It is 7 am and everyone is finally out the door, into the trucks and off to the rivers. The local Elk herd has moved into the field behind the house. It is quiet and the dust is settling, so I am having my 3 cup of coffee and catching up on some email action.
I arrived here Feb. 1, my car packed so tight that opening a car door meant major spillage. Having been here before I knew what kitchen items weren't here, so I brought at least half my kitchen with me....and I'm glad I did. It took me a good week to re-organize this kitchen to my comfort zone. The cook top sucks...electric...but there are two ovens, which I consider a bonus. The house itself is pretty cool. Big 6 bedroom place just off the Bogesheil river, about 10, minutes outside of Forks. You can see better pictures than I can send if you go to http://Brazdasflyfishing.com
and click on the Bogey House link.
Jeff and Aaron had already put up the fish pictures from past seasons and I was honored that my picture from last year was hanging in a place of honor over the bar.
I stayed in the house the first couple of weeks since we weren't full. I have since moved to a fifth wheel trailer about a 1/4 mile up the road, parked at Three Rivers...convenience store, gas station, cafe, campground, small cabin rental and RV hook-ups. There is a large sign at the turn-in stating it is the Treaty Line...No Vampires Allowed Past This Point, so I feel perfectly safe from any vampire/werewolf crossfire. The trailer is comfy. I am only there at night, the rest of the day I am at the house.
Since I'm at the local grocery store, Thriftway, almost every day I've become pretty good friends with everyone in the meat department, the produce manager and most of the cashiers. The town of Forks is very small. A logging town still trying to ride the coat tails of the Twilight books and movies, but that is fading fast. The economy has taken it's toll on many of the businesses along the two blocks of downtown. Although the Dazzled By Twilight store, and it's rival, Native By Twilight across the street, are still open. The Twilight tour bus is still in business and you still see Twilighters, girls between the ages of 12 and 18 with their mothers, wandering down the street now and then. The people here are tough and very friendly. It's interesting to read some of the faces I see....past drug use, current drug use, hardship, man problems, drinking problems, poverty, kindness, wisdom, survival and friendliness. To live here you have to be tough, and and it shows.
A couple of weeks ago I went into the little local sporting goods store to check it out, introduce myself and buy a few flies. I met Gordie, who used to be one of the local guides, and his wife. About three years ago Gordie took a fall and landed on a pile of boulders. He lost the use of one side of his body, the sight out of one eye and has some difficulty talking. I asked him what flies were the hot ones to swing here and he pointed out three, one of which he ties. I bought all three and then Gordie and his wife told me that they live along the Calawah river in town and that I was welcome to fish one of the good holes behind their house anytime. Good people, and I will take them up on their offer with a bag of cookies in hand. I walked out of that little, cluttered place and reminded myself that I am blessed in so many ways and that meeting someone like Gordie is another blessing to be thankful for.
I was able to fish the second week since we had a couple of cancellations. I fished with Aaron two of the days on the Sol Duc and Calawah. Caught awesome fish both days. One of the fish on the Calawah was a 38.5 inch buck. Freakin huge! I couldn't get my hand around the tail to hang on to it. Really liked the Calawah. Smaller river and rather technical. Incredibly beautiful. We have been pretty full since so I haven't been able to fish, but it's fun to listen to the stories of the day as everyone sits around the dinner table. One of the guides said he would take me on a little tour of walk-in places close by so during the day I can go swing for an hour on my down time.
Still working on that down time thing. My days are long. Up at 4:30 to have breakfast on the table by 6, hence the three cups of coffee by 7 am. After everyone leaves for the day I clean up the kitchen, catch up on some stuff, do some grocery shopping, baking, etc. I usually start dinner prep around 3 pm, serve appetizers around 6, dinner around 7, dessert around 8 or 8:30. By the time I have cleaned up and prepped the coffee for the next morning it is often close to 10. Now and then I'll get a day off and Jeff will cook, but dealing with the aftermath of him in the kitchen is almost worth volunteering to just do it myself. The guys have all been pretty good about helping out, but this is like taking care of a group of 12 year old boys. Sometimes it is just easier to do it myself. I suppose I should be napping, but I am not a napper, so I did the next best thing and joined the local gym in town for $40 a month. Yes, that's right, $40. It's Forks, what can I say. I find that working out is better than napping and the gym is really nice. Great equipment, never crowded and I can pay for just the months I am here. Awesome.
The weather has been typical OP. Cold, raining like hell, then windy as hell, and a little of everything else in-between. There is snow in the forecast tonight, but if it does it won't be much.
As I said before the guys here have been great. Of course being around guides and fisherman all the time has enlightened my vocabulary immensely as far as swear words are concerned. I probably hear the F word used in every other sentence and have learned new and amazing ways the word c....sucker can be incorporated into a conversation. I'm sure sooner or later I'll be in the produce section at Thriftway, pull an orange from the geometric pile, and as the oranges then start to tumble and fall around my feet utter the words, "Who the hell stacked these f....ers anyway?" It's then that I'll realize, well...got my picture over the bar and I'm sleeping in a trailer. Wooo Hooo!
More later. Just started to rain and I have breakfast dishes to do.
Miss and love you all!
Big Fish Annie
