Making Good on a Promise

Back in October I wrote a note to my kids promising to do something fun with each of them, individually. At the time, I was struggling with my health, so I wanted to assure them (and myself) that I was going to be okay. To Emma, I promised a fishing trip, just she and I, and today, I made good on that promise. We drove two hours to the Nespelem net pens on Rufus Woods Lake (the Columbia River Reservoir between the Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams). The Colville tribe raises triploid rainbow trout in the pens that can get very big, and I'd heard they were biting. So, we headed down this morning with my friend John Bell. It turned out to be very slow, but we did catch one of the football-shaped fish. I hooked it and Emma reeled it in most of the way. Once it got close to shore, she wanted to pass the rod off to me, but I insisted and John Bell netted it without a problem. Dressed out, it weighed 4.5 pounds. Emma was thrilled. She was so good, all day long. She was patient--finding little things to do like, throwing rocks, playing with the bait and sliding down the riverbank--while we waited for the fish to bite. One promise down, three to go!