Belated Thanks!

I don't know if you noticed, but Thanksgiving happened a few days ago here in the Good Ol' USA. Along with that, we also celebrated our youngest child's 4th birthday that same day. There were 28 of us crammed into my in-laws' house that afternoon. About a third of those people were under the age of 10, and if you don't know, humans that are under the age of 10 are often quite loud. When you add in 20 or so adults trying to be heard over those under-10-year-olds, the noise can be quite deafening. Despite the din, I very much enjoyed our Thanksgiving get-together, and had a great time hanging out with the Relatives. I am of course very thankful for my amazing Wife and four great Kids, as well as all of the other usual stuff you hear about in blogs like this: good friends; warm house; steady employment; good health; yada, yada, yada...

I am also very thankful for things in the fly fishing world, and thought I would mention a few of those things, since this is a fly fishing blog. Here it goes:

I am thankful for strong yet thin fly tying thread.
I am thankful that there are people who are willing to shear rabbits and other mammals and put the fur in tiny zip-lock bags so I don't have to.
I am thankful that there are people who have spent their lives figuring out how to genetically grow chickens with amazing feathers.
I am thankful for ceramic tubes on bobbins.
I am thankful for Frank Matarelli.
I am thankful for super sharp and super strong steel hooks, even in the tiny sizes.
I am thankful for all of the synthetic things that can be lashed onto hooks nowadays, and the open attitude most tyers have about it all.
I am thankful that the DuPont company invented Antron so many years ago, even though I am sure they were not thinking of me and my fly tying friends at the time.
I am thankful for the students who keep showing up for my fly tying classes year after year.
I am thankful for the people who squirreled away their old fiberglass rods when graphite became the next best thing, and who now are willing to sell those glass rods to me. (Although I am still looking for an old Berkley Stream Specialist, if you know anyone who might have one. Preferably a 7' 5wt...)
I am thankful for exposed rim fly reels.
I am thankful for micro bubbles.
I am thankful that I don't have to lay out my fly line to dry after every fishing trip.
I am thankful for breathable waders.
I am thankful for polarized lenses.
And last but not least, I am thankful for all of the friends I have made through fly fishing and fly tying. You all are the best! Have a great winter!

I'm even thankful for tiny trouts!