As an example, the yard-sale Optio W10 waterproof camera my landlady/housemate had just given me to replace a poor film camera that died, gets set on the roof of my truck while packing. You guessed it. Seconds later, as a Greyhound bus is going by, I knock it off the roof of my truck and its run over. So, no trip pix. I didn’t even have it 5 minutes.
Saturday, 3AM Leave Bako, get ½-way to I-5 and remember XY&Z, go back.
Saturday, 7:30AM Get to Ex’s in Hollister to pick up Jeffery. Emily informs me I do have to take her to a 4-H meeting after all and can I stay overnight and drop her off at the Fair tomorrow? Oh well, so much for sticking to an itinerary. I should explain that I love doing stuff like this for my Daughter. However, this trip was supposed to be a reward to Jeff for taking care of her animals while she was lucky enough to go on a trip to SE Asia and we were supposed to meet up with friends to convoy for part of the trip. We swap things around and put food in the Ex’s refrigerator to make room for her and I make calls to reschedule which actually works out for the better (at this point).
After dropping her off at the meeting, I took Jeff to the rifle range. I had given him a .22 for his 13th b-day and hadn’t gotten to finish having him site it in. We got it to group about ½ to 1” right of the Bull’s-eye at 50 yards, before we had to go pick up Emily.
When we get back to the Ex’s, Jessica, their 3 year old ½ sister walks up to us and sobs “Emy, Wooster kicked me!” There’s a gash on her shoulder that’s still oozing blood. Emily turns to me and asks “Will you show me how to Slaughter that Damned bird? Where having Chicken and the Rabbit that bit her yesterday for dinner.” She then took Jessie into the house to bandage her up. I felt miserable because I had given Emily the Rooster for an early 17th B-day present. It was a beautiful bird that was the same breed as her 3 hens, but Em assured me it had a “pact with the Devil”, having now drawn blood from every family member that lived there. Jessie used to help Emily collect the hen’s eggs before I brought him.
Jeff helped me catch and dispatch the Rooster and yes, it managed to draw my blood too. Emily helped with the Rabbit while my Ex kept Jessie, Raymond and their Dad occupied in the house. He’s a little squeamish. :^) The feathers seem just OK, with no dry fly quality hackle. The stew was good, if a little tough and stringy and took too long into the night. Neither of these animals had been raised for food, so it was to be expected. Em saved the rabbit pelt for a purse to go with the jacket she made last year. The Chinchilla coloring should make for a pretty purse.
The next morning we scrambled to get everything for the trip repacked and Em to the Fair in San Jose to take care of her pigs. The packing went too easy with everything *…40 minutes into the drive to the Fair I realized we didn’t have the oars to my kick-boat. Then Jeff, ever thinking about his stomach, asked if I got the coolers and refilled them with the food out of the fridge? Doh!! I hate being rushed!
We dropped off Em and wished her luck. Instead of heading to Tracy to meet up with my buddy, we went back to Hollister to get what we forgot and made plans to meet him in Sonora. As I was finishing repacking I found my light jacket that Em had borrowed the night before. We’re headed into Bear country for a week and my only light jacket was splattered with bunny blood. Well that should make for an interesting trip!
To be contiued
