I had a goal for Labor Day weekend and that was to catch a fish. The lake house is near Rockford so we headed down 280 again, but this time we stopped at Penzey's Spices in Inverness first. I had assumed it was going to be some super-expensive stuff, but the prices are reasonable. I discovered Mexican Vanilla extract, which smells so good I left it on the kitchen counter so I can have a whiff every once in a while. Next, Bud's Bait Barn, where we bought some worms. Then off to the Childersburg Wal-Mart for groceries, which is quite an experience in regards to the diversity of the human species. I spotted a nice, brassy gold mullet on a guy hanging out in the parking lot (it's the place to see and be seen).

That evening on the lake, I was brave enough to put a hook through the worm. It probably doesn't take courage so much as a strong stomach. As soon as I dropped it in the water (we hadn't boarded the boat yet), a small brim fish bit the hook. And this is how it went through the weekend and I think we caught 50 or 60 brim, and threw most of them back. The following day I hooked a baby big mouth bass, but it wasn't big enough to eat so we threw it back. The other bass continue to elude us. I read through some BassMaster magazines and discovered that apparently it is much more complicated to catch a bass than I thought. Also, bass fishermen analyze their sport just as much as cyclists do.

We kept the largest of the brim, and battered and fried them up for dinner. They were good.

The funny part of this weekend is that Ruby has really taken to fishing. At first she hated being on the boat. She also hates getting wet. After a few rides, she decided the boat was okay and has been spotted driving the boat without a license. Then she discovered that we were pulling some weird slimy wiggly things out of the water with fishing poles. She started running up and down the boat every time one of us pulled a hook out of the water, even if the hook was empty. And she would lean waaaay over the boat's edge trying to bite the fish, almost falling in a few times. She did manage to jump up and bite one fish in the tail, and put another small fish entirely in her mouth. She also ate a worm. Who would have known that a little Boston Terrier could be so vicious to small creatures? I can't wait to see her reaction if we ever catch a bass that is half her size. After a day of running all over the boat and getting tangled up in fishing line, Ruby was plumb tired out. I don't have photos because the camera battery died.

We also went for a bike ride out in the country. And saw about 10 cars, compared to the usual 467,348 cars that pass me on a ride in Birmingham.

It's quiet out there. It is so nice to get away from the noise one hears in a metropolitan environment. And at night, it is truly dark. The only noises I heard were: wind, birds, and coyotes. And Ruby's snorts (of course). I would like to live out in the boonies and be closer to a natural environment and have a huge garden. However, I like conveniences like nearby stores and friends to socialize with. Also, I have to go to work.