Winter

Yesterday I woke up and felt out of sorts, not physically - just not all there.  The usual routine is have breakfast and work out for 45 minutes - tradmill, weights, etc.  I wasn't up for that.

A few years ago we bought snowshoes but never had the opportunity to use them.  There was still plenty of snow on the ground, so I decided to head over to the Pennypack and try them out.

It was cold, clear and windy.  The trails were all pretty well defined, people had been out x-country skiing or walking.  I put on the snowshoes and headed out across the fields of Raytharn Farm, away from the trails.  It was fairly strenuous and probably walking would have been easier, especially where the snow was shallow.  But I wanted a good workout, and it was easier to go over the drifts than through them.  Aside from one skier, I had the place to myself for two hours.

Despite the brisk wind, I warmed up quickly.  I had brought the little camera and left the binoculars at home, as I was not sure if I'd be vertical the whole time or spending some time in the snow - as I do when I ski.

Not too much wildlife around.  I saw fresh deer tracks but no deer.  Out in the open I found some small birds where the grass provided wind break and some seed.  The horses were not out grazing, for obvious reasons.

 

I continued on across the meadows and made my way down to the stream.  It was clear but unfrozen, still no one else around.  I stopped for a while by a spring where the snow had melted and watched the birds who had dropped in for a drink with friends.  Then I girded my loins and marched up the hill to the meadows.  I was puffing when I got to the top.  The snow had crushed a lot of the undergrowth making it much easier to navigate through the woods.  I was able to go places I normally would stay out of.

 

I returned the way I had come.  Already the snow was drifting over my tracks.  I was hot and thirsty, and glad to reach the car where I had a bottle of water (NOT THE DISPOSABLE KIND!)  Under my layers I was soaking wet - a good workout.  I no longer felt out of sorts.

Tonight more snow is coming.  Perhaps I'll venture out again.

Winter Fly Fishing

I'm republishing some blogs from my now defunct web site.  I'm just too busy with other stuff to continue with the web site, but I'll get the blog going again.   This is from last February.

When it comes to cold weather fishing, I'm a wimp.  Once the temperature drops below 45, I'm on the bank, so I usually take winter off for R&R.  By the time spring rolls around I'm pyched up and ready to go fishing.  This year is a little different.  We've had severe cold most of the time, but when the weather has warmed I've been out, either walking the stream or fishing.

Last week I went out on Tuesday.  The forecast was for temperature in the 50's and cloudy skies.  I had intended to hit the Pennypack, only  10 minutes from the house, but changed my mind.  The Pennypack is a nice urban creek, but I wanted to be in the woods and away from the world.  I also wanted to fish for wild trout.
I left just after rush hour for a small stream southwest of home.  An hour later I was climbing down a steep hill to the stream.  There was still a fair amount of snow in the valley and the footing was just a little treacherous.  I was happy to have a strong wading stick.  There were no footprints in the snow - a good omen.

I had tied on a Pink Squirrel and a Skinny Henry, two of my favorite nymphs.  The water temperature was close to 40, so I was not expecting any dry fly fishing.  Two tiny split shot and a a small yellow strike indicator rounded out the presentation.

This stream is heavily stocked and heavily fished for the first few weeks of the season.  After that, you rarely see another angler, and the water stays cool all summer.  Although the water is small, there is great character with plenty of pools and lots of pocket water.  Some of the pools are surprisingly deep.  It has a nice population of small but feisty wild browns.

I was glad I had made the trip, and was ready to go fishing.  Even though I had been out the week before, I had been fishing in a city park with walkers, joggers and other fishermen.  This was better.

The first two pools yielded nothing.  I backtracked downstream to the deepest pool on the stream, a long slow stretch of  dark green water. I drifted my flies through the pool 3 or 4 times with no result.  I tried a slow twitch retrieve and was immediately on to a nice brown.   Three more wild browns came to net in about 15 minutes, all on the Skinny Henry.  All were quickly released.

I headed back upstream - my plan was to fish up to a bridge and then walk back to the car for lunch.  I scrambled down a steep undercut bank to a deep run.  I could see a school of suckers resting on the bottom along what looked like some larger trout.  They turned out to be holdover rainbows from a fall stocking, still fat and colorful.   I took three before the pool went dead. At the lip of the pool the main current ran between two large rocks.  It was a trouty looking spot and I was confident that it would hold a fish.  After a few drifts I was rewarded with a nice hit and a slightly larger brown, perhaps two years old.  He posed on the snow and went back into his spot.

That was it for this pool, and my stomach was starting to grumble.  As usual when into fish, I ignored my stomach and continued upstream.  A nice pool under the bridge yielded two more yearling browns, and then it was time for lunch.  I walked back along the road, the tapping my staff on the pavement provoking a mournful howl from an old dog chained to a tree.

After lunch I walked downstream and fished back up to the car, catching three or four more wild browns from broken pocket water.   Aside from replacing flies lost to the bottom I had used the same patterns all day.  For the most part the browns took the Skinny Henry or a Copper John while the rainbows ate the Pink Squirrel.  Ten browns and three rainbows was the final tally, and I had missed a few more.  Not bad for February.

Arriving back at the car, I opened the hatch and a little black stonefly flew out and landed on my hand.  I had seen a few on the water but no trout rose to take them.  It flew off to find a mate and I headed back home to wait for another warm day.

Time for a new post - Good News

I have not posted for quite a while because I have been waiting for my check-up to see what the results would be. Two weeks ago I had a CT scan and last week I met with my oncologist.

The results were good. I finished chemotherapy in August. Since then the situation has improved to the extent that I will not need any further therapy for the time being. I am in complete remission. Of course, this could change at any time, the type of lymphoma that I have has a habit of coming back, but who knows when. I did have the option of getting a maintenance treatment, but we decided not to have it as it gives the lymphoma the opportunity to become resistant to the main drug - Rituxin. We'll save this for later, with luck maybe we won't need it.

Meanwhile I feel well and have been very active - hair has grown back! I will be volunteering one day a week at Fox Chase Cancer Center and continuing with Logan Outfitters. I've gotten in plenty of fishing, although now with winter that is on hold, along with the golf. I have enjoyed golf - mainly the companionship aspects, but I hope to get a little better next year. I actually parred a couple of holes on a real 18 hole golf course - pretty exciting (for me).

I've attached a couple of pictures - one from last month fishing on Yellow Creek in central PA, another from the Delaware River last summer.

I've entered some of my pictures in contests, it will be interesting to see how I do. The one at left is one.

Family life has been good with Ben and Emma getting married next month and buying a house. Zach is interviewing for medical school and becoming an expert fly fisherman (which is most important?). Ellen is relieved with the medical news but is still my official Mother Hen and keeps a careful eye on me.

Regards for now, stay in touch!

Bob

I can't believe summer is almost over

It's been a great summer here in the Poconos, even with the trips back to Philly for chemotherapy. Now it's the 17th of August, summer has flown by.

I'm still doing OK, had what I hope will be the last treatment for a while a week ago today. As ususal, energy has been low but I've still managed to play (I use that term loosely) some golf and get in some short hikes. I love to wander around in the woods looking for butterflies willing to pose for my camera. Next week I'll be sneaking out for some late summer fishing up north.

Later this month I will get a combined CT/PET scan, that will show if the cancer is in remission or not. Keep those fingers crossed.

We're going to get out to Montana to see Zach in September and do a little fishing while we're there. We might even do some hiking or sightseeing!

We had some friends over for dinner - the theme was 'Comfort Food'. We made my Mom's 'Best Ever Meatloaf', and it was! Also Blueberry Peach Cobbler. Calorie counters were not permitted. I have dropped in some pix of Ellen and me with the results. There were no leftovers.

So life goes on, hope to see amny of you in the fall!

Summer Update

I have not been posting lately as things have not changed too much. Now there is a little good news. After the 4th treatment I had a CT scan, this was last Monday. The scan showed that 80% to 90% of the cancer is gone. This is a pretty good result. Since I have been feeling so well I was hoping for 100% remission, but that is unrealistic. I have two more treatments to go, the next one is this Friday. 3 weeks after the 6th treatment I'll get another CT scan and possibly a PET scan. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the last two treatments will do the trick.

Meanwhile I continue to feel well. Following each treatment my energy level drops and then bounces back to pretty much normal. I'm staying active - fishing, biking, tennis - even dabbling in learning how to play golf! Summer in the Poconos is always wonderful, it's usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Philly and a lot more relaxing!

I have include a couple of pictures. One of my hobbies is butterfly photography, this is a picture of an American Lady butterfly shot near our cabin in the Poconos. The other is a picture I took last week while float fishing the West Branch of the Delaware River with my friend Art Bartholomew. The fishing was poor but the scenery and company made up for it.

Ellen is still my personal Florence Nightingale - makes sure I don't overdo things, eat the right food and generally live a healthy life style. Could not do without her! Ben is doing a fantastic job as the nature counselor at a local day camp, and Zach is almst finished his pre-med courses and will be taking the Medcats and applying to med school soon.

TTFN!

Bob

Lex Luthor Rides Again!

Well, I always wanted to be an arch-fiend, now Ellen says I look like Lex Luthor so I guess this is my big chance. I think a life of crime would be a lot more interesting than a career in the printing business. As long as Superman is not around to hamper me, world domination can't be to difficult. If a dummy like W can do so so mach damage, imagine what I can do!!!

Anyway, the hair seems to be growing back, so maybe I won't have to put up with this look too much longer. There is a gentler, kindlier me, here is what I look like when I am not criminally inclined. This blog program is terrible as far as layout goes, just throw in your pictures and see what happens.

I survived the third round of chemo without too much trouble, we're headed off to the Poconos this weekend for some relaxation. Ellen is done with school for the summer today, that's a big relief. I still feel well and have plenty of energy. Have not been fishing for a few days so I'm suffering a little withdrawal, but I'll get over that. By going fishing!

Regards to all, don't hesitate to give me a call or send me an email.

Whats new?

Today I'm at Fox Chase for the third round of chemotherapy. It's just about over, I'm on the last IV drip now. It's gone very smoothly, I actually slept through most of it. Must have been the Benadryl they gave me to start. Ellen is here grading her finals and making sure I drink plenty of liquid, whether I want it or not.

I still have not seen much in the way of side effects. One thing - I'm now bald as an egg- very chic. My hair was falling out and I got tired of vacuuming it off the pillow every morning. It was getting pretty spotty, so we just shaved it all off. Once I lose my tan line I'll include a picture.

Zach was in to visit for Memorial Day, we all went up to the Poconos and had a good time. We'll be heading up again next weekend - the fridge died and the new one is coming on Saturday. Hve to get in shape for bicycling, we're off to Pittsburgh for the July 4th weekend to visit Ellen's brother and will be riding 20 or 30 miles (on flat roads, I hope!).

Our garden, under the auspices of Ben, has been growing well. I'm supposed to stay away from dirt, so Ben has been delegated to take care of that and do the mowing as well. He just left for Colorado to visit his friend Rob Taylor. Ben got a full time job teaching at the school where he did his student teaching, so he's excited about that.


So, not too exciting an entry this time. I guess no excitement is good. After the next session 'll get a CT scan to see what progress there has been. Keep your fingers crossed.