The Range is Hot

Last week was my birthday.  Apparently, I’m 33 now.  Or seven years away from 40 as I see it.  The up side of your birthday falling in the middle of the week is that you can stretch out the gifts and celebrations and get-togethers for a week, or even longer if you’re crafty.  Not that I do that or anything.

Come Saturday, we were still celebrating and Todd surprised me with a fun day-date out.  A long time ago I asked if he would take me shooting and show me how it’s done and could we maybe try out the world famous Saltlick restaurant.  I mean nothing says Happy Birthday like getting up close with firearms and barbecue sauce right?

Our first stop was to purchase some ear plugs.  And I have to laugh at myself, because I really can be the girliest of girls.  Me with my make-up and charm bracelet heading to a gun range where I most definitely don’t belong, going to shoot guns and stuff.

Todd drove us out to a little gun range somewhere in Redneckville, Texas, where several years ago he brought me once before.  I chickened out and threw something of a tantrum and had a meltdown about something and pouted in the truck until we left.  It was a horrible day and I was determined that this time I would:  #1 – not sabotage our fun day out and #2 – actually shoot a gun even though I was a wee bit freaked out.

Apparently, everyone else had the same idea about gun shooting that day and we had to wait a while for a spot to open up.  To start, I was a bit shaken by some of the guns people were shooting.  They may as well have been firing canons they were so loud – even through my ear plugs.   

Every so often though, the gun range-masters (who knew such a job existed, and also, THE GUN RANGE MASTER  sounds like the title of a western movie - just saying.) would declare a cease-fire and allow for people to adjust or set up new targets.  When everyone is off the field again, they declare that the range is hot and we are good to start to shooting.  I wanted to ask for the megaphone and be the one to declare that the range was hot again but I didn't think the range-master would let me.  They seemed to take their range mastering very seriously.

Todd is most definitely an expert when it comes to the world of guns and shooting so I knew I was in good hands even though things were exploding all around me.

After he showed me how to hold the rifle and what to be looking at through the scope, I felt pretty good.  I got the hang of it pretty quickly and was able to actually shoot my target.  I’m now convinced I could totally take down a deer should I ever brave the hunting scene with him one of these days.

Handguns were up next and I was both equally terrified as I was excited.  I was most certain I was going to be a natural like James Bond after my experience.  I mostly wanted to learn to shoot a handgun in case I ever found myself in a situation of needing to protect myself or my boys.

Unfortunately, I was not nearly as good as I thought I would be.  I hit the dirt a few times and was carelessly flailing the gun around without the safety on, which is a big no-no.  Todd was adamant about me paying attention to that – it was almost as if I could hurt someone or something, geez.  He kept telling me to relax, but seeing as I wasn’t in a bubble bath and instead holding a weapon that was capable of killing someone, there was no relaxing to be had.  But, seeing as I didn’t injure myself or anyone else, I considered it to be a pretty successful lesson overall.

I went first and Todd went after me.  I bet you can’t guess which target is mine and which belongs to my husband!

After our shooting adventure, we headed out to the barbecue place of barbecue places – the world renown Saltlick.   

We had to wait an hour and a half to get in, but it was so fun to sit down at this place we have heard and seen so much about.  Their smoke pit is legendary, and so is all of their delicious food.

We most definitely had our fill of meat galore.

Anytime Todd and I are able to veer away from the normal pace of life, I am always reminded how much I love and enjoy being with this man.  We laugh together and enjoy each other....we just fit.  And sometimes it takes a long wait for barbecue and a shooting lesson to be reminded of how great and wonderful our love really is.

It was a birthday for the memory books.   Here's to 33, to good barbecue and to trying new things.