You and Pam know how I feel about you, her, and your family. You also know how I feel about chickenbuck. It's the only real camp I've been a part of. The total camp experience. The one true place that I'm relaxed COMPLETELY at. Even when there's work to do. The work isn't really work, it's fun work.
I saw this guy I only traded posts with on a thread, working his butt off to get his camp ready for deer season, worrying about everything and everyone but himself. I offered a tree-stand to him. He was going to be in Duluth, the same weekend I was so it was a great time to hand it over.
Little did I know we'd be sitting in a tavern sipping beer and chewing burgers, for over a few hours. Just shooting the breeze like we'd known each other for years. Then the rest of your family showed up and it was the same feeling.
The next year I was invited to hunt with you and your family and it was the same...felt like family.
The truth is, that place saved me, and my path in life. In 2007/2008 I had a go of it like you are now. One thing after another, "stuff" piled up. Including losing one of my best friends to cancer and losing my job of 10 years.
My wife was going to school, and we had ZERO money. I mentioned on here I'd lost my job and Dave says..." you're like water. You'll find your level. A man like you will know what to do, and find a way to do it."
That little bit of motivation, might have sounded like somthing you say to a friend, but I took it to heart, and made it work. I went out on a limb and got a job doing something I'd never thought of... and LOVED it. With that work experience, it led me to where I work now, which is truly a dream job for me. It's also motivated me to go to school, and try to earn a better living for my family. Snowball...
As goofy as it sounds, I've made a fair amout of life decisions on what you or Dusty or Pam or Missy would tell me, and guide me.
A big one was how I handled my divorce. I could either mope around and pout about it, or I could pick myself up by the boot laces, and move on with life. I chose to act like an adult, move on, and raise two great kids in the process. Raise them the best I know how, the way I know how, with what I have, not what I want.
Another example is working on my old 78 pick-up. When fixing stuff I think to myslef...Dave would never approve of this repair. And then I have to repair my repair.
Being part of Chickenbuck has changed how I look at many things. Living "now" is one of them. It's clich�, but it's true. We don't know what's going to happen. EVER. We can plan, hope, and pray all we want but tomorrow is no guarantee. That is pushing me in a direction that is good for our family...I think.
This post is a long way of saying that Dusty put his hands on this Chickenbuck project because of love. Love for family, love for the woods, love for hunting, and for happiness. I only knew Dusty from Chickenbuck. I didn't know him from when I was a kid, but I'll bet my house on the fact he'd want us to stop being concerned with him and get our asses to camp and have fun.
