Love, your granddaughter, Mandy.

In the summers I would stay in Hood River with my father,my days consisted of playing with his dog,shooting 22 rifles,driving through the woods listening to all the hunting storys dad and his crazy friends had created over the years.Not realizing that my stories where just starting.He would wake up early make breakfast before going to work and make sure I had all the bullets and night crawlers a kid would need for a days fun(keep in mind this was when a kid could walk down the railroad tracks with a rifle, fishing pole, and a dog at his side without peep out of anyone....the good ole days if u will) We would usually have a prearranged meeting place on the river where he would pick me up in the afternoons where we would finish our day fishing some of his top secret fishing holes.One of my favorite memories is one morning dad and I showed up to a fishing hole called Porters named after Larry Porters cuase it was in his back yard,as we walked down on the bank there stood Doug and Mark Drinkwine,Porter who always had a funny smelling "non-filter cigarrete" in his mouth,and Mike Lezbo,dad asked "the girls" if they caught anything yet...nope pretty slow well 3 cast later dad had his two steelhead and some cash from the bet he made a 1/2 hr. before to rub it in just a little more he allowed me to reel them in.My fathers fishing and hunting skills where incredible, as child my dad taught me the art of "reading water" which is hard to explain and master but when it all comes togather fishing is no longer a spectator sport!!! remember 3 cast 2 fish???when walking through the woods he would get frustrated with me not being quit yep you guessed it I had to learn how to walk too lol...though my father and I lost contact over the years and I sometimes would wish things were different I will never forget the one true gift he gave which was the love for the outdoors.Theres never been a day when Im fishing or hunting that I didnt think of him and our adventerous times togather as a young man.My father named me Eric Lee Kitzman (ELK) which was his favorite animal. Over the years I have harvested several bull elk,deer,I have a oregon record book black bear,and hundreds of steelhead and salmon to the net, and currently own PLAY N HOOKY GUIDE SERVICE and have had the privilage to fish Alaska and see all the wildlife there too...so just let me say      Dad it's all good, you'll never know the true gift you have given me, I hope your soul is at peace, give grandma a kiss for me and i'll meet  you on the river...