Jul 18 - even busier !

Abby and I headed out around 7am to my preferred spot close to Smiths Bay Landing.  We hadn't been there long when I got a big strike, pulling the rod down and that fish headed under a log.  Rats.  I kept the tension on and occasionally it would give another pull, but it wasn't coming out from behind that long -- why not ?

So, after a time, I decided that I would pull up the anchor and get around the log, perhaps that might work.  Lo and behold, the fish was also attached to the anchor line and I netted it, got it into the boat and sorted out the mess of line afterwards.

The bottom line ?  4 lbs 11 oz.  1 lb 13 oz of meat after filleting.  Wonderful large mouth bass.

I lost a couple of minnows the rest of the morning but nothing else -- oh wait -- I did bring up a catfish and used that to signal the end of this fishing expedition.

Back home, I cleaned the fish and then prepared to start work on the deck.  Sandy was ahead of me, starting to stain but she stopped and I sanded the entire deck with the orbital - just a light sanding for the most part, but the whole deck nonetheless.  After I got the section in front of the bedrooms/den sanded, she started staining again but not getting very far before the sun was hitting that section.  She moved living-room-ward as I continued to sand front, kitchen and back.

Once finished sanding, I then started staining, working from the back.  I stopped once I'd gotten to the lower area by the kitchen and not too long after that, Sandy ran out of deck that wasn't in sun.

I went into town for the mail, found our new 407 transponders in there and picked up the Matthews' mail as well.  Janice (I think that's her name) gave me her phone number.  I won't abuse that but there are times that I'd like to know if there's nothing before I head into town, since I don't have many other reasons to go in.

This time, however, I did get some beer.  I also stopped at Buchanan's hoping to find Diet Pepsi.  Nope.  Diet Dr. Pepper, would you believe it, and of course, Coke, but no Pepsi other than in big bottles.  This reminds me of Europe !  So I didn't buy anything.

Back home, Sandy had started staining again and I got at it as well.  By the end of the day we'd completed the job, except for the small area in front of the kitchen.  This stain is a pain -- 48 hours before you're supposed to walk on it and 72 hours before placing furniture.  It's like an oil with some stain added, almost like using Teak Oil, vs an oil based paint or stain.  There were spots that still looked wet at the end of the day; haven't checked this a.m. yet.

David was supposed to arrive last night sometime; I expect that he's here sleeping.  He's alone this time, going to help with a few chores today and tomorrow.

Now ... time to go fishing again.

Onward !