The next day started fine since my usual routine is to write my blog and work on my poetry, practice my soprano saxophone for twenty minutes, do some household chores, then finish up my music. I had been hoping my colleague Rick Van Noy would call to go on the river trip we had talked about during the week, and around 10:00 he did, which meant I would have to get moving to pack my gear and get to the Bisset Park, where we planned to meet.
I like the Ripplemead to Bluff City run more because there is a lot more whitewater, but for a fishing and swimming trip with a ten year old and a twelve year old, Bisset to the Fairlawn bridge is perfect. Sam, the twelve year old, has become an excellent spin caster and caught 5 bass, while his younger sister caught 2. Rick, who spent most of his time guiding the canoe so the kids could fish, caught 2, the same as I did. Elliott took off with my kayak and had a good time with it, and then Sam tried it out and also enjoyed it. I let them go through an easy rapid and they both found that exciting. Elliott and I spent time just floating for long stretches in the cool water and that was very refreshing. Overall a first rate trip and it was fun to reconnect with Sam and Elliott, whom I babysat for when they were much younger. I still fondly recall taking Elliott out in her stroller and wandering around her neighborhood while I would sing improvised songs and she would smile at my attempts.