To all my Fishing Stage family:
Please help me pray for my good friend and former Pastor/Founder of Crossroads Cowboy Church, Terry Newell. He is dying of pancreatic cancer in Solsberry, Indiana, where he and his wife, Shella, have moved, to be close to family. He has now been moved into a Hospice home, as his condition has worsened.
Terry has been our friend for over 20 years, and was our Church Pastor for 11 of those years, before retiring in 2020. Prior to starting the Cowboy Church, Terry was a Royal Rangers (faith-based Boy Scouts) Commander at the Church we attended and had much to do with our son’s (Bo)
spiritual growth, as well as teaching him outdoorsman skills, like starting a fire without matches. He is also responsible for a large part of my spiritual maturity and ministry.
We know we will be spending eternity together, but until then, we pray the Lord will give strength and comfort to Terry and Shella, their family, and all his many friends who love him dearly.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers in advance.
🙏🏻
Here are a few pics of Terry. The ones with the “bass cap” were at his 60th birthday. (He liked having fun!)

So I'd have to start by titling this thread as "Initial ignorant, blatant, stupidity followed by a well executed plan."
Last Friday, I was pier fishing with different drop shots at my home Lake Dixon in Escondido. (By the way, Dixon is looking good now. Weeds are developing and that's where I catch most of my bass.)
I had a 2-pole permit.
I threw my 1st RoboWorm straight out deep and here comes the stupidity part, then set my pole down on the pier. My technique was to let it sink, come back some minutes later and start the wacky wiggle.
Then I set up my 2nd rig at the far end of the pier and threw out from the shallows parallel to shore.
Let it sink.
Looked up to go start my deep rig retrieve and my rod & reel were gone.
Bummer and pretty stupid. I knew better.
As one who is living on a fairly tight budget; no way I wasn't gonna let that $500 combo go. I was on a mission.
So as one who must admit to watching some Swamp People episodes where they occasionally snag their gators; I realized I needed some type of snag hook.
Took a few days to get here; but when it arrived, I headed straight to the pier.
I had reason to believe I knew where it likely landed.
One snag hook cast, got it. 4-days after it sank.
Thanked God and laughed my butt off all the way home as I had no real confidence that I could do it.
On and off the pier in under 10-minutes.
That's the "well executed plan" part.
Still laughing.

TYRANNY

 

56 incredibly brave men signed the Declaration of Independence…




They knew they were risking death, but they valued freedom more and knew they were doing the right thing.




5 men who signed were captured by the British and tortured to death.




9 of the men fought in the Revolutionary War and died from their wounds.




2 of the men had sons that fought in the war and were k**led.




Over a dozen of the signers had their homes destroyed and they lost all their possessions.




Take the story of Carter Braxton.




Most people have never heard his name.




He was from Virginia and was a wealthy landowner and businessman who owned a lot of ships.




His ships were captured by the British navy and his land and houses were l**ted and burned.




He loaned a bunch of money to the American fight and he died completely broke.




How many people today would have the courage to sign the Declaration of Independence?




Not many.




And do you know what really chaps my hide?




Most people today don’t even have the courage to stand up for what is right.




Most people don’t have the courage to openly support their belief in the Second Amendment.




Today, we don’t risk death or having our houses burned to the ground, but still, people are too afraid to stand up for what is right.




I know you’re not one of them and I’m grateful for that.




But we can never forget that life is never going to get easier for those of us who know what is right, while the rest of society continues to go the wrong way.




And may you and I always have even a small part of the courage of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Anyone who has had a sick pet knows that at one time or another, they will put up some resistance when it comes time to give them their medicine. I mean, even humans resist, and they know it’s good for them!

This particular story has been circulating the internet for years and explains step-by-step the differences between how to give your cat a pill and how to give one to your dog. I’m sure many pet parents will identify with this in one way or another!

How to Give Your Cat a Pill...

1) Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill in mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2) Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3) Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

4) Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6) Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paw. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.

7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8) Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9) Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10) Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door on to neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11) Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12) Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13) Tie the little bastard’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it.
Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14) Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15) Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from Hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to Give a Dog a Pill...

1) Wrap it in bacon and toss it in the air.