Highs, Lows, Snap-Ts and Snake Rolls

It's all the proverbial blur. Thursday started off and continued for most of it as a "shouldn't have bothered getting out of bed" day. Murphy's Law was in full effect at school, handling fights, flights, meetings and beatings. Manage to bulldoze through the fly class with no-shows from kids and adult volunteers. Damned border bastards. Broke the cell phone, had to get a new one as it was indispensable in pulling off one major juggling act after another. But it did all work out one way or another, and the evening turned into a good one, making new friends, and swapping good stories until the wee hours.

Friday, waking up for the yearly physical tests proved to be a challenge. Not looking forward to the results. The rest of the day proved to be one of grand enlightenment and making the best of being an outsider looking in.

Saturday, watching the casting demonstrations on the Skagit by some of the masters was a lot like watching batting practice at Safeco Field. A fun evening and an early turn-in capped the day off.

Today got up early, got to hang out with my favorite mom. You know you're in the right place when taking a nap isn't considered a rude thing. Spending time with Steve is becoming increasingly precious and increasingly tough. He gave me a new fly rod he had custom made, this coming from a guy who knows he's going to be out of work for good in about 15 months. Took all I had not to lose it then. It's tough as hell seeing someone so active deteriorating physically. I gotta get him out fishing while he still can. Conversely, it was so relaxing to hang out with the Hurleys. Ollie appears to have done very well in the girlfriend department, seems like a great young gal. Looking forward to fishing with Mick in Idaho during the break.

Tired. Tired. Tired.

Thank God for Shoulders

Because if it weren't for shoulders, my arms would fall off right now. Got an invitation to go whitewater rafting down the North Fork Canyon today. way over weight? No problem. Out of shape? No problem. Haven't lifted weights since October? No problem. Haven't hit whitewater since the Big Swim on the Arkansas? No problem. Ya right.

Met Ed and Audrey and friends at Paul's place in Glacier. Water was low and clear, weather unseasonably warm. Can you say technical rafting? Great day out on the river and a chance to watch Paul, a true master, at work. A master but for one little raft-wedging and guide-swimming episode. No blood, no foul. Ed and Kyle were also hard at it in the aspiring-guide-in-training raft.

Followed up by beers and stories at Paul's. It was good to talk the river talk again. More motivation to get off my lazy ass to back up the talk again.

Back At It

Fly Fishing Class - Day Two

The casts are getting smoother, the flies are looking neater. Twenty-two showed back up today. Smiles everywhere. Ed and Holly's guidance is already starting to show. We're moving on from Wooly Buggers. Tuesday we will step up to the Nyerges nymph and the damselfly nymph.

Gotta get out and fish this weekend.

I Get By With a Little Help...

Help and friendship can arrive when least expected.

So I submitted that proposal to do the fly fishing class. Did I think the big cheese would go for it? No. Did it get the stamp of approval? Yes. Did I think many middle school kids would want to learn how to fly fish? No. How many did? Twenty-seven, with more saying they wish they would have turned their form in.Great, now how do you teach flyfishing to 27 kids?

Talk about lucky. Enter Ed Megill. Professional guide and fellow fan of the Nooksack and other rivers. Ed was not only willing to help out, but fired up about it! Well, with the help of Ed and another lucky break from Holly Bulloch, a school mom who knows how to fish and who used to tie professionally, we managed to pull of the first day. Almost all of the kids had a good time (Hopefully the two whiners will go back to the X-Box). And they're excited for more.

Back at it again tomorrow. Look at this weather, it's starting to smell fishy for this weekend.

First & Last

Last couple of weekends.

Last weekend was the last on some of my favorite steelhead water. Saturday was rainy and the water high, but I got a few fish to come out and play, which was nice. It was also nice to hang out at the Miller Tree Inn again, home-away-from-home. It was not so nice to have the Hotel Toyota not want to get in gear. But a call to Mick, The All Mechanical One helped me get the beast on the road. Sunday broke out the fly rod, and smacked the first mosquito of the year, what a warm winter. Water conditions were perfect and the fish were active. Barely got the truck home, having to turn it off and shift into first to get moving.

This weekend helped on a stream restoration project yesterday morning, felt good to get involved with the community a bit. Got home and figured it was time to take on the jungle. First time mowing the lawn for the year, last one on the street to do it. Gotta finish up before the rain hits. Inside the house still looks like shit. Too much time on the computer, checking out fiberglass flyrods.