Reinventing Yourself

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In my life travels, I have encountered people go through life seemingly stuck in some kind of time warp just slogging along in their daily grind with no hope of change to their lives.

They are in so deep they can't even think about a change to the daily grind. As someone who worked the same job for 32 years; went to the same church for 50 years; had the same friends and lived in the same town I was born in for most of my life, I understand how that happens.

I often had dreams of grandeur whereby I would sail the world's seas or travel to far off place but responsibilities of a family always took precedence over those kinds of dreams. I watched as others partook of the good life going to all kinds of exciting places. When I spoke of these desires I was always met with a resounding “NO” from my married half.

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Hair Raising Situation

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Last week found me traveling out of the Valley on my winter sojourn to warmer climes in search of more fishing adventures. All was fine until I started down the east side of La Veta Pass where all of a sudden I lost the trailer brakes.

I pushed down hard on the brake pedal but if felt like a spoiled peach. Things soon got hot and the truck started shaking and bumping and grinding all over the highway like I did the last time I walked across the beach barefoot.

Only the truck wasn’t quite as loud as I was. My hair was standing on end and turned two shades whiter while Cooper slept on. That just shows you that dogs trust God more than we do -- or something like that.

A quick consult with the man upstairs was in order and He must of not been too busy this day as I was able to bring the entire rig to a halt at the bottom without incident.

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Trophy Wives

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The subject of trophy wives is nothing new especially in the world of Hollywood, sporting personalities and men with considerable money. This is not to say that a woman can't have a similar love interest but in that case it’s called a boy toy. As Trixie reminds me, though, women with money generally do not want nor need a man as peace and quiet are their main goals.

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Grandbabies are grand

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This week brought my two granddaughters to South Fork. Up until they got here, I mistakenly thought that elk hunting was hard work.

They arrived from Texas because well, where else do people come from that visit here? It was a long day for them and 14 hours in the car was about more than any sane person could handle with two small children. I guess that's why people have kids when they are young and dumb. If they were sane when they decided to have children, this world would be an empty place.

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Been to Center

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The older I get the more I learn about life and the difference between what's really important and what to just let slide.

The lists are probably endless but as most of you have come to realize, such things as fishing, hunting, ATV'ing and hiking come pretty high on the priority list while soup suppers, social events, craft fairs and watching sports just has to take a backseat.

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Faith comes by hearing

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What a wonderful gift being able to hear is to the human soul. From music to conversation to sounds of nature and the voices of children at play, all are a wonderful addition to our lives.

There is nothing that makes me smile more than a cart full of noisy kids at the local store and the look of utter frustration on a mother's face. I always tell them, “this too shall pass and you will wish them back a million times when they are grown.” Of course they think I am a crazy old man who can't recognize sheer lunacy when he sees it, too.

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A Visit to the Chop Shop

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A recent visit to the doctor set me up for some unpleasant tests and procedures that I was in no mood to go through. I don't know how doctors do it but it’s like one of those women who always discover projects urgently needed at the start of hunting or fishing season.

Perhaps it was a left-wing conspiracy to keep me from hunting or something like that.

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Reducing Tonnage

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Many of you are probably unaware that Ol' Dutch  has quite a storied past. Not only has he been West and “seen the elephant,” but for some time he worked for the railroad.

That fact often conjures visions of western vistas, bright shining days and the sound of a lonesome whistle on a distant locomotive wailing its movement across an endless landscape for folks. The reality of that job is long, lonely shifts riding endless rails, sleeping in dirty motels, eating bad food in nasty diners and having no sleep.

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