Lessons Learnt at the Boat Launch

Along our fall search for some larger, and aggressive angling we decided to pop into Little Bow Provincial Park and fish the reservoir. My friend recalled pulling lunkers out of there as a child while camping with his family, so we loaded up the boat, and drove into the sunrise.

We got there and found two boat launches forming a ‘v’; and they looked rough, uneven, stopping 5 feet before the water began and just generally ill-maintained. It seemed quite odd to me that such a well maintained campground, and provincial park at that would have such a terrible boat launch, but we backed the truck in anyways. I would like to note at this time that we borrowed a truck for this trip, a ¾ tonne work truck. My friend jumped in the boat and I put the truck in to 1^st gear (having grown up off-roading) I knew this was our best shot, and the tires sunk instantly so I put it in neutral and proceeded to look for 4-wheel drive…. And looked, and looked and realized that this was a 2-wheel drive work truck, we were stuck, sunk and our only hope was the people fishing off of the shore with their brand new suv….

A New Venture; Purely Pleasure!

It all started in the Spring of 2007, I was driving west on Crowchild trail and happened upon a group of people playing with fishing rods and exceptional amounts of line along the median across from McMahon Stadium. I wondered what on earth was going on and I realized, as I sat in that famous afternoon traffic jam, that they were learning to fly-fish. A small desire bubbled up inside, I wanted to learn, and I wanted to learn how and where to go to catch the big one.

It has taken a couple of years to even give it an attempt, and I still have yet to own my own equipment, but this summer I have started a new hobby! This new hobby is slowly growing into a passion, a search for more than just the big fish; it has become a quest for knowledge and understanding about the treasures that are hidden so close too and within this beautiful city we call home. The places that can be found, the awe-inspiring species of fish hiding right in our backyards and the vanity in which some will go to catch one.

Even if there is just a few hours left at the end of the day, great fishing is not far away. A short drive to Policeman’s Flatts or McKinnon can open up the opportunity to catch a great fish before heading home for the evening. These fish are usually not large, but they are river fish, out of a world-class river that runs directly through our city, and they put up a good fight, especially on a fly line. For those beautiful days when you have nothing but time, a 45 minute to 2 hour hike out in Kanaskis can land you in some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and our lovely government has stocked most of the lakes with beautiful and hungry trout.

What I am saying, is if you are up for a new challenge, this hobby is guaranteed to keep your attention and has the potential to steal your heart. There is so much to learn, so much to explore, and many new people to meet. If you have a little bit of red neck in you and love to be outside I highly recommend you give it a try, you don’t need to be a pro to have a great time!

Single Moms and Money

One of the places I seem to find myself often is in the living room of a single mom. All too often these situations are one’s where the father has completely removed himself physically and financially from the picture and the struggles and responsibilities are completely the burden of the mom. Many of us are all to aware of the financial costs associated with raising children, and a completely different dynamic occurs when you are facing raising that child physically and financially alone. Yes the government does pitch in a little extra, but they are stingy and you have to meet their strict standards, and weave through their maze to qualify. Many of these moms are afraid to ask for help because they are afraid of the potential costs, or that there is nothing that can be done, and hopelessness has set in.

Moms, please, ASK FOR HELP! We are here for you. I cannot promise you the moon but I can promise to take a through look and provide you with everything in our network to better equip you with support and services you might be requiring. We are not going to send you a bill at the end of your appointment, nor are we going to sell you something that will make your tight budget even more strangling. Stop allowing money and fear to keep you imprisoned, get some advice, make a plan and be empowered through your situation. I want to see you become a success, the success you were created to be, and I want you to know that this season doesn’t last forever, there is light at the end of what can feel like an endless tunnel, and when you get to that place I want you to know that you are in the best position that you could possibly be. You will be there because you will be totally aware, and have the ability to make the decisions necessary to protect you and your little one.

The thing most dear to my heart is the ability to help as many single moms as possible reach financial freedom and refuse to buy into the belief that this is a poverty sentence or that they need to have a second income through a new partner to succeed. I long to see these women have the ability to chose a partner instead of need a partner, and I want them to enjoy the entire process. I have found that awareness coupled with an action plan is the best sleeping medication on the market. So embrace this season in your life, get the tools you need and get out there and ROCK IT!