Don't mess with me.

After another night of nearby howling a week or so ago, Don decided that it was definitely time that I learned how to shoot the rifle. I figured it wouldn't be too hard (and it wasn't), but I didn't even know to load the thing.

So after all the instruction, I shot up a box. I got pretty close to my target (meaning the spot on the box I was aiming at, not the box itself - I DID hit the box!).

Well, last night, I had the opportunity to grab the rifle and run outside.

Burt got out yesterday evening while we weren't home and our neighbor called to say that they had put him back. As I was lying in be at 4am, after a nighttime feeding with Abby, I thought that the reason he got out might have been from the work we did on the fencing. We are installing a gate into our pasture land and needed to cut the existing barbed-wire fence to put it in. I was worried that the temporary hold hadn't worked and that maybe the barbed-wire was all down. So, instead of laying there thinking about it, I just decided to go out there and check.

I got my jacket and muck boots on and opened the door, only to see the biggest, fattest possum EVER on the patio. He didn't seem to notice me as he was inspecting the dish we have sitting out for the occasional treat for the cats. I quietly shut the door again and ran to get the gun.

Unfortunately (fortunately for the possum, though) he was gone by the time I got back outside. I looked around a little, but didn't see the thing. It did get my heart pumping though!

I'm now feel ready to face whatever this country wilderness can dish out.