Finally got a bit of real snow this evening. The heavy, wet, drags-down-the-power-lines kind of snow. So, I guess winter is officially here. It means driving more cautiously, keeping a shovel in the back of the truck, and, of course, getting out the winter survival gear.
The holiday gift-giving season approaches…Christmahanakwanzakah, Festivus, etc., are all this month. And as if you needed any further proof that it’s December – office Christmas parties have started. I went to mine last week. I am amazed at what an open bar does to people.
What’s on Zero’s wish list this Christmas? Well, I wouldn’t turn down an all-expenses paid vacation to Jennifer Lawrence. Other than that…I’m good. No, really. I mean, I look back at all my posts from previous years where I talk about things I want in the upcoming year and…by and large…I’ve gotten them. I wanted a 10mm Glock. Got it. Barrett? Got it. ICOM radio? Got it. BBQ gun? Got it. Armour? Got it. A few more Aladdin lamps? Got it. More fuel cans? Got it. Really, the only thing of any real weight left on my wish list is a chunk of land…and by hook or by crook I will have it within the next couple years. Sooner the better.
In fact, since I’ve gone and gotten myself pretty much everything I want, I’m gilding the lily a bit this week. I’m gonna have a few guns engraved. Nothing fancy, just a monogram (or logo, I suppose) on a couple of my fun guns. I’ve been back-n-forthing with the vendor and I think we’ve got it all hashed out. Pics when its done.
So..what about you? Whats on your holiday gift list? Anything preparedness related?
Preparedness related: My son has to drive all over the mountain states for work doing facility inspections. I’m buying him a good sleeping bag and some other “survival” items in a bag he can throw into his truck when he goes on these trips. If he gets derailed by snow or breaks down on a deserted road at night, he can bundle up until morning.
Self gifting preparedness merchandise to myself makes me more giddy than a kid in footie pajamas anhillating wrappings on gift boxes. Going to lay in much moar first aid, medical, field type kits to inventories. Also good self gifting at this wintertime period is the seasonal cold weather gear, clothing and accoutrements that are more available around this time. Most or all are imports, so supply chain issues can pop up real quick on very necessary gear for us folks in cold climate zones. At least 2 + years of new backstock sets of all those necessary items would be a nice self gifting thing. Think of the Wolverines winter ops scenarios whilst out shoveling that driveway snow. Stay thinking when holidaying it up out there, so as to stay frosty.
Cold and Wet here in Old Virginia, storms about gone. I’m going to ask Santa for American Eagles 1oz silver, and 1/10 Oz American Gold Eagles.
Our office party is this Thursday afternoon (to keep the drinking down I’m guessing).
The White Elephant has been cancelled, due to impending birth of co-workers baby likely this week. The Social Director had the thought that all gifts should be ‘baby shower’ gifts so to avoid having the shower in the 1st place. Brilliant (though the thought of a 260 lb. man like myself dressed in toilet paper bride does have me wondering … bet I would be pretty one ! :^)
Skipping the baby shower – Count Me In !
Commander Zero you might want to look into damaged properties. I’ve bought over the decades a few burned down homes for about the cost of the land (even lower). The family gets something more than the insurance claims and I had a decent foundation, well and septic tank to work with.
A prefab can be built to specs and be quite a nice place, OR you can buy it weather tight and finish the inside to your specs.
Need to KNOW the local codes to play the game. Rebuilding on an existing home site is often grandfathered in.
Or a Deer Camp with a large prebuilt Amish shed on it. If the area has meth heads and such around REMOVE the doors and windows. Package them up and put under the shed for reinstall, along with a waterproof storage of useful supplies.
A buddy had a nice deer camp shed that meth heads tore up. It was an easy shelter and had neat stuff in it.
A deer camp with a few screw top barrels of supplies beats a backpack and tend scenario. With a bit of thought even a smallish solar setup and portable power kit can brighten up your life a bit. Even a small cheap trash burner stove can be waterproofed enough for under building storage.
After we restored the shed, we did the door and window removal and it’s been over a decade since, only a little critter nesting in the empty building and such.
Bought myself my own gift at the big gun show last weekend. I’ve always wanted a Randall knife and I finally found a nice one that I didn’t have to get a second mortgage to buy.
Since all the talk about BBQ guns got the idea to get one into my tiny brain box. Spotted an engraved, brand new Colt Python with a rare 3” barrel for $850 on the price tag. Asked one of the young assistants it I could take a look, after the owner told him to get off his phone and help a customer. I asked if the price was indeed $850 and young guy said ‘…yeah, that’s the price…’ Not wanting to outright rob someone, I asked the owner/boss if that was the correct price. He looked at it, his face dropped, and he sighed, ‘…no, that is NOT the price…’ and hurriedly re-marked it! He then expressed amazement that I was the first one to notice the mistake since a few hundred people had already been by and also his wife and four young assistants all missed it.
Congratulations on your Randall knife – a true heirloom.
dang–lucky you!!!
I would guess that most of us here have been blessed with abundance and have more toys and gadgets than we could possibly use. Instead of buying more ‘stuff’, consider gifting warm clothing and coats to a shelter. We all see that single parent at the grocery store while in line telling her kids that she doesn’t have the cash for that item and to put it back. Maybe pay that persons tab and show the kindness and generousity that this season is all about.
So far here in the Great Lakes snow has been by passing us. In the southern lower where I live. We have had one snow that lasted more then a couple of days. Mostly if we see it it melts when it hits the ground. After today our high temps are supposed to be in the 40s. Works for me. I dislike snow as much as I do tbe three idiots running this place. Hoping for beach weather on Xmas.
Preparedness related. I’m not married so I’m buying my Christmas gifts.
The big thing will be a folding 20 watt solar panel and a battery pack. Also another short wave radio and a couple little things to round out my bag of tricks.
That guy a couple posts up who digs gold apparently finds enough that he has a heart of gold. I like his idea for those of us who already have plenty of toys.
As for what I want for Christmas, I buy those items on sale throughout the year and hand most of them over to my wife. She wraps a few to go under our tree and I do the same. When we open them on Christmas morning, we both exclaim, “It’s EXACTLY what I wanted. How did you know?” and we laugh. I got a couple of 9mm pistols when they went on sale and also had a rebate earlier this year. I bought several #10 cans of Mountain House when they were on sale straight from the factory for 50%. And I padded my 5.56 and 9mm stacks around Black Friday.
One special gift I’m giving this year is to upgrade my brother’s concealed carry situation. Currently it consists of a .22LR derringer. I spotted a near pocket-size Beretta 9mm and he’ll get that under his tree, along with some roundball for practice and some Federal HSTs for personal defense.
CZ, get your self some land. from what i hear the prices are going through the roof in that area. and it ain’t gonna get any cheaper. with prices goin up, think of it as an investment.
Unless that land comes with rental opportunities, it will never be an “investment”. Investments generate income by definition, while land is an asset with huge counterparty risk and liabilities. I own some nice land in the Yaak Valley of western Montana, and even in this desireable area, prices are coming down.
Another way to give is Toys for Tots(USMC Reserve charity) donations are new unwraped toys(or cash-fully deductible )to be distributed to deserving kids. Chicago had its annual motorcycle parade last Sunday,even in cold and rain thousands rode on world’s largest motorcycle parade. Partly on CZ’s recommendation I got a dagger and some 9mm to put through it and several tq’s for trauma bag/field kits.