manureman

Ken I spent some summers up in your neck of the woods as a pup, one of dad’s brothers homesteaded around Chatanika,after the Second World War absolutely beautiful, and I loved it. Don’t know if you’re wanting to live in town or out but south Missouri and Northern Arkansas where me and Doc are at are pretty hard to beat in my mind. After truckin all over the lower 48 and Canada there’s pretty country and good people everywhere. Some of Nebraska is gorgeous but they sure know how to have winter, spent more time waiting out road closures there then any of the western mountain states. Always thought if I wanted to move any farther south than Missouri I’d look real hard at North Carolina but I’ll stick to the Ozarks . As far as politics in missouri we have a Republican super majority in both houses and a Republican governor, not that Republicans are worth bragging about any more in my opinion . Constitutional carry state and lots of public hunting ground and lots of good fishing. If I were to relocate in Missouri I’d be looking over in the area’s around Truman,Stockton and Pomme de Terre lakes region if I wanted out of town because of fewer people and lower land prices, if I wanted a fair size city the Lebanon area. But absolutely avoid K.C. St. Louis, Columbia and sad to say anymore but not interested much in Springfield . we do have property taxes but it used to be one of lower in the country.

If my dad was still alive he’d be saying son throw a stick of hedge in the stove it’s colder than a well diggers ass out there this morning and the grounds froze harder than a wedding dick and by the time we get chores done we’ll be shakin like a dog shittin a log chain and we’ll want that stove jumpin when we come back in.

You’ll here everything but meat fryin and money rattlin

Yes sir Jerry that’s a dandy. Like my dad used to say about them that’uns got porches on his butt big enough to set a cup of coffee on !

Grandson busted this last Saturday during youth season. I’m tickled for the boy he made a heck of a shot 128 steps through the timber and only had one small opening to make it happen and timed it perfectly. Buck was dead before he hit the ground. Was very proud of him for waiting for a clean shot after watching him in the scope for several minutes and whispering a couple times grandpa I don’t have a clear shot and I don’t want to just hurt him. It’ll be the last buck he kills here and likely the last deer hunting I ever do as the farms for sale due to the mess of a divorce I’m tangled up in. But thankful that we both have the memory of the last deer season on the place being a success. Jim

Jerry I can’t help with the pits but I like Brownells Teflon molly . But a heads up on curing ovens…. The first one I did in our kitchen oven . The barreled receiver was to long to get the door closed completely but I read that you could use tinfoil hanging off the top of the stove and kind of tent it around and make it work. The Gun turned out great. The Stove not so much… The heat coming up under the foil warped the snot out of a bunch of plastic trim and do-dad’s. Momma was not happy. I was able to replace it all but lesson learned. What I ended up with was a old used electric stove I bought at a yard sale for $20.00, built a angle iron frame for it to set on with cheap Harbor Freight casters, cut the range plug off and put a welder plug on it and it’s up in my shop. I can roll it around and use the top burners for parkerizing , canning pickles, frying fish and squirrels and taters when we need something to soak up beer and it keeps everyone out of the house. I had planned on cutting a hole in one or both sides and rigging up flue pipe or something where I could close the oven door but tinfoil is to cheap and easy and this old stove is all metal with the knobs up on the back , works great and handy for things I never thought about till I got it. I’ve read about folks using JB weld under spray on finishes to fill pits but ain’t tried it myself.

Darn hate to hear it, best of luck with it Tom.

Same here , the only bare shelves I’ve seen here around home were the ammo shelves and it has started coming back some.

I Sold some very nice feeder steers last week that ended up being the highest selling cattle sold that week out of that sale barn, they ran maybe 2500 head through that day which is a heck of a big sale for this area. Top selling steers brought a $1.65 a pound before yardage, vet and commission , same money stuff was bringing in the 80s and 90s. Next day in my local grocery store T-bone steaks were a little over $15.00 a pound in the bargain bin! I can guarantee you there is absolutely no shortage of beef on the hoof there just by God ain’t. And if you know where to look you’ll find the info on how the big storage freezers around are full up too….. I could go on and on about all the reasons why but it’s all manufactured B.S. Then of course there’s the shortage of big trucks … get on any interstate and tell me again about it. aggravates me so bad I’m almost glad to be selling out.

Haven’t dealt with them in years but does anybody know what’s up with ER Shaw ? Looked at the website the other day and it had changed lots don’t really know about them now but they used to be decent for the money. The ones I used would shoot better than I could, not that it takes a lot.

I do believe you to be a good man Tony.

Here’s wishing you all a happier and healthier New Year.

I’m bettin it’s gallons and gallons of practice .

Yep I reckon my big old fumble fingers pinched a little too big a pinch too, and believe I’ll put my cheaters on in the morning beforehand too

My thoughts exactly.

Thanks guys, we have separate personal checking and savings accounts in separate banks. We do have one joint savings account that the mortgage is automatically withdrawn from. On advice from my lawyer I was told to not withdraw a cent of it. And only deposit the exact amount the mortgage company withdrawals as I’ve always paid this . And that if Ms. X were to make a “withdrawal “ the courts would not look kindly on it being as records clearly indicate what this account has only been used for. It’s not enough to make or brake me, and I’m just pretty confident it’s sound advice considering the source. And I don’t mind the idea of bait so to speak at this point. Jim

Thanks Az I appreciate it. I’ve never been down this road and my mind is pretty clouded right now but I believe these bases to be covered. But I’m open to any and all advice I can get. Jim

I’m not a lawyer but paid out a couple grand and talked to 4 law firms about my situation. I was told Missouri is a no fault state, meaning even adulterous relationships can’t be held against one or the other in a divorce. Missouri is also a marital property state meaning everything you’ve accumulated (after )getting married is split 50/50 , doesn’t matter who paid for it or who’s name it’s under , all assets and all debts It’s simple math half and half. That’s what all 4 told me about my situation, with no abuse, no spousal support, no minor children no Jerry Springer BS…. Was told depending on how busy the courts are and how much we want to argue about the division of assets and debts that near 40 years of marriage could be undone in 60 to 90 days, or we can fight about absolutely everything and both end up broke. That’s the reader’s digest version of what I’ve learned so far. I wish you well Rob , my hole is still mighty dark and my mind flip flops constantly on what to do or say, but it seems bad days are not quite as hard as they were and my mind is clearing up a little bit too. Hopefully we’ll both get back to a brighter place soon. Jim

I’m thinking next year I’ll wear a big feathered headdress , war paint , and carry a tomahawk to town . But most importantly I want to have on a pair of fringed buckskin ass less chaps so they got a clear shot at kissing me where I’m chapped the most by they’re liberal BS.

Good luck Rob. I really really hope things work out for you . But don’t let up ,do like your planning and see that lawyer, maybe more than one. Let your wife know your serious. But don’t let her go to your lawyer with you. Make her get her own if she feels the need , protect Rob first. The paperwork has started on my mess and talk about a “dark hole” you nailed that. Jim

Sorry to hear that Tony Jim

I’m really sorry to hear about your problems they are rough I know. November 6th this year would be 39 years for me and the wife. She left Labor Day. We have a very nice 4 bedroom brick house on a nice farm 20 stinking minutes from Lake of the Ozarks, we have cattle, hogs, chickens, a garden 2 dozen fruit trees. I’ve worked my entire adult life building this and she wants to sell out and buy a house on the lake because she has worked her way up to lower management in her job at an insurance company and has been rubbing elbows with the wealthy folks she associates with. This has been a problem between us for a few years. I hate the lake and always have, to many people and most of them looking down they’re noses at working men like me. Tomorrow morning I have another appointment with a Lawyer I will be filing for divorce. She wants her half of everything so my farm and home will have to be sold. I’ll have to sell my trucks and go back to driving for someone instead of myself. And my DOT physical is due in a couple weeks and my blood pressure is very high so may not pass it. My dr added a med but it’s back up….. My wife says she wants to keep the kids and grandkids out of it as much as possible, but she is living with my oldest daughter and her family ….. while preaching about keeping them out of it! I even swallowed my pride and said we’d sell out and move but she full of excuses. It all boils down to old Jim and the farm life just isn’t shiny enough for her anymore. GET HER OUT OF THAT TRUCK ASAP And don’t you sit between those doors and fester get out every chance you get and I don’t mean going into those damn truck stops that’s still truckin , yeah go in and get your shower every day don’t let your hygiene slide but stop at a Walmart or a Cabelas a lot of them have truck parking cause I’ve used it. You don’t have to need or want anything or even have the money to afford something looking is free . Buy you some new socks and underwear and put em on after a good hot shower you’ll feel like a new man Get off your ass and on your feet a little exercises will do you wonders and being around people will do you good too , smile at em and say hi and ask them about their day. But don’t just set in a damn truck and stew in your own juices. People who haven’t driven for livin don’t have a clue what a hell hole a truck is way to much time to think. And first chance you get if you can get completely the hell out of truckin or at least get out of sleeper trucks , day cabs are a little better life if you find the right gig. Good luck to you driver we’re both going to need it. Jim

I dearly love it ! Me and my 13 year old grandson leave Sunday for 2 days on Stockton lake then 2 more days on Pomme De Terre lake . The picture is from a few years back it’s the boy’s first flathead caught here at home on the river

No clue what just happened up there on that double post but I’m not smart enough to make it go away maybe Doc or someone can

I don’t wear them unless it’s an absolutely have to deal. My Dr. is very good and has not only been my Dr. for years he’s been a good friend for a lot of those year’s. He says the same thing as Dr.Hess. He told me instead of buying mask I’d be better off to add another strand of barbed wire around the place and then I could at least write it off my taxes and it would be better protection.