Recharged Via 12 Gauge

        Its  amazing how a little time in nature can make you feel better about life. I recharged the batteries today, Its been a rough month and I haven't felt festive so I gave my guys Christmas off (they all have kids) and I worked both Christmas eve and a double Christmas for them. Today my wife gave me my gift. Instead of complaining about my absence she was happy to send my miserable ass hunting.
        I was invited earlier in the month by a friend to one of his blinds not far from home. He was supplying decoys the boat and all I needed were my waders gun and some shells. The plan was to meet at the ramp at 5:30 take a short boat trip to the blind, shoot our limit and be home by lunch. Seemed simple enough and for once it was dam near spot on. I arrived early we loaded up met the rest of the party of 4 got into position and waited for sunrise.

Anticipation

     The birds would soon cooperate, not in the droves I was promised but frequent enough to keep us occupied. It has been unusually warm here in the Mid Atlantic which usually screws up duck hunting, but we were hunting mostly resident ducks and had permission from a country club to thin the population from next to there golf course so ample targets were about.

Hard to believe were only about 5 miles from downtown Baltimore

         By 9 am I had 3 mallards in the bag with twice as many misses. Being kind of a newbie to duck hunting I felt pretty good about my shooting today it's was much improved over my last trip. My hunting partners with many more years experience weren't so happy with their performances though. We rapped up by 10 I was told they stopped flying by then and since we spent the last hour watching only hawks and a few blue herons fly by I will assume this to be true. I made it back home with lunch for the wife and 3 fat ducks for a dinner.

Some ducks were harmed in the writing of this blog others just scared.

       My pooch loves him some duck he just doesn't like water so this is about as close to retrieving as he gets. Wife thought it to be a great photo op. She acts like I never bring anything home from hunting but a smile.

Yum !

      I have some scrumptious duck breast and legs in a brine and there will be some awesome grilled viddles for dinner tomorrow.  I'm sure The pooch will get him some too. As for me a better mood cannot be had. Batteries recharged dam that was easy.

Walk off the Earth - It's A Wonderful Mic (Holiday Movie!)

Merry Christmas from Charm City

Hamden Lights 34th street

essex wonderland MAV

System Of A Down - Chop Suey!

George Jones & Jamey Johnson with Blackberry Smoke - Yesterday's Wine

Blackberry Smoke - Ain't Much Left Of Me

Corey Smith Drinkin' Again Lyrics

Deliberations Begin

So I guess it will push another day I figured it the verdict would have come down already. I'm figuring on unrest no matter the verdict. I don't have much faith for  peace in Baltimore unless of course most of the rioters are already dead we are up to 328 as of this post.

The Charm City Show we know your watching

Could prove to be an interesting day in Charm City. I hear we may get a verdict today in the first officer of the Freddy Gray case. We live in interesting times don't we.

Sigh....Long rant about nothing but I feel better

I have been busting my ass over the last 3 months trying to get shit fixed at work that wasn't done right the first time around because nobody seems to give a fuck about doing a good or even decent job anymore. I been getting the run around about said work and excuses galore. Its been non stop double shift days between 2 jobs trying to pay off debt and get my ass out of the hole I'm in. And all I can seem to do is stay afloat. My car died in October so I sold it for $300 which I then had to put into truck tires since it would now  be my daily driver which after two months scouring craigslist I finally found some for exactly 300. Then the truck broke down on me on my way to a much need hunting day and that was  another bill for an alterator and battery. I went to the DR because my hip was burning in front from a kayaking accident (don't ask) and she had me do a MRI which came out so bad she called me at work for me to go see a neurosurgeon asap. I had to laugh when she read it to me because most things on it were not new and since she is my new DR and hadn't seen an old MRI she didn't realize how fucked up my back is, in her words "how do you even walk". I had to be a smart ass and say one foot in front of the other. When I have managed to get in the woods to relax and hunt I mostly just sleep in my tree stand. I got out on December 5 for a morning hunt and promptly missed a doe at 15 yards with my bow then spooked a buck at 20 when I woke up and realized I was being watched. At least I had a good belly laugh on that one. So with temps still in the 60 in December in Md I had my hopes of getting the kayak wet and chase some pickeral around the creek. At 630 am Saturday my dog woke me up to let him out so I figured I would get my ass moving and see what was biting. I let the dog out and walked to the edge of my hill where friends and I keep our kayaks and Im missing one I count again and rub my eyes and realize that mine is missing, gone, not fucking there. WTF I run down to the beach and find the cable sawed in half and footprints down the beach across 2 piers and drag marks up a hill. As I follow I see fresh tracks in the dew across a lawn to the road and nothing. Some jack off stole my kayak. The fucking kayak that I saved for almost 2 years for then had my apartment broken into and had to save again. The kayak that I drove 2 hours to go pick up and have spent just about every weekend I can for the last 5 years and its fucking gone. Can ya tell i was pissed, let just say if I caught them in the act that I would have needed some fucking shovel to get rid of the bodies. So I called the police which is usually against my getty up but if I want even a chance that insurance will cover it I have to have a case #. The officer that showed up was excellent he actually did some police work contacted neighbors and put in an honest effort at finding information. Compared to the police that showed up for my apartment break in and was only worried about where and how my guns were locked up and said we would never see our shit again and they would probably not catch the intruder. And the cop that came when mine and neighbors care got burgerlerised that told me to get the fuck back in my house he would get me when he needed me. Officer Twigg was professional and concerned its nice to know they exist beyond the ones I know personally. Of course the chances of me seeing it again are slim but I have contacted everyone and place I know so who knows. Plus I have a few ideas of who might be involved and I will investigate those myself. So its been a long and exasperating few months and it's almost Christmas and hopefully I can get my head strait and enjoy what I do have going for me like a great wife and a crazy ass family. But right now I'm just pissed at the world I fucking hate people.I have been staying busy since Saturday just to keep from thinking about it. I hung and taped dry wall for a friend yesterday and tore down old planters here and built 3 new raised bed then made compost piles in them and cleaned up the yard. I also collected all my receipts so I can contact insurance tomorrow, hopefully that will go well and if not I will probably be with out a yak for awhile. Things could be worse  I know but I hate a fucking thief. End Rant:)

Have You Seen Me

If anyone happens to see a green Malibu X-factor let a brother know.