"NOAA is what your Dad made you watch instead of The Dukes of Hazzard."....

       ....At least if your Dad is a fishing fiend like mine. Long ago before cable and internet we got our weather from channel 17, also known as NOAA.  It broadcasts the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather report all day. This caused a battle every Friday night during fishing season at my Dad's house.   My siblings and I wanted to watch The Dukes of Hazzard, my Dad of course wanted to watch the weather.  I'd sulk as we'd have to sit through every forecast, for every county in Minnesota and Wisconsin, even though he already had decided on a lake.  It really never mattered what NOAA said, rain or shine, we'd go fishing the next day.  I guess he just always wanted to be extra prepared.

            In preparation for a wild weather weekend, not to mention possible Hurricane Debby, we put down our two biggest anchors.  Now these two anchors have held us through gale force winds, but I still was being paranoid. Late last night I had for over an hour been trying to watch the local news. All I was getting was the no-signal message bouncing around the T.V. screen like a game of Pong.  It started to reminded me of my childhood, and watching channel 17 the night before going fishing. We had already decided to drop the big guns and ride out the weekend, or "go fishing", rain or shine.  In hindsight, I must get my need-to-know everything genes from my Dad.  While being extra prepared is good, it's sometimes best to relax, and watch The Dukes of Hazzard.


                     (Wow did I date myself with the 80's references or what!)