We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:26:28 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2010 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification It's Wednesday evening and I drive up to the Castle, where I'm greeted, as usual, by Kiki, highlighted on the motte the Castle sits on as I drive up the hill. She is back-lit by the side-door lights, it's a very Thomas Kinkade moment - if Kinkade painted walk-out ranches. We only *wish* the Castle was a Kinkade-style house! SWWBO and I have a Rotary fundraising event that we're working. It's a cold day. Oh, bull, it's a howling blizzard. The dogs have been out for about three hours, and Kiki is ready to come in. But Gunner hasn't... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:59:10 -0600 In 97, it took me about 20 minutes to get a rope around a dog that went through the ice on the canal and haul him out. Got *my* old guy workout dragging 180 pounds of exhausted Pennsy Black Lab out of a hole, across ten feet of marginal ice (the guy holding the rope around *me* dropped it twice when the ice cracking scared him) and up the canal bank. The two cops watching from the towpath remembered blankets for the dog (he spent the next 12 hours sleeping in front of a space heater cranked up to 95F), who was reunited with his owner the next day. Idiot never realized his pooch was gone until the ACO called him. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68913 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68913 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:10:32 -0600 Good grief, sir. I wish I lived closer than an hour away. I have several years of critter wrangling credentials (fur kind, not the Law Dog kind). Including helping to deliver a calf in the middle of the night by flashlight, though not (thank the fates) in a blizzard! Good on you for the rescue. (and a snap top holster for the pistol maybe?) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68906 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68906 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:19:12 -0600 What you need is a swandri. Not one of them cheapass Chinese knock-offs but NZ finest sheep based product outside kiwi-aussie jokes. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68900 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68900 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:06:48 -0600 Well done, Sir, well done. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68883 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68883 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:33:40 -0600 comments to this post. Then I come down here and find myself lumped in with Cliff! Oh the pain! [Well, yeah, but I was *nicer* to you than I was to Cliff!!]]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68876 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68876 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:46:21 -0600 sex crazed whale cavorting on the surface of the ocean. Without the fun”). ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68870 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68870 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:31:46 -0600 Neffi - nope. Not gonna have any AD's tied to my name. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68862 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68862 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:02:44 -0600 I'm glad you found him and none of you came to long-term harm! Our critters are our children, I concur - I would do 'zactly what you did. Except I'm not sure I could heft a full-sized dog! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68860 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68860 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:08:02 -0600 Jeremiah Johnson again, except for that Redford Dolt who plays him.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68859 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68859 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:05:01 -0600 John, Unfortunately age, arthur & his 4 ritus brothers, and cold weather don't go well together. My hands are about gone in warm weather as it is. Recent back sugery doesn't help a bit. This past Friday I had the unfortunate task of repairing a busted PVC riser to a faucet in the mud @ 30 deg. At least it wasn't howling with snow. I'm glad you saved the dog and he only weighed 40 lbs. The tractor with the front end loader to carry him back would have been a good choice. Also glad you & SWWBO didn't fall over from cold weather exhaustion. Ticker attacks are known to be higher when old geezers are shoveling snow. Another note: target practice off the porch with the potential of 60 neighbors (nesters wanting their piece of the country living while bringing city anti-gun nonsense with them) is going to be a chalenge. Break them in early on to the noise. Preferrably when they are looking. I used to do that with the spray plane about 6AM when there was a potential for nesters. They either backed out or were good neighbors. As far as I'm concerned trapping just ain't humane. I had a part time neighbor beat my son's Lab to death and stabbed our for real crossbred 200 lb. pet sheepdog in the neck to the bone with a T-Bar fence post. Couldn't do anything about it under the particular circumstances. Took a month of twice daily doctoring for the wound to close up. Takes a sorry sucker to mistreat a four legged pet when it just ain't necessary. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68853 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68853 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:42:34 -0600 With Cliff the Radom incident could have had a different ending... ADs happen alla time... (ahem) (cough) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68851 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68851 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:38:36 -0600 Well you might not be as fit as mallee bull but you managed ok anyway. You're going to have to do something about the trapping. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68850 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68850 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:39:40 -0600 Geez, reading these comments you guys must think I'm fat and outta shape, eh? That 70% disability rating gets in the way of a vigorous PT program, I admit. And Maggie, the furred members of the family are... family. I could no more not do that for them than I would for Andy or SWWBO. Ohell, and you. Heck, Cliff, too. I'd just rag on Cliff in ways I didn't rag on Gunner. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68849 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68849 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:44:29 -0600 I'm not sure I'd go through that for one of the kids! Glad you are all ok. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68848 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68848 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:42:41 -0600 You did good. We've got to get that fat off our bellies before it kills us. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68847 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68847 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:20:37 -0600 Sorry Boss, for being delerict. Hence fourth, the Sand Pebbles Crew has been tasked to keep fur trappers on the outer ring of the Moat. The Castle is trully a labor of love. Being entrusted with the welfare of so many critters requires it to be so. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68846 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68846 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:43:11 -0600 So glad it all worked out! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68845 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68845 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:40:19 -0600 GOod deal. Glad you found the dog (and the gun). Your mention of Chosin brings to mind my father-in-law, about whom I'm writing a piece for TGR. I recently confirmed what I had suspected before. He not only was in the 2nd wave of the amphib invasion of Okinawa, and not only spent 2 solid years in the Antarctica with time at the south pole as corpsman to the SeaBees building the first-ever station there, but he also spent some time as the Corpsman to 1st Plt, I Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Regt, 1st Marine Div all through the Chosin campaign. From his stories (we've got him on tape) and what I've been able to piece together so far, I think he was on Heartbreak Ridge too, but I need to do some more research. I've also got some pics of him at the time, as well as pics of his WWII and South Pole time which I will post to TGR. Interestingly, it was his Korea time that got him the job on Byrd's staff working medical issues in preparation for the first Operation Deep Freeze (56/57). Not that that has anything to do with your adventures of course, but I thought you might find it interesting. Anyway, I'm glad you made it ok, and that the dog came out not really worse for the wear. V/R http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68844 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68844 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:38:50 -0600 Ya need to update us on how the chat goes and....I have to say it...maybe this could be an incentive to start working on your wellness? Nothing retahhhhded but maybe some lifestyle changes to keep you around a long, healthy time so you can keep us up to speed on your adventures and maybe even go get that pooch next time he gets loose. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68843 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68843 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:23:42 -0600 This is the first sane story I have read in a week of ... well, let's call it sound and fury. I hope that chat with Ryan goes well. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68841 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68841 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:51:55 -0600 The U.S. .45 tanker rig would work, and they're fairly inexpensive too. I'd send you mine but it has memories... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68839 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68839 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:41:57 -0600 Maybe we add a stationary bike to the decor?(bounces off of wall from the backhanded slap) I look at it this way. Most people would've simply quit and then cried the next day. Even down a few pegs you've got a step up on most people. Even Beowulf slowed down a tad, John. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68838 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68838 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:39:20 -0600 Yeah, I figure a shoulder-rig. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68837 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68837 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:12:54 -0600 You wanna get a holster for that Radom, matey- taint no pocket pistol! Glad it all turned out well... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68836 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/01/rural_living_in.html#comment-68836 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:58:49 -0600