Rural community Life During WWII

Posted on December 30, 2012

I remember that we mostly had mismatched cups, dishes and silverware when we were little kids. The ‘Sir David Beatty spoon’ was worth fighting over at meal times :>)
Not sure about grandma's set. I think it mostly matched. She really enjoyed her kitchen. Often had her ‘Ladies Aid’ over for ‘Hors d'oeuvres’. Small, strange tasting sandwiches, homemade bread with the crust shaved off (saved for later bread pudding). She set the table with her treasured linen and her finest dishes, then dressed up, as if for church. 

The well dressed ladies all discussed the needs of the community and how they would gather and distribute essentials to the needy and find employment for the bread winners of the Traditional families common in those days.. They were the community welfare, working with the local churches… before govt eventually took over, subsidizing the non-traditional ‘associations’ quite common today….

I remember Gram's early kitchen during WWII. The floor and cabinets were covered in linoleum with shiny little strips of edging. The ‘everyday’ table cloths were something called ‘Oilcloth’. After WWII and the end of rationing, when things got better, she got all new stainless steel topped cabinets and better flooring. The one hanging ceiling bulb was replaced with the latest ‘fluorescent’ lighting ring. The new, big box chest freezer on the porch after WWII rationing was over, replaced the town ‘Locker‘.

The countless frozen chickens she endlessly butchered, beef and pork were much handier. Closer to the well stocked, hand grown, picked and canned garden vegetables and preserved fruit in her basement. Whatever occurred, our family ‘compound’ would survive. Grandpa and Grandma had survived the ‘Great Depression’. For them, a World War was a walk in the park.

 The ICEMAN. Big man, sorta scary. Wearing a leather apron and carrying big blocks of ice over his shoulders with huge iron Tongs. He came in, rearranged the remaining pieces of ice. Returned with size needed, set the new block and replaced the smaller pieces around it. In hot summer we got a few fresh chunks from him to chew on. The Milkman was another periodic visitor (we raised a yearly Beef and Hogs, but not dairy cows). Milkman drove a strange looking delivery truck and left a couple of bottles in the icebox. We never locked the doors. Perfectly logical, because the iceman and milkman could not get in when we were away..

When WWII took all of the younger men, only the older or crippled up guys were left. 
 Harvest time was memorable. Pheasants loved the corn shocks for shelter against the winter blasts and food.

I roamed the exciting fields alone as an adventuresome 'little Buck'. I recall the Threshing crews with draft horses being used to pull the 'hay racks'. I got to scramble on board and ride to the barns. The big old iron spiked wheeled, tractor that in later years became a rusted derelict at Towner's pond (formerly on Prince Farm), was used to power the big grey Threshing machine during the WWII years. There were other old tractors, but gas was rationed, so the draft horses, Belgiums and Percherons did a lot of the real work.

The grey Threshing machine was moved from farm to farm, along with the 'mature' and kid crews. A long flat fabric belt, drove the pulleys that operated the countless gears and threshing devices, blowing 'chaff' into piles. The horses would walk and stop, when the older men using their forks, 'pitched' the hay or 'cut grain' up onto the high wheeled 'racks'. Hay and Grain was mowed by the draft teams pulling mechanical sickle bars. 

Nearby some smaller field farmers of the time, still used long antiquated hand scythes with 'bails' to lay the grain stems in orderly rows. They stepped along, swinging their scythe's in rhythmic fashion, all day long, stopping only when the distant community siren signaled 12 noon lunch.

At Kane's and Prince's farm, the racks full of hay and straw from threshing, were backed into position under the eve of the big barn. A long heavy rope with a large set of claw hooks, grabbed onto the hay, much of it 'baled', from the rack in one big bite. Draft horses pulled the long rope, lifting the hay to the open upper doors, where men forced it into the far reaches of the loft on a long metal trolley. The operation was repeated and continued for the days it took for harvest.,..

'Indian Summer', though somewhat rare,  periodically commenced after harvest. Today we are all trained to rush judgement noddingly, label it proof of Global Warming'. Some may remember that picture of the old man smoking his pipe, telling the little boy about seeing the hazy smoke and visions of the Indians. The famous picture and little story appeared every fall in the Chicago Tribune, 'Indian Summer' or not.  
http://www.tkinter.smig.net/Chicago/InjunSummer/index.htm  


We often walked the quarter mile across fields to Kane's dairy farm, carrying two milk pails. The warm milk came right from the cows, then was poured over a cold refrigerated coil into our pails. After it sat in our icebox for a day, the cream was scooped off for coffee and cooking. As a little kid, I always had a cup of fresh creamed coffee with Grams in her kitchen. Her fresh baked bread, rolls and donuts were never duplicated.
 
After WWII, the real refrigerators came to our houses. What a remarkable invention. The old wooden ice boxes went to the chicken house for storage of feed, Rats and Mice were always a problem around chickens because of their feed scattered about. Predatory Weasels and Foxes were a different problem.

 Rat Killin' was ongoing and exciting, some real fun. After dusk, Gramps and I approached the chicken house in silence, carrying Mom's .22. Gramps ripping open the door, I ran and grabbed 'em while they were squealing and Gramps shot em. Sometimes they were too fast, too big and biting at me.. I slammed them against the wall, then Gramps shot them. Ahh the good old days. :>)


After WWII, a new white electric ‘wringer’ washing machine in basement, came to replace the old pale green clamp on, hand crank ‘wringer’, that was a separate device. Before the electric wringer machine, mom and gram both used the big copper tub on the kerosene burners to boil the water and wash clothes on wash day (same two handled oval copper tub used for boiling and plucking hundreds of chickens).

The big 80 gal post WWII water heater was something special. It somehow was controlled to only provide electricity and heat water at night’s cheaper rates. Clothes were all hung outside to dry unless the rainy weather prevented it. Freeze dried clothes, though looking stiff, get just as dry.

The first flooring I recall in our kitchen and grandma’s, was something found at navy surplus. In rolls and glued down, it supposedly was left over from ships, as some of our original home construction material. Neighbor Larry’s floors were a cement board from surplus. Hard, cold and gray..

Our kitchen had a cast iron hand pump, like the one at an aunt’s little house I first recalled. Dad and grandpa put a little electric piston pump under the kitchen, when one finally became available. It pumped water from the concrete cistern that collected rain water from the house roof gutters. Both houses in our ‘compound’ had cisterns. The water was yellow and not much of it. Little pump often froze in cold winter. Had to go down into spider crawl space, with gas blowtorch, to thaw. Then hang an electric light bulb for freezing nights and days.

A weekly bath was taken in cold yellow water, with some added water boiled on the little kerosene stove on which mom cooked our meals. Before the porcelain iron tub and electric pump connected, the kitchen floor, wash tub was my ‘spa’.  The little kerosene stove had a round gallon can, that gurgled as the kerosene dripped into the burners. It also helped heat our home in cold weather. Our electric water heater in the hallway, after end of WWII, was a welcome addition, as was our first electric stove and fluorescent ceiling light. The hanging incandescent bulb was finally replaced. :>)

After WWII ended, uncle Harry came home from the war and married Betty to raise their family. Grandpa dug two pipelines from the new well in the communal yard, one for our house. I watched that well being drilled by a man with a pounding machine. It replaced an old hand dug, brick lined polluted well we could no longer use.

The drill rig eventually pounded the big drill pipe down about 100 feet. Lots of gray clay flooded out and down the driveway as it began pounding to break through the substrate. After pouring a concrete ‘well house’ below the ground and installing a new deep well piston pump, We finally  had clean, clear water we could actually drink. No more trips to the community well, filling big glass bottles in wooden crates. :>)

During WWII, grandma and grandpa had their coal furnace in their basement. It needed tightly rationed coal, shoveled directly into the firebox every few hours and 'clinkers' needed to be chipped loose and shoveled out with the cinders and ashes. The clinkers and cinders ‘paved’ our long driveway and provided traction in icy winter.
They then acquired a modern ‘Stoker’ to feed the coal. 

As a stronger kid, I often shoveled the new stoker full with coal from the big ‘bin’,  in a walled off section of the basement (I still have that same big coal shovel). They eventually got the fuel oil ‘gun type’ conversion installed in that same furnace. Oil that replaced the coal. No more shoveling. Grams and Gramps were aging  by then and had lost some shoveling agility.

For years, Jake the ‘Coal Man’ (he was blackened by the end of each hard day’s work) had backed up his truck and delivered the coal through the basement window by the birdbath in side yard flower garden. It had little red paper ‘hearts’ scattered throughout the black shiny coal chunks. I kinda liked the fresh smell of coal. Reminded me of my beloved steam locomotives that roared past in the night.
The coal furnace also heated some water in the winter, before the big electric water heater was installed after WWII. The furnace had a big bulging iron boiler ball suspended below the steel floor radiator grate. I spent many hours laying on that steel floor grate, after getting frozen and soaked during sledding.

‘Red Heart Coal’ was the best :>) Jake’s last name was ‘Flake’. Interesting name ‘Jake Flake’. He had daughters that turned out very pretty. His coal yard and home, was located near the EJ&E railroad tracks. The coal trains dumped the coal off the siding into his yard and he delivered it with his old truck.

Hockemier (Hokie) on highway 59A, had the local convenience store and Sinclair gas station. He delivered the ‘Fuel Oil’ of the sort we burned in the big brown ‘garbage burner’ that heated our house. Mom could finally afford to put in the ‘gun type’ furnace, located in the closet. That thing was sooty and really smoked. Later she had the floor furnace installed? If I recall, it was suspended under the house? Or she had a gas conversion put in the other box? Whatever type, it is always nice to actually get a natural gas line past the homestead. Homestead was ‘razed’ in recent years, but the memories remain strong.
Life sure changed didn’t it?.

Concealed Carry Weapon ‘Re-Certification’

Blogger (New) seems to be working again?
After the classroom massacre of defenseless children in Newton Conn, that will by knee jerk reaction, unleash an 'anti-gun' rage of new Laws, I confirmed my decision to remain ARMED, not Defenseless, as the US govt forces the public schools system to remain...for some irrational reasoning.
The deadly outcomes are predictable and repeated with regularity by the deranged, of which the world is awash today. Only the threat of instant retaliation deters attacks.

As the end of my own four year New Mexico State certification for ‘Concealed Carry Weapon’ approaches, I contemplated the process once again. Did I really desire to continue to carry a deadly weapon? Am I too old? Am I too slow? My Accuracy not what it once was? It is assuming a heavy liability and costly, so is it really worth the added expense and vastly increased financial risk in these depressed economic times? During a rehearsal at a yearly stage production for the ‘The Story’ at church, I met a friend known from the last year’s performances.

Ellis McMath ellismcmath@aol.com of ‘Better Together Mexico’ a Christian Ministry improving the lives of Christians living in Mexico, mentioned he was now teaching classes in New Mexico Concealed Carry. After convincing myself Not to certify again, something ‘blipped’ in my brain. ‘What IF’ I no longer carried and 'something' occurred that I could have prevented and would regret forever?

‘Suzanna Gracia-Hupp’ tells it best on You tube, in her personal story before Congress, of losing her father among the Luby’s Texas massacre victims. Tuesday evenings for two hours, the ongoing series of classes are in session. I attended the first one on 20 Nov 2012. Because I am only Re-certifying, I only require 4 hours, instead of the full day, 11 hours + for ‘new’ students. I still must ‘Re-Qualify’ at the range.

Tuesday evening at 6:15 I entered the church where the classroom is in the parish hall. Many consider it strange that a ‘church’ would be used for courses in ‘killing’ another individual. The Bible goes into describing possible ‘confrontation’ and the acceptable weapons of that time (two ‘concealed’ swords… Luke 22:). This including other passages are used by ‘carry’ instructors, as well as other verses describing ‘Killing’ vs Murder. Planning a ‘murder’ is definitely against Biblical morals/teachings. Killing a person bent on ‘Murdering’ you or others, is definitely acceptable if in Self Defense, or defense of others as a last resort.

Colorado Springs Colorado couple of years ago, a church was the scene of a person bent on committing a crime of ‘news’ worthy proportions. Thanks to an alert woman who was concealed carry armed (off duty officer), the attack was thwarted by killing the ‘actor’ after his first shots fired, but before he committed his intended carnage.

In most churches, in today's hatred and anger infested world, with vindictive deadly threats rampant towards parishioners, you may very likely be seated next to an armed, certified ‘Concealed Carry’ parishioner. Followers of Jesus Christ are Not bulletproof and are susceptible to attack by others with their hatred intent to wreak havoc, while following the unrealized, suggestive influence of Satan. Victimization is easier to accept or rationalize, by anyone Not ‘prepared’ to defend themselves or others.

“Turning the other cheek” is Bible phraseology to describe an attack ‘Other’ than physical. With the classroom darkened, a You Tube site I am familiar with, ‘Nuttin Fancy’ was on the screens. He described the fact that 90 percent of ‘certified CCW holders did Not carry all of the time. Whether an easy little .22 a .25 or Anything, he encouraged ‘Carry’ Something. The possibility of a ‘situation’ is always possible, more so if you are unprepared.

Handouts described the circumstances and laws pertaining to ‘Self Defense’ by ‘Eliminating the Threat’. Carl, a retired Police officer that killed an attacker, told his story as he pulled out his ‘collection’ of carried weapons (including ‘Blades’ and ‘staba, staba, staba techniques to ‘break’ deadly chokeholds), from concealment on his person. Being a retired professional, he carries three often. The .22 ‘short’ caliber that he used to kill the armed attacker, was tiny but deadly in his application.

Security cam vids, depicting various attackers and their intervening ‘Sheep Dog’ defenders, were shown, then discussed. In each instance depicted, the attacker was killed by ‘The Sheepdog’, an armed citizen. Most recently noted on the You Tube ‘internet news’ (Anti-Gun, agenda driven mainstream Media rarely acknowledges a ‘Gun’ used in self defense), was the Florida ‘internet cafe’ situation. The two young men (armed) had no concern that an ‘old man’ would shoot to kill, in defense of the patrons they were commandeering.

An armed bank robber, behind a woman and baby, was dispatched instantly by a teller using his concealed weapon Accurately. The rapidity of each instance is testimony to reaction times and training ‘Accuracy’ of shot placement. An off duty officer standing at the sales counter, removed from society, a ‘Hoody’ clad gunman (more common than agenda driven media would have you think). Do Not attempt to rob a Gun store, You will rarely live to tell the story. ‘Gun Shows’, endlessly decried by the ‘hand wringing’ do-gooders and their sympathetic media, have Never been attacked or robbed.

John Lott and FBI statistics prove that States that have passed laws to ‘Allow’ Concealed Carry of Weapons by the law abiding citizens, have universally experienced a drastic downturn in homicides and deadly attacks.
Well educated people (many govt related) here in dependency addicted New Mexico, mention the very real possibility of the financial collapse of the US fiat printed dollar, causing some serious trouble in the future.
Mormons are preparing all of their life for ‘whatever’ :>) Those I have known, have stockpiled food, arms and necessaries that they rotate through by date.

Real Sheepdogs are always prepared, their confident demeanor seems to be a deterrent….. from what the retired police officers tell us in class. Something about the way they notice other people, even going so far as to to nod and catch their attention, as I do most all of the time, is disarming to those intent on doing evil to another person (victim). Even store employees are now trained to greet entering customers ‘with Confidence’.

In most cases, the attacker passes up the ‘Situation-ally Aware’ person, while the bad guy/girl looking for an ‘easy’ hit’, searches for the weaker appearing person, one that keeps their head down, walks like they are kind of embarrassed or preoccupied. The easy victims typically feel as if they are a burden to society or fail to take note of approaching or lurking ‘situations’. Without realizing it, they act defenseless (they are). The professional Officers doing my training, say those are the people (victims) that you read about in the news. Only 20% of homicides are committed by strangers btw.

Most (80%) of homicides are committed by people that the victim knows. The ‘Petraus scenario’ is often violent in outcome (‘Joey Butafucco’ type infidelity, remember his ‘Lolita’?). We train for that scenario. A ‘flip’ silhouette of a woman (‘Seething Sally’) pointing a gun at another person, Within a split second, we must differentiate our next move….. After fast warning “Drop the Gun, Drop Your Gun”, while aligning sights to ‘High Center Mass and moving finger to trigger. IF she turns to point weapon after warning, we shoot Sally …twice/three times, rapidly and ‘Accurately’. Referred to as ‘Mozambique Drill’ (two shots to upper torso, one to the head, technique used during race warfare in Mozambique Africa, to stop black attackers high on drugs). PC today requires the name used, to be…. ‘Triple Tap’. :>)

Another is the fairly common, highway rest stop…. ‘restroom ambush’. This one got Linda and Gary Hass, traveling RVers from Oklahoma, murdered along I-40 in 2010. Escaped prisoners, McClusky and friends, including an armed woman, caught CCW Certified Linda, situation-ally Unaware. The Hass couple’s guns were stowed in their camp trailer!!! Deadly choice.

Exiting the restroom, we must differentiate the difference between a ‘Mechanic Mike’,  (repairing the toilets?) or a real bad guy/girl, ready to swing a big wrench or point a gun.  Exiting the restroom, you see ‘Mike’ walking toward you. Greeting him with “Sup Bro”… He does NOT make eye contact, says Nothing and continues advancing. Turning to flee, a wall blocks your escape. Draw gun with finger OFF trigger. After rapidly warning him ‘STOP’, he continues advance…..

“Drop the Gun/weapon, Get away from Me,  I have a Gun, Get back, Don’t make me shoot you”….. Failing to Stop, distance closing, we finger the trigger, site picture ‘High Center Mass’, finger ON trigger, fire at least twice/three times, ‘Accurately’. Choices, choices Choices. Be prepared for the worst and Pray for….. the best.

Not Ever having to use deadly force is the Best :>) One officer has ‘carried’ for 30 years, other 50 years. One without ever having to fire his concealed weapon. Other drew it a couple of times to ‘cool off’ (discourage) a potential attack. The other retired officer, our other trainer, killed an armed (knife) attacking robber during a grapple…. with his tiny .22 cal pistol, …concealed behind his belt buckle.

The ‘rest stop’ scenario’ got a guy killed during the time I was a ‘road warrior’, traveling along the (at that time)  lightly traveled hwy across the reservation to Farmington NM (my regular weekly route during those years). At a rest stop known as ‘The Teepees’ (now a casino), he was caught defenseless by a transient and killed. They found his late model luxury car, thousand + miles away. Over the years, he was not the only victim of ‘The Teepees’ rest stop. Another RV’er, years ago was not found for a long time. His coach…. again found in another state.

This type of attack has happened countless times over the last 40 years I have noted along the Interstate highways. Mostly ‘abductions’ of girls…. with various outcomes. Rarely mentioned on the national ‘news’, it is one of the common ‘Stranger on Stranger’ attacks.

The deterrent factor definitely saved me along I-40 at the Continental Divide (AKA ‘Top of the World’) east of Gallup NM. The bad guys were trying to work my window down, by gently rocking the glass from side to side, while I was sleeping in the late model car along side the highway. Being a hundred yards off the highway and under a tree, they figured I was ‘easy’. Just when they had the window down far enough to reach in, I sensed something that woke me from my deep fatigued sleep.

Cautiously peering through my slit closed eyelids, I noticed the main guy with his dirty hands ready to reach in. I popped the semi-automatic 9mm (was in my lap, covered with a light jacket), thumb flipping the safety off with a loud click, barrel into his open mouth. He said with a stammer,…. “I just want Money” (must have been honest?). As he gradually backed away, I glared at him, saying confidently,…. “Well This is ‘Your’ Lucky day”….. I kept staring at him, weapon still on target, cautiously started the engine with my left hand and drove off, watching in the mirrors while his two friends (all drifters with rucksacks) stood speechless. Apparently they were dismayed at losing their new found 'Ride' and my credit cards to go with it.

Another time years ago, an older big car parked across the narrow (at that time), lonely desolate highway across ‘Valley of the Fires’, White Sands missile range. I used the CB radio to ask about the problem and alert travelers. No response, I was alone to ‘Deal With’ the situation. Slowly approaching in very high alert status, stopping a distance back. Scanning the mirrors for additional threats, I noted the big guy sitting on the big older car blocking the narrow (back then) highway.

Two Indians (native Americans) were taking gasoline and money from motorists that stopped. They used Intimidation. One guy was really, really big. His smaller friend was the gasoline ‘sucker’. After they siphoned the ‘agreed to’ gallon into their bleach bottle, He threw up, spitting out gas. His eyes were bloodshot and his nose was running from swallowing gasoline. I remained inside the car, letting them take one agreed to gallon, siphoning it from my tank….. They Demanded… MORE!

I told them “NO MORE’ and raised the same 9mm semi-automatic handgun (carried it for the last 35 years) to the partially lowered window, while it was covered under my light jacket. The big guy stared at my jacket, then agreed “No More”. “Money”? He then asked, I said Firmly NO! Then reluctantly nodding his head in agreement, he carefully removed the long garden hose (siphon) from my filler opening, covering both it’s ends with his thumbs to prevent any loss, he actually got another gallon that way :>)

After releasing the ‘hose full’ of fuel into their filler, they pushed their car to clear the roadway, only after  I ‘Ordered’ them to do so. Driving around their big older model car, I watched in the mirror….. as they pushed it Back across the narrow, barely traveled highway, 40 miles from the nearest ‘settlement’ :>)

Sheepdog ‘looking’ for trouble?…No Way.
Just prepared…. in case ‘trouble’ finds Sheepdog. :>).

Rules for use on coming Qualify day:
3 yards ‘Load’ Bring weapon to ‘Low Ready’ finger OFF trigger.
“Drop the Gun get away from me, I have a Gun, Get Back, Don’t make me shoot you” Align sights to ‘High Center Mass while moving finger to trigger. Think…Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy..fire twice/three times..assess.. with third ‘head shot’. Repeat for 15 shots total.

From 7 yards, repeat for 10 shots. Score 4 pts for each shot within 12″X 18″ target range. 72% passing score, 100% excellent. Weapons qualified with are listed on application. Smaller calibers can be legally carried, as well as qualify 'revolvers' and/or pistols (semi-automatics). Only one handgun to be carried at a time in NM.

Every assault requires three elements, ‘Opportunity, Intent and Ability. Thwart the assault by denying the three elements all coming together…against You. ‘Avoidance’ is the best strategy. Being ‘somewhere else’ is the very best. Simple as ‘crossing the street’ may thwart attack. If unavoidable and he/she raises level of ‘Intent’, deny the attacker the Ability, and Opportunity.

Attempt to discourage his/her ‘Intent’. Battleground is the space around Your body. ‘Assess background for innocents’ Before discharging weapon…. Keep Moving, deny yourself as the Target, stopping ‘Only’ to shoot Accurately. Think Positive and Aggressively. Do Not act Fearful. Make sure ‘Risk to Reward’ Ratio is Against the attacker, thereby more likely thwarting an attack. If the attack is pressed, in spite of the warnings, plan for and seize the initiative. Position Yourself for advantage, the fight has already begun and You did not start it.
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Completion of training and Certification
11 Dec 2012, 2nd two hour classroom session, for four hour ‘re-certify’, held in the church gathering room, where we watched security camera clips of attacks, while discussing the correct response. Reviewing the procedures for sight alignment, the sequence of movements during the encounter, various equipment and legalities for concealed carry.

Qualify day, 15 December 2012. Did not sleep well on eve of the Conn Elementary school attack, in one of the strictest ‘Gun Control’ states, by a deranged young man, of which the world including USA, has countless more. They are possessed of Evil, waiting for their ‘opportunity’ to destroy lives and families. The total reported was well over 20 victims. Predictable where the Right to self defense is ‘restricted’ by Law. Teachers are NOT allowed to have Any means of Self Defense. Federal law prevents ‘self defense’ in ‘Gun Free’ schools, Now becoming well known as helpless Victim zones. Flocks of innocent, weak and vulnerable, defenseless Sheep… with No Sheepdogs.

The future of the ‘Armed Law Abiding Citizen ‘ is further endangered by the outrageous deeds of the few. In spite of agenda driven knee jerk reactions, by a faction of news in alliance with bureaucrats and politicians, the Right to Self Defense is imperative in today’s USA. To deny any Law Abiding, Legal US Citizen of that ‘Right’ protected by the ‘Bill of Rights’ 2nd Amendment, is to condemn them and their loved ones, to becoming ‘Victims’ of a magnitude greater than one can imagine. History is a harsh teacher..

We met at the McDonald’s restaurant in Bernalillo NM, 20 miles north of Albuquerque NM at 8am, for departure to the chosen Bureau of Land Management site. Myself and others arrived early, to get a quick breakfast and discuss the latest demoralizing ‘news’. Ellis McMath arrived promptly with his range equipment for setting up in the safety of a deep dry wash arroyo, of his research and choosing.

We all followed his truck to the site and left our vehicles on top of the ridge, walking down the hill. I was second to qualify under Ellis’s tutelage. Quite different and a pleasure to have Ellis as an expert ‘personal’ instructor, critiquing and praising every ‘three shot’ grouping. The verbal warnings issued to the attackers, depicted on his life sized paper targets, set up at the qualify distances, are more in line with standard Albuquerque Police warnings, of which Ellis is a reserve officer today.

The alert and experienced personal trainer, notices any irregular stance and grip of the various weapons (revolvers and and semi-automatics), which caused the shots to be ‘off’ from the desired area of torso and head placement. My own ‘three shot’ (Triple Tap) groupings were slightly ‘off’ from maximum effectiveness, but not as weak as I had earlier presumed. They improved with each detailed suggestion from Ellis. I qualified with a score of 100. All within the area of maximum effectiveness.

Ellis congratulated each shooter, at each ‘Triple Tap’ that was ‘on target’. Rewarded by a nod and affirmative verbiage, made the time on ‘the line’ enjoyable. I was enjoying the repeated lessons and elected to stay until each person, including a proficient ‘Lefty’, and several women, had successfully qualified.

Brenda had another ‘station’ and firing line set up to attend before the official ‘qualify’ firing line, for those who had Never fired a handgun, or those just interested in the various ‘scenarios’ you may one day/night encounter. Brenda also sets up surprise scenarios that reflect actual documented attacks.

They test your ability to quickly discern a threat from an actual attack, or non-lethal encounter. Her demonstration practice .22 caliber semi-auto and revolver were very busy today, running through scenarios of self defense, using the lighter loads and smaller calibers easier to learn with. As mentioned in earlier classes, the.22 and .25 are quite sufficient to stop an attack…..if ‘shot placement’ is accurate..

One life sized female target is big haired (bullets have no effect passing through hair) ‘Seething Sally’, depicted holding her weapon pointed at you, as your response is practiced. At one point Seething Sally surprisingly distracts the person defending him/her self. Brenda, standing off to the side, pretending to be Sally, loudly disrupts the routine self defense procedure’s timing, by saying ” Hey You’re Pretty cute’. The self defense, rapid response is disrupted long enough for Sally to get off ‘Her’ shots, in effect…as Brenda just illustrated, ‘Bang...You’re Dead’.

By the ending of the 4 plus hours of ‘range time’, we all were doing well. At one point a fast blip of a police siren at the top of the ridge, alerted us to a visitor from ‘the law’. Ellis ran up to the ridge carrying his identity as training officer with his official BLM maps, showing our legal occupation of BLM land, that open range land Owned’ by the law abiding Citizens of the USA.

Upon return, Ellis described the polite Deputy Sheriff’s response. The ‘residents’ of a home on private property a mile away, complained of our firing of weapons. After the Deputy first telling us to go 50 miles away, to the other end of the county, we were puzzled. Reluctantly packing up the equipment, two men were yet to qualify. Within a few minutes, the deputy returned to apologize, after being informed by superiors, of his misled assumption.

We ‘Were’ Allowed to be on BLM land and the complaining home owner was in the wrong. We finished quickly with the last two men qualifying, picking up spent casings, packed up and left the deep arroyo for home. An enjoyable, albeit slightly cold, day of target practice and qualification. The forms must now be registered at ‘The NM Dept of Public Safety’, the black glassed Darth Vader building on Indian School, in ‘Uptown’, ABQ NM.

We are now trained and prepared to confidently carry our weapons in compliance with the laws of NM, including several other states that respect New Mexico’s Certification to carry a ‘Concealed Weapon’, for our own self defense and that of others’… ..if the need may arise.
The Criminal Mindset

Ellis McMath is starting another series of training seminars in Rio Rancho at the beginning of the 2013 year. For local information, leave comment or contact ‘Better Together Mexico’ ellismcmath@aol.com. A Christian Mission to help improve the lives of Chihuahua Mexico, Christian families.

Just one other major benefit to being a Law Abiding Citizen of the greatest nation ever known in history. The United States of America, One nation Under God, with Liberty and Freedom for All..