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This is officially the first Match Doctor Nature Blog of 2009. I am expecting my signed, framed certificate to arrive from the Match Doctor (signed by the doctor himself or herself) at any time now.
Tuesday was absolutely gorgeous . . . not a cloud in the sky. Even though the official temperature was 57, the intense winter sun made it feel like 70 . . . shortsleeve weather. Weeks of rain, snow and clouds had given me a Grade A case of cabin fever.
I couldn't do any architecture work because my only work right now will be in Oklahoma. After being paid the $25 fee in November, the State of Georgia still had not sent my architect's records to the State of Oklahoma so I could get my license there and work on the project there, where I won a design competition. They also waited till that day to cash the check, thinking it would bounce - but I had tricked them by adding $7.77 to my account in the morning - which left me with nothing after the check cleared. No income for seven weeks! Yuck! Oh, and the two younger herd dogs were back to eating slave hair again. That's how they deal with boredom.
You said slave hair? Yes, that is right. Since March the good officials of Pickens County, Jawja had done their dead level best to take from me the one thing Ieft in my life - my herd dogs. I have been loving and training this breed since I was 28. People will drive as far as from Nebraska to buy one of my Scottish herd dog pups.
The effort was preceded by some deputies and the wife of one senior deputy going around town and telling people that they need the good citizens' help in ridding the community of that pervert and his killer dogs. That's how they frame people in Georgia. They sow lies in the community, fake a crime, and then everybody believes the good folks wearing badges - including the media. Evil people here . . . evil.
There was nothing much they could do to fake a dog crime, because the dogs are smarter than the Sikooya here, and are either inside the house or with me 24/7. However, when a close friend died suddenly in early July from a fungal infection contracted at an archaeological site, I had to go to his funeral. While I was gone, several strangers stopped by the house and beat on the walls and windows. They brought along bull dogs, that had been fed gunpowder to make them go into a frenzy. That's an old trick from "professional" dog fighters.
Well, nothing much happened other than my window screens being torn up, except that in their frustration, my dogs tore into an armchair that had been in my family since the 1850s. When I came home there was 158 year old raw cotton and African American hairs all over the living room. My God! The folks back then used the hair of their slaves to stuff fine furniture? What contempt they had for human life.
I thought I had stopped the canine destruction of a chair formerly worth $1000, now worth very little - but it had started up again on Tuesday. My dogs were bored and wanted to be in the wilderness!
So, I figured out that even though my wallet was empty, I had enough gas to get to my favorite fishing spot on Lake Blue Ridge and back. The TVA website said that the walleye pike were biting. In November Ingles Supermarket had run an 88 cents a pound special on whole chickens. I had bought everyone of them, and eaten nothing but chicken since then. Fish steaks would be nice! The minute the dogs saw me get out my tackle box, they jumped into the air with ectasy and kissed me.
It was beautiful on that hidden cove of Lake Blue Ridge. There was a flock of wild mallard ducks basking in the sun and lazily paddling through the water. Overhead a magnificent white-winged osprey circled the cove, looking for a fish to come near the surface. There was a camp site and two vehicles on a knoll above my fishing hole, but they didn't show their faces, even though their dog barked. I assumed they were a couple having an affair and didn't want to be seen.
Well, I cast my line out from a rock overcrop above a deep spot, anchored the fishing pole, and then struck off for the head of the cove with my spear. I use it for gigging flounder on the coast and bullfrogs in the South Georgia swamps. I was hoping to catch a channel catfish in the shallows, where a white water stream enters the lakes. Nothing. No fish was visible in the clear mountain lake water. The dogs had a grand time chasing each other in the mountain stream, exploring the woods, and chasing rabbits, though.
I came back to my fishing hole. No bites. We hung around for a couple more hours and there still were no bites. I decided to change my lure to go after white bass. The first time I cast the pole, the $10 artificial lure broke off the line and sank into the water. What else will go wrong? Well, maybe I could try for catfish?
About that time, a fishing boat quietly slipped into the head of the cove. One of the people in the tent came out and signaled to it. Immediately, the two men in the boat ducked where I couldn't see them and turned the boat around. Aha! I had just messed up a drug deal. That was the kind of fishing that was really going on today on Lake Blue Ridge.
Well, the dogs told me they were bored now, and wanted to go home. They indicate this information by looking sea sick, and sitting by the rear door of the Explorer. I loaded up the fishing gear. They immediately perked up. There was no more fun in a dog's life than cruising down a mountain trail and sight-seeing for deer.
We didn't catch any fish, so it was again chicken, sweet potatos, and cabbage for dinner tonight. However, it was wonderful to bask in the sun for an afternoon. I got to thinking on the way back. This afternoon was a metaphor for life around here these days. Few positive things ever get accomplished, the money is only made by people doing illegal activities - but at least it was a pleasure being out in the beauty of God's Creation.
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| On the Trail of the Wild Walleyed Pike! |
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kywonder
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Jan 1 @ 8:47AM
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Yeah Richard, I am convinced that you need to move. Get out of the states period. They will follow you. Go to Canada with your sister and brother in law.
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KnittinKitten
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Jan 1 @ 8:59AM
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Yes, Richard: There are times I really fear for your life....Hopefully, the State of Georgia will come through with that paperwork soon, and you can be on your way to happier times.....I hope they haven't deliberately "86'd" it. Too bad you don't have copies of all the papers required for your new license. Any chance that Oklahoma can be the one accessing the records and obtaining it while bypassing Georgia?
You KNOW my wishes are there for your success AND health and safety for 2009.
Sincerely,
KK 
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summerbreeze916
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Jan 1 @ 7:03PM
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Awwwwwwwwwwww.............sorry you didn't catch any fish, but your description of the countryside was absolutely beautiful, as usual. Thanks for sharing.......... 
I sure hope that 2009 is much better for you.........and SAFE!!! 
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suthrn_belle
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Jan 1 @ 7:19PM
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I agree with Ky and KK, move, no one should have to live under such pressure.
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