Bon Voyage!

You might think that this is goodbye.  Well, I know that I haven't posted much this year.  But, I am still here.  Taking a breath here and there.  Some days it feels as if I can't get off the crazy train.  So much to do each day.  So, I am finally taking a long vacation!  I have never left work more than 3 or 4 days at a time.  This time, it is 10 days!  Will I still worry about the office?  Well, yeah.  Cause that is who I am.  But, things will still get done in my absence and I have very competent co-workers.  So, let's have some fun!  

I am off to Madeira, Portugal today!  My son lived in Portugal for 2 years as a church missionary years ago.  He still goes back every year or two.  So, I am in good hands.  No problemo with the language thing.  We are covered.  And he is quite the tour guide.  So, it should be a blast.  We start on the island of Madeira and stay there for a few days.  I get off the plane after 20 hrs and sleep for 8 (hopefully) and get up the next morning and fish the salt.  I have never fished the ocean before.  So, I am pretty excited.  I will try my hand at the fly rod first.  If my efforts don't pan out, we might switch over to the spin rod.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!  I think that we are going to really have good results!  

From Madeira, we go to Porto, Portuagal on the mainland.  See the sights and hopefully not the smoke of the wildfires that are going on around that region.  I am anxious to see where my son was for 2 years.  He absolutely loved it there.  He just got married a few months ago and his new wife, Aurelia, will be there too.  So nice of them to invite old mom to join them on their second honeymoon!  Hahahaha.

I might keel over from hiking.  I think that I can do it.  But, the gym is different than actual hiking.  Dan promised me that he will put me on the easier trails first.  =)

Take care of yourselves until I get back Aug. 1st.  Here I go on another adventure!  

Time Flies...

When time flies, that means that we are having too much fun or just way too busy.  Have you ever thought about that?  Maybe both are true in my case.  There have been those weeks of too much work and those days of too much fun with family or fish.  That might not make a whole lot of sense, but in my world, it does.  I try to get it all in.  And sometimes I put myself on overload.  Let's talk fish, why don't we?  This used to be a fly fishing blog...  Hope everyone is doing well.

Here are a few trout that graced my net.

And good friends to fish and share an adventure with...

And from my oldest son's wedding last month..  We were able 

to show Aurelia around Salt Lake City.  She is from Prague, Czech Republic!

Such a sweet addition to our family.

So, that is some of what has been going on around here before I realized it was May!!!

Tulips.  My favorite.

RD

RD & Friends 2021

 What a year 2021 was.  I started with thumb surgery and ended with "frozen shoulders".  But, in between, it was pretty darn good year with my fishies.  I was able to go all over the West and catch some amazing fish.  Great memories with special friends that make the adventure even more fun.  My bonus this year was getting out on the water with my two sons.  Seeing them with a fly rod, even though it might not be a regular thing, was super gratifying and special to me. Thanks for following along and sharing my passion of fly fishing.  =)

Butterballs

With not feeling my best, now it's time to rest.  Nice rhyme.  I have a hard time giving up my fall fishing days.  So, now we go to doctor #3 this week and see if we can get some answers.  I've had bicep pain in both arms for eight weeks.  It's just not getting any better.  Something tells me it is not related to fishing.

 

The gym eight week ago, possibly?  Haven't been back.

I met up with Holly and Jared this past week.  We had a great fishing day on the Snake River in Idaho.  The fish were feisty and several runs delivered for me.  I wasn't feeling a lot of energy within me that day, so I found some nice big rocks to sit on in between catches.   Rainbows and more rainbows graced our nets.  

As Holly and Jared bounced around from spot to spot, I finally settled into a comfortable run that delivered for several hours.  I  don't usually stay put that long, but it was hard to say goodbye to fish that were sipping emergers in front of me!

  Do you blame me?

I threw on a size 20 midge emerger.  I had been streamer fishing until then.  But, when the midge hatch is going and you see dark bodies of fish a foot under the water, you switch.  And they gave me enough bends in my rod to make me happy.

You thought that this was going to be a Thanksgiving recap on our Butterball turkey, didn't you?  Hahahaha.  Nope, Snake River Butterballs.  =)

Holly gave me her favorite bread recipe years ago.  She also makes amazing jam.  Got to keep her around.  Wink wink.  She is a trooper to put up with my shenanigans.  As I was almost laying on the water getting a video of a fish release, she started reeling up her line to run down the river and help me as she thought that I had fallen.  Lol. 

 No, Holly, not this time!  =)

As my last fish gave me a wave goodbye, I counted my blessings this day.  I am truly blessed with a great family, amazing friends, a wonderful job, and so many tremendous days on the water this year.

"The Wave"

The Wydaho Adventure

My last adventure with my friend, Clairey, was before the pandemic of 2020 that started in 2019.   Good grief.  Well, I ended up driving to Wyoming to spend a post birthday trip weekend with her and her family in August.  They really showed this girl a good time.  Great friends, fish and food always make a good trip.  I do not like hot summer weather.  So, I headed out to find some cooler fishing days that the Jackson Hole area has.  The frost on my car the next day told me that I was in the right place!

I love Wyoming.  I think that most of my best friends know that.  Well, here's another reason.

Surprise!  Yes, it is a grocery store.  I thought that I was in heaven.  And I hadn't even been to the river yet.  Haha.  This is not just your every day grocery chain.  There are only a handful of these in Idaho and Wyoming, I believe.  And yes, I have requested that they come to Utah.  The best deli and bakery that I have ever seen in a market.  Needless to say, we stopped every morning that I was there. =)  Yummy doughnuts for breakfast and the BEST sandwiches for lunch.  

The fruit and veggie trays were better than the ones we have.  Haha. I'm so weird. 

Ok.  Let's get back to fishing with Clairey, Cody, and Tanner.  

Two days of floating on the SF of the Snake.  It was a bit slow, but we still got into fish.  And the snacks and lunch were... well, you know.  Broulim's best!!! Haha.

We also had a great meal after fishing.  A bit of seafood flare at the Snake River Roadhouse Grill in Swan Valley, Idaho.  I couldn't believe how this boy of theirs could eat!  Cody and Tanner were braver than me.  I'm not into the fancy appetizers.  

 

Calamari, mussels, and clams???  They seemed to enjoy it.

My hamburger was great.  =)

We hit a dry fly paradise on the third day.  One of my favorite spots just because of the trees.

Clairey found one of the best cutts in the river...

A beauty!!!

And I released a few myself...

At night, I played cards with Tanner.  He beats me every trip. Haha.

These two are special friends.  Such great people who go all out for you to have a good time.

I cherish our times together and to think that I wouldn't have met them if it wasn't for fly fishing.

There was one more stop on my way home.

I was sure that David would want me to bring home a cheesecake  a couple pieces of cheesecake.  

Bye for now, Wydaho!!! You treated me well...