June 10 – “Great”

Since the beach waters have been in prime condition for fishing (probably ever since we’ve been out of town on vacation), I decided to give it a whirl and try for some specs.  My back has been giving me some serious fits, though, so I had to find a new spot that didn’t involve climbing over massive granite boulders and leaping into the water and then climbing back out again.  My two basic options were driving all the way out to Jamaica Beach or moving closer to 61^st Street and paying for parking.  As much as the Jamaica Beach idea appealed to me, I decided it might be better if I could stay closer to home.  So I entered the world of paid parking on the Seawall. 

Actually I have paid before, sometime last year, and that was only one of a series of problems.  The city no longer accepts Discover Card, and that was what was on the account from last year.  I tried to open a new account, but the automated system wouldn’t let me override the already existing account.  Great.  I finally called the city manager’s office.  The city website said they would do it for you.  Whoever I talked to was very helpful.  She assured me a new account had been set up and I would be getting an email confirmation that we are paid for a full year of seawall parking.  Great.  Sure enough, the email came, but she had entered the wrong cell number as a login.  I called her back, but she said only the pay by phone people could help me.  So I called them.  Phew.  As it turned out, I would have to completely delete that account and start over again if I wanted to change the phone number.  That was the only piece of information they couldn’t change.  Great.  So rather than do that, I agreed to just learn a new login number.  Great.  However, there was no record that the city manager’s office had indicated a request to pay the fee.  Great.  I finally gave up and went fishing.

As I arrived (a full hour after I intended to be there), I saw one of the fire fighters just leaving with his limit of trout.  I took his picture for him.  He also gave me one of the lures he had been using.  Guaranteed to catch ‘em.  Great.  As it turned out I caught one spec and a few whiting, all with the shrimp I brought.  And as for the lure, I did use it, but I only caught one thing with it.  My thumb.  Great.  I hooked myself pretty good, too.  Had to pull it out with my pliers.  That was some serious pain.  Probably number two on my list of pains that I have experienced.  But I didn’t pass out.  That would have been quite inconvenient.  And it didn’t even bleed, so I was able to continue fishing.  Great.  Later on, though, on the way home, I noticed a tiny hair sticking out of the cut.  At a stop sign I gently pulled it to remove it from the wound.  And the pain was back in all its severity.  What was that tiny hair, anyway?  Was it the nerve?  Well, at least that would mean I have some nerves that work in my fingertips.  I guess I do need to listen to my pain, though.  I’ve gotten too used to it.  Great.

There was one other thing that happened.  A tourist next to me was, in his words, “messing around” - fishing with his kids.  He caught something that made him very excited, and he took it to shore to show it off.  A few minutes later he brought it out to me and asked if I wanted it.  Cautiously, I asked what it was.  He replied, “I’m not sure.  It’s either a flounder or a halibut.  If it’s a halibut, you have yourself quite a catch there.”  Indeed.  We enjoyed a nice stuffed flounder supper (or was it halibut?).  Great.

2 Samuel 7:22 says, “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

Father, thank you for the little things.  Flounder over halibut.  Great.  A pair of pliers over a doctor’s visit.  Great.  I could sure use some back pain relief, though.  That would be great.  In any event, thank you for being there and being … Great.  Amen.