him "to an NRA class at the rifle club in No Cell Signal, MO." 

I really thought we would bond over guns, I'd bat my eyelashes a few times, and then go on to my class (ticketless, of course).  Needless to say, it didn't happen as I had expected. 

The strategy always works for John, sans eyelash batting. 

Not Pretty...

John and I had the loveliest dinner last night.  It was at a local farm to table restaurant. I had yummy flat bread with mushrooms, olives and goat chesse, a yummy salad, crab cakes, and the best bread pudding ever.  John had oysters, a steak, and also the best bread pudding ever. I forgot to mention the Amish blue cheese mashed potatoes.  Yum.  And, a couple of lemon drop martinis for me.

Well, we thought it was a fab dinner until John became violently ill at 4:00 AM. 

Very, very violently ill.

I felt so bad for him, but got the full-on giggles when he said:

"What else do I have left in me to throw up?  I think I just puked an MRE from Desert Storm."

I blame the oysters.  He blames the steak.

Inaugural Shots

Here is the video of the AR's inaugural shots.  I was desperate to have some trigger time on Tuesday night after IDPA.  I have to say a big thank you and shout-out to John and the Hi-Tech Ammo team for getting the ammo together at the last minute.  Hi-Tech got John the components quickly.  John was reloading as he was headed out the door to meet me at the range.  Thanks, guys!

Firing the AR was quite fun.  However, I would be remiss if I didn't gripe and moan a little.

1. It was colder than crap at the range.  I could see my breath.  My fingers were numb.  The gloves didn't help.  (But, the gloves were super cute.  Notice the fur trim?).  
   
2. John, honey, you must stop yelling "Go!" every time I pick up a firearm.  Every video on the Pretty Pistolera You-Tube Channel is littered with "go" commands.  Where does that habit come from?  I will ask your mom, she'll know.  (Hey Loretta, where does this "go" thingy come from?  Did he do this as a child?  You think he picked up the habit in the Marines? Or does it simply stem from his utter impatience with the world?  Maybe the latter?  Please let me know.  Thanks.)
3. We didn't have a lot of time after IDPA.  I only shot one magazine.  I wish had shot 50 magazines with the way I felt afterward.  Om.

Splat!

John sent me a link for Wasp Knives.  No note, no explanation, no nothing.  I wonder if it is some kind of hint.  As a Gallagher fan I enjoyed the watermelon video.

Webster Says...

I'll cut right to the chase... I don't believe in New Year's resolutions.  I set New Year's goals.  I don't like the word resolution. Webster's defines resolution in this context as "the act or process of resolving: as the act of determining."  Webster defines goal as "the end toward which effort is directed."  I set goals instead of determining resolutions.  With that said here are my 2009 goals (in no particular order) for the world to see.  Hopefully this will help me achieve each one.

1. Start shooting trap or skeet
2. Start saving money for a Mount Everest (just to base camp) or Kilimanjaro trip
3. Be a better blogger
4. And finally... run, Forrest, run!   

Let's evaluate the reality of each goal:

1. Trap and Skeet: I've talked about the "pull" thing before. Those of you that have been reading for a while get it.  This one shouldn't be too hard to accomplish.  John will help.  He gets excited when I want to do gunny stuff. 
2. Mountain:  I'm not usually this adventurous, but it seems like a vacation-meets-accomplishment-meets-braggin' rights-trifecta.  John refuses to go.  He says he climbed too many mountains in the Marines (whatever). John, I'm not going in 2009, I'm just saving my our shekels to go later.   
3. Blog: Post more often, enhance my video technology knowledge, take more pictures, do a better job managing news feeds, and all other blogoshpere important stuff.
4. Run: This one actually scares the crap out of me. I prefer spinning, weight lifting, and Bikram yoga... but, I really, really, really want to be that girl who runs five miles before work. I'll keep you posted.

Note to word-smiths and English teachers: please do not bombard me with semantics e-lessons. I prefer goal.  It's my list. I can name it what I want.  Hmph.

European Vacation...

We are thinking about going to Europe this spring.  I have a boatload of frequent flier miles to use, so we might as well go somewhere fabulous, right?  John, like a good little Marine, is already preparing for the trip.  He is having stickers made that say "another European monument saved by an American soldier."  Our trip may be more entertaining than the Griswold's European vacation.

A Fly on the Wall...

John finally made it home from Michigan at 4:00 AM Monday morning!  Last night was the first time we were able to chat face-to-face since Friday afternoon.

Setting:  The bedroom. 

John:  Did you take your hair dryer with you?

Me:  With me where?  Mom and Dad's?

John:  Uh-huh.  Did you take it this weekend?

Me:  Of course I did.  My mom gets her hair set every week.  She doesn't own a hair dryer.

John:  Oh.

Me:  Why?

John:  (slightly irritated by my lack of comprehension)  I needed it to dry out the Glock! 

 

Cougar...

New development at the homestead...  John has a crush on Sarah Palin.  A big one.  While John's announcement would irritate some women, it doesn't bother me.  I love that John appreciates intelligent, strong, (and beautiful) women.  He hasn't mentioned the moose hunting thing, but I think the fact that she's hunted Bullwinkle warms his heart, too. 

Note to John:  I love you... but, there is no way I am going moose hunting.  Please do not ask.