“If you are going through hell, keep going” Winston Chuchill
The smile:
I had the great fortune to grow up with 800 acres of good camping
and hunting land behind our home. Stan and Jeff, two of my good high school
friends, and I decided to try a different a different venue and go to my Great Uncle
J.T.’s farm. Rolling acres only accented by trees, hay bales and deer.
Chester County is a very rural area and my uncle’s home is
no different. We made a few twists and turns down a gravel road or two to get
to his home. I was driving as I knew where we were headed. When we pulled into
his drive, I jumped from my truck before the dust had settled. I told my
friends to stay in the truck while I checked-in. We would be gone in a few
minutes.
I walked into the house through the back door. My aunt met
me with a huge hug and scratch biscuits with summer sausage for us hunters. My
uncle sat at the table enjoying his morning coffee. After the “good mornings”
he told me “I need you to do something on your way out. I have this mule behind
the hog pin that is in bad health. I’ll take the backhoe out later today to
bury it, but I’d like you to put it down. Just take care of it on your way to
the woods.” I answered with a brisk “Yes,, sir.” I hugged my beautiful aunt,
grabbed my biscuits and hit the door.
I got back into the truck with a plan to play a prank on my
buddies. I dropped the breakfast my aunt had made on the console and tried to
say as exasperated as possible “ I can’t believe it. He said we can’t hunt his
land today. This sucks.” Both of my friends expressed their disbelief. I continued “I’m not putting up with this…” I
threw the truck in drive and spun out in the gravel. When we got a few yards
down the road and had passed the hog pin, I put the truck in park. I reached
into the gun rack and drew my rifle. I aimed and dropped the mule where it
stood. CRACK came the resounding noise behind me. I turned to see Stan lowering
his own weapon. He smiled and said “Heck yea! I got the cow!”
The ponder:
I have the most amazing, real life Southern family.
Siblings, nieces, nephews, more cousins than I can count. We have been in West
Tennessee and Northern Mississippi for almost two centuries. That is mind I
completely realize that the 30,000 views I have had in the past month are
family checking up on me and someone will tell Aunt Jenette I’ve been tellin ’stories. She will love me anyway. So think about this...is
talking to your family outside the immediate parents / siblings important? How
often should you stay in touch with that part of the family?
The Fudoshin Challenge:
1 hour escrima training and 90 minutes of kendo followed by
100 push ups
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