Gone Fishing-Back Monday

We are headed to Shasta for the weekend.

Although we have been looking forward to this weekend for a while, it is with a heavy heart that I will be w/o phone or computer.  I know that when I get back, things may not be the same, and that there is a large part of  my family that will be having a very difficult weekend.

I hope that everyone, EVERYONE, knows that they are loved dearly. You are in my thoughts constantly, and I'm so sorry that so many things have happened in the past few days.

I will spend the weekend fishing with my kids, and remembering the many wonderful fishing trips with my grandparents. My Grandpa Carl and Grandma Jean love fishing and took my sister and I as often as they could.  They loved taking us in the camper and the boat and catching loads and loads of fish. We thought it was such a treat to ride in the motor home, and go to the gas station early in the morning and get treats on the way to the lake. They taught us a lot about fishing - how to catch your worms late at night sticking an electric prod down into the ground....I got such a kick out of watching the worms come up out of the ground, how to clean and fillet a fish in about .5 seconds (and in mass quantity), how to scale fish, how to fry the best little crunchy fish nuggets, and perhaps most importantly...how to pee in a coffee can on the boat. : )
Interestingly, in those same visits I would learn about fashion, cute shoes, jewelry, and makeup. I would learn that leopard print always matches pearls, and the higher the heels the better, but blue cowboy hats, boots, and big belt buckles were good, too.
One thing I have always been reminded of when with my grandparents.....the earlier you get up, the more work you can get done, and that there is great satisfaction in filling your dinner table with food that you grew. And that sweet tea can never be too sweet, and no meal is complete w/o sliced bread. And that you can not go to sleep w/o having crunchy toast w/peanut butter. And that every kid loves having pictures drawn on their back, and alarm clocks that project onto the ceiling...and motorcycles. I spent summers riding around grandma and grandpas huge garden on a loop that grandpa build bumps for me to jump on, and eventually grandma would end up giving my her motorcycle. I learned that if you are going to sneak into the garden and eat all of grandmas tomatoes, or play hide and seek in the corn field and knock over the stalks...don't get caught!
I have so many great memories, and I'm very grateful for that, they are huge part of what makes me who I am.  My grandparents were married in their mid teens and are such a "pair", the prospect of one existing w/o the other, I can't even imagine it.

Again...I love you all, and my thoughts and prayers are with you all this weekend.