Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Fun on the range

When I got up to the range today to help set I found one of my ex-trainees already there. He had set up a stage for us. It was BRILLIANT. Here's what he did:






Needless to say, The Doctor was a no-shoot AND no one hit him.

Apart from this stage, we shot another four. The squad today was a great group of guys and we had a lot of fun! It's nice to get some range time in!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Happy Blogiversary to OldNFO

and Blogger has a sense of humour ...

I was writing a comment to congratulate Jim on his 4 year blogiversary (if you're not reading him, you should be - it's Nobody Asked Me over there in my blogroll*)

The verification word was "gunold" ... really ....




*This is posted from that silly computer that doesn't like linking

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Oooh, now that's an odd thing for a cop to say ....

From today's news:

Woman kicks cowardly armed robber in the groin

A FORRESTFIELD woman retaliated while being robbed yesterday by kicking her attacker in the groin.

Sergeant Gerry Cassidy said the 33-year-old woman, who works as a carer for the disabled, was with a wheelchair-bound client in the carpark of a Salvation Army store in Gosnells at 2.15pm when she was approached by a man.

“He demanded her wallet, and when she’s refused he’s punched her in the mouth, causing bleeding, and he snatched the wallet,” Sgt Cassidy said.

“The only bright note is she retaliated by kicking him in the groin and he hobbled away towards the TAB and the Coles store down the road.”

The attacker is described as dark-skinned and in his 30s, 175cm tall, with a medium build, dark wavy hair, and wearing a grey hooded jumper and jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.


------

I've bolded the bit I found interesting. Here there is a real emphasis of not resisting or retaliating so it is interesting that the cop has put her actions in such a positive light.

I'm also not sure where the "armed" bit in the heading is from (and while we're at it, where they get the "cowardly" bit either) - probably journalistic licence!

Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/woman-kicks-cowardly-armed-robber-in-the-groin/story-e6frg13u-1226074748952

Thursday, June 9, 2011

There are reasons I enjoy my job ....

I'm on a very busy project at the moment. This involves working a couple of 10 hour days (and more over the next couple of weeks) and I've "given up" my Friday's off for the time being. (I'm only supposed to work 4 days a week).

However, I've spoken to my boss about still having a couple of hours on the fourth Wednesday of the month off to go help run the shoot at the gun club.

Well guess what? We've got a deadline on the 21st and one on the 23rd. Today I discover that the Consultants who are coordinating (running) the project are coming over on the 22nd for a meeting.

The 22nd is the FOURTH WEDNESDAY :(

My boss has told them that I won't be there in the afternoon so we need to get through as much as we can in the morning. He also told them why AND he's thinking of inviting them up to the range as well.

I told him that was a great idea and to see what he can organise :)

Yep, I like this job (well, some parts of it anyway).

Monday, June 6, 2011

A day of cooking

Well decided I needed to do a major cookup this weekend (for freezing).

I cooked:
1. Beef Vindaloo
2. Beef & Pineapple Hotpot
3. Beef, Beans & Vegetable Hotpot
4. Chicken Yellow Curry
5. Chicken, Beans & Vegetable Hotpot

Had the Beef Vindaloo for dinner - it was about as hot as I can stand it. Oh, and delicious. Miss 9 had the Beef & Pineapple and Miss 7 the Beef, Beans & Vegetable Hotpot. Everyone enjoyed their meals.

Hubby then asked what was for desert. I don't normally cook deserts but decided that I would like to try a Sticky Date Pudding. I found this microwave version:
Sticky Date Pudding

Ingredients:
* 250g chopped dates
* 1¼ cups water
* 125gm butter
* 1 tsp ground ginger
* 1 tsp bicarb soda
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1¼ cups SR flour
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
SAUCE
* 1 cup water
* 1 tsp cornflour
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 125gm chopped butter
* 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method
* Combine dates, water, butter & ginger in a microwave proof dish and microwave on high for 1 minute, or until butter has melted.
* Stir in soda and cool slightly. Stir in sugar, eggs, sifted flour and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased and lined 1.5 litre capacity pudding basin (microwave proof)
* Cover and cook on high for 14-16 minutes until set in centre. Stand covered for 2 minutes.
* Serve topped with caramel sauce and cream or icecream.
SAUCE
* Blend the cornflour with water in a saucepan then stir in the brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir on a low heat until the sugar and butter are melted then increase the heat and continue stirring until it boils and thickens.

Source: http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/7476/microwave-sticky-date-pudding

I've bolded the sugar as the original recipe omitted it. We added 1/2 cup, but it does need a bit more.

I didn't make the sauce though. Decided just to have it with vanilla icecream.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Potato Soup

Miss 9 enjoyed cooking my standard Potato and Corn soup the other day, similar to this one.

Today I asked her if she'ld like to help me make another soup. It evolved over the cooking process with her and my input and sorry, no pics.

Vegetable and Bean Soup

Ingredients

200gm Pepperoni (finely chopped)
1 Tbs Oil
2 tsp Mixed Herbs
1 tsp Asfotedia Powder
5 sticks Celery (finely chopped)
2 Carrots (chopped)
1 Head of Broccoli (chopped)
Vegetable stock
2x420 cans of corn kernels (drained and rinsed)
2x420 cans of green peas (drained and rinsed)
420gm can of Bertollini Beans (drained and rinsed)
420gm can of White Beans (drained and rinsed)
420gm can of Lentils (drained and rinsed)
420gm can of Red Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)
7 medium sized Potatoes (I microwaved these in the skins)

Method
1. Heat oil in a large heavy-based stockpot, add mixed herbs, asfotedia powder, pepperoni and celery. Fry until pepperoni is crisp.

2. Add stock and rest of the ingredients - except potatoes.

3. Bring soup to boil, adding water if necessary.

4. Rice the potatoes and add to the soup.

5. Simmer soup on low until carrots are tender.

6. Serve.

We ate it with toasted turkish bread and it really went well!

Dr Jack Kevorkian is dead

From today's news.

I mentioned this to my hubby in the hearing of the girls so, of course, they had to ask a million questions - "Who was he?", "Is his death good or bad?" etc.

So I attempted to explain why he was significant. Towards the end of the conversation it went like this:

Me: "So if a dog is hit by a car and in a lot of pain and nothing can be done to fix it up, we 'euthanise' it. This means we're allowed to give it drugs so that it dies. We're not allowed to do this with people. We can only try and help minimise the pain until they die naturally."

Miss 9: "People are weird."


Getting back to the article I liked his three stated missions in life:

"... Kevorkian said that he had three missions in life ...
One of his missions was to warn mankind of "impending doom" that will come from the culture of overabundance....

His second mission was to educate people about assisted suicide, ...

Kevorkian's third stated mission was to convince Americans that their rights are being infringed upon by bans on everything from smoking to assisted suicide."


Now I do have a problem with the "who makes the decision" bit relating to assisted suicides. However, I do like the way he summarised three major challenges we are facing today.

Friday, June 3, 2011

No kidding ....

From today's news: War on drugs 'has failed'

I was going to write and in depth piece on why this isn't news but just stating the bleeding obvious but then I read what Daddybear wrote and thought I might just send you over there for a read.

(As this is the computer that doesn't like me linking you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way ...
http://daddybearden.blogspot.com/2011/06/perpetuating-prohibition.html
...)

Like Daddybear I've not used illegal drugs, I don't want my girls using them (ever!) but I don't believe that legislating what adults can and can't do to their own bodies is reasonable.

Yesterday there was an explosion a couple of suburbs away from where I live when a drug lab went up (http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/blast-leads-cops-to-83rd-drug-lab/story-e6frg13u-1226068502117), apparently it's the 83rd illicit drug lab uncovered in Perth this year!

People are doing this because there is money in it. I would like to see these products legally available (using existing health requirements and regulations for the production of pharmaceuticals) and taxed. Then use that money for health and education campaigns just as we do with cigarettes / alcohol.