Nelson’s Big Catch (Spoiler: It Wasn’t Me)

Chapter 57: Ugly Vests and Solo Fajitas

Thursday kicked off Nelson’s birthday weekend buildup with a shopping spree I never imagined: Bass Pro Shop. Three months ago, the thought of me buying an ugly fisherman’s vest would have been laughable, but here we are. I also picked up a $6 “jewelry box” for his fly collection—honestly, with two of each lure lined up neatly, it really does look like earrings in a Claire’s display case. Gift parade complete: fly rod, net, stainless steel stringer, flies, vest, and now the “jewelry box.” My man was spoiled.

Stimulators, Parachute Adams, and beetles

Nelson had a work dinner, so I treated myself to Local Lime—the place I swore would be my weekly haunt when we first scoped out NWA (and...I haven't stepped afoot there since). My ribeye fajitas were still perfection, and solo dining with a book was bliss… until I realized Nelson’s work dinner ended before mine. Engineers: fast eaters, fast leavers. I rolled my eyes, picked him up, and we drove to Roaring River State Park. This time, we scored a level, sparkling-clean site under the stars. Birthday weekend: activated.



Chapter 58: Moonshade, Bagels, and Birthday Eve Butterflies


 Friday was gloriously uneventful. Nelson worked, I cooked (smoked turkey leg lunch, thermal cooker dinner), and discovered mini blueberry bagels that became my new obsession. Not exactly New York bagels, but with cream cheese they did the trick.


The best part was finally spreading out: moonshade up, mat down, chairs out—our own outdoor living room. 



Nelson was so excited about his ugly vest he wore it immediately and spent the evening tying knots like a first grader practicing shoe laces. My coach once asked how we hide gifts from each other in a van. Answer: we don’t. If something isn’t directly in Nelson’s line of sight, it doesn’t exist. Case in point: the vest had been hanging in the van “garage” for two days before he noticed.


That night we dined al fresco in our new “front yard,” buzzing with anticipation for the next day: Nelson’s actual birthday, which (in our world) meant fishing and eating.



Chapter 59: Trout, Taiyaki, and Birthday Tears


 Nelson woke up Saturday grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. He fished from dawn, fueled by water bottle deliveries and my sideline cheerleading. Our campsite even had a secret bushy shortcut to the river—like our own express lane to trout. By lunchtime, the birthday boy was happily munching on his bizarre combo of blueberry bagel, cream cheese, and smoked turkey. I stayed unimpressed, but he was in heaven.


While he fished, I discovered new park delights: fly libraries (“take one, leave one”—though probably only the dud flies end up there), and armies of crawfish brawling under rocks. Meanwhile, Nelson landed four trout, the biggest thanks to my fly pick. Yes, I claimed credit.



Dinner was a feast of fresh trout, followed by my DIY “birthday cake”: taiyaki. Let’s just say all-purpose flour made the fish-shaped pastries a little… shriveled in the tail. But they were plump with red bean paste and surprisingly tasty. Nelson beamed. Mission accomplished.



Sunday we wrapped things up with more fishing, my first attempt at deviled eggs (ugly but good), and a detour for fishing licenses and knot lessons at Tim’s Fly Shop. We capped the weekend in tragedy: arriving too late at Gear Garden and missing out on Chicken Lai Lai. I nearly cried. Nelson was horrified. We consoled ourselves with Walmart rotisserie chicken and cup noodles—far from glamorous, but still better than nothing.



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