Dats all I can stands, I can't stands no more! Toot-toot!

[up2specks]

After getting benched/sidelined on 1/27, I impatiently awaited my daily allocation/regimen of Vit D(aka Sunshine). Had an unexpected, serious league-bowling accident that happened after unknowingly stepping on someone's careless "spill-spot". My slide-foot(left) STUCK 12" from the foul line and my impetus drove my left shoulder directly onto the lane on the other side of the line! Initially embarrassed, but the pain easily re-directed that. Thankfully, my teammate is a retired ER doc and we were amazingly bowling against a team with an Ambo-tech while bowling next to my immediate rescue-Angel(Carol) who is a retired nurse!(you can't make this stuff up!) Xrays revealed(thankfully) a non-dislocated/misaligned fracture of the proximal humerus bone(large knuckle under deltoid flap). Thankfully, my Ortho-surgeon relayed that my split-second choice(relaxed/left arm planted on my side) likely eliminated shoulder reconstruction/rotator cuff surgery! Treatment subscribed = Immobilization(sling)/Pain meds(Narcotics). Having a goodly amount of self-sufficiency/pain tolerance with a copious amount of stubborn mindset, not wanting to worry others of my short-falls!(pun intended) Sorry for any backbone chills that my descriptiveness may have yielded. Ahh, got that off my chest, now onto the Friday to do list= Getting off the butt to test out the shoulder/soft-tissue capability. (re- Wed. Ortho follow-up Xray revealed 90% bone-heal! Unfortunately, I was made aware "often" yesterday that the soft-tissue(home-self-therapy) repair would be the more stubborn opposition. I've honestly become quite adept @one-hand driving{funny how we get better at doing difficult things that we take for granted while unimpaired} Unfortunately however, I am an advocate of the space-saving Tiller outboards...minimal yield, at this time, so it's the ON with the Right, OFF with the right mantra. Thankfully left-hand spinning reel calisthenics were NO PROBLEMO! Sorry for the long composition...it's been a minute! Hopefully one day, I'll be able to satisfy my newest bucket-list entry = To meet the guy responsible for naming the shoulder bone!(HUMERUS(??)
Now, for the Good Stuff = Chose one of my favorite SJR spots for my destination with my usual single-pole u/l, artificial-only technique-du-jour. Second cast quickly eliminated my guess-timation(is this really sane) with this chunky/feisty 13" 'r(red background pic. It wasn't head-over-heels action by ANY means, but great measure of satisfaction in light of my "one-armed-paperhanger" status. Even netting my fish was a creative adaptation. Was sadly surprised when one of my fav, tried & true techniques(1/80 hand-tie, twitched under a shallow-set balsa float) equalled NADA. That's fine...when the going gets tough/the tough get going! My 1/32 2" Bobby Garland baby shads(Blue Ice, Silver Rainbow, Threadfin) transitioned into the HOT ticket much later on = 1/16 BG Slab-slayer 2" Pink lemonade! Only wish I had changed much sooner!! Because of my lack of meds(chosen) an relevant(tolerable) pain factor, I mainly chose nearby spots = <1/2 mile. Actually lasted my typical "most of the day" quitting about 5 pm with 16 to remove from their Ice-bath >take to the filet table. There's more...while headin' in, I decided to try a one last cast(aka "lil' birdie told me") in a spot I've never fished.
THUMP!! =Biggest fish o' the day! You be the judge- luck or destiny? Only true bummer of the day(even my mindset couldn't address) Flat trailer tire! Quick call/long wait(45 min) to State Farm Roadside service, had me @homeport just twenty minutes later.
Thanks for Readin'/Ridin'/Reelin'...'til next time folks. Gettin' Old ain't for no SISSIES!

- Almost forgot...snuck up on a LARGE, LEATHERY LIZARD that apparently had the misperception= SHE was the only one allowed on the NUDE BEACH! She did have a rather graceful, albeit somewhat rushed, Olympic-style water entry!

u2s