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The worst part about being an adult is having to do things that a person would rather not do unless forced. Sunday, I was forced to buck up and be an adult about doing our taxes. There were better things to do by far than taxes, but they would not get done unless I put aside the fun things in life and took on the challenge. The IRS has no sense of humor about their tax collection process. I am sure they would not be understanding if I asked for an extension because I needed to go fishing.

Our grandson, Zane, maintained his routine of coming to Grandpa and Nanna's on Saturday afternoon. We did a few odd jobs and it was getting dark when Zane suggested he set a couple of fishing poles to catch catfish. It sounded like a good plan to me so we headed out into the quickly approaching night to the lake with catfish bait, two rods, and a flashlight. We each cast a rod into the inky darkness of the lake, placed our rods in the permanent holders we have on the beach, and drove back to the house. Zane explained to me on the way that he was going to set his alarm and get up early to check for fish.

When I got up shortly before dawn, Zane was still sound asleep. Drinking coffee on the porch, I watched the fog roll in across the water as the turkeys gobbled up and down the valley. Before long, my wife joined me as the shadows pulled away from the water's edge and the bright green of spring was lit up by the rising sun. We talked about checking the poles but thought it would be best if we let Zane have the fun since it was his idea.

Zane's alarm must not have been working because I had my fill of coffee and felt the tug of being a responsible adult with doing my taxes before he got out of bed. When he finally did arise, I was deep into long forms and schedule C's. He and Nanna could check the lines while I slaved away over a hot computer. The only problem I have discovered with my office is that my computer is in front of a large window overlooking the lake. With just a glance, I can see the beach and what is going on from the dam to the cabin. I saw Zane reel in a catfish and the two of them starting a discussion. They were not coming back. Before long, I saw the fishing duo come out of the cabin with two more fishing rods, catfish bait, and a tackle box.

The lake was calm and the fish were biting. At one time I glanced up to see Zane running to the house to get another bucket to hold their fish. They took a break for breakfast where I got to hear about the fishing exploits I had missed and were back at it. By mid-afternoon when I finally got done with the taxes, my wife and Zane were both tired of fishing. I cleaned enough for a meal, released the rest, and we planned our next adventure. Their arms were sore from casting and reeling in fish and my mind was in need of some fresh air in the outdoors. We decided on mushroom hunting.

We found enough mushrooms to make a great meal with the fresh crappie and catfish. I missed out on half the fun, but it does make a person feel good to know they have done the adult thing, accepted responsibility, and sent their taxes in a whole week early.[[In-content Ad]]

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