And so on...
I took a little respite from Yonkers after the emotionally draining, still unemployed, work-related crap of last week and went fishing.
No, really. Last weekend's weather was uncharacteristically hot and pleasant (without the humidity) and before my father pulls his boat out of the water for the season I asked if we could go out fishing. My Dad has been an outdoorsman all his life and used to take us fishing all the time. He's a hunter too, but the one and only time he ever took my brother and I for deer we were sitting in the silent woods when a doe walked up. Dad readied his bow, all prepared to let the arrow fly, until my brother whispered, "She's so beautiful!" The arrow let loose into the trunk of a tree and the deer spooked. As kids we always thought he missed an easy shot. My father has always had a contentious relationship with my brother and I (the reasons for which I won't get into here) but sometimes he would do right by us.
Like fishing. He used to take us as kids, whether down to the dock or the lake. I still enjoy it, so even though it's a bit of a pain in the ass to lug all the rods and gear and get bait and stuff, I asked if we could go out into Barnegat Bay. I prepared with Dramamine, because if you've been seasick once you learn quickly that you never want to experience it again.
We had a pleasant afternoon, my parents and me, and Dad only yelled at me once, which is like a record. I was the one who caught all the fish -- seven of them in fact, none keepers -- and I said all I wanted was to catch one to be happy. They were little bay fish, basically big enough to be used as bait for the real stuff farther out from the bay into the ocean.
It was nice for a change of scenery, and sleeping in a house on a street that's quiet is refreshing, but things are too quiet without Bosco there. It was the first time I've been home since he passed. Dad has his ashes on the mantle with a virtual shrine of photos around him. I ordered a special certificate from the AKC that listed Bosco's heredity, and framed it and gave it to Dad. I made sure I was out of sightline when I gave it to him though, because I knew he would get weepy.
So I was ready to come home after the weekend. And I did get some good news yesterday. Apparently in NY the unemployment numbers are so high again that I qualify for an additional few weeks of unemployment benefits. Not as happy-sounding as finding a job, but happy nevertheless.
No, really. Last weekend's weather was uncharacteristically hot and pleasant (without the humidity) and before my father pulls his boat out of the water for the season I asked if we could go out fishing. My Dad has been an outdoorsman all his life and used to take us fishing all the time. He's a hunter too, but the one and only time he ever took my brother and I for deer we were sitting in the silent woods when a doe walked up. Dad readied his bow, all prepared to let the arrow fly, until my brother whispered, "She's so beautiful!" The arrow let loose into the trunk of a tree and the deer spooked. As kids we always thought he missed an easy shot. My father has always had a contentious relationship with my brother and I (the reasons for which I won't get into here) but sometimes he would do right by us.
Like fishing. He used to take us as kids, whether down to the dock or the lake. I still enjoy it, so even though it's a bit of a pain in the ass to lug all the rods and gear and get bait and stuff, I asked if we could go out into Barnegat Bay. I prepared with Dramamine, because if you've been seasick once you learn quickly that you never want to experience it again.
We had a pleasant afternoon, my parents and me, and Dad only yelled at me once, which is like a record. I was the one who caught all the fish -- seven of them in fact, none keepers -- and I said all I wanted was to catch one to be happy. They were little bay fish, basically big enough to be used as bait for the real stuff farther out from the bay into the ocean.
It was nice for a change of scenery, and sleeping in a house on a street that's quiet is refreshing, but things are too quiet without Bosco there. It was the first time I've been home since he passed. Dad has his ashes on the mantle with a virtual shrine of photos around him. I ordered a special certificate from the AKC that listed Bosco's heredity, and framed it and gave it to Dad. I made sure I was out of sightline when I gave it to him though, because I knew he would get weepy.
So I was ready to come home after the weekend. And I did get some good news yesterday. Apparently in NY the unemployment numbers are so high again that I qualify for an additional few weeks of unemployment benefits. Not as happy-sounding as finding a job, but happy nevertheless.