Dock Life

I was at my parents house for a little R&R over the last week. My brother and his wife came out from Colorado, and my aunt from Iowa. Between my brother and my aunt, being around them is always therapeutic. They both have such a great sense of humor, and no matter how serious the topic, I usually wind up crying... from laughing.

While this isn't the best example, it's amusing for me to think about so I'll share it. I am a huge fisherwoman... I love the water, and the mystery of what lies beneath the surface. Missouri has some of the best spring fed rivers for not only fishing, but floating, swimming, hiking (snakes and all) and cliff jumping. Earlier this week I took my brother (a trophy fisherman himself) out to such a stream, where we seined for minnows and caught a few small mouth. When we got back to the lake (my parents are retired and their house is on Lake of the Ozarks), my dad cleaned our fish, and I told him to save a couple of the heads. My son was quite excited about the possibility of catching a large catfish.

I put the head on a treble hook, and cast it out to sit, and grabbed the minnows and my pole to fish for crappie (all off the dock). As I was fishing for crappie, my son wanted to reel in the catfish pole, because for some reason kids can't leave a pole sit for more than a minute. My mom and aunt had meandered down, and were watching the activity. When my son reeled in the catfish pole, the fish head was still on it (one prior to that had actually gotten a bite while we left it out, and disappeared). My aunt said "Wow, that's one big hunk a head". That made everyone kind of chuckle, and my mom says "I knew that was coming before it came out of your mouth." That brought bigger laughs... and I had to join in. Dock life with your fam, ain't it great!

(On a side note, my training took a hit with more GI bleeding, and I've given up the idea of racing this season. I'm still running, cycling, and swimming... but any sort of "real" exertion, and my body seems to cave. Colonoscopy next week, followed by more blood work. It sucks, but I'm adjusting...)