Sunday, Sept 21st… Top of the Morning from The Cluckin’ “A”

What a beautiful fall day. The sky is cloudless and deep blue, the air is just right and the sun is warming to the bone. It’s just one of those priceless fall mornings that make you feel alive.

Today we will do a little target shooting with the grandson but we are going to throw in a twist for him that he’ll never forget…. A Muzzle Loader. I’ll get the 50 caliber Mountain Rifle down off of the wall in the kitchen and throw some thunder balls across the back yard into the target bank. If he has never fired a true flintlock rifle before I am going to take him back to c. 1800, when you dropped the powder into the barrel, laid a piece of muslin over the barrel, placed a lead ball on top and gently pushed the ball flush with the top of the barrel, cut the remainder of the cloth flush and rammed it all the way to the bottom of the barrel, then sifted a little frizzen powder into the flash pan……… pull the hammer back, put the frizzen cover down on the flash pan, aim and fire. BAAAAAAAAVOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM ! Such a big flash and huge puff of smoke………… and then the actual ignition of the powder load as it finally goes off sending the round 50 caliber ball to it’s mark. This should be really should be fun.

Later we are going to go to Red’s Diner for the brunch buffet, which everyone raves about. Vicki and I haven’t been there yet, but had been invited by Stanley Maltzman when Vick had her back problem and we couldn’t go, so now we will finally be able to experience it. After that, we will go to the Coxsackie Antique Mall and see what they have before Bill, Loraine and Andrew trek down the thruway heading for Long Island and home. We always go to the Antique Mall as a last function before they're leaving because it is right next to the thruway entrance where they will get on for the ride south. That will be the end of another fall visit for them and I assure you they will be planning on the next mid winter visit as they drive toward home. I don’t blame them. It is so peaceful here and we’re so lucky to have everything daily that they come to enjoy during their two yearly visits. Vicki and I take nothing we have and enjoy for granted. We truly love it all and are thankful for everything.