The Magical Number is 300
On the last day of NaBloPo, I have acheived my 300th post.
First of all, I can't believe I actually made it for 30 straight days of posting goodness, (or posting badness depending on your point of view.) Like I wrote, I figured it would only take me 11 days to stop posting, but lo and behold, I made it through, including the Thanksgiving weekend.
Maybe I've developed a disorder, a posting disorder that I will at least do my best to continue. Today, was Weatherman Be Wrong day. I woke up at five-thirty and just happened to the weather channel where they were saying to expect 4-8 inches of snow. Also that the snow would continue all day. By 11:30 it had stopped. We have maybe an inch, but hey, it's snow. It's snow that means there could be hunting to be done tomorrow before and after class.
Anyways, congrats to all who made it through NaBloPo.
Post 299
This is my 299th post. I have to thank NaBlopo because it would have taken me forever to reach that magical number which I will achieve tomorrow, barring anything unforseen.
Last night I put our local paper to bed, in fill-in duty because the Sports editor is gone. I jumped into the role and laid out five pages. I even cracked out a story with a submitted picture. Our "managing editor" (and i used the term very loosely) was there 'til four a.m. because she's...well...retarded. I think if Iwouldn't have been there, she would have gotten chewed out but I was there.
Anyways, I have to go take a picture of a volleyball player signing for next week.
Just got home
From the paper. I was there from noon until 10:30.
But my five pages are done. And I now realize that I desperately need a Mac G4 Power Book. Oh my sleek, sexy machine.
I will gladly take donations for that. I'm sure you can write it off somehow. Just email me for my address and the proper name of the slush fund.
Post 297 is a survey
However I believe this is totally applicable
1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
Hmm..I would have to say any of them suck despite how necessary they are.
2. What's the best place to eat a romantic dinner?
How about a candlelit dinner on a nice deck.
3. Last time you puked from drinking?
My friend Kendra's wedding in 2002. The bartender and I were almost on a first name basis as I drank more than enough free beer. Twice she took my cup out of my hand and filled it. Throw in some german food and I threw up in the backyard before I went to bed.
4. When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar?
I can change this to got drunk and danced. That would have been Tim's wedding, when I was like Fred Astaire. Well Fred if he had his feet lopped off above the ankles.
5. Name of your 2nd grade teacher?
Mrs. Quiring. She's now Mrs. Herrold and has managed to have both of my sisters as well.
6. What do you really want to be doing right now?
I would like to be hunting, but I have to be an adult and go to the office in a bit.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Honestly, I wanted to be an engineer or an architect. However, I soon learned that complex math and myself, just don't get along so now I'm a wordsmith.
8. Do you feel old yet?
Yes. I have a 15 year old sister. I feel old every day for at least a minute.
9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now?
Because it's a sweatshirt and I'm a big fan of sweatshirts. Plus it's a little chilly out.
10. GAS PRICES First thought?
Get under that two dollar mark.
11. If you could be anywhere right now and take someone with you…Who & where?
I'm kind of content right where I am. I'm too busy to think of going somewhere.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
I said a naughty naughty word, then pressed the snooze button.
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
Man, I'm tired.
14. What chore do you despise?
handling all of the recycle stuff.
15. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer at an art gallery?
Possibly.
16. Get up early or sleep in?
Depends actually. I can get up very early if needs be. Sometimes though, it's nice to see how long I can sleep.
17. What is your favorite cartoon character?
Superman. And yes, I want the whole animated series on dvd.
18. What makes you feel like a kid again?
I've never quite grown up yet, so I still feel like I'm a kid.
19. Be honest: Are you getting wrinkles?
I guess so. I have a line on my face that won't go away.
20. Favorite NON sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy?
definitely a good conversation or even a movie.
21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing?
I have no secrets. At least none that I can remember.
22. Are you planning on remaining in your current field?
Yes. At least for a while. Maybe someday, I could see myself teaching journalism but that requires a Masters degree at the institution where I would like to teach.
23. If you are not married, do you see yourself married in the next five years?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I'm a lost cause. That or I'm too dense to pick up on things. She'll have to knock me upside the head.
24. Your favorite lunch meat?
Cajun Turkey
25. What do you get every time you go into a WalMart?
Whatever I need. I've progressed from always buying a CD whenever in Wally World.
26. Beach or lake?
The Lake. I've seen Jaws too many times and I'm scared of sharks.
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20?
Marriage? No, I don't think it's outdated, but sometimes I think it's taken for granted.
28. Who do you stalk on MySpace?
I don't have MySpace. Why? Because I'm old and outdated.
29. Favorite guilty pleasure?
A vanilla Dr. Pepper from Sonic.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?
I'm not sure.
31. What's your drink?
Water right now.
32. Cowboys or Indians?
Cowboys
33. Cops or Robbers?
Robbers
34. Do you cheer for the bad guy?
Two words. Darth. Vader.
35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best?
No one does. Because I'm me.
36. If you had to pick one, which cast member of Lost would you be?
I have not watched it.
37. What do you want when you are sick?
I just want to be left alone when I'm sick, so I can sleep it off.
38. Who from high school would you like to run into?
Jim Molzen. I've not seen that guy for ages.
39. What was your favorite college memory?
Poker night on Wednesday nights.
40. Would you want your kids to attend the same college as you?
If, and that's a HUGE if, I would like them to go wherever.
41. When did you first realize your independent adult status?
When I didn't have a curfew?
42. Norm or Cliff?
Norm
43. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons?
I loathe the Simpsons, but have always like Cosby.
44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?
Not acting on the impulse.
45. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
No one sits across from me, however, the one to my right....no.
46. If you could get away with it, whom would you kill?
The one to my right. I'd like to her to drink a couple of glasses of boiling oil.
47. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
Emmitt Smith.
48. What famous person would you like to sleep with?
Shakira.
49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?
No I have not. I've never used one for it's uninteded purpose.
50. Last book you read for real?
Now I Can Die In Peace-Bill Simmons
51. Do you have a teddy bear?
Yes. My first two teddy bears were found back during the summer
52. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?
While camping by the lake.
53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?
I dont' know that I want to go to Cali.
54. Number of texts in a day?
it varies. Sometimes none, othertimes several
55. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship?
start a new relationship? that means i have an old relationship that needs replacing? Wow. that's news to me...and probably her as well.
56. What have you noticed about yourself as you've grown older?
I get busier.
57. Pencil or pen?
Pen
58. bueller??? bueller??? bueller???
Oh yes.
59. How many jobs have you had?
6
60. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully alive. Otherwise I'll be seeing the inside of a coffin.
61. What do you think of the person that took this survey before you?
She does in fact rule.
Fin de semana
Or better known as the weekend. And what a weekend it was! For me it started quite early on Tuesday, so my father and I actually did some yardwork, until it got so windy that the leaves blew around. Then we were kind and moved 19 tables that were borrowed for a fundraiser at church. That adventure nearly turned disasterous as the tables were made of that hard, molded plastic which slides around in the back of a pick-up. We managed to save the tables from falling onto the street.
Wednesday rolled around and Steve came into town from Montana. Dad's only friend had a tee time for us at Sand Creek Station. After a quick reuben sandwich it was off to the course. I hit some balls, as Dad's only friend, Dad's only friend's son-in-law and Dad's only friend's almost son-in-law-but-rather-impregnater-of-his-other-daughter came along. We decided to play a couple of games involving the Youth vs. the Aged. Before we ever got off the first tee, we were taken out of our rythym because an employee came zipping up on a cart.
"Does anyone here own a white suburban?"
"I do," said Dad's only friend.
"It's on fire in the parking lot."
We were kind of stunned as DOF jumped on the cart and went back to the parking lot. At that point, we heard the sirens as four police cars and one fire engine were making their way to the course. DOF's son-in-law Jason, said that DOF's truck was making funny noises on the way down.
As we waited, we debated on going ahead and playing. We were sure that if the fire wasn't bad DOF would come back and play. There wasn't smoke coming from the parking lot, so I made the guess that it wasn't engulfed in flames. As the group in front of us moved out of range, DOF came back. Apparently his cigarette blew back in and landed in a pile of blueprints behind his row of seats in the back. I guess that blueprints are made of highly flammable material as it smoldered its way to damaging the back of the seats and the carpeting in the cargo area.
Naturally DOF took ribbing for this the rest of the round, but the Aged stomped the Youth too. Sometimes that happens. My thoughts were on the poker game later that night.
The poker game went fairly well. I was down 20 bucks most of the night, but made a comeback late to only end up losing two dollars. When you don't get cards, it sucks. I crawled into bed about 5 a.m. and woke up about 10 so I could shower and head to grandma's for turkey day.
Turkey day was outstanding like always, and a little sad though. Most likely that will be the last thanksgiving we have in that house and that's been a staple for all of my life.
Friday it was football and basketball, which I was looking forward to until I found out that i was working the men's games with Scott. It's one thing to provide color commentary when you know the players and don't know the game, or know the game but not the players. Scott doesn't know either. His idea of color is to repeat the score often. It's so bad, I don't even listen to what he says. Same with Saturday, I found myself scanning for people to come and do the color while he was talking.
It was a very good weekend!
Someone
Shoot me in the head. Right now, so I don't have to call a game with Scott tonight.
Ugh. I would take a sucking chest wound over having to work with him.
My poor head.
Stil in Weekend mode
I'm still in the weekend mode. Maybe when I have some time, I'll fire off a long involved post detailing things that happened as of recently.
That would be fun and dandy. As for now, I shot a rooster this morning, I'm still tired and the huskers won.
That is all.
Tired.
Happy Turkey Day to everyone. This kid is dragging ass tired. I love crawling into bed about 5 a.m.
The poker game went fairly well as I was down 20 bucks most of the night, but battled back to only lose two dollars. Not too bad as last year, I lost 25. We laughed really hard all evening long.
Don's surburban still smells like smoke. In fact, I think it's still smoldering. More to come on that.
On that note, I need sleep.
Today
I had a meeting.
I played golf.
Don set fire to his Suburban before we ever teed off.
It's poker time.
More to follow.
Basketball and meetings
This is such a good time of year. There's all kinds of basketball on TV. Throw in some football and I'm a happy guy. A really happy guy. Plus I'm still on my thanksgiving break.
Tomorrow is a meeting with Bob. Bob is the sports guy who is going on vacation next week. Therefore I become the sports guy for the week. Thankfully, the sports previews should be written. The only thing I should have to worry about is getting some pictures, writing a column, taking care of college and high school basketball.
It's time to play poker. Bring on tomorrow.
"Disgusting"
Yes, to be honest about it, it is for everyone else. For me, it's perfect. My Thanksgiving weekend has officially started now and I'm ready to be swamped by friends, family and fun. I'll be busy too as there's a couple of basketball games happening. As in four basketball games. I'm ready to get it going.
There could be some alcoholic beverages consumed as well. Don't forget the cards. Lots of cards. Many card games.
And then it's onto Super Busy Rusty Week. Go me!
All good for the most part
The party, er I mean gathering, was all good. Wooo was, in fact, a perfect word to describe the evening. On The Border was good, and I left feeling pretty good after two large swirls. From there it was back to the house for a gathering.
We had fun just chatting, laughing and making fun of me. I'm not sure why everyone hammers me so bad but it's okay. Maybe they know I won't go postal on them. As the night progressed, I hid my empty bottles around Timmy's house. Sure, he'll hate me but that was for putting up with them. Of course there was some drama, but I didn't go wading into it. About 2:00, a pizza arrived. It tasted so good.And after the pizza, I cruised home.
By 6:00, I was sick. Not from the alcohol (and yes, I hear you reading this saying "sure, it wasn't") but from the pizza. Thank you for the attack of the garlic laden pizza. After the physical nature of actually being sick, I fell back asleep and slept til nearly noon.
Damn the garlic.
Wooo
That's the word for the day. Woo.
Wooo as in, wooo, i almost didn't post today. Wooo as in Wooo, I got him. Wooo as in wooooo..what a play.
I shot two roosters this morning, but only found one. I'm afraid that the first one wasn't hit all that hard. The G-Man shot a rooster and my father had an INCREDIBLY long shot at one. All in all it was a good morning. Now, i'll take a quick shower, and then it's off to watch 8-man football state championships.
After that, margarita swirls. Wooo.
And they're out!
The crazy neighbors are moving. Personally, they gave me the creeps so much I'm glad to see them go. However, part of me will miss the drunken drama caused by massive intakes of alcoholic beverages versus very few surviving brain cells. The police showing up at all different hours because these two are at each other's throats.
I won't miss them asking me to take them anywhere though.
Yes today marks the start of a wonderful weekend. High school football tonight, I'm calling a college basketball game being broadcast all across the world via internet, tomorrow is state football for 8-man, college football, and margarita swirls. Sunday brings the NFL, and KU playing on tv at 7.
Then two days of school and it's onto turkey weekend. Bring on the poker game.
A Christmas Survey
Yes, I know it's almost a cop out, but I really thought this was fitting considering the discussion I had with Becka.
1. Hot Chocolate or Apple Cider?
This is tough. Spiced cider with Captain Morgan is oh so good.
2. Turkey or Ham?
Ham. It has to be a spiral cut ham with the sweet glaze or a ham that has been basted in Mountain Dew or Cherry 7-up. Of course we also have shrimp on Christmas day so the ham takes a back seat to the shrimp. And no, you can never have enough shrimp.
3. Do you get a Fake or Real Christmas tree?
Fake. Three words. No. Pine. Needles.
4. Decorations on the outside of your house?
No decorations on the outside of the house.
5. Snowball fights or sledding?
Both of these. Although popular belief is that I would hurt myself sledding. And I have. Even being as old as I am, we still try to build ramps to jump. Unfortunately, we built a ramp that crashed us into a tree if you didn't hit it square. That hurt.
6. Do you like hanging around the fireplace because it's warm?
Yes. It would be better if we had a fireplace. That's what Grandma's is for.
7. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping?
I'd rather take a sharpened pencil and jam it in my eye.
8. Favorite Christmas song?
Manheim Steamroller's "Deck The Halls" or the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Carol of the Bells."
9. How do you feel about Christmas movies?
Christmas Vacation. Oh yeah!
10. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?
Before Thanksgiving. On Turkey day evening it is acceptable to listen to that music. In fact, it's acceptable to turn on Christmas lights as evidenced by the guy that lived diagonally from my grandma's. Every Turkey Day evening, he would turn on his red Christmas lights, kind of an unofficial kick off to the holiday season.
11. Is Santa Claus really real?
I wouldn't know. I'm not good enough to get any gifts.
12. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them?
Not usually. There aren't a lot of carolers here in H-town.
13. Go to someone else's house or they come to you?
Grandma's house at 8:30-ish on Christmas day.
14. Do you read the Christmas Story
No, but we always go to church on Christmas eve.
15. What do you do after presents and dinner?
Cards. Lots of cards. Oh Hell, poker. Now we're even playing Apples to Apples and Dictionary.
16. What is your favorite holiday smell?
Cinnamon candles, fresh baked peppernuts, the stuff like that.
17. Ice skating or walking around the mall?
Ice skating. Contrary to popular belief, I can ice skate.
18. Favorite Christmas memory?
The time it was a White Christmas.
19. Favorite Part about winter?
Snow. Basketball is also in full swing too. and I can hunt.
20. Favorite Christmas decor?
The Tree.
21. Lights: Colored or Clear?
Colored. Has to be colored.
22. What is the best Christmas gift you ever received?
Every year, it's just being with my family and laughing so hard until my sides hurt.
23. What is your favorite Christmas tradition in your family?
The soup supper on Christmas Eve. The Brunch on Christmas day, the shrimp/ham dinner too.
Damn the wind.
Thanks to an Arctic front that came blasting down out of Canada, along with some type of air pressure that brings wind, the wind was howling like a werewolf convention today. Driving to school wasn't bad as I was going with the wind. Driving from school was an adventure as I drive a brick with wheels which was constantely buffeted by the wind. My arms got tired of trying to correct the steering. The wind chill was hovering in the 20's all day, but I didn't mind that.
I even decided to go bang through a field and see what I could see. I walked a hedge row by myself that I hadn't walked yet. It was a short hedge, not even a quarter of a mile long. I decided to walk on the east side, out of the wind which was still gusting from the NNW. That way, I would at least be able to hear the birds if they were running.
I noticed a balloon with a tag in the hedge, so i picked it up. Apparently, our school district let tagged balloons go one day and several came down in this hedge. I was about to pick up balloon number 3, when I heard quail squeaking and running in front of me. I couldn't see them because of the hedge being too thick. I got near the end and was a bit frustrated because I couldn't kick up the birds.
The tree line ended and there were some tall weeds just past the tree. As I move up on the weeds, I hear the whirring of quail wings but I couldn't see it. At the same time, I just happened to see two roosters come bailing out of the same area but by the time I identified them, they were in afterburner mode thanks to the wind. I'm pretty sure the one was flipping me off though. I went ahead and walked another half of a mile by myself, and broke yet another covey of quail. This time I shot one and actually felt satisfied.
Now tomorrow, I have to call the school and tell them I found balloons.
My total for the day:
1 male quail
7 deflated balloons.
It's a new record for balloons.
I'll take it
Sometimes, I've been discouraged when I didn't get A's. However, this time, I got a B on my Spanish test and I nearly turned cartwheels or roundoffs.
I'll gladly take a B in the class. Heck, I'd settle for a C. I still say WSU needs to seperate Spanish majors and people who are required to take spanish into two groups.
That's my belief.
Monday Bloody Monday
The only reason I say that it was bloody Monday was the fact that I've had four bloody noses. I'm blaming it on the dry dry dry dry conditions as we no longer get moisture in this state.
It also could have been bloody Monday had I been toting a sharpened garden implement when I heard the turnip's grating voice on the phone. I would like nothing more than to dip her into the hot oil when she's working at sonic. Hopefully, her leash is getting shorter and shorter. Or she'll go to welding school. If she does that, I'm throwing a water balloon filled with gasoline on her. That would be fun.
Conversation with my father.
So Dad and I got up and hunted some milo that was just a little too big for the two of us to cover effectively. Although, I think we would have had better luck if it wouldn't have been so windy. Instead the two of us, drove to check a couple of other patches just to see what we could see. On the way, our conversation drifted like this:
Me: Dad, what was the name of the guy who wanted us to pay him to hunt pheasants?
Him: Oh shit. Uh, what was his name? It started with an M, or a K...
Me: I can see his face. He was a bigger guy with dark glasses.
Him: Yes. That was him.
On our way to the field, I thought I recognized a house.
Me: Wasn't that the guy who blew himself up?
Dad: Oh the welder. The other Thiessen.
Me: Uh....
Dad: Yes. There should be a junkpile. Yep. That's his place.
Me: Well, where is Sterling Shelby's?
Dad: I don't know. We're not coming from the right way. I can't think if we're coming from the wrong way.
I just stared at him because he hunted all these places before I did. Makes me wonder how he remembered where to go sometimes.
Fanfreakingtabulous
Yes, I made that word up. But that is such an accurate description of this morning that I thought I would keep it. If I knew how to trademark it and put a copyright sign thingy there, I would. So if you borrow that word, just be kind enough to give me some credit.
After last night's frigid, frozen football game, that I broadcasted from an UNHEATED press box, the morning dawned crisp and clear. Thankfully overnight, I managed to warm up because I was chilled to the bone. The boys showed up and off we headed to the field, the same field where we ran the 2-man Ninga last weekend.
One of our guys forgot his shells so he dashed back into town, which relegated him to blocking duty. Halfway down the first line, we started seeing pheasants. Dad was on the outside edge (mainly because when we would push it back along the hedge, he would be on the outside and I'd be safe) and he saw five running in amongst the rows. It was a case of They Who Run Behind the Rows.
We finally busted a covey of quail at the second corner. As we stood at the corner trying to figure out our next move, two dumbass squawking roosters came flying AT us from the next field. They lit softly and then bounced back into the air. I kind of had a shot through the trees, but it would have had to have been perfect but it wasn't. We chased some quail down the hedge, then at the end of the hedge, jump a couple more quail and one rooster that made a mistake. He flushed and tried to get away on my side. The bird landed right at Hollie's feet before anyone else could muster a shot.
Clay shot a quail, then Dad shot a quail. So, we're debating on what to do next and they all turn to me. Since I am a master of FUBAR tactics, we went crashing down the middle. Hollie became really birdy at the end of the field. She worked to the end of the field before we turned to go the other way. As we turned, we watched two pheasants with their afterburners flaring go shooting out of corner. I cussed and ran up to the corner. Of course, nothing else came out.
I was a little irritated that I didn't go to the corner right away so I put a zone Ninga into effect. The other four guys took a swath down the inside third of the field, while I stayed in my "zone" out in front 50 yards ahead of the rest of the group along the north edge.
We hadn't walked 100 yards when I nearly stepped on two hens. They came out of the stubble, literally crapping as they took to the air. About 100 yards later, a rooster flushed in front of the firing line and it died shortly thereafter.
I was around 50 yards from the end, when another rooster broke in front of me. I couldn't shoot with my first shot because I would have shot the vehicles. As I was drawing a bead on the bird, two more broke from nearly underneath my feet and my poor short bus train of thought derailed and I missed everything. Swearing rather profusely, I stomped to the corner, mad at myself for missing.
We then moved to the other field where we saw a couple of hens, a rooster and a handful of quail. However, it really was a fun morning despite the fact I should have shot two, possibly three roosters. I finished the day with a rooster and three quail. Dad added a quail. We got home, and 6 minutes later, I had two breast fillets and four quail breasts soaking in a mix of vinegar, salt and water.
Now it's time to watch the Huskers, then time to watch the Jayhawks.
Rock Chalk baby!
The gateway to the weekend
Last night's volleyball game can only be described as an ass beating. My stud cousin's team jumped all over the team they were playing and with that win, have solidified a spot in the District tournament. Winner of the District heads to the National tourney. The stud cousin played like she was an all-american, just crushing balls all over the place.
Now it's Friday. Again with Friday, I'm back behind the microphone calling a high school football game. Thankfully, November decided to come back weatherwise as it's 38 as I write this. Good. Why? We're going hunting in the a.m. If I can get a hold of this one guy, we might go earlier. If I can't, we'll go a little later. Now all we need is snow. Well, some type of moisture would be helpful for the dog's nose.
Vball
And then possibly supper.
Makes for a good evening because I think Applebee's is on the menu. But, I have to be careful going to Applebee's because of my allergy to garlic and that sucks. Sucks. Hopefully, I can find something that I can dig into that will be delish and garlic free. Getting sick isn't all that fun. Esp this kind of sick. I'm just waiting for my head to poof up to the size of a basketball, while my throat swells shut. That's probably just around the corner.
How I hate tests in Spanish
Let me count the ways. Tomorrow is going to be the Wichita Massacre. For some reason this stuff is just eluding my grasp. Not only my grasp, but all of the class's grasp.
It's enough that I'm almost ready to not go to school on Friday.
Plus I've got a story assignment and football Friday. Busy Busy Busy.
MEMO
To: Mama Nature
From: Me
RE: Weather
DAMMIT! Make it freaking cold. 80 in November sucks goat balls! Give us snow and lots of it. NOW! This isn't fall, this is spring without leaves.
Hmm..
I almost forgot to post today. I am here, relaxing after a nice jog in this incredibly warm kansas evening. Tomorrow night is hoops, and I can't wait. Hopefully, everything with TRZ sports is taken care of and we are broadcasting to the ENTIRE world thanks to the internet. Yes, you can hear me talk for realz.
Stolen birds and the Two Man Ninga
The greatest weekend in Kansas is ending as I type. Well, great for me, anyways. I'm a little tired...ok, a lot tired. Lack of sleep and the Two-Man Full Court Ninga will do that.
I managed three hours of sleep with dreams filled with anticipation. My alarm went off at 4:06, so I bolted out of bed to put some hot java on. Once the coffee was going, I managed to pull on clothes while slightly shaking. No it's not Parkinson's, it was Anticipationson's. I was jacked up because I really believed Danny was mistaken about the numbers of birds.
He wasn't.
Of the 100 roosters we had nearly a month ago, suddenly we were down to 53. They couldn't get out of the pen and even if they did, for some reason, those birds hang around the pen. Because we didn't have a lock on the pen door, it would have been easy for someone to actually catch the birds and remove them. How low is that for someone to take pheasants? I mean really. We're going to find out who did it though.
Depsite our now missing birds, we still released 48 of them. Our new plan is to keep all the hens and the four roosters for breeding stock. If this works, numbers for next year will be up a bit.
We had a blast and I managed to shoot 5 or 6. Afterwards, we had a feast and laughed quite a bit. By 3, I was pretty dang tired, then I called two basketball games.
Franzy called me and we decided to postpone our annual opening weekend trip to his ground until later. So I crawled into bed so tired that I wasn't hungry.
Waking up at six-thirty, I pulled on clothes and drug my ass up the stairs to go at it again. This time, our plan was to start a bit later while only hunting one or two patches. There were 3.5 of us. I know what you're thinking, how can there be .5 of a person? It was Gyles's 9 year old son Matthew who came, only to walk without a gun. We didn't mind because that's essentially an extra body.
Because KS opened pheasant season a week early, we couldn't shoot quail. Today, I bet we saw between 30-35 quail in the one patch we walked this morning. Our plan was to edge the field and let the dog work. We did exactly that and we saw and heard birds flushing in the distance. Things were setting up perfectly for us. That is, until my brain got in the way.
For some reason, these guys look to me to lead the hunt. Im not sure why, but they do. Anyways, I kept Jar, who was on the outside edge, in line to long before sending him out and around to hold birds in the corner. When he got out and was trucking around, at least a dozen came bailing out of the hedge row like their feathers were on fire. The problem was that they were so horribly out of range that we had no prayer.
We finished up rather disappointed in our lack of kills. Jar made a suggestion of taking a 15 minute break and running what we call the Ninga. (The Ninga is named after a guy we went to school with that tried to spell Ninja on a jeans jacket. Now we use the word to descibe a hair-brained half-cocked idea that only the two of us can cook up.) When the two of us run a Ninga, it's just our way of being helter-skelter and doing things completely and totally differently than the way we normally do things.
This time our Ninga was going to be a 2-man Ninga going right up the middle of the field which never seems to work. Our philosophy was that it would screw the birds up and we might be able to pin them up against the hedge. Gyles and the dog had taken off and we said that we could still manage the two-man Ninga. So up the gut of the field we went. The field itself was a fresh cut milo field with tons of grain left on the ground. We thought if we saw any birds, we'd pursue them across the field and just try to get them.
On our first trip down the middle of the field, we caught a hen trying to sneak away and flushed her. We turned around, moved to the south about 30 yards and headed back to the road. About halfway back to the road, I saw a rooster trying to sneak away but he darted back into the row ahead of me. Then Jar saw him but he ducked back in to the row. We were effectively walking the rows that weren't trashed by the combine tires. Those rows that are smashed make a natural edge which can help hold pheasants in. The two of us kept seeing fleeting glances of the bird. I even jumped over two rows to help keep an eye on him. Finally, we caught up to him and he flushed. Jar recorded the kill on that one.
Laughing because only the two of us could come up with a scheme like that and make it work. So naturally we did it again and we had the same result, only I recorded the kill. By now, we were tired as two miles of nearly jogging caught up with us.
We called it a day and I called it a weekend.
so tired
three hours of sleep
6-8 miles of walking (some through incredibly thick crap t00)
wind
stolen birds (more about that when i'm coherant)
And i be tired.
The countdown lessens
Hours. We're down to mere hours now. I had many dreams about hunting last night. Today will be hard to focus. I'm sure once I that first truck with a dog box, I will slobber all over myself.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you, tomorrow, You're only a day away.Wow. I'm full fledged retarded. Soon. Unfortunately I have to go to WalMart. Normally, this isn't a problem, but WalMart's sporting goods section is like an 80 lane traffic jam today. At least I can grab Dad's shells and check out up front.
Anyways, I'm off to school. Good Luck for me about concentrating.
Add one more to my losses
In a feat of only amazingness that I can posess, I managed to injure myself in a way that I have never accomplished before. That within itself is an amazing thing. Count up all of my losses and one would think that I would have done something like this to myself before. Nope. Never. It's unbelievable.
I cut my tongue.
I know that doesn't seem like it's bad. Sure people have cut their tongues before, but this is me. You have to take into account what I was doing.
I was eating candy.
Yes, candy. I had one of those lollipops in a halloween theme in a skull. One side was a hard fruit candy, while the other was a cream candy. I'm sucking away at this while driving to school, when I worked it down enough that the stick popped out. Naturally, I kept rotating the candy end over end in my mouth when I felt an edge with my tongue. I didn't think anything of it until something stung in my mouth. Checking my tongue in the mirror, I saw that I was in fact bleeding from the tongue.
Only I can be so graceful.
Day one
Since I decided to the whole post once a day for a month, this is my first post. Anyone think the over under on total posts before I get too busy is 11?
Great Googly Moogly it was cold last night. I think I probably wouldn't have been so cold if I would have been walking the sidelines, but the little heater in the press box couldn't keep up. Fortunately we won and now we host one of the perennial powers in the state on Saturday.
Good call on the Playoff system here KS. (Note the sarcasm) Thanks to an oversight, the game is Saturday sometime. This presents a slight problem as basketball starts for HC. I asked the AD what time the game would be, and he said, "It'll either be two, three, six or seven."
Thanks Mike. That really narrowed it down.
Saturday is going to be hella busy anyways. After all, it is The Day. I've officially reached raving lunatic status. It's all I can do not to drool all over myself. I swear I become even more mentally handicapped during this week.
Just wait til Friday.
