The last few weeks since mum has arrived have been busy! Where to start... well let's see, the chimney on the bread oven is done, only the metal roof remains to be installed. Hopefully will be done sometime next week. Now that the chimney is done, the oven can be safely used. Lesley and mum are busy brainstorming baking plans for next week, after the masonry dries. Many bread books, flours, supplies, etc, have appeared at our house the past few weeks.

My friend "Mike" visited us the past few days. The four hour drive from his house to ours went OK for him. We decided to forego the "race" down our driveway we talked about while in therapy. we decided that the risk of one of us falling was too great. A bit of common sense prevailed. I showed him most of my fishing lakes and spots, he is now planning a return trip here in the spring for a few weeks of serious fishing. Comparing our past eight months of rehab and experiences we had ourselves in stitches laughing. It was a real joy to see him again. We shared things that only stroke survivors can know. It appears our recoveries, pains, flustrations, setbacks, etc, have been similar. We still talk on the phone every few days.

Mum now has her immigration papers complete and even got her social security card yesterday. The process is finally complete. Only took nine months.

Mum and Lesley went with a neighbor to a play put on by the local theater group last night. They came home full of the local news and gossip. I came home with some fish about the same time. I had planned to fish well into the dark since the moon was supposed to be nearly full, but a large cloud hid the moon, and the fish stopped biting, so home I came. The lake was a new one to me, one I had on my "must fish someday" list for several years now. The fishing was such that I will go back to it. It is also very easy to get to, can drive to the shore, and launching the canoe is easy, plus it is close to home, and I have only seen one other person fish it in several years.

Speaking of fishing, my main fishing buddy and I were out a few days ago, when he hooked something that was obviously large. As he got it to the canoe, he said it is a pike. Then it came near my end of the canoe as we tried to net it, and I said "it's a walleye" after seeing it's golden side. After we netted it, he said "we're both wrong, its a muskie"! Sure enough, it was. A very rare fish in this area, and quite a thrill for both of us. First time either of us had ever seen one in the flesh live. It was about 30" long and probably 6lb or so, not of legal keeping size, so back into the lake it went. Naturally, neither of us had a camera, so all we have is a great memory.

Today is a slow day of rest, Lesley works tonight, I plan little. After monday's holiday the tourists will be gone and most of the lakes I go to will be even less busy. I rarely see anyone while fishing now, next week will be even better. Even the locals will not be fishing, most will be getting ready for various hunting seasons, deer, grouse, bear, moose. Ahhhh, the lakes totally to myself again!