The fishin's fine....

.....at Gardner pond and in the busy lives we live, it's not many a dad any more that can get his kids out throwin' out the line but Spencer took the time last week while he was here to let the kids give it a try. My boys had the opportunity to know what "Fishing Season" was when they were growing up and believe me, it was pretty exciting around our house as they planned for "opening day" at Enterprise Rez. They'd get their gear together and go shopping. They only needed 2 items to take care of them for the morning. They soon learned that the less time cooking, the more time fishing, and somewhere along the line, chocolate marshmallow cookies were renamed "Fishing Cookies". Those and a gallon of milk is all they would pack for the morning. Off they would go to camp the night before and I was never there so I don't know what the real truth is, but sometimes they caught their limit and sometimes they didn't. I remember that Scott would always take Kyle and Spencer when they were really young but he would never take Mason. He would say "He's too young".....and I would remind him that he took the other boys when they were that age. Mason did get to go eventually and he did take the girls a time or two. We would go up to Panguitch Lake and camp and fish a bit. I always teased him that I couldn't watch them fish because I've never actually seen a fish being caught so I was bad luck for them. To this day I don't think I've seen one being caught but I've heard a lot of stories and they are in these pictures so I'm pretty sure it happens. I've accused them of stopping by the supermarket on the way home to purchase a bunch of fish.....never the less, good times. Some fishing trips include the Reber's, Scott's brothers Gawain and Gary and their kids and any other kid that either didn't have a dad to take him or hadn't ever had the experience. Scott was good to make a party out of the adventure and take anyone along that didn't mind their routine.

I wouldn't call him an "avid" fisherman by any means but if avid means what the dictionary says (–adjective 1.enthusiastic; ardent; dedicated; . 2.keenly desirous;) then I would say in the last few years of his life, he was moving very close to becoming one. He had a huge desire to learn to fly fish and got all the gear but was only able to go a few times before getting sick. I'm hoping there's fishing in heaven.....if so, he's a happy man. I think he learned a very powerful lesson through all of life's struggle and that was to slow down as much as he could, read a good book when he wanted to; study, pray and prepare for what was to come.....but take the time periodically to put up the sign on the door...."GONE FISHIN' ".