Category Archives: Kayaking

When it’s too hot to do anything.

14 Friday Aug 2026

Posted by in Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Nature, Uncategorized, Weather

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I have lived here all my life, and you would think by now I would have become accustomed to this heat. Apparently, my body never got the memo. Even with my anemia, it has gotten too warm for me.

Every day this week, I’ve either had a doctor’s appointment, a physical therapy appointment, or I’ve had to drive my wife to one of hers. That means I’ve had to be outside at least twice a day, every day this week, and it has been brutal.

Yesterday, after taking my wife to the doctor, I volunteered my services to help a friend with his two air-conditioning units. I had planned on changing into a lighter shirt before going, but, of course, I forgot. Within just a few minutes, that shirt was soaked with sweat.

There’s nothing quite like standing outside in 100-degree weather wearing a shirt that has decided to become a second skin.

It’s too hot for me to do any yard work, and it’s even too hot for me to work in my garage. There are plenty of things I need to do out there, but when the temperature in the garage feels like it could double as an oven, suddenly those projects don’t seem quite as important.

I’ll get to them eventually.

Or maybe in November.

It’s even too hot to go fishing.

And that’s saying something.

I was reading yesterday about a lady who was giving instructions on how to make bread in your mailbox. In this heat, I can actually see someone trying it. You could probably put the dough in the mailbox in the morning and have a loaf of bread by lunchtime.

I also saw where a meteorologist had taken his cast-iron pan and left it sitting in the sun for about thirty minutes. He was able to fry a couple of eggs in it.

At this point, I’m beginning to wonder why we’re still using stoves.

Just put your skillet on the driveway.

The ambient air temperature at my house this afternoon was 100 degrees, with a heat index of 115 degrees. When you walk outside, the humidity is so thick that it feels as though you’re walking into a brick wall.

They say it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity that will get to you.

I believe it.

At 115 degrees, I don’t think the heat and humidity are working independently anymore. They’ve formed a partnership.

We’re supposed to get a break in this heatwave sometime in the middle of next week. Along with the cooler temperatures will come a few much-welcomed thunderstorms.

I’m looking forward to both.

Maybe I’ll even get back out in the garage.

Then again, if it’s still too hot, there’s always November.

Progress Isn’t Always a Straight Line (Especially with My Back)

06 Thursday Aug 2026

Posted by in Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Nature, Uncategorized

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Twice a week for the past five weeks, I’ve been going to physical therapy for my back. I’ll admit that when I first started, I didn’t think therapy would do much good for fused vertebrae and a bulging disc. I figured it was something I would just have to live with. Much to my surprise, though, therapy has been more beneficial than I ever expected.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few setbacks.

This week alone, my back decided to remind me that it’s still in charge of this relationship. Apparently, I only get voting rights.

After church on Sunday, my kids and I went out to eat. The restaurant seated us in a booth with one of the strangest backrests I’ve ever encountered. Whoever designed it must have based it on someone who had never actually sat down before.

Within a few minutes, I knew it wasn’t going to work. My back was getting more uncomfortable by the second, so I finally excused myself and headed out to my truck to do some stretching.

Apparently, seeing a grown man bent, twisted, and stretched out in a restaurant parking lot gets people’s attention. Several patrons stopped to ask if I needed medical assistance. I appreciated their concern, but thankfully, all I needed was for my back to quit throwing its little temper tantrum.

The very next day, I went fishing with my friend Rick. Before we launched, I warned him that I probably wouldn’t make it through a full day on the water. My plan was to fish until about 11:30 a.m., giving us roughly five hours before heading home.

Well…my back had already looked at my schedule and crossed that out.

By 10:30, it was screaming, “We’re done!” Loud enough that I didn’t feel the need to argue. I paddled back to the launch, unloaded my gear, and before loading my kayak into the truck, I stretched out flat on my back across the tailgate for about ten minutes.

If anyone drove by, they probably thought I was either taking a nap or waiting for the coroner. Thankfully, neither was true.

That little break settled my back down enough for me to finish loading everything. Rick finally made it back around noon. He was fortunate I’d taken those few minutes to recover because otherwise he would have been loading all of his gear by himself. As much as I enjoy fishing with him, I was ready to get home and put some heat on my back.

When I told my physical therapist about both incidents yesterday, she decided to extend my therapy for another couple of weeks. Her goal is to add some exercises specifically designed to help reduce the pain I experience while fishing.

Normally, I probably would have complained about having to continue therapy longer than expected. But in this case, I’ll let it slide. After all, if a few more therapy sessions help me spend a few more hours fishing, that’s a trade I’m willing to make.

She also suggested replacing the seat in my kayak with one that offers better lumbar support. I’ve already started looking at a few options, and I’m planning to show her what I’ve found during tomorrow’s appointment. Who knew shopping for kayak seats would become part of my medical treatment?

If there’s one thing this experience has taught me, it’s that progress isn’t always a straight line. There are good days and bad days, victories and setbacks. But each week I’m seeing small improvements that remind me I’m moving in the right direction.

My back may still think it’s the boss, but physical therapy is slowly teaching it that it’s about to lose some of its authority.

When the Climb Feels Steeper

01 Saturday Aug 2026

Posted by in bariatric-surgery, Cancer, Depression, Disability, Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Leukemia, Life, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

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There are days when I feel like I’m stuck in a rut. It seems like nothing I do matters anymore.

Lately, nothing really excites me. All I want to do is sit and do absolutely nothing. The television doesn’t interest me, so I turn it off. I tried reading, but after a sentence or two, I put the book back down.

I’m going through my daily routines simply because they’re expected of me, but I’m not getting much out of them.

If you’ve been following my journey for any length of time, you know I’ve dealt with some pretty serious health issues. Thankfully, since my gastric bypass surgery, my health has improved in several ways. But my CML is still there, and it’s something I’ll live with for the rest of my life.

I’ll be honest. It’s a constant battle not to end up in the frame of mind I’m in right now. I’m not at the point where I’d say I’m depressed, but I also can’t pretend it isn’t peeking around the corner.

I can’t tell you what triggers these episodes. They just seem to appear out of nowhere, and when they do, it usually takes me a couple of days to climb back out.

Is this just a “woe is me” moment? Maybe. I can’t completely rule that out. But even if it is, is it really so terrible that I have days like this every now and then?

I’ve been doing some yard work around the house—things that genuinely needed to be done—but my heart just wasn’t in it. I had the opportunity to go fishing on Friday, something I normally look forward to, but I made every excuse in the book not to go. Instead, I stayed home and worked in the yard.

This morning, I spent a few hours volunteering at church with some friends. While I was there, I genuinely enjoyed myself. We laughed, got some work done, and for a little while, everything felt normal.

On the drive home, I found myself thinking about all the things I wanted to do once I got back. That alone gave me hope. I thought maybe I was finally climbing out of this hole.

But as soon as I walked through the front door, that feeling disappeared. The heaviness came right back, and I honestly don’t know why.

Since getting home, I’ve done little more than sit in this recliner, not really wanting to do much of anything.

Maybe what I really need is a change of scenery. I need a break from doctor’s appointments every other day. I need to go somewhere where I don’t have to wonder what’s going to break next—or assume I’ll be the one expected to fix it.

On a brighter note, my wife’s car is finally back. That means I won’t have to chauffeur her to appointments anymore, and I can start making plans without first checking to see if she needs me somewhere else.

I’ll be okay. I’ve been through these seasons before. They come, and they go. Right now, the climb just feels a little steeper than usual.

Sometimes life is less about never falling into the hole and more about remembering that you’ve climbed out before. I’m trusting that, with God’s help, I’ll climb out again.

My Mouth Has Declared a Revolt

30 Thursday Jul 2026

Posted by in Amateur Radio, Cancer, Diabetic, Disability, Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Leukemia, Life

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I believe I’ve mentioned this a couple of times before, but I have a love/hate relationship with doctors. When it comes to dentists, though, it’s a little different—I absolutely despise dentistry. Don’t get me wrong, I love my dentist, but I hate everything about going to see him.

I know how important it is to take care of my teeth. I’ve also been told—although I’m not sure how much truth there is to it—that having CML can affect your dental health. Whether that’s the culprit or not, my teeth seem determined to keep my dentist in business.

About two weeks ago, I noticed what I thought was a missing filling. I already had an appointment scheduled to have my teeth cleaned, so I called the office to see if they could replace the filling during the same visit. When I got there, my dentist took one look and informed me that it wasn’t a missing filling at all—it was a broken tooth. That meant scheduling yet another appointment to get it fixed.

Then, last Friday, while I was out fishing with my daughter, I bit into a peanut butter cracker and heard that dreaded little crunch. Sure enough, I had managed to break another tooth. Because apparently my teeth have a flair for dramatic timing, this one was on the opposite side of my mouth… and my appointment to fix the first tooth was the following Tuesday.

On Monday morning, I called the dentist’s office to let them know I’d added another broken tooth to my collection. I figured if they were already going to be working in my mouth, they might as well fix both while they had me in the chair.

I’ve been going to the same dentist for more than forty years, so we’ve developed a pretty good rapport. Naturally, his first question was whether I’d been eating rocks again.

Before long, he had both sides of my jaw full of the magic juice that makes you feel like your face is sliding off your skull. He drilled both teeth and fitted them with temporary crowns.

About an hour after I got home, the numbness started to wear off. The right side of my mouth seemed perfectly fine, but the left side was a completely different story. I’m not sure why, but even two days later it’s still pretty sore.

Then this morning, while eating a bowl of Cheerios, I felt something strange. Sure enough, the temporary crown on my right side had come loose. It’s currently sitting on the table beside my recliner, patiently waiting for me to throw it in the trash.

I go back to the dentist on August 5th to have the permanent crowns installed, so I think I’m just going to wait. Knowing my luck, they’d put another temporary crown on, and I’d probably find a way to break that one too.

Have I mentioned lately just how much I despise going to the dentist?

At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if my dentist sends me a Christmas card thanking me for helping put one of his kids through college.

When Good Days Take Unexpected Turns

24 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by in Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Nature, Twins, Uncategorized

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Tuesday was spent at the doctor’s office with my dad, following up on his broken nose. After examining him, the doctor decided not to do anything since he could still breathe through it without any difficulty. Dad actually broke his nose when he was a kid, so it was already a little crooked. I guess he’s had decades to get used to a nose that doesn’t point due north.

My plans to go fishing on Wednesday changed when my son called early that morning saying his air conditioner had quit working.

I haven’t had to do much HVAC work since I retired, so it took me a little longer than usual to diagnose the problem. It didn’t help that there were actually two problems. After several hours, two trips to the hardware store, a new thermostat, and a new capacitor, his air conditioner was finally back up and running. It felt good to know I hadn’t forgotten everything I learned after 32 years in the business.

My daughter told me on Sunday that she wanted to go fishing. Since she had a hair appointment on Thursday, she decided to spend the night and get an early start the next morning.

We fished for several hours before either of us had any luck. Her luck changed first when she hooked a big fish, but it got off before she could get it to the kayak. Then my luck changed when I finally landed one. Unfortunately, my good fortune lasted about five seconds.

As I was handling the fish, my phone slipped out of my pocket and disappeared into the lake, never to be seen again.

My daughter actually climbed out of her kayak and tried feeling around with her feet to find it, but it was gone. This is the second time my phone landed in the water, and you’d think after the first time I’d have learned my lesson. I have a phone tether on order now that should arrive tomorrow.

As the saying goes, a day late and a dollar short.

Needless to say, we called it a day and headed home.

After unloading the truck, I spent the next several hours at the phone store getting everything transferred to a new phone. It wasn’t exactly how I had planned to spend my afternoon, but at least I got to spend the morning on the water with my daughter.

I’d gladly trade a phone for memories like that… although I’d really prefer not to make it a habit.

When Plans Change in an Instant

17 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by in Family, Kayaking, Life, Uncategorized

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It doesn’t matter how carefully you make your plans—one phone call from one of your parents can change everything in the blink of an eye.

I had planned on going fishing today. It had already been a challenge just getting ready. I had a meeting Thursday night, so I wasn’t able to load my kayak until I got home late. I loaded everything else beforehand, leaving only the kayak for when I returned.

We’re also down to one vehicle right now, so after my physical therapy session, I needed to take my wife grocery shopping. Then I had to drive across town to exchange my shoes before I could even think about heading to the water.

Then the phone rang.

It was my mom.

She told me my dad had fallen outside. According to her, there was blood everywhere. She had already called 911, and the paramedics were on their way to take him to the emergency room.

I left the house immediately. I got to the ER so quickly that I actually arrived before the ambulance did.

A short time later, my mom and my nephew arrived, and Dad came in around the same time. He had a pretty nasty gash on his forehead that had cut open a blood vessel. He also broke his nose and badly bruised his right arm.

My sister arrived shortly afterward, and then came the waiting. Anyone who has spent time in an emergency room knows that waiting is just part of the process.

After about two hours, I knew Dad was stable and being well cared for. Since there wasn’t much more I could do, I left to attend my meeting.

A couple of hours later, after the meeting ended, I called to check on everyone. Thankfully, they were already back home.

I called Dad again this morning, and I’m happy to report that he had a good night. He’ll see a doctor on Tuesday to have his broken nose evaluated. I offered to take him, but my nephew may be able to do it. We’ll know for sure in the next couple of days.

Days like yesterday are a reminder of how quickly life can change. One minute you’re thinking about fishing, and the next you’re sitting in an emergency room with your family.

I’m just thankful the outcome wasn’t worse. At 87 years old, a fall can be life-changing. God was watching over Dad, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

A Calendar Full of Red

15 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by in Diabetic, Disability, Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Pets, Retirement, Uncategorized

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My cat Sophia must have decided I needed the extra rest because she let me sleep until 6:30 this morning—an hour later than my usual wake-up call. I don’t know what got into her, but I’m not about to question a miracle.

My wife had a physical therapy appointment today, so I didn’t get much accomplished before it was time to chauffeur her to the appointment at 11:00. While she was with her therapist, I stayed in the truck. I used the time to go over my upcoming Bible study lesson. It was a productive way to pass the time.

I had planned to take my new shoes back to the store because the longer I wear them, the more my right foot hurts. I was hoping I could simply exchange them for a 7E width, but after doing some research online, I discovered that width isn’t available in the current style. Since my wife also had another appointment later in the day, I couldn’t make it to the shoe store. That means I’ll have to make a special trip tomorrow and hope I can find a pair that actually fits.

I have physical therapy in the morning, and afterward I’ll head across town to the shoe store. Once that’s done, I’ll come back home, pick up my wife, and take her grocery shopping.

After we get back, I’ll start loading what I can for Friday’s fishing trip. Unfortunately, I have a late meeting across town, so I won’t be able to load my kayak or fishing rods until I get home around 11:00 that night. Thankfully, it only takes a few minutes to load everything, so I should still be able to get to bed early enough for my 4:00 a.m. alarm.

I looked over my calendar for the next month, and it’s covered in red. I mark all of my appointments—and all of my wife’s appointments—in red so they stand out. Right now, there’s something scheduled at least three days every week, and several days have two appointments. Retirement sure wasn’t supposed to involve this many waiting rooms.

I’ll be glad when my wife gets her car back. Sharing one vehicle has made scheduling everything a lot more complicated. I know it’s only temporary and it couldn’t really be helped, but it has definitely added a layer of inconvenience to our daily routine. Hopefully, things will get back to normal soon.

A Morning on the Water and an Evening Under the Fireworks

05 Sunday Jul 2026

Posted by in Boy Scouts, Family, Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Photography, Retirement

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I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

I took advantage of the few hours I had available to go fishing Saturday morning. I didn’t invite my friend Rick on this trip because I wasn’t sure how long my back would hold up. Since the ablation, I haven’t been able to sit in my kayak for very long before the pain starts bothering me.

I launched on the river around 5:30 a.m., and by 10:30 I was ready to head back to the launch. I knew that if Rick had gone with me, he would have wanted to stay out all day, and I knew that just wasn’t going to be possible for me.

The other reason I went alone was that I didn’t want to have to track him down when I was ready to leave. Last week, I told him I planned to head home at 2:00 p.m. By 2:30, he still hadn’t made it back to the launch. I finally left without knowing where he was, and that made me feel pretty uncomfortable.

At least until my back gets better, I think my fishing trips will end around 11:30 each morning. That’s quite a change considering we normally stay on the water until around 4:00 p.m.

Saturday evening, we went to my in-laws’ house on the river. They invited us, along with eight couples from their Bible study group, over for a barbecue and the annual fireworks show put on by their next-door neighbor.

I was genuinely surprised by the quality of the fireworks. It looked like something you’d expect to see at a professional display. I started recording about ten minutes after the show began, and it continued for another ten minutes or so after I stopped. My arm finally gave out from holding my phone up for so long, so I had to call it quits.

https://youtu.be/hIVYBx3J-Q8

As you’ll see in the video, we were very close to where the fireworks were being launched. In fact, I think we may have been a little too close at times!

This was also the first time in about ten years that I was able to spend the Fourth of July at home. In years past, I was always away at Boy Scout summer camp. That meant leaving my wife at home with our two cats, who were terrified by the thunderous fireworks our neighbors set off every year.

It felt good to spend Independence Day with family, enjoy some great barbecue, watch an incredible fireworks display, and still squeeze in a few hours of fishing that morning. Even though my back limited my time on the water, it was still a day well spent.

When Your Body Says, “Enough”

28 Sunday Jun 2026

Posted by in Amateur Radio, Disability, Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Uncategorized

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It’s been a few days since my last entry. Between other family matters and life’s daily responsibilities, I’ve been too busy to sit down and write.

I did get the opportunity to go fishing for a couple of hours last Thursday, but I didn’t have much luck. I only caught two fish before my back started hurting, forcing me to cut my trip short.

Before heading out to fish, I had taken the time on Wednesday to load up my riding lawnmower so I could go to my dad’s house and cut his grass. If my back wasn’t hurting enough after Thursday’s fishing trip, it was screaming by the end of the day Friday. It took me nearly four hours to cut his lawn, and all that bouncing around on the mower certainly didn’t do me any favors.

Saturday started much better. After spending a couple of hours with our Saturday morning men’s group, I headed to Pell City, about 50 minutes from home, for Field Day. Field Day is an annual HAM radio event where Amateur Radio operators practice and sharpen their emergency communication skills. Thankfully, I was able to sit for most of the day, which gave my back a much-needed break.

Then came Sunday.

The pain returned during the church service, and it became so intense that I thought I was going to have to leave and wait it out in my truck. Fortunately, I found some pain medication in my backpack, and after a little while, it started to take the edge off.

In two weeks, I begin physical therapy in hopes that stretching and strengthening my back will provide some relief. I can’t have another RFA procedure for another six months, so I’m hoping therapy will help bridge the gap. Something has to give because I’m growing tired of letting my back decide what I can and can’t do.

Homeownership: Where Projects Never End

23 Tuesday Jun 2026

Posted by in Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Uncategorized, Weather

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One of the responsibilities of being a homeowner is taking care of your yard. When we first moved into this neighborhood, our house had never been lived in. We were the first owners, and everything was brand new. The landscapers had just laid the sod and planted bushes along the side of the house.

For years, we had one of the best-looking yards on the street. I took a lot of pride in it, and it showed. I did all the work myself. I cut the grass at least once a week—more often if it needs it. Twice a year, I fertilized the lawn and applied pre-emergent to keep the weeds from sprouting in the spring.

Then my neighbor talked me into hiring a lawn service.

They came out once a quarter and sprayed the yard with something. To this day, I’m not entirely convinced they knew what it was. In fact, the guy doing the spraying didn’t seem to know exactly what was in the tank either.

Not long after they started treating my yard, I noticed a strange weed I’d never seen before. It started as a small patch. Every time I spotted it, I tried pulling it up. If a piece broke off, a milky white substance would ooze out.

I mentioned it to the lawn service, and they assured me they’d take care of it. They didn’t.

The small patch got bigger.

I mentioned it again and got the same promise and the same results.

The following year, that little patch had spread enough to take over nearly half the front yard. I started researching it and tried every spray I could find. Unfortunately, I was doing more spreading than killing. Before long, the weed had taken over the entire front yard.

The culprit turned out to be Spotted Spurge, and getting rid of it isn’t easy. After a lot of trial and error, I finally found something that seems to work. After several applications, I’m finally starting to see some positive results.

Of course, just when you think you’ve won one battle, another enemy appears.

My plan yesterday was simple: cut the front and back yards, trim around the house with the weed eater, and apply moss killer. Things were going according to plan until I headed toward the backyard and noticed something didn’t look right on the mower deck.

One of the brackets that holds the mower deck to the tractor had broken.

So off I went across town to the parts store.

By the time I got home, it had started raining. I waited for the rain to pass and then spent about an hour repairing the mower. By then, it was getting late, so I called it a day and put the mower away.

Today I finished cutting the backyard and sprayed the front yard with moss killer. Overall, the yard is looking much better, except for the bare spots left behind by the dying spurge.

I haven’t done much in the garage lately because I’ve been dealing with other things. I’ve got a couple of doctor appointments tomorrow, and I’m planning to go fishing on Thursday. Then on Friday, I’m taking my mower to my parents’ house so I can start cutting their grass. My dad’s mower has developed some sort of problem, so mine gets drafted into service.

It seems there’s always something that needs fixing, cutting, spraying, or repairing.

Life goes on.