DRIVE INTO THE Lodge was a wet one this morning. I woke expecting to see some snow on the ground but as I let Duncan out he made his morning trip quick, it was raining. I left Duncan at home, I would have brought him with but he had already climbed back into bed with the wife, I could hear her yelling about his wet feet as I closed the cabin door shut behind me. I had to wait at the end of the drive as the garbage was being picked up then headed to town. I had to stop again for the school bus, lights flashing and I saw the bus had its snow plow mounted, maybe we are going to get some snow I thought. Everyone was driving with their lights on as the rain continued to fall all the way to town. Well almost everyone, there are always a few who never turn their lights on saving them for something.

I drove past the Gas N Go and I see the price of gas has fallen a few more cents, below two dollars and it has been awhile since we have seen that. A few pick up trucks with plows are parked in the lot. Guys leaning on hoods with steam coming up from coffee cups looking upwards for snow. Parked in my spot at the Lodge and came in the back door. Shook off my cap and hug it and my coat on the back of the office door. Exchanged HIYA’s with Gus who was just rolling the yellow bucket and mop to the main door. If it keeps raining like this the entrance rug will soon be soaked.

Members came in one at a time and took up spaces on the stools at the bar or the tables by the fire. Drapes were pulled back and the deck door was cracked just wide enough that you could hear the rain coming off the roof to splatter on the deck before slipping between the cracks in the boards to fall to the ground to run down the hill to empty into the lake. Public access below the Lodge was empty except for a county plow truck idling away. The truck looked heavy sitting there with a big plow resting on the ground and a full load of sand in the back. The Lodge was pretty quiet, it gets this way this time of the year. Most of the guys don’t come in to late afternoon and it is just the regulars here till the lunch hour. I get most of my work done in the morning so I didn’t even notice till someone said something.

It was snowing! I happen to glance at the neon clock on the wall and the old black hands on the clock were pointed at ten-thirty. For some reason it stuck in my head as I walked around the bar to join a few of the guys who were standing up close to the big deck windows. Their noses pressed up against the glass like little kids. I pulled the deck door to the side opening it up and stepped out onto the deck, The rain had been replaced with big heavy snow flakes that were falling from the sky. Not the little flakes or the big fluffy flakes that fall like a maple leafs these guys were heavy and if Elmer had his hearing aid turned up he would say he could hear them hit the railin. It only took a few minutes but soon everything had a layer of fresh white snow. I looked at the wall thermometer and it said thirty-four I guess Mother Nature had enough of this waiting and snow and maybe winter has arrived here at Lake Iwanttobethere