Why I Oughta...

We're now all set up with fishing rod and a little tackle box up.  We went off to Walmart and came home with a few little poles (for the two younger kids) and an intermediate one for the Babe and I even bought my own rod.  When we were picking out the equipment the lady at Walmart was very helpful and encouraged me to get a license.  After answering a handful of questions, she printed out this barcode license that says that we are supposed to carry this with us when we fish.  We didn't buy any stamps because, well, we're just beginners and we're catching a lot of little things and tossing them back. The Babe has had the most luck of the bunch.  She throws her line in - usually with a wax worm on the hook - and most sessions, she pulls out a fish.  A lot of panfish (bluegills) and a few bass (not sure if they're large-mouth or small-mouth...again....we're beginners!) so far.  The King of the Ball Tossers is currently using a casting practice weight...

Never-you-mind my back that aches most mornings or the step or two that I've lost on the tennis court or the fact that I can't eat pizza the way I used to, but this mailing reminder from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White really hit home for me that I'm (sadly) indeed getting old. I've renewed my drivers license at least five times and not once been asked to do any sort of screening.  In fact, on a couple of occasions, they've sent me that shiny sticker that you put on the back of your license that extends it past the expiration date.  (BTW...when I was younger, that sticker was always a hassle, wasn't it?  You were in a place in your life when you were dealing with doormen and the like and they'd always look at the expiration date and say "Dude...this is expired".  To which you'd have to tell them to turn it over.  Round and round you'd go.) But to stay on the road now?  They're going to make me get my eyes checked.  Which, ...