shanmonster | She Works Hard For No Money

I went way out into backwoods New Brunswick with

f00dave and several members of the kwoon. The sod-moving was a favour to our sifu, and the brush-clearing was done to raise money for much-needed equipment. When we got out to the spot by the creek, I was a little overwhelmed at first. The weald was positively ferocious, with thick coppices of alder, thickets of raspberry cane, and lots of half-dead cherry trees. Interspersed amongst all the underbrush was a strong, flexible vine of some sort which Tarzan may have enjoyed swinging from had it not been so low-lying.

Thin swarms of blackflies began plaguing us about halfway through the day. In another week or two, the woods will teem with the blood-sucking fiends. I think the ones we saw today were advance scouts, more concerned with bouncing irritatingly between my eyelids and my eyeglass lenses than with making their thoraces turgid with my blood.

A few hours later, a huge section of brush had been cleared, and an unobstructed view showed an excellent spot to fish for trout. In fact, as we were finishing up, a man and a small child of undeterminate gender tried fishing there. On his first cast, the man caught a six-inch trout.

My mouth watered at the thought of pan-fried brook trout, but I don't have my fishing license yet. I intend on fishing again this summer. I'm also contemplating getting a membership at the boating club so I can go kayaking in the mornings before work. It's probably way out of my price range, though (my price range being <= $10 for the season). Poverty sucks.

At least I have a summer job, though!