Ron's Internet Home 
My charming face
George
- After 40 years in the hardware business, I retired in
1990 not completely sure what to do next. `By chance, I
found blackpowder and rendezvous. I also found the joys
of cowboy action shooting. These were activities
absolutely essential to my well being because they
brought me into contact with people and provided some
competitive punch to my life. I live alone and could
waste away in front of the boob tube were it not for the
up-lift provided by these contacts.
- I'm a thrift shop shopper and find it hard to pass up
a garage or yard sale. I find things useful to the 18th
& 19th century re-enactor. In 1998, I began to do
some trading on the rendezvous circuit. Two truck
upgrades later, you could call me a major player in
market. Once a retailer, always a retailer.
Everyone knows George my shadow.
- Black Powder
- When I discovered black powder, I found I was half way
competitive in the shooting part. It didn't cost a lot to
start. The people were friendly and helpful. I simply had
a good time.
- Rendezvous
- In conjuction with the black powder shooting, I
discovered rendezvous. Who would have thunk that wearing
old timey clothes, smelling of campfire and sulfur smoke,
sleeping under canvas would have appealed to this old
fart. Yet rendezvousers are some of the most open,
friendly, honest folks around and I feel comfortable and
right at home. You can be all get up and go competitive
or just laid back. In addition, it's damn cheap
entertainment.
- Cowboy Action
- Another group of people you want to be around are the
cowboy action shooters. The action here is completely
opposite from the muzzleloader action. When the clock
goes off, for me, everything goes to hell in a hand
basket. This sport gets the adrenilin going. There's a
match near you every weekend, Check it Out.
- Trains (Z ga)
- Several years ago, I discovered model trains. Actually as
a kid we had a big old Lionel train in the basement. (I
still have it). My first layout was an simple oval in
"N" gauge. While at the train store, I spied a
very expensive but interesting set by Marklin in "Z"
gauge. Intrigued and flush at the time, I bought the set
and built a small layout as a coffee table. These things
are so small you can fit a layout in a briefcase. You can
fit the equivalence of several miles of track in a small
room.
- Building up Trade Goods
- I've built up my little store by finding things at thrift
shops, yard and garage sales, and estate sales. Once I
got into trading big time I had to find reliable sources
of supply. I'm still looking for sources. Visit my store
at:
- http://www.frontieramericatrading.com/
- Inkle Loom Weaving
- While at the library looking for a book on one thing, I
found a book on inkle weaving. Now this is a rendezvous
craft that I could probably do well. This book even had
plans for making the loom. For once, I had enough
materials to make the project. Weaving is something I can
do in front of the box. I'm not real good at it yet, but
I'm trying.
- Building Kitchen and other boxes
- I've built all of the boxes to carry my camp gear. It can
be a little difficult because my cheap old table saw is
outside under the patio roof and when it's cold and windy
I don't really want to be out there. Given decent weather,
I love to go out and make sawdust.
- Familiarizing to new computer
- I bought my first computer in 1978 for the store and did
a lot of the programming myself. I was fortunate to have
latched on to a really top notch system. I have since
worked my way up from the 8086 to a 286 to a 486 and now
finely to the latest. I think I've pretty well got this
thing set up the way I want. Now if I can figure out how
to enter narrow search queries on the Internet, I'll be
all right.
- Adding scenery to train layout
- Every so often, I add a little something to the train
layout. I really need some ballast for my track. The
finest stuff on the market is the equivalent of boulders
in "Z" gauge. I need something around 100 mesh
size or smaller that would be in the neighborhood of 2"
scale size.
- Doing a little leatherwork
- I've got the tools. I don't always have the ambition.
Since Tandy quit the leather business, I don't have a
local leather shop.
- Sewing up some clothes
- How many guys do you know who have three sewing machines.
I make my own clothes for rendezvous. I've made some
shirts to sell but it takes my so long to do them that I
can't make wages. I've got a closet full of fabric to
make projects this winter. I don't always know what I'm
doing but I get by.
- Finish a quilt
- Last winter I pieced together a quilt. Of course, I
couldn't be satisfied with a little quilt for a first
project, I had to make a huge thing. Now I've got to do
the hard part of hand quilting and finishing the edges.
Please send me mail
telling me what you think about this page and how I might improve
it. I'm always open to new hobby suggestions. If you know of
rendezvous or other events within easy reach of the Northwest,
especially in Winter, let me know.
Electronic mail address
RnldOKelly@cs.com
Web address
http://www.frontieramericatrading.com
FAX number
206-244-7196
Home phone
206-244-7196
Last revised: October 14, 1999.