Friday, 31 October 2014
Well here it is, my favorite time of year. And I am enjoying it, the colors, the chill in the air, the extra hair I grow every year at this time. I guess like the bears ready to hibernate, you can predict how cold the winter will be by how fuzzy my belly gets in late October!
But I am not out in the woods chasing squirrels, tracking white tailed deer, and dreaming of fat geese and ducks in range of the over / under shotgun!
Well, my last jaunt into the woods after native Eastern Ohio Fox Squirrels, Sciurus niger, was 2 years ago, not long after after my stroke. Though there was no joy, with no squirrels sighted, I was able to prove to myself that I could navigate alone in the woods, albeit very slowly and with great trepidation.
After dark I would be in trouble, as I would not easily be able to see the ground for solid placement of of my #10's without extreme risk of falling. I can still track and stalk, though my pace is even slower than before.
I may have to stick to waterfowl hunting from a blind, and dove and rabbit with a partner to keep me out of trouble and to call 911 when I "fall down, go boom!" (Who else remembers the "Soupy Sales" show back in the early 60's?)
Otherwise, I think I will have to stick to just trap and sporting clays to get my seasonal dose of inhaled gunpowder and wing shooting!
As long as I am longing, I am also missing my Remington 700s, both of them! The .308 Win SPS 20" HB Sniper and older .22-250 Rem varmint bolts!
Then there were my .12 gauge Winchester pumps, 2 model 1300s, one fully camouflaged 18" bbl with rifle sights for Turkey and Deer, and one walnut stocked with 28" vent rib bbl and twin beads for ducks and geese.
And don't get me started on my daily CCW carries and tactical weapons! Yes, I miss the weight of either my Wiley Clapp Colt Commander, or my Beretta Cougar 8045F, riding my right hip at the 4 o'clock position.
When circumstances allow, I will be replacing those (also sold to make rent for September and December last year) with a single Sig P227 or similar in .45 acp!
I am also missing all of my tactical gear, including holsters, belts, tools, and magazines!
For those who may not be aware, the trailer that I used for a field kitchen for unit OPs and training, had 3 of my weapons still in it after our Southern Ohio Feral Hog hunt in March of 2013 stolen out of it that April while stored at my Storage Garage (not so) secure vehicle impound lot!
ALL of my tactical gear (My Citadel Plate Carrier Vest with trauma plates=My Ballistic Kevlar Vest; mag pouches; 2 pairs of ESS Tacical Goggles, OD & Tan; Gerber Tac II knife; Gerber Tactical Multi-Tool; fully stocked IFAK [Individual First Aid Kit] with tourniquet, Oropharyngeal airways, and stethoscope; tactical knee and elbow pads; and Blackhawk! Serpa CQB holster) was taken, including my personal competitive shooting gear, extra magazines [about a dozen 5.56mm 20 rd Colt mags for my NM AR-15, all of my 5.56mm 30 round mags, 8 or 10 7.62mm G-3 Mags, 3 Beretta Cougar mags, and 7 Colt 1911 mags!), my spotting scope and stand, binoculars, and even my Rifle Range Dope Book with all of my shooting notes from many years of competition @ Camp Perry in the Service Rifle Matches!
Not to mention my custom Rock River Arms National Match AR-15A2 that I built from parts with a free floating heavy stainless steel barrel in .223 Wylde chamber; the travel case and custom leather rifleman's sling; my Remington 700 ADL varmint bolt rifle in .22-250 with large Simpson 50mm 4-16x scope; and my Winchester 1300 Black Shadow .12 gauge shotgun!
Also missing were both of my rucks, my OD Voodoo Tactical 72 hour field and Coyote Brown 3 day urban pack, both fully stocked with provisions, clothes, Gore-Tex, and tactical gear (more binoculars, lights, batteries, and personal mess gear); my Camel Back Hydration bladders , 2 of them, one OD and one in Coyote; and a just purchased case of Federal .12 Gauge USGI Buckshot sealed in a .50 cal. ammo can!
Note: only my personal gear was taken, none of the unit tactical gear, bivouac USGI tents, sleeping bags, cots, or kitchen gear was missing, nor the targets, stands, nor any other unit gear (including several USGI Kevlar PASGT helmets)!
My total loss as reported to the Maple Heights Police Department was $6,600!
I know I can't afford replace everything that is missing, but I will replace the weapon, Kevlar Vest, and 72 hour Ruck! And soon!
Thankfully, all of the tactical/survival I have had/taught over the years have come in very handy in my current situation...
Well,this draft took over two hours to get this far! My browsers are all acting up, and Firefox keeps "not responding" every other sentence!
I will do all of my future drafts in Word 2007 before pasting them on the Blogger page on the server!
I started this, listening to Allison Krauss and Union Station, and was very relaxed. Now I am tense from cursing at the laptop for the browser issues, and am listening to WKSU online, Antonin Dvorak's "New World" Symphony #9, trying to chill again!
Well, I will pick it up again later this weekend, and try to finish this.
But in case I don't, I want to say thanks for all of the birthday wishes, and the gifts!
My toesies are comfy in a new pair of Merrel Hikers, and I used some of the cash to get Denny and myself some new underwear, socks, t-shirts and jeans!
He also received a gift from his friends at work, and he has renewed his truck tags, driver's license, and bought a new truck battery!
The truck brake line is next on the "To Do" list!
So thanks to all for the gifts, good wishes, and support!
We truly appreciate it, and are putting everything to good use!
I also want to give a shout out to Sharon and everyone at Nick's Birthday Bonfire/Fireworks Display last Saturday, and am proud to have you all as friends!
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Nick, or how he would handle something encountering. I am most glad I had the opportunity to have him as my friend all of these years!
More updates as my patience permits with these browser issues!!!
Happy (and Safe) Halloween!
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