FISH ON

All is calm on the bank of Fish Lake.  It's a gorgeous day (as usual), the sunshine is sparkling off the water, and kissing our skin with a natural glow.  Bear is playing with Vera and keeping a keen eye on Dad's fishing pole.  Kendyl is anticipating the glories of fishing victory from her camp chair on the bank, blowing bubbles to keep her mind off her obvious eager anticipation.  I am geared up ready for action as well, throwing out the fishing juju like Bass Pro meets The Real Housewives of the Country.  Kids are sun screened up, snacks available, and no drowning hazards or rattlesnakes are in sight.  Suddenly, the wind calms, clouds part, and that rod takes a dive.  FISH ON!  

 After a lucrative visit to the local farm store, we were geared up for fishing action.  Cam had to purchase a new rod, after his last trusty one met it's end after our trailer toilet got clogged one interesting afternoon (not really a good way to go if you ask me).  He is also famous for a time, many moons ago, when we were still dating, he bought a new rod and was trying to demonstrate the incredible flexibility and engineering prowess of the Ugly Stick and may have put a little to much into it and snapped it right in half!  Needless to say Cam prepared our trout slayers for the following day, and we slept well with visions of rainbow scales in our cast iron pans.

We had breakfast at home and set out.  Although it was my day off from school, with a test looming I was equipped with flashcards and reading material along with the usual kid collection of distractors, food, and sunscreen.  As I mentioned previously, Fish Lake is only a short drive over the hill down the valley, so it wasn't long before we snagged a prime spot with a good beach, good view, and good prospects (judging from the action some people down the way were getting).  It wasn't more than two casts and we hooked on.  Fishing is so much more enjoyable for children when you are catching... not just fishing.  Our luck continued throughout the day and we came home with 7 or 8... 4 of which hit the frying pan for supper.  The taste of accomplishment is so sweet, there is nothing that compares to food harvested and prepared by your hands.  We did learn though, to cook smaller trout like these with the head on, so you can pull the head and all the bones out when they are cooked, that way you are not fighting bones all night.

I got done with my normally long clinical day a bit early on Thursday, so we took the kids to Chelan for Mexican food and some play time.  The state park on the lake was a hit for both kiddos, Bear met some kids and played hard while Kendyl was hot on pursuit of squirrels and ducks.  They must be somewhat tame because she would get within an arms reach and only then would they scurry away.... needless to say they both left the park with smiles and tired legs.  SUCCESS!  The fun continued the next day when we headed out to one of our first formal social gatherings since we have moved... a birthday party for the kids of a friend of mine from nursing school!  Another successful day with happy kids resulting.  We scurried home to make dinner before our neighbors were set to arrive to watch the boxing match.  I will not go in to detail about the results of the fight as to the fact my husband is still in the tender stages of mourning.  Needless to say we had a fun visit and the kids had a great time with their playmates.

Today was the perfect Sunday.... nice weather, no need to get right up in the morning, somewhat lazy, and family filled.  I've been baking, the kids played a bit with the neighbors, Cam's driver won the Nascar race, and we hit Fish Lake for yet another beautiful evening of fishing.  I'm really happy with how things are shaping up around here.  Each day is intentional.  We are not just creating a life, we are forming a lifestyle.  We have so much learning to do, so many adventures to have, and so many projects to tackle.  While we are busy, we lack the distractions we had previously and fill our days more purposefully, with our families intentions at the helm.  And it's exciting; both to feel like we are right where we have worked to be, and with the possibilities of all there is to come.

Everyone Gets Along While Fishing!