July 8

This frog (toad?) and I surprised each other today while I was weeding. [Bill tells me it's a leopard frog.]

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Tonight, fun dinner at the Wickanders' house with their son Jonas, his friend from college, and Chuck. Lots of stories and laughing.

I told Chuck that since the kids are leaving tomorrow it was up to him to teach me how to shoot a gun, and Jonas said "Let's go now!"

My arms are going to be sore tomorrow. With some tutoring,  I loaded and shot a .22, a semi-automatic Mossberg 835, and an automatic [edit, semi-automatic! Thanks Matt] AR 15. In the side yard. The .22 I aimed at the burn pile and actually hit it. With the shotguns: "Aim at the green and make sure there's not a cow in the sight" was about what I could do.

The adrenaline should wear off by tomorrow sometime. I think I may have hooted. That's a powerful feeling. So, something that wasn't on my bucket list at all prior to this trip is achieved, and also a better understanding of... I don't know yet. Have to think about it. But I get something (a little) that I didn't get before.

Also I think the moon is full.