I'M still kickin'

[Charles Alexander]

Folks: I'm still here too. Just haven't felt up to it as for the last two yrs after covid TRIED to kill me. I spent over 70 days in a coma,kidneys started shutting down etc etc. As soon as they'd fix one thing something else would pop up,with the latest thing being a positive cologuard test and I'm supposed to have the ole colonoscopy to get that checked out.

my docs have all told me that I had the worse case of covid they have seen and lived to tell about it. I still cannot walk without the aid of a walker but God has seen me this far so I don't think He's going to fail me now. I did lose one of my younger brothers this last July. He went to Wal-Mart, got inside the door and he just feel over dead. There happened to be a gold sematin right there and he gave my brother CPr till the got there and because of that we were able. Donate my brothers organs which either saved the lived or improved the lives

On a better topic, two months ago we closed on a new home and are still haven't finished moving which is a pain but we love the new place and it's only 5-10 minuites from two city parks, which are both stocked with bass and bluegills. And I did get to go fishing three times last Spring and we did fish each trip. Then, three and six months ago respectively, we welcomed two new grand daughters which brings the total to 17 and 18 total and paw pawpaws job is to hold and spoil them. We even have one great grand daughter. Now, I turn 65 tomorrow, but that don't seem old enough to be a GREAT grandfather lol. Well, sorry for writing a BOOK here but trying to condense two Yrs into one email ain't easy for a blow hard like me lol, Chuck

[Neville Gosling]

Hi Chuck:

So glad that you are still alive and kicking. So far, and I'm getting up there with 12 more years than you and still do not have any grandchildren. 

Neville (Nev) Gosling

Greater Vancouver

BC  Canada

[Michael Bliss]

Hey Chuck,

You have been through it but but glad you are on the mend.  Maybe if you routed for Bama things would be better?  Just sayin'

Mike

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[Rick Zieger]

Good to hear from you. Did you catch fish?

Rick

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[Gary Webb]

"a blow hard like me  lol, Chuck" That's exactly why we have been concerned.

We knew you had to be sick or else you would have been telling us about 2 new grand

daughters, and a great granddaughter.  And or course we would have heard about your 

fishing exploits.

Speaking of fishing,  let us know what your new address is so we can send you some flys to test and evaluate.  I know that is a hard job but I hope you keep progressing to where you can handle it.  Catch you again on down the log.  Gary NI9V

[Ron Boutin]

I am on this list and the FB group also. I don’t know anyone on this list, I met Peggy once at a show. I have been a member since Byard’s linesend days. I don’t post much but I like reading the posts. I have participated in a number of swaps over the years.

Ron

Sent from my iPad

On Apr 17, 2023, at 5:24 PM, Gary Webb <glwran...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[KP]

HA!! Good to see you are still kicking around you old Blowhard :-) 
Sorry to hear about your tough medical times bud and your brothers passing. However I'm a boy from Wolverhampton in the UK and its city motto is "Out of darkness cometh light" and your three recent additions to the "pawpaw" duty list are exactly that. The light. Welcome to them all.

Ive been on the list for years even before the )2 Caddis Swap. Who remembers that little swap. A Byard special for sure. I still have the flies from both of those mega swaps plus lots of the others we all did.
Some great guys now gone but what times they were. I worked for Orvis (yes I know) in the UK for the last 13 years of my working life. I retirred 2021 and they closed down all but one of the stores in 22. See they just didnt realise how much they need me !!! :-)  Now I just do the gardening, some teaching tying and fly casting and looking after grandkids occassionally.
Good to hear from you all.

Oh and HPPY BIRTHDAY Great Grandad!! 
Keith

[BobH]

I’m still hanging round too. Health issues I am lucky if I get out a couple times a year. I still have some of the hackle from the hackle swap and materials swap. Some gorgeous midges and salmon flys. Probably enough flys to last the rest of my life

BobH

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On Apr 19, 2023, at 4:09 AM, 'KP' via VFB Mail <vfb-...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

HA!! Good to see you are still kicking around you old Blowhard :-) 

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[Gary Webb]

Hello Keith. Great to see your name on my screen again.  I joined VFB right at the end of the 2nd 100 Caddis swap.  I guess you could call me one of the Old Timers.  More likely an Old Fart.   I remember thinking that I was glad I was not the SwapMeister sorting 10,000 flys. 

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[KP]

Hi Gary,
Good to hear from you sport. Yep I remember the photos Byard put out of his dining room table covered in boxes of flys :-)  I did 1 and 2 and still have the hooks Byard got as a sample from one of the suppliers he used. That was a great forum. I till have all the swap flies from all the swaps we did. Tied copies but never used any of the flies. Did you do the Beer Swap?  Tie flies based on a local brew and send it in along with Beer coasters. I ran that swap and it was such a great variety. DonO's Cherry Bomb was literally that!!!  
The only regret I have is not ever being able to get out to the Sowbug show Tony Spezio ran. Could'nt afford it and now dont like the thought of all the travel. Hey ho. Maybe I'll hop across the English Channel to Cologne and see Rene!!
We should run an Old Farts Swap. No one under 50 allowed in! Hahaha
Take care

Keith

[Rene.Z...@t-online.de]

Hi Keith,

Both are good ideas! Any taker? And for the visit.. Maybe during carnival season? Good time to cb collect feathers.......
Best
René

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Betreff: Re: [VFB] Re: I'M still kickin'
Datum: 20. April 2023, 18:33
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[Gary Webb]

Keith, I missed the Beer swap.  But I was in the Drinks swap where I tied a Pink Squirrel. More than 30 years ago I met John Bethke at a local sporting goods store demonstrating how to tie his fly Coincidentally the Pink Squirrel swap hosted by Don O is the last swap I've been a part of. I saw your name on the list of participants. I I fish with a Pink Squirrel quite a lot if there are no rises.

And when I do, I sometimes think of  Don Ordes.  A few days ago I could not find my Rope Dubbing DVD. I was about to tear the house apart. It took me three days to find. Nick Runnarsson hosted an Old Farts swap a few years back.  I tied a Gary La Fontaine fly: The Air Head.  That is the fly's true name and no one should infer anything from that about this tier.

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[KP]

Ha ! Thats awesome. I will have a look at my swap collections. DonO was a monster of a human in the best way. Fantasy Flies I think summed him up totally. There were , and still are, some awesome guys in this group. Shame its dropped off the page a little bit. I see Nick occassionally post on Facebook and his sense of humour is still way out there in left field :-) 

I will have a look for the recipe for the Pink Squirrel. I know some water it will work on for sure. And with all this 10 foot 2weight fishing its prime ammo for that method I'd say.

As for Air Head? Well we all get to be a bit air headish when we are young then again when we are old. So nothing wrong with being an Air Head :-)

[Rene Zillmann]

Hi Ron,

memory says that we met at a striper head clave some 15 or more years ago. I was there with my son, who just finished his high school.

René

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[Gary Webb]

Keith,  Here is the recipe for the Pink Squirrel Fly:

https://wiflyfisher.com/patterns/Pink-Squirrel-fly-pattern.asp

John Bethke is from Westby, Wisconsin.  

And the recipe for the Pink Squirrel Drink:  

https://www.bryantscocktaillounge.com/

Pink Squirrel

1& 1/2 oz Creme de Almond

1/2 oz Creme de Cacao (White)

Large scoop Strawberry Ice Cream

Mix in a blender until smooth.

Pour into a On-The-Rocks glass

Float a Strawberry on top.

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[KP]

Thanks Gary,
Dont know which to try first the fly or the drink! Haha.
BUT I will deffinitly tie a few flies up. I will puty a pic up at some point.

and

Rene

When is carnival season? Bierfest? 

And anyone up for an old farts swap MkII? Say ten participants and tie just ONE fly then put the picture of the fly and recipe on here???? No postage no sorting and no pressure and no loads of flies to tie. You could do it between naps!!?  :-)

Cheers

KP

[Gary Webb]

I like this Idea.  I will tie a favorite panfish fly that is also good 

for trout.  

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[Peggy Brenner]

I'll take part in the Old farts swap, after my BIL funeral this Friday, he is the first of our generation to go. For 60 of his 73 years he took insulin to live, went into a hospital for a week for dehydration and came out in a bag.

Peggy B

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Peggy Brenner

www: SixSistersFlybox.com

[KP]

Hi Peggy,

Sorry to hear about your BIL. Condolences to you and your family. Amazing when you think you're  doing the right thing and it goes wrong.

Good to have you on board for the "swap" though. I see you are still doing youre demos and courses. Great work.

Gary I look forward to seeing this secret panfish fly. I would love to have a go at the crappy and sunfish. They seem pretty consistent fly rod sport.

I will put my fly up on here as soon as its done.

So far there is :
Peggy,

Gary,

Rene?
Me.

Plenty of room for all you other old farts out there. ONE fly and post a pic on here with the recipe. No postage to worry about, no dozens of flies to tie.
I'll start another thread.

[Pete Gramp]

Hi all -

I'm still alive and kickin' as well, finishing up my last week of graduate studies before I earn my MSci degree in Drug Discovery & Development from Drexel University, PA, USA. I get to look like a Papa Smurf sprinkled with grass clippings when I get hooded during the ceremony... the robe is a light shade of royal blue, the cap is white, and being in the medical college, the hood is green. Quite a sight to behold... But I'll finally have that parchment on the wall. After I graduate, I'll be taking a little time off to fly fish (of course!) and then will be hitting the job search like there's no tomorrow. 

The old farts swap intrigues me, but before I commit to participating, can someone give me more details? What type of fly, when is it due, do we simply post it to this list or do we email the picture(s) and recipe to a swapmeister/ host who posts everything en masse, those sorts of details?

Great to hear from you all and see the list active again,

-Pete

pete....@gmail.com

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[KP]

Hi Pete,
Congratulations on the Smurf degree sport.
The Old Farts swap is as you describe it. Bit of this bit of that not sure about this not sure about that got lots of time to sort it. :-) 
Its a single photo posted to the thread  Old Fart Swap along with the recipe. You dont even have to tie a new fly it can be one you use and tied years ago if you like. Suggested it like this so there are none of the usual costs and deadlines for flys to be posted out etc. and hopefully get the list buzzing again. Remember those days?? Probably not if you are an Old Fart!
Just pick your fly take a photo add the recipe put that on the thread and bingo jobs done.

Hope that all makes sense Schtroumpf à Lunettes !

Regards
Keith    

[jba...@betadigm.com]

I’m in. I still have a bunch of pinky panfish bugs from a swap a couple years ago that never happened.

I’ll post that one too.

 

J

 

J Balmer

Betadigm

jba...@betadigm.com

309-287-9421

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