I believe I’ll start today’s post where yesterday’s ended. If you’ll recall, after offering my perspective on the effects (for us, specifically) of the attacks on Israel, I closed with a simple, two-word directive: “Be ready.”
What the hell does that mean, anyway? Respectfully, I have a few suggestions.
You never leave your home unarmed. You always travel with a “go bag,” a “get-home bag” or the equivalent. You have sufficient food, water and supplies to ride-out a protracted crisis — enough to sustain you and your family or household, for as long as three months.
You avoid crowds and, to the extent possible, you stay out of urban areas. You always keep the fuel tank in your vehicle topped-off. You’ve made two very difficult decisions ahead of a crisis — that you will not comply with authorities’ orders to surrender your individual Liberty; and that in the gravest extreme, faced with imminent threat to your life or safety, or that of your family, you’re willing to take the life of another in self-defense.
What’s more, you’ve made the personal commitment, as the foundation of your preparations, that you will not panic. Whatever happens, you’ll stand firm and deal with difficult circumstances rationally.
There’s more to readiness than that, of course, but none of what I just said is optional. If you disagree, you live in a world very different from the one I inhabit.
Deb’s appointment with the orthopedist this morning brought both good news and bad news. The bad news was that not only had she fractured the fifth metatarsal in her right foot, she’d also broken her big toe.
The good news, we’re happy to report, is that her injuries won’t require surgical repair. Both were clean breaks, neither one displaced. She’ll be sentenced to wearing that clunky boot for eight weeks, maybe longer, but not having to deal with going under the knife lifts a great weight from her shoulders.
When she emerged from the medical-arts building and I helped her into the truck, both of us noticed something in the air — the unmistakable aroma of barbecue. She recalled the killer BBQ we sampled months ago at a food trailer in Harrison, set up outside the sportsman’s show at the fairgrounds, and she suspected that the restaurant might be nearby.
And so we celebrated our good news with a meal at Holy Smokes BBQ & Catering.
We began with tall glasses of sweet tea and cups of “Arkansas state champion chili.” Deb ordered “3 Pigs on a Fly,” which the menu describes as “bacon, ham and pulled pork on a ciabatta, with lettuce, tomato, red onions, mayo and cheese.” I had “The Notorious PIG,” billed as “pulled pork topped with sautéed onions, the dope cheese, bacon and sweet glaze, served on a ciabatta.” Her side was smoked mac’n’cheese, mine cole slaw.
Everything was ridiculously good, one of the best smoked-meat meals we’ve had in a long time. Holy Smokes makes it now four top-notch BBQ joints in our regular rotation, joining Blacksheep BBQ and Carolyn’s Razorback Ribs in Yellville, and KT’s Smokehouse BBQ & Catering in Gassville.
Tomorrow morning, I believe, we’ll head into town for the Turkey Trot. Can’t wait.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB
