Combat Fishing and Other Activities

Naomi already touched on many of the highlights from our recent trip around the state, and I wanted to fill in on some things that were interesting.

I've been heading to work early and working long days the last few weeks, mostly because of my position as a guy who knows what's going on. There have been some departmental changes recently and I'm getting some additional training on some equipment and processes and in turn giving some training on more equipment and processes.

A new project coming down the pipe for me is to figure out how to consistently produce and shape little ceramic discs for a sensor we manufacture. I tell people on tours that a lot of what we do is really artisan in nature, the ceramic discs (each one about the size of a silver dollar) being no exception.

Damaged tools like this certainly don't help the situation much.

Anyways, it's going to mean a lot of research into ceramics, bulk powder mixing, and the like. I think I'm going to like it.

Needless to say, it was good to get out and spend some time away from home. Our Saturday in Spokane led to a lot of running around. We bought a couple boxes of peaches with another co-worker of mine. She was nice enough to take them home and put them up in jars for us. Benjamin and I ran by the Pull and Save, looking for parts for his car. Every time we go, I make sure to tell him he "sure can show a lady a good time."

We spent all of Sunday traveling. Driving with Peri is pretty interesting. We had to stop about every hour, which means seeing a lot of the countryside. We made stops in Moses Lake, Grandpa's house in Vantage, Ellensburg, Cle Elum, and finally stopped for the night in North Bend.

Monday meant salmon fishing. I'd been looking forward to it for a few months, and got right into it. Naomi and Peri went and hung out with my friend's wife and their two little girls.

Unfortunately, the fishing wasn't that great, and a lot of the guys down at the river were coming away empty-handed. I call this combat fishing because of the crowds in the water. You situate yourself hip-deep in the river about five feet up from the next guy and try to cast without snagging your line. After a couple hours of tossing lines out, a fellow fisherman came and gave us a little Coho salmon. He forgot to bring a cooler and didn't want it to go to waste. So, I didn't catch anything, but still managed to bring home dinner.

To conclude my post for now, Peri got to meet Grandma for the first time.

Peri really loves Grandma... And Grandma loves Peri.