Scoupe
January 5, 2007, 04:31 PM
The week before Christmas I picked up a nice used 870 WM in .410 that I "shared" here in another thread. Got out a few times with it and had a ball. But, when I brought it home, I knew I was breaking up a family as I had left the little .410's 28g brother on the wall at the shop. Kinda bugged me, but I knew what my budget was and I was very happy with my purchase.
Bear with me as we detour a moment. My significant other has a granddaughter whose birthday is Dec. 25. My own son is 12/27 baby, so I have some experience in trying to keep the two celebrations separate. I suggested that we throw the little girl's (2 yo) party at our house so her birthday wouldn't be celebrated around their Christmas tree and be blurred together with Christmas. We bumped the day up to the 23rd, as that suited other guests' schedules.
Early on the 22nd I overhear SO on the phone asking daughter "how everyone is feeling". So after she hung up, I asked if anyone was sick. Well, both daughter and granddaughter are "just feeling a little sniffly - nothing to worry about". Well, I do worry as I have a pretty compromised respiratory system and we had at least three octagenarians coming over for the party. I mentioned this and was immediately made to feel less than gracious by my dear SO for even bringing up the idea of rescheduling the party. So, as a man who learned years ago to pick his battles, I caved and the party went on.
Well, for the first time in 10 years, we closed the office for the week between Christmas and New Year's. The weather was going to allow for shooting almost everyday, I had good tickets to a KU basketball game, had a little celebration planned for my 16yo son, etc. It was going to be a GREAT week!
The birthday party went off without a hitch. Lots of presents, good company, homemade ice cream and cake - the whole shebang. Then... I got to feeling scratchy on Sunday, stuffy on Monday and in bed by Tuesday. Was down for a week and am still working hard to keep the airways open.
A couple days ago I could tell something was eating at my dear so we talked a bit. Turned out she was feeling REALLY guilty about me getting sick and missing out on a great week, losing a chunk of cash on the basketball tickets and being so miserable. So, she said she'd buy me that 28ga 870 WM that was still sitting at the shop "to make it up to me." I hemmed and hawed a bit, but she insisted and even came up with a little monetary formula that showed she owed me that much for this. I caved again. ;)
So now I have my new "guilt gun". Not quite as pristine as the .410 is, but it's still very nice. It has the rem choke, "fine line" engraving pattern and fairly nice looking wood. Only came with one choke, but I have some extras in 28. Probably won't get out to test it until next week, but I am stoked - and feeling a little guilty myself for letting her do this - but not guilty enough to not accept the gun! :D I'll probably have to let her try it a little, but she needs quite a bit more comb height than I do, so it won't change hands.
I think I'll keep her - the gun and the girl!
Bear with me as we detour a moment. My significant other has a granddaughter whose birthday is Dec. 25. My own son is 12/27 baby, so I have some experience in trying to keep the two celebrations separate. I suggested that we throw the little girl's (2 yo) party at our house so her birthday wouldn't be celebrated around their Christmas tree and be blurred together with Christmas. We bumped the day up to the 23rd, as that suited other guests' schedules.
Early on the 22nd I overhear SO on the phone asking daughter "how everyone is feeling". So after she hung up, I asked if anyone was sick. Well, both daughter and granddaughter are "just feeling a little sniffly - nothing to worry about". Well, I do worry as I have a pretty compromised respiratory system and we had at least three octagenarians coming over for the party. I mentioned this and was immediately made to feel less than gracious by my dear SO for even bringing up the idea of rescheduling the party. So, as a man who learned years ago to pick his battles, I caved and the party went on.
Well, for the first time in 10 years, we closed the office for the week between Christmas and New Year's. The weather was going to allow for shooting almost everyday, I had good tickets to a KU basketball game, had a little celebration planned for my 16yo son, etc. It was going to be a GREAT week!
The birthday party went off without a hitch. Lots of presents, good company, homemade ice cream and cake - the whole shebang. Then... I got to feeling scratchy on Sunday, stuffy on Monday and in bed by Tuesday. Was down for a week and am still working hard to keep the airways open.
A couple days ago I could tell something was eating at my dear so we talked a bit. Turned out she was feeling REALLY guilty about me getting sick and missing out on a great week, losing a chunk of cash on the basketball tickets and being so miserable. So, she said she'd buy me that 28ga 870 WM that was still sitting at the shop "to make it up to me." I hemmed and hawed a bit, but she insisted and even came up with a little monetary formula that showed she owed me that much for this. I caved again. ;)
So now I have my new "guilt gun". Not quite as pristine as the .410 is, but it's still very nice. It has the rem choke, "fine line" engraving pattern and fairly nice looking wood. Only came with one choke, but I have some extras in 28. Probably won't get out to test it until next week, but I am stoked - and feeling a little guilty myself for letting her do this - but not guilty enough to not accept the gun! :D I'll probably have to let her try it a little, but she needs quite a bit more comb height than I do, so it won't change hands.
I think I'll keep her - the gun and the girl!