Monday, October 14, 2019

Blogorado 2019, Day 4


Another fine, sunny day, with temperatures in the 70's, much nicer than when we arrived!  We gathered for our usual breakfast at the Obligatory Cow Reference.  (To explain its name:  the restaurant isn't actually called that, of course, but has a cow-related name.  Early in our Blogorado history, someone remarked that it was like an obligatory cow reference in a town that was, after all, founded towards the end of the great cattle drive period of Old West history.  The name stuck.)  I treated myself to their breakfast tacos and a short stack of flapjacks, which I couldn't finish - they were very large flapjacks indeed!

One of the reasons I like coming to Blogorado is that one is surrounded by bloggers of every ilk, most with a shared interest in firearms.  It's a great place to share views, exchange ideas, help with publicity for each other's books, and so on.  I found that again yesterday, when I was struck by an idea for a new Walt Ames western novel.  I've already got the next three plotted out in some detail, but this idea will probably change the next two, one in minor ways, the other very much.  I'll noodle on it over the next few months.  Anyway, the idea was sufficiently interesting for me to leave the others to have fun on the shooting range, while I headed back to the hotel to make notes for future reference.

Much fun was had bringing down the ramshackle old barn before which the happy couple had exchanged vows yesterday.  It's been derelict and falling down for years, and FarmDad decided that since he had all these muscular strong geriatric old men around, we might as well help him get rid of it.  A chain was duly wrapped around a couple of uprights and fastened to a pickup truck, which slowly reversed until they snapped.  It took several tries to remove enough supports, but eventually the old barn collapsed sideways with lots of creaking and groaning.  FarmDad will set fire to the remains as soon as there's been enough rain and/or snow to make it safe to burn, without creating a larger fire hazard.

Yesterday evening was our last supper together for a while.  Jeff made a very tasty chili, while a local lady produced three large pans of oven-baked enchiladas.  We stuffed ourselves, as usual.  Miss D. and I are afraid of what our bathroom scale will reveal when we weigh ourselves back home.  If we've put on less than five pounds apiece, I'll be very surprised!

This morning (Monday) we'll gather for a final breakfast, then go our separate ways.  Miss D. and I hope to be home by late afternoon.  Regular blogging should resume tomorrow.  Please say a prayer for us for safe travels.

Peter

5 comments:

Silent Draco said...

Is that a lesson that old age and traction will win in the end? Gives you a reason to gear up for next year. :)

Reminds me that I need to review my idea book. I do the same thing at meetings or gatherings, and need to make sense of the last several inspirations before I forget what the nonsense words mean.

Bibliotheca Servare said...

Prayers sent! Any mention of future Walt Ames stories gets me excited! (My dad's asked me a few times when the next one is coming out, too, lol) Your work is popular over here, sir!

Driftwood said...

Please pics of the barn before the wedding and pics as it was being pulled apart. Congrats to the newly weds and have a safe trip.

Anonymous said...

Please call Farm Dad and tell him to NOT BURN THE BARN WOOD! There are lots of people that pay BIG BUX for that stuff. and they will haul it off! Go to duckduckgo and search "old barn wood". It's worth a lot more now than it cost new!

Contrarian View said...

As Fiftycal said, you'd be wasting a wagonload of money burning that antique barn wood. Sell it for a good price, the buyer will haul it away.