A Day Off Splender

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...

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...

Soaring Bald Eagle

"Strike called on the outside corner, it went by him like a house on the side of the road." Ernie Harwell's voice would crackle over WJR 760. He would talk about the young Tramell, Whitiker, Parrish, Morris, Gibson all of whom came up in the Tigers farm system. My grandma Wini listened or watched every Tiger's game ever since I knew her. My grandpa Herman tried his darndest to get to do anything but read my Star Wars book. I loved Star Wars at that age it was everything and that was it. No way was I going to give up the Saga, and for what? Look at books of birds? Eagles? Its the late 70's and Luke, Leia Han and Chewie is all that mattered to a 7 year old boy. Try as he did I held to my laurels and didn't give in. Star Wars it was. My grumpy curmudgeoned grandfather uttered, "thank god for Star Wars." I was like, "YUP." Both of my grand parents have gone on to bigger and better things. Wini died in 97? maybe 98. I forget. Herm...

John's soap box

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