Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

February 1, 2012

February 1st and there is a growing ground swell of support for Spring. I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that we are going to have a very mld winter. Just this morning I saw several of the county buses and they did not have their plows attached. Even the county is thinking the worst part of a warm winter has gone by. Frank the plow driver is spending more time fishing then plowing and he says his over time is way down. We have received three days of snow here at the Lake Iwanttobethere in the last week and the grand total might be four inches. Monday we had a Lodge meeting as it was the fifth Monday of the month and Tuesday being the fifth Tuesday of the month we held the Town Hall meeting.

Lodge meeting was held in the big meeting room as for some reason there were a number of members on hand. I am thinking that with the weather there might just be the beginning of a little trace of cabin fever in the air. We quickly went through past minutes and some discussion was held in regards to the Spring drive for new members. Everyone was reminded about the Lake Iwanttobethere web site and asked to pass that information on. Talk then turned to Reed the Realtor who was offering, for a small fee, to drive his bio-disel bus down to the big city for the boat show in two weeks. Depending on the size of the members and weight restrictions a fair number of members will be making the trip down. On a side note after the meeting several members broke away from the main group to hold a conversation about bring some of them little Gulp lures to fish the trout tank with. These were of course going to be in addition to the cheese and corn they had been sneaking in for years.

Our next Lodge meeting will not be until April which will work out just fine with the opening of fishing season. However we will be having a very special February meeting to be held on the 29th our every four year Leap year officer election night. Already some campaigning is going on as Big Earl is passing out some old Halloween candy and offering raffle tickets on some fruit cakes. No one is buying any of the raffle tickets so Big Earl started just stuffing them in guy's shirts. Town Hall meeting was held last night, which is pretty much just like the Lodge meeting only the women are on hand and the food is a lot better. A big push by the ladies auxiliary to add another street light and a second park bench to the one of each we already have. Town Hall meetings here are I have been told much different that what is held in the big city. What we normally do is get a list of all the new laws that the big city has passed in the last few months, read them and then reject them. This saved everyone in town a dollar on their power bill as the big city now charges a fee for their street lights, here at Lake Iwanttobethere our taxes pay for the street light.

Today is a birthday day at the cabin as the #1 granddaughter turns ten and Duncan the lab turns one. The granddaughter is OK with sharing her birthday as long as she does not get a hamburger cake with a dog bone in it. Later today I will be making a trip down to see Vicki at the Masterbaiters Bait shop to pick up some fishing tackle for the granddaughters tackle box. Never can go wrong or have enough fishing tackle. As mentioned earlier the boat show is coming up and I even have a reason to go this year. Going to upgrade the fish finder in the Puddle Humper. Think I used up all the fish in the one I have and if I get a new one I can find some new fish. A new reel is also on the list and maybe a rod. I need a new reel and I should just replace it but sometimes, well most of the time when you buy a new reel you just have to buy a new rod to go along with it, I always tell the wife they come as a balanced set. At the Lodge meeting I did get cornered by a few of the guys who said they heard a rumor about my fish story, something about I didn't really tell what happen at the end. If I get a chance maybe I will let you in on the meanmouth bass that I caught, from Lake Iwanttobethere {574,694}

Mr. Perch we always have a stool open for family at the Lodge, Bobby

February 3, 2012

I was sitting at my desk in the den today working on a reel that I was having some problems with last fall. I gave it a good cleaning and oiling and the problem remained so I figured it was time to replace it. As I was cleaning the reel my mind got to wandering, which I am told by the wife is never a good thing. So I came up with this idea for a fishing challenge and as it rattled around in my mind some I called my neighbor Chuck and threw it out for him to take a few smacks at it. The idea for the challenge will be for me to go fish thirty days in a row starting June 1st and ending at the end of the month. The idea was a little crazy I admit and Chuck pointed out several obstacles to it. Weather came to mind and the never ending Honey-Do-list not to mention the wife herself. I told Chuck I already had that covered by explaining to the wife that if I could fish the entire month of June there would be a very good chance that I would not want to see the inside of the Puddle Humper all of the month of July.

July would then be my work around the cabin month and I would then be ready to ease myself through August before hitting the water hard again for fall. As if fishing thirty days in a row would not be hard enough Chuck offered a few other things to the mix. It should be thrifty days on thirty different lakes and I should set a goal for how many fish I would haul over the side of the Puddle Humper. Now fishing thirty days was easy when I was a kid but thirty days at my age might be a little more of a challenge. I figure if I don't try it this year it may be harder next year. I got off the phone with Chuck and called Elmer, told him my plan for the challenge and he told me to pencil him in for two days of fishing. The youngest daughter gave me a thumbs up for fishing said she would fish with me on her birthday and also on mine so I have four days covered. I called Chuck back and he said he was good for three more days and my buddy Gerry called said he heard about the challenge and he would like to fish a couple of days also.

I told the wife that I already have a third of the days covered so now I almost have to go fishing, otherwise I would be disappointing a lot of people. Wife kind of rolled her eyes at me and said something about a lot of work better get done in July and I might be working into August. I was supposed to be working on the Honey Do List today but now I was sidetracked with the lake map book. I was looking for thirty lakes and checking back on when I last fished them and how I did. Going to be a lot of planning, making sure I can be on the right water at the right time. I went to the Lodge and guys had already heard of my plan to fish the thirty days. I didn't have to say a thing as guys came over and offered suggestions on what lakes I should fish and how I should pick them. Throwing all the names in a hat and drawing them one by one was brought up or throwing darts at the county map and fishing the closet lake to the dart. Maybe the Lodge should have a contest to pick the lakes for me. Somehow this was getting out of hand as it was me who was going to be doing all the fishing and all the driving.

Marv said maybe I should look into having some kind of a support team, like Reed in the Bio-disel RV. He could follow me from lake to lake and carry extra trolling motor batteries and bait and such. Maybe even a keg of Hamms on ice for the support crew as they could wait at the landing for my return. Big Earl said he would give me a supply of Kit Kats if I would wear his General Store Logo on my shirt. I told him I would think about it as the group of guys moved off to a table by the fireplace to continue the planning of what was now their challenge for me. I could hear them laughing from time to time and pointing in my direction. Never a good sign when they are planning something but not going to be doing it themselves. First week of February and it is a long ways till the fishing opener, from Lake Iwanttobethere {576,137}

February 6, 2012

I hope I don't see another hot wing for at least a day. Of course last night the Lodge hosted our version of a super bowl party and Gus out did himself with a never ending supply of hot wings and dips. A safety in the first few minutes of the game sent everyone to scratching their heads as they tried to figure out combinations of scoring that would get them the right numbers to win. I was out of it till the final touchdown and the missed two point conversion. Suddenly all I needed was a last minute touchdown and I would win the pool, of course it didn't happen. The TV was showered in a rain of chicken wings, eaten of course and football season had come to an end. Gus passed out brooms and dustpans and the TV area was cleaned up and we quickly drank up the winnings of Reed who by some lucky chance had won the football pool and had offered to buy a round for the Lodge.

I retreated to my office where I sat back in my office chair and eyed the newly cleaned white board. Down one side I have thirty-four lakes in blue dry marker with a few of them followed by a red question mark. I have started the list of lakes for my fishing challenge, I need twenty-nine lakes besides Lake Iwanttobethere to fish on. Another column has a few guys from the Lodge who are willing to fish with me. Some of the lakes are little gems that are out of the way and difficult to get into by myself, I will need a partner for them. So I need to match up lakes with fishermen and then days and dates. There are five Fridays and Saturdays in June so I will need to find lakes for those dates that are off the beaten path and not too popular. Otherwise the rest of the dates should let me fish out of quiet landings, I also need a few small lakes for rain days.

On the other side of the white board is my do list, not the same list that is at home, this is my fishing do list. New boat license for the Puddle Humper already been checked off. I ordered a new reel Saturday, that should be delivered to the Lodge next week. Wife don't need to know that I spent a hundred and seventy-five dollars on a reel and still have to put line on it. Not to mention that I am thinking I should match up a new rod with it. But if a guy is going to fish thirty days in a row he has to have a good rod and reel to go along with the ten other ones in the boat. Oil change for the Tahoe and maybe some new tires, for sure I have to replace the tires on the Puddle Humper trailer and wheel bearings are also on the list. Another trolling motor battery has a ? mark behind it as I am thinking about that. Wondering if I should just order a case of beef jerky from our vendor here at the Lodge and a box of cigars from Marv at the smoke shop is printed in bold.

Gus came into the office and took a picture of the while board with his camera phone. Within a few minute's members of the Lodge all had copies of the lake list and I can't walk around the Lodge without getting questions about my choices. I am going to have to make a second secret secret list of the lakes that make the final cut and when I plan on fishing them. A group of guys, known around town as the Fellows have offered to be my support group. They are of course in need of a few items like a support vehicle and I don't really know if they are going to support me or cheer me. I was thinking more along the lines like NASCAR tires, gas, batteries fishing stuff. These guys are thinking more along the line of beer, BBQ and air horns when I launch. I add Decoy boat on to the white board under Needs.

Duncan lays at my feet sleeping, he sure does sleep a lot. His birthday day was on Wednesday and it is as if there was a switch pulled. He has stopped following the wife around the cabin and is now at my side all the time. The wife says it was because he chewed up a roll of toilet paper and got caught and yelled at. I think it might have something to do with him discovering his new favorite cookie that I slipped him, Chocolate Chip. Either way as long as he stays around me I can keep an eye on him, from Lake Iwanttobethere {577,893}

February 9, 2012

Sunshine has returned to Lake Iwanttobethere and not just for a few hours but all day everyday for the past few days. I have taken to hiding out in the greenhouse and doing some reading. I hauled one of the deck chairs and an old milk crate to prop my feet on inside and cleared out a space to set them up. I have a glass of lemonade and a coffee can for my cigar ashes close at hand so I can relax. Been pretty nice with it being around eighty in there and I am working on getting my vitamin D and maybe even a little color so I don't look like I am Minnesota farmer in the dead of winter. I chuckle as I sip on my lemonade at the gals who have to pay to slip into those tanning booths down at the little mini mall.

Pretty quiet otherwise around town, busiest place might be Reed the Realtor office since it is tax season and he does taxes. I used to volunteer down at the City Hall and help out some but now we got a real CPA who has retired and moved to the lake. Nice enough guy and from time to time we would chat at the Lodge some about taxes and fishing. Didn't take long to figure out he knew more about taxes and I knew more about fishing. Matter of fact I have been thinking I will let him do the Lodges taxes, would sure free up some time for me to just sit in the greenhouse and work on my tan.

Reed's Bio-disel RV is full for the trip down to the big city for the boat show. Matter of fact the Fellows are now working on their drop down shanty. They are going to hook up to the RV and sell some tickets to ride in style as they put it in their shanty to the boat show. It is a pretty good size shanty and it never sees the ice, more like a trailer that just had some rotten spots in the floor reframed to look like fishing holes. They are offering stand up, sit down and lie down tickets the last I heard. Later in the week my new fishing reel should be arriving at the Lodge and I want to be on hand. Already taking some grief from the guys on spending so much money on a reel but we will see. I am thinking that I will need to buy a new rod for it and I have spent some time down at the Masterbaiters shop with Vicki looking over her inventory. If I find something at the boat show that I like I will come back to Vicki and have her order it for me. I can always work it off down there and she will give me a lifetime warranty. Of course Elmer says that our age it is a win win for her on that deal.

Duncan and I have started to take walks together and he is on a leash. He is doing very well on it and I have to keep looking down to see if he is on it from time to time. Most of the time he is carrying the leash in his mouth so I am thinking in a month or so I will just hook up the leash to his collar and let him walk himself. I'll just take him down to the end of the drive and tell him to walk himself down to Harvey's cabin and then come back. This way the wife will see me head down the drive every evening with him and I don't have to go any farther then the road. I have tried getting Bud and Barney to take walks but as soon as they see the leash come out they roll over on the floor and face the other direction. Of course they get enough exercise as it is during the day being pestered by Duncan.

We have not decide yet if Duncan is going to be a hunting dog like Bud or a fishermen like Barney. He does seem to attract a lot of attention from the ladies though and I get stopped a lot from gals wanted to pet the "cute puppy" If I was thirty or forty years younger we would make a fine pair trolling for female tourists down by the lake in summer but now at my age am just the guy holding the leash. From Lake Iwanttobethere {581,527}

February 11, 2012

I bought Mark the mailman a Hamms at the Lodge last night, he looked like he could really use it. That time of the year when the catalogs start coming and Friday was my first day of going down to the box and finding it jammed with mail. A couple of seed catalogs and four Spring fishing catalogs including a few master fishing catalogs which are now stacked close at hand on the stand in the bathroom. Since I am in the market for a new depth finder for the Puddle Humper the catalogs will be cross referenced and scrutinized for the best possible deal.

At the Lodge the wood sign is hanging up by the back door reminding members to carry a stick of firewood in when they enter. Very little snow on the ground but it has been cold and sunny the past few days. We have a fire going in the fireplace and most of the morning crowd is sitting on that side of the Lodges main room or at tables where the sunshine is pouring through the glass of the over sized deck windows. As I write this Duncan is lying at my feet, resting from chasing the cats at the cabin this morning. The wife not being too subtle at all suggested, well strongly suggested that both of us should get out of the cabin. Might have been Duncan chasing the cats, and me having lake maps spread out across the kitchen table. Normally not a problem but the cats ran across the maps on the table taking out the sugar bowl and knocking it and several maps on to the floor. The sugar spread across the floor making traction for Duncan less then favorable and he lost his footing sliding across the floor to take out the garbage can which was filled with apple peels from the pies that the wife was working on.

Duncan sidetracked from the cats saw the tipped over trash can as something that should be investigated and stuck his head in. Wife yelled at Duncan who backed out with apple peels hanging from his ears and that "Not my fault look on his face" A few of my lake maps had cat footprints on them as one of the cats stepped in the butter then onto my maps. As I wiped the maps off I spied Smokey sitting on the desk licking his feet so I think I know who did what. With the garbage can picked up and the sugar swept up I pulled my maps together and put them back in their case. I was going to pour myself a glass of OJ when the wife appeared with the leash and Duncan sitting at her side tail wagging from side to side, he thought he was going for a walk.

I guess he was right as the wife closed the door behind the two of us. We got into the Tahoe and headed into town, Duncan sitting in one of the grand kid's car seats as he likes to sit up high so he can see better. First stop was the bank, didn't have any banking to do but Duncan gets a free dog bone. Second stop was Marv's Book and Smoke Shop, another free bone from Marv and I looked over the sports section of the out of town morning paper. Driving by the Gulp-N-Go I see gas went up a nickel and the temperature was five on the digital thermometer. Chicken Shack has a new sign nailed across the front window saying "Look for an early opening "The parking lot is empty of snow and a few crushed paper cups and a pile of dirt sweepings is all there is to see, well that and the faded yellow lines marking off parking spaces.

Mark the mailman drives by in his van, it is sitting low on the springs, no doubt loaded with seed catalogs and fishing wish books. He gives me half a wave and continues on down the road. I arrive at the Lodge and carry a stick of wood in with me, Duncan to his credit drags in another. Gus pats Duncan and gives him a bone. I start thinking to myself I should cut back on Duncan's food as he has everyone conned pretty good with this cute puppy thing he has going on. I sit at my desk typing on my laptop hiding a lake map between the folds of the Lake Iwanttobethere Times. I seem to be getting a lot of attention lately as Lodge members stand in the doorway to say HIYA and try to look to see what lake map I have out. Everyone wants to know where I am going fishing in June, from Lake Iwanttobethere {586.873}

February 14, 2012

Valentine's Day, you think someone would have sent me an e-mail. For some reason I thought it was tomorrow, perhaps I got the dates mixed up because the Boat Show in the big city starts tomorrow. That is the date that was sticking out in my mind. I had a late start this morning as I did not sleep well last night. Been doing some hand to hand fighting with a cold that came from out of no where. Last night around three or so I felt a cold nose rubbing up against the back of my neck and before I even rolled over I knew it was Bud wanting to be let outside. Now you older guys know all about having to get up in the dead of night and hit the bathroom. Little harder for the old dog as he has to go outside to do his thing. I pulled the covers back and was surprised to find not one but both of my bedroom slippers on the floor where I last left them. Duncan had not yet taken them to hide.

It looked cold out as I let Bud out the back door and I pulled the robe tight around my waist as I stepped out onto the deck following him. Moon was out and there was enough light to see Bud cross the deck and step out in to the yard. I walked across the deck to the edge to look at the lake and as I stepped across the deck it made a few sharp cracks as my weight pressed down on the cold wood. I will say it is always quiet at night here at the lake but not as quiet as a cold winter's night. No wind, no moth's doing figure eight's around the garage flood lights and no dogs barking in the distance. I can see smoke rising straight out of Elmers chimney. It makes a small cloud over the roof before rising and disappearing. I whisper out to Bud urging him to hurry as the cold is coming up under my robe.

I turn to go back in the cabin and see Duncan is waiting at the door, I open the door and he bursts out onto the deck where he leaps into the yard when he sees Bud. The dog has no neutral, he is all puppy all the time. Bud walks back up on the deck and gives me a look that we both understand. I open the door and he heads inside and Duncan seeing he is alone bounds over the steps and lands sliding on the deck stopping just in time to avoid hitting the open storm door. Bud heads for the bedroom and Duncan to the kitchen, I give Duncan half a biscuit and he carries it off to eat it in his crate in the den. I then follow Bud back to bed, I toss the robe on the chair and step out of my slippers. I ease myself back into the bed quiet like as to not wake the wife. My face is cold and I pull the quilt up under my chin. I feel the wife shift in bed and she rolls over and puts her hand against my cheek. I hold my breath, I'm thinking she is checking to see if I am alive and maybe the cold skin will fool her.

I feel her shift in bed right before she punches me in the ribs with her diamond ring pointed out. "I heard ya get up smartie" she says and with that she rolls back to her side of the bed. I close my eyes and seconds later feel a wet nose on my check. I open one eye and I am looking into Barney's eyes as now it is his turn to go outside. Ten minutes later and I am back in bed after moving Duncan out of my spot.

So I arrive at the Lodge this morning just as several cars are pulling out of the lot, I wave at Tess, Hammering Hanks wife as she is in the front car and I notice that it is filled with ladies from the Auxiliary. I walk in through the back door and I can smell the flowers and then see the decorations. The Lodge has been decorated for the sweetheart dinner which is held every Valentines Day. I guess that is today! Well, I know what I will be doing the rest of the day, searching for a gift and flowers. No matter if the wife says the day is nothing special Coney's and Apple pie is not going to cut it for dinner tonight, from Lake Iwanttobethere {591,579}

February 16, 2012

The state trooper was actually a pretty nice guy when he heard us tell him we were on our way to the big city to take in the boat show. All he did was give us a warning about mooning passing cars through the back window of the shanty being pulled by Reed's RV Back on the road again and with fresh air again flowing through the RV it, the air was breathable again. Normally the Bio-disel RV of Reeds is not that bad to ride in but the last batch of fuel came from a few different restaurants and the mix of French fries and garlic exhaust hung heavy in the air. The guys who bought the cheap seats in the shanty were being smoked by the exhaust coming up though the ice holes in the floor.

The last few hours of the road trip went off without any further incidents and we arrived at the gate to the parking lot. The sun had just set and already the lot was half full of cars and pickups and no way were we going to be able to park in the ramp. The lot attendant came up to the RV looking over his clipboard and looking at the RV. Reed hung his head out the side window of the RV looking like a bush pilot, he was wearing his goggles and bomber fur cap. "You guy's exhibitors" the young guy yelled over the sound of the RV idling. Skinny in the back of the RV though he was calling him an exotic dancer and mooned the young guy. Lucky for us the exhaust was thick enough to block the view. Reed thinking fast or maybe trying not to breathe in the fumes nodded his head yes. The attendant pointed to the rear of the arena and told us to park there. High five's around the RV as we just scored on free parking!

Reed parked the RV alongside a tour bus for what must be the night's entertainment at the show tonight. As the guys made their way out of the RV I gave them each a coupon for two dollars off that I had scored on the Internet. Like little kids at the fair they headed for the door in twos and threes and already I could hear Skinny asking if anyone knew where the beer garden was. I made my way back to the shanty and open the door, the hinges creaked some and I made my way in. The cigar smoke was at head height and I had to duck down to see. "Were here boys" I shouted out. Looking like some western the rest of the guys sat around a big empty wood wire spool that they were using as a poker table. Two Dollar coupons were stacked in a pile in the center. Marv said " We will be along as soon as I win my coupon back" and with that I just left the door open and headed towards the boat show.

The night was quiet as I walked with Gerry to the entrance, I did stop and look back at the RV it was making a sizzling sound like fries in a deep fryer, Gerry looking back said it was normal. I shrugged my shoulders and making sure I had my coupon we headed into the show. ( to be continued) from Lake Iwanttobethere {593,412}

February 17, 2012

Well the free parking was not such a deal after all, since it was behind the arena and we did not have any exhibitor passes, we could not get in the rear entrance but had to walk around. All the way around to the front and then up a long series of stairs and then down an even longer hall till we could find an open ticket booth to purchase our tickets. I was beginning to think I should have brought my day pack with me because then I would have had some water and jerky inside it. Finally paid our way in and we all agreed to meet back at the RV as soon as the Johnny Cash picker started playing. We separated in to groups of twos and threes and headed out to check out the doings. I had a couple of things I wanted to do, one being find the DNR guy and ask him about them new decals you are supposed to have on your boat and the other was to find the factory rep for a new fish finder I was looking to buy.

Gus and Skinny were walking in front of us and as they passed through the crowd I notice the people were rubbing their noses and kind of sniffing the air like a deer does. As I passed by a lady I overheard her tell her husband she had a sudden craving for garlic French fries. I looked behind Gerry and myself and saw that noses were upturned behind us as we walked. We passed by a display of deer scent products and I took a bottle from the counter and dropped a few drops on Jerry sleeve when he was not looking. The doe urine cover the scent of fries from Reed's RV and we were now free to roam among the crowd.

We went through the RV section pretty quickly, I don't have much of an interest in them. Pop up campers keep getting bigger and spendier. Didn't see a single boat on the display floor that you could go fish bluegills out of, everything was over sized and over priced. Boats sat on trailers so high that I could not see over the sides to look into them. Did see an impressive triple pontoon that was jacked up off the floor so you could walk under it. Was so big that if it was raining out you could hold a summer high school graduation party under it. No motor so I don't have a clue what you would need to push it through the water let alone get it up on plane. Docks are always a crowd pleaser as everyone on the lake has one or two of them and of course even more of the small work tractors were on display. In a variety of colors and sporting different attachments a guy could spend the price of a nice boat and trailer to play in the sand on the beach.

I did find the DNR guy and chatted for awhile, found out they didn't print up enough of the decals and have already had to find a different vendor to print more. They should be showing up at your local bait shop this summer. Fishing graph guy was helpful, showed me all the bells and whistles and I will be going to see Vicki at the Masterbaiter shop to have her order me one before fishing starts. Shook a few hands of some people I only seem to run into at the boat show and they are all getting older. I of course am staying the same age although one guy did ask if I was dyeing my beard gray? I headed for the beer garden as Jerry was offering to buy, right next door was the trout pond and there was the first real sign that things are changing in the world.

Trout fishing in the pond is now three dollars, I guess that is a fair price but now it is all catch and release! Three dollars and you don't get to keep the fish! Sipping on my beer and watching kids try in vain to hook a fish I was trying to do the math on what this guy was making. Was liking selling a hamburger but you couldn't eat it. I was pondering if I should order a second beer or just go into the washroom and return the one I just drank. We decide to move on and check out some of the resorts that had booths, from Lake Iwanttobethere {594,201}

February 20, 2012

As always when I walk down the aisle where the resorts have their booths I try and keep to the center. On this night the crowd was kind of sparse and it was hard not to make eye contact with resort owners trying to make bookings. As hard as I tried I ended up wandering toward the side and got caught up in entering drawings that I knew I was not going to win but would now find my name on some mailing list. Gerry seeing what was happening managed to pull me off to the side where the center stage was and we were now safe for awhile. We watched as patrons were being sucked down through between the booths, reminded me a lot of like going around rocks in a river rapids after losing your paddle.

Standing in the shadow of the metal and wood stage it brought back memories of a past sport show many many years ago. Back when they were really outdoor sport shows. There was always was a big pool of water and the sound of short whistle blasting in the air as retrievers were shown off jumping from a dock and chasing down dummies tossed in the water. There would be some world record holding fly caster that would shoot his fly line across the length of the arena to splat against the far wall. Colored balloons would be released and some other fancy rod guy would pop them out of the air with his baitcaster. Chain saws would start up and it would sound like you was in one of them monster truck rallies. Wood chips would fly and young guys with spikes would run up tree trunks to ring a bell before free falling to what always looked like a very thin pad and a deep pile of saw dust on the arena floor.

From the stands you would watch with frozen snow cones that didn't cost more than a dollar and the beer was always cold and the hot dogs were cooked. Log rollers would then perform and sometimes there might be a few gals in bathing suits splashing water and getting wet. A ventriloquist would perform but from across the arena floor you could not tell if he was any good or not. Some singer in the twilight of his or her career would end the show with a few old songs that you might have heard and you felt like you got your moneys worth, especially if there was bear wrestling involved. I shook a little as I remember the bear wrestling, I was of course a lot dumber then I am now and when we walked by the cage on the main floor that night and saw that bear in there and then the table with the sign up sheet, well....

About that time in my life I had been in a few bar fights but I had never been in a bear fight and it did not take much to coax me in to signing up for a round. It might have been that cold beer or the fact that Skinny said he had fought that bear the previous year and won! We were told to come back right before the stage show started and the trainer would explain the rules to us and make sure to bring back the signed release form, if I had the guts. Seems a lot of guys don't come back after thinking about it some, well that just kind of sounded like a challenge to me. Besides the bear in the cage didn't look all that big to me. Another beer and some cotton candy and I was back early, figure I should scout the bear some, you know get to know it's weakness. I think it's weakness was sleep as it was just dozing in the cage and ignoring everyone and everything around it.

I heard a ring bell go off and this lady was beating it with a hammer, I was thinking she must be the wife of the trainer. The arena lights dimmed and a single spot light was shinning down on the ring. I looked down at the cage on the floor and the bear was still sleeping like a baby. I heard bits and pieces of some introduction about "Now entering the ring, from parts unknown" and I saw the ring bounce. I stepped back for a better view and saw this bear, not the same bear in the cage at my feet but a much much bigger bear! And he had just flipped the trainer over his head to slam him down on to the canvas of the ring. (To be continued) from Lake Iwanttobethere {595,858}

February 23, 2012

The trainer rolled over several times and made it out under the bottom rope. He hit the floor and pointed in my direction. The bear who I am beginning to learn has done this many times before now took his eyes off the trainer and stared at me. Skinny slapping me on the shoulder yelled into my ear " This is when the fun starts" I turned around to ask him just what that meant and saw him and the trainer going out the gate in the chain link fence that surrounded the ring.

A second spot light was turned on and it was focused right on me. I know this because I was trying really hard to stay out of the light of the first one. Maybe it was the beer or the rush of the cotton candy was wearing off but I was not feeling so well about then. I should mention that we were not alone, there was a referee in the cage with us. He had a long neck Hamms beer in one hand and another in his back pocket. I didn't know that there was two sign up sheets, one for refereeing and one wrestling. I figured what harm could come to me if I stayed outside of the ring and just circled. The bear standing up on his hind legs pawed at the air and made a few roars, the crowd was yelling and then it happen. The bear stopped and looked right at me and pointed with his paw. The crowd laughed and then the bear did it again. The bear was calling me out!

Ok, so I must admit I was having third thoughts about this bear wrestling. I backed up against the chain length fence and could feel the metal links against my back. The lady with the hammer was standing behind me and I turned to yell for her to open the gate. Instead she smiled at me with a toothless grin and I saw the cattle prod in her other hand. I'm thinking that poor bear, they use a cattle prod on it, no wonder it is a wrestling bear. Then she lit up my backside with the prod and yelled for me to get in there and mix it up some.

I think I jumped three feet straight up and landed on the ring apron. The crowd roared it's approval as none of them saw the blue arc from the cattle prod. I looked to the corner where the referee was hiding, he was sipping on his beer and had a moon pie in his other hand. I don't think he was from around here. I heard another roar from the crowd and was thinking now what when the lights went dim. Not because someone had turned them off but the big ole bear had moved across the ring and had blocked them. I felt a paw as big as a tennis racket slip under my arm and the next thing I saw was the ceiling of the arena and then the wrestling mat come up to greet me. The bear had flipped me over the top rope and into the ring like he was opening the lid of a picnic basket.

I looked up from my backside and saw clouds and stars, the stars seemed to be out of place. One cloud looked like a big brown puffy bear head and I was wondering why I was laying on my back looking at clouds. I heard Skinny's voice yelling above the crowd "Roll, Roll" and so I did, I made a roll to my right just as the big cloud came crashing down where I had just been. The weight of the bear tossed me into the air and I landed, on top of the bear. Being a little woozy and like I said before I had been in a few bar fights I did what anyone would do. I grabbed onto the bears neck and held on. The bear reached up and tried to pull me over his shoulder just like he had done to the trainer but I was dug in deep and scared as hell. No way was I going to let go of the bear so the bear did the next best thing, he stood up.

The crowd roared it's approval as we made a circle of the ring, me holding on like a tick and the beer trying to rub me out along the ropes. The referee stepped out of the ring onto the apron when we came close and as we past I got an idea. I snatched the moon pie from the ref's hand and held it out in front of the bear like a carrot. The nose of the bear was twitching as he could smell the moon pie and we headed towards the edge. I dropped the moon pie over the ring rope and fell of the bears back. The bear went through the ropes to the floor after the moon pie and I yelled at the ref to count him out. The ref looked at me and the bear on the floor and started counting. The crowd picked up the count, six, seven, eight, nine, TEN and the ref pointed and me and yelled "WINNER"

Skinny climbed into the ring and helped me out, the trainer came over and gave me a coupon for winning, it was a dollar off a box of moon pies. With Skinny at my side we walked away from the ring but not before I noticed the trainer's wife give me a little wink and a big toothless smile. From Lake Iwanttobethere {597,929}

February 25, 2012

Sunshine Ray was wrong, again. Supposed to be an overcast day with snow on its way but this afternoon finds sunshine pouring through the windows of the Lodge and guys taking in the rays. Lodge is pretty busy for a Saturday but with football season done and counting the hours for fishing to come to an end the Lodge is a place to hang your hat. Lots of houses came off the ice this morning and the town is all but gone from the ice. Fishermen will still be going out but will be chasing crappies and perch and the portables work better for that. Ice Harvest was done last weekend and it was not up to our usual standards. Same amount of work and effort it was just that the harvested ice blocks were not as thick. Ice house is full and the old sawdust was spread along the trail down to the lake.

Something that only happens every four years and that is leap year and an extra Lodge meeting on Wednesday. Election time here at the Lodge and there is very little campaigning going on as guys seem to be satisfied with the officers in place. I think I have cemented my position as the president as I have offered to build a gym in the basement and is open at no charge to members. All I need to do is finish putting up some drywall and install an exhaust fan. I have already located a rowing machine along with a gym pack. The gym pack has ten work out stations on it that you move along in a circle. I have noticed that most of the handles on the gym pack will be good to hold hats and coats on. The rowing machine may get some use as we are going to put a TV in front of it. That may take a little while longer to get working as after we got the TV I noticed I will have to put an outlet in to power it.

Elmer helped me yesterday rough in the dumbwaiter that will travel between the gym and the kitchen. Not very big but it will be able to handle a full size nacho cheese platter and a pitcher of beer. No phone in the gym so we will be honest whenever any member's wife calls and want to talk to their spouses. We will just honestly say they are in the Gym. We did install a keypad to the door leading to the stairs of the basement for security purposes. We figure that when word gets out we have a gym people will try and use it. At least for the first few months of the year when everyone is all hot on their new year's resolutions. Nothing fancy about the keypad, it does have all nine numbers plus zero and an a big button that says OPEN To keep it simple you don't have to punch any of the numbers, just press open. Surprising how many of the members say they can't get in.

Duncan does not have a problem opening the door as he is still in his jumping stage. He is always going down in the basement and a few of the guys have come to the bar and asked if Duncan will let them in the gym. I just call Duncan by name, he runs to the bar and I say Gym, Duncan runs to the door jumps up and hits the open button with his paw and the guys think he knows the code. It's a good thing we don't have a touch pad on the inside of the door as I think a few of the guys would never get back out of the basement.

Time to head back to the cabin, Skinny said he was going to drop off a load of wood for me this afternoon. It might take me a few days to cut it, split it and stack it but at least it will give me something to do. Winter has been so good that I am well stocked with dry wood so there will be no rush. I might just have to stretch it out some so I don't have to mark it off the Honey Do List to soon, from Lake Iwanttobethere {599,634}

February 28, 2012

This time they say the storm is going to hit us for sure! They being of course Sunshine Ray and Stormy Clearweather as both of them agree that it looks just right for us here at Lake Iwanttobethere to get twelve inches of snow starting later today. Maybe even another four inches on top of that sometime tomorrow they are forecasting. The town is sure taking it to heart as stores are busy and you might have to drive past a few filled parking spaces to find an open one. I went into town to get a gallon of gas for the snow blower, not that I really needed it but the last gallon of gas I bought for it was months ago and I think I only paid three dollars for it. Figure I should at least buy some fresh gas and so I dumped the gallon of old gas into the Dodge and headed down to the Gas-N-Go to fill up the little red can.

Place was pretty busy with a couple of guys filling up their pickups and kicking at the plows mounted on front. A few of the county guys were inside filling up their two quart coffee mugs and talking about what they were going to do with the overtime money that they were about to earn. I filled the gas can and went inside to pay. Even had to wait in line behind the Hestor sisters as they were out for their afternoon ride and were complaining to the young clerk about having to wait to get gas for the old Chrysler. With the gas paid for and a Kit Kat in hand I headed into town. First thing I noticed was a couple of snowmobiles on a trailer and a brand new snow thrower sitting out front of Earl's General Store. The snow thrower had a little yellow tag hanging from the handle and I am sure that it said "Last One"

Earl was standing just outside the door, red apron on and broom in hand. As is his custom he opens the door for everyone heading in and thanked everyone when they came out. Just inside the door a pallet of gallon water jugs was being picked over and a display of candles and flashlight batteries had been moved to the counter where the old crank cash register rested. Nothing like the threat of a good winter storm to get people to stock up. I always scratched my head at the brisk sales of bottled water since just about everyone here at the lake has a well. Junior gave me a wave with one hand as he was carrying a mess of snow shovels with the other.

From the sidewalk in front of Earl's you could hear the bell over the door at Ma and Pa's grocery store. It jingled away as the regulars and others made their way in and out to pick up milk and eggs and of course bread and some thick sliced lunch meat from Pa's meat counter. Liquor store was busy as well as Del's Pizza and Sub shop. Even the Harvest House was busy as people were loading up on Chinese food. I guess when a storm comes no one wants to cook but everyone wants to get carry out. I didn't even stop at the Lodge as I had the day off but I will have to come into town tomorrow for the Lodge elections. I can already see if we do get any kind of snow fall at all it will become known at the Leap year Blizzard!

I got back to the cabin and thought I would haul a few extra sticks of wood down from the pile, Duncan helped me out some dragging a bigger piece of Maple down that he was fighting the entire way. With the wood box full I checked the fridge and saw I had ten long neck bottles of Hamms nice and cold and the shelf above the fridge had a half a bottle of Wild Turkey. Four cigars in the glass jar in the den and I figured I was as ready as I would need to be, for the Blizzard of 2000 and twelve, from Lake Iwanttobethere. {601,226}

March 3, 2012

They got it right and we got our self's a nice spring blizzard! My feeling is if you are going to get yourself a blizzard it should be in the Spring rather in the dead of winter. Cleaning up deep snow is no fun when it is below zero and everything has frozen. Cleanup continues around the lake here on Friday but it is in the low forties and water is dripping from the melting snow on the cabin roof. If some sun would make an appearance then we would really have a melt going on. As it is this way may be the best, just a nice melt so there is not a lot of run off but just a good soaker. Here at the cabin we got about nine inches of wet heart attack snow. The kind of snow that old men hate but young kids love. Too heavy to shovel but perfect for rolling huge snowballs. Grand kids starting to roll a big snowball here but they were picking up to much used dog food and decided to go elsewhere.

That first paragraph was written yesterday and then I got sidetracked with a phone call about a broken down snow thrower of a neighbors. I loaded up my blower in the Dodge and spent the afternoon over there in the garage trying to get his running. We ended up with him using my blower as I sat in his garage lazy boy and watched. He said that was a little unusual as most of the time when he is working his wife is the one sitting in the chair watching. Since I was halfway to the Lodge already I headed in that direction after the snow thrower was loaded back in the Dodge. I made a stop at the Gas-N-Go and filled the gas can and went inside to pay. I figured I should be rewarded for my work and bought a banana flip that was sitting on the counter. As I paid for the gas I made a comment that I thought they had quit making Banana Flips like five years ago. The clerk said he was not sure about that but had found a box of the flips in the store room when they were looking for something to do during the blizzard.

I got in the Dodge and tossed the flip up on the dash, was having second thoughts about eating it. Lucky for me I had also bought a couple of the Lake Iwanttobethere special order Moon Pies that the Gulp-N-Go stocks. I continued my way on down to the Lodge taking the road that runs around the lake. I spotted Skinny and Hammering Hank coming back up the access road from the grassy point. As I got farther around the lake I saw that they had hauled out the tractor for the Dunk the Junk Ice Out Contest. Every year we haul a tractor out on the ice and people throw money in a jar down at the General Store. Who ever gets the best guess at when the tractor breaks through the ice wins the jar. A lot of towns do the same thing with cars and trucks, matter of fact we once did it with a mobile home but that did not work to well as the house just floated away. Them pollution control people were none too happy about that, nor were the squatters that had taken up to calling the home, well home.

So now I am back finishing up yesterdays story and waiting for it to stop snowing. Yes, it is snowing again here at Lake Iwanttobethere, imagine that. Of course there was not much of a chance that Sunshine Ray was going to get his forecast right two times in a row as he was calling for two inches of snow to fall. Right now as I look out at the deck railing there is about seven fluffy inches of snow and big flakes are still falling. Am thinking it was a good idea to fill the gas can but maybe not such a good idea thinking I was done using the snow thrower. Normally when we get to March we just let it sit, the snow that is, and let mother nature clean up after herself. Since we have had no snow almost the entire winter moving snow is still in the fun stage and when it stops I will go out and play in it some. At least it is the fluffy stuff, much better than that heart attack stuff. Besides it is much better than sitting watching and waiting for the tractor to sink in the bay, from Lake Iwanttobethere. {605,801}

March 4, 2012

I am missing a few things. I was busy working with the snow thrower cleaning up the snow from the Leap Year Blizzard. It was warm out and I took off my gloves and hat and set them down and forgot to pick them up when I was finished. Now yesterday we got that extra snowfall which ended up to be another twelve inches of snow. I can't find my hat or gloves and I am also missing a shovel. I know they are out in the yard somewhere and when the melt starts I will find them, right where I left them. Been pretty spoiled this winter as a lot of things were left out late into the fall and I could still get my hands on them. Now with just about two feet of snow covering everything we are back to looking like winter should look like this time of the year.

The tractor for the Dunk the Junk contest out off Grassy Point is just a big bump of snow, the tractor got buried pretty good. There is a temporary suspension of the no motors on the weekend law as the sound of snow throwers can be hear echoing around the lake. Also some chain saws can be heard as the high winds did drop a few trees. I went around the yard some today picking up down branches and dropping them off in the general area where the fire pit is. The fire pit of course is buried and even the sitting logs are just bumps in the snow. A couple of illegal aliens from Canada were around yesterday afternoon. They were looking for snow shoveling jobs but I was pretty much already all caught up.

At the Lodge last night there were some happy steelhead fishermen as they stood in front of the fire discussing what this snow means. With the snow now comes the promise of a spring run off and there will be some water in Mystery Creek. Farmers are also happy as there will be some moisture in the ground for spring planting as them guys are already thinking about that. Come to think of it everyone has some smiles on their faces around town. Gas-N-Go has been very busy with locals coming in to fuel up and the plow drivers are happy as now they can get some paid four wheeling time in. Cross country skiers are out following the trail around the lake and you have to slow down at the snowmobile crossing as there are some sleds out now. Big Earl at the General store was seen standing outside the front door of his store wearing snow shoes. Of course they had the little yellow tag on them saying they were the last ones for sale.

Not surprising with the lack of snow through most of the winter when the big snow came there was no shortage of sleds at the General Store. Big Earl was happy as the snowfall put a big dent in his inventory of sleds, shovels and boots. Of course everyone who came in to shop was happy as they were all marked down for clearance and Earl is happy because he now does not have to store them over the summer. Matter of fact Earl was even bragging at the Sunshine Cafe that he even sold a few of the fruit cakes he always seems to have on hand and all his Valentine candy is now gone to.

Lodge did some good business also as the front end loader we had parked here was put to good use. Skinny cleaned the parking lot off and dumped the snow at the edge of the hill in one big pile. The heavy wet snow made for a good base and it did not take long for a few of the local kids to grab their toboggans and a run was made. Add the newly fallen powered snow to the run and the Luge was in business, it did not make it all the way to the lake but a sweeping turn took you into the softball field. Old McDonnell came down with his sleigh and today the park is a pretty popular place. You take the Luge down, get a sleigh ride back to the top of the hill and you can come into the Lodge to warm up and have a bowl of chili and some Coney's. The adults can sit near the deck windows and watch and sip on Wild Turkey or have a Hamms. Winter has finally arrived at Lake Iwanttobethere. {606,330}

March 8, 2012

Been a busy week here at Lake Iwanttobethere and I have not had much time to spend jotting things down. Of course some of that is on purpose as I am spending more time with Duncan the puppy who is no longer a puppy but still acts like one. The wife and Duncan don't see a lot of things eye to eye so to speak. He followers her everywhere and she can't turn around and not find him there. This I have been told is somewhat annoying when she is trying to take a shower. I find this strange as I seem to have him underfoot a lot myself and I am the only one he comes to when he needs to go outside. One problem is the wife talks to Duncan like he is Bud or Barney both who are just a month away from being twelve years old. Duncan appears to understand what she is telling him as he will turn his head from side to side during the one way conversations. He will raise his ears and stare back at her. No sooner will she be done talking to Duncan, which usually means she is saying no and shaking her finger at him then he will grab what ever he was not supposed to have and take off again.

I don't have that problem with him as I never catch him in the act. I will see him with a shoe, call his name and he will run under the dinning room table with the shoe and then reappear out the other side shoeless. He will then run to me in the den with that What's up boss look, you need me for something? And sit before being told to. I will then tell him to go back and get the shoe, which he does. He will then bring the shoe over to me and drop it at my hand, sit and look at me with the proud look that only a retriever can have when completing a proper retrieve. Well of course I praise him for a good retrieve, the wife will stand with arms crossed holding a wooden spoon and tap her foot in that way women express a shortness with men and retrieving Labradors. Duncan will look at me and I at him and we will both look away from the wife and the spoon.

I have broken pretty much all of my new year's resolutions so it is time to add a few mid season replacements. The fishing thirty days of June has now become a resolution and I am well on my way in the planning of it. The white board hanging in the den has a list of several things that need to be done written on it and several things have already been checked off it. New tires on the truck and new graph for the Puddle Humper are already checked. Yesterday I bought my new Lake Master chip and I have been eyeing a new rod to go with the new reel that I bought. The wife added a few things to the list in bold blue, they being that I need to be spending more time with Duncan as I need to get him "Up to speed" the wife explained to me. She wants Duncan to mind as good as Bud and Barney do, this brought a smirk to my face that was quickly wiped off by the threat of the wooden spoon covered in cookie dough. I told her I don't know how I would ever teach Duncan all the things we take for granted that Bud and Barney do.

Her idea was simple, time management. If I spent less time sitting in the desk at the computer I would have more time to train Duncan. If I spent more time training and spending time with Duncan I will have more time outdoors and will as a by product find more that I can write about Lake Iwanttobethere. It does kind of make sense. So yesterday I logged off a few web sites, closed down the Face book page, which I was spending way to much time playing games on anyway and Duncan and I went for a walk. We return to find the wife, Buddy and Barney all sitting in the kitchen eating cookies. I think the wife and older dogs are scheming against me and Duncan, from Lake Iwanttobethere {608,086}

March 11, 2012

The melt is here! At least it sure looks like it with the pools of dirty water and the brown grass forcing it's way back from under the snow. The red needle of the bass thermometer is nudging sixty and that is in the shade. What snow that was on the roofs is long gone and the last of the icicles have released their grip on the shingles and have fallen to the ground. A small river of water meanders down the hill through the hard packed snow by the boat house cutting a miniature grand canyon. Deck is just about dry and the few wood chairs that were never put away look inviting in the warm breeze and the bright sunshine. The fire pit has reappeared and no longer are the sittin logs covered in snow. Duncan is content to find a fallen icicle and carries it up on the deck wear he chews on it like it is a popsicle. Yesterday I turned the Dodge around so the back of the pickup would face the sun. It took most of the afternoon but the snow filled bed is now empty of snow and just some left over leafs from last fall remain.

This morning the wife had to go visit her sister in the next town over, I was not doing anything and a little road trip sounded good. We made the trip and spent a few hours at her sisters, on the way back we decide we should stop at their big box store called Al-mart. We wander around the store looking at a few things and buying a few other things. We were in the grocery section when I notice a little kid with red hair and right behind him was his brother also with red hair. Since I to have red hair we have an instant bonding. Only if you have red hair can you understand this pack that red heads share. The wife was looking over something when the kid's mother came by pushing her cart. I caught her eye and asked her how did she manage to have not one but two red headed kids. She replied that she actually has three and that her husband is a red head and is Norwegian. She and the kids went on their way and I mentioned it to the wife that is something you don't see to often. Her reply was "What Norwegians?"

What usually happens at Al-mart happen again and that is we will be walking down an aisle together and I turn to say something to the wife and she will be gone. I have learned in the past there is no sense in even looking for her as she has forgotten she was shopping with me and has wandered off to do shopping on her own. Since I was done shopping the best thing to do is check out and then wait back in the Tahoe till she is done and comes back to the truck. Al-mart is a pretty big store and should not be confused with other stores that the name kind of sounds like. One way to notice the difference is the checkout, state of the art if ya ask me. At Al-mart you check out by your age group. At the far left is the "kids check out", then the "kids with parents" check out next is the "no talking super fast check out" then there is the 30-40 check out the 41-50 checkout and the 51-54 checkout. A double check out is for the 55 senior discount and finally there is just an Old Check out.

I get to check out in the 55 senior lane while the wife has to use the 51-54 lane. I am looking forward to the Old Check out lane as that has outlets where you can plug in your scooter while you wait and also has couches that are set end to end. This means no standing in line, you can rest as you wait and a lot of times they will cater the stores free samples to you. I have heard Elmer talk about spending an entire morning just sitting in the check out and getting free cheese and crackers.

I quickly went through the check out and found my way to the Tahoe to wait for the wife. I put flame to half a cigar that I had not finished on the way down and sat back with the windows rolled down and the sound of spring baseball on the radio. Not a bad day here at Lake Iwanttobethere. {609,576}

March 13, 2012

The melt continues here at Lake Iwanttobethere, a little more quiet though as the snow is gone from the roofs and the steady drip, drip, drip is gone. I did find my missing gloves and that shovel that I misplaced, they were right where I left them. A few other things have emerged from the snow and Duncan is getting blamed for them. As the snow melts we are finding small plastic drinking cups popping up, they almost look like colored Easter eggs in the snow. Since Duncan is a puppy and the youngest in the house he pretty much gets blamed for anything and everything that happens around the cabin. If a roll of toilet paper goes missing and turns up shredded behind the couch, Duncan did it. If gloves are missing a hand, Duncan did it. If all the couch cushions are on the floor, Duncan did it, this one is true as I have seen him pull the cushions off looking for his ball. A lot of the other things can be blamed on the cats who think they are retrievers but since Duncan is here he gets blamed. So all the plastic cups that the grand kids hauled outside and forgot to bring back in are now being found in the melting snow, and Duncan is getting the blame for bring them outside. The one found with puppy teeth marks might be the reason why.

Normally up here the winters are long and the summers are short, that is not looking to be true this year. This winter could almost be counted as only a few weeks long and you could count the really cold days on the fingers of one hand while you used the other five fingers on the other hand to count the number of days you had to shovel. Winter this year has been treated like a team with a losing season, as soon as everyone knew it was going no where they just wanted it to be over with. Snow shovels have been out along with the clanking of ice chippers hitting the pavement on sidewalks and driveways. We are weeks ahead of a normal snow melt yet people can't wait for mother nature to do her melting thing and are helping to speed the process. Which brings us to the sweet smell of Maple sap being boiled over at Chuck's. For the last week Chuck and his girlfriend have been burning the midnight oil as they are boiling sap for syrup.

If the wind is right the smell of maple wood smoke along with the smell of boiling sap rolls low along the ground and wraps around the cabin. We have often said that if you could make a car airfreshner that smelled like the maple sap/smoke you could replace all the little fake pine trees hanging from car mirrors with it. This might be the only bad thing about the warm days of an early spring as it makes the sap season short. We still need those cool nights and warm not hot early spring days. I did help out the other night and I wished I had remembered to bring my video camera with. We were tapping trees and checking on others and doing it all under the rolling display of the Northern lights. We didn't get much done as we kept watching the sky waiting for the scene to change. There was another reason for us to be out late that night as we had a secret meet setup with a friend from across the boarder.

Now we don't want to let this get around to much but during the winter several times we head for the north border where we still trade with our friends from another nation. This year due to lack of snow we could only do it just this one time. We loaded up several cases of Hamms beer and a few cases of Wild Turkey and set off on the old Bomb-A- Deer snowmobile to exchange goods with our buddy that shall remain nameless. In exchange for the Hamms and Wild Turkey we brought back several cases of Old Dutch Ketchup Potato Chips and some Cuban cigars. Don't make sense does it? Old Dutch chips from Canada and cigars from Cuba in the woods north of Lake Iwanttobethere. Kind of keep that under your Took, we don't want Sheriff Tim to be getting any ideas, from Lake Iwanttobethere {610,434}

March 14, 2012

Lake Iwanttobethere has made the national news! It has recently been discovered that Lake Iwanttobethere has made a popular poll of the top ten places to retire to. Lake Iwanttobethere was announced to be in the eleventh place! Now being in eleventh place is a pretty good deal, that is better then say playing in the NIT basketball tournament where the winner is really playing for the sixty fifth position in the nation. Finding mention of Lake Iwanttobethere is kind of hard to do as they are just publishing the top ten places but I managed to get a hold of the entire poll and it shows Lake Iwanttobethere right near the top, in eleventh place and in a slightly smaller font. I thought I would just show some of the categories that are mentioned and where Lake Iwanttobethere stands.

Pleasant year-round weather- Could you beat the past winter here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

Affordable mountain town- Well we do have a few cabins up on the bluff.

Water views on a budget- The entire town of Lake Iwanttobethere is on the water and rates are great for trailers and tents.

Greenest place to retire- Can we say Pine Forest and the great north woods.

A college town for retirees- OK, we don't have a college building, but you can get your own degree in fishing and hunting here.

Place to launch a second career- All we need to do is point to Chuck's Maple Syrup or Mindy and Mandy's Root beer and look at Marv's Book and Cigar shop.

Best mix of affordability and amenities- Long list of personal service shop owners, not one but two park benches. A street light with another one in the works. Free use of the fish cleaning station. No entry fee for Ice House Fling nor for any of the 4th of July rides or races. Even have a bus come through town once a week just like clock work.

Best Place for Affordable Housing- Did we mention the low rates at the camp grounds and we don't charge at all for your lake houseboat.

Best place for single retires- I know ever since Hammering Hank got married there has been a drop off here but we still have Marv and Elmer both who are affordable and eligible.

Best place for recreation and culture- OK this one was a toss up, we were on top for recreation but we do lack in the culture department. We have the Ladies auxiliary but ever since the story got out about there mushroom tea they have been looked at under a different light. No matter how many fur coats you own or how many pearls you wear you can't go around talking about pretty colored spiders.

I think that we should have ended up number one but I guess they were looking for the best places and didn't really consider that we have just about the best of everything. They didn't even have categories that Lake Iwanttobethere would fit into so well. The number of parking spaces with hitching posts that you can still tie your horse to. Our access to Cuban cigars and Ketchup flavor potato chips. Who else has an Ice House Fling or races riding lawn tractors down Main Street. They didn't even count our two parking meters or public bulletin board. What about our open door policy for dogs and the law that all dogs need to be able to walk on their own and not be carried in purses. You want quiet? Name me another town with a law against running small engines on the weekend. Guess Lake Iwanttobethere is not for everyone and after writing this I am glad we came in eleventh place. If we were a top ten town we would have to run around with those big over sized gloves with numbers on the fingers and chant "Were number ten, were number ten" from Lake Iwanttobethere, have a good day {610,916}

March 14, 2012

you got my vote Bobby!!!!!!good luck.

March 17, 2012

What can you say about this weather? Early this morning it felt like rain was on it's way, the air had that heavy feeling that comes before a good rain storm. The feeling past as did the clouds and the afternoon has turned warm and comfortable. The dogs have found different areas of the deck to lay on and the sun shine I am guessing feels good on their coat. The wife and I pulled out the deck table and set it on the deck and pushed a few chairs around it. No need for the umbrella as it was not that warm yet. A few piles of snow still in the yard, they look like icebergs floating on the grass. The big rug has been placed outside the back door so the dogs can wipe their feet before going back into the cabin.

One of those days where you keep getting sidetrack doing things on your way to do other things. Started off by bring the garbage can out to the big can and got sidetracking thinking about the approaching rain. Got out a new set of wipers for the Tahoe that I had bought down at Dan's Auto the other day but had not gotten around to putting on. With the feeling of rain in the air I put the garbage can down and put the wiper blades on. Somehow that got me thinking I should check the oil and a quart later I had to make the trip back to the garbage can to get rid of the old wipers and the empty oil can. Kitchen can back to the cabin I got sidetrack again looking at the big candle lantern that hangs off the side of the cabin by the deck. The bolt that holds the hook had come off during the wind storm and the lantern had fallen into the yard. Off to the basement to find a replacement bolt and lock washer.

Got distracted down in the basement by something else but I know it took me twenty minutes or so to look through the collection of nuts and bolts and screws and nails that us older guys all seem to have laying around in coffee cans. When I was younger I always had to go down to the General Store if I needed that oddball nut or a bolt that I was missing. Now all I need do is head to the basement and the coffee cans. I have no idea where the coffee cans came from, I suppose I had some extra parts and I tossed them in a can and then some more and some more and soon I had to get another can. Anyway I am getting distracted again here, so I found a bolt and lock washer and took it outside to the deck and the waiting lantern that held a candle only to find the missing bolt wedged in the bottom of the lantern. It had not fallen out when it fell off so now I had two and needed only one. A moment later and the lantern was back hanging off the wall and the replacement bolt was sitting in an empty coffee can that just happen to be at hand.

The youngest granddaughter spent the night last night, the granddaughter who turned five just a few months ago now insists that she is almost six now. Anyway she climbed into my bed last night and made herself comfortable. In the darkness I heard her say "Papa can I ask you a question?" I didn't answer right away as I was thinking, what was she going to ask me? She is a very smart little girl and her question could be just about anything and everything. I took in a short breath and prepared to answer her question with all the wisdom and knowledge that I could muster. "Yes, you can ask me anything" I said. "Papa" she said "Yes" I replied. " What is two plus two?" I looked at her in the darkness of the night with only the light coming in through the window and whispered "Three" "That's what I thought" she said. I chuckled to myself a little, even Grandpa's have to hold a few things back, from Lake Iwanttobethere. I read this story to my wife who chuckled out loud as I read, I thought she was chuckling about the story. No, she told me the granddaughter at breakfast said that Papa does not even know that two plus two is four! From Lake Iwanttobethere

{612,330}

March 20, 2012

I keep hearing about this rain but I have yet to see a drop fall. This morning the deck was wet so maybe a few drops fell overnight but it could just have been the fog. Snow is all gone and the ski hill closed yesterday and the driving range at the golf course open today. I figure we have to be at least a month ahead of the normal spring schedule. Things would almost be perfect except for one minor thing, I caught a cold. While everyone around me has been sick most of the winter I have been an island of health. Now I am the one carrying a box of tissue around with me and I am hoping it is just a cold and not the bug that was making the rounds. Yesterday was not so bad, I took a hot shower and was good to go for awhile. Picked up the yard and snow shovels are now hanging from their hooks in the garage and the snow thrower has been shoved deep back in the corner trading places with the tiller.

The day was overcast and I decided that if it was going to rain I should not start any outdoor projects but it was a good day to go shopping. I am in the market for a new rod and I had already been down to see Vicki at the Masterbaiters Shop. There is a pretty nice rod down there that I am watching but with fishing still a few months away I wanted to check out some of the other shops around the lake. Going shopping would also give me a reason to drive around the lake and check out the sights. My first stop was down at the General Store as I know Big Earl always has some rods in the back. From time to time he will pick up rods and he always has good intentions of fishing with them himself but usually they end up getting sold to tourists who need a rod. Today he didn't have anything we could deal on. I did stop off at Del's Pizza and Sub Shop where I got a can of pop and a slice Del told me the bait shop at Four Corners just got some rods in.

Kind of funny I guess but out here at the lake everyone kind of pays attention when new stock arrives. I ran in to Jim Nelson outside of the Pizza shop and he confirmed that there are new rods in at Four Corners. I asked if there was any eight footers and he said to take a right just as I get in the door and go straight back to the back wall. I should find two of them leaning up there and they are not even priced yet. You have to understand that Jim is a retired fellow who at least three times a week makes his rounds of the bait shops. He used to sell tackle but now he just likes to keep in touch with his old customers and talk fishing. I thanked Jim for the lead and sipping the last of my pop I headed towards the Four Corners Bait Shop.

I drove with the window down and although it was not real warm is was warm enough not to have the heater on. Radio was tuned into some sports station that sometimes we can get and baseball was the topic. Not paying to much attention to the radio I drove with an elbow hanging out the window and my coat unzipped. You sure can see deep into the woods this time of year, no leaves and no snow to block your view. A lot of down trees and a little standing water in the ditch. Several ice houses stand lonely off to the sides of garages, I am betting some of them never saw the ice this year. I pull to the side as Frank the plow driver is coming in my direction with the grader. Hands busy at the controls he nods his head as we pass each other. I take the time to grab my box of tissue closer and pull out one to blow my nose. Already the little swinging garbage can is almost full. The threat of rain, shopping for a rod and a cold, Spring must be here, from Lake Iwanttobethere {614,028}

March 22, 2012

I'll tell ya, just no love for a guy with a cold. Just because I walk around with tissues hanging from my pockets and occasionally sneeze loudly enough to make crows leap from trees and take wing there is no reason for people to keep their distance. Well it might be because everyone I have come in contact with has already had their cold and they don't want to get it back. I don't blame them at all, I might have been somewhat smug telling people with colds this winter that it is just a cold and it is not that big a deal. Kind of reminds me of my youth when I would get tackled by three guys and the fourth guy would fall on my ankle bending it in a direction that it was not supposed to go. I would hobble to the sidelines where the coach would send in a sub and tell me to "Walk it off" of course that don't happen now a days. Today they would call out the trainer and spend ten minutes cutting away the tape and pads just to find the ankle. Check my card to see if I had insurance and then cart me off to the cold tub.

Guess you figured out by now that I am still walking with my cold and people are keeping their distance from me. Even the house cats are sneezing and giving me dirty looks like I have something to do with them. Today is a little cooler then yesterday and you can't see to far as fog has settled in. Waiting for the phone to ring from Dan's Auto shop as I dropped off the Puddle Humper's trailer tires yesterday and new tires should be mounted and be ready for pick up sometime today. Yesterday was a good day as far as getting ready for fishing as I checked off a few things from my list. With the trailer jacked up I replaced the hubs, the ones that were on there were the original ones and I figured after twenty-three years it was time for a change. The old ones came off and the new ones went on without a hitch so I spent the rest of the day waiting for something bad to happen.

I decided that I better not wait to long on buying that rod so I drove over to the Masterbaiters Shop and bought that new rod I have been eyeing. Took it home and put on one of my old reels and rubbed a little dirty grease from the hubs on the new cork handle and the wife will never notice. It now hangs on the rack with all the others and blends in nicely, that is until Elmer came over today and asked about the new rod in front of the wife. I distracted Elmer by saying we should go over and say Hi to Chuck as today is his birthday. Elmer asked if there was going to be beer and I nodded yes. We cut through the cedar trees to Chucks and it was like going through a big city bird aviary. Every dang bird for a mile for some reason seem to be in the cedar tops shouting to be heard over the top of others. I was following Elmer who stopped, looked upwards and yelled something skyward. It was if someone had thrown a switch and the cedars went silent. Elmer just looked back over his shoulder at me and said "Better"

We made our way through the trees to cross Chucks yard, I was waiting for the birds behind to start peeping but they remain silent. I made a mental note to myself to ask Elmer just what the heck he yelled. We were at the bottom of the back steps when we heard a "In Here" come from Chucks garage. With the side door of the garage cracked open I could see Chuck through the slit. We walked over and were quickly directed to step inside and asked if anyone had seen us. Looking over my shoulder I said we were good and asked what is going on. Chuck closing the door after glancing at the house said his girlfriend is inside and she is planing on a surprise birthday party, thing is she don't know that I know so I am staying in the garage, you know how I hate birthday parties and surprises. Elmer asked Chuck how long he was going to stay in the garage, Chuck said he has chips and beer so he is set for awhile. Elmer replied with "Beer eh! Sounds good enough for me" and headed towards the garage fridge. I pulled three cigars from my pocket and the cabin phone and decided Chucks garage is as good as any place to wait for my call, from Lake Iwanttobethere {615,195}

March 24, 2012

When we last left our hero, (always wanted to start a story with that line) Chuck had plenty of beer if he was alone but with Elmer and me in the garage with him the twelve pack was quickly reduced to empties in the recycling bin. Elmer shaking the last of the chip crumbs into his mouth from the upside down chip bag asked Chuck if he was having cake for his birthday. I answered for Chuck by saying that my mother in law was providing one, a cake that is. Several years ago the mother in law had taken one of them senior after school cake decorating classes and actually had become quite good at making them. It might have had something to do with the forty or so kids, grand kids and great grand kids that she bakes cakes for. It has gotten to the point that she bakes a few cakes every week and just finds someone to give them to before they go bad. The wife mentioned Chuck's birthday and she had an "Extra cake" already on hand.

Ever since the openings of the Almost A Dollar store the mother in law has been buying her baking stuff down there. She buys the Almost a Cake Mix, which you just add flour to and the ersheys chocolate frosting. She says the frosting tastes just like the real stuff but some may disagree with her. My grandson who just celebrated his sixth birthday last week got a cake from grandma complete with a toy 4x4 toy truck on top for a decoration. Of course the cake was set off to the side and the grandson discovered it when no adult was around. He proceeded to drive his new toy truck off the top of the cake and across the countertop. By the hole left in the cake top I was guessing it was not in four wheel drive when he first started. Funny how the ershey chocolate frosting mimicked mud in the tiny wheels of the truck. We found the truck and grandson by following the mud/frosting trail of the toy 4x4 through the cabin to the now off white bathroom throw rug.

Chuck standing by the window was peeking through the yellow curtains that the girl friend had hung last week. They had little maple leaves in the pattern which she said went well with the vats for boiling the maple sap that Chuck bottles in the garage. Chuck talking to Elmer said " Yes there is cake and a bunch of other healthy stuff for you to eat. I am sure there will be carrot sticks and celery hearts and maybe a few flavored power shakes. Tofu is a given and some walnuts with them little hammers to crush them open with. What there won't be is any chips or dip. For sure no beer and you can forget it if you think that venison you brought over will be made into any Sloppy Does. I bet she is busy making them little cucumber sandwiches that are OK if you cover them in cheese whiz but she found my cheese whiz yesterday. Chuck turned from the window with his shoulders hunched over, an empty beer bottle in one hand and just an inch of a smoldering cigar in the other. "I hate birthdays" he said.

The thought of cake and cucumber sandwiches was finally to much for Elmer and he made his way to the back door of the garage and out. He promised he would not tell Chuck's girlfriend where he was but no sooner had he made it into the cabin then the girlfriend was at the garage door. Wearing her cute little Suzy homemaker apron she was in the garage before Chuck could duck behind the boiling vat. Nodding at me she tucked her arm in the crook of Chuck's arm and escorted him to the cabin, I heard her say " Now act surprised honey" and the storm door slammed behind them. I stood in the driveway getting the last few puffs from my cigar when Skinny drove up. He was carrying two greasy white bags from Burger Bobs in his hand and he handed me one. "Double cheese" I asked? Skinny nodded yes. We sat down at the picnic table right under Chuck's kitchen window. I set the handful of white napkins off to the side and I unfolded the wax paper holding the burger. A little steam came up from the cheese burger and some of the mustard covered diced fried onions spilled out from under the bun. As I rased the burger to my lips I could hear the singing inside, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, from Lake Iwanttobethere, Happy Birthday to you. {616,689)

March 26, 2012

Today is a reminder of what a lot of spring days are like when they are not sunny and warm. Today the sky here at Lake Iwanttobethere is overcast and gray and the threat of rain is real. Strong winds are making the tree tops that are covered in new buds sway across the sky and except for the sound of the wind it is quiet. Dogs were let out to do their thing and after a brief visit of favorite spots around the yard they were soon back at the deck door waiting to be let in. One by one they came through the door to head to the living room where they each found couch pillows to rest their heads on. The idea of an afternoon nap is looking like a good idea to me to.

The open waters of Lake Iwanttobethere are lapping against the shore. No one out crappie fishing today at least none that I can see. The Puddle Humper trailer is now sporting a new set of tires and hubs and I can check that off my do list. The new graph needs to be installed but I am going to wait for a warmer day for that. Not many things that a day like today is good for working on. Of course if this was fall a windy day with temperatures in the upper thirties would be a good day for stacking and splitting wood but not in the spring. No days like today are made for sitting near a fire and looking over seed catalogs or waiting on delivers of fishing tackle. Hot cider with a cinnamon stick close at hand is better then the cold damp handle of a splitting maul.

Yesterday I did put new line on the fishing reel I bought and mounted reel to rod I took it out to the yard and tossed a few.. Actually I tossed several casts as I made adjustments and stretched the casts out farther and farther. It's official, the new reel is sweet! And it was hard to put the rod back in the rack where it will have to sit for a few more weeks. Of course having a cold does not help anything and is a good excuse for not doing anything. Glad it is not a nice day as that would make be feel like I was wasting it by not doing anything. I did haul a few sticks of wood from the pile down to the cabin. The rack on the deck is half full now and that should be enough for a few fires if needed. Fire pit needs to be cleaned up as there are ashes to be hauled to the garden and the lopers hauled out to trim broken branches down to size. Duncan thinks the pile at the fire pit is his personnel stash of fetching sticks. If we could just get him to bring them all back at the end of the day that would be a good thing.

I was sitting at the desk with only the sound of the wind and snoring dogs when I realize something was missing. Looking out the window I could see the problem and I went out and untangled the wind chimes. Now sitting back in my chair the sound of the wind chimes banging away fills in the quiet spots that the wind going through the trees was leaving. A crow added to the racket and now it was beginning to sound a little more like spring. Four geese are seen flying out over the lake, knifing through the wind in a hurry to get somewhere. Edd the squirrel is hanging upside down in the bridfeeder, trying to find the last seed. Birds that have been coming through have worked the feeders over and they are getting filled twice a day, but not today. Nope today I am thinking a nap might be just the right thing. I pull out the To Do List and add nap, I make a check mark behind it and close the cover, from Lake Iwanttobethere {618,308}

March 29, 2012

Today I was messing around with my new fishing graph and of course the new lake chip that I bought. Sure enough on the package it said nothing about Lake Iwanttobethere as being one of the thousands of lakes supported. But I fired up the graph and sure enough Lake Iwanttobethere open up on the screen! I was really impressed but yet concern about how well the lake was displayed. As I worked my way around the screen all of my little out of the way bays were being shown and named. Bacon Bay and Raspberry Bay, Grassy Point and Passing Wind Point. It even showed the main boat landing just below the Lodge and a very clearly defined Root Beer Island. I'm thinking I might have to use some kind of code to talk about my fishing places but then Elmer looking over my shoulder told me that you have to be on the lake to open Lake Iwanttobethere so I needed worry.

It did get me thinking about the names of places around the lake though. A lot of fishing spots are known by the locals and passed on through the years from father to son or drinking buddy. Some of the places I have mentioned before like Blowing Wind Point or Bacon Bay. Still others are just spoken about by mentioning the names of the resorts that are still standing or in the case of the old guy's, memories of them. A lot of names are very common and you can go to just about any lake and hear the names mentioned in a local drinking establishment. Whispering Pines or Twin Pines come to mind. Any directions that have a red barn in them or that creek that dumps in from the West. Girl Scout camps and Bible Camps are also common points of interest, maybe more so on the girl scout camps.

There used to be a resort owned by a guy named Bill Nuts it was on a part of the lake that had it's own stand of oak trees. Not very common to have a stand of oak trees up this way and it was a favorite place for young hunters to sneak into come fall and shoot gray squirrels. One season the entire resort was rented out by a promoter who was into calf roping and was using the resort as a training hideout for his ropers. Besides the oak trees it also had an old farm that was just perfect for riding horses and still had a fair amount of fence still standing. Didn't take to long before the locals started to refer to the place as Roping Nuts resort. No sign was ever posted saying that but everyone on the lake knew when you talked about roping nuts you were talking about the resort. Tourist would come in to town looking for a few fishing hot spots. Someone would mention that fishing had been good down by Roping Nuts and the tourist would pay for their bait and kind of back their way back out the door. Guess it did not help matters any by saying they were catching ten inchers down that way.

Cold and windy today, rain in the forecast and maybe even our first thunderstorm. Could really use a good down pour to clean things up some. No birds out and not even Ed or Eddy the squirrels are in the bird feeders. Am thinking we might just see that rain and maybe I should go down to the Lodge and see what is going on. Chuck has already gone to town looking for parts for his well which he has been having problems with and Elmer and Pepper left to spend time in Marv 's Shop. Nothing left for me to do around here but work so I think the Lodge is looking good. Maybe I'll even go drive by the Roping Nuts or what used to be the Roping Nuts, it's a band camp now. From Lake Iwanttobethere {621,793}

March 29, 2012

Mid afternoon here at the Lodge and the weather can't make up it's mind. I suppose not that it really has the ability to do that but it sounds good. A few brief rain showers that turned into snow then back into some sleet. The Lodge deck is wet and some water is dripping off the eves. Wind chimes are banging as the wind is throwing the sleet against the tubes making a constant ringing. Almost sounds like a bunch of grade school kids practicing before the curtain rises. The late afternoon crowd is sitting around tables and a few are playing cribbage and nursing warm beers. We have been spoiled with the rapid snow melt and the lake ice is all but forgotten. Days like today remind us that we are still several weeks away from the opener and there are things to do.

Guys trade chores that they have on their Honey Do List and others are reminded of things that should be added to their lists. Sitting behind the bar at the end where we have the laptop I listen with my glasses low on my nose. The honey do lists are different and almost can be classified under age groups. There is a difference between the old guys, retired guys, married guys and the working guys. Everyone has the common ground between them, yard clean up, pulling the boat out, putting the snow thrower away. For some guy's turkey hunting is high on the list while yet others are looking forward to steel head. A few new pups have been bought and those guy's kind of sit off to the side trading stories of how much trouble the new dogs have gotten into. I might add that the new dog owners tend to brag on how many problems the dogs have created for their wives, but they would never tell their wives that.

My new dog Duncan is at the Lodge today with me. As the months have gone by he is now starting to spend more time at my side. It was touch and go there for awhile as he was constantly under the feet of the wife but now that the snow has left and I spend more time outside he has taken to following me rather then spending time in the kitchen. He is thirteen months old and I thought he would be thicker in the chest but then I am comparing him to Bud and Barney who are twelve years old and no one would never call them skinny. He is a smart dog and he is working on his personality. I don't bird hunt nearly as much as I used to so I have been pretty lax on training him for birds. He has been out with Bud some and he has an idea what is going on and right now I am satisfied with that. He is way too active to take in the boat as I keep to many rods lying about and I don't need to hook him. For now I am just fine having him at my side and he has shown great interest in my story telling. Matter of fact he just came back from a round around the Lodge to lay next to the bottom of my stool, one paw on my foot. His way of making sure I don't go anywhere if he falls asleep.

My status has officially changed this spring to as I am now officially retired! Taken me a few months to get used to the idea of not having to go to work and sleeping in if I want or staying up late. Almost like being in school and going on vacation except now I realize that vacation is not going to come to an end. Still busy but now there is no pressure to get things done. Matter of fact I may even get the cabin stained this summer but you know what? If the fishing is good I just might not get to it either. I think me and Duncan are going to enjoy each other's company, take some naps and watch some sunsets. If we want to chase some birds well Duncan can run and I can watch. Barney can help me show him how to fish from the dock and Bud can teach him how to keep an eye on everything. Bud and Barney are going to enjoy their retirement to and if that means cookies are involved well they are going to get their share. From a typical Spring day here at Lake Iwanttobethere {623,071}

April 1, 2012

At the Lodge today there were several conversations going on about the scuttlebutt of opening the fishing season a week early. Seems a few legal officials from down south want to get out on the water a week ahead of everyone else. Not as simple as they make it out to be, you just don't put an open for business sign up on the resort mailbox. That is what the conversation was about. Everything from the local CO talking about having to find the time to put docks in a week earlier then planned. Garbage cans delivered to landings and all the new signage that has to be put up. Bait guys were talking about having to move up their deliveries to the bait shops and whether they would have enough bait trapped for an early opener.

Some of the resort guys say they would not even bother opening a week early as many of their guests for the opener come up a few days early and expect to get in their full seven day or eight day reservation. A week early would mean a short week for that group and the resorts would have to spend money to change their ads over at KCUM radio. Vicki at the Masterbaiters shop said she is in the middle of a mess stocking shelves and waiting on tackle orders that are scheduled to come in right before opener but would not be here if the opener was pushed up a week. Does not even want to think about the license mess that would be created as someone is always complaining about changes. Even Frank the plow driver got into as he has just enough time to grade and get roads in shape as it is.

At the Lodge here we could be open in time because we would not have to change much other then getting food deliveries in early and hire staff. Might be a problem there as a lot of staff would now have to come in a week early and they would have to change their plans, some are still in school then. Seems like there are a lot more things that should be thought over not to mention what do we do when next year we are frozen in solid and we are back to a normal or maybe even in a below normal winter. Guys just scratched their heads and watched the light rain fall, up north it was snowing yesterday.

Heard they are calling it the Mothers Day Bill sounds to me just a couple of guys trying to get some votes and trying to catch some walleyes when they are all cornered in the honey holes. Might be better if these guys started thinking with their heads instead of where they hang their wallets. If it ain't broke...... So we will have to wait and see, already have had a few calls asking if we are opening early and we reply we never closed. It just the fishing opener and we have fishing all summer long.

Trees have buds on them and grass is starting to get a little green, you can get a whiff of a skunk or two at dusk and I am careful and look around before I let Duncan out the back door. Matter of fact last night we pulled a tick off Bud that had already started to feed. Tomorrow I will get the hose out and spray the grounds down with the tick killing spray. Don't know if it will help or not but it seems like the thing to do. Mark the mailman was asked if he is going to start delivering mail to the docks early and his reply was nope, we are going to stay on the same schedule that we have been on for over fifty years, from Lake Iwanttobethere {628,283}

April 2, 2012

About 3 AM this morning I woke up to the sounds of Spring! Not the robins calling you or the smell of skunk in the air but the sounds of a good middle of the night thunderstorm. Rain was splattering against the bedroom window and I had all three dogs in bed with me. Bud because he usually sleeps with me and Barney because he is scared of thunderstorms. Ever since he was a puppy we could use him to forecast coming rain. If a rainstorm was on it's way Barney would find a way to get close to you or would sit in a corner with his head facing the walls. Bud on the other hand would sit at the door waiting for us to go out and sit on the swing and watch the rain. So far Duncan likes the rain and I think will replace Bud as my swing dog.

This morning I laid in bed and listen to the howling wind and the rain being driven off the glass. The lightning flashes lite up the room and the wind chimes were banging against one another like a four year old was beating them with a wooden spoon. The wooden spoon is a real comparison as I have had grand kids do it and at that age they have no rhythm. A lot of energy with this storm as the winds continue to drive rain and after a while I got up to look out the window. Tree tops were bent over and the wind was not giving them any chance to stand back up right. Not a lot of rain but with the wind everything was getting wet. This morning a lot of small branches are on the ground and Duncan did his best to drag each and everyone of them around the yard.

Had to get the hose off and rinse down the trucks, they were covered in buds and easier to wash them off then let them dry and stick to the paint job. More rain in the forecast and I know we are asking for it but one sunny day or even two would be nice. Six weeks out from fishing season and we seem more on track now. Nature has a way of adjusting itself over the long haul to finish up pretty much the way it always does. Have not seen any skeeters yet but ticks have replaced them as the bug to watch for. Down at the General Store Big Earl has a big display of sprays and dog care products that you can't miss when you walk into the store. Easter is a few weeks away and candy has appeared at the General Store along with the row of metal water tanks that serve as holding pens for chickens and bunny's. As you enter the store you can hear the quiet peeps and can see the reflected light coming from the heat lamps.

Fishing section is busy now as the high school part timers work at hanging fishing lures from peg board and Big Earl has traded in his red apron for a fishing vest. Along with his hat with a half a dozen flies hooked in it he looks like he is really to slip out the back door any moment. A lawn mower and a new rear tine tiller sit out front with their yellow tags tied to handles. The tags as always say they are on sale and they are the last ones. No one fishing over at Mystery Creek, wind and waves are just too nasty. The river has climbed its banks a little higher as the run off has found it's way to the river. Already some talk of what this years smelt run will be as there are a few around these parts who really look forward to the beer battered critters.

As I mentioned the other day I am officially retired and one of the many things on my new do list is getting more walking in. My excuse will be that Duncan needs to be walked but I am really the one who needs to get in better shape. I will be spending time out here on Bass Point but I will also from time to time take some strolls in town. It has been pointed out to me that Lake Iwanttobethere is bigger than just Main Street and there are places that even I have not been to. Look forward to some reports on different business and eating as well as some drinking establishments. Thing about Lake Iwanttobethere it can and does have just about everything. From Lake Iwanttobethere {633,025}

April 4, 2012

I decided that it would be a good idea if I did an inventory of all my fishing tackle before I ordered more. I knew this already, but I have a lot of tackle! I went out in the shop and put a sheet of plywood down across a couple of saw horses. I did it in the shop for a couple of reasons, no cats to worry about running across the tackle and getting hooked, no dogs to jump up on the edge and flip the table over and it was somewhere the wife would not be able to look over my shoulder and count my lures. I emptied every tackle box I had and also a few shopping bags that had found their way into the back of the closet over the winter. I found fish hooks in bags of two's and threes, must be where I took a hook out and never return the little bag to the tackle box so I bought more to replace the hooks that I was missing. Spinner baits seem to have been in every box that I had, which is kind of funny because I have two boxes just for spinner baits.

Top water lures were scattered every where and I have pounds of plastic worms. Must be a dozen spools of line with only thirty yards on each one of them, don't know why I keep them. Painted worm sinkers in different sizes and stick baits. I am sure you have the idea. I did get sidetracked for awhile cleaning rock hard dried out gulps from hooks. Got to remember to take them off at the end of the day. Small plastic bags with extra skirts keep popping up, I seem to buy some every time I see them. A leaking bottle of scent in one tackle box had mixed with some plastic baits and skirts forming some kind of modern art. I don't know if I should throw it away or bring it to the Lodge and put it in my office as a decoration. I only say that because my granddaughter thought it was cool and asked if she could have it. My daughter took one look at it and told her daughter to give it back to grandpa.

With the tackle boxes empty I put them in the back of the Dodge and went to the car wash. Easier to put a couple of dollars in quarters in the wall control and use the self service wand to wash the tackle boxes out. Got to rinse the truck off at the same time and an excuse to stop at the Lodge for lunch. I am cutting back on the Coney's as I only had one today, but I did have two wieners in the bun. While I chatted with some of the guys in the Lodge my tackle boxes drip dried in the sun shine of the truck bed. When I came back out to the truck I noticed a few of the tackle boxes were in pretty rough shape, broken hinges, cracked lids so I pitched them in the dumpster. No sense in doing that back at home where the wife might stumble across them. I brought the boxes to the shop and stacked them on the saw. Off to the side of the table I had dumped all the loose things from the tackle boxes and now I pulled up a stool to sort.

Did I mention that I have a lot of tackle? The 4x8 sheet of plywood was soon covered by piles of fishing lures. Kind of looks like a reenactment of some civil war battle. Top water lures were stacked to the North and along the flank a group of jerk baits rested. Spinner baits formed a picket line to the West and were neatly organized by weight and color of skirts. Bobbers with bullet weights around to stop them from rolling off the table were stacked to the East. Bags and bags of plastic worms and trailers and other creature baits were lined up like bunkers by color. Loose hooks were placed in the small hook box and I still had a pile of stuff that was so old I didn't know what to do with so they made a kind of dump pile in the center. I had to clear a work shelf so I had space for the beetle spins and stinger hooks. The wife called from the deck asking if I was sorting tackle, hiding the table behind me I peeked out from behind the shop door and said "Maybe" The wife stood on the deck with Duncan at her side and said "You missed one" and she held my big travel tackle box up for me to see. From Lake Iwanttobethere {635,660}

April 5, 2012

Took a stroll along one of the banks of the Mystery River this morning, water is dark and looks pretty cold. Had Duncan with me on one of them long retractable leashes that the people in the city are so found of. Of course around these parts they just call it a length of clothes line that ya loop around your wrist. Anyway as soon as I was up river far enough I took the rope off and let Duncan roam with just a warning to stay out of the water. Thirty seconds later Duncan was wet as I guess he didn't hear the warning. A few sticks in the water and a few ducks swimming about, a few more with their rumps in the air searching for what ever ducks search for underwater. A couple of geese flew in low and close, looking like a couple of bombers in formation. They followed the river and were soon out of sight. I didn't walk to far up the river as this walking for your health is somewhat new to me. Matter of fact the other night I was taking a walk and one of my neighbors who was driving by asked if I had broken down and needed a lift back home. I told them thanks but I was just taking a walk. They smiled and said OK and then and drove off. I could see them exchanging money between them, I think they had made a wager.

Soon as Duncan was dry we headed back towards the Tahoe, Duncan tight against my knee as a couple of guys were spotted carrying rods and heading for the mouth of the river. I saw that one of the guys was Johnson. This Johnson is the brother to our Gus Johnson that runs the kitchen at the Lodge. You already know his sons Barley and Hopps who run the Needabeer brewery up stream on the Mystery River. I was a little surprised to see Johnson on the river as he usually spends his winters down south chasing redfish. Muskie season here does not start till early June and that is what he does, he is one of the better Muskie guides on Lake Iwanttobethere. Good Muskie guides are hard to come by as you need the combination of a guy that can put you on fish and keep ya busy with stories when you aren't catching any. Good advice with Johnson is to make sure you go to the bathroom before you start talking to him because it will be awhile before you will get a chance to go. One of the few guys who can actually out story tell me on the lake.

You already know Johnson is going to be something special when he meets you at the landing and explains his name. He will shake your hand and introduce himself as Johnson, you will ask is that his first name or last and he will reply with that it is both, His full name is Johnson Johnson, the story is his father had a thing for Johnson outboards when he was born. His brother, you know him as Gus, well his given name is Mercury but he goes by Gus now. You can spot Johnson from a distance just like Duncan and I just did, he wears socks with his sandals and always has a dip of chew tucked away in his lip. Likes to let a little dribble down his bait, says it gives it that little something special. Must work as he gets a lot of repeat business and has a waiting list for his fishing and his story telling. His shore lunch leaves a little to be desired though as most of his clients don't share his love for chew on their sandmiches.

Not having a lot of time this morning to chat I give a wave to Johnson and Duncan barks once and we continue on our way to the shoulder of the road to where the Tahoe is parked. Part of the reason for taking a walk this way today was that I had heard the Chicken Shack was open for business and I am thinking maybe Duncan should try some biscuits and gravy. Not a whole order mind you but I might share part of one with him. The wife will be none the wiser as I know she slips Duncan cookies and acts innocent around me, from Lake Iwanttobethere {638,266}

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Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

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