Hunting Trip (continued)

This morning my mom told a funny story about my Grandma Skrivseth.
At least it tickled me and made me laugh. Those of you who knew my Grandma might
find it amusing.

Someone asked Grandma, "What did you do today?"
(This person was a real energizer bunny.)

Grandma said, "I had a good, brisk sit."

Today Mom and I are having a good, brisk sit. We went to the clinic yesterday and got
meds for the hacking cough Mom has that keeps hanging on. It could be bronchitis or
the beginning of pneumonia. With the meds she should start feeling better in 24 - 48 hours.
If not, head back to the clinic at the end of this week and get an x-ray.

Maybe I can wrap up the story of our camping/hunting trip and put you all out of your misery
of wondering, "Is she ever going to finish this story?"

We got some snow during the night, Wednesday, November 16. On Thursday morning I took breakfast down the hill for the guys and they started out on the great hunt again.

I made French toast for the princesses in the look out . . . using delicious raisin bread made by
my sister-in-law, Karla. That is one of the best treats in the world. Later on in the day Chelsea jumped in with Evan and the guys he was with. They drove in to Broadus to the library so Chelsea could send in some of her school work. This was a chance to pick up some food supplies, too.

After dark we had supper in the wall tent again. There was a yummy taco meat sauce with tortillas or chips, your choice, or both if you wanted. Lots of grated cheese to sprinkle on top. I think we had a lettuce salad, too.

Uh oh! My memory is failing me. Whatever, it was scrumpdillyicious! 

The next day . . . more of the same. Breakfast was pancakes with peanut butter and syrup for the
gals. We warmed up left over egg bake to serve the guys. This is the most delicious egg bake you can find made by Liz - ahead of time - and warmed in the oven at the look out.

Later in the day Chelsea and I got in the old green van and drove to Broadus to the library.
The snow was still on the roads in the sheltered spots. The roads are red. Driving on the red roads made me feel like Jane in Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery. The first morning after she arrived on Prince Edward Island she looked out her window at the rain washed world and saw red roads and wondered what made them red. The red roads in MT are made from scoria Ellis tells me.

And scoria is:
1. the slag or refuse left after metal has been smelted from ore
2. loose, cinderlike lava 
- Webster's New World College Dictionary

I didn't find out yet what makes the roads red on PEI. Some day I hope to see those red roads
with my own two eyes. It was exciting enough to drive on these red roads. They seemed very bright in contrast with the white snow.

Our supper Friday evening was slabs of pork loin rubbed with special seasonings and grilled over charcoal. This specialty always tastes best in Montana. I am not pulling your leg. It has something
to do with the altitude or something. This is probably the evening we had the lettuce salad. Evan is the expert with the seasonings and the grilling of pork in our family.

You notice we didn't have anything made of venison so far - except for the sloppy Jo's I made Tuesday afternoon. That was made from a mixture of ground pork and venison from last years
deer. If anyone is squeamish about hunting Bambi or Bambi's mother here is the time to go find something else to read somewhere else. You have been given a heads up.

Our last morning, Saturday, dawned bright and a little warmer. The reason I know it was warmer is because my shoes got more and more mud on them climbing back and forth as we hauled stuff down the hill to pack in the vehicles. And why did we think we should bring everything plus the kitchen sink? The stuff multiplied over the four days we were there.

Our goal all week was to find a deer for Evan. He has been hunting since his accident but with no success. One of the questions he was asked repeatedly in the hospital after the accident was, "Did you get a deer?" 

Saturday morning our three boys headed out. They found a white tail doe which is what Evan had a license for and also a buck for Jorgan. When they drove back in to camp Chelsea scampered down that hill to find out the news. Two deer harvested! Yahoo! We are still kicking ourselves because we didn't get a proper picture of Evan with his deer. He had a special license so he could shoot from the pick up. But where was everyone when he got back to camp and back in his chair and the deer was unloaded and Poof! No one remembered! So it goes.

We got everyone loaded. We started out. Jorgan and Krysta in the van headed for northern MN. Evan and Chelsea in their car headed for southern MN. Jeremy and Liz headed for Billings MT. Ellis and I headed for Plentywood MT. We stopped and had a bite to eat at a café and said our long "Good-byes!"

The one great disappointment with this trip was that Deanne couldn't be with us. She had a
full week scheduled she says, "fortunately!" or she might have found herself in the car driving
east to join us. Ellis is already trying to plan a camping trip that fits into the schedule for everyone.
It does get complicated! We are trying for summer and will probably leave out the hunting part. Though I must say, Ellis has a way of getting people enthused about joining us. In the fall of 2015 Liz went along and endured cold camping. But they all had so much fun they talked Krysta, Chelsea and me to go along for the fall of 2016. And we all had so much fun we are still chattering on about it. I am afraid we are making Dea feel left out.

I am hoping that recording the events will preserve the memories and give Deanne and the rest of you a chance to "be there with us."