We first met Dave and Kaylin about eight years ago. Sabrina was about a year old and Linda had an opportunity to go back to work for a few months to help her old boss through a software transition. Our wonderful daycare provider Marian, who had watched Jack in her home, needed to focus more time on her kids, so we were ,without a source of daycare. While Linda had been away from her old job, a new woman, Kaylin, had been hired. When Linda was negotiating how she could come back, she met Kaylin and became instantaneous friends. Within minutes of meeting each other Kaylin had offered her husband (who himself was staying home as the primary care giver) as daycare for our two kids. I was a bit skeptical at first. Some unknown guy watching my two childeren. Who were these people? Were we sending our childeren to the wolves? I hardly could even guess at what a blessing that offer would turn out to be. Dave is a quiet and very wonderful father and treated our kids with such gentleness and care, one would think our kids were his. Kaylin, wicked smart and extremely wise, also would watch over our two from time to time. Since then, even though we have moved from Washington to Alaska, Dave and Kaylin remain our good friends and some of the few that have remained dedicated to maintaining our friendship despite the miles. Kaylin, while we were visisting last summer, made a king salmon cake (It looked just like a king salmon) for my birthday. Kaylin is very busy, and the fact that she took so much time to create this awesome treat, is just another example of how loyal she is to her friends. Dave has an awesome talent at video production. While our kids were staying with them, he shot some movies of Sabrina's first steps and other great moments in a movie he entitled Jacks and Tyler's Dance Party. They sent us the link to it off of YouTube the other night. It came to us as we are just coming down from some of the more stressfull few weeks of our life (windstorm damage, kitchen floor being tiled, washer and dryer going out, my surgery, etc.). They has just found the old tapes, digitized them, and created a wonderfull picture of our kid's adventures that we have never seen before. It was a wondefull treat to bring a smile to us for some relief from a stressfull time. Thanks Dave and Kaylin, you indeed Rock!!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Friends
Friend
Function: noun
Definition: a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another
Synonyms: buddy, chum, comrade, confidant, crony, familiar, intimate, pal
Related Words: acquaintance; associate, cohort, colleague, companion, fellow, hearty, hobnobber, mate, partner, peer; brother; accomplice, ally, collaborator, confederate; benefactor, supporter, sympathizer, well-wisher.
7:30 AM October 10th, twenty-four hours after undergoing surgery on my right wrist, I hear through my pain pill induced stupor,
“Dad!! There is a tree on your car.”
Stumbling out of bed and cursing the wind storm raging outside, the power is out, our four kids are in full panic mode. I grab a coat, slippers and a flashlight and confirm the worst. A forty foot birch has dropped across our driveway and onto my Suburban. The damage thankfully appears minor, but I now have an issue. One handed, no power for the electric chainsaw, wind gusting to over 100, I need help, I needs my friends.
Drugs still slurring my words.
“Jeff, I need you and your chainsaw right now”
Not a question was asked.
“I’ll be right there” 
“Dad!!”
“Dad!! There are trees down all over the back yard.
Now the fence. Parts are shattered across the back yard, an eighty foot section is leaning against a neighbor’s house. I call another friend, Jeff W and quickly explain the problem.
Function: noun
Definition: a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another
Synonyms: buddy, chum, comrade, confidant, crony, familiar, intimate, pal
Related Words: acquaintance; associate, cohort, colleague, companion, fellow, hearty, hobnobber, mate, partner, peer; brother; accomplice, ally, collaborator, confederate; benefactor, supporter, sympathizer, well-wisher.
7:30 AM October 10th, twenty-four hours after undergoing surgery on my right wrist, I hear through my pain pill induced stupor,
“Dad!! There is a tree on your car.”
Stumbling out of bed and cursing the wind storm raging outside, the power is out, our four kids are in full panic mode. I grab a coat, slippers and a flashlight and confirm the worst. A forty foot birch has dropped across our driveway and onto my Suburban. The damage thankfully appears minor, but I now have an issue. One handed, no power for the electric chainsaw, wind gusting to over 100, I need help, I needs my friends.
I call Jeff P, without fail, cheerfully answers the phone.
“Bruce Almighty!! What’s Up!!”
Drugs still slurring my words.
“Jeff, I need you and your chainsaw right now”
Not a question was asked.
“I’ll be right there”
Friend - buddy, chum, comrade, confidant, crony, familiar, intimate, pal
“Dad!!”
The tone in my youngest daughter’s voice is stressed and excited.
“Dad!! There are trees down all over the back yard.
Eight to be exact along with 100 feet of fence. A quick call to our tree service netted a 9:30 AM appointment for removal of the several precarious trees hanging over our neighbor’s house. Jeff P meanwhile has just finished clearing the tree in the driveway and is headed out to get his kids off to school.
“I’ll be back for the wood later”
“I’ll be back for the wood later”
Jeff P heats with wood so my tree is his warmth.
Now the fence. Parts are shattered across the back yard, an eighty foot section is leaning against a neighbor’s house. I call another friend, Jeff W and quickly explain the problem.
“I’ll round up some guys and you let me know when it’s safe for us to come over.”
About noon, the hanging deadmen trees are gone, and the fence is ready to be tended to. Jeff W, Ben, Todd and James show up and get to work.
Friend - acquaintance; associate, cohort, colleague, companion, fellow, hearty, hobnobber, mate, partner, peer, brother.
Three hours later, new posts are drying in their concrete foundations, temporary wire fencing is strung. James, Jeff P, Ben, Joe, Paul, and Gary make quick work on Sunday of attaching the old fence to the new posts and closing the two remaining gaps.
Friend - accomplice, ally, collaborator, confederate; benefactor, supporter, sympathizer, well-wisher
Friends standing in the gap for one another, providing more help than just physical, making good come from a tough situation. Friends
Thank You
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Why My Wife Rocks Part Two
So, a couple of years ago, I posted a blog about what was so wonderful about my wife. Here is a reminder.
-She is beautiful 24/7
-She has the 192nd largest library on Library Thing (out of over 488,000 members)
-She cleared out the forest at the back of our property to make it a serene wooded play area
-She takes care of our house despite the worst efforts of the rest of us
-She is constantly improving her pizza recipe
-She can pack our trailer for a week end outing in almost no time at all
-While camping she will cook, bake, and serve teh most amazing food
-She likes the smoked salmon jerky I make
-She is wicked smart
-She won't take crap from anyone, especially me
-She loves Alaska
-She loves beer
-She loves me
-She recycles
-She shops for all the bargains for our clothes, books, and food
-She is out right now taking donations to the Goodwill
-She is more wonderfull than she will ever know
-She has some of the most wonderful people you will ever know as friends
-She puts up with me
-And she is probably blushing, again, if she is reading this
-She is beautiful 24/7
-She has the 192nd largest library on Library Thing (out of over 488,000 members)
-She cleared out the forest at the back of our property to make it a serene wooded play area
-She takes care of our house despite the worst efforts of the rest of us
-She is constantly improving her pizza recipe
-She can pack our trailer for a week end outing in almost no time at all
-While camping she will cook, bake, and serve teh most amazing food
-She likes the smoked salmon jerky I make
-She is wicked smart
-She won't take crap from anyone, especially me
-She loves Alaska
-She loves beer
-She loves me
-She recycles
-She shops for all the bargains for our clothes, books, and food
-She is out right now taking donations to the Goodwill
-She is more wonderfull than she will ever know
-She has some of the most wonderful people you will ever know as friends
-She puts up with me
-And she is probably blushing, again, if she is reading this
Monday, September 01, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
That's My Boy
So Jack has joined the league of the visually enhanced. The straw that broke the camel's back was going in for his Cub Scout Camp physical and not being able to read the eye chart and having to use his right eye to sight in a bb gun shot when he shoots left handed. So with much ado, and some family turmoil over what frames were just right, Jack is now a proud owner of his first spectacles. Thank God for vision coverage!!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Count
The fishing season is definately nearing an end as the Upper Kenai will close to reds on the 20th. Those there are many opportunities left for silvers and rainbows, the freezer filling is all but done. Let's recap. The seaon started with four halibut off of two days of charters then qickly transitioned in to kings. Two from the Ninilchik and one more off the Copper. The Copper dipping trip added nineteen reds to that last king. A trip to Seattle interupted the opportunity for first run Kenai reds, but there were grand hopes for the second.
The second runs started a bit late but looked very promising once the fish set in. I bagged nine on my first three day outing. The numbers dropped off a bit but was able to put 13 into the bucket over a five day trip. Add another two for a follow on day trip to the lower, however, doom was on the horizon. The Kenai all but closed with the limit going to one in the lower and closed completely below the counter. Fortunately the Russian stayed open. Three trips there yielded five reds including three very bright fish on the 16th of August, which was extremely late for fish that looked that good.
So, what is the freezer talley for this year.
Four halibut
Three Kings
Nineteen Copper River Reds
Twenty-Nine Kenai River Reds
Total Fish to Freezer 55.
Not a bad year considering I started with a tear in my rigth bicep ligament, and am ending the year with needing surgery for CTS in my right hand. Add lack luster fish runs, one of the coldest summers on record, and leaving for two weeks mid season. Gear wise, I'm down one rod and had to replace my ten weight reel. The reel died gloriously at the Confluence where the drag broke on a tail dragger heaed for Australia. The Ugly Stick, the first one I had ever purchased, finally splintered after catching too many fish to count. It was already showing signs in that the two piece weren't holding together well.
My go to gear has evolved as well. I now exclusively flip with the ten weight fly rod with a double taper line. I think I'll trade out the line though for a fast dropping sink tip. The new fly for the year is the Adler Grappler which is basically a Russian coho tied on a 3/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. Wicked deadly!!
I'm still trying to get proficient at the whole curing deal. None of my eggs have brought success, but then again, I haven't really given them much opportunity yet.
This most definately has been the year of the bear. I have had more close encounters than I would care to have, and am definately getting close to buying the first piece of deadly bear protection.
So, I know I have some more silver trips, but the season is definately drawing to a close. Time to start smoking salmon, tying flies, and telling lies.
The second runs started a bit late but looked very promising once the fish set in. I bagged nine on my first three day outing. The numbers dropped off a bit but was able to put 13 into the bucket over a five day trip. Add another two for a follow on day trip to the lower, however, doom was on the horizon. The Kenai all but closed with the limit going to one in the lower and closed completely below the counter. Fortunately the Russian stayed open. Three trips there yielded five reds including three very bright fish on the 16th of August, which was extremely late for fish that looked that good.
So, what is the freezer talley for this year.
Four halibut
Three Kings
Nineteen Copper River Reds
Twenty-Nine Kenai River Reds
Total Fish to Freezer 55.
Not a bad year considering I started with a tear in my rigth bicep ligament, and am ending the year with needing surgery for CTS in my right hand. Add lack luster fish runs, one of the coldest summers on record, and leaving for two weeks mid season. Gear wise, I'm down one rod and had to replace my ten weight reel. The reel died gloriously at the Confluence where the drag broke on a tail dragger heaed for Australia. The Ugly Stick, the first one I had ever purchased, finally splintered after catching too many fish to count. It was already showing signs in that the two piece weren't holding together well.
My go to gear has evolved as well. I now exclusively flip with the ten weight fly rod with a double taper line. I think I'll trade out the line though for a fast dropping sink tip. The new fly for the year is the Adler Grappler which is basically a Russian coho tied on a 3/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook. Wicked deadly!!
I'm still trying to get proficient at the whole curing deal. None of my eggs have brought success, but then again, I haven't really given them much opportunity yet.
This most definately has been the year of the bear. I have had more close encounters than I would care to have, and am definately getting close to buying the first piece of deadly bear protection.
So, I know I have some more silver trips, but the season is definately drawing to a close. Time to start smoking salmon, tying flies, and telling lies.
Scratch My First Ugly Stick
ANGLER: FishonbruceAK
TRIP DATE: 8/16
REGION: Kenai Peninsula
WATER: Russian River
SPECIES: Reds and Silvers
REPORT: Wow - what a day. Two friends and I entered at Grayling and worked our way down. There were a lot of fish in the river, mostly red, but still a few bright fish and the occasional silver. We found a nice spot and kept flipping drifts past the tomatos in hope of a good fish. In about five hours of catch and release the red ones, we were able to hook enough good fish to each limit out. Another friend joined us and got his limit that included a dime bright silver. Saw both a brown and a black bear who were definately way more interesrted in the fish than the people. On a sad note, my very first Ugly Stick finally wore out and broke. I figure that rod put dozens of limits in in my freezer not to mention all of the missed hookups, foul snags, and too many catch and release pinks to count.
TRIP DATE: 8/16
REGION: Kenai Peninsula
WATER: Russian River
SPECIES: Reds and Silvers
REPORT: Wow - what a day. Two friends and I entered at Grayling and worked our way down. There were a lot of fish in the river, mostly red, but still a few bright fish and the occasional silver. We found a nice spot and kept flipping drifts past the tomatos in hope of a good fish. In about five hours of catch and release the red ones, we were able to hook enough good fish to each limit out. Another friend joined us and got his limit that included a dime bright silver. Saw both a brown and a black bear who were definately way more interesrted in the fish than the people. On a sad note, my very first Ugly Stick finally wore out and broke. I figure that rod put dozens of limits in in my freezer not to mention all of the missed hookups, foul snags, and too many catch and release pinks to count.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Skunked at Bird
ANGLER: FishonBruceAK
TRIP DATE: 7/30
REGION: Anchorage
WATER: Bird Creek
SPECIES: Coho & Pinks
REPORT: I fished at the mouth at high tide. Whereas I was blanked, I did see about a dozen fish being caught/cleaned/carried out in the two hours I was there. Mostly small silvers and a pink or two. The catching rig seemed to be pretty evenly split between roe and small spinners. I tried roe at all levels of the water column and a pixie with no success. I did see a number of fish enter the creek about an hour after high tide, but they weren't interested in the eggs I splashed out in front of them, nor were they spooked. Hmmm. No sign of any bears.
TRIP DATE: 7/30
REGION: Anchorage
WATER: Bird Creek
SPECIES: Coho & Pinks
REPORT: I fished at the mouth at high tide. Whereas I was blanked, I did see about a dozen fish being caught/cleaned/carried out in the two hours I was there. Mostly small silvers and a pink or two. The catching rig seemed to be pretty evenly split between roe and small spinners. I tried roe at all levels of the water column and a pixie with no success. I did see a number of fish enter the creek about an hour after high tide, but they weren't interested in the eggs I splashed out in front of them, nor were they spooked. Hmmm. No sign of any bears.
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