Been about 5 years since that last time I logged into T/man. What a crazy path to be on and to realize just how life circumstances can really dictate what you can and can not do. Obviously others have life situations that leave them disabled, blind, and so on and I respect what they do to over come those ailments.
For me, it been all family driven. My mother developed lung issues and I had to do in home hospice. No one else could do it, which I didn't mind. But that set off the chain of events. I temporarily closed my business and took care of her around the clock for months. Shortly after her passing, my Father took a dive off the cliff with his health and I've been caring for him for almost 5 years. We are at home hospice care point, but he is way to stubborn to pass. Something I'm more grateful for than can ever be described. After loosing close friends and a few near and dear heros in my life, I learned to never leave anything unsaid! A blessing I have in the care of my parents that millions of people would nearly die for. Having those repeated conversations about any and everything is special. I genuinely feel for everyone that looses a love one unexpectedly and will never have the opportunity to experience that.

Add in my first grandson, closing my businesses out completely, depleting our cash on hand, housing markets killed my retirement funds when the banks crashed, and that list goes on and on. I look in the mirror and wonder where the heck all the gray hair came from, the goals that I stopped chasing, the ones I achieved and realized are much more meaningless that I thought then, the unfinished projects, and the life I stepped away from. Hard to recognize this path some days.

But I was out in the barn cleaning some crap up that was left piled up a few years ago and I began to just stare at the weathered boards. Like flipping a switch, I fell into a long train of thought about one of my biggest heroes in life and every year seeing our traps hung up on the side of his barn. Unbelievable the sense of comfort and relaxation that came to me in my mind as I dwelled on that. For a few minutes, no stress, no demands of life, and just a steady stream of great memories.

Needless to say, almost 6 years of dust is blown off and its time. Doesn't matter the pelt value, or hitting a 75 coyote target, or anything else that is just minor details. Trapping has always been a place of learning, imagination, understanding, teaching...and its time to be back. That also prompted me to take a few minutes while dad is asleep to jump in back here. ( I do appreciate that our profiles are still here after that amount of time.) A lot people I lost contact with that are amazing people with incredible core values. Hope everyone has a great and fullfilling season for any reason you trap.

So, its been a very long time and I'm sure there are so many new people. But I have to know, is it still advisable to keep the aluminum hat readily available and be concerned of the curse of the cat lady in Iowa??