This year will be my 4th Christmas with a wonderful woman in wedlock. We have been together for 11 years now, since high school and she has really gotten to know me well.

I have been bombarding her for years now about my insistance to go hunting in Africa, and frankly, I had put it on hold for a while so we could get our lives together started properly, and possibly begin a family of our own. We had a very hard post Christmas last year due to a miscarriage and we were both feeling pretty blue for quite some time.

In early May, we were at the Jackson Hole Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet, and one of the items to be auctioned off was a 7 day safari in South Africa including a wildebeest and a springbok. During the auction, I was involved in taking care of the firearms transfers, as my daytime boss is an FFL holder and he was providing the service to the RMEF. I was too consumed in what I was doing to notice what my wife was doing.

The last auction was for the safari, and by gosh... my wife started jumping up and down and holering. It didn't take me long to figure out what had happened. It was in a state of shock and slaps of congratulations that it was now obvious that I WAS GOING HUNTING IN AFRICA! We decided to extend the hunt to 10 days and to expand the list of animals to kudu, impala, gemsbok, wathog, and zebra. Due to finances, we may have to cut an animal or two off the list, but certainly will not cut the number of days down.

So this year, part of my Chistmas plans are planning and preparing for my first safari. I truely have a ton of things to be thankful for, but I feel this year, I have a few more things.

Merry Chistmas to all and thanks for the help I have received here amongst these fine men and women!

Merry Christmas and have a great safari...you will never forget your first safari no matter how many other great ones you have....and none will ever be bad.
Best keep that fine lady about.
Mims
Organizer & Chairman of the North Texas Chapt. of RMEF (some 18 yrs. ago)
P.S. You are going to need a Tuffpak gun case to go on safari with so check out www.hunters-hq.com

Gee, sounds like a great lass you have there. Count yourself lucky, they are not all like that. Enjoy your trip, it won't be your last.

- mike

P.S. Does your wfe happen to have a sister by any chance??

Thats great and have a great Safari...

My storm and strife of some 47 years doesn't seem to care one iota if I go to Africa or not? Guess she never has got used to me.

Congratulations Trapdoor! You're gonna love it!!!

congrats - now if you can at all accomplish it - take her along. If she has any reservations at all contact me & I'll put here on the phone with my wife, who will take all doubts away.

Harry, you are on my list to call. I do need the Tuffpak. In a few months!

She is going along... can't tell her no after she paid the way!

Congratulations Trapdoor,

My Chrismas present to myself two years ago was making my first post on this forum after lurking around for probably 9 months and my now first African hunt will be in May 2005, so I know how you feel. The anticipation and excitement is tremendous.

I also am blessed with a wife who allows me my vision and also is contributing financially. She will go along as an observer and do some tours. You didn't say when your hunt is to take place, so if it is after May 11-18 I will try and leave you some game.


Merry Christmas!