Is it March?!?!
Really!?!?
(insert snarky teenager inflection here)
Really!?!?
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The older we get, the more applicable “time flies” is to our lives.
We started the year strong…personally and professionally. Well, when you make bamboo fly rods
for a living the lines are divinely blurred between all of your “selves” especially professional and personal.
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Wait! Do we have a professional self? I digress…
So, as I mentioned, we started the year strong.
Bill was awarded
for the sporting category.
It was beautiful.
Period.
made in the south awards
On a more personal note…the beginning of 2011 also ushered in the realization that I have become my greatest fear.
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Yes, you heard it…(after dying in a fiery plane crash, of course),
my greatest fear is being a Cliché.
I am now officially a card carrying member of the Cliché club.
Here’s how this discovery flooded over me in one word…Disney.
Oh yeah, that’s right, I am a Mickey Mouse lovin’, Space Mountain riding,
souvenir buying, Kodak moment taking…Disney freak! Who knew?
Here’s something funny…when making the reservations,
I told Bill we should stay in the “Wild Kingdom Resort” at Disney.
He said, “We live in the Wild Kingdom…do they have a ‘Suburb Land’…
you know, a resort that has a Starbucks and a Barnes and Noble in your suite?”
.
January and the beginning of February was a blur…literally. All snow!
.
The snow broke long enough for our winter weekend class to start.
.
Believe it or not…the weather has been mild and beautiful ever since?
Coincidence?
Probably…but, I would much rather believe that
the sun came out just for bamboo fly rod building.
Oh, and there was the Atlanta Fly Fishing trade show that was scheduled after we filled up our winter weekend class. Because the show conflicted with our class, my father and I did this show without Bill (and Yogi) for the first time ever. It was empowering strange.
Riley and I made a little video (well Riley made it while I stood over his shoulder and needled him)
Here it is... If you don’t have Quicktime, go to the You Tube link here.
I am proud of it for what we have to work with…it is 2010.
check out Veronica in the engraving scene
Just a few short days after the class and show,
Bill left for Argentina for 12 days.
Again, Riley and I threatened to revolt and turn pots
BUT Riley left us as well to fish on the South Holston!
No sweat.
We managed but it’s so nice to have Bill home again.
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as we speak and it’s non-business as usual.
Our students are enthusiastic and diverse from all walks of life.
Of course, the “tie that binds” is some
"little voice" inside of them that brought them to us.
.
Our little town of Blue Ridge is full of people strolling the streets and enjoying the gorgeous weather.
Cutter is selling his flies for $2 each but usually makes a bit more because he does not give change.
Now that Veronica is a proficient walker…she is officially a “townie”.
She stomps up and down Main Street stealing everyone’s hearts and hugging each dog that passes by.
So…I have to mention the painting that Cutter did for Youth Month here in Blue Ridge.
Above all else…I am one proud mother…
it seems like yesterday this kid was learning to walk…
Really?!?!
-slo
EDITOR’S NOTE: Oyster's original blog was on the oldie but goodie platform, Blogger, in 2009, before moving to WordPress. You may find a copy of this post on “The Bamboo Fly Rod Maker’s Widow” blog HERE. I have tried to preserve the integrity—or lack thereof—of each “Widow” post, especially to reflect the resources—or lack thereof—available at the time, as time and technology continue to freak me out evolve.