Steelhead Fishing and Turkey Hunting in Idaho

Mark Payne and Bob Kay went steelhead fishing for a couple of days last week. It was a trip never to be forgotten. The first day we couldn't start fishing until about 1pm because it rained so hard. We used a rubber boat with an electric motor to get across the river to our spots and then left the boat on a sand bar while we fished. Mark caught the first steelhead and Bill caught the second one and I caught the third and last one. This was the first Steelhead for me and was quite fun. It took about 10 to 15 minutes to land it. Mark showed me how to fish the hole so I owe him thanks and he helped me land it. The fish was 31 inches long and weighed about 16 lbs. We decided to quit fishing early because they quit biting and when we got back to the boat, it was gone. The river had risen about 6 inches and washed our boat down the rapids and we were stranded. All we could do was walk upriver to the next bridge and I thought I was going to die. The mountains there are so steep it was hard hiking but also there were drop offs into the river about 40 to 50 feet high along cliff faces which we had to traverse and some of those were covered with snow. It was truly a harrowing experience. We never did find the boat. Some fishermen about 4 miles down river said they saw one of the seats float by but no boat. The next day we fished and had no bites so we cut our trip short by one day. The last day Mark shot a turkey with his bow and what a great shot he made. The arrow made a loud "whop" sound when it hit the turkey it it was history for the turkey.

I am wondering if when Mark calls next year to go Steelhead fishing (or boat launching) if I will have forgotten this years experience and say yes or will my memory still be sharp and I will be busy with some important activity like watching grass grow. Let's see,..........what was my name again????

FIRE....or water???

All in our house were peacefully asleep this morning when we were jolted out of our beds by the most obscene noise. It was 5:00 and our fire alarms began blaring. Our alarms are hard wired so that when one goes off the other 6 go off. Don't ask me why this is. We live in a 1900 sq foot townhome. I am pretty sure we can hear one loud and clear...let alone 6! Jason bolted up the stairs to try and quiet the one next to Rhett (who didn't even flinch). He eventually had to pull the batteries out because we could not get them to stop. After much sniffing and searching we could not find the cause for the rude awakening. We had just settled back into bed and pulled our warm covers up to try and enjoy that last hour when it occurred to me we never checked the attic. We have yet to purchase a ladder (why don't attics come with pull down stairs anymore?) so Jason climbed on top of my shoulders to hoist himself up. A seal is missing on our AC unit so loads of condensation had collected and flooded our attic. We then noticed a large wet ring on the ceiling surrounding our fire alarm. It is quite lucky for us that the area flooded happened to be above the alarm. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have noticed until one day "the sky was falling!" Who knew fire alarms had a dual use as a flood alarm?!

Parking Spot Thief

Okay...so I don't know if I need tried and tested in patience right now, but I sure feel I am failing miserably. So...you all have to post a comment with your advise. In my apartment complex where mine and Whit's apartment is located there is a HUGE row of uncovered parking which is for first come first serve- there are always enough spots. Each apartment has 1 assigned parking spot which for the last year and a half is where I have parked my car. (Oh Helga- how I love thee so!) So last week we have some unruly neighbors that move in- which I reported twice already. Then, one day I get home from work and to top things off there is this blue car parked in my spot. I was a little confused- I checked the parking spot and thought "Is this my parking spot- cause surely no one would park in my spot!" Well- this proceeded for 2 days. So I wrote a note stating precisely this "This is my assigned parking spot. Please don't park here again. Thankx"

So for a few blessed days I would come home from work or errands and park in my spot while the blue car parked in the uncovered spots (which did I mention there are an abundance of?) So- here comes Wednesday- I get home and what do you know....blue car in MY spot. Funny thing is all around it there is a huge quantity of open uncovered and covered spots- but of course this dude has to park in MY spot! (I sound like a child I know- 'me, me, me, my, my, my'.) So I call the management office and tell them what happened and she responds to me- "Well maintenance is gone but we can put a note on their car that if they park there again they will be towed"

Here comes Thursday. I get home from work- YIPPEE - my spot is wide open- as it should be. I sing a little song of victory as I pull into MY spot. Whit and I had to leave a little later that night to go to a wedding reception. So I bet you can all guess what happens when we get home...there is that blue car- in my spot!!! I don't know if they are deliberately doing this to tick me off, but I am usually a very calm-patient (almost like an angel) person and now my blood is boiling. I think the reason it is boiling now is because they have been politely told not to park there- and they still do it- even when there are loads of open spots. And unfortunately- everytime this car parks there the office is closed- so what do I do? They have been fairly warned!!

A truly magnificent miniature golf shot

I just thought that I would inform you all about my amazing miniature golfing wife. So, we went to a place called golf-land over the weekend for our date, which was actually really fun. The two of us have to be really careful about competing in anything...cause we get wicked ticked if we lose...thus...why one will always be in complete distress. I contemplated not keeping score because my miniature golf skills were slightly more advanced than those posessed by my beloved wife. Anyways, we got to the 6th hole (see attached drawing) and it was indeed filled with all manner of trickery. You had to putt it up this 20 foot runway, which sloped upward, and at a slight angle so as to hit it just perfect enough to make the ball go past a certain point. If you hit it too hard, it would go into this downward sloping hill area, into a hole, and get spit out far from the hole in a different area. If you hit it perfectly (yeah right, they make it impossible) then it would go up and barely past the little wall and roll down towards the hole. The 6th hole had a wooden shack for scenery behind the sloping up area. Well, Lauren stepped up to it and did not putt...she flippin driving range destroyed that ball so hard that it hit the wooden shack, ricoched back at her and I at about 200mph, nearly inflicting decapitation, hit a metal pole about 10 feet behind us, ricoched back the other way and landed right next to the hole. Truly, a magnificent shot.

Apparently my name is not common enough so my results were 0. I must be very original. Two people with the name Logan Kay, 11 people with the name Tyler Kay, and four people with the name Garrett Kay.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Spring Break Campout

We love camping. We all decided to go camping during Spring Break and took off plenty early to arrive at our destination just after sundown. However, plans don't always run smoothly. As we were getting off the freeway- just a few miles from Whitney's parents home- liquid began to pour all over the passenger side floor of the Rodeo, where my feet were placed. Whitney squealed at me "Lift up your feet" as he turned off the ignition (this happened while stopped at the stop light). Steam began to erupt from the dash and boiling coolant began to seep all over the floor - in which my little toesies feared being melted together. So long story short, Whitney's dad was able to tow us over to their home to leave the Rodeo. We then borrowed Chad's parents outfit (a.k.a vehicle) for our camping trip. We finally got to a campsite really late but still- it was a fun adventure.
Whitney being the rugged outdoors man presented the idea to sleep out under the stars- no tent- just sleeping bags. I was slightly opposed to the idea of being eaten alive during my slumber by wolverines, bigfoot, and giant spiders, but then reluctantly gave in to his pleading. He was as excited as a little boy! So while Jake and Lauren slumbered in their massive mansion of a tent and Jay and Chad slumbered in their little shack of a tent, Whitney and I slept under the beautiful stars. It was so much fun!

That morning we made yummy breakfast burritos on our Mountain Man Griddle- which worked fabulously! We received our mountain man griddles for Christmas from my parents and thanks to Uncle Roger who invented the ingenious product. If you haven't checked out the mountain man griddle yet- or still don't have one visit: (www.mountainmangriddle.com) Fun times!

Whitney makes me laugh! Our lovely place of slumber!


The Girls!
Whitney cooking breakfast on the mountain man griddle!
Jake and LaurenJay and Chad

Whit and me

The Race

I have really been up in the air when it comes to the upcoming presidential election. None of the candidates really meet what criteria I think the next president should have. I tried to watch the democratic debate the other night. That turned out to be quite a joke that I turned off half way through. Gibson and Stephanopoulos spoon fed Clinton and O'Bama propaganda to throw at each other. No real issues were covered. Just accusations of each others associations and former acquaintances. Perhaps I tuned out a little too early and they hit the meat at the end, but I was disappointed at such a poor portrayal of what US politics has resorted to in order to win a popular vote. Our society is so caught up in tabloids it has spilled and completely taken over every aspect of our news....even the upcoming race.

Happy Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to a beautiful-talented-compassionate-selfless sister. Love you Jay!

Sean's Birthday

And just what are you whispering in her ear?

Seanie Boy--Shirley Jean's Toy

Born In Meeker, Colorado--the only sibling born out side the state of Idaho.
upon birth he had a hairline that started in line with his eyebrows and patches
of hair growing growing on his back. We didn't know if mom had given birth
to a baby boy or a chimp. As he grew he was very impressionable. Selling
Hokie carpet sweepers to unsuspecting neighbors. For demonstration purposes
he dumped an entire bowl of sugar on the carpet and proceeded to swath it
back and forth grinding more in than the sweeper picked up. He excused him-
self and as he left he heard a vacum crank up. He made it through that stage
and upon graduating from high school had kicked both Randy and Berkley's
butts winning the "kissed the most girls that year" contest.
His hairline is now more in line with his male siblings and his toes don't get
wet when he showers---butt we still love him---Happy Birthday Lil' Bro Sean

LOGAN'S BIRTHDAY

As you can see by the photo, here in Idaho we have two seasons fighting for dominance. Winter has had a death grip on us and even with the emergence of spring and flowers, snow keeps coming. I'm tired of it and am pulling for spring and summer. You warm weather livers need to quit praying for cool weather and help us winter bound family members out. It is your turn to suffer with the heat.

Today is Logan's birthday and instead of celebrating it with golf, he gets to throw snowballs. Bummer. Happy birthday Logan.

Love ya,

Dad

One Year Older and Wiser Too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!

Easter anyone?

Okay, so I know all of you got yourselves or at least your kids all dolled up for Easter Sunday. Let's see the pics!!! Here is a small part of our Easter.

Voice update

Hello my dearest family! It has been awhile since there have been an overflowing of posts so I thought I would babble on about randomness! J/K. Just wanted to give an update of my voice progress since my surgery (which was 2 months ago! WOW) My scar has healed very nicely although it is still bright red and within time it should fade to white- which is the color of my pigmentless skin! My speech therapy is very helpful and it is A LOT of fun to practice my voice exercises while driving in the car with Whitney. I know it is his favorite part of our drives together- listing to me "hhhhmmmmm...me..me..me..me..pea..me..pea..mooching...pooches". I am indeed blessed to have a job that has worked with me during my recovery and to be free from the pain I had prior to the surgery. There is still much improvement that must be made, but in time I think it will slowly get better.

I have been quite surprised that I haven't gotten a bunch of weird, idiotic questions from complete strangers- like I usually get when a pair of eyes finds my chest (and I'm not referring to the twins). Although I was checking out at the grocery store - only about a month after surgery - and the clerk says to me "Oh my GOODNESS!!! That must have hurt. What a place to have a scar! I wouldn't want that!" My response "hahaha- let me hand you your foot for you" No I didn't say that at all, in fact being the very patient well mannered child that I have ALWAYS been (my parent's say I was always their most responsible, well behaved, angelic child- don't tell the others) I responded with a little 'giggle' and smile, grabbed my bags and headed off. One of my students I work with at work got my voice mail one day and left the following message "Rochelle, you sound awful. When are you going to change your voice mail so it doesn't sound so terrible." Well, every day at work I am greeted on the other end of the phone line with "You sound terrible- are you sick" "Are you sure you are okay- you don't sound okay" etc...

When I found out I had to have open heart surgery in 2005 an acquaintance at the singles ward said to me "Oh no. You are going to die. Don't die!" After my heart surgery in 2005 I had an insane amount of folks that must have gotten some satisfaction of commenting on my scar and comments ranged from an astonished "What happened to you" to "You poor thing" to "Ouch- was that painful?" to "You are so young to be so sick"Also when my voice was really bad (right after my heart surgery) I had just started going back to work as a secretary and I was suppose to call the phone company but instead called the wrong number and got the Insane Asylum- seriously. I said in my raspy half muted voice "Oops- I got the wrong number- I didn't mean to call the Insane Asylum (giggle)" The response from the other end of the phone "Are you sure- you sound like you belong here!".

During one Sunday school lesson (when I still sounded like I belonged in the 'insane asylum') I raised my hand to comment on the discussion. I admit I did not sound very well and it was extremely hard for me to talk- but I pressed forward with conviction. The conductor of the lesson said to me- and in front of everyone "It's okay, you don't need to talk anymore." These are but a few-very few-of the comments I have received and realized that sometimes people say really STUPID stuff and some comments I have received really did make me feel negative and sad- but I soon realized I couldn't let a comment affect how I felt about myself and how careful I should be in my speech and comments to others- always making sure to remain positive.

So this brings me to a topic of conversation for everyone- have you ever had some random, complete stranger say something to you that should have been followed by a foot in the mouth? and how did it make you feel? PLEASE share, everyone, as I get really bored at work sometimes and look forward to viewing the BLOG :) Love you all!