Good Friday and the beginning of Passover on Friday, 4-19-2019 (published 4-21-2019)

Good Friday was two days ago. As happens at times, Good Friday was also the first day of Passover. See my 4/13/2019 article.

The weather on Good Friday was rainy and windy. In wisdom, I did not go to the homeplace to fire live rounds and target shoot.

Instead, yesterday, Saturday, the “long-suffering” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I drove to the home of my youngest brother and family in Hawkins County. The four ladies, my wife, Doug's wife, and their two daughters, engaged in women folk doings.

Doug and I, in his new-to-him Nissan Frontier, went to the homeplace. The weather was cloudy, windy, and occasionally rainy. It was not as bad as on Good Friday. We placed upright Granny Wood’s grapevine support that had fallen a few months ago. The grapevine is still living. Doug planted flowers in the flowerbed near the front porch in memory of Granny Wood and our mother.

Afterward, as a light rain began to fall, we both did a little target shooting! That morning, I had predicted that rain would fall as we started to shoot. I shot my new, replacement Ruger LCP for the first time. We only fired a few rounds, but we shot well. I shot better than I thought that I would, especially after my over three-year “sabbatical” from target shooting!

Unfortunately, I forget to take any photographs. The images are in my mind. It was a fine day.

I have checked off two more goals. I replaced my Ruger LCP and gone target shooting again! A next goal is to be able to run as I once did, before having the surgically installed metal in my left shoulder, right knee, and right foot. Lord willing, by my sheer determination, I will do that one day!

4-13-2019: Papaw Ferrell's Birthday in 1880 & Ruger Replaced Today!

 Ruger Replaced on Papaw Ferrell's Birthday B-Day, by M. Fearghail, 4/13/2019, at 2:54 PM.

On Tuesday, 4/13/1880, my paternal grandfather, Marion Ferrell, was born. I wear his first name with honor, knowing the Irish meaning. The Gaelic is Merrion, meaning “brave man.”

Today, Saturday, 4/13/2019, I—his grandson, the first son of his youngest son, who was my father, Earl Ferrell—purchased a Ruger 380 pocket pistol. The “long-suffering” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman went with me. The purchase was to replace the Ruger that I bought on 7/28/2012.

After the wreck, on Tuesday, 3/29/2016, the Tennessee Highway Patrol held that first pistol—which was found and secured from the cab of my totaled 1995 Nissan pickup—for safekeeping at their Knoxville location. An 18-year-old, uninsured female failed to yield to my right of way and almost killed me on that day.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol called me a few times to remind me that my old Ruger LCP 380 was at their Knoxville location, for me to pick up at any time that I could do so, up to a year. After a year, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said that they would have to destroy my old Ruger, if I couldn't come get it.

In early March 2017, a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer called me and stated that they would be glad to hold my old Ruger for over a year, if I wished to call them before 3/29/2017 to make the proper arrangements. I thanked the very kind and understanding officer for her time. I never called to extend the pickup, due to all the “fun” in life at the time. I assumed that the Tennessee Highway Patrol destroyed my old Ruger. Later, however, I was pleased to learn that my old Ruger was being used as a backup weapon for an officer.

The last time that I “pulled a trigger” was on Good Friday, 3/25/2016. I was at the homeplace. Steve, a lifelong friend; Monnie, a neighbor; and I did some target shooting. We had a great day!

Good Friday is coming in six days on 4/19/2019. What do you think that I plan to do for the first time since Good Friday in 2016?

Enjoy the previous photograph of today's purchase on Papaw Ferrell's birthday!