a huntin' we will go

I stepped out of my comfort zone and into the great outdoors. I never thought that hunting would be a "vacation" that I'd want to go on. Instead, hunting season has always been a nice break for me - until this year. The boy has gone every weekend, except one or two, in October and November. It makes for long weekends, especially when my kids are gone.So, for my Thanksgiving break, instead of staying home, fighting shopping crowds, cleaning, doing laundry and stressing over my lost (but finally found) Christmas decor, I decided to pack my bags and head south with the boy and his daughter.


I almost waited too late to find a place to stay. (It's baby steps, I'd go to the deer lease by day but needed running water and a comfortable bed by night.) Lisa, another girl going, found us a Days Inn in Brady that had a vacancy for the two nights that we needed. Shew!We left Thanksgiving day around 6:45. The four and a half hour drive was nice. I love to sit and talk to the boy with no interruptions, that's the nice thing about us - we love to talk to each other. If I have learned anything, it's that communication is a crucial part of every relationship. We've got that part covered. We arrived in the woods around 10:45, joining the others. After visiting for a bit in the freezing cold night air, Lisa and I headed to Brady for the night.


We slept in on Friday morning, giving them time to go on their morning hunt. By the time we got there, they were finishing up breakfast and ready to just hang out until the afternoon hunt at 3:00. I decided to be adventuresome and go on this hunt with Joey and Kayla. I brought my magazine along and almost got in trouble because it was too loud turning the pages. Oops. We didn't see any deer ... booooring.


Friday night we drove into Brady for dinner and it was back to the Inn for Lisa, her son, Kayla and I. The two kids needed a good night of rest so they decided to join us. We got up early Saturday morning because one of the guys had shot a nine point deer. We headed out to see it and to watch that one and three other deer be gutted ... gross. Joey took me into Brady to look for my great-grandmother's old place and for a few groceries that afternoon. At 3:00 it was time to hunt again but this time there was some sunset action; a doe, a baby deer. Kayla aimed her gun at the doe and shot it in the leg but we couldn't find it because it had gotten too dark. It was my first time to hear a gun shot and to witness all that. It wasn't too bad.

Lisa and her crew left Saturday night and Kayla and I stayed in the camper. Yes, for one night I decided I could rough it. I slept through the Sunday morning hunt, got up and cleaned up the camper and got bags packed and ready to head home. I wasn't ready to leave and get back to reality but it was time. They found Kayla's doe, gutted it and we were on the road by 10:30, Crandall bound. We ate Chicken Express for lunch and from I20 on I drove us on home.

It was a great get-away. He may regret taking me because I did enjoy it and want to go back :) I am glad that I gave nature a chance.