Gone to Heaven

I read my last blog and realized that Mom was with me when I last wrote. Now she is in heaven and I can't talk directly to her anymore.

How strange that is. I didn't quite understand that concept before she passed away. Dad died 11 years ago and I didn't seem to get it. But , thinking back, I didn't call Dad like I did Mom.

Since I moved to Colorado, I could always call Mom when I was lonesome, troubled, anxious, sad, happy, or just bored. Little did I know how important that was. Little did I realize how nice it was to know someone was always home just waiting for me to call. Little did I see how I'm become dependant on that fact. Now what do I do when I need someone to call.

Its strange, you know, to realize that you have no one to call or no one to listen. Mom was sitting in here chair while the rest of us was working, going out to dinner, watching out kids do "things" , or even hanging out with friends. She was just there.

The odd thing is to figure out how to fill those minutes that she used to fill. Guess that is what folks were talking about: a VOID. How did I get as old as I am and not figure out what my friends were warning me about.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad Mom got to go to Heaven. I realized she would never again have the same lifestyle as before this fall. I knew she was looking at full time care or even worse: a nursing home! Nursing home was hell on earth to Mother so I decided that God gave her the ultimate Gift to let her come on up to the Big House.

Its not that I'm even sad, although I certainly have times of extreme sadness, its just that I'm surprised. So for all of you that told me of your sadness or loneliness or of the "void", accept my apology when I didn't "get it". Now I do and I'll be more sensitive and understanding from this point forward.

Love to all

Its Quiet Here

Its been a strange few days in Alabama. I came in for my work week and ended up sitting at the hospital.

Friday, as I stumbled down the stairs to head out to the car, there was a faint call for "Jane". In the floor of the downstairs bedroom, Mom was lying prone feet towards the door and her right arm at a 90 degree angle above her head. She had fallen! One look and I knew this wasn't going to be a minor event.

Thank goodness for 911! Have you ever had to dial those three numbers for a loved one? There is nothing better than knowing in short order help will arrive. The woman on the other end of the call was helpful, fast and courteous. Jon-Wilson was with me and he held the door as the emergency crew headed into the house. He said, "come see my GranAnn", "come see my GranAnn".

Six men and one women decended onto the bedroom and after taking vital signs, assessed the situation, splinted her broken arm then gently lifted her onto the stretcher. In less than 30 minutes they had her in the back of the ambulance and whisked off to Brookwood Hospital. My sis, Missy, rode in the front seat and made sure the hospital knew all the important information.

I don't know how the paramedics work in your city, but I have no complaints, only praise and thank you's.

Its Monday evening, I have a sideline seat next to a hospital bed and mom is resting. A broken arm was set during a 2 hour surgery on Friday night and two fractures to the pelvic will be left to heal on their own.

One Dr. told us "Old age is not for sissy's" - I realize how true that is as I watch mom's little body struggle to heal.

Sisters on the Fly - Encampment Wyo

Recently I traveled with the Colorado Sisters on the Fly to the Annual Cowboy Gathering in Encampment, Wyo. This was my first trip with the group and I know it won't be my last!

I borrowed a camper from Mike at the ranch and setup in Riverside Campgrounds with 17 other Sisters. As ladies arrived throughout the day on Thursday, I watched as nimble ladies of all ages parked their campers, some pulling forward and the more experienced expertly backing in the units perfectly centered on the site.

Trailers arrived with such distinct names as "Little Buttercup", "Kitchy Momma", "Udder", "Mi Casa", from areas in Southern Colorado to Northern Utah. The owners and members of Sisters on the Fly were welcoming, fun, and most entertaining.

The girls first order of businesss was to take over a central camp area and setup an outdoor kitchen area with cooktops, tables, chairs, and a dishwashing area. A fire ring was set to one side for evening visiting.

Jan Hanson, an inspiration to pulling a camper, is a 72 year old artist from Larime, Wyo , made her maiden voyage with My Stu Dio and backed in that baby all by herself. She said, "If I'm gonna pull it, then I have to park it!" Wish I could say I had that attitude the first time out. Jan presented me with the Newcomers Award, a pair of Red Shoes held in a cute little case, that I will enjoy awhile and then present to another Newbie in the Sisters group!

That afternoon, I joined with Bev Littlejohn for an afternoon of fly fishing in the North Platte nearby Riverside. We waded up a beautiful section along the creek and cast our flies into the crystal clear water. Niether of us caught a fish but had a beautiful afternoon.

The first night we gathered for Martini's prepared by Laine and Mindi for a happy hour before supper. Dinner was cooked by the Friday night team and it was done with a Mexican Flair. I prepared "Norm's Sangria" to share with the group and it was enjoyed for sure. Following dinner , the evening ended with a trailer tour and then campfire fun.

Saturday was an eventful day of fishing. A guided float trip was just the ticket and Andy from Saratoga skillfully took Bev and I down the North Platte, manuvering that boat into known fishing holes. Andy is a school teacher from Torrington, Wyo during the school year and a guide in the summer season. She grew up in Saratoga and fishing is an obvious passion for this girl. The float trip was another first for me and I caught 2 Rainbow Trout, one 16" and one 12".

Grilled Salmon was featured for dinners and it was delicious, served with a Ceaser Salad and grilled bread. Of course Martini's were served again, a Mexican Chocolate was the winner, as Mindi certainly earned her Martini badge during this trip!

Following dinner a few of us attended the Cowboy Poetry show in Encampment before returning to the campfire to peacefully end the evening.

Sunday morning everyone joined for one last meal, a breakfast of yogurt, cereal, fruit and muffins. After breakfast, the Sisters returned to their trailers to begin the process of breaking down individual campsites. The sisters hooked up and pulled out to head home. The trailers gets parked and wait for the next opportunity to roll down the road in a Cowgirl Caravan to camp, fish and share a few laughs.

Maybe you can see why this won't be my last trip!

Fly Fishing Update

Its been a busy summer! Besides fishing with the Colorado Women's Fly Fishing Association, Hank and Henry and I recently fished the Clark Ford River in Deerlodge, MT.

Zac, a guide from the area met ,us on the service road near I 80 just ouside Deerlodge and took us directly to his honey hole. We no more than set up that Hank caught a 12" brook trout! Six fish were hauled out of that hole in about 30 minutes before Henry nudged Hank out of the way to try his hand.

Although I shouldn't, I let the guys fish that special spot while I tried my luck downstream. There were a couple of nibbles on my fly but I didn't hook and bring any a single fish.

We moved around the river a bit before Zac suggested a stretch of private waters along the Rock Creek. All of us were excited to leave the Clark that was bounded by open pastures to the west and I-80 on the east side. There is just something about the traffic whizzing by that strips the feeling of being out in the wilds of nature clean away.

We jumped into Zac's Toyota Forerunner, scarfed down some snacks of fruit, cheese, crackers, and m&m's and headed towards Rock Creek. A narrow dirt ranch road took us 5 miles winding back towards the river. When the foliage opened up, there she was, a swift moving stream back away from roads and civilization.

The gear was unloaded and flies were tied on and each of us picked a spot along the creek bank. Henry caught the first fish shortly after we got started! He also caught the only fish that was caught that day on the beautiful stretch of Rock Creek.

It wasn't for the lack of trying or the lack of moving around the stream and changing flies, the slippery creatures just were not interested in what we had to offer.

The pictures speak for themselves. We had a great time! I've been told, "God doesn't put fish in ugly places" and the secenery and peacefulness of this spot more than met our expectations. Next time, we better get some fish!

On Sunday afternoon, Henry and I drove to the nearby Big Hole River, 20 miles south of Butte. It was a big, wide and deep looking river and a prevew for our next fishing trip to Montana!!

Shiny Hiney is down to the underware!

Henry and I have gutted the 1962 Globetrotter and now we are removing the interior walls.

Henry purchased a Rivet Remover and it does help speed up the process of removing the hundreds of rivets that hold the walls.

We are trying to remove the panels systemically so we will remember where to put them back. On the Airforums, Airstream Website, we've gotten lots of good advise. As the walls were removed, I swept off any loose insulation and carried them to the shed to store for a while. Amazingly the curved front and rear portion of the trailer is stabilized by a fiberglass form fitted piece that is heavy and comes done in one big piece.

Oh my, did the rat pooh and insulation rain down on us!

All the interior wall are now out and piled up waiting for cleaning and repainting. Shiny Hiney's skin is exposed for all to see and now the floor removal begins. Again, with advise from the Airforums, any rivets will be loosened and the wood will be sawed away from the joist.

I am anxious to get the demolition complete and the rebuild started but the summer farm season is upon us and the "hobby work" has to take a back seat.

Keep your fingers crossed that we'll make more progress soon.

The Little's Come to Colorado

John and Debbie came to Colorado and we had a great time. The visiting, the fishing, the sightseeing were all fun. Only thing not fun was the weather - it was cold and cloudy. Bummer, but that is April in Colorado.

John caught a 5lb bass in the pond down the road from the house and some trout in the stream on the ranch. I'll be happy when I can fish that good!

Deb paddled around in the kayak and we all went sightseeing to see a huge wind farm, Estes Park, an Amish horse auction and even a quick trip to Cheyenne, Wyo.

: John even got to work ground with this big tractor!

Fly Fishing Clinic - NorthFork Ranch, Shawnee, CO

Northfork Fishing and Dude Ranch!!

Wow, what a great place to go fishing. Friday I in the snow to The Northfork Ranch near Shawnee, CO. Karen and Dean, the owners, checked me into a cozy cabin before a wonderful dinner was served at 6pm. During dinner I met with the 15 other women that signed up for the beginners clinic held by the Colorado Women Flyfishers Assoc.

Here are a few pictures of the cabin I stayed in - it was fun. Several of the ladies came over after dinner for drinks and to enjoy the beautiful fireplace! The kingsize bed was a great nights sleep, I only wished that Henry had been able to come with me.

Following breakfast, the clinic highlighted chosing the right fly, tying knots, casting and fishing! Here is a couple of pictures of the instructors: Marion
Phyllis Kim

And finally, here is the group of us that attended the clinic. By the way, I didn't catch a fish but I learned a lot and especially learned that I have a lot to learn about fly fishing!!

Flyfishing at Pella Ponds

Saturday April 9th, I went flyfishing with the Colorado Women's Flyfishing Association to Pella Crossing Ponds in Hygine, CO. The five ponds are stocked by the Colorado Park Service with Blue Gill, Small Mouth and Large Mouth Bass.

Five ladies brought Belly Boats. I'd never heard of a belly boat but you can see from the pictures that these are individual blow up boats that kinda look like a floating chair. Once the boat is inflated, you put on fins. While sitting in the boat, to move around a lake, you paddle your feet. The big trick appeared to be getting the boat down to the water and then sliding into the boat without falling into the water.

Another 6 ladies, myself included, fished from the shore and near shore. Everyone put on waders and boots, hats and sunglasses and waded 3-5 feet from the shore. Wading into the water helped clear the shore with the fly line because there was alot of brush around the edges. I fished with a lady named Cherri, a retired school teacher, and we made our way around the pond with no luck. Here is a picture of Reanna and Joanie, two members of the club fishing from the bank.

After lunch we moved to a different location and began to catch Blue Gill. I caught 7 small fish using a size 18 midge. I'm embarrased to say how small they were but it was all anyone was catching, even the experienced flyfishing women.

But, the fishing was fun and meeting women from Colorado that enjoy fishing was even better.

The next club trip will be to the NorthFork Ranch on April 24th where a flyfishing clinic will be held on the South Platte River.

Restoration in Progress

Henry and I continue to work on the Globetrotter. The worst problem we've encountered is the pest infestion. We've cleaned poop and nests from cabinets, ,oven, refrig, wheelwells, and even under the old tile. So far we've not found anywhere that the mice didn't visit first. Henry pulled off the air conditioner unit and even in that the mice had chewed up insulation and left a trail.

During the past month, we've managed to remove the couch frames, the stove unit, the refrigerator and the heater. The cabinets above the couches and the kitchen unit have been removed. I'm afraid the applicance will need replaced and I don't know where we'll find those units, but I'm sure it's just a matter of location and dollares.

Yesterday the kitchen cabinets were removed. The floor has been scraped and the plywood seems intact. As we work our way to the rear of the unit, the closets will be removed next and then, the bathroom!

It seems like it's taking a long time but with the amount of damage, it seems we can only work in short bursts of efforts. I'm hopeful that the inside is gutted by the end of the month but the going is pretty slow.

Globetrotter Restoration Begins

The first step was moving the trailer from it's home in the weed to a site setup for restoration. Henry hooked on and pulled, thinking the little trailer would pop out of the ground and start rolling to its new home. Not! The brakes were locked up! So, Henry pulled off the tires, and with a puller, removed the rusty hubs. After a couple hours of work, he had it put back together and hooked up to his 1962 Willy Jeep and ready to roll. He thought it fitting that the '62 Jeep was pulling a '62 trailer!!

The first stop was to a garbage site and we began by throwing out as much as possible that wasn't nailed down. In the shot to the left, you see our friend, Garth, watching stuff fly from the inside (you can barely see Henry's gloved hand, just on the edge of the door, pitching out a handful). This little trailer was used for storage of hunting supplies for years. Inside were old geese decoys, ducks heads, netting, boots, in addition to pots and pans, canned goods, papers, and trash.The mouse pooh, wasp nests, dirt dobber homes, rats nest, and smell of urine was and is overwhelming. I really hand it to Henry for that days work!

Once the worst was removed, Henry moved the trailer to a cement pad where she will sit as we begin to restore her. This place is about 200' from the house, has access to water and electricity and with the cement underneath should make scooting under and climbing in a little easier.

It looks like we'll be stripping it bare and then reworking from the inside out. The good news, she's got potential.

Keep checking back for more progress.

1962 Airstream Globetrotter

The first time I ventured out on my own with this new flyfishing adventure, I went to The Flyfishing show in Denver, CO. This was a typical outdoor showing of equipment, seminars, demonstrations, and booths saleing goods, expect it focused only on flyfishing.

At the show I met two ladies, Maruee and Dianne that had set up Vintage trailers. These little one and two person trailers were decorated in cowgirl themes. I learned the Sisters on the Fly were a group of ladies that enjoyed flyfishing and the company of other women interested in a variety of adventures. The SOTF's moto is "We have more fun than anyone". In addition to fishing, the Sisters have embraced the restoration of vintage trailers. Many of these ladies have trailers and if you check their website www.Sistersonthefly.com you'll see a variety of units.

The fishing, the trailers and the ladies were very intriquing to me.

Since that initial meeting I have contacted and meet several Colorado Sisters for lunch. Dianne, Vicki, Peggy, Crista, Doreen, Irene, Bev, Lisa, Lane, Ellen, Drea, Malita, Jan, June, Cathleen and I went last Saturday to the Timeless Travel Trailers for a tour of the reconstruction and restoration plant operated in Wheatland, CO.

As I investigated and learned more, I started thinking about owning a trailer of my own, one that I could manage and one that Henry and I could use to have "mini" holiday weekends together. Near our home, in a field of weeds, was an unused 1962 Airstream Globetrotter. The 19 foot trailer was a shiny symbol of days gone by. I learned who the owner was, Jim, and I contacted him to see if he was interested to get rid of the trailer.

Jim was very kind on the phone and asked me if I had looked at the unit to know if I was up to the task. I told him I didn't want to snoop around without permission , he gave it and I tromped into the field to look inside of the trailer. Oh my, the insides were a mess. There was an open window and probably lots of holes where varmits of all description had visited the interior. The smell alone should run animals and humans away.

I was not deterred. I called Jim back and told him I thought I'd like to try and restore the Globetrotter. It was two weeks before I heard any news. I had just returned from a business trip to Texas when there was a knock on the door. There in a black cowboy hat as a tall stranger, Jim. We talked awhile and he then asked if I really thought I would like to work on the trailer, to which I answered yes. "It's yours", he said. "Really?". Yes.

I asked him a little about the trailer. He said his father had bought the Airstream and he and his mother would come out to this property and camp. He would hunt. Later they purchased a bigger unit for long trips to Mexico and he set up the Globetrotter as a permanent camp site. Jim said it had been years since the trailer had been used, which was obvious. Jayne was his mothers name, he said.

So now, this Jane owns a 1962 19' Airstream Globetrotter. I know it's going to be a lot of work which Henry and I will enjoy together. Watch for updates as I post some pictures, descriptions, and details of the transformation. I hope I can do the little trailer justice and honor the gift that was given so generously.

Fly Fishing

I read a book, River Girls, in September 2009. This is a story , complete with instructions, about women fly fishing with knowledge and skill. There were four girls highlighted, each discussing how they got interested in fly fishing and the mentors that taught them. I decided that I could learn to and have studied the lessons presented in River Girls.

When I finished the book, I picked up a cheap fly rod and reel combo and started to employ the techniques that I'd read about. The first hurdle was knot typing. Oh my gosh, why don't girls learn knots in Girl Scouts! It took me three hours to decide that I could not tie a Nail Knot! The Nail Knot is a flat lying knot that ties the fly line to the Leader. The leader is a thiner monofilament line to which you tie the fly. This was not a good experience for me and I ended up at Garrison's Sporting Goods for advise from the resident fishing expert.

At the fly shop, the salesman was really helpful and kind. He didn't laugh at my gear but he guided me to better fly line, tied it onto the reel, and secured a leader. He told me to tie a piece of yarn on the end of the leader and practice casting. Since that day in October, I've been working on my casting, following the directions in the River Girls book. I've learned to tie the fly on with a Improved Cinch Knot, collected some gear including a new rod, waders, boots, vest, net, and flies. And even learned to use tippet, split shot, and a little bit about nymphs, dry flies, and streamers.

I've gotten advise from my friend in Alabama, Charlie, and a Wildlife Guide, Ryan, at the ranch. My effort has paid off with fish on the hook. I caught 4 bass in the pond near our house and have also landed about 9 trout in the stream near the lodge (catch and relase , of course).

Finally, with this small amount of success, I've joined a group of ladies that meet monthly, go fishing together, and host clinic events to promote the sport of fly fishing. The Colorado Women's Fly Fishing Association meets in Denver and so far have planned about 2 trips per month between April 1 and Oct 30th. The first outing is March 27th to the South Platte near Deckers, CO. I'm excited to go but also a little nervous to show off my skills, or lack of them.

I'll write more as I learn more. Check back on the blog, hopefully, I'll be posting some pictures of big trout caught on the fly at interesting places in Colorado!

Jane

Pheasant Season

Its growing to a close but the pheasant season has brought lots of hunters to the Ranch. The birds generally hide in the dried tall grass of winter. As the hunters and their dogs walk through the fields, the birds try to escape. The birds that I've seen are about 1 1/2 feet tall and very colorful.

I was working in my Ranch office and heard some tweeting noises and out the window as a beautiful pheasant. You can see from the colors that he should be able to blend in pretty well to the surroundings. If you get to look close, you see the green and reds on the breast of the males.