Author: Jennifer M. Dodd

### Found

* A book of songs belonging to Matthew’s mother.
* IRS forms from the 2004 tax year.
* Assorted CD/DVDs.

### Discarded

* Two bags of assorted garbage, primarily paper and broken crayons.

### Left for later

* One blue box of pens, etc.

My arms hurt. Both of them.

BIGGER BALL OF SUCK.

My grandmother (to whom I owe thank you notes, yes, yes, must write thank you notes) sent Rebecca a package of four little mirror/makeup compact playthings with a sticker where the makeup would be. I headed upstairs to take care of chores while the kids divvied up the loot.

When I came back downstairs from folding the laundry, both of them were on their backs on the carpet racing lights across the ceiling. “Look, Mom, a video game on the roof!”

At the end of my rope, I say to Marcus, “Throw on a pair of shoes and go outside.” From the general direction of the kitchen, I hear a thud, then an “ow!”, then a thud, then another “ow!”. This goes on for a minute or so.

“Mom, you can’t throw on a pair of shoes. It’s impossible.”

I spent the better part of my Saturday learning about handguns at Shooters Paradise in (as the instructor very aptly dubbed it) Hoodbridge. We got there an hour early so we took the kids out for burgers at Five Guys and then I headed over to the Basic Pistol I class.

After several hours of instruction and learning the protocols and range rules and practicing loading, aiming, firing, and unloading with plastic cartridges, we spent an hour on the range. I definitely liked the revolver better than the semiautomatic; it seemed far, far more manageable and just less… um… big bang.

Bang, but not big bang. Yeah. Very technical terms.

Took copious notes, loaded and fired both the revolver and semi until I was out of ammunition, learned about carry laws in Virginia, stuffed my brain with information so as not to be entirely stupid… All in all, a very good way to spend a Saturday. Matthew still thinks I’d be safer with a semi, I tend to disagree. If I’m afraid (not intellectually, but gut-quiveringly and teeth-clenchingly) of using it on the range, I sincerely doubt I’d be any happier carrying it in the short term. Longer term, I’m fairly certain it could grow on me–but not yet.

Matthew was even more productive. While I was at the range, he stayed home and framed and hung the window that he brought home on Friday. A window! In our shed!

Siding will probably happen next weekend, I think he’ll be wrapping up the soffits tomorrow.

Well, the Learn to Shoot class at the Bull Run Shooting Center was most informative. I hit 2/8 on skeet, and 3/11 on clays using a semi-automatic 20 gauge shotgun. In short, I sucked, but not so massively as to completely rule out ever having fun at the sport.

I learned about the rules for playing at the BRSC, too, which were fairly easy to remember. Generally, it was all safety stuff–carry your weapon with the breech open (and empty), only point your weapon downrange, etc.

However, my right shoulder now sports a beautiful bruise. I mean, this is truly painful. D’oh!

The first order of business after my class was getting proper ear protection, because the little earplug things were not really cutting it. We went to a sporting goods store and picked up a bicycle helmet for Rebecca, ear protection for me, and a knife because the whole running to Matthew to borrow his paratool every time I needed a blade was getting old last year.

When we got home, I started washing up the dishes and Matthew opened up packages. The look on his face when he put on the hearing protection gear… I can tell I’m going to have a hard time getting him to not wear them when the kids are having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

While I iced my shoulder, Matthew finished installing the remaining shingles and peak vents on the shed roof. He then kept going and put up the French doors, swept out the shed, and installed a doorknob so that he could lock his tools up _in the shed_. Finally.

Next weekend we’ll probably end up installing the window and siding the whole thing. Joy.