I've been trying to get in here on a daily basis, but I haven't had a lot of time to be here so I am so far behind!  And this weekend is pretty full so I won't be catching up this weekend, either!  But I am trying to read at least one person a day.

To make matters worse, I'm having to work today because last night I got an email from the project manager that said I need to migrate over the web site we were working on (which is database driven, so not a simple copy/paste procedure) because he plans on showing the final product Monday.  And of course, nothing is going right and I'm frustrated as hell, so I put it away for now.  But I'll have to get back at it sometime today.

Tonight I got the ball rolling.  I have two other friends who are interested in learning and getting their CPL so I invited them over and we had dinner together, then talked to John about his experience and what to expect in his classes.  He brought a bunch of unloaded handguns with him and showed them to us, giving a brief history of them, and having us hold them.  He also talked about shooting at a range, competitions, leagues, etc.  That also interested me.  I am getting over my skittishness about guns and am ready to begin these classes.  We're going to start in March.  There will be two 'theory' classes which will talk about gun safety, the law, home safety, etc.  Then there will be a range 'class' where we will actually have to shoot.  He gave us a starter packet to look over before we get started.  I already glanced through the book.  It was pretty interesting so far and all I did was read the captions under the photographs lol

IN the packet was also a pamphlet titled "Gun Safety Rules"; a booklet "Concealed Carry Holster Guide: An introduction to concealed carry and the principles of pistol containment" and a booklet called "Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program" for sport shooting - something I think I might like.

I am hoping I NEVER have to use a gun to defend myself.  But I want to be prepared, competent and confident if the need ever arises.  I think going to a shooting range on a regular basis will help get me there.

My first class is March 14.  I'll update again after that class to give my impressions and what I took away from the class.  He is going to hold the classes at my house - he will be bringing a laptop and a projector, and I have the perfect place for this to all work.

Our friends, Mike and Mary, are also going to take the classes here at the same time.

When I first started thinking about this, my only thoughts on buying a gun were how it felt in my hand, but after seeing some of the guns John brought with him, I now see there are many other things to think about: safety features, range, ease of use, composition (steel vs. lighter weight metals), etc.  I am hoping by the end of it all, including the range time, I will be able to make an informed decision.

I saw something on Facebook that gave me a chuckle.  "If guns couldn't be bought in stores, then people wouldn't have them."  Followed by the comment "Right.  And when was the last time you saw Meth on a store shelf?"

And, of course, I am a French model.  Bon Jour

I saw this bracelet for sale with the medical notification company I deal with - but thought the price was too freaking high.

I think the prices are for members/nonmembers.  Anyway, this was made with Swarovsky Elements.

So one day I was at Hobby Lobby or Michaels or one of those craft stores and decided to buy the materials and make my own.  This bracelet, made with Swarovsky Elements, cost me about $15 to make:

I just took the ID tab off one of my other bracelets.

I was surprised at how easy it was to make.  I'm going to make a regular bracelet next.  (I don't have a steady hand when it comes to taking pictures, and couldn't get a clear picture of this.)

I really get tired of eating things like hot dogs and tater tots, or fried pork chops for dinner.  Those are Roger's favorite foods.  He is often the one to make dinner.

The last few weeks I've been doing a lot of the cooking, to rave reviews

I found some great slow cooker recipes that were easy to make and rocked the house  I thought I would share the recipes - If I can make them, you KNOW they are easy!  I wrote them all out in HTML and added them to my Healthy Living web site.

260 Calorie Beef Stew

Slow-cooked Mushroom-sauced Beef

Boneless Chicken Cacciatore

For Superbowl Sunday I'm going to make Barbecued Pulled Pork sandwiches.  The recipe calls for slow-cooking the pork for 10 hours before pulling it apart and adding the other ingredients and cooking another 2 hours, so I think I'll start it on Saturday, then finish it up on Sunday.  If it is successful, I'll post the recipe here.

I am on a 70s reunion committee with someone who graduated three years before me (so I didn't know her before Facebook).  I mentioned on FB that I am thinking of learning to shoot, but would need instruction first.  She said she may know someone who could teach me, so I asked her to send me details in a private message.  Turns out her husband is retired from the sheriff's department and teaches CPL classes (Carry Pistol License).  She had him send me a friend request and I sent him the same note I sent the shooting range instructor.  I got back this reply:

Hello Sheryl! I would be happy to meet with you and take you to the range. I am a member at the [edited] Sportsman's Club in [edited]. I can access the range at any time. We could meet at the house here or your place if you want. I have a variety of guns you could handle to see what you like before we go shooting.

Some of my background is I have been a competitive shooter since 1978 winning numerous titles around the country. I have been a firearms instructor since 1985 and ran the [Edited] County Sheriff's gun range for 2 years. I am an Armorer for many different types of firearms which means I know the mechanical operations of the guns. I recently retired from the Sheriff's Office and still work there part time.

I would be happy to work with you and if you want I could put you through the training necessary to qualify you for your CPL!

I just responded "Sounds good.  I think Roger may also be interested."  I'm going to talk to Roger about it tonight when he gets home from work.  

Today was Roger's birthday and he wanted to go to the shooting range.  We took his son with us.  I didn't shoot.  I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  However, I did stand behind the window and watch them shoot the targets (targets were free, outlines of bodies cost $$).  They both used small semi-automatic pistols.  Can't really remember what they used.  Roger used some kind of Ruger I think, and Ben used a Beretta.  Anyway, watching them I started getting over some of the weirdness I felt.  It was like a sport or game - shooting at the target.

I decided next time I want to try.  I also sent an email to the instructor at this range:

Hi Jeff

I was at the shooting range today with my husband and son, but I just watched.  A little background:

I have only fired a gun once in my life - I was 14 years old and shot a coke can off the back fence from about 100 feet with a rifle (that shot bullets).  I never touched a gun after that.  As I got older, I sort of became a pacifist.  (Seriously, I can't even kill a bug - I put them outside.)  But now that I am getting a little older (57 this year) I am thinking I need to learn to hold and shoot a gun in case I ever need to defend myself.  Unfortunately, I get weird around guns.

So at the range today, I talked to one of the girls behind the counter and she suggested I contact you for some instruction.  I watched my husband and son shooting at targets and it didn't seem so bad.  In fact, I was thinking it was something I could do.  I think going and watching them was something I needed to do to get over the initial weirdness I feel around guns.  And I seriously do want to be able to defend myself if I ever need to.  BUT I don't want to do anything without proper instruction.  Like how to hold a gun, what type of gun I should purchase, how to conceal it (I am planning on getting a CCW and CPL), how to clean it, safety issues, etc.  She said you would give private instruction.  Can you give me a little information about the type of instruction you give, or from what little I've told you, what your recommendations for me would be? 

Thanks!

So I'm hoping to hear back from him soon.  I will keep my blog updated with my progress.

Back in the early 90s when I was in transition, I went 5 years without a dental appointment.  I finally got a dentist and one of the first things I had to have done was root planing.  I hated it and vowed to never again let my teeth go.

Before I get into this, let me assure everyone I am all for the 2nd Amendment, and don't want to see our right to bear arms taken away.  Also, as I approach my 57th birthday, I often think about how older people are taken advantage of and easy targets for criminals.  I am not "elderly" by any means, yet, but still feel like there will come a time when I will need to be able to protect myself.

Roger and I went to a gun store yesterday.  I couldn't do it.  I started feeling weird - kind of like I felt when I went to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and hated seeing all those animals in captivity - big whales in tanks...it just left me feeling uneasy, shakey, queasy, etc.  Roger asked me to try out a pistol.  I handed it right back to him and said it was too heavy.  He started to ask the guy for another one and I said "No, let's just go.  There are too many people in here."  I am normally not claustrophobic, but being in this gun store (which was pretty big) made me feel uneasy.  On the drive back home, I was near tears.  All I could think was that the main purpose of those things is to kill.  I still don't know if I could kill someone to protect myself.  I told Roger that before we even think about buying a gun, I would need to take a class in how to use one, and go to a range and get used to the feel of it.

I almost feel like a vegan being forced to eat meat.

After the stuff that happened in CT in Dec, and with the fear of restrictions looming on gun ownership, my husband decided we should arm ourselves, and take classes to learn to shoot a gun, so that we could get CCW and and CPL permits (Carry Concealed Weapon and Carry Pistol License).  I told him that I wouldn't be comfortable carrying a gun unless I took shooting lessons and learned how to shoot.  I've always been afraid if I was attacked, my attacker would get the gun away from me and use it on me, so I never even considered it before.

I am also a pacifist.  I'm not even sure in the face of protecting my life that I could shoot someone.  I was talking to the guy at the gun store who recommended a '38-special' because I was inexperienced with guns and he gave me a scenario of someone breaking into my house when I was home alone - and said something about shooting to kill.  I said "um...no.  I'd probably shoot him in the leg or something to stop him from attacking, but could not shoot to kill."  He said, "You have to get over that.  If you shoot to maim, you may end up dead.  It's your life or his.  You have to learn to shoot to kill when someone is threatening your life."

We ended up not buying a gun.  I wonder, if my life was at stake, could I shoot to kill?  I think I'm pretty sure if someone was trying to kill Roger, I could probably do it.

Here is the real kicker, though!  I asked him how long it takes to buy a gun.  He said it's immediate.  I asked about background checks and all that.  He said they were no longer needed in Michigan.  That is scarier than me owning a gun!