Longer time between blogs. I’ve stayed away from it more.
Coffin for sale, never used. Honest. I saw this posted. Makes me wonder, how is the market for used coffins?? I asked if he had any used ones.
Maybe it’s the heat. The last Blog, entitled Heat. But a lot of the time “I don’t feel like it.” No drinks tonight: I don’t feel like it. Don’t want to go outside to smoke a cigar because: I don’t feel like it. I believe with Fall, I will feel like it again. I’d say more than ever, I’m worn out by the long, hot summer. I’d say that in the near future, in the summertime, I am going to have to plan some escapes. Get out of here for part of the hottest months. Sit in the mountains somewhere and “feel like it.”
On TV: Black women discussing how they want to “change the police.” Sheriff on to debate it: Tore them apart. If there’s a bad cop, weed him out. Do better at that. Otherwise, the police thing works how it is supposed to. I don’t understand the debate. Hey, sorry if you are breaking the law and have to deal with the police, but I’m glad they are there to do that job. And I’m not opposed to them using force to do the job. At all. This black and white thing in America is comical. It doesn’t represent the black people I know.
Rent is the oppression of poor people. That’s a new one. We live in a world of sissies really. By the way, it’s their not there. You might learn what They’re means while you’re at it. Can’t let a Neil Blog happen without mention of the English language misuse. You’re continues to get abused. Everyday. These are things that I keep seeing and I just don’t understand. “You’re” not doing it right. “Their” use of works is “too” lax and incorrect….
Fishing the past two trips: Easily the best I have seen in the dead of summer. As a guide: I just sat there for hours watching people catch fish. Even better than it was a month ago. In that one spot. Not sure how it is other places: I’ve been going back to the same place for a while now. There is no reason to go anywhere else. Tarpon everywhere. Big ladyfish. Big trout. Silver trout are in that hole so after the morning bite slows down, we jig silver trout. The whiting have been in there good part of the time. They eat as well as the silvers. About ten pounds of fish spread in the freezer. I can make it any day I want to go catch them. Something I would have done more in the olden days. Now, a day off is exactly that. I can get silvers and whiting on days I’m getting paid (unless the clients want them all). And then today: Not as good as it was but good enough. A good day: Two-person charter, a tip and sold six books. If I had more days like today, I’m golden.
The time off has been good. Plenty of time to just “do whatever I want.” It will be good to be busy again. It should be kind of quiet the month of September but with as good as it is, I should get some trips. Naps haven’t been a bad thing. Work around the house has also been a good thing. Oh, to be younger…
The worst news:
Kay Andrews, my mother’s best friend, passed away with the Virus. I didn’t ask questions. I wonder: Did she die because of the virus or because of her age? It doesn’t matter. My mother handled it decent. She said “I’m already lonely.” Kay called her every other day for the past year after she left Arizona. She lost consciousness a while back and she never woke up again. Her daughter Kris is a friend of mine. A year ahead of me in school, we grew up together and we have stayed in touch. I’m sad for her but her mother lived a long time. Her father passed on a few years back. They were nice people. Good friends to my mother and father: Now, they are all gone except my mother. She is one of the last. They’re all dropping out one by one.
“This year is just a loss.” In so many ways. To me, it is odd to watch. Look at this whole thing. Who could have seen this coming? The spread of a Virus. The implications. In the midst of a pandemic. It is going to take some time. A pivot to online classes. Safer ways. Just how should everything be done? Wear a mask. Stay away from people. “Wash your hands.” I’m still not sure why people weren’t washing their hands last year.
My totals: Four people directly connected to me. Three, kids that all came through it just fine. Then, Mrs. Andrews. Totals, people who know people: It is around 25 now. 25 out of how many people? 500,000? More? At any rate, it is kind of an indication that the people I know and the people they know are probably smarter than the average person. I still say this anecdote is interesting. If you make good choices: You don’t get it.
All the stories: Kids going back to school. Is it a sign the worst is over? Is it a mistake? I’d like to fast-forward and see what happens with this whole thing. Does it remain or is this thing winding down now?
Out on the town, I said it Two Blogs ago: People are doing their part. Wearing their masks coming and going. It’s good. One guy, someone said something to him because he didn’t have his on. I chimed in: “He hasn’t been within 40 feet of anyone, so why does he have to have it on?” My argument held up. Mostly, I just see people covering their faces. People demonstrating, they want to do the right thing.
Joe Biden selects a vice presidential candidate. OK. The rumors start right away. Whatever.
Singers and athletes that think their politics matter. All you’ve done is driven me away from your sport. One guy, never thought I’d see him turn: No more baseball for him. That’s the way it works. Undercutting the police, a 2020 theme that I don’t understand. Why? The police serve an important role. Without them, chaos. I’d say I’d support more police action and not cutting into them. If it continues that way, I’ll buy more guns. Let Biden try to come take them from me: I’ll be on the news.
Racial and social inequities. I don’t know what that means but it sounds bad. One of my best friends, he’s a black man. He doesn’t see the racial inequities the rest of the world is clamoring about. He’s like me. America is the land of opportunity. The people complaining don’t get it.
The rain finally came down good. Almost three inches one day. Half an inch two days later. All the shrubs are happy. Won’t have to turn the hose on anytime soon. It looks like we will remain in a wet pattern for a while. Take it while we have it because October gets here: The hose has to be turned on. A well, can Mike tap it and I set up irrigation here? We will get to that sometime in the future. I can use the city water/hose and get it done. But that well is live. Should it be used?? Towering clouds. I do like storms. The yard likes the rain. So many of them “miss” but enough of them have been hitting so we have gotten our share of the moisture. Hurricanes? The tropics are active. Will one of them grow, stick together and come to this part of Florida? I’m ready for it if it does. It would be nice if they all miss. But, usually at least one of them comes to town.
Another one for the house. Roof extension for the driveway, full roof coverage for the back deck. That’s Mike’s forte. I haven’t had him do anything here in forever. Jeff helped me with stuff really well a couple weeks ago. If I can get him back: Cement front and back for a kayak trailer deck and cover the back deck shell with concrete and have an area to put tables for entertaining. U of A club. Umpires. Continue to work on this stuff for those groups to come here. I want to find charcoal on sale and stock up. I have support for these events where I won’t have to do it all by myself. I will do most of it but I will have help.
The Neil Blog continues. And, the things to talk about remain steady. All the September articles and the Captain’s Corner, done. Wait until the end of the month to publish. Take in that charter money. Keep paying the bills. Keep stocking up the house. Life is good.
Hockey, fighting hard against Columbus. No Stamkos, and the television guys don’t even talk about him. Is he coming back? They were a lot better with him in the lineup. This team, better before the virus. Can they get back to that level?? Kucherov, Point, Hedman: The standards. A couple of other guys making the plays. Gourde. Goodrow. Palat. Johnson. Cirelli. Killorn. McDonaugh. Sergachev. Shattenkirk. Verhaege. Cernak. Coleman. Maroon. The goaltender position is filled good. Who will step up? And will Stamkos reappear?? Protecting a lead. They aren’t going up by three goals anymore. Winning by one. Against a team they should dominate. They have been sloppy. Lucky. Five overtimes? Then, a one goal win and a 3 to 1 loss? Not what I expected. How do they finish this series? How do they do against the next opponent. “A tough team to beat.” Well, doesn’t look that tough to me. They have been beatable. Too many penalties. They gave Columbus a two man advantage but survived it. Stupid penalties. You know you can’t do that, why do you do it?
I still don’t understand icing.
Five trips to close out August, which is good. So hot, I don’t want to be out there every day. One three-person trip. The rest are solos. Gonna keep hitting the Fort. It has just been so easy. Guiding, I have said it multiple times: Me sitting there watching people catch fish. It’s been easy. I’m hoping it continues as it has been. Oh to have it like it was 11 years ago. It’s acceptable but things have changed. The phone will continue to ring. When October gets here, the phone will likely get to ringing a lot.
The virus easing up, I’m back to Dunkin Donut coffee. They missed me. Got a hot one here right now. I enjoyed my own coffee but DD is about ¼ mile away. So easy to just drive through.
Things are good. Life is good. But there are challenges. My challenges are interesting. Wait for Book #5. I have contacted a literary agent and started some talks about professional promotion for the next one. Ultimately, I’ll do it if there is a clear advantage. If not, I’ll just do it the same way again. Publishing with Amazon has been easy. Book 5, interviewing companies to see if an agent will take it to another level. This one is big. The first four books I handled on my own, self-published through Amazon. This one, I’m going to treat a little different. The Professional Baseball Umpire, didn’t reach everyone I intended. Still waiting. . Why have more people not ordered it? I’m confused. It is a very good summary of that part of my life and a good read. But, whatever. “Kayak Fishing” should get ordered more. An agent for Book #5, just how much more activity will there be? I am hopeful it will be substantial.
Ordered stuff for teaser tying. The stuff ordered second arrived first. Still waiting on the other stuff. The arrival of that finalizes the packaging of a majority (if not all) of the teasers. Some decisions made during the process: Ten packs. Saved on packaging. Lots of two packs but I did 25 ten packs and about ten 20 packs. Two to a package is how I sell them to the stores. Someone coming by the house might get 10 or more. Every teaser has been packaged. Every single one.
Not as many flies lately. But there will be more of those. Bill Jackson’s surprisingly didn’t get any flies. They have so many there already. They were out of teasers. Their restock: Teasers on the C70 SD hook. Everyone else gets the 3407. I’m down to 150 hooks. Selling 600 teasers was nice but supplies are still so strong, I don’t have to tie. I just do because there’s nothing else to do.
Tom Brady and Gronk in practice: They look like they are ready to play. I did the sheets for the first few weeks. Will the bar be reopened by then? How will I do picking this year?
The big news, discussions on returning to Arizona. Why would I do that? To be a college professor. It is initial. Another conversation next week, followed by a set up face to face sit down. It’s a tough one. It would be the most I ever made but unless I can set it up remote, I would be leaving Florida. That’s tough to absorb. I’ve been here since 1994.
It will take some time and it will require an ultimate decision. Do I change it up? Do I opt against and keep things how they are? Time will tell.
On the ballfield, Timmons has a batted ball down the right field line and goes under the pad. Sticks. Automatic, that’s “lodged” and a double. An ejection. Why? Two of the triple A guys getting called up for the first time. Good for them. It was my goal and I did that job for ten years trying to accomplish the same thing. It is a tough one. Very hard to get it to happen no matter how good you are at it.
On the ballfield: The Devil Rays sweep both the Red Sox and the Yankees on the road. Only one loss on the road trip. Pity I’m not a fan I guess.
Google remains: Worst company in America. Zero help. This site: Says I’m earning four dollars per day. My account has only been credited a dime in six weeks. Ten cents. I send them messages. There is no way to contact them. Bad company. The worst I have ever seen. Any contacts I’ve had: Zero help. It is a messed up world.
Time marches on. A hurricane possible in a couple of days. What is in our future? Good things for sure. I’m eager to trudge through the “last of summer” and enjoy the best time of year here. Oh, to be to that already. Our summers are long. Our summers are HOT. It’s later in August so you can start to talk about having survived another summer. Still quite a bit of heat left, the rainy season will wind down in six weeks and then cold fronts start arriving at the end of October.
Next time, I will teach you how to talk politics with the other side.
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
