Some of my favorite memories of growing up include fishing trips to Three Lakes Park. I would dig up worms to “help” you out. I wasn’t ever afraid to get dirty (something I think I inherited from you). I actually have a lot of memories with us fishing together. Like the time that I caught the Rockfish that was probably about 18” long. I couldn’t reel it in, so you had to do the work. Actually, I don’t even think I baited my own hook that day, so really all I did was stand there with the pole and hand it to you when I knew the fish was there! I think the greatest fish tale is when you caught what I think we decided was a Cownose Ray. You had him on spider wire, so the line was NEVER going to break. You waited until he tired himself out by swimming up and down the shoreline. About 45 minutes to an hour later, you hauled in this HUGE, monster of a sea creature. It had a least a 4 foot wing span, and was probably a foot thick. I don’t think I would have believed it if I weren’t there!

One of my favorite memories is that trip that you, Rhiannon and I took to Mountaintop Ranch to go trail riding. We had mostly walked the entire narrow, winding trail. The horses picking up steam every now and then when the trail opened up a little bit. When the trail suddenly led out of the woods, into an open field, we were warned that the horses “would pick up a little trot” as they knew they were almost home. The horses took one look across that field, broke into a gallop, and hauled as fast as they could. I just remember looking back at you, holding on as tight as you could, pulling back on the reins as hard as you could, with your legs flapping up and down, and screaming “MY BRAKES DON’T WORK!”

Of all the memories I have with you, I think my favorite is when you began taking me to start riding Heidi’s horses, Rumors and Swinger. You recorded video (thank God that footage is lost…), of Rhiannon and I taking turns on the two horses, learning the very basics in riding. Little did you know back then, that these first few lessons turned into this crazy, ridiculous, head over heels passion, which has now consumed half of my life (yes I’ve been riding over half my life now…makes you feel old, huh?). If it weren’t for you giving me my first experience in the saddle, I can’t imagine who I would be today. For that, I can’t put into words how thankful I am.

Cat in the dishwasher