Take Your Children Fishing And Camping At Least Once

My Dad always took us fishing. Most times we caught fish, sometimes not, but the thrill was in the adventure of the trip. I never knew where we were going or for what type of fish, but I was happy. Mom came with us sometimes, but I never felt her heart was in it. Too many bugs.

One of the neat things we would do was to go shrimping at night. Dad had a lantern and a big net and my job was to put the shrimp into the live well. Being young, it took me a while to get the hang of holding on to a big live shrimp, but I managed. We'd stay out all night, then use a few live shrimp to catch some snapper and then home to clean our catch and freeze most of it, saving a few for dinner.

Dad also knew of a spot to catch Snook that were landlocked. The problem was that we had to cross a train trestle to get there. Being under 10-years-old, the space between the wooden rail ties were scary and I made sure I stepped slowly fearing I'd fall through.

Dad and I at Lake Okeechobee

We'd also go fishing for bream and bass, catching live freshwater shrimp and crawdads the night before by flashlight. We'd leave the minnow bucket in the river overnight and picked it up the next day on the way.

Yep, Dad introduced me to fishing and the outdoors and the tradition continued until his last days. These are memories I'll never forget and I made it a point to pass the tradition to my children.....teaching them to fish, taking them camping and generally enjoying the outdoors.

I think every parent should try it at least once. Their children will never forget it.

Author'sNote: All of my children and my nephew are all over 40 today with kids of their own.

The News As I See It: Some bad news for Shepard Fairey, the street artist responsible for President Obama’s "Hope and Change" poster, is now facing vandalism charges in Detroit. It's pretty serious. Detroit officials say the artist's spray paint caused over $9,000 worth of improvements.

Donald Trump's remarks made since he began his presidential campaign have cost his brand as much as $80 million. You can tell things are rough for Trump because today he had to wipe his mouth with a napkin instead of a $20.

There is video footage of the drug kingpin El Chapo changing his shoes right before his escape. Apparently authorities didn't notice El Chapo was lacing up a pair of Nike Tunnel Runners. It's a special brand they have.

Obama said that education is the key to reducing the prison population. Apparently power tools also work.

A Texas couple's car was stolen a month ago. Yesterday it was found and it had been upgraded. There was a new drive shaft, three new wheels, and 30 bags of meth in it. That is what happens when someone who sells meth steals your car. When someone who sells weed steals your car, it comes back full of Taco Bell wrappers and two tickets to the Grateful Dead reunion.

This Date In History: 1821; Spain ceded Florida to the United States. 1898; Spain surrendered to the United States at Santiago, Cuba, ending the Spanish-American War.

1917; The British royal family changed its name from the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor amid anti-German senitment during World War I. 1938; "Wrong Way Corrigan" took off from New York, purportedly aiming for California and landing in Ireland.

1945; President Harry Truman, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meet at the opening of the Potsdam Conference. 1955; Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif.

1975; The American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft linked up for the first time. 1998; The last Russian Czar Nicholas II was buried 80 years after he and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks.

Picture Of The Day: My son and I heading to our fishing spot in the Florida Everglades.

Printable Things I Never Told You: 1) During my first marriage, our clergyman advised us to use the rhythm method. Despite trying the Tango and the Samba, my wife still got pregnant and I ruptured myself doing the Cha-Cha. 2) I tried to make a stew and accidentally summoned a demon again. I gotta quit drinking while I'm cooking. 3) I have not been able to figure out why is there is an expiration date on sour cream. 4) When Brother Kirt and I were young, we liked to play in the sandbox, but the cat kept covering us up. 5) Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which, I guess, is why several members of the family died of the measles.....and that's five !

Today's Horoscope: Cancer - July 17th: Fridays are great and you've got a job. That's what's important. It gets even better! The Bachelor of Arts degree you have will move you from the deep fryer to MacDonalds manager soon. Chances of romance are 91.5 percent.

Birthdays: Elbridge Gerry, American statesman, Vice President of the United States 1744, John Jacob Astor merchant 1763, Erle Stanley Gardner, detective story writer 1889, Berenice Abbot, photographer 1898, Donald Sutherland, actor 1934.

The AREA 51 Retirement Home Bar And Grill: A Texan and his wife were on a trip to New York. She had just finished showering to dress for dinner and noticed that she had neglected to pack her bras. She asked her husband to go down to the dress shop in the lobby and pick up a couple of 36-C bras. He said, "I'll go right now."

So he put on his ten gallon hat and went to the shop. The saleslady said, "May I help you sir?" When he told her that he wanted two 36-C bras. She asked, "Would you like two Playtex?" He answered, "I'd love to little lady, but my wife's waiting for me up in the room."

A new study has revealed that the reading level of presidential speeches has dropped significantly over the last 200 years. Or as some Americans put it, "Why dat be?"

The Hits Just Keep On Coming: A Chinese couple gets married and she's a virgin. Truth be told, he is none too experienced either. On the wedding night, she cowers naked under the bed sheets as her husband undresses.

He climbs in next to her and tries to be reassuring, "My darring, I know dis u firs time and you frighten. I plomise you, I give you anyting you want, I do anyting, jus anyting you want. Whatchu want?"

A thoughtful silence follows and he waits patiently for her request. She eventually replies shyly and unsure, "I want...numba 69"

More thoughtful silence, this time from him. Eventually, in a puzzled tone, he asks, "You wanna Kung Pao chicken wif broccori?"

King Arthur was in Merlin's laboratory where the great wizard was showing him his latest creation. It was a chastity belt, except it had a rather large hole in the most obvious place, which made it basically useless.

The King exclaimed, "This is no good, Merlin! Look at this opening. How is this supposed to protect my lady, the Queen, when I'm on a long quest?" Merlin said, "Ah, sire, just observe."

He then selected his most worn out wand, one that he was going to discard anyway. He inserted it in the gaping aperture of the chastity belt whereupon a small guillotine blade came down and cut it neatly in two. King Arthur said, "Merlin, you are a genius! Now I can leave, knowing that my Queen is fully protected."

After putting Guinevere in the device, King Arthur then set out upon a lengthy Quest. Several years passed until he returned to Camelot. Immediately he assembled all of his knights in the courtyard and had them drop their trousers for an informal "short arm" inspection.

Sure enough, each and every one of them was either amputated or damaged in some way, everyone of them except, Sir Galahad.

King Arthur said, "Sir Galahad, you are my one and only true knight! Only you among all the nobles have been true to me. Whatever it is in my power to grant you? Name it and it is yours." But, alas, Sir Galahad was speechless……..

That's it for today, my little doodlebugs. Remember, there aren't enough love songs to describe the moment you see your luggage come out of that little tunnel at baggage claim. I'm heading over to AREA 51 for happy hour.

Follow Jimmy's Journal on Facebook by clicking the "Follow This Blog" button at the top right of the page.

Have a great day and more on Monday.

Stay Tuned !