THE GRUMPY CHRONICLES August 26

We had the river to ourselves. It was early September and while much of the outdoor fraternity occupied themselves on the hillsides high above in pursuit of big game, we busied ourselves in a smaller, yet no less noble quest, that of the Rocky Mountain cutthroat trout. The water was cold, real cold, like so cold I couldn’t feel anything below the knees while wading the river, and clear too; you didn’t reach for the Evian bottle in the pack if you were thirsty, you bent over with a cupped hand for a drink or better yet just laid down on the ground and put face to water. This was the Wigwam River, and the fishing wasn’t just good, it was world class, before the crowds and the guides and the extra licencing fees and all that bullshit. This was dry fly fishing at its purest and at the time at least, I wasn’t all that thrilled to be there. Like I said, it was early September and for a high school kid, there were other, more interesting places to be. It’s funny how now there is no recollection of who’s party was missed or who got drunk and did what with who, all I remember is being cold beyond belief, sitting on a log eating tinned beef sandwiches with mustard and catching big, fat cutties like there was no tomorrow. It was simply, the best!

I am not sure everyone has noticed but I am going to pass on a little tip to you, Summer has gone away. Maybe not in the rest of Canada but here, in the Southern Rockies, ya, she gone!!! The leaves are still green, the calendar tells us it’s still Summer, but it isn’t, it’s Fall, and you can feel it. September is not just at the doorstep, it’s trying to push its way in. I welcome it. Why not? I like September. Now maybe I shouldn’t like September, but I do. It hasn’t always treated me fairly, but I don’t take it personal. It’s not like September hates me as an individual and wants to see me suffer. Personal or not though, this month has carved me up some.

My dad died in September. No getting around that, it hurt 13 years ago, and it hurts now. The loss of a parent who is a major influence in your life forces you to take stock of things, re-calibrate, and then begin life anew, forever changed but with an understanding that this is part of life’s journey. One day it will be us, so remember the lessons he taught you and get on with it. It isn’t easy, but when is life ever easy? Oh, and in September I put down my big buddy Bismarck. That was not a pleasant time so I think we will not visit that pain today, thank you.

It could be quite easy to fall into the wrong frame of mind as the seasons change and these dates approach. Strangely enough though, I have never dreaded this month. In fact it’s quite the opposite and I argue the concept of duality is never more highlighted and on display than it is in September. Visually, the coming weeks will provide us a treat as the greens of summer turn to brown, red and gold. If you look up in the sky, chances are you will see geese flying South in their famous “V” formation. Geese are quite the chatterboxes too and if you are lucky and listen close enough you might just hear them saying “hey Canada, suck it!” as they make their way to more hospitable climates. 

I wish I could make that trip South too, many of us do. One day soon I hope that we all again have that opportunity. Until then I guess we must embrace the beauty before us, make the best of what we have and KBO (Keep Buggering On). Just think, in 3 months it could be -30 so this isn’t the worst, and the mosquitoes are gone too.

HAPPY LABOUR DAY WEEKEND!