Grandpa Hast

GrandpaHast Father's Day 2012Father’s Day, one year ago. We didn’t know then that it would be the last Father’s Day we would get to celebrate with him, and yet it was one of many that he considered borrowed time. He was 91 when this picture was taken. Pretty good for a man that wasn’t supposed to live past 30.

We got the call Saturday night after most of our friends had turned in for the night that he’d gone peacefully in his sleep. Guess it was time to spend Father’s Day with his Heavenly Father.

When he was born, the doctors told his mother to go ahead and say her goodbyes. They informed her that he had a fatal heart condition and there was nothing they could do. As he got older, they warned her not to let him run after the school bus or otherwise exert himself because that would be more than his heart could take.

God had bigger plans for William Hast. That faulty heart was a servant’s heart. He gave his life to ministry serving as a missionary and Puerto Rico and pastor as well as running a plumbing business. His rest is well earned.

He was very dear and will be missed by us all. He had a good long life, and lived each day as if it might be his last. We have known for some time that day was getting close. we celebrate his life and rejoice with him claiming his reward.

 

Beep! Beep! Beep!

photo

 

I promised a picture of the truck being offered by Rimfire Designs. Winner will get their choice of a truck, a wind chime with custom wind catcher (it does not have to be a dog), or custom handgun grips.

Also, you may have spotted a call to all the Browncoats in Brigid’s sidebar. That’s right, a boxed set of “Firefly – The Complete Series” has been generously put up for grabs by one of my favorite redheads. (I married my very favorite redhead.)

Really special thanks to everyone that has been donating, both raffle items and directly to Bonnie’s medical fund. You know what that makes you? Big damn heroes.

ETA from the craftsman in the comment section: 

To try and get as many entries as possible, I want to have two winners.  Each winner can pick their prize – grips, windchime or truck.

So donate early and donate often!  It’s for one of our own and I know times are tight, so thank you all for the support!

An Interloper in the House of Holsters

What is this?

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Wait a minute! That looks remarkably like a Viper by Dennis of Dragon Leatherworks.

It is! In fact, it’s a Right-handed Viper for a 5″ 1911 bbl with red ostrich. How’d that get in here? That sneaky snake. Going to have to harden the perimeter around here.

Something must be done. The Executives are not happy with a Viper in their midst.

I kid. Dennis has generously donated the Viper for the Evict Lyme FUNdraiser. We’ll be dropping this one in at $10 ticket level (tentatively). You know the drill, hit Bonnie’s tip jar and email me (jennifer AT injennifershead DOT com)

More Raffle Goodies!

Rimfire Designs is generously donating either a set of wind chimes with custom wind catcher.

WindChime

 

or custom made handgun grips

Grips

 

Or a toy wooden truck (picture pending)

These are beautiful pieces hand crafted by an artist here in the US, and they can be yours if you’re lucky. And have a raffle ticket. These will be at the $10 donation level, and there is no limit to how many tickets you purchase. And each one helps Bonnie beat Lyme.

In case you aren’t aware of what this disease can do, Carrie has a very informative post about it. Short version, it sucks, and if you’ve been following Bonnie, you already know that the treatment sucks too. That’s on top of being expensive.

So far, we’ve got plushes that are famous on the internet, the essential travel guide for gun owners, paracord bracelets (not yet featured), and more. I got a couple of things in the mail over the weekend to add to the pot and more on the way. There’s even an interloper in the house of holsters. More on that tomorrow.

Don’t wait! Go ahead and get donating. Click me!

Milestones

There are some really special milestones in the life of a parent. First words, first steps, first bike, first day of school, first dubstep composition.

Wait, there are no prefab scrapbook layout for that! What’s a mother to do!

And where is the extra special frame with ribbons and a cartoon dog?

This is what happens when your quality outdoor family time looks like this.

 

Take That, NSA!

Bwahahahahaha! You think I’ve spent the entire day at home in my bedroom, when in reality, I’m frolicking around the city all willy nilly making all sorts of mischief. And tea. Lots of tea. Enough for a party. Neener! Neener!

Or, maybe in my pre-caffeine haze I forgot my phone and went to work.

But you, lowly spy, will never know whether or not there was frolicking.

The Armed Traveler

Short version: Add this to your travel supplies. Now, skim and scroll for link and discount code.

The Armed Traveler is a travel guide for anyone wishing to travel with firearms. Most of us don’t have the time, patience, or law degree required to wade through the varied laws across the nation. This book does it for you. But it’s not just dry facts, there’s some humor interspersed here and there.

picture courtesy The Armed Traveler

picture courtesy The Armed Traveler

Instead of telling you what sights to see and where to eat, this travel guide is here to help keep the local jail off of your itinerary. They don’t generally have good food there anyway.

Also, you get to be awesome by buying it.

Um, Jen?

I know, that sounds kind of funny, right? But it’s all true. This is the magic word

IJHOK2013

Oh, don’t try to say it. Use it when you checkout.

What’s in it for me?

It gets you $2 off the cover price.

And how exactly does that make me awesome?

Well, that tells the author that you came from here and I make a commission*. Also, 50 cents from every sale until the end of July goes to Bonnie to offset her expenses while she’s fighting Lyme Disease. (You’ve seen the re-enactment, right?) My silliness aside, it’s a nasty battle and she’s going to feel worse before she gets better. She’s documenting what and when she can. Your support goes a long way not only in paying the bills but in lifting her spirits.

So, head over to The Armed Traveler and use the magic word at checkout.

Want to be awesome and take your chances at a book? Hit Bonnie’s tip jar cause there’s going to be a copy in the raffle.

Big thanks to The Armed Traveler for the support.

*Wow! Look at you! All the way to the end and reading the footnote. I love you people. Here’s the special footnote secret, there’s another magic word. SQWTN2013 For you, it works exactly the same way. Only that one gives Bonnie both the commission and the 50 cent bonus through the end of July. Nothing changes for you after the end of July, that’s just when the bonus expires.