Gone Camping/Fishing...

Well, we are off on the big camping trip down to Bliss to catch the big ones. Wish us well and an open camping spot...

Trippin with Oliver...

Tuesday, Oliver and I went down to DaHole, my favorite fishing hole in Bliss, and didn't catch any fish... But, it was a nice day and we got there late. I basically wanted him to see the place we were going to camp on Friday and show him around the area. It would have been nicer to have caught a big one or two, but that will happen later on this week.

Then, in the afternoon, we went over to Tupper Grade in Hagerman for some trophy trout fishing. Oliver caught the biggest one, a rainbow, which was about 20" long and real feisty. I caught a little brown and golden trout, but both of mine put together wouldn't have made 1/2 of Oliver's catch.

That was also our anniversary, but since we had been eating so well, we decided to just order in a couple of pizzas and relax for the evening.

Yesterday, Oliver and I went to town and gathered up stuff for the upcoming camping trip on Friday. We also put tire sealer in the little Honda Mini-Trail's tires so hopefully we don't have tire troubles out in the bush. We also have these two way radios so if someone does get stopped when they are out and about, that they can phone home for a rescue, instead of having to push it back to camp.

We also got a little two person rubber boat to play with at DaHole, which should be fun. The weather is suppose to be about 94deg and the water temp is probably in the high 60ies, so it should feel refreshing.

Last night we took Oliver to the Twin Falls County Fair for the first time. It was crowded and they were out of Tater Pigs - a unique culinary delicacy of Da Fair. We then went to the Josh Turner concert and were pretty underwhelmed by both types of his music...

Today, we are going to pack for the trip and get my second back epidural shot to hopefully calm down some of this back pain I have been having for about a month now.

Then, if I am up for it, we are going back to the fair to see Oliver's first real Rodeo and hopefully a Tater Pig or two...

Friday morning we are going to finish packing and head down to DaHole to setup the camp. Pam is going to drive down to Bliss and we will meet her after work. We should be out of there sometime on Saturday, depending on how much fun everybody is having and how hot it is.

Big Fun with Oliver...

We picked up Oliver in Boise on Saturday. We stopped at Cabela's Hunting and Fishing Superstore. Then we had a good dinner at a local fish restaurant on the way home.

Sunday, we got Oliver's fishing license and checked out Sportsman's Warehouse here in Twin Falls. Then we went target shooting a 1/2 mile or so away from the house, out in the BLM land. Pam rode the Honda Mini-Trail there and Oliver rode it back. We then went fishing over in Hagerman in the afternoon and later we had a great dinner of Beef Fillets with Bearnaise sauce and asparagus sauteed in garlic and watched Wild Hogs on DVD.

Today, we spend the first part of the day gathering supplies for the week end camping/fishing trip in Bliss. Then, this afternoon, we took a ride down to the local new fishing hole called Scotts Access. Oliver was impressed with the road, going down and back up the canyon wall. He said it was scary going back up also, which tickled me. I go up and down it all the time. Then, not be to outdone and having to step it up again, Pam cooked us veal Marsala with fettuccine and another batch of great asparagus. And we wrapped up the evening with a viewing of Borat... ... ... I don't remember it being so... ... ...

If you have noticed a thread of asparagus in all these great dinners, this was because when we went forging for food yesterday, we ended up searching for asparagus at 3 stores, because I didn't think the first, and most obvious, choice would have it.. And, after going all the other places ,we stopped by the first place I didn't go to, "Just to See", and they had the best asparagus ever, so Pam bought 3 bunches of it and we have been enjoying it daily... Since we all love the stuff, it is all good, but humorous, just the same.

Tomorrow, Oliver and I are going the DaHole in Bliss and seriously work on catching a big one and check out the place for the camping trip this Friday night.

Wednesday, we are going to prep for the trip and go to the fair and watch a concert. It will have both kinds of music played - Country and Western.

Thursday, I am having a back epidural shot and then later on in the evening we are off to the fair again for the Rodeo and pack for the camping trip.

Friday morning, Oliver and I are off to set up the camp of Bliss, and fish. when Pam gets off of work, I am going to meet her in Bliss and bring her down to the camp, since it takes a 4X4 to get down there and her Lincoln LS doesn't do dirt. We will be camping down there, around the fire, and fishing all night for some really big ones. This will be our first all night fishing/camping trip and should be great fun. We are going to take the little Honda Mini-Trail along so Oliver can putt around on it in his spare time.

We are having big fun here in DaHo...

Doing Well and Getting Ready for Oliver...

Thursday night was the last night of my 9-ball league. I did well, wining 4 of my 6 games and we beat the other team by 14-4. I am not sure how well we did overall as all the stats since the first week of the league haven't been compiled yet... So, I don't know what will happen from here on. I also don't know if we will be having any sort of end of league tournament or awards banquet or whatever. I guess time will tell, as it always does.

My back is feeling better most of the time. I get these intense muscle spasms that can stop me in my tracks, but I learned that they are tension, or stress related and that I can 'manage' them in fleeting moments mentally with my yoga/meditation training. So, I am not sure what that means, at this point, as that could be a full time job at times, and not possible on others. I think it is good news, but just don't know exactly how yet...

So, since I was feeling better, I went to Bliss again yesterday - Fishing of course. I have been hearing about using worms to catch Sturgeon lately and have been trying to figure out how to set up the rigs to do it. And, finally hooked up with a real feisty 6'er yesterday on worms. It fought for almost a half hour, taking out a lot of line on many occasions, but with my current equipment and back harnesses, I had no problem landing it with it all being great fun. I was able to lean up against this large rock so I could rest my back a lot of the time. It was probably in the 125# weight range, as it was heavy and powerful. Big Fun!!

Then, when I got home, I stopped by Walmart to get some more worms and get some Bearnaise sauce, as we were out from our great steak dinners of late. After spending about 30 minutes of walking down every appropriate isle, without luck, I finally found an English speaking employee, a challenge all in itself there, and after explaining what it was, and that it usually was by the Hollandaise sauce used for Eggs Benedict, we both searched for it. After that failed, she went back to talk to the 'experts' and after about another 20 minutes of waiting with my back freaking out, she came back and said they didn't really know what it was and didn't have any. She said that maybe I should go to a gourmet store, or someplace like that, for something so special, Grumble...

So, I gave it up and while I was in line checking out, she came running up waving a sauce packet, and yelling that she finally found it. It was Hollandaise sauce, Grumble, Grumble...

Then, I went to another store and after some heavy searching, did end up finding the Bearnaise sauce. I bought all they had, just in case it was a fluke and I might never find it again here in DaHo...

When I got home, I had a phone message from Grandson Oliver. We have been trying to coordinate his schedule for coming here for a fishing trip for a couple of weeks, as they have been cruising the West on a family RVacation. He is flying in today and staying until a week from Sunday, so it will be a busy and fun time this week.

Tonight, after we pick him up, we will probably first go to the Cabela's store that was just about to open before he was here last year and then to the local race track to see the last "Trailer Race of Destruction", which is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen and have chronicled in this tome before. Then, next week, the Twin Falls County Fair is going and there are lots of big fun stuff always going on there, with concerts, destruction derbys, rodeos, monster truck events and the such every night, so it should be a lot more than just fishing this year. I think I wore him out with fishing last year...

September Newsletter Article...

Cost vs. Value...

By Lanny Keithley


Last month, we delved into the concept exploring “Free Help is Seldom worth the Price”. This month, we will extend those thoughts into evaluating what costs are appropriate to get the value we expect from the product or service we are purchasing.

One rule that I have used in my life that has saved considerable time and energy, is having a minimum cost level under which I do not consume any effort in trying to do better. I get what I like and don’t worry about my normal ‘cost vs. value’ considerations. Say, my level is $10, for example. If I am getting something that is less expensive than that, I just grab the one that catches my eye and get it. Without having such a rule, I could easily spend hours trying to save a dollar or two and my time and energy are worth more than that. This is especially true with the gas prices of today. As my resources, and the value of my time, change throughout life, I adjust my personal minimum cost level as appropriate. Just implementing this concept should take care of the little decisions that can consume a lot of your available free time.

The concept of “Free Time” is having mental time available that you are not compelled to be focused on, or consumed by, the topic. When you’re bogged down in constant worry and concern, you don’t feel free inside. Managing the level of free time you allow yourself to experience is the real message in this article. One of the biggest areas of our available free, time that we have the ability to control and manage, is in selecting and purchasing all the things we need and want in life.

Throughout this article, I will be using three different product examples for discussion. These will be: a car to represent a large and important long term commitment, a puppy for the emotional and personal issues, and a broom for a non-emotional utilitarian, but required, object. Each of these items are above our personal minimum cost level, or we wouldn’t even be wasting our time talking about them – right?

The first thing you need to do when considering any acquisition is to identify what it is and the real value it represents in your life. You also need to define and consider any available alternatives. Your first thought might be that you need a car but, if the real need is to commute to work, there might be other alternatives to solve that particular problem that are worth consideration.

Once you have decided to consider purchasing something, you need to identify all the real requirements and features you need in this product before you spend your time and energy searching for it. By doing this, you can limit your search by focusing on just the models and options that fit your parameters. It is easy to become confused about what you really want, or need, when you are in a sales environment with all your emotions raging. The better you can define your product before you start, the more successful your selection and resulting enjoyment of the product will be. Some of the topics to be considered in any purchase decision are:

Your time and energy – You need to consider the value of your time and energy in the selection process. How much effort will be necessary to select the right product for you? How much effort is too much for this product? A car or a puppy is going to be around for a long time and worth serious consideration, whereas a broom might also be around for a while, but probably isn’t worth spending that much time in the selection process. Put an appropriate limit on how much effort you will spend on any product.

Purchase Costs – What is the extent of your resources available to purchase this product? Is it worth financing the purchase and at what interest rate? How much is it really worth to you? How much is too much? Shop around for the best price, but keep all these other considerations in mind. Don’t spend time looking at a $50K BMW when you only have $25K to spend.

Ongoing Costs – How much will it cost to use and/or maintain this product? What is the gas mileage and parking fees for the car, or the food and vet bills for the puppy? Don’t forget to consider the non-monetary costs of the puppy, such as the barking, chewing and soiled carpets. You need to consider all the ongoing costs over the projected life of the product in your selection and purchase considerations.

Quality – A major aspect of the value you expect to receive from a product is its quality. What is your quality tolerance level in the product? Would buying a used product be OK? Would having a scratch in the finish bother you? How emotionally involved will you be in this product? There is an old saying that you should always consider on the topic of quality, “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory”. Keep this in mind in all purchase decisions – trust me on this one…

Features and Options - What features and options do you require? Which ones would be nice to have? Do you really need air conditioning or a convertible? Does the puppy really need papers? Do you need a matching dust pan for the broom? Be sure to get and purchase only the features and options you need and want.

Guarantee - What type/length of product warrantee/guarantee do you want included with the product? Is the guarantee from the manufacturer or is it from the vendor where you are purchasing the product. Who will handle any repair or replacement issues that might occur with the product?

Vendor Reputation – Check out the vendor’s reputation, especially on large ticket or emotional purchases. If a vendor has a bad reputation, your guarantee might not we worth the paper it’s written on. Always figure any customer’s dissatisfied comments could be your complaints in the near future.

Service/Maintenance - What are the service/maintenance requirements you desire in the new product? What comes with it and what optional service contracts are available and at what cost? Research whether extended service contracts are a good purchase, or not, for this type of product. Most extended maintenance contracts make big money for the salesperson and are of little value to the customer. But, for some products they are worth their weight in gold.

Considering each of the above topics will help to narrow all the available product options down to those that best meet your needs and wants. The amount of time you spend in this definition process will allow you to significantly reduce the amount of time you spend in the selection process. At the same time, it is helping to ensure that the product you purchase will actually provide all the value you expect from it - for the best price. In doing so, will emancipate some of your potential free time to enjoy your purchase and your life in general.

Back Update and Jet Funny Car...

So, my back is doing pretty well. I still have these episodes of pretty intense pain, usually when standing, that are pretty thrilling, but all in all, its doing well. It is still all working out in there after the shots, I guess, so we will see how it ends up.

Yesterday, was the Giant, annual Joe Mama's Car show right here in Jerome ID. Its the biggest Ho Show around with over 700 mostly amazing cars in attendance, along with a lot of bikes, trucks, and the usual assortment of Ho weirdness that gets drug out of the barns for this special day.Then, at mid-day, they have all these wild drag cars take turns firing up and thrilling the crowd and doing some burnouts. Its amazing how loud one of those nitro funny cars or dragsters can be from about 20 feet away. The big end to the show was the firing up of this jet funny car. They kick on the afterburner on that baby and could cook all the hot dogs and hamburgers in Walmart at once - and Walmart is blocks away... Pretty impressive Ho fun for free.

We took the BMW motorcycle down there as parking is always a problem. That was the first time I have ridden it in a month or so and it felt great. On the way home, we stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse and overheard some guys bitching about us driving a motorcycle and parking in the Handicap zone... What a bunch of ingrates...

Last night, we got the Wild Hogs movie and it was real funny. Having all those great actors in the same movie makes for a lot of good comedy. We were shocked when we saw that it was also a special Extreme Home Makeover show. What will they think of next?

Today, after church, we are going to a going away party for Storm's new father-in-law, Bryce. He is going back up to Alaska to fish, er work as a seasonal butcher, during their big end of summer season up there. The big shindig is at the Not So Paw hot springs 'resort' that I have never been to before. Which lends itself to many funny moments when someone asks "How far is it?" on the way there...It just keeps getting better and better here in DaHo...

Pool Great, Back...Good?...

Yesterday, after the back shot, I have been doing much better. The main back pain location and intensity was doing well right after the shot yesterday. I have had a number of sideline 'issues', as was mentioned when being released from the hospital that have come to be. But all in all, it is doing great, considering the trauma and pain i have been experiencing for almost a month now. I have sent most of the day relaxing from doing much traumatic, and watching how it all went/was going. And, I can say that it is all pretty positive so far.

Tonight was the Thursday night 9-ball league and since all was doing well, I went to play with my team in the league play. We each play 6 games during nightly match and I won all six of my games again. Steve, the really strong player on our team won 5 games and the sub we had in playing for Storm, who was teaching a F&G Hunter safety class, won 4 of his six games giving our team a 15 to 3 wins evening against an usually good team.

I played very well and this was my second 6 win-no losses weeks in a row now. There is only a match, or two, left in the league and the stats haven't been kept up for most of the weekly activity so nobody knows what is happening and WHO is winning. It should be interesting to see the final results - if they ever show up...

I guess that is the way it is done here in DaHo at the Pocket...

Pool Very Bad, Back??

I went to the 9-ball tournament last night and my back was killing me. I was doing pretty well during practice and ended up having to play Steve for the first match. About the same time, my back started going into major spasms and between the two (playing Steve mano-o-mano and my back freaking out) lost 5-0 and that was being kind. I decided to hang around to see if it would clear up and ended up playing Jeremy next. My back kept going down hill and Jeremy was playing well, so on the final game, just before he made the 9-ball, I ended up giving it away to him and coming home in a total back spasm - I hope he is happy and did well... But, he should be as he just got this beautiful motorcycle for a steal. If I can every get on mine again we will have to go for a ride or two...

Then, today I had my epidural steroid shot which was BIG fun... As usual, they had a hard time finding my vein for the IV and finally had to bring in the heavyweight nurse, Pam (no relation)... I ended up with 5 new holes and some internal bleeding in the top of the hand that had to be pressure compressed. By then I needed a couple of Valium to get my 'back' together.

After they finally got me in to the OR, and positioned me with my 'back' up on the table, the doctor said they were going to do the local now and if it hurt more than a sting to let him know. Well, my hands were all wired and hanging down below the table, so I was speechless. It really hurt amazingly bad, but it was all over before I could let him know about it. From there, it went pretty well, I guess. They kept sticking the needle in and taking pictures of its location and after about 6 tries, he did the shot. I was back in the recovery room in a few minutes.

Since then, I have been going through all sorts of weird feelings, from having a numb butt, to tingles, to cool pressure to slight headaches. It is suppose to take a couple of days to realize the results of the shot, so we shall see I guess. So far, my back is not hurting as much, by far, and it sure seemed like he was in the right spot, for whatever that is worth.

On a lighter note, very early this morning I also took Calicat to the vet to get these really nasty fur mat balls taken off of her sides. We tried to remove them a few times and it was so traumatic to all concerned that we decided to have the vet do it. They were going to sedate her, if needed to do it. She really wasn't into it at all, even though they really bothered her. She really loves being put into her kitty carrier and taken in the car anywhere, but it seems a lot nicer now since her front claws are removed...

Anyway, we picked her up on the way home from my medical experience and she wasn't very happy, but the vet was able to just comb and cut it all out without any heavy stuff. She was glad to be home, as I was, and they did a great job. And, the cost was only $15 instead of the original estimate of around $100. Traveling the 30 miles or so to the hospital today, I noticed that we passed 8 vets along the road. One of the benefits of living here in DaHo, I guess...

Back BAD, Pool GOOD...

My back continues to limit my ability to do much of anything without serious pain. It comes and goes, so I am thinking a lot of it is muscle spasms. So, I went to our primary doctor and got some muscle relaxants. These pills are almost the size of a dime and thicker than a nickel. I took one and it immediately got stuck in my throat and it took me over an hour to get it dissolved enough to cough it out - and it tasted real good too... If I would had to breath out of my throat, I would have been long gone, but then I wouldn't probably have this throat size problem anyway if I did. So, now I grind them up and put them in these empty capsules I have to put small pills in so they won't get caught in my throat - Fun, Fun, Fun...

But, they don't seem to be doing much anyway. So, today, I went to see a back specialist who is going to give me a shot in the lower back on Wednesday to try and resolve this pain issue in short order. I sincerely hope it is successful as all those big sturgeon are just waiting to be caught.

About the only thing that has went well in the past week is my pool league playing. That is about the only thing I have done all week, but it was good. We play 6 games each and I won all six. I have not been playing well lately and spent a few hours practicing my shooting at home, when the pain permitted. Oddly enough, it doesn't hurt much to play pool. The worst pain right now is when I am standing and not doing much moving.

I will report back in a couple of days, after my shots to report how they are working...

To Bliss and Back again...

Last week, my back was hurting worse that it has for years. After taking it easy for a couple of days with no change, I decided to take it to Bliss - fishing that is...

So, I went down to DaHole, in Bliss, as I hadn't been there for a month or so, and was having no luck at the new place since the hot weather set in. DaHole is much deeper and I thought it might be for comfortable for the fish. I ended up catching a 6'er, which was big fun and fought hard. Luckily, I had my back harness on or it would have been a short fight with the fish winning. But, after a 30 minute or so fight, I landed it and let it go to fight another day. While is was there fishing, I must have seen 15 nice sized sturgeon jump, so they are there and active - even in the hot weather.

In retrospect, it probably wasn't a real smart thing to do, as my back is still hurting and not gotten any better since then.

After our gun safety class, Pam decided she liked shooting and we went down and got her a new Beretta .22 target pistol and a nice red dot sight. The local indoor gun range is open on Wednesday nights and we have been going down there to practice. It is big fun. I like the little .22 also, since the ammo for it is much cheaper than the Glock 9mm. The 9mm ammo can get pretty pricey real quick for target practice.

Pam has had a couple of preparatory gum operations getting her mouth ready for the new braces that are going to be installed next month. They have been pretty painful, but she has been dealing with it like a trooper.

My pool game continues to be mediocre and the back issue is not helping it at all, but I keep working on it and will find the problem one of these days.