We look better in person!

Tonight we tried to get a group photo with the '09 Crew. However, Kicker, Sean and Colin left yesterday and of course, we had three people quit a week and a half ago. So, I guess it's a photo of who is left....

The quality isn't great on the photo since my copy was via email. But, I think it will give you an idea of who was working and living with me this summer.

Now, I'll attempt to give you a quick run-down on who's who....(starting at the left)
Jim - AKA "The Professor" - he's been here 3 years and takes care of the website and blogs.
Jim - AKA "Slice" - He's old as dirt and has been here since the beginning of time. But he can sing like Johnny Cash and is an great old guy!
John - AKA "Ax Man" - From Oregon, it's his 2nd year. He's dating Linda (who is standing in front of him.)
Linda - A Ketchikan native and a good friend of mine. She runs the housekeeping dept, and in her spare time helps bartend, serve and drinks Captain Morgan!
Dan - AKA "Slammer" - He's been here for 16 years and is like a big kid!
Joel - Minnesota resident who just graduated college. He's a dockhand.
Kenny - 19 year old who is going to start his Sophomore year this year in WA. Kenny works the kitchen, housekeeping and dock. No job is to shitty for Kenny!
David - AKA Batman - this Floiridian is my favorite fishing partner!
PJ - Minnesota boy who just graduated from college. He's holding Saylor, Kevin's youngest daughter. PJ is the dishwasher and comic relief!
Me!
Dewey - Hum.... you know about him already!
Art - AKA "Shaker" - Kevin's oldest son; lives with Dewey and is in charge of all maintenance.
Kevin - AKA "Blackfly" - The boss!
In front....
Josy - Kitchen prep/baker/server. She's off to Colorado for college this fall.
Nicky - Kevin's oldest daughter; head chef; lives in Hawaii in the winter!
Sean - AKA "Shamrock" and his new wife Ashton who is expecting their first baby! These two got married up here last month. They are from Florida.

In four short months we've all kind of became a family, learning each other's quarks, annoyances, and laughs. In trying to organize this photo, I realize we are just as dysfunctional too! Some people I'm sure I'll see again next year, and others, I will know for only the past four months, but each one brought something to the whole, and taught us something about life and ourselves. I'll always remember and be thankful for the parts they played in this chapter of my journey.

Holy Shit Dewey - there's only 10 days left in the season!

Looking for Breakfast

Look who stopped by Yes Bay this morning....
Normally, we'll see bears from the lodge across the river, or in a tree, but today we got to watch this mama and her two cubs from our side of the river, about 200 yds from the lodge. Guess they wanted some salmon berries for desert after a fish-filled breakfast. After they ate along the berry bushes, they made their way back up the river and away from the lodge.

A hook in the hand is better than two in a bush.....

Ok, so maybe not, and really, who understood that old quote anyway? Besides, if you were to ask the two guides who came in with hooks in their hands this week, I think they would disagree...and tell you the hook was a lot more painful.

Since we are in the middle on nowhere out here, Boss Hack becomes Doc. Hack (and between you and me, I think he enjoys causing pain while removing hooks!) The first hand/hook was a few days ago - Batman came in with a number 6 (that is a really big hook!) caught between his pinky and ring finger. It was half in, and they had to use wire to pull the hook backwards and a pliers to pull it up at the same time so the barb wouldn't catch more of his hand. Kenny and Doc. Hack worked that surgery! Needless to say it was painful...I can still hear his screams in my head! Then today, John (AxMan) came in with a hook completely buried in his hand. John didn't yell like Batman, but boy did he swear! I felt bad. This time, they had to actually finish poking the hook through, cut the barb off the end, and then pull the hook back out.
I didn't watch, but I had to leave afterwards....I can't handle people being in pain - makes me light headed. (plus, I think I was holding my breath the whole time!)

And to think...at the beginning of the season I had serious doubts we would go through 3 giant containers of peroxide, 5 boxes of band aids, and 3 tubes of Neosporin!

The photos above are from John today. The first one is what the hook looked like....yep, that's right...all you can see is the top inch!
The second photo is Doc. Hack explaining how he is going to perform a "highly technical" procedure using a potato to push the hook through his hand the rest of the way. The third photo is starting the procedure, and the fourth is the barb being clipped off the end of the hook.

Dear God, let's hope I never have to come to see this doctor!

Huckleberry Finn

Hey - Check out the huckleberries! There were so many of them this year - more than likely due to the warmer weather and sunshine. The lodge has berry bushes all over the place and these bushes were right outside along the boardwalk to the lodge. (That is what you can see in the background of the photo.)
The day after I took this photo I picked a whole bowl full for huckleberry cheesecake.

For anyone who has never tried them, they are very tart tasting and as they get more ripe, they get sweeter.