Through the Guide's eye, one man's daily grumbling

[Robt Weber]

I keep a journal of activity for our company, Guides For Hire, LLC, some of the daily routine here is pretty hum drum, sometimes it is fall down funny.

My grandfather began the guiding business in 1898 when he returned from the Spanish American war in cuba with very bad malaria, he was a boat builder and ran a livery in bloomingdale, NY and also on square pond in Santa Clara, NY, on days he was not too sick with malaria bouts he would hang a sign on the boat, "guide for hire" and that's where the company name came from.

Most of his enteries deal with weather, temp and wind and cloud cover, water levels, and any odd things that happened, such as a mink getting into the coffee pot, a beaver stealing a line of fish from the dock, Uncle Don shooting a buck at 5 paces with both barrels of the shotgun stuffed with homerolled slugs, a seagull being caught to remove a fish hook from its mouth or wing, adoption of various critters and kids, things of that nature.

I normally see some odd things here with 17 full time guides in 5 states and twice that number of assistants and camp helpers there is almost always some kind of nonsense going on that makes me shake my head and make a note.

For instance;

today's note;

1. Jason has asked for sunday off. busy as we are and asking so close to the day we asked what the story was, Jason replied, "I am getting married Sunday, i guess I could work the morning"...not only did we not know he was getting married but its the first we have heard of a girlfriend. Jason lives nearby, we know his family for three generations and have known Jason since he was born, he went all through school with 3 of our sons and he currently shares an apt with one of them.This ranks right up in the top 5 oddest statements ever made by Jason....sadly it does not rank #1. When asked where and when the wedding was taking place he said,"I got it written down at home".

2. a 60 year old tyro fisherman learning to fish with us caught a 27" pike, he was so excited he wet himself. guided by Bobby II , Bob suggested he go change and they'd resume fishing, the fisherman said, " hell no, I aint losing time from fishing!" and jumped in the lake then climbed back in the boat and demanded he be driven the 6 miles up lake so he could get his fish weighed on certified scales.

...and it ain't even lunch yet.

North Country ;91F and dry. Wood duck boxes being checked .

dock repair underway

Vermont; Woodchuck hunting evening, starling hunting daytime, wife reports a pair of black phase grey squirrels in yard, cross fox after cat again.hen turkey no poults is under hummingbird feeders

Mass; bowfishing for carp in Onota Lake all day, fishing also.