Hello on Friday Morning

Dear Friends



Linda had fun with her girlfriends doing lunch and a movie. After the movie, which Linda said that I would have hated (good move Franny), the ladies continued on to do a little recreational shopping. Of course, they needed more food after the shopping.

Linda said that I can eat leftovers while the woman continued partying. Oh Joy!



I came home tired and fishless once again. Some of my Lee Goombas joined me on the ice. They too went home fishless.

The weather was nice, and I did get to read a little of another book called “The Scarpetta Factor”, and I even picked up a little sun tan.



The highlight of the day for me was when a female worker from the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Game (not a game warden) went around to every group of fisherman, and interviewed us. No we are not going to be in some kind of newsletter or the Massachusetts Wildlife magazine. She asked us questions like, “How was the fishing?” “Did you catch and release any fish?” How was your overall experience?” “How many fish have you caught this season?” “What kind of fish are you trying to catch?” “What kind of bait are you using?” She didn’t ask us if we had a license or not. The woman is going to write a report from the notes she was taking. She was going to several lakes to gather data for the report. She didn’t take down the names of any of us.



Well, I am going back to the frozen pond in Lee again this morning. I am going to give it another try for at least half of the day. We will probably hook up with some friends this evening. There is an Irish function this evening at the Elks Club where Linda and I could use those Irish Dance lessons which we took several years ago, but Linda has been having a good deal of trouble with one of her knees. She keeps on postponing arthroscopic surgery, but it is inevitable if she wants to be pain free.

The fresh air that I have been getting from being on the ice all day doesn’t allow me to stay up much past supper time. Am I turning into a boring old man?



Observation – Some of my ice-fishing buddies are experiencing some hearing loss too. It is difficult to carry on a conversation until I find out which ear is their good ear. If I get to this point in my life, I am going to look into hearing aides. Is this another joy of getting old? My Lee friend spent his whole life working in a paper mill. The sounds coming from the paper making machines took place 24/7. If you had an eight hour shift, they was no way that you could escape the noise. Now people working in noisy factories wear ear protection devices. Good thing that I only worked a couple summers in the paper mills.



Speaking of paper mills, the ones in Lee have all shut down. These paper mills providing a good standard of living for many families in Lee including the one which I grew up in, since my father was a paper maker. Where have all these good jobs gone especially for the kids who aren’t college bound students? There is so little left in communities like ours to keep our children and grandchildren from leaving town.



The aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti has been dominating the news. I don’t think that I would do well with the death and destruction if I was part of the volunteer efforts. I often turn away from the news reports as they reporters describe what the survivors are going through. I can’t imagine trying to just breathe with the smell of rotting corpses.



On a happier note, the temperature should hit the upper 30’s today. I am going to dress lightly for my ice fishing adventure today, but keep an extra coat in the car just in case the forecast doesn’t come out to be as predicted.



Well, I have to make a lunch for ice-fishing, and select my wardrobe for the day.

Have a great weekend.

Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad