The Girls' First Day at the Beach

Song Of The Day

GUNS N ROSES

Paradise City

Missing Washington

This time last year I was catching fish. This time last year I had no idea I would be sitting in OKC wondering where I was going to be at the end of the month.

Florida? California?

I would really just like to go back to Washington.

I miss the mountains.

I miss the rivers.

I miss the trees.

I miss my friends.

I miss fishing almost everyday this time of year.

I miss camping.

I miss Tucannon.

I miss Washington.

I miss the early morning mist rising over the lake at 6:00 am in the morning when the sun peaks over the ridge of the mountain behind me.

I miss the tug of a 20 inch monster that just grabbed that new green wooly bugger I tied on.

I miss driving the two hours from the Tri-Cities with Coldplay blasting out the car stereo.

I miss the feeling I get everytime I drop that line in the water and my rod immediately pulls that rainbow colored beauty out of the water.

I miss Washington.

Song Of The Day

COLDPLAY

God Put A Smile On Your Face

The Ghost Knocking Delivery Guy

Remember when the UPS guy knocked on the door to make you sign for packages?

Did I miss the memo or something?

Why do they knock and run now?

Hell, half the time it's a package that is meant for the damn neighbor.

Right around Christmas we got two or three packages delivered to the house. The one meant for the neighbor sat on my counter until after News Years Day.

Why?

Because I hated that guy. He always bugged me when I was busy. I mean, when a guy is taking out the trash in his pajamas and it's 10 degrees outside there's a good chance he doesn't want to talk to your dumbass.

Anway. I also don't want to have to track down a package that's been put on my neighbor's porch.

Maybe it's time to hire new drivers. Lately packages aren't getting delivered until after 6pm, so obviously the guys are a little overworked. Of course, the price of delivery has gone up during the time that service has declined.

Maybe I'll request all my packages get delivered DHL.

I have only had one package arrive DHL, and it came in the morning. Still, I don't remember them even knocking.

So when did the delivery guy turn into the freaking Ghost Rider?

Song Of The Day

PHIL COLLINS
In The Air Tonight

I Need Therapy

It's been over two months since I've been fishing.

I'm going this week somewhere, somehow, someway.

Song Of The Day

Dave Mathews

Gravedigger

Plans for the week

Robin is flying to Tampa without us :(

I'm hoping it's just a formality with the pre-employment paperwork and drug screening before they pay to move us from Washington to Florida. (It can't be cheap)

We'll see.

Texas

Even Hank Hill was born in New York City, so yes Mom, I am a Texan.

How many years did I live in Buffalo? none.

How many years have I lived in Texas? A shit ton.

Where is most of my family? In Texas.

So, just cause you're an Okie now doesn't mean I am.

Song Of The Day

John Lennon

Imagine

Song Of The Year

THE BEATLES

Yellow Submarine

You may ask how a song from the Beatles ends up as a song of the year in 2007, but my girls made me play this song sometimes 10 in a row. I guess that's what I get for exposing them to the greats.

Happy New Year!

I love you all, thank you so much for being in my life. I miss each and every one of you and my first resolution of the year is to be with you this time next year and celebrating together.

So, here's to you my fellow TIME Persons Of The Year. As I lift up my glass of cheap champagne I bought for last year's New Year's Eve, I think how ironic that I'm posting on my blog at 11:38 pm Pacific Time on the eve of 2007.

Not exactly the flying car I expected in to see as a kid dreaming back in 1987, but I guess it'll have to do.

Song Of The Day

GARTH BROOKS

Calling Baton Rouge

This was the worst day ever.

AAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

When you grab a hold of me

Tell me that I'll never be set free

I'm a parasite, creep and crawl

I step into the night.

Two pints of booze

Tell me are you a badfish too?

Are you a badfish too?

Ain't got no money to spend

I know the night will never end

Lord knows I'm weak

Won't somebody get me off of this reef

Baby your a big blue whale

Grab the reef when all duck diving fails

I swim but wish I never learned

The water's too polluted with germs

I dive deep when it's ten feet overhead

Grab the reef underneath my bed

Ain't got no quarrels with god

Ain't got no time to grow old

Lord knows I'm weak

Won't somebody get me off of this reef

Ain't got no quarrels with God

Ain't got no time to grow old

Lord knows I'm weak

Won't somebody get me off of this reef

Song Of The Day

Sublime

badfish

White Christmas

Well, just as opened the door to let the dogs out at 5:00 am I noticed it was really bright outside.

Snow!

The girls woke up and were immediately excited, but I was noticing that it was already turning into that cross between snow and ice. I guess they won't get to make a snowman this time. How disappointing.

Well, at least there's snow.

While I was sitting down with my coffee to check my e-mail I was watching MSNBC, which had a story telling us today is the biggest shopping day so far this year. Bigger than the day after Thanksgiving.

Great. Nothing like waiting til the last minute AND having to buy toys with the girls with us AND having to bring all three girls out on during a public shopping event.

With sick little Willow already miserable.

Sounds like I'll have more to talk about tomorrow.

Merry Christmas. We got snow and you didn't, HA HA!

Song Of The Day

Bing Crosby

White Christmas

Nothing Like Waiting Til The Last Minute

So far, the girls haven't got much for Christmas.

Granted we do have this year's big ticket items waiting at the bike shop. We had to preorder those for assembly. That's right, we got them REAL bikes this year.

Unlike the el cheapo Wally World bikes that break before February. These puppies are guaranteed to put smiles on the girls' faces.

Other than that, all I have gotten is Strawberry Shortcake Dance Dance Revolution.

I'm so pissed that we have to wait until the last moment this year.

It hasn't been easy with the baby coming early and less time to get ready. I still can't get over the fact that women in this country are treated so unfairly when they get pregnant. I mean I'm not asking for two years paid leave, which is what Swiss women recieve.

Robin's employer only "saved" her position for her. No pay. In fact, we had to pay her monthly insurance premiums to keep our insurance out of pocket. They wouldn't even take care of that while she was away.

I guess I should be grateful that we have insurance at all as Americans. If a company that makes millions on government contracts won't support female employees by at least giving them extra paid vacation days, then how are single mothers working at Wally World supposed to survive?

Anyway, as I sit here waiting to hear from a station here or there I can't help but look forward to Robin leaving such a short-sided company. Of course, she may get offered that job in Seattle before I do.

Song Of The Day

Bob and Doug McKenzie

12 Days Of Christmas

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

First of all, yes I know it's not every day that someone might happen to pick a Slayer song especially during the holidays.

But I found some old cd's from my metal show stash earlier and my ears have been bleeding ever since.

But the picture is friggin awesome, too!

Anyway, as you make your way to whever you are going this weekend please be careful. Don't forget if you are in Columbia this weekend, the Tigers have a home game on saturday night.

There is also a little matter of a Dallas Cowboys match-up with the Eagles you CANNOT miss. So set the Tivo, the Moxi, or VCR to record America's Team on America's Holiday.

Because this Christmas is a hard one for so many, be thankful for your family and friends. Be thankful you have your health. Be thankful for the new lives joining the family during these times. Because these are good times, despite how difficult things can be with everyone so spread out.

Think of Bobby in Iraq, and don't forget to write your congress person to bring our troops home NOW.

But most of all, thank you for your support and love throughout the year.

Song Of The Day

SLAYER

South Of Heaven

Kayla's First School Performance

Here's a couple of pics taken at Kayla's first school performance at Heritage Christian Preschool.

Growing Up

| View Show | Create Your Own

Family Christmas

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... why? I think it ate the rat poison I put out after the first freeze. I hate living right on the river sometimes, but man that deck is nice in the summer.

I'm really sad today as it is abundantly clear that we won't be going home for Christmas. Driving is just not a possibility with Robin still bleeding from c-section and the slow pace at which we now travel as a group of five.

I've been thinking about it since having to go through boxes of memories as I search for aircheck tapes and other forgotten items from my life before I got married.

I also happened to find some really cool pictures from my childhood. So, since I can't go home for the holidays I'll just have to take a look at growing up and remember what it was like at Christmas as a kid.

So look for the pics of my childhood to pop up over the next few days. This site began as a photo blog anyway.

Song Of The Day

NIRVANA

Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam

Memory Lane

Ok, Ok. I have spent waaayyy too much time on MySpace lately.

It is extremely time consuming right now since I have been putting up all kinds of audio I haven't heard myself in a long while.






(The first band that asked my to buy pot for them... Tripping Daisy)


I found a box of tapes I have been collecting over the years with samples from almost every radio station I have ever worked at.

There is so much embarrassing stuff from my early days at KCMQ and KZZT. (You won't be seeing that stuff up there! lol)

Anyway, if you are one of those that lived outside those markets check out some of the links to hear a part of my radio past.

There are about a dozen mp3 files to hear, plus some photos I found in the same box.

It's amazing how much perspective you have when looking back at yourself, almost ten years later in some cases.

Too bad you can't help how stupid you are when your young, or I'd have dropped little note in my pocket a few dozen times back in the day.

Song Of The Day

TOM PETTY

The Last DJ

Song Of The Day

NIXONS

First Trip

Christmas 2006

What a difference a year makes.

We visited the mall for some reason this afternoon and happened to walk too closely to the Santa display.

So, with messy hair and faces the girls took a picture with Santa Claus. Not only that, but Chloe and Mikayla asked for a new bike.

(Which, is cool because I know Santa has two brand new ones on layaway!)

There was no crying or running away this year. Just a little shy whisper for her new bike from Chloe.

We even got Willow in the picture.

Stagnation

I got a new webpage going at MySpace.com, but it appears as if I'm the last guy on earth to do so.

I have found a lot of old friends, a few others I would rather run over with a Mack truck, but so far I haven't found anything more than a place to put up my resume.

I figured I might as well, since it's too freaking cold to go fishing lately. Of course, after watching those guys fishing for calamari in downtown Seattle I'm ready to drop a line in somewhere.

What an amazing weekend with the parents.

We found people fishing in downtown Seattle with temps hovering in the 30's.

I love this part of the country.

Anyway, despite my new address on MySpace, I like this blog too much to change homes for my daily thoughts or random pics of the kids.

So, despite so many people I know wandering the MySpace clutter I really don't get it. How do people have so much time to waste on MySpace?

I'm lucky if I can check my e-mail and check the comments on my blogs in the same sitting.

Song Of The Day

RUN DMC
Christmas In Hollis

School Picture Time!!!

Chloe's class picture. I think she's sweet on the boy named David. (He's the one sitting next to her)

Mikayla holds off the tears long enough for one picture.

Chloe opts for the serious look.

Family Weekend

We had such a great visit with Mom and Dad in Olympia over the weekend.

I sincerely hope that the paper tries to hire Mom and moves them up here.

We got in late Thursday thanks to a big snowstorm between the Tri-Cities and Seattle.

While we didn't spend the whole time together, I felt so glad to see them. I wish we had more money right now so we could have made a complete visit and greeted them at the airport and spent the entire weekend in Seattle.

The only thing that made the sting of saying goodbye away was knowing that we'll see them a whole lot more come January.

It was good to see my girls warm up to Papa and E.

Next time we stay in hotels though, the dogs stay at the kennel and we're getting our hotel on Priceline.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Say Hello To My 3rd Daughter!

Willow Alexis

Born at 9:13 pm 11/14/2006

5lbs 11oz

18 inches long

Obama in '08!

Clean Sweep

My worst fears were erased by my greatest dreams this week.

I still can't believe the Democrats finally did it. We finally took back our democracy.

We made George Bush trade in his red tie for a blue one.

We made George Bush get rid of Rummy.

Bolton?

He's on his way out, too.

Lieberman has been forgiven, which I think is stupid but if we want him to stay in the party it needed to be done.

I still think he is a snake and he cost Gore the election in 2000 just as much as the hanging chads did.

Anyway, on to January.

I hope the Democrats focus more on writing legislation than holding committee hearings.

Forget the minimum wage being the top priority, I want the tax cuts for the top 10% repealed. I want the Kyoto Treaty to be reinstated in America. I want the no bid contacts to Haliburton revoked. I want the troops home for Christmas. I want the Patriot Act repealed and replaced with a National Security Act that reflects the belief in our Constitution's Bill of Rights.

I want Hilary to focus on becoming Majority Leader and let Obama run in 2008.

First, though I want to say thank you America.

Thank you for waking up and taking out the trash.

Song Of The Day

THE BEATLES
Revolution

Bush Is Smarter Than You Think

I watched the new documentary "Hacking Democracy" tonight. It kind of took the shine off my hopes for Tuesday.

It made me cry.

It's not everyday that you find out that Bush really did steal the 2000 election. AND the 2004 election. What about 2006? Will they get away with it again?

The movie proves that the GOP has taken control of our democracy and turned it into an empire.

And half the country cheers as the Democrats do nothing to stop it.

I'm really afraid now about the next 20 years in our country. It will be the greatest test this country has faced since WWII, and I fear it could be just as bloody as other countries sense our nation's current weakness and vunerability.

While I may sound somewhat crazy, I have some horrifying thoughts on the state of the world. I'm not sure Bush is as stupid as he appears.

Why? Because, if America truly has become an empire it has fulfilled biblical prophecy of the second rise of the Holy Roman Empire. I am not saying there is a god, or a devil, or an antichrist about to do battle on Earth.

I am saying that people who believe there is a god, a devil, and an antichrist have, by design, and through a carefully scripted process given life to the Book of Revelation's prediction of Armegeddon and the series of events leading up to the end of the world.

They WANT the world to end.

Because when Bush and the Republicans seized control through Diebold's corrupt election software, they made Bush an emperor not a President.

A President answers to the Legislative and Judicial branches. An emperor does not. And when the Legislative branch hands over the civil rights of American citizens and hands control of the country to one man, an empire is born.

If Republicans maintain control of Congress on Tuesday, it is only because they stole it using our own election machines against us once again.

Will we let them do it again?

Song Of The Day

THE BEATLES
8 Days A Week

See You Next Year

Another year of fishing on the Yakima River comes to an end.

What a year.

The first trip out to the Yakima was the most memorable, despite coming up empty handed. There is nothing like fishing with your dad, even if it was too early in the year for any active fish.

Next time you're in town dad, we'll make it to a hot spot.

The Yakima was really high during the early months and into the first part of summer, which made fishing a little harder.

By the end of May we were able to float the river safely, which is the best way to fish the Yak.

Robin and I hooked into some really big bass this year. On any given day we would hook into at least four or five good size fish in the 3lb - 5lb range. Of course, there was an unofficial new state record set on the Yak this year when a 9.5 lbs Smallmouth was brought in.

I say unofficial because the guy that caught the fish was accused of putting weights inside the stomach of the fish before taking the fish to a state certified scale. Others said he froze the fish first, which is another no-no. The main problem with the catch was that the only witness was his girlfriend. To have a record count in Washington there need to be at least two winesses to verify whether the fish was legally caught, foul hooked, or even caught within the state.

Either way it goes, I've never caught an 8 lbs bass let alone anything close to a state record. But I know I've hooked into some that were close while floating the river.

I managed to hook into a few salmon this year, and though the numbers were extremely low I caught two.

As I spoke to my group of fishing buddies down at the spot in Prosser last Sunday, that was no small feat this year. I didn't fish the spot in Prosser nearly as much as I did last year. Ok, I only fished it three times the entire salmon run.

But all the usual suspects were there on closing day, including the asshole that made me lose "The One" last year.

My old buddie Joe didn't make it out that much this run either, having had a heart attack back in May. With the new stint put in he seems to be doing well, albeit a little slower.

It was nice being able to show off my pics of the beauties I reeled in this year.

Well, here is looking to next year. I'm not waiting around for the fall run, since I learned this year that the spring run is the most fun. (The Yak is only open during the fall)

We'll be hitting the Deschutes, the Klickitat, and maybe some others closer to the sound.

Although I quit fishing all together this time last year, I hear there are a lot of steelhead running on the Columbia right now.

With a couple of pounds of roe left, Robin and I plan on hitting it tomorrow.

Song Of The Day

PANTERA
Mouth For War

Chloe and Mikayla sit next to their trophies after a visit to a local pumpkin patch.

Random Thoughts

Is it just me?

Wasn't it just Memorial Day a few weeks ago?

Where the heck did my summer go?

Hell, where did September go?

Things are moving past way too fast.

I realized it the other day when I looked on top of the fridge to see an UNopened pack of pull-ups sitting there unused. They've been there for months now.

I just barely got the girls potty trained. Well, at least it feels like they just got potty trained yesterday. (Now if I can only get them to stop wetting the bed!)

But anyway.

The girls are growing up so fast. Kayla gets mad when she DOESN'T have homework.

I know I haven't been posting all that much lately on this blog, but hey IT IS COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON.

I've gotten really bad about spending a lot of time devouring sports this fall. NFL Sunday Ticket, ESPN Gameplan. I got them both.

Got a new blog at Foxsports.com that I post on everyday. Since I know everything about football it is nice telling everyone else how wrong they are.

Or at least how wrong they are about Missouri this year. (Note to Gary Pinkle: Don't fuck this up or I'll stick my clowny foot up your ass!)

But anyway.

Is it just me or is this the best election year in a LONG TIME?

It is so refreshing having someone other than myself calling Bush a liar, dictator, and drunk. Air America may have died, but that's just because they didn't hire Bill Maher, Kieth Olbermann, or ME.

Did you see Olbermann's special comment tonight? I have been longing to hear this said ON THE AIR by anyone in the media.

I have become a HUGE Olbermann viewer as of late, despite having to sit through the occasional Paris Hilton story.

Here's a little taste of the truth:

"We have lived as if in a trance.
We have lived as people in fear.
And now—our rights and our freedoms in peril—we slowly awake to learn that we have been afraid of the wrong thing.
Therefore, tonight have we truly become the inheritors of our American legacy.
For, on this first full day that the Military Commissions Act is in force, we now face what our ancestors faced, at other times of exaggerated crisis and melodramatic fear-mongering:
A government more dangerous to our liberty, than is the enemy it claims to protect us from." - Kieth Olbermann 10/18/06

For the complete comment:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15321167/

I head to bed tonight feeling a little better than I did before I watched the news of the day. I'm not the only one with a brain in America. It is a nice feeling.

Song Of The Day

ALLMAN BROS
Midnight Rider

It's costume day at school! Say hello to Cinderella Chloe and Mermaid Kayla.

Hey Dad, you know how Mom says you have Alzheimer's disease?

In Case You Missed It...

(From Reuters and MSNBC)
WASHINGTON - Good news for aging hippies: smoking pot may stave off Alzheimer’s disease.
New research shows that the active ingredient in marijuana may prevent the progression of the disease by preserving levels of an important neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana’s active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, can prevent the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from breaking down more effectively than commercially marketed drugs.

THC is also more effective at blocking clumps of protein that can inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer’s patients, the researchers reported in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.

The researchers said their discovery could lead to more effective drug treatment for Alzheimer’s, the leading cause of dementia among the elderly.

Those afflicted with Alzheimer’s suffer from memory loss, impaired decision-making, and diminished language and movement skills. The ultimate cause of the disease is unknown, though it is believed to be hereditary.

Marijuana is used to relieve glaucoma and can help reduce side effects from cancer and AIDS treatment.

Hello Friday

Well, everyone is sick this week. It's a horrible chest cold that has created a big problem for me this morning.

Today the girls are supposed to be headed to a pumpkin patch with other kids from their new school.

It's really cold and wet outside.

I can't take them out in this weather while they are sick. Not to mention I am feeling awful as well.

I do need to go buy some stamps so I can mail my voter registration, though.

I hate Washington's dumb ass Legislature that decided that the postal service is the most accurate way to get registered or to vote.

That's right, we get ballots in the mail and hope that no one raids the mail box when we send them back to the Secretary of State.

Ever since the GOP lost the governorship to.. (gasp) ... a female Democrat the state has been arguing about the most accurate way to vote. Personally I think the GOP is pissed because their tried and true tactics of stealing elections failed here because Dems figured out how to do the same.

Anyway.

I'm going back to the couch now. I keep getting bugged by sick kids that can't seem to get the fact that daddy is in a chair that will roll over their toes when they start playing right under me.

Happy Daddy

HERE IT IS!

New Dog On The Block

Well, we never did get another cat.

We did however manage to obtain an Alaskan Eskimo. It looks like a bigger version of a Pomeranian.

She is snow white and beautiful. Dixie was a little pissed at first, but as soon as they hit the back yard it was all good. They have been running back and forth in circles for an hour straight now.

The first thing Carlie tried to do though was piss on the living room carpet. But she stopped when I hollered and went to the door.

Housebroken my ass.

Anyway, HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS?!!!

They killed Tennessee. Awesome. I even saw dad's Chiefs finally got a win. A good weekend of football all around.

Also, I started a new blog over the weekend. The link should be up now, make sure you stop by and comment. So far I am getting berated for my BCS talk.

Song Of The Day

BAHA MEN
Who Let The Dogs Out

Here We Go

Colorado at Mizzou.

I can't believe I get to see another Mizzou game.

Woohoo!

We just scored. 7-0 in the first quarter.

Looking good.

Oh. My. God.

Well, the girls have finally started preschool.

They love it and are learning a lot already. The school itself is run by a church here in Kennewick so the girls do prayers before snacks, but mostly phonics assignments throughout the day with art projects mixed in.

The girls love it so much that we actually went to service last Sunday so that the girls could go to Sunday School.

When we pulled up to the church I was surprised at the amount of noise. Then we went inside. The sound was deafening. We checked the girls into what was nothing more than a daycare.

Then we wandered past the children's church for those of a brainwashable age, then past the Holy Grounds coffee and gift shop and finally found the concert/service going on.

As we entered Robin and I looked around and immediately became horrified. We were at one of those militant bible churches. You know like the ones you see in movies like Jesus Camp and Saved! And on Dateline NBC anytime there is a clinic bombing.

Everybody stands and sways with their arms raised in the air as the band plays REALLY LOUD as a very expensive lazer and light show beam the words onto a huge screen above the stage.

No cross. Just big Roman columns with a drapery on each side of the stage.

We are ushered to an open row and proceed to stand for twenty minutes while everyone sings and sways NONSTOP. It's the longest jam session since the last Allman Brothers concert, but instead of stoner southern rock it's nonstop Jesus-freak pseudo-rock.

I look around and see a cross section of America. Latinos, whites, blacks, Asians, gays, and doctors and lawyers, and pierced and tattooed guys that look like they should be at a bar watching football.

I am scared completely shitless. These are the exact people that are ruining this country and electing assholes like Dubya, going on so-called missions to South American countries once a year spending all day exploiting the poor then spending all night drinking margaritas.

Then after twenty minutes of the incredibly loud music the pastor gives a five minute speech about how we are required to tithe just as certainly as we are required to pay taxes to Caesar.

I pass the bucket anyway.

Then we listen to testimonials of crazy people who went to Brazil and embarrassed our country in the name of Jesus. Of course, one happened to be schizophrenic and talked to Jesus about the trip.

Needless to say, my belief in the absolute evil of religion was intensified. Not to mention my fear of the voting power these nutbags possess and the future of this country.

The things they were saying were unbelievable. I am always astonished at the stupidity and gullibility of some people.

Still, I'm still certain that this school is good for the kids. I have sat in on classes and think they do a really great job preparing kids for kindergarten and elementary school.

But I will never go to church there again. Especially since the girls hated the so called Sunday School.

Song Of The Day

QUEEN
Bohemian Rhapsody

Dead Kitty

I killed the cat.

Well, I guess everyone pretty much knows that already.

I felt like I had a stroke or heart attack or something.

I killed Robin's cat.

I woke up after falling asleep on the couch while trying to make it to the weather. Dixie was in the same place, but when I looked around for the cat I noticed a lump under me. It was already stiff, but I tried CPR anyway. Then I freaked out and Robin came running out from the bedroom.

She didn't see the kitten lying next to me one the couch and sat on it. I freaked out a little more. After she stood back up she noticed Charlie lying dead next to me.

I threw up a lot right after it happened, though I'm not really sure why. I wasn't grossed out.

After Robin calmed me down, I gathered the cat and shovel and buried her under the tree overlooking the river in the front yard.

I didn't sleep for a few hours, even though it was just after 3 am.

It's hard to explain, but it hurt me physically. I don't think Robin understood how bad until she noticed that both of my eyes were bloody.

I look like I got hit by a truck. Well, I guess it's not so hard to explain how it felt. It felt like I got hit by a truck.

Sunday it felt like the truck backed up.

Today I tried to go fishing.

It hasn't rained in weeks. It has sprinkled, but never rained. Not since May. Today it poured. The girls thought it was fun, but I didn't even get a bite and after two hours we headed home.

I need some time to go fishing. Really fish. No girls. Just me. On the water.

I need a moment.

I haven't got it yet.

That little kitten was only four weeks old. It just wanted to sleep next to someone. Dixie must have pushed her off her end of the couch. That lazy dog likes to stretch a lot in her sleep.

It's hard watching her search the house frantically for her little pal.

The girls have taken her death surprisingly well. "She's with her mommy," Chloe keeps telling me. "She's with her family."

When we got Charlie last week we told Chloe and Kayla that the kitty's mommy had died but I didn't think she understood. She has such a sense of family and spirituality. I had felt like such a bad parent last week when we were visiting prospective preschools. The questions about the alphabet and numbers. The girls have only a limited visual recognition, but she understands family and our spiritual connection.

Well I have to stop writing now. It's already after 11 pm. I put the girls down at 8:00 and they are still running down the hall.

They start school tomorrow.

Song Of The Day

JOHNNY CASH
Folsom Prison Blues

Back On The Hunt

The fall salmon run has begun.

Labor Day weekend marked the beginning of the season on the Yakima River, but we headed down to the gorge.

Last year, if you remember, this strategy backfired and we spent literally hundreds of dollars wasting time. This time I had no expectations. I was really just looking forward to the last camping trip of the year. In fact, we left so late Friday we did not fish at all. We had planned to camp along the Klickitat River so we could fish for salmon and steelhead right where we camped.

Since we arrived well after dark, finding a spot at the place we wanted was impossible because of the number of people already camped and the low profile of the new minivan. (big rocks are hard to navigate around at night)

So I drove and drove until I finally found a place upriver that wasn't already full of other campers. I was actually astonished that there was nobody camped at this spot.

Until 6:00 am anyway.

I woke up to the sound of some asshole backing his diesel F250 and boat trailer less than a foot from our tent.

Apparently the place we camped was what passes for a boat launch on that river. I got out of the tent ready to kill this man. (He was very apologetic, which saved him from a Texas-sized ass whipping) The kids and Robin were on that side of the tent.

So we packed up camp and left that spot before others decided to do the same.

After heading to a small town for supplies, I decided to take Robin to see the Mt. Adams Ice Caves. The caves are actually old lava tubes created by ancient lava flows from the now quiet volcano.

She loved it although we didn't get to explore too far into the caves. We only fished for a couple of hours that afternoon before driving all over the area looking for a nice place to camp. Four hours of driving later we ended up finding a spot at the first place we had come to on the Klickitat the night before, but were unable to see a way around the boulders sticking out of the ground.

Anyway, I brought along our gas grill since the state is under a fire ban right now. Dinner was great. We stopped at a farm earlier in the day and picked some fresh corn on the cob and tomatoes. I have never been a big corn on the cob fan, but we really love the sweet corn they grow up here and grill some quite often.

The next morning instead of fishing the river all day we headed to back to Drano Lake.

An hour later, I had caught my first salmon. A 25 pounder, it was the biggest fish I had ever caught but pretty average.

We took a lunch break and I pulled out the grill and made some jerk chicken. (I didn't trust leaving the grill at camp.)

We had planned on leaving as as soon as we were done eating, but I decided to give the place another shot so Robin might have a chance to snag one before we hit the river. She battled for over an hour trying to coax a salmon into action, but it just wasn't in the mood.

I was trying to get a steelhead to take a snap ata plain silver spoon when out of nowhere I see this enormous gaping mouth of a salmon chasing the spoon a few feet in front of me. It takes a swipe and I set the hook on a 40 pound beauty.

Opening weekend. Two salmon. I was excited and making a scene, which I noticed gathered a few frowns from frustrated anglers down the shore and across the lake.

Nobody else was catching ANY and I caught two.

I guess all those weeks of frustration last year finally paid off.

Song Of The Day

BLACK BOX
Finally

I found this picture this morning.

Here It Comes

This coming weekend is Labor Day weekend. The kickoff of the NCAA Football Season. My favorite time of year. The Cowboys are looking good, but with the whole T.O. thing going on I'm guessing the Seahawks will probably be the team for the NFC.

But perhaps the most exciting thing coming this Friday has got to be the open of the salmon season on the Yakima River.

Yesterday I spent a few hours walking a good strech near the mouth and saw several salmon already in the river.

I'm looking forward to seeing some of the old faces at the river. I wonder if my old buddie Joe is gonna make it out this weekend.

Song Of The Day

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
Dani California

Happy 4th Chloe Monster!!!

Chloe opens her balerina dress-up set.

Mikayla checks our her new DVD.

Song Of The Day

NIRVANA
Dive