Ya, I know, that's not a turtle. It's actually a winter wren, fairly common down here in the South. How is it I'm holding a wild bird? Inside of a house? Well, there is a bit of a story behind that and all the pictures here today, do enjoy.

Saturday

It started off ok I suppose. Hive account@khaldeesi and I were ready to play some soccer. We lost, as usual. I have one good line, and one very butterfly chasey line to play with. If it were a more competitive league, some of them would never be on the field or likely, not even on my team. But, it is what it is, all the kids are supposed to get equal play time so I try to keep it fun. It is a game after all. Only, I don't really like to lose and almost lost my shit on a few of the calls from the referee. Moving forward.

After the game, I picked up Hive account@b34w0lf to come help me place some makeshift steps until I can get the deck and porch built. My carpenter is a month and a half out, but I am next in line. We just lego plopped some cinder blocks and went in the house. He decided to show one of his friends what it looked like on the inside with a video capture and about 2 minutes into it, I hear, "Dad, you have a visitor."

I said, "Shit, I hope it ain't a stinky one."

I go back to where he had stopped filming and look down to see this little biddy cute feathered friend just looking up at us. I smiled and picked it up and had him take a picture. No sooner than he saved the shot, it flew from my hands and landed on his chest.

His reaction almost brought tears to my eyes. You would have thought it was a giant vampire moth trying to suck his brains out through his ribcage where it landed as he shrieked and jumped back in surprise and fear.

I started laughing.

Hard.

Then it jumped on his shoulder and his eyes got real big. I've never seen someone so freaked out by something so harmless. Well, at least not since the vampire moth. Maybe he can tell you that story. It was the same face I seen almost 15 years ago and I laughed even harder thinking about that.

Ultimately, we ushered the critter back from whence it came. I got peed on twice by the wren. But, it was worth it seeing his face and feeling it's heartbeat through the soft feathers.

Once the work was out of the way, it was time to play. And by play, I mean get to the fuk'n lake or some kind of water and catch some mofugn fishies. I pulled in the first one. Mean mugged the competition even.

Then another, even bigger this time.

Then we were about half way around the lake and I decided to fish a spot I normally don't because the bank is steeper than most parts. I was about 30 yards from Woof Woof and dropped a craw about as far out as I could get it and kersmash!

The entire lake felt the splash and the ripples tidal waves that followed nearly drowned the geese and ducks. My drag started spinning faster than I could reel it in and I was losing ground fast. I tightened it quickly - too tight at first - and adjusted it so I could start retrieving the beast.

I began yelling, "Come help me! Help! There's no way I can get this up the bank! Help!"

There was no answer.

The rock face nullified any echo and the brush and foliage between us dampened the sound even further.

I was on my own.

I finally got the catfish to the shore and had no room behind me to pull upwards. I fumbled uneasily knowing I could be in the water with the slightest misstep. The slime made it real difficult to grab ahold of without getting pierced by the pectoral spines or worse yet, the death adder stingers that were reaching for me on its face.

I had almost slid my hand up into the gill plate for a firm grip when it started doing this alligator death roll that caught me off-guard and made me let go of the rod.

Big mistake.

It felt the slack and began thrashing even harder and snapped the line. I tried to step on the foot sized head of the monster, but it slipped off like butter on a hot skillet. I lunged several times trying to hug it in the water and pull it up, with my leg already submerged. Had there not been a big boulder in front of my face, I dare say, I would have dove in to try and snatch it.

The biggest fish I almost caught in the past three years. I put it at close to, if not more, a 25 pound catfish. It's head was as big around as my thigh and every bit the length of my leg. Mother fukr. Called my boy and asked if he'd heard me yelling at him so I could be mad at someone besides myself. Nope. He wandered over and all he could see was the evidence of my struggle as he got there and somewhere in that lake, is a giant catfish with my hook in its bottom lip. I swear it smiled at me with its new piercing as it slid into the murky depths.

My boy finally caught a few fish on the way out. I caught something else though. A small yellow bellied slider. No bigger than a quarter. Often called mud turtles or painted turtles because of their bright coloring, this little fella made me smile and so I picked him up.

I gave him a little hug and said, "I'm gonna put you in my pocket. You're my good luck turtle." And as I said that, I one arm casted to the center of the lake. My boy is laughing at me with this 'Dad, you're a retard face'. Wham, hey fishy fishy. Then my boy laughed his ass off like "what the fuck, who does that?" I then let the little fella go. He was invisible. Only I knew where he was.

Sunday

Now, I don't have as much of an elaborate tale about Sunday, but it is one to remember. Hive account@lunamoon came with Hive account@b34w0lf and I out to the property to do some work. She was an able body too. She helped put the fence up in a few places. She carted a load of rock from the sloppy septic installation crew and a few wheel barrels full of brush.

I trimmed around the blueberries while he worked on the fence a bit more as it started to cloud up and get chilly. Then I mowed the lawn and he trimmed around the rest of what we could that wasn't too wet. Good day for some yardwork. Thanks kiddos.

On the way home, she and I had to stop and get a few groceries. As we did, we watched a rain cloud open up and pass, leaving behind a pretty rainbow for her. She even mentioned prior that maybe we'd see one and I said if we can find the right angle - and so we did.

Pretty good weekend overall, feeling satisfied with how it eventually turned out. I'd of liked to of won or caught that cat, but, there were plenty of other wins along the way. Hope everyone has a great week and REMEMBER TO BE YOU! I always am, even when I forget my scuba gear.