After missing last year's fishing trip because Elena and I were both starting new jobs, we, I decided to go out again this year. Now Nastia is off from her new job for a couple of weeks starting somewhere around the 19th, 20th and even though I’d rather go out in July, the tides were just about right to go out on the 23rd of June. So even though it was early,we were going. Another change to the tradition, Nastia wanted Sean to go with us. And of course Elena later asked if Matt could come. I knew this day would come, I just hoped it wouldn't be today, you know it’s like they both will get married and eventually leave the house, or maybe just decide to live somewhere else, whichever it is, I worry about it very little, because it isn’t today and maybe not tomorrow. When they do leave I may be glad they are going. You know, have you been around them?
The trip was set for Thursday, June 23rd. I’m a take a Thursday off type of guy. When I had my milk delivery business I’d close the shop on Thursday’s. When I used to think I had money and went to Broadway, I’d go on Thursdays. For some odd reason I always felt Thursdays were looked at as the unloved Fridays of everybody's lives. It was the bridesmaid to every Friday bride. It was close, but it just wasn’t the weekend yet. So I always like to show Thursdays some love and take them off as often as possible. Plus, when you go back to work Friday, you got the weekend to look forward to again.
I wasn’t in love with going so early in the fluke season and the summer on our trip. July is prime time, it’s usually warm to hot. Everyone is in bathing suits enjoying their time out on the water and if it’s planned properly the tides are just right to fish a rushing tide the majority of the day, or even a falling tide is ok as long as dead low isn’t too early in the day.
I’m sorry Sean, but I think you or the change to June doomed this trip from the beginning. In the few years we've gone out fishing, it’s been just the girls and I. he minute we add a fourth or maybe change the date to June the weather doesn’t cooperate.
The first hint of trouble comes when I check the long range weather forecast. It says rain on my mom’s birthday party. It clears, but it is an ominous warning of wet weather to come.
On the Monday before the trip I check the long range forecast, it’s not looking good. 20% chance of rain. Tuesday, it's up to 40% and by Wednesday, after I’ve canceled my day, it's hovering around 90%.
I took a picture of the sky off the internet from a weather cam out near Moriches. It’s bad, but not the worst I see during the day. And of course it doesn’t rain a drop in Rockland.
Elena, I believe, still takes her day off and hangs out with Matt the whole day. Doing stuff that only the book of Elena will be privy to. When asked later that evening, she will say, ‘Oh, we just hung out at…” It’s so generic, I don’t even truly remember what she said. All I remember about that part of the day is I believe she spent the day over at Matt’s.
I think she went over Matt's after dinner on Wednesday and called to say she was sleeping over his house and then they hung out together the rest of Thursday together.
The book of Elena is not open to me like the book of Nastia. If I had the time and a blog I could tell you stories. Oh, wait, that's what I’m doing now. The problem is Elena doesn’t share with me unless she is drunk and then I can get her to talk. Then it gets fun. It’s like an Indiana Jones movie, all kinds of surprises come out. But alas that has only happened once. That previous story is for her grandkids. You know the ones she says in 2023 she’ll never have because she is not having any kids. She’ll be a great mom, even with tattoo’s. Now Nastia wants to have kids, she’ll just forget she has them and her husband (Sean?) will have to remind her or at least take care of them until she remembers she has them. It’s not that she is forgetful, it’s just she needs to grow up some right now before she has a 24/7 responsibility. Boy have I strayed today. Well, the fishing trip was canceled and Elena spent the day at Matts. Boy, the previous paragraph was unnecessary.
Nastia and Sean go to the American Dreams Mall for most of the day. It was so much fun I heard nothing about it and Nastia who did s well at the race track taking pictures of cars going straight, making left turns and cars stopped, didn’t take any pictures of the New Jersey disaster that bankrupted at least two companies and was painted at one time the most God awful color.
Me,I went to work. At 9 AM, I thought we'd be at the boat, starting to head toward the open sound. Around 2, I thought about eating that sandwich I was planning for the day. At four I thought about standing in the parking lot of Silly Lilies thinking about the great day we had and all the short fish we had to let go. I’d also wonder about all the fish we let go back four-five years ago and where they were and why we didn’t have first dibs on catching them after letting them go back then. Yeah, I know finders, keepers, losers, weepers. Around 6 or so, that night, I thought we’d be home or about home, tired, but happy after a long day of some of the best memories I’d have fishing. I just love to be around those two so much and yes I will be very sad when they move out.
