Third Time Lucky? (Part One)

Just got back from Dean O's. We just had our regular 'Lads Night In'. I'd just mention that we traditionally watch a film. It's, more often than not, a war film too. Tonight, having worked our way to the end of two Boxed Sets Dean received as gifts along the way, it was The Thin Red Line.

Dear god. What can I say? After twenty minutes, I was asking Dean if this film was ever going to 'Start'. By two and a half hours, plus? Dean O' was doing something on his Lap Top, and I was Praying this shit would just fucking end and give me some peace! Good grief; It was fucking Dire!

Having, finally, seen the back of That damn turkey, I turned to Dean O' and said; " Fuck That! Now let's find something to Talk about. I mean; We can't just chuck a whole night up in the air like that and leave it. I need to gain Something from tonight! "

So we chatted. We talked about shooting. Dean showed me a couple of record shots he'd taken of some Gray Crows he'd wiped off his parents land recently. One involved an intended body hit. Only, using a .17 HMR, Dean has to be very aware of wind. It was puffing as he squeezed. But it stopped as the pin fired. Result was unintentionally brilliant! A head shot, on a Crow, at ~ if I remember correctly? ~ about the sixty yard mark!

He reckons there were tiny fragments of shit around the site. Best of all, this crow did a JFK; The back of its skull was laying on its own back! V Max round had seemingly entered 'Between The Eyes'. Exploded inside the brain. Come out the back in a misty cloud of pink vapour! Way to go! " Didn't know what hit him " doesn't say enough for That one!

So, that raised the mood. Always good to hear of those bastards being removed from our grounds.

My own offering was word of my pheasants. I have a couple, now regulars, at the bottom of my paddock. I was explaining how I see the cock bird, most days. He's never too far from my lower gate. In fact, he's never more than a few yards from it! That led me to considering this for the first time.

I've seen his mate down there, once. She was gliding about in the cover beside the ditch. Only ever seen her there the once now. Tonight, as I relaxed and considered it? I reckon that time she'd come off the nest and was having a crafty feed. I reckon they're nesting down there. That's why my man stands about, crowing and ruffling his feathers. 'OTC'? You're the man for this one, mate. Reckon that's it?

Anyway, I'm not going down there. Not just to poke about and try to find any nest. Not even for the BTO Nest Record Scheme. No. I'm afraid I killed a nest of Wrens, last year, due to my dragging them out of their nest, to count them. They were well feathered and 'Exploded'. I lost about all but one in the panic. That one I popped back into the nest ~ only to find it rotten a few days later. Now I just record eggs to hatching. I won't approach a nest once the young are old enough to abandon ship. Nor will I risk a desertion, due to my interference.

Anyway ..... So then we decided we'd fix a date, soon, to go out and do some serious shopping. Sort me out a whole new kitchen sink unit. Shower door and wall. Even some under sink equivalent of a Sadia. In short; This cottage will have hot water, 'On Tap', for the first time ever. And I'll have a shower! (Getting it all plumbed in is, of course, another story. But Dean O's a Plumber, amongst the other time served skills the young Skillaholic has acquired)

And that's where we left it. I was happy. Dean was sanguine. I called a cab. Steve, as it happens. It was a toss up between Steve ~ and a potentially 'handy' chat. Or Gary ~ and my first ride in his, brand new, 'People Carrier'. Why stink the mans new motor out? I can do that next week! I have that poor bastard ear marked to take me out for my Hearing Test. (Hullo? Who???)

And, here, I feel I've banged on enough. This has all, after all, been the aperitif for the actual event which prompted this whole post; And the feeling I came here to convey, and thus, maybe, alleviate.

If ye've just read this far and want to see more? I'm probably about to write it. Whilst it's still fresh. If not? Fuck yeself. Just skip over the post above this; And know that ye've just wasted the time ye took to read this part. Because, without reading the follow up, ye'll never find out what the fuck I was getting to. Your call. I'm not out here to waste ye time.