Christmas Rush

It's been a hectic week or so, but not for the usual Christmastime reasons. Oh, I did help with getting the tree and associated decorations up, and I've been doing the shopping thing, but that's to be expected. What kept me busy has been a series of unexpected problems and opportunities.

During the middle of last week I had a combination errand/opportunity at our deer lease. It's about 200 miles from here, so going up there pretty much kills the day. I figured as long as I was there I could sneak in a quick hunt, especially since my grandson was there as well.

Errand completed, we settled down in a brush thicket overlooking a little draw. About an hour later a couple of bucks came wandering down the draw. The biggest one was a large 10 point. Judging by his rack and body, he was an old dude. He demonstrated why he reached old age by staying mostly in the brush. We only got fleeting glimpses of him.

His younger buddy was also a nice deer, although not as desirable as the old dude (are you paying attention, ladies...?). Being younger and less wise, he spent more time out in the open.

Big mistake.

You should have seen the one that got away.

Grandson dropped him with one shot from his .243 through the neck at 100 yards. His father and I may have to rethink the new .270 and scope we got him for Christmas.

Anyway, that excursion started at 5:30 in the morning. I got home around 9:00 that evening.

The next day I had to go up to our lake cabin for some unscheduled HVAC maintenance. That, plus a few other chores I figured I'd do while I was there, took two days.

While I was there I got a totally unexpected invitation from an old friend I hadn't seen in a few years to visit him at his deer lease. Fortunately I still had my hunting gear in the truck, so it was just a matter of telling explaining to begging my wife for a couple of days off. Her response: "Oh Hell yeah!"

I think she was glad to get me out of the house for a few days.

We didn't do much serious hunting. We spent most of the time sitting around the campfire drinking whiskey, catching up, and swapping lies. A very nice decompression time from the stress of the holidays (you know, all that stress from hanging out in deer camps).

While I was driving hither and yon across Central and West Texas I noticed that gas prices had really dropped. I took this picture just outside of Fredericksburg.

Of course, this couldn't have happened without the leadership of barack obama... [/sarc off]

On the way back home I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner. While I was at the store I ran across one of the greatest advances in food I have ever seen.

Pork sausage with bacon pieces embedded in it. What's not to like?

Yes, that's pork sausage with chunks of bacon in it. The perfect Christmas gift for your ISIS friends.

By now I was ready for some well-deserved rest. But my wife decided that I needed to do some last-minute shopping for items on her list. Being a good husband, I agreed to make up for her failures (of course, I didn't put it quite that way). But then the other shoe fell. She wouldn't let me shop for her friends and relatives at the liquor store like I did for mine. I actually had to go to the mall in the Big City 40 miles to our south.

I'd rather have a root canal.

But I dutifully filled up the truck, strapped on my .45, slipped a couple of extra magazines in my pocket, and headed off to do battle with all the other late shoppers. Several hours later I returned bloody but unbowed. Success was mine. All that's left to do is wrapping the presents.

Planning ahead, I also picked up some eggnog while I was out. That makes the wrapping much more fun.

We have three straight nights of parties before Christmas Day. Fortunately our big family gasthering will be at my sister's this year, so I don't have to cook. All I have to do is bring the wine.

I can do that...