SITTING IN BOOTH number one here at the RESORT this afternoon. Ample sunshine is coming through the big windows and the pot belly stove is more red then black. Vic likes to keep a good fire going and on a day like today it is welcomed. My neighbor Chuck called me last night and said he was heading to the RESORT this morning to do some fishing. He had heard that Dock Burriem and Vic were catching crappies and even Marv had managed to catch a few. I took a look at the thermometer hanging on the wall and it said it was already minus ten out and I had some doubts about going fishing in the morning. Chuck sealed the deal by saying he would drive and he would make sure the truck was warm when he picked me up. I gave in and said OK

I climbed into the truck and tossed my go bag in the back seat. Chuck does not have heated seats but the blower was blasting hot air into my face. I had to crack the window open some so I could breathe. We rolled down the driveway on square tires, I didn’t ask how cold it was as I didn’t really want to know. The square tires on the truck were a good giveaway that it was colder than I would like to be outside in. A couple of days ago the RESORT got another seven inches of snow and when we got to make the turn to the RESORT you could see where Hammering Hank had been plowing and we had snow banks. We drove in and parked and I grabbed my go bag as Chuck plugged the truck into a waiting extension cord, another sign it was colder then I wanted it to be.

Vic and Marv were already out in the ice house and DOCK was just inside making some breakfast. He had been talking back and forth with the guys in the shack as they had their two way radios with them and were about ready to come back in. Chuck talked with Vic who told him he better bring some wood out as the little stove is eating it up this morning. A couple of milk crates were loaded with kindling and placed on the plastic sled and after a call to Vic we told him we were headed out. When we arrived they came out and we went in. First thing I noticed is they had ran out of wood and the fire was just a couple of coals. Chuck brought the wood crates in and Vic gave us a wave as he pulled the empty plastic sled down the beaten snow path back to the RESORT.

It was cold but the little shack heats up quickly and soon we had bibs unzipped and the coffee pot was hot enough resting on the top of the stove that you had to put a glove on to move it. We checked minnows dangling on lines from short rods and soon I was down two bucks in cribbage. "Now isn’t this better than sitting at home watching football" Chuck said to me as he stared down at his minnow twitching in the cold water. That is when it dawned on me, "The wife put you up to taking me fishing, didn’t she" Chuck not looking me in the eye just nodded his head some. "OK, what did she bribe you with?" Chuck mumbled something about apple pie. I was just ready to say something when my float took a dive and I jerked out in defense and felt a pull. I had some weight on my line and I was thinking to myself "Where does she keep coming up with these apple pies" here at Lake Iwanttobethere

113 days