X-mas at our house.

Yes its that time of year, the time when ducks are flying, the lab is freaking out since the ducks are flying, I am driving out to my brothers to take the dog that is freaking out hunting for the ducks that are flying and somewhere in there I have to work, buy presents, figure out some way to surprise the wife with her unknown present, not become broke, cook, plan a xmas dinner for my parents, her parents and some friends and oh yeah work 24 hours before and after the dinner day.  Oh I forgot I also need to go hunting to put bambi in the freezer so that we can eat for the next year.  So in other words, its a mildly relaxing time of year.
Well this season Sam did very well on her retrieves.  She got a live duck that was diving on her, she stayed with it and brought it in perfectly, even though you could almost hear her sigh when the duck dove underwater, she had this kinda pained, "hey that's cheating" look on her face.  Later she pulled another live duck out of 7 foot tall cat tails, that was a duck we would of lost with out her.  So not to shabby for a 2 yr old she is getting the hang of it thats for sure.  The time out with my bro and his family was fun I really should head out that way more often just to spend time with them.  My niece is growing up so fast, I am not sure how much longer she will want to go hunting with her uncle.  I will take what time I can get though.
Now tomorrow, since I am working today, I get to build a monster lasagna for xmas dinner.  It was the wifes request.  I wanted to go easy and make a prime rib but no I was vetoed, by the dreaded wifely comment of, "I was so looking forward to your lasagna."  Heart gone, easy day of relaxing gone, hours of making a red sauce and building up a monster 6 layer lasagna scheduled.  Ah well, if you know me at all you know I am only bitching to make noise, I love to cook.  I love to cook large food.  I really enjoy making a monster lasagna, but I do not get to all that often since 2 people really have a hard time finishing 7 lbs of lasagna.

On a side note:  High speed tree trimming can be done by driving an Aerial down a narrow overhung street.  Now this is what I am driving today.  Not this particular truck its in Aurora, but I am driving an identical apparatus here, and yes I just trimmed a pine tree right next to an entrance to a school.  Now this is not my favorite rig to drive, they are big, they don't stop quickly, they don't accelerate really at all, when you turn the tail board swings out 4 feet beyond your tires, and lastly you have this ladder sticking out above your head and its kinda hard to judge where it is at times.  On the up side, this is the job to have.  While the captain and senior firefighter goes into the fire to search, I get to take the second firefighter up on the roof to cut a ventilation hole.  It will take me a few runs to get the rig down, since its been more then a year since I was assigned to drive one of these.  A pump is like a sports car to one of these but as the saying goes, we may not be the first to the ball but when we arrive we always get to dance.

I will post pics of the dinner creation tomorrow as a make it.  should be interesting