| I grew up in Texas and stayed at my | | | | who loved to fish as well, was beside himself. |
| grandmothers' house all week during the | | | | We awoke at midnight to drive to the party boat |
| summers. My grandparents loved to go fishing. | | | | my uncle had rented, along with a hundred other |
| They fished, probably, every lake in Texas, | | | | thrill seekers, hoping to catch the "big" one. We |
| before their passing. | | | | were ushered into the bowel of the boat for the |
| Vacations for me were going with my | | | | 3 hour trip to the fishing spot predesignated by |
| grandparents on their vacations, which was | | | | the captain. At dawn we were awakened by the |
| always a fishing trip to Lake Dallas or Texoma | | | | captain and told we were at our destination. I was |
| Lake. George and Billie were die-hard fishermen. | | | | actually looking forward to fishing for the "big" |
| They started before dawn, in the dark and loaded | | | | one, until I walked the stairs to the main deck to |
| their aluminum boat with all of their gear. I usually | | | | view more water than I ever imagined seeing. |
| fell back asleep in the boat and did not wake up | | | | There was no land in sight. Immediately, my |
| until we were at their favorite spot on the lake. I | | | | stomach was in my throat and I knew I was in |
| always felt they knew every nook and cranny | | | | trouble. I ran back downstairs to use the potty |
| the the sand bass or big mouth bass were hiding. | | | | and was greeted by a sign stating " Go to the |
| We would stay in the boat on the lake all day, | | | | side of the boat if you are sick". This made me |
| just coming in for a short break or sandwich and | | | | even sicker. There was no way I was going to |
| then back to fishing. As a child, I loved to fish, but | | | | throw up in front of 100 strangers. Not today, not |
| probably not as much as they did. | | | | ever. |
| When we went fishing it was the norm to bring | | | | Somehow I was able to hold this sickness all day. |
| home hundreds (or it seemed like hundreds) of | | | | We did not catch the big one. A storm came up |
| fish, that my grandfather would carefully scale | | | | and the captain turned the boat around and |
| and clean to be put into the freezer for a | | | | headed for shore. I did not realize that the captain |
| wonderful fish fry at a later date. I wasn't | | | | had been drinking beer all day and was driving the |
| particularly fond of fried fish at that time of my | | | | boat like a maniac. Once we were on land, we |
| life. Back in the 50s, fileting fish wasn't done as | | | | drove home. It took me two days to get over |
| often as it is today. Almost always, I would choke | | | | the sea sickness and to this day I have not been |
| on the tiny bones in the fish, even when I was | | | | back to deep sea fish. |
| extremely careful. | | | | I do love to fish on a much smaller scale. I used |
| Probably one of my grandparents greatest | | | | to think my grandmother was dragged to the |
| adventures was the time when my Uncle Ted | | | | lake to fish. I once told her when I grew up, I |
| took them to the Gulf of Mexico to deep sea fish. | | | | would see to it that she had a real vacation. she |
| My grandparents were like two little children in | | | | laughed and said, "Honey, I love to fish and would |
| their excitement and prospect of fishing the big | | | | not want to vacation any other way." Until the |
| ocean. They brought home an ice chest full of | | | | day my grandmother passed away, she would go |
| fish, including a red snapper as I remember. As an | | | | to her little cabin at Lake Dallas and stay and fish |
| adult, my husband and I were also treated to a | | | | by herself. |
| deep sea fishing trip by Uncle Ted. My husband, | | | | She truly loved to fish! |