Summer is never long enough
The evenings are cooling, and it’s getting dark much earlier. Last evening I worked on our new garage until around 8 and ate supper in the dark. It was totally night at 8:30. What a switch that is from late June and early July when it’s light until nearly 10 p.m., later in the Big Land. Yes indeed, the blueberries are turning blue and autumn is very close. But hey, I love fall, that nippy hint of winter in the dawn hours, vibrant earthy colours, and besides, we have had a lovely summer. It was a slow cool start, but when summer finally arrived it surely meant business. I have never seen so many heat warnings on the Weather Network. But nobody heard me complaining about hot weather.
Speaking of that new garage and family loft that I’m building. I’m really close to having the place finished on the outside, or out of the weather as we say locally. I’m a dreamer you know, and I really wanted to build this place of ours with the fantastic ocean view. I’m imagining fishing rods on the wall, travel photos, a big compass rose on the front facing Conception Bay, book shelves stocked with fishing and adventure stories, a crackling wood stove, and most of all a big family table that can seat all hands for Christmas Dinner. That’s the stargazer in me. Oh yes, a telescope for the front deck. The grandchildren will love that, and me, too. I always wanted one.
More work than thought
Realistically though, that building has been a lot more work than I anticipated. It’s always like that. And I’m getting older. I should know the bloody difference. Our first house I built in one summer with sporadic help from family and friends. I worked dawn to dusk seven days a week for the whole summer. Although it was nowhere near as hot as this summer, either way, I could never do that now in my late 50s. I was 23 back then, and no place to live, come September. I got the job done though. Geez, all I had in power tools were an old Skil circular saw, and a Black and Decker electric drill. We got it made these days with all the gear you can buy. But it was still tough working in that heat.
Vow: no more major summer construction projects
With so much work to do, getting that building weathertight before autumn, summer outdoor activities definitely suffered. Again, the dreamer had all sorts of plans for stuff to do this summer. There were kayak and canoe trips, tenting excursions, and all sorts of hikes. A lot of stuff had to be cancelled, but we still did our best to enjoy the season. We did quite a bit of cod fishing and squeezed in a few hikes. And I have vowed that there will be no more major summer construction projects. The rest of the garage and loft, inside work, can be done anytime and in any weather.
Rory just left after a weeklong visit. Of course I had to do some carpenter work while she was here. But we did find time to squeeze in some outdoor activities with her. There’s more outdoor freedom for kids around the bay I think, at least typically. A few years ago her great-grandfather, Goldie’s dad, bought Rory one of those 12-V electric cars. Rory’s is an Arctic Cat side-by-side configuration. There isn’t much opportunity to drive it in the city so she keeps it in Spaniard’s Bay, to enjoy when she’s out for a visit. I had forgotten that it had a little kid governor screw.
Fast times
Rory discovered while visiting her around the bay cousins that their 12-V quads were much faster than hers. “Pop, why does Mason’s quad go so fast?” “Oh yeah, you’re a big girl now, going to Grade 1.” I promised to remedy the snail’s-pace problem. I loosened the little kids screw with a #-2 Philips. Well my goodness, you should have seen the look on her face when she shifted to that never-before-used forward gear. She was thrilled. Not only did it go faster, but also now she could drive all around the yard, up over grassy banks, in and out between the trees, and all over the place. She certainly had a grand time in the outdoors around the bay.
I had to take her trouting, no matter how busy I was. I had to let Rory experience an evening of trout fishing. On a rainy night she came outside with Nan’s lumber jacket on over her nightdress to help me pick worms. Being a fly angler, I haven’t picked worms in decades. I forgot how bloody fast they are. It took me a while to get the hang of it again. Goldie joined in and between the three of us we caught a dozen or so big night crawlers.
An evening of fishing
With a tub of wiggling worms and a couple of simple spinning rods we took off for and evening fishing in Goddenville. I used trout in that way a lot when I was a kid. Unfortunately the trout weren’t biting worms that well. Rory had one bite just as she started fishing. I think I could have snagged a few on my fly rod but I had left that stealthier weapon at home. We were keeping this kid-style simple, a hook, bobber, and worm. Often times it works very well. But bobbers make such a kerplunk on glassy smooth water, another time maybe.
But you know what? Catching fish didn’t matter much to Rory. She had a ball, simply out by the side of the pond just casting her line out and reeling it in. She’d see a trout take a fly on the surface and then try and get her bobber right on that spot. She loved it.
I was going to take her to a better spot the next evening but it rained.
The next chance I get I’m taking her canoeing in Gull Pond and that’s where I’m certain she will catch a trout or two, maybe a big one.
Perhaps I’ll get her practiced up on that fly rod I bought for her. Hey, what did I say?
I’m a dreamer to the core. There’s always next summer I suppose. There will no construction.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and do what you can outside with kids and grandkids.
I had to let Rory experience an evening of trout fishing. On a rainy night she came outside with Nan’s lumber jacket on over her nightdress to help me pick worms. Catching fish didn’t matter much to Rory. She had a ball, simply out by the side of the pond just casting her line out and reeling it in.