No. 28: Learn to shoot a gun

No. 28: Learn to shoot a gun!

I did it!

Friend loves online auctions and one morning he asked "Didn't you say you wanted to learn to shoot?"  Yep, I sure did.  Soooooo..... he bid on a gun for me.  And I totally forgot about it.

Until the next morning when he announced I was now the proud owner of a Smith & Wesson 38 Special.  Uh, how did that happen again?

Isn't it cute? 

Anyway, the gun arrived, a membership to the gun club materialized and Voila! all I had to do was schedule myself for a class.

With all the traveling and the pandemic and, you know, life....I had not gotten around to it. Until I did. 

I signed myself up for the Women's Only Introduction to Pistols at Bristlecone Shooting range in Lakewood, Co.  This was the week. Four hours of instruction: two in the classroom and two on the range.

Now, I wanted to learn to shoot a gun because it just seems like a good thing to know.  I have no delusions that I will be packing heat on a regular basis but I did want to feel comfortable around them. And I do have a house in the woods surrounded by bears and mountain lions and ...ahem...a few crazy people.  Besides, aren't Texas girls supposed to know how to shoot? 

So I paid close attention during class and then nervously entered the range. There had been much discussion about "recoil" which was not something I realized I needed to worry about.

We dry fired our guns...practicing without bullets... before I got the lesson on loading and a review of safety rules and then...show time.

Geez, I was nervous. I pulled the trigger and screamed "F**K". (Thankfully only 3 of us on the range and no one seemed offended.)   It was at that moment that I realized I basically just set off some gun powder in my hand, barely encased in the stainless steel. And here is my first shot. 

If you're looking all over, 

let me just point out that one perfect hole in the center of the A.

Which was exactly where it was supposed to be.

Not bad, huh?   But that was because I was unaware of how LOUD it would be. And there would be a bright flash. And the gun would actually smoke at times. 

The first 45 minutes I jumped at every shot, mine or the other student's. And sometimes at the shots from the range next door. It seemed that box of 50 bullets was going to last forever... and there was still another hour of range time left....and maybe this wasn't such a good idea. 

Cock that gun...

But I persevered. And it got to be fun. 

Aim.

And no, I wasn't that great although I can proudly say that there were fifty bullets in the box and I ended up with fifty holes in the target. 

We weren't supposed to aim for the head. 

I did feel bad about getting the target in the nuts, though.

Can't wait to go back. No. 28 is done.

(And no, I was not sore the next morning. That little revolver really didn't have much recoil.
BUT... My right shoulder blade was sore the second morning. Probably just from holding my arms at an angle I was unused to....)

And...

And....

You know how last week I mentioned "I've hated to say it before now, but I think Spring is really here."

I should have known better..

Here is our week's forecast:

Yep. That would be snow forecast for Friday morning.  Saturday night is prom for Bunny. That beautiful gown will be a little bare for 34º temps.  Not that the temperature will stop her from wearing it. Anyway, Friday is a long ways away and forecasts are frequently wrong.


Today I panicked a bit about the rest of my list.  Because, as I have mentioned, I'm at a standstill. 
So I scrolled through and found the time specific ones and put those dates on my calendar. 

I've missed polo season (#55) but it starts again mid-September. There are polo clubs in Houston and also near Belle in Florida. I should be able to fit that in somehow. 

Thanksgiving at the beach. (#13)  Belle has informed me that she loves Florida and is planning on staying there even though she does not love school so much. I am thinking we will just go see Belle for Thanksgiving next year: turkey at the beach.  (And nope, I haven't broken this news to her or anyone else in the family yet, so "shhhhhhh". )

Ice hockey season is also over but I will have a chance next fall. Looks like games start in October.  (#57)

That colonoscopy. (#43) I am so overdue for that. This summer. Waiting until I am in Texas because that is not something I want to do in my little town...and I sure don't want to have to drive two or three hours away for it, either.  

In June I'm meeting up with my friends to plan our 60th trip. (#1) Two of us turn 60 this year, the rest do it in 2016.  The trip most likely will not happen before I turn 60 but if we have it planned, I'm counting it!

Bunny's friend took her out and taught her how to shoot a pistol. I thought she was pretty good until she told me she was only about 20 feet away from the target. 

Anyway, I discussed with her that possibly he could also teach me. (#28) This kid is methodical and safety conscious and has been around guns his whole life. We can go to the shooting range on the other side of town.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre has their summer schedule out. (#4)   Just need to schedule a trip to Denver and con someone into going with me.  Easy.  

And as soon as the vegetable starts come out, I'm grabbing a few. (#39) Last year I was not successful because it is so dry here. Miss one day of watering and Poof! those plants are dead.   
So I'm thinking a potted veggie garden on the patio will work best. Close by, I can see them and, more importantly, water them every morning easily. No shoes required to walk out into the big gardens. (This ground is pretty rocky. Even though I am a total barefoot kid, I need shoes to walk in the yard.) Crossing my fingers for success this year. 

Cozumel, well, that may not happen. (#15) Not many people want to go to Mexico with me. I think I would be totally safe but.....   I can come up with something else.  I've been a million times and it is just one of my favorite places. Not saying it won't happen eventually, just maybe not in the next year.  But maybe I can go to Cuba instead. That has been a lifelong dream and it looks closer and closer to becoming a reality. Cross your fingers. 

Soooo...... there's hope.  And putting things on the calendar makes them more likely to happen.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. 

This Week

This week...

Didja miss me? 

Sorry, I just couldn't get it together last week. 

Not doing much better this week. 

But... It is fall. 

We had the second annual pumpkin carving at the cabin over the weekend. 

Friend's on the left, Bunny's on the right. 

Love those pumpkin carving kits. 

Bunny and her friend boy each carved pumpkins. Her friend once again did a better job. He is very meticulous. In a coup for the downtrodden,  she had them outside on the deck last night and something came along and knocked his over and cracked it. Hers is still intact. 

The leaves are turning. It's crispy in the morning. The weather is lovely. Yay! 

There was snow on the Twin Sisters and now it is mostly gone. Another yay! I am not ready for snow on the ground.

A dusting of snow on the Twin Sisters last week.

All gone now. 

The bucks are starting to face off. 

Love the game camera!

Looks like these two mean business. 

There is High School football. With fireworks at half time!

We don't normally have fireworks at half time, 

but when we do, they are spectacular!

Thursday evening will be No. 53: Go to a Lecture of Someone Interesting. So you won't get the update until next week. I'm going to hear a lecture on the history of the area. I'm actually pretty excited about this. It surprises me that in Colorado the schools do not require a year of state history. Texas makes the kids take Texas history in 4th AND 7th grade. They KNOW about the Alamo in Texas by the time they get out of High School. Certainly Colorado has history that is as interesting, if not more so, than Texas history. Mining! Gold rushes! Cannibals! 

Alferd Packer. 

He had some friends for dinner.

Literally.

Neighbor across the street came over and showed me a lovely video of a large mountain lion strolling through his yard and peering into his windows. Amazingly he walked over with his video camera not 10 minutes after the lion wandered back into the woods. In answer to my shrieked "You walked over here?",  he showed me his pistol. 
Ok. 
He offered to show me how to shoot but I think I will wait for a professional to complete No. 28: Learn to shoot a gun. 

And in a spontaneous and possibly ill advised move, I banished all my high lights. Now I'm a redhead. A fairly unnaturally red redhead. Bunny says I need to try again. We'll see. 

Sadly this is the second iteration of red.

The first was REALLY brassy. This is only very brassy.

Maybe the third time will be right? 

And if not, at least I have Halloween hair.

(And not sure why I am on soft focus here....but probably a good thing.)

Stay tuned. 

Hmmmm....No. 28 and the new "kitty"

Before I left Colorado for Texas on Thursday, I checked our game camera.

Look who was on there!

I also slipped on some ice.  

But I was okay.

Then we got into the car and drove to Amarillo.

Somewhere along the way I realized my right arm wasn't really working.

The nice ER doc gave me this beautifully wrapped present:

So once I saw the new kitty, I decided it was time to really work on No. 28:  Learn to Shoot a Gun.

ASAP.

But with my right arm wrapped up tight, that will have to wait. 

We'll just be careful.

O! I also woke up with the flu on Sunday. 

And there is no tree and very few presents.

But ...I believe.

In miracles. 

In the Christmas spirit.

Do you?

And while I'm a big believer...until the holidays are over.... Posts may be few and far between. 

Typing on an iPad left handed is wearing.