"Wow, Your Gun Really Brings Out Your Eyes"

Many of the typical Christmas markers were thrown off this year by a combination of a short season and some crap weather. So it's not really felt "like Christmas" so much. Until yesterday, when we had the annual VanDyke Family Christmas, as usual, at the Verboort Gun Club.



If you read December's issue of in/ur magazine, you may recognize some of what is going on here.



I have to say that it really is a remarkable thing that our ever-expanding family continues to routinely gather at this place every December for the same traditions. I think that is an increasing rarity in this world where people are scattered to the four winds and families are broken at least once 50% of the time.


Travie shakes things up before the first shoot

Dad set me up with a new gun this year--shiny blue metallic. I've never seen such a gun. I never knew anyone would consider painting their gun like a sports car. It was a specialized trap gun, and so it handled differently than I was used to, but it was a very soft kick. I didn't come away with any spiderey red bruising this year. I'd like to think that the reason I was a crappy shot yesterday was because of the way the gun handled, but if I'm going to be perfectly honest about this, the reason is probably more related to my only practicing ONCE A YEAR.


The men, poised, ready to wail on some pigeons

A delightful highlight to these reindeer games is that as the uncles age, things get more interesting. Case in point, Jeff called, "Pull!" and we watched the orange pigeon fly sharply from the right side of the trap. No shot. We looked at Jeff, who remained poised to shoot. Still nothing. We all look back at my Dad, who had the pull trigger. He was also watching Jeff. Then, without breaking form, Jeff says, "Anytime today..." Dad lets another fly and Jeff fires. Then as we all shift one position to the right, someone asks, "What was wrong with that first one?" Jeff looks confused. "What 'first one'? I never saw a 'first one'."

Aging. It's funny. (sigh) 'Til I do it.


Matt takes aim

Now, it's just not Christmas until I've experienced a few things: a round or two of really poor shooting, and Aunt Janet's chocolate covered peanut butter balls, potato rolls and butterscotch covered pretzels. I've tried my dangedest to replicate these things, but to no avail. I finally asked her, "How do you get that candy coating so perfectly thin?" The answer: paraffin wax. Of course! You add a chunk of paraffin wax to the melting chocolate. Well that explains the perfectly glossy set. As a general rule, I try to avoid putting wax in my bod, but if those confectionary delights are anywhere in a 10 mile radius of ME, I can't not eat them. Mmm. Christmas wax. (note to self, add wax to chocolate covered cherries)

The other thing that is unique in my life to this holiday celebration is the cheese ball. There is always a cheese ball. I cannot recall a time when the cheese ball was not present, and it's the only time of year I will allow myself to eat cheese in ball form (I have issues with food in geometric shapes, but that's a blog for another day). God help me it's tasty.


It's Christmas! It's OK to eat cheese in ball form!