now beyond counting. A safe full of guns: SxS doubles [gone], all the related paraphernalia,[mostly gone] and still to go....there are several hundred GOOD books [list not completed yet], a 2 1/2 garage shop, and the eternal besiegement by every gun-hound who ever knew or heard of the guy -- just wanting a 'remembrance for free'. We think it'll never happen, and in fact he went into 'care' quite cheerfully, unaware of the changes in his life.

The good side is that his items have been appreciated and sought after and that at least one grey-ing generation will remember him. And of course, the irony: none of the three of us, are exactly monks with begging bowls -- regarding personal outdoors goods. "Working on it, Boss."

Lord willing I will go before my kids. I will have a special gun or two that means something to them to pass on. I know my kids and they will treasure them (and they better shoot them). But really, any more than that just becomes stuff you have to maintain and manage.