Retirement??

[dleo6446]

Well, so far retirement is more time consuming than working...lol it kept me from the fish-in, it is keeping me from fishing (for a while longer) and there is a never ending battle with getting things that we take for granted set up. Insurance is a real pain in the anterior posterior just to mention one. Fortunately my insurance continues for a few more days then I am on my own!!! Fly-rods!! There is more flyrod work to do now, (thank goodness) than ever before but it is digging into my time to get myself set up as a bonafide business that can legally (for tax purposes) do some of the things I want to do. and last but certainly not least is the ever demanding time that is placed on me to spend time with my bride of 38 years that has been so supportive of all that I have done in the past...she is a great woman and I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. she bought me a river boat as a retirement gift, now it just doesnt get any better than that.

I really wanted to go to the fish in, but I found out that my family had much bigger plans, and while I know that I missed out on a really great event (like Mikeys cooking, Jacks furled leaders, and seeing JC do his casting demonstration in a full Tux), I think my decision to stay here and spend some time with my family was the right decision, it's times like the past 2 weeks that we live for.

After looking back over my shoulder at all the years of work and the things that I missed by not being home a lot, there is little doubt in my mind that God played a magnificant role in blessing me with such a wonderful family, with good friends, and with the abilities that he has blessed me with, and I am starting to believe that the deciples were fly fishermen, because flyfisherpeople are definitley closer to God I believe.

Thanks to Mike Flannigan for calling me to check up on me and to Clyde Holmes for emailing me to make sure that everything is AOK here in the Big Orange country.Now it is catch up time for all kinds of things, and Thanks to FAOL for being there for all of us.

[ohiotuber]

Leo,
Nice to see that you were able to come up for air! We did miss you at the Fish-In, but you can always head up to visit your daughter & go steelheading with me this October/November. Get here on a Friday & I'll throw a bunch of brisket in the smoker for a big Saturday food fest. I'll even see if I can get Brads' cherry cobbler recipe....that was some good stuff!
Come to think of it, we should plan on something like that & see how many of our local folks want to join us.
Keep us posted on the business end. I know there are a number of us here who will support you. Folks, Leo is a CRAFTSMAN when it comes to building & restoring rods. He does beautiful work.
Talk to you soon Leo...(watch for fudge).
Mikey

[J Castwell]

Double edged sword, this 'family' thing here with FAOL. Sometimes it has actually cemented a family at home,,, and thats a very good thing. Glad you're living life to its fullest but do hope you can find time to joins us sometime at 'Fish-In's' also. Twin 'chili-pepper red' Sage TCR's firing in both directions while dressed like a Penguin was not a picture easily removed from one's mind, no matter how hard they continue to this day. We all had a fun time and I still have ringing in my ears the comment from some #%$@ in the 'peanut gallery,"Hey JC, I thought you were going to do some double-haul."
To cast them in unison, then run them out of phase with them going in opposite directions and them getting them back in line was hard enough. And I loved every minute of it. But "noblesse Oblige," 'when ya got it, blow it! An accurate description of my casting. Look forward to meeting up with you someday, soon.

[Photojoe4]

Best of luck man. Clyde told me about your new business venture, and I can't WAIT till you get it up and going. Definitely keep us in the loop!

Regards,
Joe Martin
Salem, OR

[LadyFisher]

So glad to hear from you *S* We have missed you.

[dleo6446]

Well ther is one thing for sure, now that all of that stuff is nearly over with I am about to do some serious catching up on my fishing.

Mikey I may just take you up on that as I plan on going up there for the Steelhead run this year. We can go after some of those big boys then tear that brisket up.

JC I would LOVE to have seen that, That TCR is one dynamite rod and would have loved to have seen both of them working like that. I had a rod I wanted you to try out anyway, it's an old Hardy JET, 9' 6 wt. Man waht a caster that thing is even in my hands.

Joe, thanks a lot I am doing a lot of work right now getting set up with various manufacturers and plan on getting started sometime around or right after Christmas so that I have a neat little operation going by the spring of the year. I know one of the offering that I will have will be some kit rods in Split Bamboo that will come with the ferrules already fitted but not glued, and the reelseats already fitted but not glued as well, lots of folks don't have the equipment to do those things properly.

I won't talk much about that on here though until I have my business ready to go, and have a sponsership on here as well, just wouldn't be the right thing to do.

Thanks Deanna, you and JC sure did a great job in the redesigning of the board...looks great, and is very functional...just need a spelcheker....

Leo;
I know I'm not "Local" to Mike but I'd like to join in this fall.

[J Castwell]

dleo,,, workin' on one.

[nighthawk]

Leo,
Best wishes and very glad to hear from you.

[J Castwell]

dleo,,, careful what you ask for. As of last night, I have been asked to do the slide show and the casting program for Idaho. Yes, distance contest too, with a drawing to pick a winner. The Maestro will reapear once again, plus other events scheduled by Denny.