I haven’t bought pajamas/ thermals in years. We used to “camp” in the motorhome for weeks at time, sometimes in the snow and freezing temperatures so Duane could pre-fish lakes for upcoming tournaments. I was always cold during the winter – because lets face it – no matter how well a RV heater works, when you’re at Lake Shasta in December and January there is no staying warm.

Every year he would take it upon himself to go shopping and buy me crazy thermals and flannel pajamas. People made so much fun of him! They would ask why he bought me “those” to sleep in. He would just laugh and ignore them. In the spring and summer he went out and bought me bikinis and always made sure I had pink and glitter baits to fish with. 

People kept teasing him … “that’s what you want her to sleep in?” He would just laugh and joke about the bikinis being the trade off! … Then one day during a fishing seminar he told everyone the key to getting your girlfriend/ wife to fish with you, camp with you and stay with you in a tiny motorhome for weeks at a time…

“Keep her happy. Buy her the warm clothes, the cute bikinis, books, magazines, and whatever baits she wanted. If you want her with you, she needs to enjoy it. Spend some money to keep her happy and she will always come with you”. Everyone just looked at us. I was a staple at every tournament and every event. No one could understand why I always went, why I got up at 4am and made lunch for everyone, why I stood for hours in the rain waiting for him to weigh-in. Because I liked it (mostly). Because he made sure I was comfortable and dressed for the weather so I would enjoy it and keep coming. He made sure that at least one night while we were gone we went on a real date, smelly and tired , but we still went. At that same seminar he had the chance to “fish” in the HUGE tank at Bass Pro, but instead of him taking the cast, he called me up and had me do it. The fishermen couldn’t believe that he didn’t take this opportunity. He went on to explain, that even though he wanted to, he knew it was a one time thing and he wanted me to enjoy the HOURS we had spend at Bass Pro and knew this would do it. People laughed and chuckled and then realized he was right. 

It’s getting colder here and I realized I need pajamas, I have never really thought about it, they were always just there. So I went in my drawers to check my size, I didn’t know –  and ordered my own. 

I think he would have approved of my choices. 

– xoxo Victoria