February 17, 2024
We woke up feeling a little parched and beat up from the party. But there was a sense of renewal, a type of mental and emotional reset we experienced. My wife jumped into the shower while I cleaned the kitchen and prepared coffee. We sipped cappuccinos together, lamenting our headaches, but also admitted we had a lot of fun. I jumped in the shower and then we went to Cracker Barrel and feasted.
Returning with full stomachs, we took it easy for the rest of the morning. We sat down on the couch and my wife fell asleep in my arms, so I got her a small pillow and covered her with a blanket. She slept for a bit while I went to my office to write. The house was quiet with the white noise of the washing machine rumbling and my dog Bodhi snoring lightly by my feet.
When my wife awoke, we went for an impromptu walk through the forest with two dogs. The woods were quiet and the cool air was fresh. We reminisced about the shining spiders and talked about how much we loved living in North Carolina. We wondered where we would end up after she finished her schooling, but we knew we would keep this property.
When we arrived back home, my wife left for a massage appointment while I made a trip to Papa Jack’s in Kenly to pick up some fishing essentials: Gatorade, beef jerky, and some light crimping weights for my fishing line. I noticed that the store had run out of earthworms. I smiled, knowing I had plenty of bait from my worm farm at home.
Spring was in the air at Buckhorn Reservoir. For the past few weeks, all of nature has looked empty, sparse; gray. Today, however, the trees around the reservoir had faint hints of color. Green shoots were sprouting and small reddish flowers were in full blossom on some trees. It was still cold, but it looked like someone had touched up the place a bit. The changes excited me. It wouldn’t be long before the water warmed and spring fishing would be here. During the winter, fishing was slow, but in a few weeks, the fish will be more active.
The temperature was frosty on the pier. The winter winds were still present, chilling the air as it blew over the water, and when it hit the pier, it went right through me. I don’t know why, but I purposely dressed light, wearing tactical pants, a tee shirt, and a long-sleeved flannel shirt buttoned to the top. Instead of a warm beanie, I opted for a ball cap I use for fishing. The result was that I battled the cold as I fished, but embraced the challenge. It was an opportunity to toughen myself while being out in nature’s beauty. She is both things; serene and severe.
Near the end of fishing, a man walked on the pier toward me. He looked out of place, wearing street clothes and a chunky silver chain with an oversized medallion. As he approached closer, it became clear he was going to talk to me. I thought to myself, “I hope this isn’t a problem, because he will not enjoy being in the cold water.” The young man stopped and asked if I spoke Spanish. We spoke for a while. He and his friends had some live minnows and wanted to trade some for my earthworms. I explained my worms came from my worm farm and then gave him two containers for free, wishing him luck. It’s always nice to help people. The guy was likely nervous approaching me, not knowing how I’d react. In any case, if someone needs helping or hurting, I’m your guy.
My wife texted me she had finished her massage, and that she was on her way home from Wilson. I packed up my fishing gear and drove straight to the Piggly Wiggly in Bailey to pick up some snacks and cut firewood. She had to leave the next day, but I knew we’d both enjoy a quiet evening outside together. This was the last week of her current rotation, so she would be back in just a few days. After three weeks of living apart, four days should be easy.
When my wife arrived, she brought back a snack from a small place named Señor Munchies. For her, a cup of ice cream with fresh fruit. For me, a couple of tacos “Al pastor”, with cilantro, onion, lime juice, and hot sauce. I devoured them, not realizing how hungry I was. After eating, I made some kindling and started a fire. Soon after, we heated the Traeger Grill for a special dinner.
A few weeks ago, I showed my wife a short video of someone making a thick cheese dip with pieces of steak. A master in the kitchen, my wife prepped ingredients that were thrown into a hot cast-iron skillet on the grill. With the fire pit blazing, I put a flat log in the middle of the fire and my wife placed the meat on the log in the flames, which seared the entire steak. She chopped the meat into chunks and added them to the melting cheese and other ingredients. Everything looked and smelled wonderful.
When dinner was ready, we put all the dogs inside and feasted like kings. We fell in love with the dish and talked about what we would do differently the next time we made it. Food is a very serious topic in this house. We cleaned up our mess and relaxed outside, just as dusk was sinking into darkness. We felt lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Just then, we heard enchanting sounds echoing high above. A pair of Canadian geese flew above the pine grove and right over our heads. When these magical moments happen, we always look at each other and shake our heads in disbelief at nature’s beauty.
Before going to bed, my wife wanted to go into the woods to see the reflective spiders again. I grabbed my headlamp, and we walked through the forest, straying a little further this time. We hunted spiders for a few minutes before heading back inside. Last night was a much needed release, but this evening was more about gathering ourselves and getting ready for the next few days. I felt grateful that I found such an amazing person to be my partner. I’m just going to say it. Most people are shitheads, and finding good people is rare. But finding someone who fits perfectly is like winning the lottery, and I was lucky to end up with a winning ticket.