Do... Shoot!

This is SO an experience I must scrapbook!

This past Saturday, we went to the ex-laws to celebrate an early Christmas, before cold & flu season really settle in... and before snow. 

Oh, "what is an ex-law" you ask?  Aha... therein is quite a story, but for this post, I will give you the down and dirty details.  My dear husband was married before I met him.  Actually, he was married when I met him.  The wife before I met him was ex-wife #1.  The wife I knew when I met him is now ex-wife #2.  Me?  Well, so far, I'm "third time's a charm"... and hopefully will NEVER be "third strike, he's out". 

Anyway, before I go into any more gruesome details... the long and the short of it is that our elder two children are from his first marriage.  And skipping all kinds of nasty details, his ex-wife no longer talks with her family (mother, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew).  In fact, her kids no longer stay in contact with her either.  So, at some point in time, her family contacted me for "permission" to see the kids.  I'm not in the business of coming between families, as I told them, so arrangements were made and over the years, this family has embraced me instead of their own daughter/sister, et al.  So, twice a year we get together... their family reunion and at Christmastime.  Not knowing what to call them, as they are not my family, and "my husband's first ex-wife's mother/sister" is a little cumbersome, I now refer to them as the ex-in-laws... or, the ex-laws for short.

But I digress.  We went to the ex-laws to celebrate their Christmas before all kinds of illness and snow took over.  Now... the ex-laws live in a rural part of the state, and thus... well, they are very down-to-earth people who enjoy hunting season.  Since deer-gun season opened today, they were going to spend some time this past weekend sighting their guns.  I, not being a person who has ever touched a gun, guessed that this meant they were making sure the gun was shooting where they thought it was shooting. Good guess!

After "the Men" (cue Tim Allen caveman grunt here), went out and shot off several rounds at a target, they came back inside.  I don't know HOW this happened, but the bro-ex-law said to me, "do you want to shoot?"

Pause.

Not a long pause, because my mind does travel fast.  But a pause.  My mind spun... it is a "Do" year... this is an opportunity to do something I've never done before... when would I have an opportunity like this again... "Okay, sure, I'll shoot."

Pause.  A slightly bigger one this time.  I think I surprised people.  Then loudness... people talking all at once.  "Okay!"  "Let's go."  "I've got to see this!"  "Get my camera!"  And my husband,  "You sure?

Out we go.  I throw a heavier shirt on (it's cold).  And then, they pulled the target in.  It was out 100 yards, but they pulled it up for me... 40 yards.  Still a respectable distance, I think.

A quick "how to work the gun" course by my husband.  The bro-ex-law (picture, Larry the Cable Guy), heads out to tape up a target.  He comes back and they all start telling me to look for the orange dot (the bullseye) and cracking jokes.  I'm laughing and can't see the target through the sight on the rifle.  I'm laughing and can't keep the gun steady. 

Okay... I *think* I see the target, so I say so (everyone laughs) and I pull the trigger.  Uh.  Nothing happened.  My dear, loving husband reaches over my shoulder and disengages the safety.  Heh.  That helps.

Shot #1.  "Did I hit the target?"  Everyone laughs... no one can see but they think they heard it hit a tree.  More laughter.  Photo op.  Shot #2.  I can NOT keep the gun steady enough to keep the target in sight.  Shot #3, #4, #5.  I have to rest my arm.  This piddly rifle is heavier than it looks!  Okay... hold my breath (helps to keep the gun steady), shots #6-10.  I'm out.

"Let's go see if you actually hit it!"  Bro-ex-law reaches the target first and ... he really sounded impressed... says, "you got quite a few in the black!" and then counts off the holes "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9..."  Yep, one shot unaccounted for.  I chalk that up to my first shot.

"Look," says the girl-niece, "look how proud she looks!"

She wants to try so she shoots off a bunch.  Of course, she shows me up.  And I want to go again... I sit down this time and shoot faster after being able to better steady the gun.  I felt good.  I really felt like I was aiming well. And...
Check It Out!

One Bullseye!!