Commercial Gillnet Fishery...

I have been spending a lot of time at the dock with my 8 year old granddaughter this summer.  She recently befriended two little native girls and their younger brother; and they have been fishing and swimming off my boat in the marina for the past few days (when the oil slick moves to other boats that is).

These new friends are living with their parents on their commercial fishing boat two fingers over, and I am amazed that all of them can fit on the boat (including two other children).  My granddaughter returned last night to tell me that they all sleep in one room on the boat that also has a small kitchen area, but no bathroom.  One of the girls mentioned to me yesterday that they live on the boat all year, and they are from a town somewhere up the coast.

The 'no bathroom' explains to me why I saw the oldest boy (about 5 years old) having a poop on his poopdeck, and the tiny brother (about 2) handing him the toilet paper.  They then poured the bucket contents overboard and both looked at it and said "oooooh, gross."

I have worked hard all my life and am now retired with a large Sea Ray, complete with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and even though I feel I have earned everything I have worked for;  these people are hard workers too.  All I can say is that is is nice to see a hard working native family getting out there and working as hard as white people do - instead of lazily throwing their nets out across a river   (can't really call that working hard).

Anyway the mom dropped over last night and gave us two Sockeye for looking after the kids.  Super nice people but I wish they had a bathroom on board.  Oh well, I guess they can use the one up at the Marina Office.

Here I go complaining about Governments again...

I just read that France has upheld it's law banning face covering Muslim veils in public.  Finally, a Government that upholds the laws of THEIR land before the religious beliefs of it's immigrants.  If every country in the world did this, it would send a clear message - 'If your religious beliefs conflict with your new country - go home'.

If an immigrant from one of the Radical Muslim factions that believes all white infidels should be killed whenever possible moves to your country, do you change the laws to accommodate their beliefs?  I think not.  If my face needs to be uncovered at a public airport, why should not theirs?  If I am not able to carry a knife in public view, why should they?  Any country that bends to the wishes of a few over the majority, is a country that many would be embarrassed to call home.

I was always taught that when I travel I must follow the laws of the country I happened to be traveling in.  It's about time that the world's spineless politicians actually protected their birth citizens instead of buckling to religious pressures of immigrants.  Don't let these new residents/citizens dictate change in a countries cultural laws that apply to all, just for their own beliefs.

I live in Mexico for a greater part of the year and am doing my best to learn their language and culture, as well as to understand and follow their laws.  I don't for one minute expect them to change their laws to accommodate my beliefs.  Actually, I don't understand how anyone in their right mind would.

Hey, and when these trouble-makers go back to the countries of their religious beliefs, please take our corrupt useless politicians with them!  Oops, that wouldn't leave us with many responsible leaders, would it?

I went to the Friday Night Jam last night, and boy do my fingers hurt.

Living in Mexico for 7 months a year without a Bass Guitar means death to my callouses on my fingers.  Bass guitars have the ability to wear off the skin on the tips of your fingers really quickly, and I was able to make it through about 8 songs before they almost started to bleed.

I have played music in various bands for over 45 years, and over time have built up relatively strong fingers.  But not only are they now without callouses, my wrists and fingers start to seize up after these few songs (if I was still in a band, I would use a couple of aspirin to loosen them up).  It doesn't help that I only play at jams on an irregular basis now.  This is because it is difficult to be a member of any band in either Canada or Mexico.  For some reason, bands tend to prefer their members to be available to play ALL year.  What's with that?

Anyway, I am going to rent my apartment in Mexico all year now (instead of only the 7 months that I am physically there) and plan on buying a bass guitar and amplifier this year - and just leave it in the apartment down there for my return.  This will not get me into any bands there either, but will at least keep my fingers in shape so I don't look like a complete idiot when I return to Canada next Spring and start jamming again.

Hey, what the heck, I'm a writer now anyway - not a musician.