12/04/2018 Ice fishing at Lake Patsy in Oxford, MS

Sweet child of mine it was your idea to go fishing on this crisp winter day. The high was 44, the low 26. We got as late a start as we could to maximize our thermal/solunar chances, and we did not under-gear, unless you consider two year old coveralls on a nearly five year old “under-gearing.”

Huntress and fishergirl it was you who hauled the ice chest to the counter and ordered a dozen and a half minnows.  

Dees going to the bait shop in Oxford

While I rigged the poles and baited the hooks you ate rainbow stripe candy and caught minnows. 

It was cold and we didn’t have glucks so we improvised. 

When the fish didn’t bite (and we knew they probably wouldn’t, but you decided to fish anyway) we played games on the dock and the hills and the sand and the rocks.

You dirtied up my jacket rolling down the hill, but neither of us minded. When we went back to the dock, you insisted or setting free the remaining minnows one or two at a time. I offered no objection. 

Undiscouraged, we resolved to return, possibly as early as tomorrow morning, and we both agreed that Cal might be cut out for the trip. Thank you little one for getting us in the out.