I was writing the whole time we were gone…well, not the WHOLE time, but I did make some space to write! The boys were fascinated, it seemed…Joe and Dad both took pictures of me writing! They took pictures of me in my (new) hunting suit, too. The film has to be developed, though, and the way film is developed around our house, good luck on seeing the pictures maybe next year!
Saturday
We left home at noon, or shortly after. First we went to Laurel to fuel, then headed for the mountains. Got here around three or so. Saw around 100 deer on the way here, including a very nice-sized buck. We (well, the boys and Dad) set up camp by unhooking and leveling the trailer. Unfortunately nobody brought a level, or even a marble, so it probably isn’t very level.
Then we circled the “Loop”, which is about four or five miles around [Dad clocked it later and it was 5 miles] in Ben’s pickup. Us girls sat in the front with Ben, and the other two boys and Dad sat on the tailgate and collected firewood. We pointed out to Beth the points of interest: where Ben shot his deer last year; where we were when he shot it (only a couple hundred yards away); where we got stuck; where Dad parked and I learned Morse code (but I forgot most of it, except the really important letters–the ones that spell SOS and my name); where Dad shot part of an antler off a buck; where the boys trailed it over the mountain…pause. There were four deer in that area; tomorrow being the beginning of hunting season, they weren’t skittish at all; they were curious instead. Anyway. Showed where Joe shot his deer; where I shot my deer; where we dragged it on a sled; where I gutted it, and where Ben rode it uphill in a sled.
Periodically on the way, Dad told Ben to stop so the boys and Dad could jump off and collect firewood.
When we came back Dad made a fire. We sat around it for a while, then Dad wient in the trailer to make dinner, and I went in so my feet would thaw (I was just wearing my “lounge shoes”, not my good boots).
We had sloppy joes.
Dad’s trying to light the lantern so we can play poker–with MY change-and eat our emergency rations (candy bars and pepperoni sticks). Tata!
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You know what is strange? What it... 