Pesky Pelican's

Thought I would send out a quick little update. The office move is officially over and I now have access again to a computer. Like the new office but I'm not getting attached.
So the weekend was a fun filled one. Friday night Wayne joined Tiff and I for some dinner at the La Ha as Courtney calls it. Love those Fajitas! I had to work on Saturday but I did manage to get a vacation day out of it that I plan on using to go to Destin,FL in September with Tiff and the fam. Always looking on the bright side. Saturday evening we went over to the Aunt and Uncle's for some good eats and treats. It was Brad's(brother) birthday so we consumed a little wine and had my mom's famous oreo cookie cake for desert. I forgot how good that was! Sunday it was back in the yard to repair dog holes and mow the grass.
I leave Friday for the first of my summerly Montana fishing get-a-ways. I've been frequenting Montana for about the last 8 or 9 years every summer. I really love it up there and wish at times I could have more of that environment. Financially though Montana wouldn't pay the bills. I see it every year and I enjoy it while I'm there but deep down I know I would struggle to make a decent living or at least one that I'm accustomed to now.
So I go..I fish..I drink Moose Drool(MT beer)..I take in the mountains..the river otters playing with each other while swimming up stream looking for a quick meal...The Bald eagle that sits atop his perch high above every other creature around in an area that is called a wetlands preserve...birds all over..stuff it may take most a lifetime to see are all living together..Oh and the great American Pelicans can't wait to see those boys again. This year I come prepared. Look these pelicans up sometime..they are freakin huge! And when only 1/3 of your body is out of the water while wading try to fathom a bird that kind of intimidates you. A bird that will actually try and snatch a fish right off of your line. I've seen it happen! Its been rumored that the old guys..or the locals have been known to tote a pistol or a sling shot to solve this problem. The crusty old fly fisherman totally fits the profile of a pelican hunter. I'm a little nervous of actually killing one but I would love to dismantle one. You know maybe bust a wing or knock an eye out. For this I carry stones. Just like David vs. Goliath. Last year I about went for a long swim trying to fetch rocks out of the water while wading in chest deep water. So this time I'm going to have some select metamorphic rocks to chunk their way.
Have you ever met a walking heart attack? Someone who is so stressed all the time and so worked up even over the smallest things in a day. I guess I look at that person and wonder how it can be. How can such irrelevant things matter so much?
Well Its almost quittin' time here and folks I've got big doings tonight. Take care of yourselves

Ice Caves

So much to catch up with. Busy week here at the office. We are moving to our new location in downtown G-Vine. I've clocked my new office drive to be .8 miles from my house. That's right less than a mile..it's almost a weird feeling. My current office is about 6 miles but I've never really thought about it.

Had a fun filled weekend in League City which is south of Houston around the Clearlake/Friendswood area. I guess I've been given the wrong impression of Houston. Its like any other big city. The suburbs of Houston are actually quite nice. Tiff and I went to visit her Grandmother that was the reason for the trip. She is a very interesting lady that has seen many changes in our spinning world. Oh and did I mention she can cook gumbo? Yeah! We visited the Galveston area on Saturday and that was the first time I had been their. Kind of touristy but nice..so funny to see all the different landscapes in Texas. What a unique state. All I could think about was the difference in the coastal port area of Galveston and the plains of West Texas...what a difference!!

Talked to the folks the other day. Sounds like the new lot they bought on Lake Superior a few years back will now sleep some peeps. My dad just finished putting some bunk beds in what he calls a sleep cabin. I'm sure its made out of wood. I've got to get home at some point to see this place. I've only seen pictures..that's sad. I'm thinking I might head home this Christmas for a visit. Nothing quite like snowshoeing through a bunch of huge trees with sparkling wet snow that has just fell from the night before...weighing so heavy on the tree that all the branches are slumped over. Then breaking for a cold beer and a grilled hot dog over the open flames of a campfire. Then decideding which ice cave to explore first. Some of my best memories as a kid were of these ice caves. I'm not sure exactly how they were formed but they were incredible. Waves along Superior especially in stormy weather can get rather large and during the freezing temperatures these huge monster Canadian Tsunami's crash into the rocks and start to form caves and cool structures. I can remember going inside these caves. Entering through a small opening that would unveil a huge skating rink with a cool disco type ice structure on the ceiling. Not sure it was a disco light...I think that's my imagination playing tricks on me. I also vividly remember one year on Lake Huron for some reason the ice shifted. Almost like two plates of the earth's crust. The ice heaved into a huge mountain of ice crystals that I recall climbing with the family. It's memories like this that make me miss the pure outdoor beauty of that country.

Rhinestone Suits and New Shiny Cars

It’s the same old tune, fiddle and guitar
Where do we take it from here
Rhinestone suits and new shiny cars
We’ve been the same way for years
We need to change

late great (Waylon Jennings)

Modern Day version of song:

It's the same old tune, lack of quality fiddle and guitar
Where do we take it from here
Skin tight leather pants and john deere tractors
We've been the same way for years
We need to change

What could we possibly give to get this man back. Still saddens me.
I think I could rewrite the whole song as it applies to our modern day mess. I don't understand it. You run across quality music from all walks in every independent way,shape and form...BUT WE DON'T HEAR IT?? Yes we get some quality music on the airwaves but for the most part it's meat. Strides have been made and continue too with the likes of XM,Cirius,and all the others. Oh and all the internet radio etc.. I realize most musicians are up against the corporate machine to the tune of Clear Channel,Infinity and so on. This may offend some but I'm not really worried about making everyone happy anymore. I realize if music makes you happy then listen to it. But I strongly feel that if you aren't capable of making wise musical decisions anything will sound good after a while. I know that's what radio is primarily about. Television included. Keep playing it until the masses like it. Just makes my blood boil. I'm not a music snob. Here's a good example...One night while attending a concert Steph says "I think you would like Jack Johnson"..Ok? Never heard of him? Guess what I did..I like all kinds of music and form my own opinions. I'm not saying that your opinions are wrong...but come on people there is a lot of crap out there and it remains there because we feed the machine. I know I don't stand a chance in probably even conveying what I'm trying to say. I know most have already tuned me out. There is a bright side to all of this slander. Can you imagine going to say a Big and Rich concert. I can visualize the combined education level. I'm glad when I decide to go see a show for the most part I don't have to deal with morons. Yes you will encounter a few now and again. Ok enough ranting. Sing along.

Some Things Are Just Worth It

I'm sure we all have a habit or two or quite possibly a passion for a particular thing that costs money. To each his/her own right! As I sit here and pay for my upcoming hunting lease and a truck camper to stay in. I think wow that sure is a whole lot of money. I have different ways of justifying the money in terms of how much I would spend at a bar if I were to stay in town the weekends that I disappear. But some things we shouldn't have to justify.
Most probably think I'm a little crazy to not only spend that kind of moula but to creep around on top of a hill with freezing temperatures in a constant rain with a pair of deer horns. Moving ever so slowly and stopping to rattle the horns together. And out of nowhere and I mean like a ghost..one of the coolest things I've ever seen appears. Sure nothing was bigger or badder than an eight point buck but the feeling of being in their environment and not being detected and witnessing a wild animal standing only 10 feet from you is priceless.
Or the feeling of almost freezing while sitting in frozen swamp water with the stanch of a swamp. Waist deep water with a mud bottom that you constantly sink and get stuck in. Moving around is a challenge due to all the dead timber you can't see to maneuver around. This is a duck hunt. What you can't put a price tag on is watching your dog spot birds in clouds so thick you can't see anything. After paying close attention two beautiful Mallards show up for the taking. Seeing the desire in that dog hurdling over fallen timber, mud and swimming the whole way just to bring you the prize.
What about a crisp morning stroll over what most would call crap land or west Texas waste land. The dew hasn't lifted and everything is glowing with life. Its there you just have to know where to look. Everything from the most basic weeds are a primary source of food for quail. I get so excited picturing a line of dogs honoring each other on point. As we all slowly approach the very proud lead dog on point. With all the anticipation and estimating the flush they catch you by surprise every single time and startle you. The thoughts that you collect on these morning strolls could take the place of every kind of depressant drug in the world if people only knew.

Happy Canada Day

That's right Canada Day is basically the same as the 4th of July holiday here. The only obvious difference is that it marks Canada's independence. Not a whole lot going on except for the roommate situation has come to a boiling point. For those of you that have seen me angry you know how capable I am of well...snot kicking. I'm not threatening that something will happen but in this state I'm real capable of going off. He's been saying rather interesting things to my brother of all people. Like its not going to get back to me? I really do think this guy might be the most ignorant person I've ever met. Complete lack of sense! So if he tells me to fuck off like he has threatened get ready sir for your own privately viewed fireworks display! I really try not to be confrontational for a lot of reasons. But you just reach a certain point with people and you sometimes just can't help it.
I really love the fourth of July! At lunch I'm going home putting my flag up in the front yard and taking some time to mow. Ahh yes mowing and roundup day along with some trimming. I think I'm addicted to yard work. I think someone's yard says a lot about what kind of person they are. I prefer a well kept yard. I think I'm getting old. Oh no. Seriously though think about it..I'm not a citizen yet so cut me some slack..I'm very proud to live here and this holiday should mean more than just getting drunk and not having to work Monday. Independence day! So many thoughts come to mind...and not enough room on here to list them all.
Everyone be safe this weekend!