Have you ever been where you really didn’t want to be, doing what you really didn’t want to do? But it worked out better than expected.

Tuesday night my son and I went to a big outdoorsmen banquet and fund raiser. It is a big one for the serious sportsman, with over 1,200 people from all over the State each year.

Now I have nothing against hunting as my kids were brought up as shooters, but we just don’t hunt and I guess I’ve brainwashed them the same way. I’ve never felt threatened by anything in the woods beside other people.

My son-in-law (super kid, my daughter is a very lucky girl) and his whole family are into it BIG time though. They hunt EVERYTHING! Bow, black powder, shotgun…………
Every year his family gets two tables for eight at this $50-a-seat affair and fills them quickly. And they’ve RESERVED us each one of these sought-after tickets for the last 4 years.

You have to take at least another $50 so you have a few different tickets in front of you after the dinner and all the State bureaucrats comments.
They have a BUNCH of raffles and drawings and chances for all kinds of sporting equipment. Silent auctions for $200-300 outdoor “art” paintings,… the 50/50 raffle was $1400 for the winner, the nights GRAND PRIZE was a $3,000 shopping spree at Gander mountain (mega sporting goods store). You got the setting.

His brother has been going to this for 20 years and has NEVER won anything more than a door prize.
Every year my son and I go because we were asked.
Every year we win one of the BIG prizes.
An over-under shot gun the first year, a GPS unit, a days fishing trip for 6 in the Lake Erie islands.
DAMNED if we didn’t win a black powder muzzle loader rifle this year. LMAO
My son and I just sit there making remarks like….
“how come we never win something nice like that fly-tying kit?”
“or the pith helmet with the mosquito netting?”
“geez….. I hope we never come up against a guy with a real gun”
“how does it heft?….. you could always hit um with it”
“heah Steve, did you drive your pick-up tonight? We need help to get all this stuff home.”
It just drives them nuts. LOL We’re looking forward to it each year now.

So tell us about the times you fell into a pile of shits and came out with a new suite.

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Last year my then live-in s/o done the dirty on me big time and after soul searching I threw him out----------he left me with a nasty assault and the wee lap top------------it was through "Fred"(the lap top!) that I got on to one of the many dating sites-----and met Dm!

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Don't pet the sweaty things!!!!

LMAO PF! Ain't it always the way? Was just wondering........Do you want to sell that muzzle loader? LOL! Hubby would love one! He has been "hunting" since he was a very young boy (he's now 36) and he has NEVER gotten one single deer.......EVER! He shot one once but it ran onto someone elses property and a guy that owns the property shot the deer as well.......and he claimed it! Hubby was pissed! But I digress......(as usual).

It so happens that just this past weekend I fell into shit and came out smelling like a rose!

I've been feeling rather weird about the age I have become this past birthday. I had the same reaction on my 25th birthday when I recieved a cake from my co-workers that said, "Happy 1/4 of a Century". I know it's just a number.....but I don't particularily like the sound of this number this year. Well anyway......I had kept really quiet this year about the days passing and it would soon be my birthday. Usually I am nudging anyone near me and saying stuff like, "I sure do like silver alot better than gold anymore", *hint, hint*....LMAO! But this year I told hubby in no uncertain terms......"NO CELEBRATION of any kind"! Let's act like it's any other day and just let this one pass. I actually begged him at one point.....because I kept getting a feeling, an intuition.....that something was in the works. He assured me...straight faced, looking me right in the eye.....that I had nothing to worry about and to stop reminding him. He said the day would pass uneventful and everything would be fine. We went clothes shopping that day because he hates to pick out stuff for me........he says I always say I love it and then I hardly ever wear it.

We then went for a drink and he told me he made reservations for a fave restaraunt for that evening. I got a little suspicious because he went on and on about the evening plans. Timing seemed to be of the essence. He kept looking at his watch. Hmmmm?? We went home and he went to the barn to cut his hair (he shaves it close, himself). I was told to put some of my new clothes on (which I would have anyway...and he's never told me how to dress before). Hmmmm? He came in and called our close friends and stood by the bathroom door talking a little louder than usual, and telling them we were going to dinner at 7:30 and that we would meet them for a drink at a club we go too....at 7:00. Hmmmmm? We really didn't have time for this if our reservation was at 7:30.....but, ok, the restaraunt was kinda close. We got to the club at 6:55 and went in I hugged my friends and they wished me a happy birthday and then my girlfriend said, "Hey, (so-and-so) is in the banquet hall and her birthday is today too. Wanna go meet her real quick? Hmmmmmmm???? I looked at my husband and sneered! He just shrugged and said to hurry...we had to go soon.

Up to the double doors of the hall....I could hear the party going on inside. My girlfriend started to open the doors and stepped back behind me so I had to enter first! Flashes started going off......I saw family and friends and co-workers filling the room! Everyone yelled SURPRISE! I screamed and started to cry....my hands up to my mouth and (I bet) the biggest shocked look on my face anyone has ever seen. I heard a co-worker say, "This is the first time I have ever seen her speachless"! Everyone laughed.....cause it's true! I was speachless! I had a feeling something was up......I was hoping I was wrong.......but I just felt it.......and I didn't want it to happen. But as I looked around the room and saw all the happy faces of just about EVERYONE I knew.....the dread melted away! And just when I had started to regain my composure.......from the corner of my eye I saw a figure coming towards me that I knew so very well! Someone.....(I later found out it was our friends that we had met for the drink)....had gone to New Jersey and picked up my baby sister. I haven't seen her since.......well, damn.....I can't remember since when but I think it was since the summer of 2001 (long story here and I'll spare you that). I turned to her and screamed again! I had just talked to her that morning and we both said it would be nice to come and get her but with the unpredictability of the weather lately and her 13 y/o son having to stay at home alone it just wouldn't be prudent. Yet, here she was.........I cried and sobbed heaving sobs again! I have 2 other sisters but baby sis insisted that I would have more fun if they weren't invited.....LOL! She was right.....but that's another long story I will spare you from for now.

I regained some composure again and then started to make rounds and hug each and every person there! One friend pointed to a table at the back of the room and it was full and spilling over with gifts! I was in shock again! I had never had a surprise party and I have never had so many people want to buy me a gift before....with the exception of my weddings (but that wasn't just for me alone). I swear that the best gift they all gave me was their presence........a show of friendship and love......and that all the packages in the world wouldn't compare to the fact that they came to share the evening with me!!!!!

I found out through the course of the evening that my husband and our friends had been planning this party since my last birthday. This age was a more significant number and apparently I had mentioned back then that I had never had a surprise party (this statement...I do not remember uttering.....but they did). Well.....needless to say, hubby is not in the doghouse! He said he had been scared shitless ever since they started planning this and even more so recently when I started balking about not making the day into a big deal! He is now sighing in a well deserved relief!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

I guess today almost qualifies. Got home this morning and our Oldsmobile isn't in the drive. Get in the house and my wife informs me she had to drop it off at the garage as something was leaking all over the drive. Just got through with more than $1000 in unexpected expenses and now she tells me they're estimating more than $1000 in repairs to the car. (What's that ol' thing about 'when it rains ...')

Plus, we won't have the car back until Monday since they have to order parts.

Anyway, we had purchased an extended warranty and they were checking on whether it applied.

Ends up, it not only applied but they found that there was an outstanding recall on the car and so they're going to fix that as well. Plus, they're giving us a loaner to use until the car is fixed.

Sounds like good fortune to me. [Looking up ... "Thank you! We needed that! ]

Who said Pixie people don't live right?

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LixyChick---Word of suggestion.How well do you know the way
that your hubby does things?The reason that I ask is that I know
quite a bit about firearms.I used to do Handgun competitions.I,
purposely,never got a Muzzle Loader,because I know me!I am a
most powerful freak.For example,my shotgun,is chambered for
magnums.Even for regular shooting,I use magnums,because I know that I can.Even with cars or motorcycles,I always had to build the fastest.When I bought pistols,I had to have at least,one
44 Magnum.Why?Because it was the most powerful PRODUCTION
handgun.For that reason,I never got into muzzleloading.I know
me and I would probably try to put in those extra few grains of
powder.You want to make sure your hubby wouldn't.I know that I
would,even if I told my wife that I wouldn't. Irish
P.S.Just trying to help!

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

LMAO~ I had to come back and update this thread.
Last night was the annual Woods and Water Banquet in Ohio. We had been told, right after the holidays, that our tickets had been set aside.

This year, sin-in-laws family had reserved 3 tables, even though our best estimate was 1,000 at best were in attendance. We are starting to feel at home among the familiar faces of our annual visit.

We had a nice sit-down dinner, kibitzing as the half dozen models walked around making ticket sales for a variety of prize drawings and even enjoyed watching the live auction of a “Bountiful Heritage” print that the artist, Adam Grimm was present to sign, for $1,125. (Some sportsmen are much more art lovers than I am)

As the 8 side games winners were being drawn, we were being harassed about the past years good fortune and who was going to get to set next to us this year, just as one of our ticket numbers was called. :grin:

The joking retorts of this being the last year we are going to be invited seemed to carry a bit more sincerity as my son returned with the 20 gauge BROWNING, BPS Hunter Pump Shotgun. Son-in-laws brother is still waiting to win his first ANYTHING and maybe we will have to go blow something up if they keep giving us all these hunting guns.

My question now is how do I get this luck to happen with something I actually want?

Attached Images

DSC00080-2.jpg (109.2 KB, 362 views)

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lol well u cud sell it make a profut and buy somthing u want LOL !!!! glad to hear ur good luck hun!

~nikki

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Ravage Me!

Me Time
Long Lonley Night
Tied Up
Teased

http://thesmashedfairy.blogspot.com/

Oh PF! Your shoes must stink to high heavens by now hun!

Poor son-in-law's brother! Give him the damn gun! LOL!

TY for bumping this thread. It's fun to read of your fortunes...and to reread my babblings about my 45th!

Wow! I used to be quite a talker, eh?

lmfao!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Shouldn't you be entering some sort of Victoria's Secret give away

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The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

Let's start this discussion by listing some things that you want.

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Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

PF---I assume,that's a picture of your son.When you look at him,you probably,think the same thing that I think,when I look at my daughters."How,
in Hell,did I make something so good looking?" Irish
P.S.Fatherly pride-Both of my daughters,were models,before they had kids
(responsibilities).

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

to take it to the extreme...
i started a day with someone using a real sharp knife---in the vicintiy of some real important organs and one super-important little body---to slice open multiple layers of tissue only to move on to pressing and pulling and generally torturing selfsame area and i ended the day on some nice'n'dopey pain meds and a baby in my arms...twice

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Trees give peace to the souls of men * Nora Waln

The forest would be very quiet if no other birds sang than those who sing the best * Henry van Dyke

some fairly sordid tales, rambles, and anecdotes
Hypothetically Speaking * Something More * Cammy Interrupted * An Experimental Vacation * Masked * so..damn..hot * Thank You * My toy, his idea * no.19 Maple Lane * I Have A Surprise For You * Yesterday * In a Quiet Kitchen * help me decide * untitled prose * more untitled prose

Suddenly I can hear " shhhh! be verrrry verrrrry quiet. I-I-I'm huntin' silky things"

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"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts." - John Steinbeck