SITTING AT THE Resort this afternoon, Duncan is on the floor next to me his head resting on my boot. The idea was to go take a walk out back and see if we can kick up a bird or two from the corn patch. Not going to happen as I am sitting in booth number one watching it rain. Been a long time since I can remember it raining in December, to tell the truth I really don’t remember it and even Elmer was scratching his head when asked. No snow on the ground, not even a little white under the deck or along the shop wall where snow usually gathers and stays till June. The jumping deer on the wall thermometer says it is forty out and with no wind it would be a nice day, except for the rain.

Resort has been quiet, with no snow we have no riders coming in for lunch and with no ice we have no fishermen. The bait room lights are off, no reason to go in there and we have just the one minnow tank bubbling. Just a few minnows swimming around and Vic checks on them several times a day and has started to name some of them. Had a short morning at the Lodge as I had already penciled myself in for the afternoon off. I was gone before lunch and I drove up to the Resort taking my time. No sleds on trailers and most driveways held their ice houses on snow less ground. Christmas lights were on, guess it is dark enough for them. Big Earl at the General Store says he is almost all sold out as with the mild weather people have had time to hang lights and add lights. Even here at the Resort Vic has strung lights along the railings and Hammering Hank says when it stops raining he will get a ladder out and hang some along the edge of the porch roof.

Saturday the number two granddaughter and I will head to the tree farm and harvest a tree for her and a tree for me. The mother in law went to the guy out on the highway and bought a tree from him but not until she made him stand just about everyone of them up for an inspection. The wife drove the tree to her mother's house tied on top of the Jeep as I had made myself scarce. The Lodge is decorated as on Saturday the Woman’s Auxiliary decorated the place. Honey Sauce butted heads with the president, Doris over what should go where. I was not there and Gus stepped out back. A couple of guys were taking advantage of the day to shoot a round of skeet and Gus said you could hardly hear the shouting between the shotguns going off.

Tomorrow is the Lake Iwanttobethere grade school Christmas show and I will be attending. Parking should not be an issue as there will be no snow banks to steal parking spaces. The grand kids tell me they have a really Big Show planned. I saw the note asking parents and grandparents to please bring a bag of confetti to the show. I think because we have no snow they want the paper for something, that should be interesting for the janitor. Tomorrow will also be decision time about this years Ice House Fling, I don’t think there is a person with in fifty miles of Lake Iwanttobethere that would bet that the fling is going to happen on Saturday. Yet the founding fathers will hold off to the last minute to announce the cancellation or more likely just the postponement of the event.

So for now I am sitting in the booth watching rain fall and hearing the drips outside of the window. Marv is baking cookies so it does smell good in here, matter of fact he just brought out some test sample Ginger bread men. I took one off the plate and Duncan sat up. Me with a cookie had caught his attention. I took a bite and chewed, pretty tasty I said and then Marv asked me " What does a gingerbread man put on his bed at night? Chewing on another bite of the cookie I shook my head from side to side that I didn’t know. Marv with a smile on his face said "A cookie Sheet" I gave him a little groan and gave Duncan the rest of the cookie as Marv headed back to the kitchen here at Lake Iwanttobethere