Archive for April, 2007

Opening Day

Sunday, April 29th, 2007

Hey Everybody,

   This past week, Mark and I went down and picked up my older brother Butch for a couple weeks worth of fishing. Today we went out with Doug and his brother Ed for the opening day festivities of Trout, Walleye, and Pike. We ended up cathing, between the four of us, 12 Bass with an average weight of 3lbs. Tomorrow we’re going out again in the morning and give it another try.

   Monday we’re heading up to Eckerman for as long as it takes to do what we want to do. I’ve been taking notes so there should be a pretty good story coming out of it all, but until I get back next Saturday or so, I won’t be on. I suppose what I could do is call Don and have him post it in the shithouse what we’ve caught that day. It’s also a nice way to thank Don for letting us use his cabin while he busts his ass everyday at work….I’m sure he’d like to know how much fun we’re having, and I’ll just leave it up to him.

John Feeney Posts

Friday, April 20th, 2007

A Glimpse into the Mind of Nancy Pelosi

A new leader, be very concerned, let’s hope everyone reads this!!!

*It is hard to believe there are American citizens who support her theories
and can make any sense of what she spins. Take a good hard look at what she
wants. Take special note of the last paragraph.*

Nancy Pelosi condemned the new record highs of the stock market as “just
another example of Bush policies helping the rich get richer”.

“First Bush cut taxes for the rich and the economy has rebounded with new
record low unemployment rates, which only means wealthy employers are
getting even wealthier at the expense of the underpaid working class.”

She went on to say, “Despite the billions of dollars being spent in Iraq,
our economy is still strong and government tax revenues are at all-time
highs. What this really means is that business is exploiting the war effort
and working Americans, just to put money in their own pockets.”

When questioned about recent stock market highs she responded, “Only the
rich benefit from these record highs. Working Americans, welfare
recipients, the unemployed and minorities are not sharing in these obscene
record highs. There is no question these windfall profits and income
created by the Bush administration need to be taxed at 100% rate and those dollars
redistributed to the poor and working class.”

“Profits from the stock market do not reward the hard work of our working
class who, by their hard work, are responsible for generating these
corporate profits that create stock market profits for the rich. We in
congress will ne ed to address this issue to either tax these profits or to
control the stock market to prevent this unearned income to flow to the
rich.”

When asked about the fact that over 80% of all Americans have investments
in mutual funds, retirement funds, 401K’s, and the stock market she replied
“That may be true, but probably only 5% account for 90% of all these
investment dollars. That’s just more “trickle down” economics, claiming
that if a corporation is successful that everyone from the CEO to the floor
sweeper benefit from higher wages and job security, which is ridiculous.
How much of this ‘trickle down’ ever gets to the unemployed and minorities
in our county? None, and that’s the tragedy of these stock market highs.”

“We democrats are going to address this issue after the election when we
take control of the congress. We will return to the 60% to 80% tax rates on
the rich and we will be able to take at least 30% of all current lower
Federal income tax payers off the roles and increase government income
substantially. We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our
country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest.”

When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied “We need
to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed, and minorities. For
example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country
who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock
market windfall profits taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these
people the standard of living they would like to have as ‘Americans’.”

Fishing report

Thursday, April 19th, 2007

   Mark and I went out yesterday and I caught one 25 1/2″ pike. It was raining pretty good earlier in the morning so I waited until Mark got up and went out with him. We both used little cleo’s again and I had several hits from smaller fish and I lost one that felt larger than the one I caught. The wind was out of the East so there wasn’t much of a chop, but it was strong enough to raise hell with steering. We saw a couple fish that looked to be salmanoid in shape and they came straight up out of the water, about waist high and then roll to one side. They looked to be around 10#.

   This morning I went out at 7 to a glass smooth lake, and it stayed that way until 10, when I left. I had one hit that put chill’s up my back and one small hit that felt like a rockbass. That’s the trouble with using 6# test spider-wire, any time a Great Northern, or a Muskie want’s your lure, they get it. I think it’s still more fun though. It was nice being the only boat on Lake Charlevoix though, all that water and just me using it. If I ever tried that at 10am during ‘the season’, I’d be another raft of floatsom.

Fishing report

Tuesday, April 17th, 2007

I went out fishing in my boat for the first time today. It’s one of those one piece, vacuum formed, 10 footer’s with an electric motor on the back. Every Spring since I moved back here, I’ve watched the bay open up and I’ve never seen anyone trolling the drop off. I keep reading how about what a great idea it is, ’cause the steelhead gather in the mouth before they head up the river. Plus, a river’s mouth is a great source of food for larger fish and I love to eat fish that eat fish.

I’d wanted to check out the battery that came with the motor, so I headed down the lake as far the swimming beach while pulling a little cleo. I’ve been using those chrome and blue lure’s for years and have always had good results. I was on my way back to my starting spot when I decided to start giving some movement to the lure. Up until then, I’d been running straight and true without any motion to the rod. It wasn’t long after I’d given the rod a pull forward, and then let it drop back that I got my first hit. I didn’t lose the rod, but I did lose the fish so I just kept on keeping on and 20′ further on, it hit again. This time I wasn’t suprised, and I buried that hook as far into that jaw as I could yank.

Whenever I fish in Lake Charlevoix I always set my drag light and I was glad I did. In the first 15 seconds it pulled off another 50′ of line and was still going when I started to tighten it down. When it first took off I thought I had a steelhead because it traveled so strong for so long, but instead of jumping it headed for the bottom. The number one reason I fish steelhead is they like to dance across the surface trying to throw that hook. That brilliant red stripe running the length of a steel blue and silver fish is quite a sight to see, especially if the fish is feeling real aggresive. The madder they are, the redder they get. This one didn’t do that.

It stayed on the bottom and looked for something to wrap the line around, but it’s all sand out there so I figured I’d win this one. I did all the fighting with it still 75′ out so by the time it came to the boat it had just about had it. When I finally got it beside the boat I saw that it was a Northern. I got out my camera and took it’s picture and after some serious yanking, I got the hook out of it’s jaw. I didn’t measure it, but I’m guessing it was about 24″ and weighed around 5 1/2#. These pike are a lot thicker than the ones I’ve caught in St.Clare or Ellsworth lake and if I come across that fish again in a couple weeks, it’s in the boat.

A boy and his dog.

Sunday, April 15th, 2007

Yesterday, Doug, Becky and Jerret came over to deliver a dog for Mark. Annie’s a 2 year old Beagle who’s uterius was soiled by an infidel of dubious lineage, and in so doing, was considered unfit to breed “purebreds” and her young career was soon dashed. Becky who’s heart is worn on her sleeve, was asked if she would save this young female by the mear act of giving her a home, and she did. Doug thought it would be a good idea, as she could help their dog, Lucy, to become a hunter. Lucy’s one fired up beagle, who became even more fired up when Annie showed up, so it was soon obvious that the pair weren’t going to work out.

Mark and I had stopped by a week or so ago and as we visited with them, I noticed that Annie was takin’ a real liking to the two of us. It was mentioned that Annie might be one dog too many, and would we like her? Mark and I talked it over for a week or so, and decided we could handle it. Mark had been wanting a dog for a loooong time and after talking about the pro’s and con’s, we decided to take her on. Friday we went up to Charlevoix and bought all the equipment we’d need along with a couple dog bones and a few toys.

Yesterday they brought her over and we watched her reactions to us and our resident feline, Albert. Annie immediatly checked out the house, (and the cat dish) and found her favorite place to sleep, and did so. She wasn’t there 20 minutes when I could hear her snoring. When it came time for the Frye’s to leave, we put a leash on Annie in case she wanted to go along, but didn’t put up much of a commotion. She sat on her second favorite chair and after watching them drive away, she curled up and went right back to sleep.

The whole thing went down like it was all pre-determined. I’d always wanted a beagle, and a slow quiet one at that and they’re hard to come by. She’s quite and gentle and I think she fit’s our lifestyle exactly. After she’s come to know us better, we’re going to take her to the vet and officially end her career as a breeding bitch. Now her job is going to be that of keeping our chair’s warm when we’re not using them, and our lap’s warm when we are.

It’s too soon to say how Albert’s going to adjust to all of this, and it’ll be interesting to see how it goes.

Butch has his say…

Friday, April 13th, 2007

   Butch and I were talking yesterday about the usual things; World peace, Politics, Women, and fishing, and not particularly in that order. Anyway, he was going on about how pissed he was and I told him that if wanted to write something up, I’d post it here.

I’m confounded, confused, worried, and more than a little scared of the direction this Country of ours is taking … or not taking.  The world is in turmoil, the Country divided, our leaders confused and we are ALL without LEADERSHIP.  No nation can long stand the test of time without leadership.  Admittedly, Democracy is a poor form of Government … but let us not forget that it is still the best form available today.  What this Country needs is a leader, a leader of men, of ideas, of knowledge, and of Courage.  This State, the State of Michigan, is in dire straits too.  Problem?  No Leadership that the masses will follow and support.
Our President is convinced he is right in the path taken.  He is unable to acknowledge that he is wrong.  Leadership is listening to various ideas, weighing the pros and cons and coming to an informed decision.  It is NOT bluster, bravado, braggadocio.  It IS weighing in on all the variables.  And being able to admit that perhaps, just perhaps, there is a better way.  Opinions are like assholes … everyone’s got one.  We didn’t elect one man to run this Country.  We elected a Congress too.  The problem is, the higher you go the more your idea is the best … no matter if right or wrong … and it’s the one that gets implemented.  I am to the point where I don’t trust my Government.  It’s too full of lies.  I’m tired of being treated as an idiot child of a street whore.  I have a say.  YOU have a say.  Yet, it goes unsaid.  So, here we sit, ensconsed in a war that has no reason for being, other than GW’s daddy was shamed and GW is gonna prove to the world that he is right, by God.  He won’t listen to the commanders on the ground.  He doesn’t believe his Intel.  He seems to think giving the kids in Iraq some candy so that they will love America.  He seems to think that he is able to solve a problem that has been going on for 5000 years.  We are fighting not a Government, but a religion.  There are probably more Muslims in the World than any other faith.  We need to be focusing on that, not oil, not the Government.  President Bush, this is not the old West.  Your gun is not the best.  It may be the biggest, but it’s not the best.  Didn’t we learn anything in VietNam?  A ragtag outfit of conscripts and a few regulars, but one helluva leader, beat us.  No doubt about it.  The Leader beat us.  Why not, we educated him.  What makes our leadership so damn cocksure ours is the best way?  Because we have the biggest guns?  To quote “Al Borlan” from the TV show Tool Time, … “I don’t think so, Tim”.
We should be taking a long look at what our Founding Fathers envisioned our Government should be.  A Government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”  They envisioned a civilian run government.  Not professional politicians.  Not people who worried more about being re-elected to office, but to be there and get some things done FOR THE PEOPLE.  As a Congressman or Senator or President, if you are in office for one term you get full retirement benefits after one term.  Men and women throughout America work all their lives and most still won’t get a retirement.  Their jobs are being snatched away from them on whims, or for profit.  These people work hard all their lives … politicians only have to serve one term.  And this is OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE?  Wake up lads, tell me it ain’t so.
My vote for our leadership?  Consider a CEO of a major company.  He’s smart enough to run a major corporation, and run it efficiently or he gets booted out.  A man like that knows how to deal with people, to use their knowledge, to direct their actions, to develop their ideas.  These men are not geniusses, but they know how to get things done.  Henry Ford (the First) maintained that he would surround himself with people who knew more than he did.  When he learned all they knew, he replaced them with more people that again, knew more than he did.  The man was mildly successful.
Take government away from the politicians.  Put it in the hands of people who want to get things done, and have the means to do it.  Yeah, LEADERS.  Now you’re catching on.  Perhaps a few quotes will further define what I’m trying to get across.  Abraham Lincoln once said, “If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”  Guess we’ve all seen President Bush’s character.  “Stay the Course”.  Stay the course my achin’ ass.  This ain’t the Titanic.
Those of you who have served this great nation in the military.  Remember that oath you took when you enlisted?  Something about “to protect and defend, against all enemies, foreign AND domestic.”  Guess what guys, nowhere did it say “for the 4 years you’re gonna serve”.  Then you don’t have to ”protect and defend …” anymore.  I took the oath.  Served proudly in those bell bottomed trousers.  I will relinquish that oath when I’m on the wrong side of the dirt.
Our State is going to hell, the Country is going to hell.  Let us wake up!  Pretty soon it may be too late.  We are a Democracy.  Statistically, a Democracy will stand for about 200 years.  Can’t anybody else SEE we are quickly losing our “Democracy”?  Look at your next political candidates, closely.  Lets choose one who will … and can … lead this nation.  Times, they are a changin’.  Anyone know a good CEO that is available?
And you know what REALLY pisses me off?  The State has quit stocking Brown Trout and Rainbows and Brookies.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Walleye a lot but c’mon, the Governor’s Office, and not just Granholm, have run this State into the ground.  Republican as well as Democrat.  Lets get someone in there that knows how to run big business.  This State and the National Government sure need them.
_________________________________________________________________________
Mike, if this is too long go ahead and cut it down.  I got fired up and I’m glad you let me vent.
                                                       Semper Fi

Until death do us part

Thursday, April 12th, 2007

   When one speaks those words before your mate, your family, and God, you feel the importance of it. When I said those words I had visions of laying in my bed, holding my wife’s hand and passing on knowing that I’d followed my promise to the very end. But when that marrige causes the passing, then I had a decision to make. I could either stay married and find my early departure into Jesus arms, or seperate and continue to follow his path for me. For a while, I vasilated between the two and I was leaning more towards Jesus arms, but I was informed that I still had work to do, and that’s what did it. Now it’s just Mark and I in this house and I’m doing my level best to help him achieve his ability to survive when it is my turn to go into HIS arms.

   I’m sorry the way things worked out, and even more so for letting it become this way, but when I heard; “God helps those who help themselves” I decided it was aimed towards me.

Rock fishing

Tuesday, April 10th, 2007

   Even from my earliest memories I remember the various opening days I’ve had for the trout season. They always started on the evening before. All of my Uncles and Aunts would gather at Grandpa’s house, when it was in Livonia, and later on at their home on Union Lake. Aunt Millie would start making whiskey sours and dad would head over to the buffet and get the Penochle cards out….double deck. Butch and I would sit next to Grandpa and listen to him tell his fishing stories. We could tell when were going to get a doozie; if he first put in a chaw of tobacco, then pack his pipe, and after lighting it, his left arm would rest above his head. He’d take a draw off the pipe, lean over and spit in his can, then tell us of the days on the Jordan, when sunlight never touched it’s waters. Holes you could sink ships into, and enough fish in them to sink the one your fishing from. Hemlock and Cedar so big it took 4 men reaching around to incompass one, and enough mosqueto’s to drain all four of their blood. He talked of a hole just across the river from Kitt Carson’s cabin that he’d caught over 50 Brookies but he only kept the 10 that were over 5lbs, so everyone could eat that night. About then he’d take out his chaw and re-pack his pipe. Stories like that would go on until 11:30pm and then he’d say, “Bout time you guys geared up”, and Butch and I would head for the basement to get our stuff.

   Butch had starting getting his gear ready about 6 weeks before, and I’d done my that day. He’d empty out his tackle box’s to inspect every lure and put a stone to every hook. He’d hone’em until he could lightly touch the tips, and bleed a drop. He always had a spartan but highly functional plastic box he kept his stuff in. My tackle box looked like a chinese fire drill. Butch always delt with the genre and I worked on the species, several in fact. It’s good that I only used a small one or the clusterfuck in the middle would be beyond all porportions. At 11:58, Butch and I would head out on the dock and at midnight, we’d start fishing.

   On another opening day, we celebrated it a week in advance. Uncle Pete was the manager of the Union Lake Dunham’s. Dunham’s back then was owned by two people who ran 3 stores. One was on E. Jefferson, another at Orchard Lake rd. and Northwestern hwy, and the third at Union Lake. Uncle Pete knew how to run a sporting goods store; it was always open when it needed to be, he knew which bait was the most effective on any particular spot on that lake, and was more than happy to help you, in any way he could. Uncle Pete was 6′6″, and a line of bullshit that was twice the depth, and knew how to spread it. Customers varied from the guy who lived back in the woods near there, to vice presidents of Fords, and even Ted Lindsey would stop in from time to time. They were all there to listen to Uncle Pete’s fishing stories. So, to say Uncle Pete was busy on opening day, would be like asking if the Pope prayed on Sundays. And, since he was going to be busy doing God’s work the following weekend, he should be able to start his a week before.

   Then, as now, the D.N.R. frowned on those whom partook of this yearly event, and Uncle Pete had a way to get around that. When we were loading our boat, Uncle Pete was placing fist sized cobble stone into the bow. When I asked about it, he said it was for ballast, and I let it go at that. Just at daylight, we started trolling along the drop off with spoons, and followed the lake contour. We were about 20 minutes into our first run when Uncle Pete had one on. He idled the engine down and brought in a nice 13″ rainbow and set it down next to me in the bow. He said “After you unhook it, throw a stone over the side and the fish under the seat”. I looked up at him and he had that “Cheshire cat” look on his face and he said “Rock fishin’”. He said if we’re being watched by the DNR, they’ll see you bring in the fish, and then throw it back. Just as easy as that. All three of us limited out that day, and I didn’t feel bad at all the next weekend when I didn’t.

Augusta

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

   Today is the day that Spring offically begins, the final round of the Masters is going to be played. Every year, for the last 30 years I’ve watched this game played, and for the first 20, I didn’t even like golf. “Cow Pasture pool” was what my dad called it, and I use to call it “Pussy grass”. At the time I was working at Detroit Country Day School as the Grounds Foreman. The school had around 99 acres of Grounds, spread out over a community, and the main campus has about 60. Of that, 45 acres were turf and the rest were the Building’s, and a wooded area.

   The turf was all Bluegrass with a fine fescue and two types of Rye mixed in and it was a joy to walk on. Because of the pounding all those kids would do, I kept the grass at 3 1/2″ and the stuff grew like crazy. I was growing grass like God intended, long and lush and strong enough to land aircraft on it. Golfers played on pussy grass. Even to talk to those greens superintendents at the Conferences I used to attend, was a little more than I wanted. I heard them dudes standing at the bar, and compairing nemitode control methods and actually get excited when the conversation got around to pathogens. Geez. Anyway, after sitting all winter looking at white snow and getting very sick of brown when it melts, comes a program with deep green fairways, and tightly mowed greens. Azalia’s and Rhodo’s in the background, a couple dogwood and I was in heaven. For 20 years I sat there and watched and had no idea who was playing the game. Then one year I came up here to celebrate Easter with my parents, and dad was watching it on t.v.

   I couldn’t believe it. Honest to God, my dad watching golf on t.v., and he knew who they all were! I was dumbfounded. So that’s when I started paying attention to who was doing what to whom, and why, and how, with a very beautiful backdrop. It’s even got to the point now where I’ve started to play the game, and dad don’t roll over in his grave so much.

Onto us this day…

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Hello everybody, I’m a grandpa again and this time to a Grandson. Mariah and Jon Kamradt are the proud parents of Owen Michael Kamradt, born 04/07/07 at a weight of 9lbs, 1oz and 21″ long. I havn’t called Jon yet to congratulate them, and let this be the first of many…(congratulations, not more kids). Mark and I will be driving out there later on in the Spring, or early Summer to see them all. It does a Grandpa wonders to know that the name will prevail and that Jon’s gonna get his just due.

In other news….

The Easter Bunny will not be delivering eggs this morning so don’t feel offended if nothing show’s up. Mark and I were out at Doug and Becky’s home yesterday to offer up last years tree trimmings to the Gods of Spring and Snow. Spring because it says so on the calander, and Snow because that’s what it was doing at the time. In the 6 hours we were there watching the pyre we had 5″ of snow fall on us. An absolulty beautiful day to hold such proceedings and except for immulating one long eared, bushy tailed rodent, it went very well. For a while there, Becky and I were looking for someone to offer up a sheep or maybe a Lamb. One vehicle kept driving by, sometimes going forward, sometimes in reverse and we thought maybe that would be the one. Turns out he didn’t know how to drive in snow and couldn’t get up the hill. The last time he went by, he was doing 50 and since we didn’t hear a scrunch, we’re assuming he made it. We had a very nice day of it and I look forward to next year when the pile will be three times the size.