A beatdown with leftovers

I spent last weekend on an epic Oregon summer steelhead river. As expected I came home thoroughly skunked. It was a solid getaway though and much needed. It's a goofy time of year for summer steelhead in any river, as ultra hot, sunny days are generally unfavorable and it was certainly ultra-hot, and sunny. Nonetheless it was quite nice to get out on a full weekend, solo expedition...likely the last for the forseeable future. A tip, if you want to fish a lot don't buy a house and have a baby due in two months! Kinda more important things than fishing to do, and as f'ed up as that is, it's truth. (I had to re-read that last sentence at least 4 times, it kind of surprises me, but in a mostly good way).

Digress, digress, digress. I brought Steelie along for his first trip to unsaid river. He did quite well, stayed away from the road, didn't turn into a total whiney bitch when I occasionally left him in the car to fish a quick run and otherwise performed well. And even though I didn't catch a fish, the trip did leave me with lasting memories......memories still very vivid in mind, as I try not to itch the gotdamned poison oak remnants on my legs! Drats.

In Memoriam

I found out my paternal Grandfather passed today. It was expected for some time as he has been battling a pretty ferocious cancer in his spine and brain. I am writing simply to pay tribute to him as a person who treated me with utmost kindness, love and respect. I can't really speak to who he was before my memories begin, I don't really know how he treated his children or his wife or even my own siblings as they are considerably older than I. But I do remember most of the times I spent with him and he was not the type of old man to tell you what you did wrong, but one who emphasized what you did right. He always had a hug and a smile for me when I came to visit. He was always genuinely interested in the events of my life and was elated at my choice in a wife, he would always say, "you've got yourself a real keeper there, you've done well". He would say this with a fairly intense seriousness, which he didn't use often. Mostly I remember him being humorous and very quick witted. I am happy that he was able to live a full life, only cut short in spirit by the passing of my grandma 15 years ago. But from that he recovered, believing that he would meet her again when his time came. That time has now came and went and I wish both of them eternal happiness.

For Grandpa Les, 07/02/09