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Shack time is the best time of the year. This past weekend we had some beautiful weather to be out in the woods.
We loaded the wheelers with shotguns, trail camera batteries, deer stand materials, chainsaws, tools and a cooler or two.
The grouse that are left after the June flood have been shot at, chased and don’t wait around to see if you are friend or foe. At this point the action on a shotgun is enough to get them to fly away.
We stopped several times on our way out to chase birds. My son Evan and my nephew Justin were in the first rig. Justin was the first gun but never fired a shot. Megan’s boyfriend Ben was next, not sure he even loaded his shotgun. My buddy Steve and I were the tailgunners. We never took a gun out of the case. But we still had fun.
Our main goal for the day was deer stand repairs. On the day before last year’s deer season we were still trying to get things ready in the woods. This year we thought starting a month ahead of the opener was a good idea.
There were five of us so the work went quickly and we were able to get back to the shack for a late lunch. We had some visitors drop by, including my classmate Greg Johnson and his wife Laura along with his brother Warren and wife Ann. For those of you keeping track, that’s two Aces.
I could’ve used a few more aces when we were playing smear that night but since my luck wasn’t along for the ride, I moved over to the kitchen. There were steaks to cook on the grill and cream corn to warm up on the stove. Evan likes to remind of the time I tried to make cream corn at the shack. Let’s just say store bought is a better option.
I fired up the grill which hadn’t seen flames since last deer season. It took awhile to get all three burners going and I ended up with one flaming on low, one barely heating on high and the middle one that was serviceable.
Somehow all five steaks were cooked up and the cream corn didn’t get burned. We would’ve had more to go with the meal but Megan and Mary weren’t able to join us so the cheesy potatoes didn’t make the trip.
I tried to substitute instant mashed potatoes but didn’t have my glasses along. So, either my eyesight isn’t 2020 or that was the date on the box. Corn and steak was just fine.
But Ben didn’t get to eat his steak. A phone call sent him out the door when Megan called to say their six year-old golden retriever Maverick had taken a turn for the worse.
Maverick had been diagnosed with cancer less than a month before. Sadly, Saturday would be his last day.
When we got the news at the shack, the mood changed 180 degrees. We traded laughs for tears and I thought about the times Maverick spent with us at the shack.
He was one of the nicest, friendliest, happiest dogs who loved riding in the side by side, fetching tennis balls off the deck or hanging out with us in the shack.
Six years just isn’t long enough. We’re going to miss him at Camp Cholesterol.
