Swinging Back

It has been a while since I was last here, thank you to all who have reminded me through social media, emails and phone calls. Thank you so very much and all your kind and encouraging words have had an impact.

Gather around as always, find a place to settle down, Introduce yourself if you are new. Please do leave a comment if you would like. This is a safe place and a place where you can hopefully find some love, so please let all your cares and worries go for a few minutes as I catch you up on what the past year or so has brought.

It can be challenging at the best of times, you know this thing called life we face on a daily basis. Add in the accumulating years, some health issues, world issues and it can take its toll. Meanwhile the river just keeps flowing, day and night, season after season.

I like to think of myself as being in the "Composting Lane" of life. Some of you can relate, others are in the process of pulling over a little and letting the traffic keep up with its dizzy pace we see it as it passes.

Health issues began in August of last year with a full blown Gallbladder attack. After spending 5 days in the hospital waiting it was finally removed. It was not a fun trip I can assure you, one day led into another and the Morphine flowed freely. The Doctor shared with me after the fact it was one of the worse he had seen. Never the less this old guy is running around with one less body part to have to worry about.

If anything I think I was more annoyed that I had to cancel a long awaited Sturgeon fishing trip. Needless to say I was not all pleased. So back at the ranch in flatland Alberta I went through a long and painful recovery. It was one I care not to repeat.

If you want to get a workout like non you will find in a gym then come to Canada and fish the Frazer River in British Columbia. The river is very diverse in many kinds of fish depending on what time of the year you book a charter. The guide I used this particular day was an amazing wealth of information and professionalizm and a true gentleman of the sport. His normal day for a charter is 8 hours, his rates are some of the best found. In all truth the 8 hour day, lunch and beverage included was 650.00 Canadian.

The day started at 7 am, we were on location by 7:30 and by 7:40 I was battling the first of 16 fish to be caught during the day. The first was the average size of 125 pounds, just under 4 feet in length. By noon my arms and shoulders were having a serious discussion as to wether I was sane or not. By the time were were heading back to the dock my knuckles were dragging on the bottom of the boat.

The largest I caught that day (Picture Attached) came in at 7.4 feet and weighed close to 350 pounds. Sturgeon are protected, they are strictly catch and release and not allowed inside the boat. The only hooks allowed are barbless hooks, they are fought until they are tired. Once brought to the side of the boat they are relatively harmless, you simply pop the hook out and they swim away. They recover quickly to be caught another day.

It is indeed an amazing fishery and one I will be back to visit again this coming August. Many years ago I rented a small cabin on someones property. The couple had two children aged 7 and 9. I used to take them out camping and fishing. Some 30 years later we are going to do it again. What a blessing it will be to spend time doing something we all love again. Funny seems strange as they now have children of their own.

For anyone who has been following over the several years I have been on HP or followed other links I think you are well aware of the love and respect I have for nature. She simply speaks into my soul and resonates with me for ever of the rewards and majesty she has.

You as a writer soon become aware of all the distractions when you attempt to publish your own novels. First is the editing process which seems mundane, this is followed by self marketing and promoting your works. Needless to say you are soon marketing on each and every social media outlet you can find. If you are fortunate enough to be successful you can hire an agent to do it for you. Hopefully after a great deal of rejections a publisher will pick up your work, soon you are free to simply create.

I recently found an app which tracks my time online, where I spend most of my time, Facebook was the greatest of time robbers for me. I made the decision a month ago to close both my pages. Not because of those who followed me but more so those whom I had accepted as friends and had little or no contact with. It was enlightening one morning I checked and read through the many posts, what I saw I think is what helped make the choice. An unnamed lady had written a post her cat had woke her up during the night coughing and gagging. Well ok that is somewhat normal I suppose. It was the picture she posted later in the day of the hairball the cat had left behind. I mean really.

I will let it cool its heels for a while reopen my pages again and will be doing some constructive housecleaning. So if you have been looking for me on FaceBook, I am still alive and well, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment.

I have been taking a break from writing seriously and decided to simply have some fun. I am at approximately 30,000 words into a novel and have decided rather than publish traditionally I will release it chapter by chapter here on HP...

Thank you for following along, please know that I love and care for each of you. I guess you can say I am back on HP again... Hugs to all...

@ Rolly A. Chabot