Drowning a couple of dozen shrimp...

Fishing is a sport for the whole family!

And we started our sons out early; nearly toddlers when we would take them down to Virginia and stay in Cherrystone on the Chesapeake Bay.

It was a fine campground and for the few summers we went there a couple of weeks at a time we wanted for little.

You see, in those days’ fish, mostly flukes/flounders etc., were plentiful as well as crabs and they had the wonderful advantage of having a Farmer’s Market as part of the park there. And so we had our fill daily, nothing like bushels of crabs, and multitudes of fish and all those fresh fruits and vegetables to help young men grow strong and healthy!

The learning experience was wonderful too, nearly all who camped there were seasoned pros in the fishing game for sport…and our sons would watch in awe on the quickness of the filleting, as well as trying a blow fish, prepared the right way; if not it is deadly. http://www.ehow.com/about_5438050_blowfish.html

We lived on the Jersey Shore for most of their early years and so even when we had company visits we would take them out crabbing or fishing or boating… they learned that is what this family all enjoyed… fast forward several years later now our sons are ten and fourteen and we have moved to Florida, right across from the Atlantic ocean just walk over there. Our sons taste was for all water sports, number one at the age of thirteen while still in NJ became SCUBA certified with Dad/Hubby, but little guy at nine was not allowed to, too young, but in college he and a girlfriend did also become certified SCUBA too! Any-who, they received surfboards for their first winter holiday presents here and self taught themselves to surf, really well! Dad/Hubby taught them both water skiing in the Halifax River, you see Ormond Beach is between both; we lived on somewhat of an island that you had to take a bridge to get there. Hubby taught water skiing that is what he did as a teen in the Pocono’s during the summer while there vacationing with his family.

Fishing and crabbing was still part of our fun lives here in Florida too, but a lot was done from jetties or the shoreline without that much luck, although we do have an amazing picture of number two with a rather large Amberjack that we did eat! It was free then, fishing that is and our boat, to us, was for water skiing.

On this coast Hubby went out with an older gentleman that showed him the best spots when we lived for a short time in Punta Gorda on the Peace River. They caught so much that the neighbors would all come over and we would have fish fries weekly with pot luck additions as well as crabs spread all over newspaper covered picnic tables, we had a lot of fun in those days too… Hubby continued to put out traps for crabs and fish here too or from our boat, me too by the way, but with me these last few years not so able to get off of the boat and the heat being an issue and his fear of leaving me alone too long he sort of gave the whole thing up! And us both being boaters for over forty years and Hubby being retired from Marine Patrol!

So when number one called to come down to fish with his dear ole dad the whole thing was like a wonderful idea in my book!

And even Hubby decided to like the idea.

I was concerned with his possible concerns again, but it was OK!

And so he prepped the boat by thorough cleaning and de-wasped nestings, he thought, the batteries were charged on our ‘Seas the Day’, 19 ½’ Sea Hunt, bought new in 2003. Ironic that name now, hmm?

She still runs like a champ with her four-stroke 115 Yamaha, and so after the guys, my guys, went to Fishin Franks to pick up their shrimp bait they warmed her up to leave, but there was a problem. The bilge wouldn’t shut off, but within a half an hour Hubby determined there were leaves clogging her up and removed them and all was right again and so they, Hubby, number one son, and Skipper all took off on their merry fishing day!

They were out for about four hours before the storm came in and they had decided to come back for lunch, but the storm changed it all… they had lost there bait within pretty short work of the day and tried to catch more with their cast net but even that was to no avail…here are some happy pics in spite of it all

Hubby’s conch that he had to throw it back. Can you read his shirt? I bet you can. If not it says, “Give a man a fish and he will have dinner. Teach a man to fish and he will be late for dinner.” An oldie, but a goodie!

Number one’s happy; even so no fish were harmed in the great fishing adventure of my guys!

See! Only a stick, which was a catch and release!

Moving on…

I have a friend that I went to high school with, the one that I moved to for my last two years and graduated from, well she lives in Colorado and works at a university there and so I was concerned for her safety and she wrote back quickly!

My question:

“Have been concerned about your proximity to the flooding in Colorado and was hoping that you and your family were safe! I even tried to get a map for your location in Carbondale, but it was not at all helpful! Here's hoping you are all safe...
With further investigation I see that you are in Garfield County and it appears that only Boulder County is involved?”

Her response:
“Thanks for thinking of me. I am in the mountains on the Western slope of the mountains so we are not impacted. One of my twins is attending school in Boulder County, Broomfield, and I haven't heard from him, probably because cell service is gone. He is studying aviation mechanics so maybe he is helping with all the rescue helicopters. I left him a message and will try to contact him again today but I feel secure that he is OK”
I asked her to keep us posted and so far I am hoping no news is good news?

PS while the guys were out fishing I did laundry and was on here and took a nap. I tried hard not to worry, although, Hubby called with their every move, ha! And I suppose to check on me too.

On that note of hope I hope, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and kindly count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know who and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear!

PS my exhaustion was from preparing for our son’s visit and making a grand breakfast to send them all on their way, and when they finally had lunch it was a do it yourself, and dinner was pizza they picked up at Bocca Lupo’s, our new favorite pizza pallor. Thursday is a full moon again, when their coal-fired pies are half price, yeah!

And oh yes we played Rummikub and talked and talked! Hubby and I each won a hand; number one said that was fine with him.