My first Blog Entry

Cheese

For those that know me know that Alex "Cheese" Hawke took his own like a little more than a year ago. He was a fellow shop lackey at the Northern Angler Fly Shop (TNA). He had graduated with a finance degree and was working at a bank. Just after tax season, April 28th. It was crushing to hear. I only knew Cheese for about 2 years. We first met at Traverse City's Mens Night. An evening where all of the downtown shops cater to men by staying open late and serving snacks and drinks. It seems as though as the evening grows later the more people show up at TNA. Some people were regulars and fly fished others just roll in for the free drinks. Its a good time. Cheese was a tall slender kid (early 20's) with dark fluffy hair and a big smile. He was quick to give shit but laughed when he got it. He rode a Kawasaki 250 motor cycle with a Harley Davidson badge. He called it the "Hardly." Fitting. He sat at t...

You do What??

This morning I got up early to set off on another adventure in fly fishing. A cool brisk morning with high sun should yield 1 or 2 willing browns. People often ask me 'why I fly fish?" "Why don't you just use lures it seems easier?" And, "it looks sooooooo expensive". I like this one...."I would never do something that cost so much to just throw the fish back in the water." Well, let me tell you.. A couple of years a go Lori and I moved to this area after getting an opportunity to manage our own PT company. We wouldn't be owners just partners. It was without a doubt been the most emotionally stressful point in my life. The job has gone to shit to the point were I had to get a part time job (in a fly fishing shop) just to cover weekend stuff so we don't have to sit in the house all of the time. But most people would have gone off the deep end, strangled their spouse, packed up and left....any number of alternatives to what w...

Muddy Paws and Puppy Dog Kisses

Who would have thought that in the fall of 2007 that the 5 pound black lab that we brought home would have turned into what we have now? On the crisp Saturday morning we had a long ride out to Lake Orion to pick her up. She was so small. 5 weeks old. Too young to bring home but the home owner wanted them out. So, for a hundred bucks and a hand shake we made our way home. On I-75 our black beauty pukes on the lap of my wife and then has some of the most heinous smelling rot butt diarrhea that also included round worms. That was it for Lori. The gagging started and then some puke on her own. On the side of 75 south bound I am tending to my sick wife and sick puppy and the messed up befouled vehicle that I would venture to say would never be the same after that afternoon. Our first dock jumping competition. Maddy surprised us. She had lightning speed on the dock. She got down that dock so fast and had a nice ju...

John's soap box

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