FamGuyToday by Aunty Fox

that Ted and Nate tried to walk over in the middle of the night, awhile back. Same snow that tried to collapse our tents, BUT made it easier to 'DeerSleigh' out the elk. Kinda pretty from a distance, huh? Also, the packaging went VERY smoothly this year, I thought. Guess we're just getting better at it. And, very importantly, this year's elk is excellent. From a distance, and now that I'm finally starting to shake the 'bug' I had, this year's hunt is losing some of it's negatives, and next year, I just might go back.

We meet on Saturday for the final step in "Operation Deep Freeze". That is, cutting, grinding and packaging this year's elk. Much easier now that we bring it all back, deboned. (Or is it boned?) Whatever, for ?th time, we meet to process the coming year's main protein source. Like Ringo says, "It don't come easy, you know it don't come easy..." It's worth it, though, I think... Note the loins, on a table between Matt and Nate. Wow.

for a financial/political update. The HUGE fires in LA/San Diego are said to have caused nearly $ 1 billion in damage. Well, just to put numbers in perspective, King George just asked for an additional $48 billion, on top of $150 billion this year, PLUS the tens of billions, 'off the books', for his little adventure in the desert. Not counting the price of oil, now over $90/barrel, to enrich his buddies. The $2.4 TRILLION, price tag is totally incomprehensible. Bottom line, I can afford it, BUT, you young people are gonna be paying for this your whole lives. At last count, the war is costing each man, woman and child in the US, over $8000 each. My solution... Let the people who actually support this buffoon, all 28% of them, pay for his idiocy. That would end it, SOON. The problem is, his supporters, for the most part, don't make any $$, or pay any taxes, BUT, are pumped up by Limbaugh and O'Reilly to 'be patriotic', and, are his base. Sad, but true.

If you click on the picture, you can see the front wheel/tire laying in front of the Bronco, as well as the snow trail left when I rolled it back, after it flew off, cleared the fence, and rolled out into the field. This, as we drove to our hunting area in the pre-dawn cold and darkness. Luckily we had two jacks, or we would have been stranded. A little background,,, The last two years we have lost our brakes, cause the mud froze to the chains and brake lines in the evening, then tore the lines off as we left in the morning. Three years ago we had a wheel 'problem', cause the tire shop didn't tighten the lug nuts. WELL, it happened, AGAIN. Big O tires, didn't torque down the lug nuts, and BOOM. One minute we are cruising down the country road, and the next we see the wheel/tire clearing the fence as we grind to a halt. 4 years in a row. Impossible, you would think, but NO. It happened. Bad enough, right? No. We lost the front wheel/tire a 2nd time, a few hours later, ...

before it started to snow. The youngsters and Matt, standing beside the pop-up and the lounge, not showing the tent on the right. Later the next day, we were scrambling to keep a foot of heavy, wet snow from collapsing everything. Got three elk, but WORKED getting them out. Will follow with more pics and stories.

It's that time of year again, to replenish the little white packages in the freezer. This pic is from 2 years ago, when the weather was ideal for Matt and Nate and myself. Last year we arrived to a foot of snow and it snowed a bunch more while we were there. No pics cause my camera was frozen (weak battery in cold), but the hunting was good, as it always is at Snake River. Ted joins us this year, for his first ever hunt. Hope he has a good time. Got groceries this morning and was amazed at the prices, as it had been awhile since I have actually shopped. Oh well, we shouldn't starve. Get back to you with results next week.

Am finding out who works with me and who doesn't. Verizon sucks, and they are history. Discover card is great, VISA isn't. Our bank is OK, at best. Broomfield cops don't even return phone calls, and MAY take an interest in the ATM (that I tracked down, with time and date of withdrawal) that was used to rip $500 from Carol's account, IF we can make a trail of donuts to it. Otherwise, I don't think they care. Hope they prove me wrong...

Click here: Break.com , I can make it spin either way, ( and don't know what that says about me) but originally it spun clock-wise. Don't really agree with all the interpretations, but it's kinda neat.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 — In a sweeping indictment of the four-year effort in Iraq , the former top commander of American forces there called the Bush administration’s handling of the war “incompetent” and said the result was “a nightmare with no end in sight.” Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez , who retired in 2006, blamed the Bush administration for a “catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic war plan” and denounced the current addition of American forces as a “desperate” move that would not achieve long-term stability. “After more than four years of fighting, America continues its desperate struggle in Iraq without any concerted effort to devise a strategy that will achieve victory in that war-torn country or in the greater conflict against extremism,” General Sanchez said at a gathering of military reporters and editors in Arlington, Va. He is the most senior war commander of a string of retired officers who have harshly criticized the administration’s conduct of the war. Will it ...

Having to replace my computer, I-pod, digital camera, and phone, has been a double-edged sword. Lotta time, research and trial and error, BUT, I did upgrade. Had been w/Verizon for about 14 years, but when they wouldn't help me trace the crook's calls on my stolen phone, even though they COULD have told me, I dropped them. They came back with the info, but it was too late, I had switched to ATT&T. Got a hot new Sony/Ericson phone w/some really cool features, including a 2-gig micro memory card, an FM radio and and 2 megapixel camera with zoom and video. Speaking of 2 gig, the new computer is much faster w/the 2 gig RAM. The new camera, Canon SD 750, is awesome as well. Got a 2 gig card for it, for $24! Unbelievable how chap storage has gotten. The new 80 Gig I-pod was less than a USED 40 Gig was 2 years ago. Anyway, got a bunch of help from Ted, last night, setting up the wi-fi, and loading new programs, as we watched the Rockies win game one of the NLCS. Hopefu...

Finally got my new computer set up so I could post to my blog. For those of you who haven't heard, or even if you have, we were robbed by some real professionals, approx 3 AM on Oct 10th. While we slept, someone came in thru the side garage door, rifled thru the cars and garage, then came in thru the house/garage door, and VERY QUIETLY, stole everything they wanted from our house, including identity information. My laptop, cell phone, I-pod, digital camera, Carol's purse, some golf clubs, knives, etc, are gone. Am noticing new stuff all the time. Pros? They got Carol's purse, found her SS#, and date of birth, and called her Discover card, FROM OUR PHONE, set up a PIN, and about an hour later, withdrew $500 from an ATM, at 4:40 in the morning. Luckily, they tossed Carol's purse as they were robbing another house (one of four) in the neighborhood that night, and most of the contents were still there. A couple of nights earlier they robbed several houses in the Bro...

had another defection, today. His largest partner, among the 'Coaliton of the Willing', a term you haven't heard for a long time, lost it's main supporter, Great Britain. After Tony Blair sacrificed his political career for being W's lapdog, the English have stated they are cutting their troops down to 2500 by early 2008, with ALL their people being home by the end of next year. Hmmm, that about does it. We still Got Ivory Coast, with their 3 soldiers, BUT, the coalition is going, going , GONE. What a surprise. W's war isn't working. Duh, who woulda guessed it????

is looking kinda pretty this year. The koi have really grown and Bailey loves playing/hunting around it. The local fox likes to check it out, too. Not sure how many golf balls are in it, but last year there were a bunch. Gonna miss the flowers, tomatoes and apples when the snow flies. Oh well, been a great summer....

at Yellowstone (note steam in background), getting lots of 'thumbs up' and 'right on, brother'. Noticed our glorious leader is at an all-time low, for over-all approval ratings, as of this morning, (and that's pretty low, even for this buffoon) He did show some fiscal responsiblity, though, by vetoing the children's health care bill. Can't be wasting money on them, while spending hundreds of billions in Iraq. Gotta have priorities, you know...

from the Swedish Chef. Spent yesterday afternoon chasing down green chilis, from Lafayette, to Broomfield, to Federal Hts, and eventually found a roaster in Westminster. Either they are kinda rare this year, or people were shining me on. Finally lined up a half bushel, bought some pork roasts, garlic and onions, picked some tomatoes and slow cooked the biggest roast over-night. Spent the morning peeling and cleaning the peppers, shredding the pork and adding all the special ingredients. Gotta say, it turned out pretty good. Could be hotter, but can always add some heat. Had an unusual lunch. Green chili and leftover sushi from my date with Kari, at Benihana's, last night. 'Twas great to see/talk with her, and hear she is doing well, though busy, with her many different classes at Coal Creek. Oh yeah, the cooking tip. After I crock-potted the pork roast, I removed the meat and was left with a bunch of fatty juice. I added ice cubes, which caused the fat to form in a...

Just read an article about how Halle Berry finally got pregnant. After trying, 'nearly every available chance, day and night for several months', according to Halle, and going thru dozens of pregnancy tests, she is finally prego. Poor guy. Get him some Gatorade and vitamins. Tough job , but someone's gotta do it....

At least from what I've seen, and I (being OLD) have seen a bunch. All things considered, the unlikely winning streak, with a bunch of young guys, the Padres losses this last weekend, the one game wild-card play-off, the bad calls, (home run not counting), being down 2 in the bottom of the 13th, Trevor Hoffman on the mound. Unbelievable!!!. Was lucky enough to be there, with tickets from my buddy Matt. Am still hoarse, with a sore throat, but wouldn't have missed being part of the amazing energy, and cosmic circumstance that was at Coors Field last night. When the home plate ump signalled Matt Holliday, 'SAFE!', the place exploded. From the depths of depression after a 2-run homer, runner on first, no outs, in the top of the 13th, to a WIN. Never been a part of anything like it. Thanks Rockies, and Matt...