Where did I go wrong

Imagine this scenerio. You have ten days left in the season and your wife goes on a cruise, leaving you and your dog to chase chukars at your leisure. Well, that's exactly the position I am in. Barb, her mother and our daughter our baking in the sun somewhere while Riley, Dakota and I hold down the fort. Sounds like the perfect deal, and it was, for Barb but not for me. The day after they left, my son in law, two grandsons and I took a ride to a favorite hunting area on a scouting trip. Although being a little saddened by the harshness of mother nature we found some great burned off slopes for me to hunt the next day.

So, Tuesday finds Riley and on our return trip to chase chukars. The sun was shining even though the temperature showed -2 degrees. Usually that's not that bad, because the snow helps reflect the sun, and that coupled with hiking up the slopes, keeps a person warm. But, not so much when there is a twenty mile an hour wind contributing to the cold. I don't have a clue what the wind chill factor was, but for a while I thought my cheeks were going to be frost bitten. Although we were succesful in getting some chukars, I questioned my sanity on being on that cold mountain slipping and sliding on the frozen ground when I could have been home by the fire. Then Riley would be on point again. Somehow that makes it worth while. Wednesday's weather called for pretty much the same conditions and since Riley was favoring his right leg again and I had a few bruises of my own from the mountain, I decided to take a break and wait for the warmer weather coming Thursday. Thursday warmed up as they said, but with it came 1/4 inch of freezing rain. After pulling three cars out of the ditch on my way hunting in the first five miles I decided that maybe the hills would have to wait another day. Another day came again today, and we have been met with the same conditions. I can't even get out of my drive way safely. So Riley and I are sitting here hoping that Barb is having a great time on the beach she is now sitting on and wishing we were chasing chukars on the hill instead of watching quail in the front yard feeding.