WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

Rosey, I’m glad to see that you have benefited from seeing the other side of the hunting coin. Having lived with a very careful and ethical hunter all those years brought home to me the fact that they are not all idiots running around with loaded guns shooting randomly at anything that moves. Neither he nor any of his buddies would think of shooting an animal out of season, nor of shooting a firearm without the greatest possible care. I don’t think that any of those guys left so much as a used kleenex behind either. I think Al’s Dad pounded that into him long before he had a driver’s license. Hunting and driving are not very different when it comes to safety concerns. Anyone with a gun should be trained just as an operator of an automobile should be trained. I think it would be a good thing if all school kids at least before graduating from high school, should be taught the basics of gun safety just as they are taught driver’s ed. Even if they never own a gun it is something everyone should know. We all know how most teenagers and males in particular tend to take chances and they shouldn’t be allowed at large with a firearm without trained adult supervision. Here in NC there is a fairly rigorous course in hunter safety and ethics that is required prior to applying for a hunting license. Al was incensed that he had to take the class despite his experience. Of course, NC had no way of knowing what he knew about the subject even if he’d been licensed in at least three or four other states. Despite his complaints he came away impressed and admitted that he learned a lot about species identification and other things that he didn’t know. He was very pleased to see a lot of dads who were already licensed attending the class with their sons and daughters. That’s a great example for the kids. As for hand gun safety, a class is required here in NC prior to licensing. In it there is not only coaching in the gun handling but also about the law regarding self defnse and other pertinent law. By the way, there is very little if indeed more than a modicum of gun violence committed by licensed hand gun carriers.

Spring continues apace here. Heat’s off and windows are opened most days and even nights at my house. There were three or four new species of flowers out today including one of my favorites, the large leaved trillium posted here. There is a lot of mountain anemone another very sweet looking delicate white flower. I am very partial to the early spring flowers as you might guess. Of course there are the violets too. Common blues (actually purple), Confederate (a white color morph of the common blue) and one of the yellows are making an appearance. I haven’t yet found the box that contains my field guide so I’m not sure about the yellow one. There are several species of those that grow here and I’ve forgotten the differences. Can you endure some more pictures? I haven’t had much luck with the anemones. I get kind of wobbly when the flower is small and close to the ground. I’m just not very agile with stiff knees and I tend to sway a bit so that picture is not quite in focus.

Weighed in today. Down 1.5 pounds since last Sunday making a net loss of four pounds in three weeks. Not record breaking but a whole lot better than an increase. Since I’ve had a protracted birthday celebration that ain’t bad.

The gym has been closed for three weeks but I’ve been walking with Shadow. She is definitely slowing down a bit and is sometimes a tiny bit gimpy after a hike with me and another with neighbors the same day. I give her a coated baby aspirin and that seems to be plenty. I hope to find the gym open tomorrow after I have the oil changed in the old buggy. They’ve done a major enlargement of the whole facility including doubling the weight training space. There will be free weights as well as the machines. Those machines are made in a generic size which is often unsuitable for me because, despite my girth I am small boned and narrow of shoulder. The arm machines are jus too big. I much prefer dumbbells for that purpose. As one gets stronger the weight should go up in small increments so it’s good to have them in all sizes. Will this be the year of the bikini? Don’t count on it. I’ve been asking that question since I was 15 and it hasn’t happened yet.

Grands and DD#1 will arrive on the 8th at mid day and I’m really excited. They are such fun. Now that they are teenagers I will have to get a carload of food to keep them happy. Unlike so many of the children around here they are very active and can eat their own weight in a day and remain very slim. DD and her ex deserve a lot of credit for that as they are both good healthy cooks and limit TV and computer time while supporting sports activities.

Shadow will go to the garage with me tomorrow and we’ll play in a nearby park while the buggy is being serviced. Then we go to see Aunt Harriet (the vet) for a Lyme disease shot and parasite check. Lately I’ve become concerned about Shadow’s vision. There are times when she pesters me to hit the ball for her and I comply with her wishes but she stops dead in her tracks and doesn’t pursue it. It has happened in the afternoon when the sun is shining at her face and in the evening when I turn on the porch and garage outdoor lights. Just yesterday I was “loving on her” as they say in the mountains, when I noticed that her eyes or rather the pupils seem a bit clouded. I am afraid it is cataracts. She’s 10.5 years old. The incidents of her not seeming to see the ball made sense as I know that cataracts interfere with clear vision in glare. I’m bummed about it but am trying to keep rational until Harriet takes a look tomorrow. I’ll be back here crying the blues if my fears are well founded. Hmmm. Does that mean that I am rational at other times? There are those who might question that.

Jane in NC

posted by Jane in NC @ 9:38 PM