A Very Savage Christmas

This year, as with the previous years in this house, we had a great time together as a family. My co-workers pitched in to cover my 12 hour shift so I could be with the family instead of watching monitors blink my life force away. I spent five days at home in a row which let me get caught up on a lot of chores I’ve been meaning to do; the garage is much safer for humans now.

I was up, along with many (perhaps the majority) other parents of young kids, stuffing stockings and laying out Santa’s gifts. That old fucker gets credit for my hard work…. Now Krampus is a mythical character I can get on board with. Look him up…  Anyway, we stacked it all out there and the boxes didn’t seem to stop; I wonder every year when I will be able to tone it down in a way that nobody is upset over.

I was pleased with the choices everyone made in the gifts I received; most things I received had either slipped my mind or I had neglected to ask for due to their frivolous nature. I like to get things that are immediately useful and at least somewhat warrant the givers’ efforts.

Many things I was fortunate enough to get were ones meeting the above criteria and a few were just because I wanted them. I will use the gunsmithing supplies to hone my skills and make some old firewood-quality weapons into something worth owning. My wife got me checkering tools to help restore the heavily worn areas on my uncle’s rifle and my friend Jeremy got me a glass bedding kit to make another rifle even more worthy at the range. In the end, none of these things were bought to allow me to do my work. They were bought to make me happy. Mission accomplished…. For real this time though.

I also got a gift card from my mother in law so I could buy my camping stove, but that was just my poor man’s method of doing Parkerizing and Bluing so instead I’ll whip up some proper stands to heat the liquid and apply the finish in the right way. Everyone helping me get my start is a great thing. Even though it may take many years, I am not suffering now; I have a good job and can manage all my tasks even if it means some extra hours.

My older son was inundated with gifts as usual and I hope he understands a little of the reasons he has what he has. I tried to make the point to him about each time we go out to eat at Red Robin or another fast food place, that it means I have to spend X number of hours at work to pay for that short period of time. Putting that into perspective for my son also did the same for me and accordingly I have stopped buying anything I don’t need; liquor, beer and eating out are at the top of the list there.

I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, but the last few days, when I think of something I want, I consider “Is it worth the X hours I will spend earning this money” and the answer has been “no” every single time. I’m not entirely sure what that is telling me, but it is certainly something. It’s not good to qualify everything in life, but the timing belt on the Subaru is a lot more important to me than a few bottles of scotch and a dozen trips to eat out over a 3 month period. Seriously, just think about that…   Between the Wifebot and I, we have sacrificed a lot and are still not even close to being bad off.

This is a long post.. sorry….  

~End

The Hunt

Next week I’ll be embarking on my first hunting trip of my life. I take no special pleasure in the thought of killing another living being, but I do enjoy fresh meat and I’m not an idiot; something has to die to make my dinner. Justin, Kris and I are all packing up and heading out to harvest game. If we are lucky, and shoot straight, we all stand to come back with several months worth of deer.

I’ll be bringing one of my 30-06s and all the usual camping amenities. My wife has been gracious enough to let me go on this trip; I hope I do not come home empty-handed. Not the sort of guys to go out and down a bunch of beers, Justin and Kris are the ideal type of hunting partners. I can trust them not to shoot me and they can expect the same from me. My worst thought is getting shot by another hunter just being careless.

I taught my son why we fish and this, I hope, will be the type of thing which I can use to get him to appreciate many things. Hard work, respect for living creatures, the danger of a rifle, the usefulness of being an expert marksman and more are all lessons I hope to glean for him. I will take pictures to show him the steps, but none to glorify the deed. People should do whatever they feel inclined to do, but you won’t catch me mounting some poor beast on my wall… unless it was a Wampa. That would go right beside my collection of Sarlak eggs.

Anyways, it should be a good experience for me and my comrades to partake in this event. I plan to go out bird hunting too, but baby steps. My wife is patient, so I won’t push my luck.

Also, thanks to everyone who is supporting me on this trip. Many folks have lent me gear, covered me at work and gave me advice. Hell, the rifle I’m using was a gift…  I have a good life.