Still playing catch-up from a much needed weekend off….

Spent the weekend with friends in Indy. Midwest Chick keeping an eye on accompanying me,we were picked up by K and T on their way down and arrived in the late evening at the hotel.

1500 gunshow on Saturday. As it was raining, and we expected massive crowds again, we took our time, having a leisurely breakfast before arriving….only to find that there was no line to get in and nearly empty aisles (OK, not empty, but compared to the last few 1500’s, this was a pleasant change.) 

Spent most of the time at the show in a fruitless search looking for a Beretta Tomcat…in stainless.

No luck.

Settled for a matte finish alloy framed one in .32 ACP. Only very slightly used. Very slightly. Original box and paperwork. More than I wanted to spend, but less that I was willing to settle for…After a bit of haggling, we exchanged rapidly declining in value Federal Reserve Notes for said firearm. I think it’ll shoot well once I get some oil on it. The Sahara is not as dry as this poor firearm. We’ll have to see how well it survives being carried by me…(I can rust blued steel in minutes if I have sweaty hands in the summer, so we shall see)

Ordered an IWB holster for it from Stoner Holsters (they were out, but will make me one with a forward cant for small-of-back carry and ship it for no extra charge). I’ll probably get a pocket holster as well.

Then I spent a bunch of time trying to find ammo for it for less than an arm and a leg. Found some, but it went dearly. (If I shoot this thing much, I’ll have to buy some dies and a mold in .32ACP. I can reload for about 1/8 what I paid for the ammo I bought.)

Having spent all I could spend on those items, I had barely enough left to have my knife sharpened to extreme sharpness. That didn’t stop me from enjoying all of the other things to see at the show….I did spend a fair amount of time drooling over the really old double rifles and the replica 50-120 Sharps….or the ’12 (last century) Rigby in .416 Rigby. I wish I could find a way to justify to myself the purchase of one of these old classics….The workmanship is still outstanding even by today’s modern standards. Perhaps when I win the lottery… I shoulda taken pictures, but I was too lazy and besides, my hands shake when I get to hold those wonderful firearms.

We toured the rest of the show, saying hi to old friends we hadn’t seen since we were vendors there.

After that, it was time to return to the hotel and clean up for a trip downtown to Fogo de Chao.
and have dinner with Brigid and her Partner in Grime

I ate….I ate beef and pork and chicken… I ate some more, then I decided to eat a bit after that. Then some more. Then a bit of the side dishes. Then some bread…..Then I had some more meat. Green means go, red means stop. I showed very little of the red side of the card for nearly an hour. It is hard not to overdo it when people are bringing you roasted meat on a skewer. I must admit that I am weak, I nearly always said “Yes” when they pressed me asked me if I wanted more. As Christ is my witness, I really tried to be moderate….Really tried. People stared anyway.

Good food, good drinks, good friends. I perhaps was lacking in the conversational department (Mom always said “don’t talk with your mouth full”)…but I grunted in agreement anyway….

Seriously….Great food eaten in the company of good friends. Is this not one of the best ways to spend time?

Then after a tour the nightlife (and wildlife) of downtown Indy, we allowed our designated driver to take us home.

Sunday was shopping for the ladies and wenching some mild exploring for the men until it was time to meet Roberta and Tam and a whole bunch of others at the Broadripple Brewpub at the blogmeet for more food and beers and conversation and friendship. Said hi to The Jack, Old Grouch, and a whole host of others…

Sadly, K and T had to get home (like a three hour drive for them, and since we had ridden down with them and our cats were likely starving…) we had to leave, but not after seeing Roberta’s wonderfully strange modern old bike.

A wonderful weekend.

Sadly though, One pays for taking a Friday afternoon and a weekend off when one returns to work.

Maybe I’ll catch up by Wednesday…..or not.