Oh my - this one is so tough, because there are so many. There really are. I will tell you all about the first time my dad took me to go squirrel hunting. (* Yes, I hunted them... and I would STILL if there were any good ones around here*)
ALAS! The American Gray Squirrel! Elusive - evil - and Extraordinarily Cute! Did I mention that they are also very delicious!?! (And they are - cooked up in a nice gumbo... MMMMMM - yummy) So, when I was growing up - my dad decided that I needed to learn how to hunt. If I remember correctly, he may have taken each of us out for a hunting trip.
Now, prior to the hunting trips, he prepared us all - told us stories about squirrels, how they could SENSE when something was out of place in their home territory. How they were smart little buggers, and if they spotted you then you might not see ONE the whole trip out.
He told us how they sat up in their little tree houses looking down on us, LAUGHING because they knew that they would never be caught. I often envisioned them as the types of tree rats that, if given technology, would sit up there taking pictures of the hunters below. It would never surprise me if they did.
So, I got myself up at 5:00 in the morning, on a bitterly cold but brisk autumn day in Mississippi. My dad helped me tuck my hair up under my hat and gave me a special hand warmer because he knew that I would freeze my hiney off. We grabbed up our guns, me in my over sized jacket and vest, and headed out into the woods. There was MUCH walking that morning, and I found that I loved the way that the leaves sound as your boots tromped through them. ((Though my dad told me that I made WAY too much noise, and I probably woke up every squirrel in 10 acres)) BUT, I was certain that I had not, and that I would catch one of the fuzzy tailed tree rats by sun-up.
We found a spot - and settled on down. My dad helped me to cover up with leaves because - as I said before - Squirells can tell when their space has been disturbed. They just KNOW when something has been moved or is out of place. The sun had not even come up yet, and I could hear the plippity plop of water droplets falling from high above and hitting the leave covered ground that I sat on. And, I got cold.
As I sat there my mind raced. When would I see one? If I saw one, could I really shoot it? After all - they are SO cute. Maybe I could keep one as a pet. Take it home, and dress it up in cute clothes?? Sounds like a good plan to me...
The sun started to come up and the forest around me started to come alive. Birds began to chirp. There is something so wonderful about the way that the breeze flows through the tree tops. Beyond the tree where I was, I heard my dad give a faint whistle, and tilt his gun over to a yonder Birch tree. I saw it... A squirrel! But, I couldn't get a good angle on it. So, I didn't take the shot. We waited and waited and waited some more. And then, Nothing. it's as if the first squirell knew taht we were there and had told all of his squirly friends about us! Maybe they were going to gang up on us and blow us right out of the forest! You never know with these rodents - after all, I have heard that they are VERY, VERY Smart little critters.
After a few hours, we got up to change positions. We took a little walk and my dad scouted the area. Then, suddenly, he spotted the squirrel. It was on the trunk of a tree. It had flattened itself to the tree as to not be noticed. My dad walked around the tree and told me to take aim for the little rodent. My heart raced and pounded in my chest. My dad walked to the tree and grabbed hold of a hanging vine and began to shake it. The squirrel edged his way around to the other side of the tree, just in my view. I took Aim... I shot!...
And I got that darn squirrel - oooh, he thought he was a "supah Squirrel!" and I got him! He fell from the tree and my dad couldn't believe it! (Neither could I to tell you the truth). He wasn't sure with the way that I was looking or holding my gun that I would have hit anything at all.
And that was it. I bagged em - I got to learn how to skin em' too. (It's like undressing a wiggly 2 year old if you ask me). Anyway, I wasn't hooked on hunting quite the same as some of the other siblings, but I can say that I did it... one day, I will have to take my kids out and teach them... and that's going to be a lot of fun, I think.
That's right people - that's what it's called... FLAB - And I have it. And part of this is because I love to eat food... yeah - food is good. I do enjoy it. But, I do not enjoy batwings... 
So, Go there - read on and be a support as I do my best to not become the next statistic. Now - back to our regularly scheduled program...
ALAS! The American Gray Squirrel! Elusive - evil - and Extraordinarily Cute! Did I mention that they are also very delicious!?! (And they are - cooked up in a nice gumbo... MMMMMM - yummy) So, when I was growing up - my dad decided that I needed to learn how to hunt. If I remember correctly, he may have taken each of us out for a hunting trip. 
He told us how they sat up in their little tree houses looking down on us, LAUGHING because they knew that they would never be caught. I often envisioned them as the types of tree rats that, if given technology, would sit up there taking pictures of the hunters below. It would never surprise me if they did.
So, I got myself up at 5:00 in the morning, on a bitterly cold but brisk autumn day in Mississippi. My dad helped me tuck my hair up under my hat and gave me a special hand warmer because he knew that I would freeze my hiney off. We grabbed up our guns, me in my over sized jacket and vest, and headed out into the woods. There was MUCH walking that morning, and I found that I loved the way that the leaves sound as your boots tromped through them. ((Though my dad told me that I made WAY too much noise, and I probably woke up every squirrel in 10 acres)) BUT, I was certain that I had not, and that I would catch one of the fuzzy tailed tree rats by sun-up.
We found a spot - and settled on down. My dad helped me to cover up with leaves because - as I said before - Squirells can tell when their space has been disturbed. They just KNOW when something has been moved or is out of place. The sun had not even come up yet, and I could hear the plippity plop of water droplets falling from high above and hitting the leave covered ground that I sat on. And, I got cold.
The sun started to come up and the forest around me started to come alive. Birds began to chirp. There is something so wonderful about the way that the breeze flows through the tree tops. Beyond the tree where I was, I heard my dad give a faint whistle, and tilt his gun over to a yonder Birch tree. I saw it... A squirrel! But, I couldn't get a good angle on it. So, I didn't take the shot. We waited and waited and waited some more. And then, Nothing. it's as if the first squirell knew taht we were there and had told all of his squirly friends about us! Maybe they were going to gang up on us and blow us right out of the forest! You never know with these rodents - after all, I have heard that they are VERY, VERY Smart little critters.
After a few hours, we got up to change positions. We took a little walk and my dad scouted the area. Then, suddenly, he spotted the squirrel. It was on the trunk of a tree. It had flattened itself to the tree as to not be noticed. My dad walked around the tree and told me to take aim for the little rodent. My heart raced and pounded in my chest. My dad walked to the tree and grabbed hold of a hanging vine and began to shake it. The squirrel edged his way around to the other side of the tree, just in my view. I took Aim... I shot!...
And I got that darn squirrel - oooh, he thought he was a "supah Squirrel!" and I got him! He fell from the tree and my dad couldn't believe it! (Neither could I to tell you the truth). He wasn't sure with the way that I was looking or holding my gun that I would have hit anything at all. 
Ahhh - the perfect Winter Day... Personally, I don't really adore winter. I am not a "cold" fan... I don't like the snow after it gets dirty - I don't like the cold - I don't like the wet - and I prefer NOT to be bundled up... BUT, since this is the question, I will describe my Perfect Winter day.
Personally, I like sitting by the fire - and watching the snow fall through a nice big window. 
I used to have a nice big window - and a fireplace - though it was an awkward fire place - the positioning was all wrong... But, that's besides the point! This is about MY day... BWAHAHAAA. So, I would like to sit by the fire - watching the snow - and drinking this beautiful picturesque cocoa that I found on Google somewhere. Doesn't it look tasty? That's what I would want.
And in a way, I guess that's kind of perfect too - in fact - I have some pictures of these "SNOWMEN" that they attempted to get me to help them make one year. I want everyone to know that the one that is actually upright is the one that I helped make... :D
This is the Snowman that the kids made... kind of like a snow Dwarf... or maybe a snow mountain. Or a Snow "Cousin It". So, I had to take a little bit of time and show the kids how to actually ROLL a snowball...
And make a snowman... And I guess- quite frankly, this is one of my best winter memories. I loved making that darn snowman - even if it wasn't the best looking snowman on the planet. It was still lots of fun - and I did get cold - and that wasn't my favorite part. But Laughing at the kids while they tried to make a snow "IT" - well... that was awesome...
Then came middle school. I, still, was pretty nerdy - but my Math started to suffer some, and my English, History and Art grades started to be a lot better. Science was still a bonus - and I still did pretty good in most of the subjects , but not as good in Math. I had Straight A's a time or 5... but, that didn't stop me from having a good time. Soooooo...
Health, English, Science, History, Civics, etc. They were all pretty darn good grades... but Math.. well, Math I struggled with because I didn't retain the basics. I had a hard time dealing with Algebra and whatnot - it stunk a bit. I test really well in Math. In all the aptitude tests I did well, but - no so much when it came to homework and practical exams. Go Figure.
I finally Broke the Math issue in College - with lots of studying and help from my Hottie Hubby. (That would be Rick). I finally made it out of Algebra - now I just hope that I don't ever have to take it again!
So, could that be what's going on here? I will wait until I see the orthopedic person - but, it's just nice to have a theory. I won't mind anyone else putting their own theories out there too - let me know what you think!
