Fish'n trip...

Started up the Tahoe, turned up the heater, blasted the tunes, and hit the road a little after noon on Friday.  Traffic wasn't bad at all after I got across the river and out of the Portlandia metro area.

Took my time, still some pretty good snow on the south side of the gorge. The roads were dry and the sun was out. The scenery was spectacular, as ever. I never quite get over how big the Columbia River Gorge is.

Made it to BIL Don & SIL Marianne's river house and was greeted by the dogs, Gracie, a wire haired Griffon, and Joe, a German short hair pointer.  The door was unlocked, the house was warm, and the smell wafting from the chukar in the crockpot was heavenly.  Texted Marianne that I was in camp, and soon got a reply to put on layers, and meet them at the dock. Hurriedly stowed my gear, put on layers (it can get damn cold out on the water there), and hustled down to the dock. 

Looking N from the house, the Colombia is on the other side of the elevator

After hugs for Don, Marianne, and Pearl (the poodle) we headed up river, baited hooks, threw out our lines and started some serious fishing. 

Don at the helm trolling up river

 

Marianne watching her pink pole

Don and Marianne are nearly always hunting or fishing. They don't do stupid, or unprepared. They are really good with grandkids, guns, dogs, boats, and drop in relatives by marriage... 

Under Don's watchful tutelage I got lucky and managed to reel in my first walleye. There is no limit on walleye, but I was the only one to boat one that day.

After we got off the water & back to the house, had let the big dogs in, and eaten a delicious meal of chukar, Marianne and I proceeded to finish the wine I brought. There was a lot of catching up to do, so it was quite late when we finally went to bed.

I wake up early no matter what, habit after all these years.  Don's an early riser too, so he and I discussed a multitude of topics, everything from politics to lures while we finished off the first pot of coffee.  After Marianne got up, we layered up, kenneled the big dogs and headed back to the river.  

It was colder than cold early on, but there was hardly any wind, so it was bearable.  Lots of boats out working the early morning bite. 

You can hardly tell I have 4 layers on under my jacket & jeans, right, lol...

We fished til mid afternoon. I caught another walleye, and Don & Marianne both caught two. They were all good size fish.

We went in earlier than normal as Don & Marianne had to drive home to Prineville before leaving to charter boat fish at the coast early Sunday morning.

Loaded up my gear, petted the dogs one more time, thanked my BIL & SIL, and came home. It was a short but much needed break. 

Hodgepodge...

I know I've been slacking in the posting department, and in order to rectify that to some small degree I'm posting this Hodgepodge. 

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The weather here has been much like the rest of the country, changeable... 

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I drive by this immaculate little working farmstead at least twice a month.  Neat as a pin, the whole place.

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Finally, found a rug for the 'not so great' room. Been looking every since I moved in, all were way too expensive.  This wool 9x10 in the colors and a pattern I like was waiting for me to find it at goodwill for $27.  Only has one small frayed corner, which I can easily repair, and needs a good cleaning, but that will wait for warmer weather.

Willie has taken it upon himself to watch over it

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Participated in the church's blood sucker event yesterday. They were giving these T shirts to donors, go figure.  I didn't get the reference (haven't watched the Game of Thrones series) to "I bled for the Throne" til they explained.

One of the grandkids will like it.

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 I was given this HS class, award winning, original design, pottery napkin holder recently...

 (I love this thing, it makes me laugh every time...)

by the granddaughter that lives with me. 

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BIL & SIL have invited me to their river house on the Columbia to go walleye fish'n with them this coming weekend. Prayers up the weather cooperates.

 

 

Simple Pleasures...

The snow here mesmerizes me. I am relearning how to drive in it. Pretty sure that those who are used to living with it, are not as into it as this newbie to the PNW. It is an adventure I'm enjoying every time.

It is raining as I type this but this morning as I was taking my BIL & SIL to PDX for their flight to Cali the sun was out. Mt Hood was stunning in the early morning alpine glow.

my photo didn't turn out, so you get this photo by Patrick Campbell

 After I dropped off the "kids" I went to IKEA for breakfast, it's cheap, good, & close to PDX. Got my breakfast, and sat down by the big windows that look towards PDX. Heard a wonderful sound and looked out to see these two...

 Two of the  F-15 C Eagles, known as the Red Hawks, of the 142 fighter wing of the Oregon Air National Guard stationed at PDX. They are heart thumping to watch.

the Red Hawks on patrol (not my photo)

 I watched them run through maneuvers til they flew out of sight. 

Two simple pleasures in one morning, I'll take it...

Ol men & birthdays...

I swear, living with Willie is like living with a little ol man.  He doesn't like my driving, or snow, or rain, or cats, or squirrels, and his favorite pastime is napping...

*****

It is granddaughter, Miss B's 16th Birthday today. She has gone from a little little bitty baby, to the hunt'n, shoot'n, fish'n, scholarly, smart young lady she is today. Life has presented her with lots of challenges, and she has continued to meet them head on. 

Happy Birthday Miss B, you are much loved and wise beyond your years.

Snow days...

The snow-mageddon we were supposed to get this weekend hasn't been all that bad, so far...

outside the front door of the hovel

 The work on the hovel is slow, damn slow, but gett'n there.

I had to call my plumber and have him come unplug the upstairs toilet. (A little talk with the granddaughter about that ensued.) I had tried everything, nothing worked, so the call was made. While Chance was here I asked for an estimate on a new bigger, water heater. We were gett'n mighty tired of spit baths & cold, cold showers. Asked if there was room for a full size water heater if I took out the shelves in the little pantry.  Which is right next to the under stairs crawl space that the little old water heater lives in. 

"Yes, let me make a phone call to the boss, and I think we can do it today."  

"Yay, give me an hour to move money, and tear out the shelves in the pantry." I said.

He came back, helped me finish removing the shelves, then the boss came & they took out the old water heater, and installed the new one.

Tim Rowe (Rowe Plumbing) & Chance removing old water heater from the crawl space under the stairs

   I lost most of the pantry space, just have to be creative in using other spaces. Hot showers make for much better attitudes around here.

Finished installing new cordless cellular window shades in the bedrooms. No more blankets tacked over the windows. The bedrooms don't look like makeshift homeless shelters anymore.

Have my frequent hardware store flyer cards in their own niche in my wallet, and the clerks all greet me by name... They used to ask me who was doing the work on the hovel, now they ask what MY current project is. lol.

Saw this handsome beast in the parking lot of the hardware store last week. Don't think he's a bit afraid of a little snow.

Finished up with the eye doc here til next fall. All is good, except for the dang floater in my dominate shoot'n eye. Doc taught me to quickly move my eyes to the left, then to the right, then look straight ahead to get it to move out of the center of the field of vision. I can do it fairly fast now, & I'm quite sure people that catch me doing it, think I'm more than a little cockeyed...