I am apparently "legit"!

Today was going to be a normal house mom day. Laundry was my big focus as we have piles of it. Then Nephew called me and wanted me to take him and his best friend along with my girls out for a desert adventure. Santa brought Bug a pellet gun for Christmas and he got a Gama Whisper and so has been  loving finding opportunities to take it out. I am the type of Mom who tries to say yes. They ask so little to spend time like that with me that is cheap and easy and so despite the piles of clothes and my own aches I said sure. Even Niece decided to go in the hopes of a driving lesson.

As we are preparing to go the best friend's mother call's me to make sure the boys were telling the truth and there was going to be adult supervision and such. She was worried about them being attacked or some such and being alone in the middle of no where. The thought that popped into my head was to tell her my gun was bigger than theirs but I just assured her that I would be with them and left it at that. As we were leaving I told the boys of her call and joked about my thoughts to which Nephew replied, "You should have told her. We told her you carry a 9mm and are super legit Auntie." It was said with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. Apparently being legit is the new cool. Makes me feel pretty neat and very old, hehe. Got to love teenage boys and the new teen speak.

Scary dreams.

Something I have learned from my marriage is that the good relationships mean the love is big, the worry is big, the joy is big. All of it is deeper and stronger because you have fought for it and continue to do so. You are such a team that you can share a deeper bond than most expect. Hubby and I are like that. We are blessed. We fought to get here. In march we will hit 11 years when the majority of people who knew us didn't think we would last a year. We married yound but we grew together.

The hard part of our bond is the worry. I worry so much for him sometimes. He just started a very dangerous stage of his current project. This job already is high on the danger level due to the scope of the job, and the fact that the ground he is tunneling through has already offered up enough unstable surprises to put them so far behind schedule. Now we are in a very tense stage. I know he is amazingly capable. I honestly think he can almost speak to these machines. He can run within his safety zones and still beat the other shifts in distance tunneled when they push the machine into the danger zone. He knows what to feel for and see. It is amazing. BUT not everyone around him is as capable and so I worry. With the worry comes the dreams. I am prone to dream often. My FMS means I usually hit the dream stage and get stuck. I have a hard time getting deeper sleep. So I am prone to nightmares when stressed. Now my nightmares are focused on him and it sucks. It has put a damper on the last couple days and has made it hard for me to get back to the book. So I figured if I wrote out the worry that might help.

He is my best friend and my partner in every sense of the word. There is no one I trust more. I am not sure how I would raise these girls if something happened to him. There is no rescue if the tunnel goes. Even recovery would be doubtful. That terrifies me. So I will dream my dreams and continue to put my faith in him and his skill. Of course my extra prayers can't hurt right?

Revolvers and FMS are not friends.

After my last post detailing my search for a good back up gun many recommended a revolver. Makes sense because they don't toss their brass so really they are pretty ambidextrous already. No slide release or mag release to deal with. Should be my dream gun right? Not so much. Fibromyalgia means I have muscle weakness at odd times. For me that is often in my hands. I kid you not that I often would love a hand rub over a back rub. My hands are used a lot because of my wife/mom life but also because I type a lot. So when I went looking for a gun it needed to be easy for me to handle and not cause me pain when I used it. I can fire anything at least once and do but I can't expect to be easy or comfortable with a gun I know causes me pain. That is why I couldn't carry the Karr .40. The kick through my arms was atrocious on a bad day. A revolver gives most of the kick in your hands when a semi-auto pushes it through your arms. So when I fire a revolver I loose accuracy quickly because my hands begin to ache. Not fun. So my requirements are semi-auto, fully ambi (as in lefty slide and mag release), and very easy to use. I need to be able to release the slide with a twitch of my thumb on either hand. I have small hands so it can't be huge but I also don't like a compact where my pinky falls off. My HK really is perfect for me. I just wish there were other options similar to it for me to play with. More calibers would be nice.


So if you know of a great ambi semi-auto I am all ears.

Tis the season for flu and firearms.

for the flu! It seems most of the house has been hit by the flu again. My husband who hates calling in sick and has gone to work with a fever and throwing up actually has missed work. The body aches and fatigue are horrible. No fun. Poor Monkey had it for two days which meant I was lucky to sleep. The only one who seems to be doing well is Bug. She is happy as a clam. Kid has a great immune system though she complains a lot. The downside to a cronically ill mom seems to be that they think they are always sick. Makes my heart hurt.


Anyway. I have been thinking lately about the fact that I don't have a backup carry weapon. I adore my HK. It is a joy to shoot and I am hoping my new holster opens up more wardrobe choices for me. Anyway the beauty is two leather pockets for guns. Not that I plan to carry two but that I can form each pouch to separate guns. So I am trying to think about a backup. I am such a niche though because I am a lefty. Plus I have FMS so it has to be easy to handle. I also wouldn't mind being a little girly, lol. Yeah I know SERIOUS chicks don't shoot pink guns but seriously I think it might be cute. Of course my lefty needs mean no pink for me. Pffttt.... I would love that but I am doomed to be sad I guess. I did find a pink 20 gauge Mossberg 500 that I might have to have lol. Of course it isn't lefty either. Am I just stuck with guy stuff? I think guns can be pretty as well as kick ass. Maybe that's the flu talking.

Now that's some Christmas spirit!!

I figure we needed some uplifting news. This is a time of joy and beauty. My lovely locations seems to mean it also brings out the tragedy and violence but in this moment I want to focus on hope and on generosity.

Recently there was a story about how someone went in to a K-Mart and paid off multiple layaway accounts anonymously as a gift for Christmas. That generosity has spread and now K-Marts all over and even some Wal-Mart's are having people show up to pay off the balance of other's Christmas layaway. I think this is beautiful and so inspiring. So often we forget as we shop and plan the true meaning of this season.

Christmas is about celebrating Christ and he was the most generous man that ever lived. We try to teach our girls that.

Our tradition is to let each girl find and angel on the giving tree her age to shop for and then we buy clothes and toys for that girl. Monkey loved picking the Baby Belle doll for her angel this year.

So whether you buy for an angel in need, donate to a worthy cause, pay off someone's layaway balance, or give a friend a much needed hug, please remember to hold tight to the true meaning of this holiday season. Know that Gracie, Maggy, and I and all our assorted progeny and husbands send you the very best wishes for a wonderful Christmas. Much love from our family to ours!

Local child has died from a gunshot.....

and to top it off they say it may be suicide.

I have issues with this on so many levels.

1. This child should not have been able to load and use this weapon. As a gun owner with kids responsibility is key. This story terrifies me. We have our weapons secured with at the very least trigger locks. Ammo is not anywhere near the guns. Uggg.......

2. In my eyes a child of 10 is not old enough to be considered a suicide. I'm sorry but they just aren't. No matter what is going on no child truly can grasp the consequences and finality of taking their own life. When I was in grade school I had my first "love". We would secretly hold hands and he would sing me beach boys songs. He was my Nanny's nephew. One day my dad pulled me aside to tell me that Peter, at the age of 11, had committed suicide by hanging himself on his swing set. I did not believe that then and I do not believe that now. He was to young to understand what that meant just as this boy is.

3. Adults were home? So this boy was able to load a gun and shot himself with adults in the house? Where was the supervision? NEGLIGENCE!!! Holy crap. This poor family. It makes me want to figure out even more measures to take to secure our things.

Metro involved in another shooting.

I have immense respect for law enforcement. I absolutley do. I know that they do a thankless job daily and put their lives on the line to protect and serve and do not get nearly the credit they deserve. I have friends who are officers on different levels. This is not about bashing anyone. I am posting this because I think there is a lack in crucial training. So often officers are forced to make life and death choices. Sometimes there is a choice better than deadly force. There has to be.

Last night a veteran in his 40's and diagnosed with PTSD was killed. He had no weapon. He was even known to Metro if I read things right because of the risk he had of becoming disoriented when without meds and he had been denied meds until the 20th. So he went to what he though of as home, he scared some people by trying to open what he thought was his door and police were called. I 100% think those scared people did the right thing. If a man unknown to me were to try to come into my house I would use deadly force. However this man was supposed to be known to Metro. The wife's comments state that metro was supposed to have him under a watch. Now I have no idea if this is a hold on a psyche unit or they were supposed to monitor him but repeatedly she says that Metro was aware of him. So when a man who is supposed to be known to them as having a mental issue and is a veteran is having an issue of disorientation the smart thing is not to be confrontational once you know who he is. They saw his car. When he returned to his car and got in to it they demanded he get out. He got upset and apparently rammed them and was shot.

The video put up seems to tell a different story. The car seems to remain still before the shots. Maybe I am seeing it wrong. I just think that officers need a lot more training in dealing with mentally disabled people. This man did not deserve this. Not from what I see.

Merry Christmas to me - Galco Holster edition!

So my guy is an impatient shopper. He hates crowds and people. So he tends to buy a small surprise gift for me at Christmas time and then give me money to fill my list either in envelopes on the tree or before hand so I have the actual item under the tree. This year he did the latter. One of my items was a Galco Under Wrap belly band holster. I love this concept and have heard good things from a few women. It wraps around your torso so I don't have to worry about a belt. It has two leather pouches for multiple guns if I wanted and then pockets for added stuff like extra ammo or my knife. It is ambi which works for me. I can have it low on my hips or even high on my ribs. At least that is the hope. I found it on sale on Amazon of all places and got it ordered. So excited!! My only concealed holster has been a cheap Uncle Mike's at the base of the spine inside my waistband and I look forward to adding options. I think my brother-in-law is getting me a shoulder holster as well which will be nice to add options. A girl has to make sure she can wear many different things right?

Honoring the brave!

If you were unaware today is the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Thousands of lives were lost as America was attacked on our own soil that day and heroes rose. I feel like so often my generation and the children growing have lost sight of the foundations of this country. Of the heroes and the hard work. Of the dedication and sheer guts it took to fight back after such an attack. The country joined together to fight. To stand up and defend. I wish those values were still prevalent. Then I see little pieces of evidence and I hope. The picture is of the flags at Bug's school flying at half mast today in remembrance and recognition. I hope she was told about it in class today but just seeing the staff honor the bravery of those who fought that day gives me hope for the future.

I kick writing butt...... and I finally caught up on reading blogs lol.

So I kicked writing butt and won the National Novel Writing Month goal of writing 50k original words in 30 days. I wrote my guts out. The book isn't done yet but it is getting there. Luckily a few great people are reading it and helping me edit and polish it. Have had a few surprises as i write but it has been great.

I also finally got to catch up on blog reading. My reader had over 1000 undead blogs for me to read. WOW. I tried to comment but obviously didn't hit everyone. I did read you all though. Sounds like there have been some great adventures lately or upcoming.

Life here is pretty much running along like normal. Monkey is in the "push the limits and ignore the rules" stage of toddlerhood. Fun times. Bug has decided to be scared of the dark again. This is the kid who loves scary stuff and shoots like a demon. Now she wants to sleep with her light on. I know it is because she has my imagination. She says that in the dark when she wakes up she imagines this beings a little troll waiting to eat her or that being a ghost kid hanging in her closet. I have tried to stop her reading and watching scary stuff but it hasn't helped. She has decided to write like her Mama and is writing a story about the zombie apocalypse. Uggg...... Hubby is feeling frustrated. The area is more unstable by the day. You never know what is going to happen or where in the valley. Most think we are crazy paranoid but then something happens. He made a commitment to the job and he doesn't want to back out on that. He is very honorable and who knew they would be 2 years behind. He now seems to be considering selling the house (which is big for our little family but great for all the visitors and the current live in family) so we can move.

We'll see.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our family to yours we hope you have a joyful and blessed holiday. May your plate be full and your cup run over. May you overdose on turkey and gravy. May you remember that you are not alone and are very appreciated. Thank you for being you!

You go gunnie! Burglar gets a treat!

Local burglar took home more than he planned on. I had been posting my Weerd inspired "Gun Death" posts but here in Vegas and surrounding areas gun running is a very lucrative business. So more often than not I can find a dumb arsed criminal using an illegal gun. Yeah laws didn't stop them but they also don't deserve my blog space. Then I saw this headline.

Son checks father's home, shoots burglar who escapes.

 

 Love it!!! 

A son checking on his father's home in the northern valley interrupted a burglary and shot and wounded the burglar Monday night, Las Vegas police said.
The incident occurred at 6:19 p.m. at a home on the 6600 block of North Tenaya Way, near Ann Road, said Lt. Hans Walters.
Walters said the son checked on his father's home and saw signs of a burglary. The father was away.
The son saw the burglar who had a flashlight and possibly a weapon. He shot the intruder once in the leg.
Walters said the suspect fled, leaving a blood trail. As of 8:30 p.m., police were searching the nearby desert area for a suspect.
Walters said the man who shot the intruder appeared to be within his legal rights to do so.

So nice when a stupid SOB gets to take home a special treat for his trouble. Add that the dessert is not a fun place to bleed and I am sure he will be caught quickly.

Being thankful is so important.

I know all of us are feeling the hit of this economy. Gas is high, food is rising. Our government sucks. Their idea of balancing a budget is is ludicrous.

However this is the time of year we celebrate Thanksgiving. A time to give thanks for the bounty in our lives. I truly believe that if we look past this depressing drudge we all have bounty to be thankful for. Traditionally it was the harvest we celebrated and the coming together of two peoples. It has since evolved into a time to remember all we are thankful for. I am so incredibly thankful for our readers and the amazing men and women I call friends because of this blog. You guys are so great at giving feed back and answering questions. You all entertain me and inform me with your amazing blogs. I have learned so much from you. I have included a lot of that knowledge in the new book that I think (or at least hope) you will enjoy.

I am also so thankful this season for my husband and children and the life we share. We have a clean and well kept roof over our head and good food in our belly. We are all healthy. My FMS sucks sure but in the big picture there are far worse things to have. We are clothed. We have the ability to help those we love. We are blessed that I can be home with our babies. My husband has a steady job. Life is pretty good right now and I try to be thankful for that every day.

Please remember that even though it may feel grim and bleak there is still much to be thankful for and overjoyed over. If you need a visual just pull out your favorite gun! ;)

Do you actually own your home? Do I?

So Nevada has been one of the hardest hit states in the country for foreclosure. After the discovery of the robo-signing and fraudulent foreclosures came out the big story here was that new owners may now not actually own their homes. A reporter recently wanted to see how prevalent this actually was and went to a local lawyer who works to help owners stay in their home and has been dealing with other owners facing the hassles of not actually owning their homes. His discovery - 9 out of 10 people who have bought a foreclosed home are facing the issue of not actually owning it. In fact he had the lawyer he was interviewing check on his home and in five minutes she found issues proving he was one of those people.

I am terrified now. We had a title company who supposedly made sure the title was clear when we bought a house owned by Countrywide who was bought out by BOA. This means someone could sue BOA for the house back. OR when we are ready to sell we won't be able to because we don't actually own the house. WTF? So far no one seems to have any clear idea what to do in this situation. Do we get our money back and clear out? Does BOA need to pay some damages to us and the previous owner? How do you fix this?We bought in good faith.

Hubby says that if the previous owner still legally holds title and pushes to take the house then we sue the ever loving heck out of BOA. BUT he wants to wait and see. I am more of the mind to want it fixed now. I am not liking this at all.

The Big 60.......

Followers that is!! Welcome to the new readers. Modern Day Redneck you made the lucky number!! Thanks all who have clicked our button. I want you to know I look at every followers profile and follow them in return. I am just not always great about updating our roll. Yeah I know..... BAD LILA!! Thanks for the reading. We love it and getting input and comments. We try very hard to respond to comments and have a dialogue with those who read us.

(Oh and now that Maggy is posting feel free to rummage through the food posts of times past and demand some new food porn. I know I want something yummy!!)

The lost art of the recurve bow.

So I have been having trouble helping Santa figure out what to get Bug for Christmas. The kid got her rifle last year and she is a crack shot. Problem is that Santa wanted a gun to last all her life so it is a bit heavy for her little 9-year-old self. So I have been thinking about a weapon more suited to her. We could go with a little light weight rifle or a pellet gun but then it hit me. What about a bow? And not even a compound bow but a recurve? I think she would have a ball with a bow. Not a flimsy one either but a decently made one. So now I am super excited. I am thinking of something with a little less oomph and the sucky cup tips for Monkey but this could be a lot of fun!! What are your thoughts on the recurve?

Where has Maggie been?

Hello everyone! It's Maggie! I've been MIA for quite a while, so some of you may not even know who I am! I took a bit of a break but I'm hoping to be back on a more semi-permanent basis again. I'm grateful Gracie and Lila have helped the blog grow so much in my absence!

For those of you who do remember me, I had another child and have been enjoying my time as a new mom, and sadly this blog (and most of my survivalist tendencies) have taken a back seat. I've also blown through just about all my stored and saved food and supplies, and realized how ill-prepared for anything I am at the moment.

Although I'm now in a postage stamp size apartment, I'm hoping to start slowly but surely rebuilding our stock; be it food, supplies or money. I hope you will bear with me.

-Maggie

Venison roast

Last night I cooked up a venison roast in the crock pot. I am going to need a better way to season it, but it was still so good that I never got a picture of it to post. It got eaten too fast! My only complaint was that the worcestershire sauce was too strong for the veggies I cooked along with the roast. I might have to marinade the meat first and then add some lighter seasoning when I cook it. Any ideas? suggestions? What is your favorite venison recipe?

The dollar (breakfast) steaks are what made me want to hunt deer this year. I have very fond memories of deer steak for breakfast on Christmas morning. My mother would make biscuits and gravy and dollar steaks so that we could spend the rest of the day just hanging out as a family. We never had a big Christmas dinner, but we ate like kings for breakfast.

I am considering tanning the deer hides but am a little intimidated. I tried tanning a coyote hide once and I think I could have done it but Hubby got tired of it hanging around in the garage and tossed it. I think the buckskin would be a little easier than trying to tan a fur. Am I crazy for trying this?

Veteran's Day!

Today is such a special day. My life is filled with soldiers both active and retired. Some of my amazing blog friends fall into this category but in my personal life as well I see the beauty and strength that fills a soldiers life daily, even when he or she hangs up the dog tags. My grandfather served as did my uncle. My grandfather never spoke of his service to me. In fact the only time I can remember him ever discussing his experiences in the Navy was to my cousin for a school project. He took her into his office, closed the door, and talked about it with her but said his talking of it would not leave the room. My uncle was Air Force and went to the Academy. He was a pilot and carried that into civilian life to a career with United. I never heard his thoughts as well. I find that commendable. To me a true hero does not flaunt their deeds because to them they aren't heroic deeds. They are deeds that were done to defend their country and the people they love. It was a job and an honor. They don't look for praise. The memories often hurt even as they fill with pride. They do what needs doing and then they come home and they put everything they can into loving their families and their country. I currently have a couple friends serving. The author of our brother blog is on deployment now. My nephew is stationed in Germany. A couple of my best friends are military wives and they show me that today is not only about the warriors that defend us but the families that support them. To all the people that I care about who serve or have served, THANK YOU!! Your sacrifice makes this blog possible, it makes my life possible and nothing I can say or do will ever convey the depth of my gratitude.

Erasing scent in a tracking situation.

Okay. So I created a problem. I can solve it using paranormal means if I want because those elements are in the book but I want to do it in a more survivalist way. The crime Samantha is solving in Jackson WY is that 3 girls have gone missing. Each on different days doing different things but in the same general area around a lake near town. Part of why Sam was called to investigate was because the tracking dogs can track the scent for so long and then it is as if the children vanish into thin air. No more scent. No clothes recovered. I can get creative and go all paranormal if I want. After all Sam is a shapeshifter and one family has a father who is psychic. Out there is acceptable in my world. BUT I really do want to have survival stuff in the book. So thoughts? Ideas? All girls will be found alive at the end but captive.

NaNo has me going batty!

I am sorry I am hermitish right now. I am trying to do this NaNo thing and so it has all my writing focus. I am at 15,591 words so far and exhausted. The kiddos only give me so much time in the day to write so i mostly have to do it after Monkey is in bead so it has meant late nights for me which is leading to some tired Lila. I need sleep, lol. I will surface sometime I promise and pay attention to all your wonderful blogs and comment on them. Right now I am buried in a kidnapper in Jackson Hole in 2042.

I started the book!! It's goes like this......Apocalypse and stuff!

Okay Shepard and anyone else. I am sure I will be posting more weird questions as i write this book through the month. So Basic info:

So this is my Post-apocalyptic Paranormal Crime series start. EMP hit in 2014 takes out much of the developed world and stops the response to an asteroid strike. Asteroid hits later that year in the pacific causing an 800 ft wave and destroying the west coast and making the ring of fire erupt. Normally quiet volcanoes went nuts. World population drops under a billion. Half left are paranormal and given a magical boost by the EMP so now are having a harder time hiding. It is now 2042 when the book starts. Samantha Jackson was born the year of the End Times (2014) and is a shape shifter. Her parents died the same year. She had to figure out her magic on her own and with her best friend. Best friend Will died when they were 18 but remains with her as a ghost and helps her in her job with the NIS. The continent is now United North America and one country. Law is pretty loose. You either live in communities or go it alone. If you are in a community then the leaders are the law and are judge jury and executioners. NIS comes in when community leaders face crimes they need help with or a crime spans multiple communities. They also can enforce sentences if needed. No one knows Sam shifts shape but Will and his sister's family and an ex she thought was the one. She uses that to do her job. There is a lot of survival stuff in the books plus paranormal stuff and crime solving. This is the basic info because i am behind due to Hubby and Monkey being sick last night. I still have over 2000 words to do tonight. I can answer questions though, in fact it will help me build the world. North helped a ton already! :) Please also let me know what you think of the first chapter. Thanks guys!!!

 

First Chapter!!

Chapter 1

     The large cat ran through the young forest, her body stretching long and lean as she let her muscles work. She leapt over the volcanic rocks with ease and twisted through the small trees as if they were hardly even there. Every breath was a new burst of energy, of passion, as she drunk in the twilight.

     The sounds of the coming night were a comforting song and helped to relax her even more, every flutter of wing and cricket chirp was a reminder that the world was always a growing and thriving place. Her tawny coat seemed to gleam from an inner glow as her ears twitched to absorb the hoot of the owl and the slide of the leaves through the air.

     The sensitive pads of her feet hit the mossy forest floor with a silent shock through her golden legs. The cougar stopped quietly and let the air move around her. She knew a herd of Elk was close and would be about to bed down for the night. She had been tracking them for hours by their scent and knew the herd was a large one.

     Suddenly the sensitive dark ears heard the sound she had been searching for. A quiet crack and rustle as the herd shifted to rest. Slowly the cougar dropped her head and let the camouflaged pack draped around her neck drop to the ground. Then the lean muscled body shifted and turned, four legs turned to a pair of shapely pale legs and two well toned arms and where the cougar had stood a woman remained.

     Samantha Jackson took a deep breath to steady her nerves. The calm of the run seemed to have fled along with the tawny body. She had been changing shapes for over fifteen years of her twenty-eight year life and still it left her feeling awkward at times and unsure of herself even with the added strength and heightened senses. Not for the first time she wished someone had been around to guide her through all of this stuff but fate had dealt her a different hand.

     She reached into the pack and pulled her hunting clothes from their specially seal bag, grateful she was so careful to scent lock all of her gear before she made a trek into the eastern Cascades outside of Yakima, Washington.

     Sam felt her confidence return and grow as she pulled on the familiar clothes and tied her soft handmade elk-skin boots to her feet. She chose everything she used to hunt with extreme care and attention to detail and her clothes were just the start. The boots were soft as butter and let her move just as silently in human form as she had as the cougar. The soft light pants and long sleeved shirt were worn from years of use and hand-me-down age but the camouflaged pattern was perfect for the fall changes surrounding her and helped make the job of tracking the herd easier for her in human form.

     Next she pulled her rifle pieces from the pack. The .308 gleamed in the dimming sunlight. Every inch of the dark collapsible stock looked like it had been lovingly caressed. The black steel bull barrel was a gorgeous 18 inches and she quickly assembled the gun to avoid losing her shot.

She removed the scope caps and remembered that she really needed to find a way to pay Jason back for it. Any scopes were hard to find these days. Add that he had managed to find one of such good quality and hardly even used and it made the gift all the more precious. Sam vowed to herself to bring down her elk just to have some meat to share with her cranky partner in crime solving.

She quietly slid her already loaded magazine in place and placed a round in the chamber, careful to muffle the sound as best she could. On nimble feet Samantha crept forward and let her senses take over. She reveled in the feeling of freedom she felt as she stalked her prey.

She had spent countless weeks in the mountains and the forest with her best friend Will through the hard years of their childhood. Every time she felt suffocated by the curious or disapproving looks of the other children at the orphanage or her skin felt prickly and tight from a buildup of magic they would camp out for a while and let their feet take them all over. They had discovered long forgotten lakes and cabins. They had stomped over volcanic crags and ashen waste out of sheer curiosity. Neither had been old enough to see the eruptions of Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helens in 2015 that had put all past North American eruptions to shame but the evidence was there to be examined and looked over. Of course both were smart enough to keep their distance. The mountains still made their presence known by sending up smoke and fire occasionally.

As the memories crossed her mind she felt the ground tremble and cursed her luck. A sudden flurry of activity in front of her made her stifle a curse and leap for a nearby rock. Sam shook her head as she realized she had let daydreaming overtake her common sense and she had stumbled almost over the herd.

In front of her a dozen large auburn elk moved and shifted restlessly. The light was almost gone now and they were ready for sleep but the rumble of the earth had made their adrenaline rush and tightened their sense of fear. Sam knew the meat would be a bit gamey now because of the added rush of hormones but knew she and Jason would benefit from the meat and winter was not long off now.

She knelt on her chosen perch and waited with baited breath. Patience was something she knew well. She let the moments fly by even though the light was becoming even less with each breath. One of the perks of being able to shift shapes was a lot of added body strength and her senses were amazingly heightened, so much so that she had learned to ignore them when in the company of other normal people.

Finally the sun fully set and the herd quieted enough that she felt confident in taking her shot. She was close enough that she didn’t even bother with the scope but instead looked through the gun’s original sights beneath the raised scope mount. She found the large bull and quickly guessed him to be easily 800 pounds. He was massive and so beautiful, his hide thick with fall growth. She could already taste the meat. Sam sent a silent thanks to the elk as her way of paying tribute to the life she was taking and then with a light squeeze she pulled the trigger.

The bull dropped before the retort of her gun had even finished its echo. The cows jumped to their feet and scattered in confusion and fear. Even without being in her cougar form Sam could smell their terror and hated that they had been caused such grief. Luckily there were many grand bulls looking for mates for the fall rut and she took comfort in knowing they would not be without a male for long.

Sam broke her gun down and used her keen eyesight to quickly gather two thick long branches and pulled her knife from the pack on her back. She shaved off all the knobs and smaller branches until she had two long thick poles. Then she bound them together at their strongest ends with a thick braided twine she had made last winter. Once that was done she found two more heavy branches and repeated the cleaning and binding until she was left with a large A-shaped frame with double cross pieces.

Pulling a thick treated hide from her pack Sam secured it over the frame so that she was left with a sturdy travois to pull her elk home on. Then she bent to the task of field dressing her bull. The dark was no deterrent due to her keen eyesight and she let her mind wander to the case she and Jason had just solved as her body fell into the very familiar rhythm of skinning and cutting.

The National Investigative Service director, Levi Walsh, had sent them to upper Manitoba where a United North America Army training base was being plagued by a killer. Someone was taking young trainees on night runs and brutally killing them. The weird part had been that all of their blood was missing and these men and women were extremely strong and very well trained. They should have been able to deal with any attacker easily.

Sam and Jason had become used to weird crap. Jason had been with NIS since its birth eighteen years ago and Samantha had been recruited five years ago for her photographic memory and quick mind. Her strength and ability to outshoot most men was a huge bonus.

This case was weirder than any that they had seen. The lack of blood coupled with the extreme brutality of the bodies was a conundrum neither had been quick to understand. It had taken Sam secretly going off in the form of a moose to discover that they were dealing with a 500 year old vampire.

Paranormal stuff was slowly coming out as the years had passed after the End Times and more and more humanity was learning that all the scary things they had written and dreamed of had a basis in fact. This vampire was desperate. She, which explained the predominantly male victims, was nearing the end of her life and was desperate to avoid death and the fiery damnation she thought awaited so she figured bumping off a bunch of prime Army guys might be just the ticket. Their blood had to be the strongest right?

Once Sam had found the what and who it had taken some ghostly help and some maneuvering to get Jason on the same track and then it was hunting time. NIS rules were clear; under the new laws the community leader decided the fate of the offender and death was deemed the sentence in this case. So Sam and Jason had to figure out how to kill a vampire. Neither had ever seen one let alone tried to kill one so it was an interesting couple days of trial and error.

Garlic was useless. Crosses were laughable. Even tracking the chick was difficult and Samantha was an expert their but the thing could fly. Finally they had found it in a cave off of the major river about five miles from the base and Sam had the impulsive idea to set it on fire. They made some torches and cornered the vamp and in a bang and a puff the thing and turned to dust. Sam still wasn’t sure if it was the wood or the fire hitting the vamp that had done the trick but she was far to happy with the outcome to complain.

Being an NIS agent was so different that being a cop used to be. Not only did they solve crime but if the community they were tasked with helping needed aid in the sentencing aspect they did that as well. Courts with jury’s were a thing of the past. Now the community leaders made the choices of guilt and innocence. They pretty much had too. It was either they make the choices or no choices were made. There just wasn’t a big enough population anywhere to support large scale law anymore.

Sam was jerked away from her thoughts about the case and the way life was before her birth by a familiar voice at her shoulder. “Are you done yet?”

“For hell’s sake, Will. What are you doing here?”

William Mark appeared beside her and swept his honey colored hair out of his eyes. You would think he would have figured out how to change his look but being dead hadn’t made cutting his hair easy. He was permanently stuck at eighteen. His thick hair had been in his eyes the day he had smacked into the tree on an impulsive skiing trip and so it remained.

“I’ve been here a while. I like watching you work.”

Sam laughed, “You’re just lucky you can’t be of any physical help.”

He managed to look a bit embarrassed as he sat down on a nearby rock. “I wish I could help. I kind of miss this part of things.”

Sam looked at the elk laid out beside her and the neat packages she had made of meet and other useful bits. “Oh please. You always hated the blood.”

“Well yeah but the stalking was pretty cool.”

She stifled an eye roll. “Okay then, glad we are being honest. Ready to tell me why you’re really here?”

“I was worried about you.”

“Worried?” She knew the surprise was evident on her face, even in the moonlight.

“This last case was a bit out there. I mean vampires existing? Who knew?”

She felt a bit wistful, “I bet my family knew, I bet they knew all about this magical paranormal junk.”

“Samantha we don’t know anything about them except that they didn’t survive the asteroid hit and the volcanic explosions that followed. Hell, you were lucky to be found.”

“I know Will.” Sam looked down at the bundles and made sure she had removed everything she could from the elk that they could use before she left it for the other meat eaters. “I just know I could do my job better if I knew more about this stuff but I have no idea who to ask. It’s not like being paranormal is accepted and liked. People all over are hiding their truth because of the fear and the law allows for execution if the community leaders deem someone a threat. I hide my own truth from pretty much everyone. I get it. I just hate not understanding this stuff.”

He reached out a sympathetic hand and for a brief moment she imagined she could feel the touch on her cheek. “Sam I know not having the answers drives you nuts but you are good at your job and at finding answers. You will figure all of this stuff out.”

“I hope so. I don’t need any more cases like that last one to screw with my head.”

“Well I guess we can hope this next one is a bit more normal?” Will asked, hopefully.

 “Normal and NIS cases are a bit of an oxymoron Will. I figure the most I can hope for is less paranormal.”

Now what!?

Once the deer was skinned and hung, Hubby and I stood back, took a good long look.......and panicked. WTH do we do now!? Some quick searches online and a few phone calls to my dad later, we decided not to let it hang for more than a day, the weather was just too warm. The back straps were easy, we knew what we wanted to do with them. We got them cut out, cut up and wrapped as breakfast steaks. Betcha can't guess what we are having for breakfast on Christmas morning!

But what to do with the rest of the meat? Back to the internet. We found some mildly useful information that of course was totally opposite of someone else's opinion. We got frustrated and just started cutting. A few hours later Hubby called his friend and he offered to come over and show us how to cut the roasts and steaks. Whew. Now all we have to do is buy some suet and grind up some deer burger.

Quick!! Answer a gun question!

488 words in to the book. My opening is of my girl hunting. She is shooting a .308. Give me the perfect .308 rifle for a 5"4' chick who is an excellent hunter with no physical limitations but that she can carry easily in a pack.

Venison for me!

The day started off cold and crisp....ok, maybe more freezing and dark, but I have to make this sound good. I gently shook the kids awake (screamed GET UP) and got them dressed and ready for our adventure. They had been doing this for a few days now and were not at all thrilled at the prospect of yet another early pre-dawn morning. We stopped and bought them some donuts to help ease their pain (and of course keep their mouths full so they would stop complaining).

Once we arrived at our destination, a mere two miles from town, we bundled them up in blankets and coats....and left them in the truck. We had already tried taking them with us. (Did you know that a herd of deer will scatter and run when a nine yr old and a ten yr old are throwing rocks at them?)

We hiked up the small hill, keeping the truck in sight, and watched a lone doe race down the hill towards us and the small stream at the bottom. We lost sight of her at the bottom and stalked up a little bit closer to see if the rest of the herd was down there. They weren't. Sooo...time to walk the ridge and watch both sides. Nothing. Back to the truck to check on the kids. We came up over the rise and....THERE THEY WERE! They spotted us and THERE THEY WENT!

We got the thumbs up from the boys in the truck and followed the deer up over the rise to our right. We watched them settle down into the trees for the day. After watching for a while, I asked Hubby if he went and got the four wheeler and rode it along the tree line, if he thought it would get them up and moving again. It was worth a shot. (pun intended) Apparently these deer aren't at all concerned by a motorized machine buzzing by within a few feet. We went up and around the other side to see if we could get a shot. Two does jumped up and bounded away. I went over to the left where there would be some cover for me to sneak up on the rest of the herd and there he was. Just standing there looking at me. Less than a hundred feet away. I motioned for Hubby to stay back and dropped into a crouch. Hubby looked at me and asked "What?" as casually strolled up. He took one look at the buck, looked back and me and yelled "GET DOWN!" Yup, the deer was gone.

We went back to check on the kids and then decided to follow the deer into the next little valley. Off we went. We parked the four wheeler and hiked up to the grove of trees where we thought they were. Sure enough we again saw the little buck from earlier. Hubby took aim and took a shot. Deer turned and looked at us so he took another shot. The little guy took off but Hubby thought he had hit him. Just then a truck headed up the road in the direction of the kids. Hubby went to check on them while I looked for his deer. As I was looking, I almost ran right into the rest of the herd. I pulled up the gun and was watching them through the scope to see if that little buck was still with them.

What I saw next made me freeze in my tracks. There he was. The King of the Forest. (desert, whatever.) He looked just like Bambi's father. I decided we could look for the little buck later. I backed up into the trees and got the bipod legs on the gun adjusted. I crept out from behind the tree and got him in my sights. He had his head behind a tree and I didn't dare take the shot just in case he had traded places with a doe. I knew it was him and I had a perfect shot, but I wanted to see the rack with my own eyes before pulling the trigger. He stepped out from behind the tree and turned his butt to me. Yeah, that's not going to happen. He finally turned broadside and gave me the perfect shot. I got the gun up, got him in my sights and attempted to calm my racing heart. I took a few deep, ragged breaths and pulled the trigger. I missed. He turned his head and just looked at me. I racked the bolt back and......NOOOOOO. I had to reload. Luckily, Hubby had left the rest of the bullets with me. I carefully took them out of my pocket and got three bullets loaded into the gun. I raised the gun, got the big guy in my sights, and........Hubby came up over the rise right in front of the King and he headed for the hills. I took a few shots when he stopped but he was too far out for my limited shooting skills and he was gone. sob. We watched the rest of the herd come to a stop at the bottom of the valley and sure enough the little buck Hubby thought he had shot was with them. As much as I wanted the King, I was more interested in meat for the freezer. So, with sadness in my heart, I set my sights on the spike and pulled the trigger. The does scattered but we couldn't see the spike. One doe stayed close to where he had been and continued to sniff the ground and act very nervous. I stayed on the hill to watch the herd and to guide him to the spot where we had last seen the spike. Hubby got onto the four wheeler and headed down the hill. Sure enough, I got him right in the neck. Not a perfect shot, but it put him down before he knew what had happened.

I hiked down and helped load him onto the front rack of the four wheeler. We headed down the road and watched the kids faces as we pulled up with it. They were pretty excited. Especially because they got to watch (and help) field dress it.

So now my hunt is finished and I can sleep in while Hubby gets to go look for the King. Fair trade? Maybe.

Leaving the country?

So as my better half gears up to make tunnel magic he has been working with the company who manufactures his machine. The rep and Hubby have been working to repair some pretty costly issues that honestly could have resulted in the job going the way of me burying a rock. Lucky my guy cares enough to thoroughly inspect his machine eh? Anyway this guy has known JW for a few years and asked today if he would ever be willing to work out of the US. He had an offer for Iceland and one for Iraq on the table before but we said heck no to those but he honestly feels more open to it now. If it were a country safe for us I think he would be willing. He is so sick of things here right now and of how he is treated that getting an opportunity like this might be a boon to his career. Who knows though right?

Taking in the Mossberg.

So we decided to put a different stock on the 12 gauge. We went with the pistol grip in the hopes that, for now, that would help with my shock absorption as well as adding a better butt pad. (It does btw) Well when we took of the original stock a little piece of plastic fell out. My brother-in-law was pretty sure of what it was and recommended a test fire for confirmation. He is darn good with the internals of a gun. Sure enough our safety was broken. Darn thing fires even when on safe. Luckily I got it at my favorite place, the mecca of stores, and am taking it in to them who will then ship it off to be fixed for me. Hubby was not pleased at all. We did the test fire during the day we took my Mama shooting and he was ticked as hell. He let her fire it and I used the new stock to get a feel but he was of course extra careful of the safety rules. Brother-in-law thinks it is because of the switch to plastic parts that the internals are just easier to break and shift. I am sure he would know. He spent over an hour on one .22 yesterday breaking it down completely to put in a buffer pin, lol.

Saw the Vampire!!

Had a visit with the Hematologist today. I have mentioned before that I was sent to him because I abnormally bruise and bleed and my bruising lasts for a long time. He ran the gamut of tests in the beginning and ruled out everything he could think of by blood work. We didn't go more in depth because my blood really didn't indicate a need. Anyway he has been monitoring me for over 2 years now. Once again my white blood count today was in the red. He isn't worried because while I go into the red every so often I bounce back up to normal between those low counts. As usual my lymphocytes were elevated. The lymphocytosis is why he has continued to monitor me. He was going to cut me loose from the monitoring and just see me if my PCP had a concern with blood work until I said she never does blood work. He was a bit annoyed at that. In his mind the fact that I have a chronic and as of now incurable illness that is being managed to him means that I should be having regular blood draws. So I will do a lab for him in 6 months and another visit in 12. Honestly the monitoring is a bit of a comfort. If I do ever get cancer we will catch it pretty quick. Plus his level of care and interest in me is a lot better than my PCP. I wish he could treat the fibro but it is not his field. Uggg... If only I could find a good rheumatologist here. I need to find one. I am going to call the one my doc tried to send me to again. According to our insurance she does work with us so maybe if I talk to them I will get in, lol.

All in all a normal day in the life of a chronic junky illness. Stupid fibro.

What's in a name?

This is mine. It's heavy as hell and dead accurate. I want to name it. I am thinking something along the lines of Brutus. I want something manly and strong. Most men name their guns and trucks after women. So I think it is only fair that I name my gun after a man. What do you think?

Maybe we need to really examine these Occupy people.

So while my Mom was here I made a comment that the Occupy people were driving me nuts. Being my Mom she proceeded to do some educating. One of the many amazing things about my Mom is that we can discuss differing views without contention or strife. She raised a very valid point. A lot of the big stories we were hearing about this movement was on media owned by the same mega rich who are still profiting so well by Wall Street and their lovely closed mouth use of bail out money. I give that point to her wholeheartedly. My Mom and I have pretty different politics. She tends to be pretty firm Democrat with some conservative tendencies, lol. I am just anti-big government. One thing we talked about was that while there are plenty in this protest for the wrong reasons and expecting things they need to grow up and provide for themselves there is a good large percentage there for a just reason. They bought their houses smart and as an investment, they worked hard to build their 401K, they lived their lives following the American Dream. Then everything came crashing down. Suddenly their investments were gone and their property values were nill. Then they got laid off. No one wanted to hire them because there was younger and cheaper labor to fill the void and work just as hard. Those people are the people we need to think about supporting. I know if it were my Mom or someone I love hurting because of how roughshod banking and Wall Street runs their ships I would be pretty pissed. If it were us. As "preppers" we take preparation to a whole new level. We work to make sure we can survive calamity, no matter the cause. A lot of us got in to this BECAUSE of the Wall Street fiasco and the housing drop. They crippled our economy and continue to do so and we see the potential for total collapse written on the wall. The difference between us and the majority of protesters is that rather than protest we have decided to not expect them to learn a thing and have decided to take our futures and our safety into our own hands. My Mom sent me this video this morning. The message in it is sound.




To the percentage of protesters who are there who refuse to even try to work or think and just expect someone to take care of them- SHAME ON YOU!!! You are lazy and crude and vile and you are giving the hard working men and women who really have something to say and truth on their side a bad name. They and their message deserve better. My Mom brought up thoughts of the revolution as an example of when the working majority once again got tired of being treated like dirt and their blood profited on. We speak of how we wish more would share our outrage. I think that we have our wish. They are just purposely being overshadowed by the stupid in an effort to keep more from joining the rage that is building to a boiling point. Maybe just maybe if we truly examined the true thoughts behind this rage we would see that they are not on opposite sides of this fence we seem to have built. Our country is changing. We had already accepted it and planned our course. Looks like others have begun to see that same writing on the wall and are choosing, in some ways, a braver course.

Dogs I have known

Brigid's post about her dog Barkley got me thinking about some of the dogs I have known over the years. I volunteer with a local rescue organization and that has allowed me to interact with some really amazing animals.

There was Balto, the 192 lb malamute,

Lancelot, the stray that started it all,

Gator, the mentally retarded puppy who you couldn't help but love,

Skye, who thought she was a supermodel,

Twix, the dog I trained as a diabetic alert dog,

And many many more. Each has their unique story and personality and I have been lucky enough to share the lives of each and every one even if it was only for a short time. Most have found their forever homes, some have passed on and some are still with us waiting for their family to find them and give them the home they deserve. This is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done with my life and it gives me such a sense of accomplishment to know I have saved the lives of so many.

That's a lot of bees!

Truck hauling 25 million bees overturns in Utah yesterday. Later reports say that 2/3 of the haul was recovered and the bees are being kept at local beekeepers houses. How's that for houseguests!? I am really glad I was not that truck driver!

I hope I get to go hunting.

The deer season started on Friday. Hubby has to work until next Friday. I have to be home to drive kids to birthday parties and throw a party for our youngest. That leaves me three days to get my deer. I sure hope I find a stupid one who is willing to walk out and say "Hi" during the few hours I can actually be out of the house. Hubby can hunt pretty much the whole week he is off, so at least if I don't get one, he has a better chance. He also drew out for a cow elk this year. I am hoping we get something, because once you draw out, you lose all of your points and we had to wait four years to draw THIS year. Here's hoping for stupid deer (and/or elk) and a full freezer! I will let you all know if we get anything.

Monday.

I have watched CSI, NCIS, Law and Order, Criminal Minds and Unusual Suspects. I can kill you 18 ways and make it look like Alvin and the Chipmunks did it.

I lost my mind... I think my kids took it

WARNING: Due to the recent conditions in behavior in this home, this mom could self-destruct at any moment! Children and husbands approach with caution!

Apparently I have just won the "Meanest Mom Ever" category. Congrats to me.

I am no longer afraid of natural disasters, wild animals, or terrorist attacks...I have sons!

And my personal favorite: Hey, you , yeah , the kid with the smart mouth. Did you know...that the tooth fairy don't leave money for the teeth your mama knocks out?

Today my accomplished the following:

Oldest son nearly broke the middle sons arm.

Middle son throws a tantrum and kicked my trashcan across the room.

Mom got fed up enough to throw the object of the fight across the room and broke it.

Middle son screams that he hates me and that I am the worst mother ever.

Oldest and youngest sons go outside to play with the neighbor kid.

Neighbor kids mom calls to tell me all five boys are on the roof.

Before I can round up all five kids, two have gone home and the other three have scattered.

Middle son comes screaming to (the worst ever) Mom to get the giant sliver pulled from his hand.

Mom sends the kids across the street to work out some energy picking apples.

This was all in about an hour. I am hiding in my room finding quotes that seem to fit my day and make me feel just a tiny bit better. Hope they made you feel better about your Monday.

Invited the crazies!

Uggg..... I really think God figured I needed testing or reminding or something. Pffttt....

To explain my upcoming stupidity I will begin by saying that the kids set the house alarm off not even a week ago. Niece set the house on lock down yet did not inform her brother who decided to walk out the back door. Thus waking us to wailing sirens. Hubby of course leaves the room first armed with me behind him. Scared my nephew half to death to hear that slide rack.

Add the dumb visitor and I should have not been stupid. I know better.

Last night at 12:35 the home alarm siren goes off again. I wake hubby up. Due to taking my Mom shooting (more on that later) the .45 was not loaded with the right rounds so hubby needed to load it. I figured it was the kids and was walking out when hubby got ticked. I was reminded that our rule is when the alarm goes off one of us is armed when we leave that bedroom. End of story.  Bad Lila. Once he has armed he proceeded me down the stairs and through the house. Our front door was opened. Only maybe 3-4 inches. Not enough to be the result of wind. Lock was not fudged. Kids were all in bed.


We let the teens lock the house down and the front door wasn't checked so the security bolt wasn't put on. Our fault. More mine really. The men work really early. Brother-in-law is up by 2:30 and Hubby by 4. I get to sleep until at least 6 so realistically I need to be the one to lock the house down and make sure security is sound. Sucks when on my painful days I want to go to bed early.

Pretty sure the theory that yard sales bring in the trash is now proven sound. Great fun eh? I so can't wait until we move away from here!

Lovely visitor.

Today I got to realize the risk that a garage sale can bring. When you think garage sale you think little old lady or a stay at home mom looking for a deal or even a couple out to find a good bargain. You think friendly people and cheap prices. At least I do. Today my neighbor across the street was holding one from 7-11. Makes sense as we are still pretty hot and our sunshine is wicked. Anyway about 1:45 I am chilling in my loft area will Monkey, music on the comp and just hanging out with her. My office/loft area windows are over the driveway. Suddenly I hear some major yelling. This guy is screaming every name in the book. Talking about how he isn't a dirtbag and how little rich women need to be nicer and all sorts of pretty billigerant things. Going on about how he used to have millions but gave it away and the least she can do is help other people out. Of course by this time her garage is closed up and such. She has little ones and is home alone like me during the day.

I have learned to put people on a scale when they are jerks.
You have the drive/walk away from types. They are jerks but just getting away solves the issue.
You have the call the cops types. Yeah you have to deal with them for however long it takes to have police get there but it can be done.
Then you have the " I am probably going to need to get my gun to be protected if I even am in this guys vicinity and quite possibly use it to A- defend or B- scare the dude off."

Dude is hitting the walls of her house as she remains behind her door. He then takes off screaming for his car with very purposeful steps and I am thinking he is going from a contact the cops to a get armed kind of situation. Luckily her husband came home and screamer stops mid trunk pop and instead starts to scream some more. He manhandles his woman and gets into the car and rolls away. I had to leave the house to pick up Bug. Luckily I park in my garage. I make sure my gun is in the car and we are loaded in before I even open the door to be safe. As my door goes up I see my neighbor's husband standing against their SUV. The Jerk is still on our block. His car is not running and he is now down the road. Luckily she had called the police and as I left I saw an officer arrive. Apparently this guy was pissed she was no longer selling anything and would not give him anything. I warned the husband that men of that type very likely could return, especially since his car is still here, and might try to break in. We are making sure the security is armed and the gun is close by. Hubby feels that because this guy maybe needed more a scare and show that we could defend ourselves that having some bean bag rounds might be smart. I think I agree. It is also making me realize that when the neighbors closest to us are doing these sales we need to remain on high alert because they give jerks a great way to case us for theft.

Over reaction of a paranoid woman or spot on? Thoughts?