This year

 River record


Well done to Jerry Gleeson on his 14lb 8oz barbel from the Goyt on the 23rd December.

In Yorkshire

But may be too expensive for them !

The Yorkshire branch of the Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) are organising a one-day seminar, with the EA's support, to examine the issues of predators in greater depth.
The IFM is a non-profit organisation controlled by members sharing a common interest in the modern management of recreational and commercial fisheries.
 Topics for the day will be broadly organised into fish-eating birds, seals, otters and less acknowledged predators such as signal crayfish.
After each session there will be time for you to question the panel of presenters.
The venue is the conference centre at Goole Leisure Centre on Saturday 18 February 2012, between 09:00 and 17:00.
The IFM will be charging attendees a small fee (£10). Tea. coffee and a buffet lunch will be provided.
For more information contact the event organiser, Mike Lee careers@ifm.org.uk

Fishing


Just a bit to sort out still, but if the weather continues for the foreseeable future, I shall have some catching up to do on the river, maybe the Thames when I make my last trip to Harold Hill.
I'll try and squeeze at least one trip to the Trent before year end.



Game over
Last mention of the little man............ ever!
I see a certain obnoxious little Yorkshireman claims to have been given early retirement.
Rumour on the grapevine is, that it's not for the reason he gives!!

Last for the year


Unless I am able to get out for a fish, this will be my last blog for 2011.
Lots of memories to store for me and piles of old family photo's to organise, including this the first time I think I've seen it.   My Mum & Dad, 3rd May 1947.

Together again!

So to everybody, have a great 2012, may it be a fit and healthy one for you all, with plenty of fish to fill your net.
My 2012 is going to be the very best for a while I'm sure.

Another chapter closes

23/12/11


Mum's funeral yesterday at 11:00 and it all went very well, plenty of family in attendance and a very good service not too religious and a bit of music.
She came into the chapel with Nat King Cole's Unforgettable.







Her favourite song was played whilst we were having the "quiet" few minutes of reflection, I say quiet, it was Jennifer Rush's Power of love. 


I just about got through reading the following poem from the pulpit early on in the ceremony


  She's gone: David Harkins

 

You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Finally Glen Miller's Moonlight serenade.  Rest in Peace Mum

Waiting over

           Mum

  Kathleen Ella Boney 
10 January 1923 - 11 December 2011

Winter on the way?

Nah!
Wide awake at 5:30 this morning very tempted  to  have a trip down to the Trent, in the end I lie there listening to the tawny owls calling and couldn't be arsed to stir myself for the 1 hour journey.
I think I'll write off the rest of this season, and hope my enthusiasm returns next season.
Need to keep an eye out in the tackle store though, another mouse trapped!


President Fred's bit


I have to say  reading Fred Crouch's piece a few times, what he has to say has some real merit, it would be good to see if anybody has a counter view.



In the garden
A rather neglected garden this year, although we had a good crop of lettuces, tomatoes, carrots, courgettes, radish and spuds. Some of the lettuces, and radish as big as golf balls are still in the ground, and a few peppers being slowly eaten by the insect life.The "orchard" was wiped out just after the fruit had set by a very sharp wind blown frost.
Bird life is beginning to return including  a good few male pheasants but not our regular Chinese one.....yet!
A rare visitor to the garden spotted this morning on a couple occasions already,  a female bullfinch, and a great tit inspecting a nest box, probably for spiders rather than for next years nest I'm sure. Four female blackbirds doing the territorial thing only one male to be seen.

Last Friday


Had a very good session with the International Drinking Society" boys" in a Fullers pub, The Telegraph, off Moorgate in the City of London. 
Stuck to the "Pride" so I was good, had a very good lunch too, recommend their confit of duck leg.
All ol'boys relatively fit probably see at least most of them during next year!Got my first Christmas present too.

DIY


After some trepidation as I'm not on ounce of a handy man and after 37 years of home ownership took the leap into the unknown and changed for the first time a leaking washer in the bathroom hot tap, the furthest tap from the water cut off.!!
Total cost £11.12.
Good job I took the whole piece along to Travis Perkins, it wasn't just a rubber washer as it was ceramic! Phew no leaks to report.

Something for the weekend

A man and his wife were awoken at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door.
The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!"
He slams the door and returns to bed.
"Who was that?" asked his wife..
"Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers.
"Did you help him?" she asks.
"No, I did not, it is 3:00 in the morning and it is pouring rain out there!"
"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us?
I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pouring rain.
He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?"
"Yes," comes back the answer.
"Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband.
"Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark.
"Where are you?" asks the husband.


"Over here on the swing," replied the drunk.

A view from The President

What do you think?

http://barbelsociety.blogspot.com/