Stuff

[C.O.B.]

The wife has informed me that I have to much stuff. She refers to this as "clutter" and I regard it as "material to be used at a future date". If something doesn't have an immediate use in her mind it should be gone, if we need it in 6mos we will replace that item. I subscribe to the theory of It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

If your a gun nut like I am and a pursuer of game both feathered and furred just by the law's of nature you accumulate stuff. My stuff extends to antique furniture, collectible books and art work so it compounds the issues.

If you shoot a lot then you must reload which means stuff. I load 12-410 both 2 3/4 & 2 1/2 inch hulls so thats different presses. When I buy componets it's 5000 wads at a time for example. There are 6 totes of empty hulls in the basement of different guages. I probably have a lifetime supply of RST 16's and 20's but that doesn't stop me from picking up more at shoots. They won't rot and it's better to have them. Add centerfire rifles into the mix and now there is brass (more than I'll ever use), bullets, primers, powder for them also. Another press and eighteen sets of dies from .22 Hornet to .416 Taylor. Why do I still have the Taylor as I don't anticipate another trip to Africa? I like to shoot deer with it but in all honesty the last deer I shot with it was probably 6 years ago but it doesn't eat anything and maybe someday I'll get back to Africa but if not there are plenty of Whitetails around. I won't even get into the guns but I have more than I need/shoot but not as many as I want. You can never have to many guns.

I have one pair of dress shoes for work but at least 6 pair of hunting boots. There are two pair of light weight non insulated boots for early bird season. Why two pair she asks, well if one pair gets wet there is a spare. Two pair of medium weight insulated leather boots for walking around in late fall, early winter, felt pack boots for deer season and a heavy pair of Micky Mouse type boots for the late season on stand and muzzel loading season. Muzzelloading thats a good one. I haven't even shot my TC Encore in 6 years but I won't sell it because I might just need it some day along with the wool snow camo suit.

I still have the Columbia Quad 4 Parkas (2) I used for duck hunting. I haven't hunted ducks in 20 years but the coats are still good and came in handy once in 1999 in Alaska. Waterfowl hunting breeds stuff what with decoys for ducks and geese, calls, waders, boats, motors, specialized guns, non tox shot, Labs, trucks to haul the boat, i'm lucky i don't do this anymore.

I have every issue of Shooting Sportsman and DGJ. i refer to them as research material and evidence of the increasing value of our fine guns. I refer to my "stuff" as collectible sporting equipment and memorabilla. The wooden shell boxes that line the closet in the Gun Room are all put to use holding varying things from binoculars, hulls, slings, brass, knives (I can't sharpen a knife to save my ass so I have a lot of them), old cloth shell bags, I pointed one out to the wife at an Antigue store, they wanted $12 for it but the value was lost on her.

At the end of the day I do have a lot of stuff but my stuff gives me pleasure and I'd hate to die with $20 in my pocket, a vacation day and no stuff.