The Blues...

Yesterday I was part of a group of people that gathered to say goodbye to someone that we all cared about...
..and it was very sad.

I don't keep it together very well when it comes to death or any of those types of things and I was a mess during and after.

Peg and Don chose not have a visitation or funeral but a celebration of life was held at the Union Hall in town.
There was a huge turn out.
I was surprised ...but I shouldn't have been.
They are both good people that have touched the lives of many...especially Peg.
I don't know of anybody that could say a bad word about her. She was a consistently good person that I just sort of took for granted all the years I knew her.


Her death was just shitty...and sometimes life is just shitty...just absolutely shit.

The devotion she and Don had for one another was an inspiration for me...and still is.

I handled the whole illness and death poorly...shameful really.

They were both very good to me and the fact that I am an awkward POS is a piss poor excuse for my behavior...

I will try harder in the coming months...

I think that is when Don will need it.



So afterwards...bummed out, I returned home to the kids.

Avery and I went outside and raked leaves for bit... well I raked and she jumped in them.
That seemed to help...fresh air always does and there is something about this time of year.
She is such a sweet little thing.
She is running temperature but you'd never know it...very tough that little one.

Being with the kids helped....circle of life and all that.

Takes a lot out of you though.

Kim gets home tonight late.

Fishing the Skinny

...Because what the hell else am I going to do on a day off??

Today I went for a hike through the woods ...along a great river.

Fresh air and sunshine.

Very beautiful morning out there with just a touch of frost and shelf ice crunching under the feet.

I did happen to bring the fishing rod as well.


That is about the best way to look at the trips to the river right now.
It is a very good way for me to spend a day away from work but I wouldn't say that our current river conditions are anything to rave about.

There are a few good fish kicking about.


I got my ass handed to me with the first two fish of the morning. Just a clusterfuck when you have to fish tight to the structure...
I love and hate wood...
That is where the fish are but how do you get them out??


:o)

Kim is off to Chicago this weekend for a girls getaway so I have the kids..

This isn't really anything that I have to suffer through because I am really looking forward to it.
She leaves tomorrow.


It was she that actually suggested that I go fishing today which was very cool of her...
She cleared the day for me right to dinner time even though she is working.


The babysitter will walk the kids home from school at 3 ish and stay with them until Kim gets home from work...
It is now 1:30...

In short I am not supposed to be home..LOL
However.. I got what I needed from the river and now I think I will take off and do some other shit that I have been meaning to do.

Trip to the barber shop in there as well....might even just park down by the river and read for an hour with a coffee....Hmmmmmmmmmm

Buddy at work has just turned me on to this series of books that I just can't put down ...

The first Book is called Game Of Thrones and it is awesome.
Lots of killing ,screwing, and intrigue...knights Dragons and that sort..
I am embarrassed that I like as much as I do but I told him I would try it and now I am hooked.
There is an HBO series based on these books and I can't wait to see it.

...If only I could figure out how to steal it off the NET.



I had to get the car fixed this past week...for the first time ever knock on wood.

Brake and gas lines...Oh well ..that old car doesn't owe me a dime and I am committed to driving it into the ground.
The roads I have been taking her on lately might be a bit of a stretch though...I may have to rethink things a bit...or at least watch out for some of those bigger rocks.

This ones for Gary...

I will probably regret this....

I have decided to remove my filter and go "public" again.

Gary can't read my BLOG...and that is that. LOL

I don't know why anyone ...besides myself... would want to read this dribble but whatever.

Here you go buddy...no more lost passwords...you are in.

I believe most of the lurking knuckleheads have lost interest in me anyway and if it goes sideways I can pull the plug again pretty quick.



These pics are from last year but it is an annual event that Torrie and I participate in that is worth documenting.
There are not many things that can tear me away from Steelhead fishing in November but this was the case this year.
Torrie and I played a 2 day Jazz gig at the RBC centre which is the local arena where the Sarnia Sting play.
It is a fund raising event for Kids with disabilities and I was proud to be part of it.
It was with a heavy heart though....
Torrie and I lost a friend to cancer this month. The wife of the guy who builds our guitars.
She was such a wonderful person and I will miss her.
I thought of the Carters more than once this weekend. They have always been good to me...probably better than I have been to them...or anyone for that matter.
Sometimes I think that all we have are the relationships we forge and the value should never be underestimated.
Things end very quickly.


I have no specific faith but I hope she has found peace.



This was only the second year and the turnout was exceptional.

I have to believe they made a lot of money for the kids while at the same time providing 2 days of enjoyment to an area that is desperately lacking when it comes to anything close to unique entertainment.

FUSION LINK

I would go even if I wasn't playing music. Great food, good beer, hot chicks..and the music was pretty good as well!!

;o)

The Creemore Springs guys were there again this year and they took good care of Torrie and I...god bless those guys...best beer in the world IMHO!!

One more fall task then I am back to fishing....Might even sneak out Friday to snipe some skinny water.

Fingers crossed.....

Daddio...(In Law)

Today I did a good thing.

Sometimes it is not about just catching fish...and heres the thing...


Right on cue with my midlife crisis...which I am starting to get a handle on...
..we are NOT getting any younger..

Gerry wanted to get some Steelhead action..and I sure as hell was going to find time and fish for him.


Here is a guy who would lay down his life for all of my crew without hesitation..generous to a fault in my book, and I truly enjoy his company...truly.
Not many people I can say that about.

So we hit the river early ...


The river had started to drop and as predicted was ultra clear..very tricky..but easy to cross.

To my shame I still feel a little awkward when Gerry takes my arm at crossings that I would normally skip across...( somewhere Morin is smiling ) ...

..Gerry I think has a mild phobia about water...
I mean shit ...what is the worst that can happen???

Chilly swim...that is par for my course.

4 for 4 to start the day...but all with wee little fish.


Gerry blew a big fish at the wintering run and that had me thinking that it could be one of those days.

Redemption at the new run...


Gerry hooked a nice 7 lber that really put on a show for him and he couldn't have been happier with the result!!

Very Very cool!!!

I just wish that I'd gotten it on video but it snuck up on me...


The pics were shit because landing a fish, guiding and desperately avoiding disaster is in short clusterfuckish...

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

This video is of Gerrys second decent fish from the sausage run...he missed the strike 3 times in a row.
Good thing Steelies are stupid...


Great day....and I even managed a few for myself.

10 fish total....not too shabby considering.

Work looming...sigh