Joey was able to come but Rebeka decided to stay at the house and study. Although I would have been glad to take them both, having a single student would be easier, I knew. We went to the pool by the horseshoe turn, and after an hour Joey had a pretty good roll cast down, certainly enough to catch fish with a wooly bugger. He attacked the pool pretty well, but there were no results so I told him we might want to try up above, where there were several productive runs. However, when we go to the top, I noticed that the water was pretty low and that Joey might be able to wade it in his hip waders. My assumption was correct and we worked out way to the top of the long deep pool there. Fish were rising and I got one on a Royal Wulff, then another in the enticing smaller pools above. Joey had a few hits, first on the wooly bugger and then on a Royal Wulff but no trout. Still, we both had an excellent time and if I returned in August, I told him I hope we could continue his lessons.
The New York City part of the trip turned out very well. It was a comfort to see Gabe and Francesca and Herb and Susan, and walking around the city was rewarding as always. The LIRR trip out to visit my Aunt Rose was less pleasant as she is declining rather quickly, and the therapist at the rehabilitation hospital thought she would not be able to return to the assisted living facility since she was unable to get herself out of her wheelchair. My visit to my Aunt Marie was much different. She is still living by herself and after she fed me a delicious meal of shrimp, rice and green beans, we went for a long walk (perhaps three miles) in the county park and bird sanctuary. There were killdeer and mallards, and redwing blackbirds and ringbill gulls, and Canada geese with goslings. She is so focused and intelligent, just the kind of person I like to spend time with.
Tomorrow I will be back teaching and after a very rewarding break I am ready to be in the class room.