We casually fish and usually don't catch much, but for us that's not the point. When I was younger and staying at my grandparent's lake place we could catch fish just by throwing a line with a hook (no bait) into the water. Those were the days.

I hooked it!......the fish of my dreams. Where?...a tiny creek, nothing more then a tiny off shoot of the Fox river. HOLY CRAP!!! Utterly massive. I was fishing for bluegills, so we could have us a yummy fish fry. ....then....well....then. THUD!....., and a wonderous great fight....then it was landed. My buddy was stunned.........so was I

"Holly Molly....uuuuuuhm.....what now? I sat there, speechless. He asked again....."I don't know!", I yelled back. I truthfully didn't know. I'd spend YEARS (decades really) dreaming of this fish, always looking for and perpetually hunting it......now...here it is before me!! ...I stared at it. Trying hard to let this all sink in.

We're both serious fishermen. I had a good net, a digital scale, quality tackle and knew how to land it. What i didn't have was the reality to deal with my dreams actually coming true. We stared at each other. Both shaking our heads, repeatedly. Finally, we decided it was at least, the time to use that damn scale.......Walleye --8 lb 8 ounces.

I literally started to cry.

My friend, snapping pic after pic (oh yeah -- we've got lots of video proof) asked.....what now?

All I could say was, .....you know already.....We lowered it gently back into the creek.."Swooshed" it back and forth until it regained its strength...and watched it slip back into the depths. My own father would have schellacked it onto a wall. I simply couldn't. 🙁

Ernest Hemmingway I'm not. That glorious thing should still swim.....and today it still does.

Before you declare me virtuous, we kept (and ate) three smaller ones. :o)

We fishermen....are weird people

That was all the changes that had taken place. He could have mentioned the changes in armament going from muzzle loading firearms to cartridge weapons. Still, that seems not like many changes. Compare that to our last 100 years - light bulbs, radio, TV, computers, airplanes, automobiles, etc. Lots and lots of changes.

Leave it to me to screw up the BB end times. Grrrrrr

Others said it would happen when the Mayan calendar ran itself out.

The gospel of John says its once all time, which we aren't in control of.... expires.

A couple of local stoners I know, adamantly claim it'll happen when every last word has been spoken.

All I know is I miss you folks, ......genuinely....just, ...miss you folks. :o(

Goodnight

Was cleaning out the garage.....found a 25+ year old HP tower from a long long dead computer, covered in dust. Hmmmm....I wonder. Oh yeah, ...YES!! Loaded. Weeks of decades old ,continuous, EBay BB chat messages from circa late 90's still in the queue. LOL. SteamBoatBill stirring the pot.....Ebozo's.....well, twisted opinions on everything. But nothing.....nothing was quite as disturbing as bb-boo's missives on how to attract the weirdo shoe sniffer guys to bid on your auctions. I'm not kidding. Mrs Briguy and I spent good 1/2 hour roaring with laughter. "Make sure you put into your description they're NOT washed, very well worn.....they'll get into bidding wars with each other!"

Mrs Briguy was like...."Wait, wasn't she the totally normal lady with the big dog (she had a great dane) we met at those Chicago BB cookouts? (yes). She was into that sort of twisted kink??.....No honey, she was into watching her PayPal account swell ever larger, .....aaaand implying to the disturbed you could SNIFF used women's shoes was a method she stumbled on (and perfected). Ahhhhhh, those early days........ What great fun. :o)

You realize what this means, don't you?

Centuries from now, archeologists will dig up your old computer towers. Read such stuff......then send your great great grandkids updates on exactly how twisted you actually were.

Just a pleasant thought for you all to drift off to sleep with tonight.... :o) :o)

On the bright side, next time I get drunk and do something stooopid in Indiana......looks like I've got a relative I can call in the statehouse!

The future looks bright. :o)

I used to enjoy some time alone when my wife would go off visiting, just sitting around in my underwear drinking beer. Now at her age she needs me around to help her out and to lift her out of chairs. After 56 years of marriage we know each other quite well. I live in a condo so I don't have to worry about her coming home with a bunch of plants so I can spend the whole afternoon digging holes in the hot sun. Some things I don't miss.

Also -- a frozen solid 1/4 carcass of a deer her brother shot, including 10 lbs of ground venison. LOL!! (that,...I actually KNOW what to do with that -- much more then the bleached root ball of a dead tree). I'm simply HAPPY, she, as well as my sister in law, managed to not come back with lost kittens, puppies, racoons, etc. Things NOT alive and needy, ....are much easier to deal with. Whew. (close one).

Give me some time. Soon I'll restart and publish a new Fox Fire series of books. You know, 21st century inputs on what to do when a 60 lb frozen partial carcass of a dead critter is delivered, unexpectedly, into your kitchen. Yes, they'll be a chapter in there about bleached driftwood too. :o)

Now if you'll excuse me, she reports she's "dead tired". I'm going to hold her and run my fingers though her hair until she falls asleep. It's dawning on me that this 10+ days she was gone has been the longest we've ever been apart. Did I mention her eyes sparkle?....they do...they SPARKLE. :o)

May you all find simple joy in this world.
Have a blessed night.

Me?....I'm left here, along with my brother in law, equally dissed, both wondering "what just happened to our wives??" Its OK. We're adults, and eating cheap hot dogs as we wonder what our completely intense wives are up to..... pretty much the daily fare anyways. :o)

She called this morning, breathless. Guess what?....."We went to a tiny one room 1860's brick diner and ordered a pizza sammich!!!!"...from a place right along the Ohio river. They used to ride their bikes there to do this as kids in the 70's. It's still there!!....the SAME woman who ran it is still alive, now in her 90's!! They walked in and she said, unsolicited - "haven't seen you two in awhile". lol. She reports they both gasped, stunned, ...but made sure they did order that sammich! Then they walked down to the beach on the edge of the Ohio, munching down their food, as they waded knee deep into the river, collecting shells..... juuuuust like they did as kids.

Next stop was to visit "Cousin Earl" on the Indiana side of the river. His family looked at them like they were lost hippies. "He's at work" So they asked, well....when does he get off? (another blank stare)....He's up in Indianapolis girls,.....you know, at the state capitol. He's a two term elected state rep. Ah, ha ha ha!!!...its funny because her family and mine were sort of similar, dirt poor, barefoot, questionable education,...the we make our own liquor (it's cheaper) sort of folks. Both sisters are now horrified. They report cousin Earl was a likable enough sort of fellow,... but....uuuhm,well....pretty "dense". Now he's a two term congressman....BAWAHAHAHA! (hey - beats ending up in Super Max).

All I could add was....well girls, ....welcome to America! :o)

She comes home tomorrow. I've already mowed the grass, picked pretty flowers & put them into a vase, cleaned the kitchen......and made dang sure I've picked up every bit of soiled underwear and put it properly into the hamper.

I sure do miss her. :o)

I ended up bulldozing it all, saving only one kennel for our last remaining dog. That in itself, is reserved for our last dog who still doesn't quite grasp he screwed up -- you sleep outside tonight!!. I guess I'm not my father, for I can't even be mean to even one last goofed up idiot dog. Last time I tossed him out there...., Mrs Briguy immediately led him back inside, scowling at me with her evil eye...."WHY is our dog locked in that outside pen?!?!"...... (oh crap).

Of course, my fathers world of dogs that existed to hunt pheasants, is long gone. Our current Springer Spaniel exists only as a pet, knowing simply that he gets treats for barking at the mailman. Sigh. :o(

The Briguy family (and our hapless dog).....will likely NOT survive the apocalypse.

I just had a blast from the past too. A post popped up on my Facebook feed about a resort on Lake Hanging Horn in Minnesota. That caught my attention since I attended a music camp there for 3 summers back in the late 1960s (I know, I'm old). Sure enough, the resort has taken over where the camp was, even remodeled the original "music building" which is right on the shore. The camp originally was staffed with music professors from several colleges and had a major impact on me (I ended up with a music minor in college).

And......what a place! Built in 1925 at the zenith of the public theater craze, it was (still is) an edifice of shimmering Italian marble, gold leaf, and art deco statues, all of it staring down with us throughout the show. Absolute opulence. I don't think I was the only Dead Head who wandered in with our $5 tickets that night and literally gasped out loud......"Oh wow.....uuuhm...golly gee.....are we in the right place??"

Little did we know, that was the last night in 46 years our local Sistine Chapel of the arts would hold a public event. :o(

What inspired this post?.....a brief blurb on the local news. 46 years later and 40+ million repair dollars -- the Uptown theater has been refurbished! It survived. Opening soon to performances again.

I feel the urge to just wander in there, sit again in the first row of the upper deck, close my eyes and ponder deeply......what the heck happen to all my glorious hair!! Its been a rough 1/2 century folks . :o(

Interesting aside. The Uptown Theater had its final demolition orders signed three times. Then a pair of plucky little birds, Peregrine falcons, decided to nest on the upper reaches of the treacherous fire escape to raise their babies (much to the horror of Chicago's pigeon population). At the time, there were only something like 10-12 mated pairs of those left in the entire world, so the EPA nixed the demo plans. God...... might just be a bird watcher....or quite possibly a Dead Head. :o)

Betcha didn't see this post coming. File it with the eclectic nature of the old BB.

Nite all!

It's been awhile. Let's see, updates. I'm still outrageously good looking (and modest). Mrs Briguy and I are still together (34 years in Sept)......AAAAAND, as of yesterday, she is now officially retired as a teacher. Let's all hope the decrepit state of Illinois doesn't fold up shop before her first pension check arrives.

I'm also sitting at home cooking (very hot temps here), as my 22 year old Saturn SUV is currently in the shop (dead alternator). Mrs Briguy keeps initiating arguments about it saying its "time" to move on.....but hey, i still like the thing and I'm also convinced I look "cool" in it (plus its long ago paid for).

Still metal detecting as a hobby. These are the glory days, when all the local schools are off for the summer. I spent last night overlaying 1870 plot maps on top of current athletic fields, looking for a hint of where to go. Seems its working, as before it got hyper hot today I went out this morning and dug up a 1926 wheat penny (Yea - for me! I broke the century mark - "100 years old or older")...Actual value?.....about 5 cents....but let's not harsh my joy. :o) So I'm currently staring at two 5 gallon glass jars filled with loose modern coins that I've dug up over the last several years. Nasty discolored orange and black quarters, etc. Sigh.......time to start rolling them up, Daddy needs a new alternator. :o( .....So far I've come up with 32 reasons to procrastinate starting this.....

Took a relaxing/fishing vacation last week in Wisconsin w/ Mrs Briguy. Eating out, visiting a winery, hiking in nature, getting screwed by the Amish for over priced fudge -- that sort of stuff. Literally caught only two fish for dinner and that was it (they were yummy). Still fun though. Of course SOMEHOW, i was also talked into visiting the Goodwill outlet site in Appleton. Holy Molly, what an eye opener. I always assumed such places were quiet areas, you know, old ladies milling around pondering do I buy this used salt shaker or not.....Nuh Uhh!!....Each time they rolled out a new bin it was like replaying the fall of Atlanta. KA-BOOM!!....people running, screaming, clothes literally flying up into the air, complete utter madness. Safe to say I will NEVER join you ladies for a day of "thrifting". Mrs Briguy bought three books and believe it or not, found a genuine piece of rose glass depression ware (cost her all of 25 cents) How it managed survived the madness I saw intact - is anyone's guess. I have a new respect now for you EBAY listing mavens. In comparison, the stamp sellers actually ARE old boring fuddy duddies.

OK, just heard a "ding". We're having homemade lasagna tonight. Time to pull it out of the oven.

Hope everyone I remember is still healthy, happy, and doing well.

Brian (TheBriGuy)

My son bought an EV but he is not happy with it. It is going to take a while until he can get a home charging device installed at his house so he has to take it to a charging station and sit there all the time it takes to charge.

Wow Lynne that's the trifecta! Hope nothing else goes. Our TV and our lawnmower died in the same week, but in the good things department, we found thru my cousin a handyman who fixed our disintegrating shed, our tripping hazard front step, and installed spiffy new counters and sink in the bathroom. We've had some very severe storms , three with tornado warnings but thank heaven, they were just storms. We did get hail damage to the cars though, golf ball sized hail. Tornado warnings are very unusual here

Hi Jim, Is your area prone to big storms?
Jane--Sounds like the Grandkids are great people--wishing them the best!

Sunshine Boy is 16 and a sophomore in high school. He played football last fall and his team won state (he didn't play in the game but was suited up). He's on the golf team this spring and doing well. He really enjoys golfing.

Picture is from the state fair last summer (the short one in the middle is my daughter)