Needless to say, I haven't quite adjusted back to any kind of normal schedule.
Back at the Homestead, we have so much to do. A friend had been visiting when I left for Virginia and the boys did zero grocery shopping while I was going.
And I came back with a rucksack full of things that sort of exploded all over the bedroom and I just sorted and put away last night. Operation Closet Purge is back in action. More on that later.
Then another friend came to visit for the weekend, so we were out and about for some holiday fun.
We knocked out some grocery shopping (yay for proper pantry stocking!) and some errands.
On Friday, the boys decided to go out to the back of the shop and shoot for a bit.
I have never, ever, in my entire life handled a gun. But M owns one and since it exists in our house, I had told him I would like to know how to use it to avoid accidentally hurting myself or others and in case a situation should arise in which I would need to use it.
For the record, he is highly qualified in using firearms, as a former military officer and also through his research on body armor. If I was going to learn to handle a firearm, I really could imagine no better teacher.
So on America's birthday, I shot a gun for the first time.
M's gun was a bit too big and heavy for me, plus my arms are not that strong, so it was a challenge for me to have a steady enough grip to be a good shot.
But, I did it.
I won't go into any of my thoughts on gun rights or gun control or gun violence, but living in the country, with chickens where bears have been spotted less than 20 miles from here, a rattlesnake was in my garage last night and coyotes can be heard from the deck and a gun existing in our house, I figure it was best to know what I'm doing.
Honestly, my arms have hurt since.
Later that night, we went to the race track, my first time at the races. It was hot, loud, dusty and not really my thing, but I'm glad I finally went after a year of living within a few miles of the track.
There were a few crashes and the boys seemed to enjoy talking about cars. Things were fine minus the possibly drunk lady behind us whistling so loudly I thought my ears might bleed and screaming. And a child screaming "America!" "Land of the Free!" all through the intermission. Part of me is really glad she loves her country so much, but the screaming was a bit excessive.
All in all, it was a pretty all-American kind of 4th and full of firsts for me.
How did you spend the holiday weekend?