There are good days and then there are days like this…

I had the wonderful opportunity to take my son on his first fishing trip a few weeks ago. We have been living near this jetty for a number of years but I have not been down there for a fish fearing that I would be wasting my time and that it would all be fished out. One day we were down there and saw a few fish being caught by some of the locals. At this sight I went home and checked the tide times for the next day I then dusted off the old fishing rods, broke out the tackle box and attempted to remember the fishing knots I had been taught by my uncle so long ago.

I happily readied the equipment and packed the car the night before, including going down to the servo and buying the bait. Early the next day as soon as I woke up, with great anticipation I looked out the window to check the weather…to my great pleasure I saw perfect blue skies and sunshine. I then told my son that we were off fishing. Excitedly my boy got ready and jumped in the car and we were off. All the way there my son kept saying “Noah catch big fish.” I think he was a little excited.

We arrived and walked out on to the jetty and set ourselves up about half way along. I had thought this trip through and was certain it would be a short half hour trip at the most thinking there was no way this was going to keep Noah’s attention for more time than that. So we set up, baited the hooks with some freshly defrosted prawns and cast our first line.


(I cheated and this photo is actually taken on our second fishing trip as you can see mum in the background....we came up with a couple of nice little fish on this trip too)


After only a short wait we had our first bites. I called Noah over and we watched as the rod tip bounce and felt the “tap, tap, tap of the line then strike! The fish was hook and we were on it was time for Noah to start reeling in his first fish. He let out his catchcry of the morning “Noah catch big fish.” As we reeled it in the fish put up a decent fight (in a 2 year old's eyes) and we managed to land the fish right up on to the jetty. A small black bream lay flapping around on the deck. Noah, understandably a little worked up began jumping around clapping his hands “Noah catch big fish”. I picked up the “big fish” and held it for my boy to have a look at. He gave it a little pat on the side after some quick instructions on where all the pointy bits were and how to avoid them, again very exciting stuff. And then it was time to say good bye to his first fish and throw it back as it was a little undersized. So we said “bye, bye fishy” and threw him back to get a little bigger and catch him later.

We re-baited the hook and cast again. Noah then got the hang of reeling in the line…even if there were no bites. So the lessons on patients began and how we need to wait for a bite…sometimes this worked and other times is didn’t but that’s ok we all need to practice our casting. The time passed quickly and we enjoyed catching another couple of small bream. We also enjoyed watching as a few other keen anglers such as ourselves were pulling in fish and throwing cast nets and catching some live bait. Noah, being the friendly boy that he is had no problem getting nice and close to the action and trying to help pick up the bait fish jumping around on the jetty. The other fishermen indulged a young boy’s curiosity and allowed him to try and to touch the fish. I’ve always believed that fishermen are some of the friendliest people around.

As I was enjoying this day with my boy I thought back to the first time I went fishing. I was a little older than Noah at about 6 or 7 and fishing in my home town on a pontoon with my uncle who was visiting from South Australia. But the result was the same. A small black bream which was thrown back, great memories and a life-long love of fishing.

This half hour tops fishing trip ended up lasting a few hours with a few fish caught and only ended up finishing because we had to get back to mum who had a prior arrangement or else who knows we might still be there.

On the way home I gave my boy some instruction on how to describe to his mother the fish that he had caught. It was…hold your arms out to each side as far as you can and say “Mum, Noah caught a fish this big.” When we arrived home he went inside and flawlessly recited the fishing report “Mum, Noah catch fish this big” arms and all.

We both stank like fish and prawns so showers were in order but now every time I smell that smell it brings back the memory of that wonderful day.

Like I said earlier, there are good days and then there are days like this one.

 

My Pride and Joy

When I was a young kid my pride and joy was a small ¾ sized nylon string guitar. I loved that guitar so much. I played, I practiced, I took it everywhere I could. I even slept with it. It brought me a great amount of enjoyment and fun. When I was much older I got a new guitar….



I again fell in love with this guitar, didn’t sleep with it but I still play it any chance I get. And take it anywhere I can. And I jealously defend it when little hands try and touch, grab or pull on it.

I’ve realised now that as I’ve gotten older my priorities have changed and now my pride and joy is my son. Unlike my unremarkable nylon string guitar, my son is very remarkable! He is learning and growing so fast. I’m sure if I blink I’m going to miss it.

What’s better than having a passion for playing guitar? Sharing it with your son.



Noah’s first guitar lesson. – John Williamson’s “I Was Only 19”.

He loved it!

I've never really enjoyed taking photos of people. I always thought people just get in the way of a good landscape...that was of course until my boy came along. He's got a million different expressions and I'm determined to catch everyone of them. Here are a few so far.


Mum makes the best pillow!


Like most babies he likes to grab anything within reach...fun.


The next generation of "Monastery Boys"




Gee he's cute and he knows it!

BOOM Family

I once saw a newspaper article that was titled “Boom Town”. In the article it said that you could tell the economic future of a town by how many cranes were on the horizon. I think that that is an interesting and easy measure against which to see if the town is moving in the right direction. It’s a simple formula really, the more cranes the better the growth and the better the news for the town.

But how do you tell if your family is on the right track? It’s not as easy as looking at the horizon and counting the cranes you see. But it is necessary to have some sort of measuring stick so you know if you’re moving in the right direction.

When I was at uni, a lecturer said that the family was the “Oldest financial institution in history”. I am so glad that I have a greater and deeper understanding of what the family really is and not what the world would have me believe.

On the horizon of life there are many “cranes” we can look for that will tell us not of our family’s economic future but of our spiritual future. Obviously the more the better but a few that I believe to be most important are:

1. Family Home Evening (FHE). When I was growing up, my mother did her best to get my sister and me to participate in FHE. I’m sad to admit that we didn’t make it easy for her and therefore it only happened sporadically at best. Since the birth of our son, Treen and I have been doing our best to have FHE every week. It’s so much fun with the little guy. He doesn’t last long but we sing, pray, have a very short lesson then sing and pray again and it’s over. It probably lasts a total of 8 minutes but we do it. Now I know that Noah probably doesn’t get much out of it now but we do. I’m hoping that by the time Noah learns how to say no to things, FHE will be so ingrained in him that he won’t even think about trying to get out of it.

2. Doing dishes together. I guess this is probably a Woodfield family thing and seems a little odd. In a talk John Bytheway suggests that you should go home and start doing the dishes and when your parents (or spouse) walk in, see what you’re doing, are completely shocked and say “What are you doing?” You should reply with a completely straight face “A clean sink is a happy sink.” And go right back to work. Well I think that a clean sink is a happy family. I find doing the dishes with my wife is a great opportunity to work together and spend time just chatting about the day and life and stuff. Many a life problem has been nutted out over a sudsy sink and a damp tea towel.

3. Exercise. The way Treen and I got to know each other before we started dating was by going for a run each morning around Southbank. It was such a good and healthy way to start the day and it provided us with a good opportunity to talk and get to know each other. We kept up a pretty good regime since then by going to the gym and keeping an active and healthy lifestyle. However, since the little fella has come along we are finding it harder to keep up any kind of exercise routine. I do miss being as active as I used to be. I guess we just have to try harder because “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands” – words to live by, thanks Reece Witherspoon.


These are my three cranes of a happy family. They help my family keep things together. We’re not quite a “Boom Town” yet but we’re working on it. We’ll build more cranes and find new ways to strengthen each other. The important thing is that we work together and make it together. I love my family and think the world of them. There’s nothing better than having my own family!

Low Tide

For most of us life is not a continual plateau on the high ground of happiness. Our lives are more like the ocean. If you go to the beach (those of us who are fortunate enough to live close enough to one) spend sometime there, watch how it changes. You’ll notice that the water is not always there. It ebbs and flows in a continuous cycle of high tide and low tide.

Our life is not so different from the tide. Sometimes we feel that its high tide in our life. We’re busting at the seams with excitement, energy and just as the waves push the sand away to make room, our excitement and energy push back the boundaries of our own possibilities and we grow as a result and become better and larger than we were before. At moments like these we generally feel like all is well and we can conquer anything life throws at us. We feel like we know where we’re going and how to get there.

Other times however, life is more like low tide, we feel high and dry, stagnant and empty. Its times like these that we are emotionally and spiritually at our weakest. We get thoughts in our mind like “You’re no good” or “You can’t make it”. We may feel that we are alone and helpless and there is nothing we can do to change it.

I learned something from the tide this week. The beauty of the tide is that there is always another high tide on its way. And with the high tide comes fresh, clean water, to rejuvenate the seashore and provide a means whereby life may live. Fish can swim, birds can feed and all the grossness of low tide is washed away.

There is a special time twice a month in relation to the tides. This is at the full moon and the new moon. This is when the sun, moon and earth all line up causing the greatest effect on the tide. This results in what’s known as a “Spring tide”. A spring tide means that the high tide is at its highest. However, it also means that the low tide is at its lowest.

Most people time their trip to the beach to coincide with high tide, when the waves are crashing on the shore and all is good. Lately I’ve been taking Ruby (my dog) to the beach at low tide so she can have a good run around and expel some of that wonderful energy she has inside her.




This has been a great time for me to take a closer look at what happens at low tide. At first glance the beach at low tide is pretty bare and nothing nice to look at. But as you look more closely there is life that flourishes at low tide. All the soldier crabs start their march and are able to feed without fear. I also learned that they travel together in a pack or flock or battalion or whatever. The birds are also able benefit from the low tide as they pick at the sea grass in the calm of the low and gentle water. And my dog can run and have a great time chasing a tennis ball across kilometres of open beach. I guess what I’m trying to say is next time you feel like you’re high and dry at low tide in your life, take a look around…it’s probably not as bad as it seems. And if that doesn’t help try to stick it out, and remember there’s a high tide on its way…it’ll sneak up on you, slowly but it’s exciting to watch the tide turn and start to come in….God may even throw in a rainbow for you.

Underwater World

So Treen and I went to Underwater World yesterday, it was really fun. I know they build those places for kids but I think it's so much more fun to go as grown-ups.

Continuing with my new hobby we took our new camera and tried to get some photos. Unfortunately, animals don't like to stay still like buildings. Landscapes are alot easier.

I love fish and fishing and was always interested in the water, I guess growing up in North Queensland on the coast will do that to you.

Anyway we took a whole bunch of photos and I've decided that my mission in life is to design a glass that does NOT reflect the flash from the camera. It's the bain of my existence. So we got some good ones and here are a few.

Enjoy!

My New Hobby

So I just bought myself a new camera. It's good fun and will be beter when I actually figure out how to use it properly. In the mean time I've decided to fudge my way through and fill up (some) my spare time with taking photos of stuff I think looks cool.

I know what you're all thinking and let me assure you that I am NOT starting yet another photography company, this is just a hobby.

Anyway, this was my first attempt at night photography, it's the view of the city from below the Kangaroo Ponit cliffs. I like it but have realised that I need a tripod as places to rest your camera aren't as common as you think. Hope you enjoy it. If anyone has any pointers on how to improve my shots I'd be happy to hear them.