The pleasure of fine things

I think this qualifies here. It's a Belgian 16 gauge muzzleloading fowler made somewhere in the 1830s from what I can gather. You can find some remarkably affordable beautiful antique guns if you aren't put off by it being a muzzleloader or a shotgun generally that isn't a well known brand.
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I even used it as my dove hunting gun this year.
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Of all things, I am impressed with the knee high wool socks I got at Dschulnigg in Salzburg. They are really a fine product in just the right shade of Loden.
Picked up a couple of 3/4 inch leather/rubber backed rifle slings as well, and for an attractive price.

Strangely, they forbid me to handle an O/U rifle by Heym in 30'06. Perhaps because I was an American and they knew I could not buy it and have it shipped over. They said that they had tried to accommodate customers, who filled out supposedly all the right forms and still got denied somehow by new Austrian gun laws. It was very deeply engraved and priced at $8,000 euros. The gentleman there said that Ferlach had a single broker who handled all their exports, but did not say why he could not use that service. So I guess he thought there was no possible upside and a possible downside of a new nick on the gunstock....
 
I had an interesting experience yesterday, popped into the classic car shop on the way home. There in the centre spot was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen; a gleaming red V12 e-type Jaguar, perfect in every way. It was so striking I took my hat off, and was permitted to sit in it, even start it up.

Over to one side was a little yellow 1275 E Mini clubman, ironically the exact same model that I am currently re-building in Johannesburg. I sat in that too.
Whereas the Jaguar evoked awe, perhaps a little unease too, the mini brought on a smile, a desire for Monday to roll around so I could do a little more tinkering on mine. The feeling dimension of fine must be given it's due share of weighting, happiness is precious.

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Lovely Jag! Back in my younger and wilder days, we referred to XKE Roadsters as "panty droppers". Please excuse my crude phrase! The proof was in the driving....!
 
My latest acquisition.

Female puppy out of a breeding of last years National Field Champion and 2023 Purina High point Open winner and a MH female who is the daughter of another FC/AFC with many points, Grandsire NFC on both sides of pedigree. American Field bred Labrador excellence!

First pic is at 8 weeks retrieving, last pic is having a siesta after doing some water work earlier at 12 weeks. Very promising puppy, looking forward to competing in the Derby and some Hunt tests after the first of the year!





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Never met a lab I didn’t fall in love with.
 
Lovely Jag! Back in my younger and wilder days, we referred to XKE Roadsters as "panty droppers". Please excuse my crude phrase! The proof was in the driving....!
I bought a new black Jag roadster years ago . The beauty of that car couldn’t offset how bloody ugly I am. Consequently not a lot of action but I loved that car . Nothing beat tearing along on a cool evening , roof down and the Rolling Stones blasting out .
 
I confess I like only the Explorer 1, and the 40mm at that. Utterly functionally plain. And with a leather strap to boot. I am having a new set made here in Zim in lighter coloured leather: ostrich, elephant and buffalo.
Hi Kevin. Please share who makes leather straps in Zim?

Thank you
 
Hi Kevin. Please share who makes leather straps in Zim?

Thank you
Samuneti Leather. Churchill Avenue, Harare. Their standard style uses a buckle, but if you want to use your Rolex clasp you must give then a pattern.
 
I had an interesting experience yesterday, popped into the classic car shop on the way home. There in the centre spot was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen; a gleaming red V12 e-type Jaguar, perfect in every way. It was so striking I took my hat off, and was permitted to sit in it, even start it up.

Over to one side was a little yellow 1275 E Mini clubman, ironically the exact same model that I am currently re-building in Johannesburg. I sat in that too.
Whereas the Jaguar evoked awe, perhaps a little unease too, the mini brought on a smile, a desire for Monday to roll around so I could do a little more tinkering on mine. The feeling dimension of fine must be given it's due share of weighting, happiness is precious.

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Love the Jag. As a young man, my landlady drove a Sea Green XKE V12, She was a fox. Later, I once had the chance to buy one but when I climbed in, at 6'2" I barely fit in the cockpit and my head stuck up above the windscreen. That was a no-go for me. I soon learned that I fit better in German cars, lol and began racing Porsches. Still, few cars that get the styling more right than the Jag.
 
From my LA days - me riding my Ducati on Mullholland Drive a few miles West of the Rock Store. We used to meet up with Leno there or a Newcombs Ranch for Sunday Brunch and a little riding. Good times. I am a card carrying member of the SoCal Area Sport Twins Riders. Also retired road racer.

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For my senior year in high school I had a 1966 Jaguar 3.8S which my father bought to get me off my Harley. I had French Galuoise cigarettes on the real wood dashboard to try to impress the girls who went for a ride. Kinda geeky!
 
For my senior year in high school I had a 1966 Jaguar 3.8S which my father bought to get me off my Harley. I had French Galuoise cigarettes on the real wood dashboard to try to impress the girls who went for a ride. Kinda geeky!
Wow ! In my University days I had a 1966 Holden with an asthmatic 6 cylinder that wouldn’t pull the skin off a custard. Not cool , but much better than my mate’s Standard Vanguard wagon - complete with a hole in the floor .
 
Wow ! In my University days I had a 1966 Holden with an asthmatic 6 cylinder that wouldn’t pull the skin off a custard. Not cool , but much better than my mate’s Standard Vanguard wagon - complete with a hole in the floor .
:)
 
From my LA days - me riding my Ducati on Mullholland Drive a few miles West of the Rock Store. We used to meet up with Leno there or a Newcombs Ranch for Sunday Brunch and a little riding. Good times. I am a card carrying member of the SoCal Area Sport Twins Riders. Also retired road racer.

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I did a little road racing back in the day as a crew chief/team manager. 86 Daytona 24 Hour GTP Lights Royale w/3.?L Porsche Engine. 9th OA 2nd in Lights. 1st time the car ran was at practice for the race.
 

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I did a little road racing back in the day as a crew chief/team manager. 86 Daytona 24 Hour GTP Lights Royale w/3.?L Porsche Engine. 9th OA 2nd in Lights. 1st time the car ran was at practice for the race.
Sweet, I have a soft spot for old Porsches. Sitting in one, they smell like the cockpit of an old fighter plane. Smells like combo of paint, burnt metal, octane, leather, and testosterone, (and sometimes a little urine) - If we could bottle that scent it would make a great men's cologne, lol.

I ran mostly motorcycles, starting in the dirt (Yamaha, Kawi, Husky) and then graduating to the road racers (Honda). Light twins, supersport and superbike but also ran sportscars for a while. Porsches and Toyotas and SCCA sanctioned events in other classes. Placed 1st at Mid-Ohio in 2007 in the sportscar challenge in the 4cyl FI class. My last time on the track was only two yrs ago testing a GT3R at New Hampshire Motorsports track. That is a capable little piece of chained lightning. Before they bulldozed it nearly flat, I used to be able to wheelie over Porsche Hill at Road Atlanta on my Superbike at over 160mph in 6th gear and then keeping it pinned half way into Gravity Cavity before braking for the kink at the bottom and accelerating up and over the hill and down to the line. Good times.

Funny how, fighter pilots, road racers and DG hunters all seem to gravitate to the same things, lol. Pic below of my 1st road bike back in the day. It was slow but damn it was fun.

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I dare say probably the only fine thing I own is my model 1905 Mannlicher Schoenauer. Well that and my wife, then again I don’t own her so there is that.
 
Well it doesn't last long and the evidence is erased as soon as you eat it, but fine food is one of the finer things. Just got back from a destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta MX and the "Secrets" resort offered by Hyatt had some of the best food I've ever seen as part of an all included package. Fine souffles in the French restaurant, all you could eat lobster one night in the World Cafe, everything from black caviar to smoked salmon to the tastiest fresh corn tortillas used for breakfast casadillas in the breakfast buffet, to Jeez you name it. Tender filet mignon, Benihana style hibachi, Italian, Mahi-mahi and sea bass as catch of the day in several seafood venues venues, Meze Mediterranean restaurant if you could book it--you get the idea. I failed to restrict my eating but succeeded in putting on about ten extra pounds. None of it was bad. Much of it was stellar. I am seriously gong to have to go on the straight and narrow.
 

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