So, you married a hardcore fly fisherman?

The postman has nothing on the fly fisherman.   photo credit: David Cannon

So, when I met Bill...I knew he was a fly fisherman.  In fact, on our first date we went fly fishing (technically the second date but this time around he actually talked to me *see introvert references and Bill being a man of very few words).

The early years...yes, I married this.

I did not think too much of it at the time.  I love fish.   I fancy myself a mermaid of sorts (*see 8-year-old at heart reference).  I enthusiastically professed to Bill that I was the "outdoorsy" type (I mean...I did own a pair of Vasque hiking boots)  and I spent much of my youth fishing in our suburb pond that was so polluted with yard perfecting chemicals that I once tried to rescue all of the brim by placing them in buckets and brought them home to be my pets.  We all know how that scarred me for life ended. 

From the beginning, it was clear that Bill had "fish brain". 

Every book he read, gift he requested, trip he coveted and thought beyond a basic need was about fish.  Yep.  I knew who he was and he made zero effort to conceal what can I can clearly now describe as being possessed.

Don't get me wrong...I have total respect for any passionate diversion from life.  I grew up in a family that celebrated any interesting avocation...namely hobbies.  Hobbies defined us in our household.  We were pushed to explore all that was available to us and "full immersion" into any extra curricular activity was a highly regarded behavior. 

I knew his kind. 

Or did I?  Most hobbies have an expiration of sorts.  You either evolve, master it or simply age out.  It appears as though that does not occur with the fly fishing thing.  It's the ever evolving sport in it's own right, impossible to master and well...I know more than one person that actually died of old age while fishing (it's true).

Let's just be honest...the signs were clear from the beginning (*see first date we went fly fishing reference).  And, did I mention that he "left" his fly rod in my car insuring another meeting? Oh, and he also left a copy of "A River Runs Through it" in my car (*see cliché reference...so be it).

There were other signs.  Some subtle and then the not-so-subtle.  For example...after being married only a few short months and our cat walked by me in the living room...shaved...shaved all of the way from his hind legs to his belly.  Bald.  When pushed,  Bill finally admitted that he needed orange tying material.  Poor Peanut.  That was only the beginning...

Here's my own personal collective of...

TOP 10 (okay 11)  WAYS YOU KNOW YOU MARRIED

A HARD CORE FLY FISHERMAN

#1  Your child learns to tie a fly before his shoes.  

#2  Waders have become acceptable décor (huge sigh here...).

#3  When four hours of a vacation day (any random vacation day)  is hijacked by riding around some random town looking for a random brim popper or whatever other random fly pattern may catch some random fish in some random golf course pond.

#4  His favorite activity at Disney is feeding the giant carp in the ponds outside of Epcot. 

Yep

#5  He cannot find his underwear in the morning yet mysteriously is able to navigate miles and miles of a primitive back country trail leading to a small stream...full of trout.  Or, how about this...he cannot find ANYTHING pertaining to everyday life but can find a tarpon/redfish/snook in the middle of the ocean!?!?!?  Am I right?

#6  When his insistence to share the love of fly fishing and the desire for you to catch trout with him is so intense that he straps you to his back with a belt and trudges in rushing chest deep water across the Frying Pan River to get to a honey hole full of Rainbows.  (editor's note:  I did indeed catch a lot of fish that day until the bear thing).

 #7  When you receive a text like this:

#8  When your 5-year-old little girl can double haul.

 #9 When you bring up the idea of buying a boat for the lake and he convinces you that a 17 foot flats boat is indeed family friendly.  So, when we go to the lake for "family day" we cram 4 adults, 2 children, one huge cooler and 2 paddle boards on this formidable vessel.  No really...it seems almost normal until I write this...

#10 When the hatch is on...Bill is gone.  Gone gone. Like so gone...

#11   Ummmm...when you live in the mountains in rural North Georgia to be close to fish and make bamboo fly rods for a living.

I would be remiss not to mention that because of Bill's said "excessive enthusiasm",  I am fortunate enough to travel to the most exquisite destinations on earth (except that one), meet some of the most fascinating people on earth (except that one), learn the most thoughtful sport on earth and live an unimaginable life...

...a life that I could have never even dreamt of on that first date sitting on a rock in the woods, starring at the my Vasque hiking boots being lulled into love while listening to Bill discuss the merits of a woolly booger pattern.

slo

Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods, Halloween and just about everything else you can imagine!

Wow! Where to begin...the last 2 months have been eventful to say the least. We kicked of the fall by spending a few days in a Yurt in Western North Carolina. It's the closest Bill will get me to camping these days. It's so rare that we get away without work in tow so it was a serious treat.

Our Yurt was nestled in the woods with a gorgeous view of the Nantahala gorge. The best part was being able to "open the roof" at night and sleep under the stars in comfort. We managed to squeeze in a mountain bike ride at Tsali before going to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops . All of this in 36 hours...we had to cut the trip short for the love of bamboo but it was a glorious 36 hours. Crazy beautiful.

So, fast forward a few weeks, a few rods and a bamboo fly rod class later....oh, and a fun class! The class consisted of a group of friends from Arizona and a "local" from Tennessee. For this group, I traded our traditional graduation/meatball night for Gnocchi in it's stead. Why that's worth mentioning...I have no idea.

As I said, a few insane weeks later (insert starting Cutter's homeschooling here), it was time for the Oyster Picnic Reunion on October 2. This idea started innocent enough. I thought we could gather some local clients together at Froghollow and fish our Oyster rods for a few hours. However, much to my complete shock....lots (and I mean lots) of Oysters celebrated their bamboo fly rods with us. We had Oyster rod clients as well as bamboo fly rod class students arrive to enjoy the ideal, breezy, sunny day including delicious BBQ and big fish. What a touching and sincere testament to the company we started in our loft 13 years ago.

October is my favorite month of the year. Tom Waits sings about this.

So, let's see...oh, the weekend after the picnic Bill went to the Annual Carter Center charity event at Brigadoon. This year, Bill had the pleasure of guiding Rosalynn Carter. Ask me if I am annoyed that he did not take any pictures with her? Go ahead...ask. Yes.


Meanwhile, the kids and I went to the ocean for our October trip. October is perfect there...really. We met my friends, Kristy and AJ, down there for a few days and enjoyed (once again), the perfect weather, crystal clear water and unreal sunsets.

Again, fast forward a few more bamboo rod orders, a few more bamboo fly rods shipped and another bamboo fly rod making class. Our October class was fun and interesting, as usual. All of the students' rods were gorgeous! Wrapping day was a bit stressful...but, what's new. Also, I am proud to say that the most exquisite rod of the group was made by my now friend, Kathy. Women tend to do very well in these classes. I feel it's a combination of women being patient, good listeners and having an innate aesthetic that compliments the craft. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Now, I should mention Bill being awarded Georgia's "40 under 40". Each year, Georgia Trend magazine honors 40 people under 40 for this award. When Bill was chosen, he was confused. While Bill realizes that he is a talented craftsman, I don't think mainstream recognition ever makes sense to him. By the way...it makes perfect sense to me. Our family can not afford for Bill to be too humble. Bill got into bamboo rod making because of his love of the craft and fly fishing. Remember, I insisted he sell his second rod ever built over a decade ago. We had many discussions concerning the "business" of bamboo rod making and we (I) decided that Bill's talent and willingness to share all that he has to offer as a rod maker was a far better "job" prospect for him than a corporate job. Why not? Most people have to do something for a living...why not something you love? So, when Bill ended up on a "list" of 40 overachievers, he had no choice but to see himself as something else as just a bamboo fly rod maker. The honorees were celebrated at a dinner in Atlanta on October 20th and the Mayor of ATL (a former list member) was the keynote speaker (he was very good, by the way...now I know why he was elected). One funny thing...the invitation to the dinner said "business attire". So, Bill said, "What do I wear...waders or a dirty shirt full of bamboo dust and leather gloves"? He did not. We thought about it. But, he did not wear waders.

A few days after the dinner and the completion of another class, Bill left for NYC to speak at the New York Anglers Club. The club made Bill's trip fulfilling for a variety of reasons...including meeting and hanging out with Hoagy Carmichael. Bill learned how to make a bamboo fly rod from Hoagy's book, A Masters Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod. So, you (and Oprah) could call this Bill's "full circle moment".

The grand finale of this Loooooooooooong blog is our incredible Halloween. Blue Ridge shuts down Main Street and kids come from three states as the merchants give out candy as fast as our arms will move. We gave away over 3000 pieces this year...3000. Everyone dressed up at the shop...even Riley. But, now that Riley is 21...he thinks that he is all manly and stuff so he took some convincing to wear the clown wig. Actually, I think Riley enjoyed it as much as my other children. :)

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