Home but not home…

Some people say you can never go home. In a way that’s true. When I go back to my home town, in some ways I can hardly recognize it. It’s definitely not the same place I grew up. OTOH there’s still a lot about it to love. I still have friends there. There’s still lots of open land to explore, even if these days a lot of that is overrun by asshole tourists. I still know some good fishing holes that are private. I have access to an acre lot. So day after tomorrow I’m going home for a couple weeks. I can really use the break.

Home but not home…

My mom still owns a house there, but it’s rented, so I’m staying in a motel. I’m cool with that, the motel is just a block away from the fairgrounds where I used to show (and sell) pigs every year when I was in 4-H, and right across the street from the fast food joint I worked at for my first real job. I won’t have much time for visiting, but I will see a couple old friends. It’s getting dark early, so I won’t be spending much time outdoors. Still, I’m glad to be going…

Two week sabbatical

My 2 weeks will really be a sabbatical. I need a break from all the crap happening where I live now. Not getting along with my wife, trying to get my kid to do his school work like he’s supposed to, and major issues with some of our rentals. Yep, I really need this break…

I’m taking a 10 day wilderness first aid course that starts on Tuesday. I’m driving down on Sunday so I have all day Monday for whatever I want. One of my friends works for a tribal food sovereignty project and I want to check that out. Also want to spend some time at that one acre lot and planning for next summer. The class meets Monday thru Saturday, then we have Sunday off so I’ll get to go to my home church. Thankfully it’s still there, some of my best memories growing up involved that little congregation. It’s where I was confirmed and took my first Communion. After Sunday, 4 more days of class then back to the daily grind…

Living simple…

Since I’m staying at a motel, I’m gonna live simple. I won’t have a place to cook, so I’m taking most of my food with me. Well, at least as much as I can fit in my pack along with 10 pair of wool socks. The motel has free breakfast, so that will be scrambled eggs, maybe a sausage patty, and black coffee. Lunch will be a pack of roasted nuts, a handful of trail mix, a Kind bar, and some homemade beef jerky. Dinner will be something from Burger Barn. Hopefully I’ll lose some weight 🙂

I’m only taking a couple books. Obviously the text for my class, also Forging the Hero by John Mosby, Enter the Kettlebell by Pavel Tsatsouline, and my NIV study Bible. Also my kettlebell since I can’t fit my other exercise stuff in the truck. Actually, even if I could I wouldn’t want to mess with it…

Looking forward to two weeks of simple living. Nothing except taking a class, reading, exercise, thinking, and eating healthy. Also seeing some friends, reminiscing, and eating light. No beer and no distractions. Then, back to the grind…

Until next time, peace out…
porcupine

More Glock goodness…

Glock 35 Gen 4It’s been hectic around here lately. We’re trying to get my wife’s sister and her husband acclimated to life in the US. It’s not working out very well so far. My brother already wants to go back. I’m learning Chinese and trying to come up with things to keep him (them) occupied. They love working in our back yard, they’re both interested in church (and there is a Christian Chinese church in town), and he (my brother) wants to go shooting. We make homemade beef jerky every Saturday. They take long walks with my kids every night. Everything is working out great except my brother already wants to go back to China. I don’t blame him. If I was stuck someplace where almost no one spoke my language I’d feel the same. Unless I found a reason to want to stay…

Glock goodness…

What does any of that have to do with Glocks? Stay with me. I want my in-laws to stay here. I need to come up with a good reason for them to want to stay. What can they do here they can’t do in China? Go shooting. Get involved in the whole gun culture. For handguns, to me that means Glock goodness. In light of that, I just got a Gen 4 Glock 35. I also have a Polymer80 frame and all the parts to build a NAG 19. My brother is interested in hunting and shooting. Introducing him to Glock goodness will be a good thing. That and eventually Black Rifle Disease…

I have lots of vacation time saved up at work. Since Fridays are always slow and vacations are a waste of time, I talked to my boss about just taking Fridays off. He said OK, so most Fridays starting next week will be range days. Just my, my brother, my 2 sons, and some Glock goodness.

Sunday update…

That was yesterday. Today I took the family to a Chinese Christian church. Tried not to look nosy but I managed to notice that my brother sang along with the hymns and read along with the Scripture readings. In the bulletin I saw an announcement for a church camp at the end of August. Another backwoodsman (a.k.a. backyardsman) thing I can do with my new found brother. Making new family traditions and all that…

My brother from another mother

(Trigger warning: this will be a somewhat rambling post)

Yesterday I spent the day driving deep through the heart of enemy territory (“progressive” California) to pick up my wife’s sister and brother-in-law at San Francisco International Airport. They arrived from China, about 15 years since we started the application process so they could come here.

What does this have to do with being a Backyardsman?

I’d never met my brother-in-law before. My wife was nervous and worried. My kids were upset that they didn’t get to go with us (our car is too small for 6 people and luggage). I knew I couldn’t make the day worse by being my usual impatient driver. It was hard, but I made a conscious effort to not notice all the people driving like idiots. It was hard, but I focused on what we were driving through – and what we were driving through gave me a lot of things to think about.

The first part of the drive was along the river, and I noticed the river is just about perfect for fishing. Just a few weeks ago it was too high, but now it’s just right. After we crossed the Sierra crest I got a few good looks at the Yuba, another river I’d like to fish. Then we dropped down into Sacramento and I remembered why I don’t want to live in a big city ever again. I also thought about how if I had too, I could get away with just a pretty short drive…

Meeting my brother-in-law for the first time…

Didn’t really know what to expect. I’ve met my wife’s sister before, but not her sister’s husband. Also, my wife’s parent’s lived with us twice, a year the first time and 6 months the second time. Her mom and sister are OK, but I didn’t like living with her dad. Too arrogant, thinks he knows everything (kind of like me), but worst of all got up really early and came down to the kitchen to drink coffee. Right at the same time I was drinking coffee and enjoying my (formerly) private time.

I don’t get that vibe this time. I don’t know for sure but I’m pretty sure I’ll get along with my brother-in-law a lot better than I got along with my wife’s dad…

Brother from another mother?

After I got married I didn’t go to church because my wife didn’t like going. When her son came here in 2000, one of the first things he asked me was to take him to church. He came from China where church isn’t exactly popular. So I asked him why… he told me that his uncle told him he should ask his new Dad (me) to take him to church when he got here. It still kind of blows my mind, but I started taking my new son to church. Soon after he was baptized and then went through classes to be a communicant member of our church.

Even though I’d failed in my job as being the spiritual leader for my family, my new son still ended up in my spiritual family – thanks to something his uncle had told him while he was still in China.

Brother from another mother

Last night, we all went to my mom’s house for dinner. In China, it’s not common to pray before a meal so my in-laws started eating as soon as dinner was served. My younger kid asked aren’t we going to pray first? My wife translated, the in-laws looked confused. Not like WTF confused, more like “what should we do” confused. We set down our forks, they watched and saw us fold our hands so they folded theirs’ too. I said a simple prayer. As soon as I finished, my brother-in-law announced that he wanted to go to church. As soon as he said it, his wife said she wants to go too.

We got home too late to check out the back yard, but this morning my newly discovered brother noticed the rabbits. His first question was “is it OK to catch them and eat them or is it illegal”? A hunter – a man after my own heart. Maybe my brother from another mother. I sure hope so…

Peace out,
porcupine