Ramblings

I wrote Monday's post on Friday night and my!, wasn't I just a bundle of joy?!?!?!?!?!?!

James, even though we have only known him a few years, was one of those contagious people you just love to be around.  For Dutchman and me, we had know his wife from our old lives, so there was that connection as well.  Surprisingly, he was apparently well known amongst many of those at the show this weekend.  He worked in sheet rock (or something like that, I never actually knew!), so many at the show were discussing him and his surprising death.  The tales were all different as to how he died or was found, like 90% of all dead bodies - at home, laying on the bathroom floor was reality.

For as hard as James' death has hit me, it has been a source of major upset to Swede - whose brother and aunt both died unexpectedly last year.  I have been gently prodding him to help the widow by telling her what she needs to do, whom she needs to talk to, etc.  It is not as if any of us, other than him, have had to deal with a death recently!

My aunt handled Franz's affairs when he died last year and father died in now many years ago.  So, I have forgotten much.

And this has been a pile driver on Dutchman's emotions.  It has completely deflated him.  James was over a decade younger than us and everyone has the flu up here it seems.  His death is just about as poor a timing as anyone could have proposed.  Death never seems to be very convenient.  Yet, I remain convinced that it is always correctly timed on the big-guy's watch.  That timing just remains a question though.  Why now?  Oh to know the mind of God!

His wife is still in shock.  Their finances were iffy as it was, now she will be losing their home as she does not make enough, which means the boat, the cars, etc. are going to be history, and I would add the daughter is going to go insane - 16, dad dead, yup she is going to end up being hunted around here by every predator in the area.

... Sigh ...

And Satan played my mind so well.  Just random incidents, percolating through my mind, making me draw some conclusions which were not right, and my mind went - tweak!  One day they may draw out to what my mind concluded but at least for now all is well.

And by "all is well", that is to say that the environment I live under is growing worse - albeit - not as concluding as I had thought.  Kris still going to be around for a little while longer ...  But, I guess ...  well ... walking to Argentina is still a valid option.  And I will admit the only reason I stay is because God seems to want to use me again to help another - like a dangling carrot.  And I know that if it is what He wants, then I need to do it - 'cause if I do not do it willingly - it can be made to be harder on any of us!  We will still do his determinative will ...

... Sigh ...

The antique show was ... um ... pretty horrible.  Sales were slow, the weather just awful, attendance way down.  Conversely, when selling is bad, shopping is always good!  I scored some interesting pieces for my collection of American Indian artifacts: three small Navajo rugs, not in great shape as they were used.  A deer antler for a project I have in mind.  A piece of Belleek in a pattern I have never seen before.  And four old butcher fleshing knives.  Yeah, I think I am going to have to take down an elk this fall. 

Guessing this will be the first year where that will be true.  In 30 years of hunting only a rabbit has been killed by accident and a grouse - whom I had to shoot in self defense (don't ask, it is too embarrassing!  But, it was Dutchman's fault!).  I like to live and let live, as I have never HAD to envision hunting as anything more than a chance to sit around a fire, eat beans, swap tall tales (facts supported by poor evidence ...) and enjoy guy time.  Oh we have had plenty of animals through the years, usually we found them abandoned and dead or dying.  Waste not, want not!  I really have no use for "hunters" whom do not track down their prey after shooting them.  Oh, and then there was that horrible hunt up in Canada where Dutchman shot an antique Corvair van, which had been parked behind a tree and then camo draped all over it!  Well, we were easily 10 miles from the nearest road we knew of!  So, just saying we might need to add a car to the list of the dead was well.  (Honestly, had it not of been so traumatic on Dutchman, at the time I might have died of laughter!)  That was one EXPENSIVE hunt!