Fishing The Coast, Oregon and Washington
JULY
2003
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July 2nd, 2003 I know you get tired of hearing this, but... Can you
believe it's July already??? I'm always astounded by the passing of
time. Let's make good use of it, while it's around!
After I learn, I can switch to the advanced mode. |
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Within minutes, he was sitting in his favorite chair, book open,
and muttering questions to me. "What is a cursor?" I had a long
ways to go!
We have different learning styles. I grab it, turn it on and start pushing
buttons to see my options. "Oh! What does this button do?!?!"
Bill methodically reads, and then gently pushes buttons to wade in.
Soon, we were outside together, Ifinder in hand, marking our home location.
Then, it was off to Safeway to do some shopping. As I drove, Bill followed
along on the GPS. "Coming up, Idaville!" Sure enough, he'd look
up and there we were! Cool! "Coming up, 101!" Uh huh! He was liking
it!
But how do you navigate? What does this button do? And that?
We read that the only way in easy mode, to set another waypoint, was with
the MOB command. That stands for Man Over Board. So, at Safeway, we set the
MOB by hitting both Zoom in, and Zoom out, at the same time.
...and then we headed home.
WRONG! As we retraced our path, the Ifinder barked commands at us that
we were off course! I think that it wanted us to go back and tend to our man
overboard. Bill shouted into the beeper that we didn't care about the man
overboard! 
I laughed so hard
I had to pull over.
Back to the books!
Next lesson, "How to navigate home!"
We'll have it down in no time, and I'll keep you up to date in our progress.
If you'd like to follow along, go get an ifinder, and we can do this together!
They are inexpensive, and a great way to learn GPS! The easy mode has you
GPS-ing in 12 easy steps from the manual!
I'd get a real kick out of a Ifinder class, where everyone got together with
an ifinder and learned together. It would be fun to hold an Ifinder treasure
hunt, and hide clues at waypoints.
Anyway, that's what has been taking up my time lately.
Bill is out catch and release sturgeon fishing. I am madly making up hummingbird
feed. Staring out my window, it's like watching one of those salt timers.
I am going through 16 cups of hummy food a day! I watch the feeder level go
down, down, down... Do I have time to write just one more sentence? NO! It's
off to the stove! I am a hummingbird slave woman!
Have a great day, and please, if you take the plunge and get a GPS, don't
go any farther than Safeway, if you don't know your way home!
I think this Ifinder will go along sweetly with one of my philosophies of
life! "To discover things I am not searching for."
However, once I find these things, I am going to mark them on my GPS so I
don't ever lose them!
July 3rd, 2003
Now, this is fishing!
I got a kick out of this picture, sent into me by Charles Newton,
fishing Silver Creek.
Thanks to Claudia, and the crew at Costco, Andrew has a new laptop! I can't
believe the customer service at Costco. As Miss B, of ifish put it, "Doesn't
good service just make you want to do cartwheels and handsprings sometimes?"
Read
the Costco happy ending to Andrew's laptop saga by clicking here. I will
shop at Costco, and be a member, forever! Their computer buyer, Claudia, put
a lot of time into this case, and her employers should know what a valuable
gal they have!
David has a sax lesson today with jazz great, Joe Wimmer today. He's all excited.
I'm off to Costco to pick up Andrew's new machine, and to a hair and nail
appointment in Seaside. A girl has to have pretty nails to go to Vegas, right?
I'll feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz!
It's a good day. The sun is shining, I'm looking forward to Vegas, and there
are no coyotes in my yard! Read
here about the coyotes that have been menacing Hedlund Acres. Forty of
them!
Off I go... What color of nails do I want? Hmmm.
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It's just a riot to watch Molly Mae and Kilchis together. When Kilchis plays with me, he's rough, and hurts me. I guess he knows I am sturdy enough. When Kilchis plays with Molly, he is so tender! I'm envious! They are the best of friends, and he watches out for her at all times! ...and here I was so worried about it. He'll just lay down and sleep while the menacing kitty chews on his leg!
O.K. I've hit my limit. Since Black Butte, I've tried to stay
home and work, so that I won't be behind when I go to Las Vegas... But let
me tell you, not fishing is wearing on my patience. Today, no matter
what, I'm going fishing. Whether it be up the Wilson, or in tidewater, or
off the jetties, I'm going to hear my reel scream somewhere. Fly, salt, or
fresh, here I come. Watch out fishes!
Have a very safe and wonderful Holiday... enjoy your family!
July 5th
Guess who won the trip with Bob
Barthlow?
Click HERE to see if you are the lucky winner,
and while you are at it, please feel free to enter the contest with Talons,
of Fish Hawk Adventures!
I had a non eventfull July 4th. The kids and I had extreme canoe contests
down on the river, to see who could paddle UP the rapids. It's tough!
Andrew is a riot out there, kept calling for the Coast Guard!
I made my traditional blueberry cream cheese pie.
I also went fly fishing, where there was no one around. Fun!
Lots of work to do to prepare for my week in Vegas, so off I go!
July 6th
I like to watch the river change, 12 hours in, and 12 hours
out, by minute, by day, by hour. I take in the changes gradually, and it's
a miracle to behold.
People ask why I rise so early in the morning. I know why. I have a childlike
anticipation of what the next day will bring.
The pollywogs in the river are growing legs. I can see them emerge just a
tiny bit, each day. The steelhead fry are out of danger, and into the main
pool. The river can't dry up much more, can it?
This morning I noted a considerable change of light when I got up at 5. It
was darker than normal! We have passed solstice, and now a taste of the next
season hangs hangs in the air.
FALL!
I love Fall, and what it brings to the river!
The first high water that flushes in the Fall Chinook, and then the chum salmon...
The fishing tournaments, excited chatter on the discussion board, boats on
the rivers, and long days tossing bobbers and eggs!
As a child, I felt that change in the air in anticipation of Christmas. Late
Fall comes and goes, the wind gets more brisk, the air more damp, and the
days more short. Soon, I'd see Holiday decorations at The Lloyd Center, and
visions of sugarplums danced in my head!
Who could sleep late, through that?
That same anticipation now holds true for me, as Fall approaches. I suppose
it's nothing unique. I tend to feel an excitement build in me as every new
fishing season approaches, but I hold fast and true when I say that Fall is
my very, very favorite.
I do like to watch it approach, day by day. I don't want to miss one minute
of it's journey.
As I walked on the river last night, I noted a few brown spots on the leaves
of the trees.
Fall!
I picked up a stick that last week had been waterlogged. I threw it in the
river for Kilchis, and it floated until Kilchis grabbed it, and brought it
back to me.
Fall!
The pool where the pollywogs lay was yet a half inch more shallow. Assorted
nymphs, laying in their shell were half emerged.
You know, I get a kick out of jokes sent to me by e mail. I giggle at jokes
told to me in person, but nothing makes me laugh out loud like watching Kilchis
chase a dipper, or tumble with the kitty. Nothing makes me smile broader,
then to see an otter family at play.
Likewise, I am impressed with the news or watching the discovery channel on
television, but nothing amazes me, or makes my mouth drop in awe, as when
watching nature, bold and before me, up close and live!
Bill told me of a miracle that he witnessed while fishing for sturgeon last
week on the Columbia. His friend, Jim, picked up a dragonfly nymph that was
in the boat, and handed it to him. Bill, interested, examined it, considered
throwing it in the water, but instead set it in the tray next to him. They
resumed visiting, fishing and occasionally watching the nymph.
Dragonfly nymphs spend one to three years in the water before morphing into
an adult dragonfly. Dragonflies rely on very pure, non polluted water to successfully
grow to adulthood. The number of dragonfly larvae existing in any body of
water is a good measure of water quality.
In a matter of three hours, Bill and Jim watched the larvae morph into a beautiful
brightly colored, winged dragonfly! He noted the larvae breaking open, and
elongating, right before his eyes! How I wish I had seen this! Can you imagine
to be so lucky? To see something that had existed for so long as a larvae,
and to witness the emergence? WOW!
There is a day in mid summer, when I walk to the river, and
the entire beach is covered with tree frogs. The pollywogs have hatched, all
at the same time, and if you study the rocks, they all appear to be moving.
They aren't, of course, but the tiny frogs are!
On my return from Vegas, I will be shocked by the progress that the changing
seasons will have brought.
Just one week, and my garden will have flourished, the river will be different,
and the trees will take on a more golden hue.
Las Vegas is exciting, to be sure! But tall buildings and city lights lack
the kind of miracles of what I behold when I hit the jackpot on the Kilchis
river and witness creation!
Dragonflies molt 6 to 10 times in the larvae stage. How do we know that? Because
someone took the time to watch every tiny detail of change.
And that, my friend, is why I get up so early in the morning.
I don't want to miss a molt!
July 9th
I brought my special little hotel coffee maker, because this
particular hotel in Las Vegas does not offer one. I have to have coffee in
the morning, and going up through the casino at 5 in the morning, is not my
idea of peaceful.
Well, yesterday, I dutifully emptied my coffee grounds into the trash, forgetting
that my coffee filter was of the washable/reusable sort. I also emptied my
trash like a good girl. OOPS!
So, off to the casino coffee shop I went this morning... They gave me some
filters. It won't happen again!
Yesterday was a day I won't soon forget.
I met a very nice couple at the pool. They told me that if I ever wanted to
play slot machines, to not play on the strip. They pointed to a hotel behind
the pool. The San Remos. They also noted that if you sign up for their slot
club card, you get a "buy one, get one free" buffet. Always looking
for an inexpensive way to feed the kids, I bit.
After swimming, I dressed, and walked across the parking lot to the San Remos.
I signed up for their card, and like a good gambling girl, began to throw
my money away. I thought...
After losing $20.00, I figured it was time to go. Actually, I played that
20.00 for nearly an hour. I felt like I got my moneys worth, and had had a
good time.
As I headed for the door, a machine caught my eye. I had three quarters, so
I sat down, pumped the money in, and something odd happened. Some combination
of symbols came up, and the machine lit up and began making a beeping sound.
Soon, I was surrounded by security guards and cocktail waitresses.
"What happened?" I asked the lady, who was asking for my identification.
I thought I had won something, or broken something. I won! She whipped out
a calculator, and reported to the security guard, "One thousand, five
hundred dollars." --As if it happened every day.
I was speechless and shaking. This was a dream, right?
They told me to sit tight, and tight I was. I was shocked stiff! The bell
continued to clang, they were gone for what seemed like an eternity, and I
had no idea what to do!
So... I put a couple quarters in the machine next to me. AHA! 50.00! I was
on a roll!
The nice lady returned, and asked if I was with someone. Not thinking, I said
in a loud voice, "No! I am by myself!" She hushed me, and quickly
called for a security guard to walk me back to the Tropicana.
The kids were so excited when I returned! Whoooo hooooo!
I told them we could go anywhere we wanted for lunch, and they finally decided
on a place called the In and Out. I hadn't heard of it. Into the Taxi we went,
and.... The In and Out is a glorified hamburger joint! Man, it's inexpensive,
and good too!
Anyway, my gambling days are over. The taxi driver last night, asked if I
was going to play more, since I was on a roll. I told him, "No, I won
money. It's mine, and I am not giving it back!" He agreed, and told me
that most often, the Casinos somehow get their winnings back. I'm holding
to it.
My money is in a safe at the front desk, waiting to be wired home.
Today is the first day of ICAST, and I'm looking forward to seeing many friends
in the industry.
The kids are going to spend the time I am away at Gameworks. What a place!
Even I got sucked into shooting dinosaurs with them, in a video game!
Last night, we went to Circus Circus and had a blast on some water ride, that
is similar to Splash Mountain at Disney Land.
Havin' a blast... Just don't mention the word Kilchis. I miss him sooooooooo
much!
Two more days in Vegas and I'll be home, Kilchie!
I'll report tomorrow on the new products I'll see today. Hope all is well
in Oregon. Miss you all.
July 12th
I'm home! Fell asleep last night with my contacts in, so now
I'm a Braille girl for the day.
Bill's off fishing with Jim in the ocean... As for me.... well... Just found
out that I have to move servers by the 18th. This means S T R E S S!!!
Also, nothing else to do but hang around and catch up. On my list:
Banking, bills, visa calls, receipts, taxes, html, weather station, mail orders,
decal orders, server planning, communications, ifish, e mail, snail mail,
grocery shopping, laundry, dinner, cleaning, watering plants, animal care
and love, ifishstock planning and prize donation planning, gee... I can do
all this, right?
Oh yeah! Next column is about all the neat new products I found at ICAST!!
July 13th
I can't begin to tell you how fascinated I am with Kilchis,
my dog, and Molly Mae, my new kitten. Kilchis and Molly play for hours on
end. Kilchis is so unusually gentle with Molly!
Molly trusts Kilchis with her life! The usual position is Kilchis, laying
down, with the kitty on her back, in-between his front legs.
Molly not so gingerly grabs his face, chews on his ears and lips, and Kilchis
very gingerly paws back, while wagging his tail. He bites on her, as if to
clean her, or get fleas.
I can see the carefully measured weight that Kilchis applies with his paws.
He is so careful not to put pressure on her! I could watch for hours, and
if anything makes me laugh out loud, it's this! I'll tell you... It's better
than television, anyday!
There are times when Molly's full body is in Kilchis' mouth, and other times
when Molly is on top of Kilchis' head, her legs wrapped tight around his neck,
going for a ride around the house! I've got to get a video camera!
I've been singing songs of finding a server for ifish since day before yesterday.
My best bet, so far, is Rackspace.com. It runs a few more dollars than some
of the less expensive hosts, but I think you get what you pay for. I'm not
into constant tech support.
What I am into, is fishing more and working less! Yesterday, while
in the kitchen, a thought occurred to me. When I am ready to die, will I be
glad that I spent so much energy on ifish, and not so much on life, the kids,
and the world's adventures, outside of the internet? The answer is easy...
and although you hear people ask that kind of question often, I think it has
to occur to yourself before it really hits home.
I want to fish more. I want to laugh with my kids more!
The time I spent in Vegas with Andrew and David were precious. Some things
that were said and done will stay with me, and bring a smile and a laugh for
many years.
Andrew named our trip to Vegas, "The quest for Naked!"
Now, before you jump to any conclusions, our last trip to Vegas was highlighted
by Naked Orange Juice. It is the most
wonderful liquid we had ever tasted, and regardless of price, we were "sucked
in".
Last year we spent every morning racing to Java Java, (the deli) to procure
our fix.
This year, we entered the hotel, and ran straight to Java Java, only to find
out they don't carry it anymore. WHAT? NO NAKED?
We were soon on the quest.
We dropped our bags, and off to New York, New York we flew... We had heard
that Starbucks carried it.
From a distance, we saw the display! Rows of Naked bottles! "Andrew!
NAKED!" I screamed!
We ran over to the display, pushing people aside, sifting through the bottles,
"Berry Blast", "Blue Nannas", "Carrot O Copia",
"Come To Papa-Ya"...
"What? No Orange?" We dropped to our knees and sobbed. Soon, we
were up and searching again.
"Mom! Another Starbucks!"
We spotted the Naked display, and this time, SUCCESS! ORANGE!!!!
Andrew and I filled our arms with Naked Orange! Eight bottles of Naked Orange
were ours-all-ours! (That's all they had!)
We purchased our order in glee, and soon after we literally held hands, neat
handled bags of Naked in the other hand, and skipped through New York, New
York, singing, "We got Naked!"
I won't soon forget that.
I could order Naked Juice from the company, I'm sure. Somehow it wouldn't
be so special.
I do have a birthday idea for Andrew, however. I bet he'd love to get Naked.
For now, it's time to fish. Time to get away from the keyboard. I have teleconference
meetings set up to decide on a host tomorrow. That can wait.
Getting "Naked" can wait.
Fishing, on the other hand, cannot wait. Now, getting Naked and fishing would
be a dream come true, but... like I said, you just can't get Naked anywhere!
It's a special thing, and I don't want to ruin that.
July 13th
I can't begin to tell you how fascinated I am with Kilchis,
my dog, and Molly Mae, my new kitten. Kilchis and Molly play for hours on
end. Kilchis is so unusually gentle with Molly!
Molly trusts Kilchis with her life! The usual position is Kilchis, laying
down, with the kitty on her back, in-between his front legs.
Molly not so gingerly grabs his face, chews on his ears and lips, and Kilchis
very gingerly paws back, while wagging his tail. He bites on her, as if to
clean her, or get fleas.
I can see the carefully measured weight that Kilchis applies with his paws.
He is so careful not to put pressure on her! I could watch for hours, and
if anything makes me laugh out loud, it's this! I'll tell you... It's better
than television, anyday!
There are times when Molly's full body is in Kilchis' mouth, and other times
when Molly is on top of Kilchis' head, her legs wrapped tight around his neck,
going for a ride around the house! I've got to get a video camera!
I've been singing songs of finding a server for ifish since day before yesterday.
My best bet, so far, is Rackspace.com. It runs a few more dollars than some
of the less expensive hosts, but I think you get what you pay for. I'm not
into constant tech support.
What I am into, is fishing more and working less! Yesterday, while
in the kitchen, a thought occurred to me. When I am ready to die, will I be
glad that I spent so much energy on ifish, and not so much on life, the kids,
and the world's adventures, outside of the internet? The answer is easy...
and although you hear people ask that kind of question often, I think it has
to occur to yourself before it really hits home.
I want to fish more. I want to laugh with my kids more!
The time I spent in Vegas with Andrew and David were precious. Some things
that were said and done will stay with me, and bring a smile and a laugh for
many years.
Andrew named our trip to Vegas, "The quest for Naked!"
Now, before you jump to any conclusions, our last trip to Vegas was highlighted
by Naked Orange Juice. It is the most
wonderful liquid we had ever tasted, and regardless of price, we were "sucked
in".
Last year we spent every morning racing to Java Java, (the deli) to procure
our fix.
This year, we entered the hotel, and ran straight to Java Java, only to find
out they don't carry it anymore. WHAT? NO NAKED?
We were soon on the quest.
We dropped our bags, and off to New York, New York we flew... We had heard
that Starbucks carried it.
From a distance, we saw the display! Rows of Naked bottles! "Andrew!
NAKED!" I screamed!
We ran over to the display, pushing people aside, sifting through the bottles,
"Berry Blast", "Blue Nannas", "Carrot O Copia",
"Come To Papa-Ya"...
"What? No Orange?" We dropped to our knees and sobbed. Soon, we
were up and searching again.
"Mom! Another Starbucks!"
We spotted the Naked display, and this time, SUCCESS! ORANGE!!!!
Andrew and I filled our arms with Naked Orange! Eight bottles of Naked Orange
were ours-all-ours! (That's all they had!)
We purchased our order in glee, and soon after we literally held hands, neat
handled bags of Naked in the other hand, and skipped through New York, New
York, singing, "We got Naked!"
I won't soon forget that.
I could order Naked Juice from the company, I'm sure. Somehow it wouldn't
be so special.
I do have a birthday idea for Andrew, however. I bet he'd love to get Naked.
For now, it's time to fish. Time to get away from the keyboard. I have teleconference
meetings set up to decide on a host tomorrow. That can wait.
Getting "Naked" can wait.
Fishing, on the other hand, cannot wait. Now, getting Naked and fishing would
be a dream come true, but... like I said, you just can't get Naked anywhere!
It's a special thing, and I don't want to ruin that.
July 14th
Bill started his searun cutthroat season off with a bang yesterday.
He nailed an 18 inch cutt in tidewater. I caught a few, but nothing like usual.
It was rather slow for both of us, but Bill's fish was a dandy!
I came home and the kids were off with their Dad for the weekend, so I cooked
a beautiful side of silver salmon, that Bill and Jim had caught out in the
ocean, the day before. Silver salmon, wild rice, and fresh veggies from the
garden.
I hate messy sinks in the kitchen, filled high with dishes. It drives me crazy,
and I don't let that happen. But one thing that makes me smile really big
is a sink full of fresh produce from the garden. Even if there is dirt on
them!
I put up 9 jars of strawberry freezer jam! They are sitting on the counter,
now, and that makes me smile, too!
Bill and Jim hooked seven silvers out of Garibaldi, and brought two nice hatchery
fish home. The color of those salmon filets were gorgeous! I couldn't help
but stare... Like David said, as a little boy, "Man, God has some neat
color crayons!" This
color!
After dinner, Kilchis patiently waited at my heels for his run
on the river. He does this every evening. I was tired, but I do have commitments,
you know! I bent over, tied my shoes, grabbed my fly rod from the rack, and
headed out.
I fished the upper hole, with Kilchis racing at full speed, chasing dippers
that he'd never catch. I worked down the river, casting a wooly bugger, knowing
full well that I wouldn't catch anything in the nearly motionless, low water.
Still, the motion of my cast was soothing and relaxing.
There is one spot in the river, headed downstream, where the brush has grown
over, clear to the bank. You have to step up into the brush on a one way path,
to get over a root wad that has been there since I have moved here.
I held my rod high, began the ascent, and before I knew what was happening,
heard Kilchis at the last minute, at a dead run, coming at me on the same
path. I had no time to move.
Now let me tell you, Kilchis travels at light speed, and we were on course
for a full, head on collision.
WHUMP!
His entire body hit me on my right leg, right above the knee with such powerful
force, that I was dislodged from my footing, and thrown back three feet, landing
in the rocks, with Kilchis on top of me.
The pain was excruciating. I don't know if I had the wind knocked from me,
or I passed out, but for a moment, stunned, I didn't know what had happened.
I tried to move my leg as I began to recognize the predicament I was in. It
wouldn't budge. On further attempts, something in my knee popped loudly, and
the motion came back with a loud cry emanating from deep inside me.
I looked up at Kilchis, who was mildly interested in why I was laying down.
"Kilchis! Go get help!" I thought back to Lassie shows on television.
Let me tell you, Kilchis is no Lassie. 
A dipper swooped by, and Kilchis, without a sympathetic thought, took off
after the bird!
"Thanks alot, dog!"
I was able to hobble to the house, wet and dripping, due to the full force
of Kilchis' river wet body slamming into me. Kilchis followed along, tail
wagging.
Upon arrival, I thoroughly checked out my fly rod. No damage. Thank God! Rods
don't heal as well as people's legs, and I knew full well that once I entered
the house, Bill's concern would be centered around damage to the rod, and
not damage to the girl.
Sitting down, finally, my commitment to Kilchis satisfied, I sniveled and
tried to gain a little sympathy. My prediction was right.
"Is your rod OK?" 
----
Let me take a moment to tell you about commitments to animals. I have learned
a big lesson. My cat, Jack, has always been somewhat independent. More so
than any other cat I have "owned".
Yet, like any animal, he needs lots of love. Cats own you, and if they don't
like it around their house, they leave.
Perhaps it was the arrival of Molly Mae that put him off. But, in addition,
I noticed that I was beginning to put him off, also. It used to be that I'd
often key at the computer, with a large cat in my lap. It was annoying at
times, but the big old male would purr loudly, as I struggled to get my work
done. I began to tell him no, and put him down. Soon, he'd not ask to sit
in my lap. Soon, he wasn't around as much. He also used to show up when I
arrived after a trip and wanted to be held.
Well... While I was in Vegas, Bill couldn't find Jack for nearly two days.
When I came home, Bill had spotted Jack, but still hadn't seen him in the
house. He was still missing in action. I realized, with a sinking heart, that
I had skipped out on my commitment to Jack, and Jack was reacting.
The second day I was home, I found Jack, nestled on the front porch. I ran
to him, tenderly petted him, and he purred.
I was so happy to see him, and I had so much to make up for with him!
So, this morning, I struggle to type as I put up with a big purring cat in
my lap. I'll not brush him off. If you don't love it, you'll lose it, and
I like Jack way too much to let that happen... e ben If I% Kan't tipe berry
w#ell...
I was tickled pink this morning to wake up to find that my leg works. It's
a little dizzy and stiff, but I'll heal.
"Thank God that your rod is alright!" Bill mentions, as he sees
me hobble to get more coffee.
Some things never change!
July 15th
Worked on the computer from 5 in the morning till 8 last night.
I am taking the day off to do what I like most in the whole world. FISHING!
WHOOOO HOOOO!
You know, I haven't been on a real fishing trip in weeks! Knowing this, I
couldn't sleep all night. I had that old, "izzitimeyet?" going on,
all night long! It's time! BYE!
July 16th
I believe there were no fish to be found yesterday on the Nehalem.
We really put in our time! We heard from fishers around us, the old story,
"You should have been here yesterday!"
That was true, I guess, especially upon seeing John Steele's report, if you
click
here! Congratulations to John, on his 24 pound summer salmon!
I wanted to share with you a really neat story about fishing with Charlton
Charters. The
story unravels, here! Wow! I can just see Mark going after that fish and
not giving up till he succeeded!
So much going on, today! We will be closed for a bit this morning, as we take
up temporary server housing with Seasurf.net. Then, later, onto Opus Interactive.
The
state of the ifish server speech is located here. I can only hope and
pray that it goes well and we are only down for minutes. I wish you'd join
me!
I am harboring black market scent, and I will not give up it's location in
my tackle box, for fear of theft. It is a bottle of golden liquid that stinks
to high heavens! If you want to steal it from me, just follow your nose! 
However, it is amazing stuff! It works! I am really excited about it!
I use Marie's Shrimp Scent, and you won't
find me without it, any time soon. It is my constant companion!
However, at the ICAST show, I was introduced to something that has been the
talk of the ifish gang for years. I was taken back into a hidden room and
whispered to, as it was placed in my bag.
Pheromone based scent! Finally! Someone has taken serious time, study
and effort to provide us the real stuff! It was just like Christmas! Or better!
I mean, this is the real pheromone of all pheromone based scents!
It's called UltrabiteTM, and I was given two bottles by ifish's Mustad rep.
It's not available to the public yet, but will be soon!
Ultra Bite really does work, I promise you that! The main thing to remember
is that it takes a little time for the fish to take it in and the fish to
react. So, if trolling with it, you need to work the same area for a little
while so that once the fish have to eat, you are there with something for
them to eat. If you are fishing eggs under a float, you need to drift the
same slot a few times and hold on tight!
From the people at Ultrabite:
UltrabiteTM is an innovative and truly pioneering discovery.
A unique and revolutionary product, it reproduces the natural attractions
of fish pheromones to stimulate fish and induce immediate feeding behavior.
UltrabiteTM has been approved and developed by the UK Government in direct
collaboration with Kiotech and CEFAS (The Centre for Environment, Fisheries
and Aquaculture Sciences) who have combined their biological and chemical
expertise in the creation and extensive testing of UltrabiteTM. UltrabiteTM
appeals to both sexes of fish and is available in 13 distinct species profiled
formulae. Pheromones were first brought to the attention of fishermen, and
their substantial influence recognized following the publication of a letter
by The Field magazine which suggested that pheromones were instrumental in
the uncanny ability wielded by women in catching large salmon.
That's right! WOMEN! That's why we have extraordinary abilities to catch fish!
We have more pheromones than you guys! Whoo hooo!
I was given two bottles. One, for salmon and steelhead fishing, and one for
saltwater.
With much hesitation, I gave the saltwater bottle to Bill, as he headed out
to the ocean with Jim. Guess what? It works! Bill came back from fishing singing
the praises of women! (Well, O.K., not really women, but the bottle of pheromone
based scent that he took with him on his trip!)
Anyway, I feel tickled pink to have my own supply. I'm really excited about
it, and can't wait until Fall salmon season to give it a real go!
Great... Now you all know that I have some. Guess I'd better up my security
guards around the house!
Off I go-- It's going to be a busy day! Now... for the big question... Do
I apply Marie's Shrimp Scent after I shower, for good luck on the server move,
or Ultrabite?
I do believe they both work for just about any miracles!
July 18th
Yesterday, in the middle of the warmest part of the day, I lay
down in my lawn, exhausted from typing and coding at my computer. The warmth
on my body and the aroma of the wet grass being heated by the sun brought
back so many youthful, summer memories!
If you haven't enjoyed your summer lawn, lately, get out there and lie face
down! Breathe in the air, and see what comes to mind!
Tons of thoughts came back to me!
When I was 9, and my girlfriend and I in Canby were sitting one of those long
summer days out on the front lawn. The "Oregon Journal" paper boy
came by, and dropped his change bag. He was so embarrassed and frustrated
by that, that he missed a few coins. After he left, my girlfriend and I gleefully
picked them up, and ran to the Hiway Market. (The Hiway Market is long gone,
now, by the way.)
We bought a product called "Moo Juice." It was a powder, flavored
like Strawberry that you added to milk. We drank it up!
Afterwards, we went back out to the lawn. UH OH! Guilt took over the both
of us! What had we done? We had stolen money!
We decided it best that we pray to our Creator for forgiveness, and nose down
to the lawn, that's what we did!
We then got up, confessed our sins to my Mother, and borrowed money from her,
to pay him back.
Another time, my best friend, Joni Harms and I were let off the bus, in front
of a long lane that leads to her home. Her Aunt lived at the top of the lane,
and we often stopped in to say hello to her.
This particular warm school day, however, she wasn't home. There was candy
in a dish, on her kitchen table. We took some!
We ate! We giggled!
...and then... UH OH! Here comes that guilt!
I'll never forget how seriously we took that. I recall wandering to the back
of the house, where she had sheets hanging to dry in the summer sun. We hid
in those sheets, and again, prayed to our creator for forgiveness for our
wrongdoing! That was some serious candy stealing!
Joni and I spent long days in the summer climbing up to the hay loft, where
it was sizzling hot, trying to get warm enough to withstand the shock and
cold of her unheated swimming pool. We'd race from the loft, and go giggling
into the water, and then back to the lawn, where we were met by that wonderful
warm grass smell that I experienced yesterday.
I joined Joni's Country band, in later years, and had a blast, practicing
with the band, in her front yard. Joni is now quite well known, and is still
singing, and writing. You can visit her
here, on the web.
Oh... the songs we sang, as we rode the tops of hay trucks and dodged power
lines, by laying flat down!
So many memories. So many slip and slides, and later, days spent laying in
the sun, covered in everything from butter, to Crisco, trying to out tan my
sisters. (Yes, I remember that, every time I look in the mirror and note the
sun damage!)
It's been a long and glorious compilation of seasons in the sun, and to recall
the best of it, you just have to lay down, face to the ground, and breathe
in.
Now, back to the serious work of buying a server, for ifish. Back to reality,
Jen...
July 21st
Darkness was falling, and I had been going over and over problems
with my new computer since five in the morning. Little Windows glitches that
couldn't be resolved haunted me, until I gave up, whistled for the dogs, and
headed out to the river.
Kilchis barked furiously, and swam out to the middle of the river, and cautiously
turned back. I finally eyed the problem in the dim light.
A family of otters, who seemed mostly unafraid!
They were curious, and so was Kilchis!
Earlier this year, Kilchis actually swam with a pair of otters, and seemed
to play with them. Now, however, with pups in tow, I doubted that Momma Otter
would be any too friendly.
I let Kilchis be the judge, and he seemed to agree. He didn't go close.
I watched them for an hour or so, along the river bank, and finally headed
to bed. Once there, the howling of the coyotes sent a shiver up my spine.
They sound so eerie! All of the dogs on the winding road that leads up to
the Kilchis river park were on high alert. I could hear their territorial
bark, attempting to protect their families, all the way up and down the river.
I dozed off thinking of how life on the river has affected me.
It's a drastic change to go from sleeping in a Las Vegas motel, to my quiet
home on the river. I have gone from sirens wailing, eight lane traffic, and
city noises surrounding me, to the shrill call of a coyote, against the otherwise
total silence of a summer night on the river. I decided that I really do love
both.
However, I opt to live here, and only visit the other.
The Kilchis river road is seldom traveled, except in the summer, when a few
cars travel to the park.
When I got off the plane at Las Vegas and into a taxi, I actually went into
a sort of panicky shock at the speeds traveled, and at the amount of space
there wasn't in between cars..and at that speed!
"Slow down!" I wanted to shout. "You might hit a deer!"
On the small and winding road that leads to my home, I have often wanted to
post signs warning of the wildlife that share the pavement with us, here.
It wasn't too long ago that I drove to town, and saw a month old fawn laying
dead, on the side of the road. I was furious! Skid marks led up to her, showing
that the speed traveled was much too fast for the road that we share with
our wildlife, here.
People that travel to the Kilchis Park from Portland just don't understand
that this area is full of wildlife, and we all need to slow down, enjoy the
scenery, and watch for the original inhabitants of the land. The deer, the
elk, the rabbits, and all of the residents of the forest!
I'll miss seeing my doe and fawn in the yard. Although nature is cruel, life
is precarious for wildlife, and very few animals make it to adulthood, I don't
want to be a part of thinning them out, by way of fast moving automobiles.
My message? Slow down on these country roads! I am sure that as people travel
from their fast, four lane, busy city lives, that they find it difficult to
transition to the slower pace of the coast, and it's surrounding beauty.
I can't imagine how badly the driver of that car must have felt, when that
beautiful, leggy little fawn froze at the site of oncoming headlights, and
then smashed into it's delicate body. I know there are people who really don't
care, but I choose to think they are the exception.
Don't let yourself get caught up in the fast pace of life. Slow down. Watch
for signs of nature. Life is too short to go so fast that you will miss otters
playing in the river, or to sit down and note the many miracles that surround
you, while you are here.
July 23rd
It's really no fun to drag my tired and sleepy body through
the house, headed for the dogs treats, and step in chicken poop in the laundry
room. That's just not supposed to happen, is it?
Why are my chickens allowed in the house? Because it's cute? I don't think
so! It's beginning to get really un cute, really fast.
I put up a new and detailed thread on Ifishstock,
here. It's all coming together, but I can't believe that the date is so
near. I will NOT forget name tags, Gary!
On my evening adventures on the river last night, it was extremely still and
humid out. All of the sudden, just as any good lab/springer mix does, Kilchis
pointed. Yes, he points. I don't know why he points, but he points! What was
he pointing at? Two beautiful deer, down the river, having a drink. Now, you'd
think that most dogs would take off at a dead run. Not Kilchis. He just pointed!
I am so blessed that Kilchis listens to me. Not only is he smart, but he wants
to please. That's a valuable combination! When I tell him, no, he doesn't
argue one bit. I appreciate that! So, I knelt beside him, as he continued
his point, and we watched together, as they quickly perked up their heads,
noting our presence, and slowly wandered into the woods. I loved that!
I've dedicated this whole week to working on configuring my new computer.
The weather station will be a little off, until I get the new software for
XP.
Note to new computer buyers: When you upgrade to XP, don't expect ANY
of your software to work! YIKES! Get out your checkbook, and start ordering
new versions of everything.
When I am done, I will celebrate with an entire week of fishing. I'm dreaming,
but that's OK! I will, however, put some hours in. I have promised Bill that
I will go out in the ocean with him, after silvers. That is one bold move
for me. I'm not very comfortable in the ocean, as the rocking and rolling
of the boat puts a strain on my muscles. I'm also pretty disturbed that no
one has put porta potties out there. I've looked. Believe me, they don't exist!
Off I go on another adventure of "install this", and "error
that."
It would be so nice, if everything always just worked!
July 26th
So, I have all my new software ordered, and I'm waiting for
it's arrival in the mail. If I had DSL, I could have just downloaded it. Oh
well, it's nice to have a real copy.
Bill and I were restless the other day, and hooked the boat up to go find
some cutts. We decided to put in at Memaloose. Often, the searuns don't come
in till late when the water is low. Jim Erickson always says that the cutts
come in as the blackberries ripen. I've found that to be really true. That,
and the Nehalem salmon. Those Nehalem salmon really like those blackberries.
They sneak up at night and pick them off the vines!
When we arrived at Memaloose mid morning, the wind was howling like all get
out! No way could we troll in that! So, we headed up to 5th street on the
Trask, and put in there, deciding to troll up the Trask, to get out of the
wind.
It was even windy there! So much so, probably 30 mph, that we couldn't handle
the boat! I got a taste for the challenge, several times, as Bill would hook
up and hand off the tiller. Yip, that's right.. He handed off the tiller.
You'd think he'd just hand off the rod, but no!
Nonetheless, it was a nice escape, and I do love the Trask. It's so beautiful
with it's overhanging alders. They shade the deeper pools, turning the river
a deep misty green.
Ahhh... Summertime on the Trask! Funny though, to think of Portland in the
90's, and me in my sweatshirt and Frogg Togg coat, to block the wind. It was
cold on the river!
I have to relay a funny story.
The kids have been using the computer this summer, late into the night. Every
good parent monitors their child on the internet, right? Well, I can't! Not
when they are up at 12:00 at night, browsing through the world's offerings,
both good and very, very bad!
What to do? "Install a keylogger!" said a friend. I thought about
it for a long time, before I finally took his advice.
A keylogger tracks all activity on the keyboard. The one I chose, goes two
steps further, taking screenshots of the browser pages, and also the web sites
visited.
After secret installation, while the kids were in their room, a splash screen
showed up on start up. An icon was in the task bar! UH OH! This is not good!
How to hide it! Why, "pay for it!" it shouted at me! I couldn't
hide the evidence that it was there, until I shelled out 40.00!!!
OK, hidden, and ready to go, I went to bed.
Now, let me tell you. I believe in respecting your children's privacy, up
to a certain level. I felt a tad bit guilty butting my head into my son's
social life. They are both good kids. Still, I just had to know. What if they
were visiting porn sites, or talking about drugs? Shouldn't I know?
The next morning, I rose, feeling a little leery. Did I really want to know
what they were up to? What if it were awful? Did I really want to face terrible
problems? How would I handle this? Did I really want to add more grief to
my life? Would it be better to just not know, and figure what I didn't know
couldn't hurt me?
With a huge lump in my throat, I turned on the invisible keylogger software,
hidden in the background, to read the log...
I swallowed. Here goes:
A dictionary site, looking up words I'd never heard of. Then, a letter he
wrote to a friend, using these words, so his friend had to decipher the letter,
using that dictionary site, too. Fun!
Next? Dare I look?
Pogo.com, playing word games that I am now
addicted to! Try the one with the bee hive! It's like Tetris, only with letters!
It's COOL! Have your kids join Pogo. I like it!
Next on the log, a brainteaser site, and a lot of chatting on Messenger with
a friend on how to solve it... This went on for hours, until they both scored
high scores. David came in second, his friend, first!
I was beginning to feel a little more guilty, and a little less suspicious!
But, what a relief!
Then, it was onto World Clock to study time differences in different countries.
Ok! I give! I have good kids!
I was so relieved that my son hadn't gone to any number of disgusting sites
that exist free for the clicking!
Two days later, my computer began to run really funny. I glanced at the logs,
and at the program that I had downloaded. It didn't clean itself! I had gathered
over 5,000 .jpg files of screenshots, and a huge log!
The main problem, however, is that I couldn't open the program! I was supposed
to have set a hot key to open the options on the program and hadn't! Uninstall
was blocked, too, without this hotkey! In searching for help in the support
files, it said that if you had this problem, to please e mail them, and they'd
help. After 8 e mails, and no answers, I was getting frustrated. I manually
deleted it's file after file of junk.
Finally, I accidentally hit the combo of hot keys, and up popped the program.
UNINSTALL! YES!
I quickly uninstalled the bugger.
No one ever wrote back from that company, and my view of it's handiness is
tainted. My view of their customer service is way down there!
But, I did learn a lesson. I had checked a couple night's activities during
the time it existed on my computer. I'm convinced that my kids are doing alright.
All of the material was either educational or friendly chatting with friends.
For now, anyhow, I don't need to worry about my kids up late on the internet.
I do, however, need to learn to read the directions on programs that I install.
...and that is what I will be doing today. New software for the weather station,
new Dreamweaver versions, and new art programs.
I think I have my work cut out for me!
July 27th
There is danger in loving a pet, too much. I knew that getting
into it, yet sometimes, I forget. I was reminded, yesterday.
The last two days I worked hard to get the house ready for Bill's Mom to come
for lunch, yesterday afternoon. She is wheelchair bound, and lives in Lake
Oswego.
I vacuumed, I cleaned, I baked.
Just as they were coming down the driveway with Bill's brother, I said to
Bill, "Where is Kilchis?"
Kilchis is always at my side. He rarely wanders more than down to the river,
and then, only very rarely.
We went to get the whistle and were met with solid silence. No jingling dog
collar, just a void of silence. This is odd.
I greeted Bill's family, and left to walk along the river. In the house, I
searched closed bathroom doors. I yelled his name.
After an half hour of this, I got in the car and drove slowly to the park,
the worst of thoughts going through my head. Could he have gotten hit on the
road?
No Kilchis. No Kilchis anywhere! This is scary!
I drove back to the house, to talk to the boys, who were wandering the river
beach, calling his name.
No Kilchis.
I drove the other way, into town, clear to the 101 bridge. I met up with a
lady walking, leash in hand, who stopped me. She asked, "Have you seen
a white dog with brown spots?" I told her that I was looking for my dog,
too! We wondered about theft. We were worried, made arrangements if either
saw a sighting of either dog, and left each to our searches.
No Kilchis.
Back to the house. No Kilchis.
Terrible thoughts raced through my head. I'm going to cancel ifishstock. I
am going to cancel my life! I can't live without Kilchis. I can't do this!
I decided to drive down to 101 and go up the logging road on the other side
of the river.
Four miles, and no signs of Kilchis.
Back at home, 2 hours later, I decided to walk the river. I walked down for
a mile, calling his name.
I turned and headed up. Around bends, I called his name. Through the river,
I splashed with my water sandals.
Soon, I saw two people off in the distance with a dog splashing by their sides.
They carried hiking sticks, and were walking down the middle of the river.
The dog next to them, white, with brown spots. I sighed. No Kilchis. I called
again, "Killlllllllllllchiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssss!" Soon, appearing
out of nowhere, I saw a brown head bobbing in the water, swimming across the
river.
KILCHIS!
He ran to me at full speed, tail wagging!
KILCHIS! Bad dog! Good dog! I love you! I'm mad at you! Bad dog! Good dog!
Ohhhhhh Kilchis!
He was soaking wet and waggly tailed. I love this bad/good dog so much!
BTW, if you read this before, and this date's column was longer, after much
thought, now it's short!
July 29th
I'm scared! I just received the new Dreamweaver MX, and it petrifies
me! It's so different! Along with this editing software, I ordered the manual.
A little bedtime reading, 3 inches thick!
It's one of the curses of working in this field, and also, a blessing. I will
never stop learning! Just as I learn one thing, despite how much I want to
be lazy in my knowledge, I must move on! So, here is my first shot at using
this coding assistant.
I can't say that I've been fishing. Bill promised to to take me out in the
ocean, however, the only day that it was even close to nice out there, he
went with his friend. I cried foul, but.. what's done is done. I guess it
was pretty sloppy out there, but they had a good time.
This is what I have been doing:
I have been using my old computer, keyboard in lap, while I waited for the
new weather station software. Finally, yesterday, it arrived.
I spent an hour or so installing and hooking things up. I ran into a problem
and called tech support. Spent an hour on the phone, long distance to California,
configuring some more. Couldn't fix the problem. Pretty soon the guy says,
"Oh! You have Weather Wizard Three? We don't have templates for that
model!"
Oh! Interesting! When I called you on the phone to order it, I told you what
I had! "Oh! I'm sorry!"
So, then I spent another three hours, uninstalling the old, removing fragments
of it, and re installing my old software, and transferring my download history.
JUST as I had it complete, the UPS man comes with my new Dreamweaver software!
Back to the drawing room...
So, now, I am finally on my new machine. I expect nothing but perfection,
OK?
Nothing but perfection, as I take the day off to go fishing!
July 31st
I am so ready to fish that I can nearly stand working.
Yesterday, Bill invited me to fish for summers on the Columbia. I was SO ready!
I woke up every hour or so, "Is it time?"
Lacking sleep, I got up, got my web work done, and Bill slept on. Oops! I
guess he forgot. I didn't wake him. I worked, and worked, and he later went
to Portland. I will get everything done on ifish, eventually, right? And then
I can go fishing!
I don't think I've slept well for over a week. I am going through the new
baby syndrome. My little kitty, Molly, loves to wake me up at 4:30 or 5:00.
She does this, by biting my arm, or slapping my face, claws open. She is the
cutest little thing, but I'm tired and want to sleep in!
I always thought that this time of year was the slow time on ifish. WRONG,
this year! I'm wondering now, if we have passed that age where ifish has slow
times? Yikes!
So, I have a new contest to put up, with Chris
Vertopoulos! Chris Vertopoulos was born in Vancouver Washington, and has
been fishing the Pacific Northwest since he was 8 years old. He has been a
professional guide since 1992, and has guided in Oregon and Alaska.
His contest will be up and ready, on ifish, on August 6th, Jennie willing!
:) He's giving away a trip for two for the big ones in November on T-Bay or
the tributaries. WOW! This is golden!
Also, Stan Fagerstrom will have a new column coming out, soon, on wobblers
for bass. It's the second part in a series, and I'm waiting for the files
to come in. I'll do that, today.
I've been having fun dragging the sprinklers around, watering the lawn. (Don't
tell Bill! He doesn't want to mow anymore!)
It's nice to have a source of water coming from the ground, instead of the
city. We have the best tasting water around! I should bottle it and sell it!
Kilchis Canyon bottled water!
There is nothing like walking barefoot through a damp lawn in the morning,
to bring back memories of sleeping outside in the summer, as a child. I recall
waking with the sun, crawling out of my sleeping bad, tip toeing across the
cold, wet grass, and then, painfully, across the gravel driveway, to the back
door of my home. Opening the door brought the smell of bacon, and warmed maple
syrup and french toast.
Well, I walked across the lawn this morning, barefooted, and it was all good.
All that was missing was the return smell of breakfast! I can change that,
and change that, I will.
"Andrew! Turn on the grill! I'm making french toast and bacon!"
Off I go, and remember, I will go fishing. I'll have to remember that, also.
There is a situation that occurs, when you simply must go fishing, or you
are just no good at what you do. Right? I think that Bill is going to realize
that very soon, too. 
I was just sent the 23rd Psalm, and I can't believe how the first line hit
me. It always does!
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
Do you know how much that means?
I may feel miserable for myself, sometimes, because I can't fish, or can't
play, or rest... but man oh man! This line hits me like a smack in the face!
I have SO much that I shall not want! As I look out over
field and stream, as I notice my comfortable surroundings, things as simple
as running water, (both in the house, and out!) I realize just how much the
Lord has provided, and just how much I shall not want!
O.K. I'm all better!
July 31st... later
I can't take no more. :) It's nearly one o clock and I have
been working since 5. That's a full day, right?
I'm done. I'm outa here. I'm going gardening. :)
A journal of my adventures.