Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005 - 11:54 a.m.

She's back!

Callie, the calico mommy cat came back. And with a hurt foot and an attitude. Hissing and swatting at the other cats, and wanting to be petted (but not too close, please, she even comes up on the deck. Her naughty attitude and belligerant look made me wonder if it was even her, but a check of the photos on the computer matched the markings on her face.

I don't know where she has been. She disappeared the day the first skunk was spotted. 800 thinks she has just been hiding under equipment and weeds, but I think she would have come out once in a while. She is trying to find which feeding place is hers, now, so I think she was eating elsewhere. She is not really skinny so didn't suffer too much, but she is a huntress and could have been living off the land. Now the elderly count is up to 3 old ladies and an old gent, plus 3 younguns and the coon cat. Just when I think I am getting ahead of stuff, more stuff happens.

I was successful at the fall hunt last night. Probably got more meat cheaper than many Nimrods will. Went into Walmart after Bible study to get some envelopes for a work day Saturday, and pork chops were on sale for $1.30 so I bought 4 big packages. Then as I was getting ready to check out, the roasted chickens went on sale for $1 apiece so I bought 6. That is probably 40 or 50 pounds of meat that 800 will eat and that doesn't take alot of prep time. I've cut up deer that netted not much more meat than that, with lots more labor.

There has always been alot of work involved in meat gathering through hunts in this family, with lots of waliking after game, and lots of effort cutting, boning and wrapping, but 800 and the kids never spent big amounts of money getting the winter meat. They all get hunting licences each year, and when deer or elk hunting, just pack some food, tents, and camping stuff and rough it for a few days. They usually are not gone long and come back with their tags filled and happy. One year they were on a contract up north, and left 3 deer hanging in the shop for me to tend to. The carcasses were skinned, and the lower legs and heads were cut off, but it was still a job. Once the skin, feet, and heads are gone, it is just a big piece of meat and my squeamishness is gone. I was working at the school and every night for 3 nights I would come home and cut up one. The kitchen looked like a butcher shop. I got quite good at separating the big chunks into smaller chunks, and made it all into steaks and burger. I also learned that it doesn't pay to try to get every scrap off the ribcage. The outside animals had a great time with all the bones, and the inside animals ate well for a long time. I never ate any of the meat, but always enjoyed the gravy, potatoes, salad and veggies that made up the rest of the meal. That has always been the easiest and most economical meal I know how to cook. Fortunately it has also been the favorite of all the guys, too, and maybe the girls, as well.

But I am glad those days are over. Lots of good things about the younger years, but I enjoy the older years now. To everything there is a season..

EE's devotional

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