Guy's blog about life with pets in northern mich.

Only 30 shopping days left before Christmas. It’s busy time! I smoke a turkey each Thanksgiving and Christmas. This years Thanksgiving turkey weighs nearly 22 lbs. and is seasoning in a picnic cooler in an unheated room, as I write. It is always a big hit, each year. A properly smoked turkey is tender, moist, and shockingly delectable. I always use maple wood to smoke meat. Fresh cut maple wood imparts a pleasing golden color, and a milder, sweet flavor, that doesn’t overpower naturally... Sign in to see full entry.

When I was a much younger hunter, I think I must have had more patience and more of an ability to endure the cold, with clothing that was far less efficient at keeping me warm and dry. Now, I become cold and bored stiff, after only a few hours. My buddy Dave and I shoveled through 3 feet of snow to pitch a canvas, unheated tent, out in the wilds of Colorado, so we could hunt elk, the next day. We spent a very cold, miserable night shivering in summer weight sleeping bags, but Dave got an elk the... Sign in to see full entry.

Baby, has endured the young female dog that lives next door to us with good-natured patience, all Summer and Fall. I smiled as I saw Baby putting up with her rough-housing and playful nips and knew that he was being patient because he realized that she would grow up to become a lovely young lady dog, soon. Well folks, a couple of weeks ago, it happened. I figured that this had occurred when Baby danced around, demanding to be hooked to his retractable tether, at least two dozen times a day and... Sign in to see full entry.

There ought to be a book that can, or an interpreter who could, translate the differences between what certain phrases, words, and behaviors mean to each gender. If you think about it, you yourself have a friend or relative ( rarely both, in a single person) that thinks that they are reflective; while you think that they are a “ space case ” or a " burnout." They think that you are frenzied; you think that they are lazy. You think that you are, tolerant and reticent to judge, they think that you... Sign in to see full entry.

Yesterday, we ran out of propane gas again. This is a pain in my posterior to disconnect the empty 100# tank and replace it with a full one. A brass part had lost the corners of the left hand threaded screw-in part of the tubing/tank connector, because they were rounded over and chewed off by using vice grips instead of the proper wrench. The ruined part had to be replaced. Another posterior pain! After the new part was in place, it was necessary to check for leaks by using soapy water on any... Sign in to see full entry.

I have waited for weeks, before trying to write anything about a frustrating experience we are having with a self-important state employee. I decided to cool down, before relating this, because if I had said anything sooner, it might come across as only angry ranting. I am still upset about what I was told this recently divorced worker from the “ Family Independence Agency ” (until the name was recently changed,) dictated to Marilyn. This social services worker ( another changed name) feels... Sign in to see full entry.

Hitler must expect us to stop feeding her, someday. She practices the art of murder, enthusiastically and interminably, EVERY single DAY! Last night, one of Ivy’s stuffed animals rolled down the mountain of toys stacked in the corner of the bedroom, and Hitler tackled it in midair! The toy and its attacker tumbled over and over, in a death struggle. Thrash about as it might, the toy could not escape the death grip that she had on its throat. As her fangs sank into the neck, Hitler raked the... Sign in to see full entry.

The only thing about the recent election that I didn’t like, aside from how long the campaigns ran, is the fact that we were held in suspense for weeks, after it was decided who our next president would be. In the United Kingdom, bookmakers paid off bettors who had bet on Obama winning the election, two weeks before Election Day! If the bookies knew the outcome weeks early, why were the American voting public kept in the dark? Early odds on Obama being elected president paid 100 to one! If the... Sign in to see full entry.

I have been missing for a couple days, because my evil feline “ Hitler,” bit through my mouse cord. I told you that she is EVIL! I had to unplug my computer because that was the only way I could shut it off. Each time that Hitler walks across my keyboard, I lift her up and put her on the floor, repeatedly! She is jealous of this box that takes up so much of the time, that could be spent petting HER! I don’t know how I am going to give her a memorable lesson in the consequences of such impulsive... Sign in to see full entry.

My screwball calico “Hitler,” loves to sleep on my chest. When I am awake, she lays on my lap much of the time. She is still suffering from ADHD and lately, I have seen early signs of paranoia, too. This is an understandable development in anyone living with.....………… uh, let's make that, “ here.” When I awaken briefly, during the night, I usually find the cat purring contentedly on my chest, and Baby asleep right up against me. This makes it hard for me to turn over. Hitler waits for me to... Sign in to see full entry.