One Fish Two Fish

The most fabulous development in Bridger's world of late is his engaging in imaginative play.  He and little spunky Eliza create scenarios together every morning.  Camping, church, school. . . you name it, they pretend it.  It usually involves at least a dozen hangers from my closet, every laundry basket they can find and 6 stuffed panda bears.

Last week I walked into Bridger's room one morning when I heard him chattering to himself.  I opened his door and gave him a morning greeting, to which he replied, "I CAUGHT IT!" I asked him what he caught and he told me, "A Big Bish!" (holding his little Bristle Block stick up like a fishing pole) and then let out a huge disappointing grunt and exclaimed, "Oh no! It got away!"  I can't imagine a morning starting off with a bigger smile than that put on my face.  I changed his diaper and proceeded to get him dressed and ready for the day.  All he could say from that point forward, repeating hundreds of times over the next three days straight was, "I want to go bishing and baca wit dad." (translation: I want to go fishing and to the cabin with dad.) I wish I could record the way Bridger says it.  His voice never ceases to melt my heart.

The weather forecast screamed for a fishing and cabin weekend so we headed to our favorite trout farm (really, the best way to fish with Bridger) and to the cabin.  60 degrees on Saturday!  It felt heavenly.

Bridger knows how to cast and patiently waits for the tug at his pole and he reels it in like a champ.  After a few turns, he is excited to set aside his pole and to play with his fish in the bucket.  I don't have much feeling for fish - but I think I did for this poor fish.  After living its life peacefully in its pond, it suddenly found itself in a bucket with 6" of water with Bridger's wild hand splashing it around as he excitedly screamed at it.  This went on for an hour.  I'm sure that fish was traumatized beyond the point of recovery.

Lance, Evie and Sadie are wonderfully self-sufficient now and can bait their own hook, cast and reel them in.  Eliza is getting her lessons from dad and will soon follow suit with her siblings.  Hopefully we will "teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime."

We  settled into the cabin for the afternoon and enjoyed this window that comes each spring and fall of no bugs, no snakes and beautiful weather.  The kids would play out here for hours.  I rang the dinner bell and they came scattering from the four corners to dish up a bowl of simmering chili in the crockpot with a slab of homemade cornbread hop in the car and dash into town and enjoy some cheap and saucy Mexican food (mom needed a break too).

The following day included a family hike. The sun was trying to send some warmth - but the crisp breeze was still dominating.  Close enough, we'll take it. This terrain proved the exception to Bridger's 'all-terrain' wheelchair so Bridger's hike was on four wheels slowly driven by dad coasting next to us.  

Bridger was captivated by a little waterfall and just wanted to pause for a long time and stare at it.  The others insisted on traversing every log that lay fallen over the creek.  We made it back to the cabin with four pairs of dry sneakers.  Miracle.

Bridger sometimes knows just what our family needs - and this weekend it was "Bishing and Baca".  The best kind of cabin fever there is!