Making a
list,
Checking it
twice.
No,
I’m not singing Christmas carols. It’s that time of the year when I’m dreaming
of my BIG trip up to Camp Grouse, and
I want everything perfect for the whole two weeks. That means not leaving
anything behind.
 |
| Our visiting star, Georgia. |
I’ll
bring extras of the important things, like guns and boots, even dogs, not that
any of my buddies can ever be replaced by a substitute. There’s been a
non-hunting friend’s shorthair tagging along the last couple of years, to “experience
the things that she was bred for”. By the way, her performance has been
spectacular, all from good breeding, not any serious hunt-training on anyone’s
part.
Plenty
of shotgun shells are already at camp, probably enough for the next six or
eight years. Extra boots too, but I’ll bring more. Ditto for jackets and warm
shirts.
 |
| Working on trashing that truck. |
The
truck will get a good cleaning before I head north, even though I know it will
get totally trashed. In my notes from the end of last season last there’s a
comment about coming home a day early to clean the truck because it was such a
mess. I’m not certain I will give up a day of bird hunting for a clean truck,
but maybe.
Dog
food, dog first aid kit, kennel, maps and books, lots of books in case there’s
a rainy day or two…it’s a pretty extensive list.
Inside
my smartphone there’s a list of things to add to the list on my desk, which I
printed out from the list inside my computer. At some point I’ll start piling
things up in my office, and in no time I’ll forget what’s already in the pile
and have to pull the stack apart.
 |
| Colby bringing me a grouse. |
Groceries
I’ll buy up there. The dufflebag of hunting paraphernalia will get dumped out
and sorted. You can almost bet there’ll be an old sandwich in there along with
fir needles, partridge wings, empty shotgun shells, and assorted twigs. I’m not prone to neatly sorting and
putting things away at the end of the season. The season’s end is just too sad
to do that.
Brush
pants will receive a new coat of wax and hopefully all my shooting gloves will
have mates. My old orange hat won’t look as bright as I’d like, but maybe there
will be one for sale up in grouse country somewhere. The dogs will get excited
when they hear the bells, as I’m sorting out their collars. They already know
what time of the year it is and follow me about the house.
 |
| I'm ready. |
Now,
where is the list that’s supposed to be on my desk?
