[Ed. note: we are taking a short break from car stories because this is the fishing season!]

©2000 - Dean Isaacson

My life was passing before my eyes. As I was holding the rod, I could see through the calm water a large fish ready to grab the bait. I had just earlier picked it up only because it was lying on the dock, unattended, with the hook in the water. I could picture some big denizen of the deep grabbing the hook and dragging the whole apparatus to the bottom of the sea. However, I never suspected that a fish would truly come as I picked up the rod.

Richard was busy setting tackle for the newly-seasoned Jon D., when I handed the rod off to him. He hollered at me to set the hook and reel him in. But I forced the gear into his hand as I calmly explained that Ryan had not yet returned with my license. “Besides,” I continued, “it wouldn’t be right. The rod and reel are yours.”

Just minutes before, Big D (Jon, that is) had just brought in his first fish. Must have been all of five ounces and just about six inches long. But it was his first fish and he was going to have it mounted. He made a big deal of it, you’d have thought the fish was at least two feet long and had weighed some kind of record. He assured us, emphatically and repeatedly, that he was going to have the fish stuffed and mounted for his recroom wall, as he scratched a note-to-self on his electronic pocket memo book. This was an important event, almost as important as the passage to manhood itself.

My mind was immediately drawn to a scene in the movie, “What About Bob?”. Bob had a fear of water. Actually, he had a fear of everything. He was invited to sail and he reluctantly agreed. I love the scene, because he was strapped to the mast and very excitedly proclaiming to the world, “I’m sailing! I’m sailing! Ahoy! I’m sailing!” After they arrived on the shore and he was released and he announced, at the top of his voice, to all on the dock and his friends on the shore that he had sailed. Now my friend, Big D, is announcing to the world and all fishdom that he fished and has prevailed. Ahoy!

The day of the big catch, we were camping out of state. The families in our church decided to get away for a few days of fellowship and Bible study together. It took a lot of convincing to get Big D to join us because the closest he wanted to get to sand was the silicone in his computer. The outdoors wasn’t much fun for him as he was quick to explain matter-of-factly, “There are bugs out there.” The only bugs he could relate to were the ones he could decode. Nonetheless, he did agree to come and when he does things, it is never half-way. He was prepared: He had his two-day fishing pass. Most of us did not. So, Ryan had gone to town to get passes for those of us without.

Meanwhile, Big D, the reluctant camper and newly-seasoned fisherman was forty-three years old and had caught his first fish. Moreover, he had accomplished this in six minutes and twenty-three seconds and just under two hundred dollars invested in gear. Which means this fish cost over six hundred dollars per pound, or about thirty-one dollars and fifty cents per minute, if you depreciate the equipment within this singular event. But he was ecstatic. Did I tell you that he was going to have the fish stuffed? Yes, I did, and he made a big deal about being forty-three and catching his first fish. He made it sound like some kind of record. But, I guess to have that much anticipation finally fulfilled merits some degree of excitement, or in this case, hysterics.

Now the whole dock was electric. The miracle of one man catching his first fish at forty three years of age was too awesome to go unnoticed. There was renewed hope for all mankind to accomplish the impossible. At least for us on the dock, there was hope of catching more fish if Big D hadn’t scared them all off.

It was right about that time that I handed the rod off to Richard. Now, Richard was a well-seasoned fisherman. He had a rod for everything and packed his gear in stacking toolboxes on rollers. You know, the type you see in a mechanics garage. I remember watching him use a ten-foot rod to cast halfway across the bay looking for trout. He is quite the sportsman and he relishes in doing everything in the extreme.

Watching him operate takes me back to my childhood days at grandma’s house. I remember fondly watching my grandma bake bread while she told me stories of Paul Bunyan and other heroes. The story I remember most is the one where Paul, with the help of his blue ox, Babe, dug out the Puget Sound and made Mount Rainier with all the extra dirt. It always amazed me and I always believed her. Now that I am older, I picture Richard working with a blue ox somewhere.

No one could be more suited to bring this fish home than Richard, and he was up to the task. He waited for the fish to strike then quickly set the hook. Almost immediately, he had that fish up out of the water. It was a beautiful bass. He had to be all of ten pounds with a mouth five inches across. He looked extremely ornery, almost as if he was looking to bite someone’s hand off. Quickly, Richard was reaching for the gill and I thought he had it. But the fish suddenly disappeared and all Richard had in his hand was a bent number six.

Having seen the size of this fish unleashed a fishing frenzy. Twenty more people suddenly appeared on the crowded dock and lines were being cast over every square inch of the river’s edge. The conversation was focused on Big D’s conquest and the size of Richard’s bass that got away. That bass grew and grew until I could recognize it no more. I suppose Big D’s fish, too, would have grown had it not been lying on the dock as a reminder.

A parting comment: I told you my life was flashing before my eyes as I watched that bass approach the bait. Well, there is a good reason for that. You see, as I was handing the rod to Richard, I didn’t fully state the truth. The real reason I did not want to catch that fish is because I am forty-six and have never caught a fish in my life. Not that I would be scared to, and I am certain I could do quite well. But I fish, I don’t catch and I wouldn’t want to break my record.

This is the truth. It is not that I have never fished. I have fished for years. I buy a new rod every three or four years and am constantly picking up new tackle. When I was young, I would hang out at the fishing pier on Puget Sound, in Edmonds. My line hung over the rail, but I never caught a fish. I also taught my son to fish but never taught him to catch. We would fish on the Skykomish river bank for hours on end; throw our lines in and sit and chat, but never catch. We have some exciting stories to tell about our fishing days. Like the time we were fishing the river when the sewage treatment plant backed up. And the time I bought a seven foot boat with a two-and-one-half horse motor and thought we would troll the Skykomish River. But those might be another book or another chapter somewhere.

By the way, my son was on the dock that weekend and he caught five fish. He broke tradition. Maybe he should write a book about it. Maybe some day I’ll breakdown and catch a fish.

HOT SHEET for week of 01 JUNE 2009

WEEKLY SPECIALS

$1.00 floral - all silk and dried flowers (display + 16 14 13 boxes left)
20% OFF Handbags, purses and wallets - and new ones coming in all the time!
35% off - closeout all Bean Pod candles and accessories
39 cents to $2.50 (up to $8.50 value) - Cabinet knobs and pulls - 14 styles
50% off - framed art: Tuscan 30×36 - 36×45 only 6 left
50% off - framed art: 3D Silver, floral 19×23x2 only 6 left
50% off - framed art: 15×15 floral marked down from $6.99 only 6 left
50% off - unframed art: Tuscan Villa, small damage only 1
50% off - framed art: 3D Gold 19×25x3 only 3 left
50% off - unframed art: B/W floral only 3 left
50% off - unframed art: Green/Yellow wine only 2 left
50% off - Metal/Wood Sculptures: ships, boats, trucks, planes and lighthouses
50% off all lamps
50% off all water features ($25 back demo) only 5 left

CLEARANCE ITEMS (partial list)

$0.89 incense - 3 styles, 4 flavors
$0.99 and up - candles
$1.00 picture frames - only 23 left
$1.49 animal candle holders - only 15 10 left
$1.49 vases - only 8 6 left
$1.99 glass marbles - only 3 2 bags left
$1.99 metal candle holders - 7 left
$1.99 metal tea light holders - 8 left
$4.58 India jewelry box - only 4 left
$4.99 table runners, 2 styles - only 14 13 11 left
$6.99 photo wallets - only 4 3 left
$7.99 glass mosaic plates with stands - only 5 left
$9.95 air brush - 9 8 left
$12.99 electric cable cutters - only 4 2 left
$14.99 Kwikset Kingston entry locks - 8 6 left
$39.95 Testors silver mini air compressor (24 foot/pound) - 9 8 left
30% off - set of 3 metal elephant display trays
50% off and more for tray and urn/jar sets - only 4 3 left
70% off and more for the last of the Claire Burke (as marked)
MORE ITEMS marked down 50% on display!!!

NEW PRODUCTS

Wall Words
New Candles - lots of color and style
More Handbags, Purses and Flat Wallets
New Accent Furniture, benches and ottomans (one style gone already)
Garden Arbors - 4 styles, 2 with seats, 1 optional bolt down
Wind chimes - thick tube, throaty sound, beautiful finish

Sorry. I did not take any “before” photos. It was an old library table that was hand painted blue. A nasty, not-quite-so-baby blue. The old paint was scraped off by hand - not sanded. Then, around the table top, I added a 2.25 inch strip of oak that fades in at the drawer.

After more prep, the undercarriage was painted black. The burning on the legs was done AFTER the first coat of lacquer to burn the finish into the base.

The drawer is the original, except for the face. It was taken completely apart. A new face was created and dovetailed (hand cut) into the original carcass. Installation was completed after all the finish coats. I installed a standard touch latch for a push-in-to-open operation. However, the latch is not strong enough to push against the force of the ball-bearing, top mount drawer guide. Because this table is being used for display, I might worry about that later.

After coating the undercarriage with black enamel, the top was coated with red enamel. It took over two hours to burn the top.

But you can see, patience and 25 sheets of sandpaper was worth the effort. The lacquer finish is water-borne and is very easy to spray. Using a CA Tech Bandit pressure pot connected via hose and fittings to a Lynx gun. The setup is for HVLP, however I run it off an air compressor, filtered and regulated down to 40 pounds.

Another view of the beautiful burn. Finished 3 days ahead of schedule. I was determined to have this finished over the Memorial Day weekend (Monday). However, after finishing the burn on Thursday night, Friday I came home from work twice to coat lacquer and applied the third coat after work. Then, the finish had no sooner tacked up and I had the table flipped over on drop cloths and was installing the drawer! When I get excited, it is hard to wait - I probably would not have slept!

Here it is, being useful in our store on Saturday morning! I am grateful to God for giving me the health and the ability to do a project like this.

DO YOU WANT TO LOSE TEN POUNDS IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS? During times of economic uncertainty, it is not uncommon to reach out for comfort food. We all love our breads, cinnamon rolls and pizzas, but the problem is we are packin’ on the extra pounds.

Let me tell you about an amazing new discovery that will end your weight loss worries forever. YOU heard it right “END-YOUR-WEIGHTLOSS-WORRIES-FOREVER.” Recent studies have shown that wall decor can take the place of comfort food, with NO harmful side effects. That’s right - a regular regimen of new clocks, mirrors, wall accents can satisfy your need to eat - and it costs less, too!

The studies showed that people who are satisfied with their wall decor, lose an average of ten pounds per month!! YOU can really SEE the difference. So come on in for your FREE consultation - mention this ad, we will give you 20% OFF your first purchase of $35 or more!!

Unique Motif is in the Prairie Shopping Center. We are OPEN TUE-SAT 10-6. Look for our clearance items, we will do layaways, we will ship to family and friends and we discount for special orders. Unique Motif - Hwy 95 and Prairie Avenue in the Prairie Shopping Center, Hayden, Idaho.

Wall words by wordsOnMyWall.com have arrived at Unique Motif. You will love the beautiful art work, the motivational and inspirational words and phrases - and they are easy to apply.

Wall words are a unique way to decorate any wall in your home. They come in large and small sizes. We have words for mom, words for friends and family and words for the den and laundry rooms, too! They are sure to start a conversation; sure to make one think and they give inspiration as nothing else would be able.

Your mother will be honored when you announce to the world she is higher than a queen. - or maybe you want to claim the title yourself! Your friends will be encouraged to read on your wall that you value them highly. Or, they may be inspired to read your blessing to all who enter your home. Maybe you want to claim the den or TV for your favorite sport. There are thousands of reasons to put word art on your wall and thousand possibilities.

Custom words available in custom styles. You can get custom sizes, too.

These are not cheap imports. Each display is made locally using only premium vinyl. All products are guaranteed (installation is up to you, though). You will be pleased and so will your family and friends.

Wall words will give you years of pleasure and your friends love your unique style. They are available in our store in Hayden, Idaho and online at UniqueMotif.com/store

Get yours, soon.

Taylored Office Solutions, Inc. was started in 2003 to provide freelance bookkeeping, virtual assistant, and business support services in northern Idaho. Lanel Taylor, a Certified Virtual Assistant with over 12 years experience in bookkeeping and administrative assistance began the company to utilize her varied experience including being a registered tax preparer, payroll department manager, and joint venture management for a larger real estate investment trust (REIT). Lanel and her staff help businesses and entrepreneurs find a custom-fit solution for all their office needs. Thanks to their unique virtual set-up, utilizing telephones, faxes, the Internet, email, instant messaging, and other technology, Taylored Office Solutions, Inc. is able to assist clients anywhere in the world in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Taylored Office Solutions, Inc. works with clients in a variety of fields, including construction, manufacturing, medicine, real estate, and fellow virtual assistants. We have clients across the country and are able to provide assistance across international borders. Lanel is a member in good standing of the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) as well as a Certified Virtual Assistant (CVA) and has passed the IVAA EthicsCheck examination. She also was a volunteer for IVAA’s treasury department on the billing committee and currently is IVAA’s CVA Coordinator for the education department. Lanel is also a co-founder of Inland Northwest Virtual Assistants Alliance a group of professionals dedicated to developing greater awareness of the Virtual Assistance industry in the inland northwest.

Can Taylored Office Solutions, Inc. help you grow your business? Definitely! Can Taylored Office Solutions, Inc. help you start and grow your VA business? Definitely! Check out our website for more information. tayloredofficesolutions.com

The car I did not remember, was the car my dad possessed when he got out of the service, the year I was born, 1953. It was an early ’40s Nash. This is the model with the smooth-flowing, rounded, no-hump back. Humpbacks were standard fare for cars in the 1940s and early ’50s. The Nash was set apart in style and features, but they were unable to convince the buying public of their superior quality. They and their successors eventually failed.

Times were different back then: politicians and taxpayers never gave a second thought to propping up and going into debt to forestall eventual corporate failure. In fact, we fought a war against this. We buried over 130,000 of our men on foreign soil in our fight against socialism, fascism and big government during WWII. We can thank God for our victory and hope we do not lose our vision.

My dad’s very first car was a ‘38 or ‘39 Chevy, like the one in this picture. It was a rust-bucket. He paid $50 for that car in 1949, which was an incredible amount of money for a boy of nineteen years. In my dad’s time, life was not easy and one had to work hard and save every nickel just to purchase basic transportation. People were grateful for every opportunity and determined to work hard to afford the things they needed. There was no minimum wage back then.

We live in bountiful times, despite the daily whine that flows from our politicians and the media. Our “difficult times” brought on by a “recession” still affords us more leisure and luxury than days of old. Today, a high school kid with a part time job can go to the bank or credit union and walk out with a loan for a five thousand or twenty-five thousand dollar car. Few students have to make the choice between that extra job and participation in sports.

When my dad was young, he lived in Greeley, Colorado with his family. His father built a house very similar to the one in the picture, but they never moved into it. This was a disappointment to my dad. But times were difficult and the house was sold and the family moved to Seattle.

This was a good thing, else my dad would never have met my mom and I would not be writing this story. My dad is a quiet man, steady, plodding and not prone to exhibition. My mom is . . . eccentric. One day, she found a rattlesnake skin and wore it around her neck to school. She was a hit and a controversy and my dad broke off with her. This, he usually did with every display of eccentricity - but this is also what drew him to her.

Mother was a Waley. Her dad, Gilbert, was an upholsterer, as was his father. He claimed to be part Cherokee, which grandma always poo-pooed. He told me that we came from a long line of Spanish conquistadors who came to live with the Indians. The problem was, grandpa had no Spanish blood, grandma did.

Grandpa always had stories of pirates and escapades and he told them as if he were part of it, even if they took place generations ago. Grandma, on the other hand, was secretive and hushed up the family history for quite some time. All her life, she went by the name Babe. It was even printed on her checks. In the last five years of her life, she saw fit to let us know the truth, that her name was Esmeralda.

Grandpa Waley’s cousin was the notorious Weyerhaeuser kidnapper, Harmon Waley. This man was the longest running prisoner at Alcatraz (1935 - 1963). He arrived approximate eight months after it opened and was released less than a half year of its closing. He is the same man who beat up Al Capone and his two goons, as reported in Time magazine 15 Jun 1936. The rest of this episode will be saved for a later date.

One of these days, I may also tell you the story why an apparently English surname, Waley, belongs to a French people. My grandfather, Gilbert, had a grandfather named Gilbert. It is this Gilbert Waley, the captain and owner of five whaling ships, the son of a French general under Napoleon, who brought the heritage of the tall boats and whaling ships to Mystic, Connecticut.

How is it such a boring little shop-keeper came from such a colorful history? And how did we get into all this by talking about old cars? More to come . . .

On the economic front, the big news of the week is that unemployment numbers have fallen and it looks like they are turning around. Large companies have reduced their wholesale layoffs and a lot of small businesses are really gearing up - and many of the laid off have started their own businesses. But the media is unrelenting: I read two accounts this week - news stories, not editorials, mind you - why this is not good news and that it is not going to last. Doom and gloom will be the media’s mantra - they are determined to self-destruct. Don’t join them in looking down - look up!

There is good news all around us! Always remember, God watches the sparrow and He cares about you. Don’t live in fear but be thankful for all God has given us!

We are pleased to be featuring the new Wall Words by WordsOnMyWall.com. 13 different styles available. Imagine changing the look of your room for pennies - without paint! You will enjoy these on your wall. If you do not find the slogan you like, there is a catalog with the display.

• Love is Spoken Here (2 tone) 30 x 15
• Family (funky style) 22 x 5.5
• Mom - a title just above Queen 22 x 16
• Friends 22 x 9.75
• Family 22 x 12
• Pray Often, Work Hard, Trust God 10 x 5
• With God all things are possible 22 x 8.5
• Life’s too short to drink cheap coffee 22 x 10
• Laundry Room - wash - dry - fold - repeat - 5c
• Families are everything 22 x 9.5
• Bless this home and all who enter 22 x 21.5
• Life Is Good
• Football ( first “o” is a helmet )

Stop by soon and see the beautiful designs available for you. Made in USA and priced like chinese!