Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

April 28, 2013

Sixty-two degrees out with an overcast sky and the sound of geese honking overhead, I look up to see a pair winging it hard towards the lake. I stand on the deck and take in a deep breath through my nose and savor the smell of spring. Some city folk might not take a deep breath through their nose like I do, the smells are different then what they are used too. Here at the cabin after a couple of good days of melt the air is filled with smells that others might cringe their nose at. Living next door to Chuck and his hobby farm the smell of animals is in the air and we are not talking about the animals themselves but what they leave behind them. The horse pasture is rich in smells and the chicken coop just adds a little spice to the air. Of course my three dogs have done their fair share of decorating the yard over the long winter too. Add the smell of pine and cedar trees and decaying leaves, wood smoke from a smoldering fire in the pit and it just smells like spring should.

A lot of standing water as the ground is pretty full already. Still snow on the ground but the bare spots are growing. Was down at the lake earlier and the ice is pulling away from shore and there is a little ribbon of water to be seen along the edge. Lots and lots of ice so it is going to take more then a couple of warm days to do any damage to it. Snow on the other hand is going quick and I don't think anyone around town is wishing it would stay. This year I think winter has outstayed its welcome and no one is shedding a tear as the snow melts. The box of old towels is at the back door at the ready to wipe off dog paws when they come back into the cabin. Bud and Barney have the right idea, they mostly stay on the big deck and when they do go down into the yard they stay out of the puddles and tend to walk on the pathways. Duncan on the other hand is more like a Clydesdale on a muddy road. He jumps from the deck and hits the muddy ground running, there is not a puddle that he does not think he should not run through.

Across the lake next weekend will be the general fishing opener for them, I think a lot of them will be traveling south to find ice free water. Some of the guys at the Lodge do fish on the other side of the lake and they have been seen sitting at the round tables of the Lodge making plans and calling friends for ice updates. Business at the Lodge has been picking up as we just have to go ahead and start up the horseshoe league and the clay shooting season has already started. A lot of comments from the guys having to shoot in the snow and we had to take out the tractor to clear snow from the horseshoe pits. The recent melt has open up the boccie ball courts so guys can start practicing.

Tomorrow is a special day, yes it is a Town Hall meeting day but more importantly it is a big birthday for Bud and Barney as they will turn thirteen. I will have myself a couple of teenagers living with me. Of course dog teenagers are treated a little differently here at the lake, it is kind of like retirement day for them. I did get a request from the Lake Iwanttobethere mayor to bring both Barney and Buddy with me to the Town Hall meeting. He didn't have to I would be bring them with anyway. Rain is still in the forecast and I have unzipped the cover on the deck swing and put the cushions on. I am planning on lighting up a cigar, sitting on the swing and listening to the baseball game. When it rains I am sure some new smells will be in the air and I will be able to add the sound of raindrops hitting the deck and running off the roof over the swing. Now that sixty is out of the way I am looking forward to seventy, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,062,051}

April 29, 2013

100 degrees out, really! Well it might be because the jumping bass thermometer on the cabin wall has been in the sun for awhile. As soon as I saw the red needle on the thermometer I did have to sit down on one of the wood deck chairs and imagine that it was a hundred degrees out. After a few minutes I was too hot and had to move the chair into the shade. Instead of looking for bare spots with no snow we are now looking for snow in the bare spots. Behind the outbuilding there are still snow banks but if it stays a hundred out they will melt here shortly. Birds seem to be happy with the warmer weather as I am surrounded on the deck with chirping and peeping. Edd and Eddie the squirrels just came by, dashing through the tops of the cedars heading to where ever they are heading.

Today is Buddy and Braney's birthday, to them it is just another day. They got up early, were let outside to wander for awhile before coming back into the cabin to get their paws wiped clean. They put up with Duncan trying to get them to chase him and just ignored him till he went away. Somehow Duncan avoided the paw wiping and jumped in bed with me, the white sheets are no longer white. Later this afternoon when school lets out the grand kids will be over for the official birthday party, I know they are getting cupcakes and new collars. Till then it is just another day for them only now they are thirteen and the rule of the cabin is they can pretty much get away with anything now.

I did take a drive over to the big river to see some running water. There is an access not to far from the cabin and I will go over there from time to time to snap a few pictures. Yesterday a few pair of geese were close to shore and were working hard swimming against the current. Docks were not out yet with good reason as there was some ice floes as big as pontoon boats coming down the river. No color on the river just a lot of black and white with some brown grass along the riverbank. As the weather warms and summer gets here the green will arrive and with it the river will be dotted with the color of boats and fishermen. The empty parking lot will be filled and trails of water will lead from the landing to dripping trailers. Not yesterday though, just me and one of the grandsons and a few geese were the only wildlife moving around.

At the Resort the ditches are full of water and puddles are every where. Vic spends time outside with a pointed garden shovel making small ditches for the water to flow from one puddle to another. I kid him he is just doing "Make work" but he just grins and says it reminds him of his youth and playing in the mud. Dang if I didn't find myself picking up a shovel and making a few ditches of my own. Before you know it we were racing maple leaves down our ditches to see who could get them down to the lake first. Vic won but I say he cheated as he took a short cut, I think he had it all planned out and I gave him a dollar. I walked away and as I turned I saw Vic dam up a puddle. He was I am sure saving the extra water for the next race, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,063,926}

April 30, 2013

"Ladies and gentlemen of the town of Lake Iwanttobethere in a county that no one can pronounce, will you kindly take your seats." I stood in the doorway of my office here at the Lodge and watched as the mayor of Lake Iwanttobethere addressed the crowd that had filled the main room of the Lodge. The mayor was standing on a peach crate that is kept around just for these meetings, one it is a symbol of free speech and the second one is the mayor is a pretty short guy. For the next thirty minutes or so the mayor read to us from his prepared index cards the "State of Lake Iwanttobethere. "In a nut shell we came through winter a little over budget as we exhausted our supply of road sand and Frank's grader needs some repairs including a new set of tires. Pot holes seem to be a bigger problem then normal this year and the county is late sending out the street sweepers. The town dock is not in yet because as we all know the lake is still covered in ice.

Smelt run is going to be delayed but with the melting of the snow pack the water levels in Mystery River should be just fine. The mayor reminded everyone that next week will be clean up week and the businesses along Main Street are encouraged to get their painting and touchups done. With any luck we can get all the sidewalks swept before the street cleaners come. The Driving Range at the Golf Course will open next week and the course itself will open as soon as the greens dry. A reminder was made to the Fly Fishing Club that the stream through the golf course is still closed to fishing. The Mayor then stared directly at the Fellows who were all sitting together at the big round table and reminded them that also means the stream is closed to fishing with nine irons. A question and answer session was then held and I slipped into my office and turned on the small black and white TV I have on a file cabinet there and watched some of the baseball game.

I was interrupted by the sound of my name being called out and I eased around the office door to see everyone looking in my direction. The mayor catching my eye waved for me to come up to the front of the room. I made my way through the standing room crowd past the seated Woman's Auxiliary to stand alongside the mayor who I was now seeing eye to eye with. The room was quiet as the mayor asked me if my dogs were here at the Lodge. "Of course they are" I replied. The mayor then asked if I could get them to come to the front of the room. I turned and pointed at the wicker couch in the corner and said "They have been here they whole time" I called out to Bud and Barney and the two old dogs sitting on the wicker couch with Elmer looked up at me.

The mayor kind of puffed up some like a parrot on his perch reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold index card. From the card he read. "On this day, April twenty-ninth the Town of Lake Iwanttobethere here by awards not one but two keys to the town to Buddy and Barney Bass. These keys are just a small token of our town's appreciation to you for your fine service over the years in welcoming Tourist, Hunters and Fishermen to our town. It is also a time to celebrate your thirteen birthdays and for ever more April twenty-ninth will be known in the Town of Lake Iwanttobethere as Bud and Barney Day." With having said that the mayor stepped off his peach crate and reaching into his pocket he pulled out two keys that I later learned he had widdled out of two large milk bones and gave each dog their own key. Bud and Barney both looked at me and I nodded. They then proceeded to eat the dog key bones to the laughing and clapping of the crowd.

With the Town Hall meeting concluded the bar was open and people broke up into groups and starting doing real town business. Bud and Barney held court at the wicker couch as well wishers came bearing gifts of dog biscuits for the birthday boys. Elmer took the boxes and started to stack them behind the couch, soon the boxes were higher then the couch. I being the owner of the now celebrity dogs didn't have to pay for any beer at the bar for the rest of the night, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,065,559}

May 1, 2013

Mother Nature sure has her way of messing with ya. Yesterday it was a pleasant seventy degrees out, some mild winds and lots of sunshine. Things were actually starting to dry up around here. Fellow residents of Lake Iwanttobethere could be seen with rakes in hand and wheelbarrows at the ready. I myself had the greenhouse windows open and the door propped. I was cleaning the place up and even put the rain barrels on the two wheel cart and rolled them into position under the down spouts. I was thinking of turning the outside water on and getting the pressure washer out. The last of the snow had melted on the decks and a good cleaning was in order. I got sidetracked from a call from Big Earl wanting to know if I could bring in some of Bud and Barney's bones. Big Earl told me that he was sold out since everyone in town had bought a box for the boys.

Thinking a drive would be a good idea I went to get Bud and Barney but found them both asleep in the living room on the couch. I decided to leave my two teenagers alone and instead asked Duncan if he wanted to go for a ride. Unlike the teenagers I didn't have to ask him twice and he was out the door and waiting for me to catch up. A few minutes later and the two of us were riding down the road with the windows rolled down some, the heater off and the smell of spring in our face. Lots of robins on the drive into town, I had heard on KCUM the town's radio station a report that birds were just waiting for the snow to melt before heading up our way. I am thinking the melt was on for sure as the advance wave of robins has arrived. I pulled off to the side of the road where I could get a good view of the lake and the ice is pulling away from shore. As Duncan stuck his head out the window I heard my first Cheesse-buger bird call of the season.

I pulled back onto the road thinking to myself it can't be too much longer before I will hear peepers and crickets. Duncan and I made a stop at the Lodge to load up the back of the Tahoe with several big boxes filled with dog biscuit boxes. We then headed over to the General Store where we parked at the loading dock and Big Earl Junior unloaded us. Big Earl wanted to know if I wanted cash or put it on my account as a credit and I told him the biscuits are the dogs so go ahead and put it on their account. While we were at it I figured it was time for Duncan to open his own account and we took care of that. Our next stop was Ma and Pa's Grocery and we just walked over there with a case of biscuits. No sooner did we get in the store and the bell over the door stop jingling then Pa appeared from behind the meat counter. He saw the case of dog biscuits and told me he was hoping I would stop by, his shelf was bare. Pa entered the price of the biscuits on my account and slipped Duncan a slice of bologna, Duncan shook Pa's hand and we were back on our way.

Today finds the red needle on the Resorts jumping deer at forty, Overcast sky and there is a damp chill in the air. Vic was inside the Main Room tending to the tomato plants as they are now about ten inches tall. I sat heavy into one of the booths and made a few comments about the change in temperature and lack of sunshine. Vic in his grinning way asked if I had heard the Cheessee -burger bird, I told him I heard one yesterday. Vic headed for the bar and came back out with two mugs in his hands, "Well I heard the Have-a-Beer bird this morning" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,066,707}

May 2, 2013

As most of you know we here at the Lodge hold our meetings on the fifth Tuesday of every month that has a fifth Tuesday. April was such a month and we held our meeting on what might have been the nicest evening of the month in a month that had very few nice evenings. Big Earl who is our current Lodge president held court and after the last meeting minutes were read we got right down to business. My resignation as Lodge manager was tabled for further discussion which means I am still the Lodge manager but now they can't fire me and I can't quit. I do still get my Lodge discount on top of my HIYA town discount and my parking place. My dogs Buddy and Barney are still on the payroll and Duncan is on probation. They won't make him an employee yet even though he is taking the deposits to the bank.

Gus has been appointed the Lodge asst. Manager and a small ceremony was held as he was given his new name tag which he promptly tossed on the back bar. Both Honey Sauce and Vinney have past their probation's and are now employees of the Lodge and are granted full privileges. Vic is now also a full member in good standing and is able to run a tab, he was then billed the first round of drinks for all attending Lodge members. The Lodge is a few weeks behind as is everyone else in town so the social calendar was addressed. A request was made that if there is still ice on the lake for opener that all members to bring their boats to the Lodge parking lot where at BBQ will be held. We don't want the wife and or significant others to think that just because there is ice you will be available for honey do work that day.

Members were reminded that the Boccie Ball court is now open and there are still a few openings for the horseshoe league and one more shooter is needed for the early trap season. Mindy and Mandy have requested an announcement that foot traffic to Root Beer Island on the ice is at your own risk and the Lodge does have some discount passes to the Golf Driving Range. Would also like to mention that hitting golf balls from the Lodge parking lot at the seagulls down on the softball field is frown on. Mayor has a note here about fishing in the golf course stream and Arlo has been requested to past that on to all of his Fly Fishing Club members. Speaking of clubs, the Women's Auxiliary will once again be using the small meeting room next to the main room here on Saturday mornings. It is strongly suggested that you do not enter or bother the ladies in any way, especially if they are having their mushroom tea.

Lodge will also once again be the place to go for further education, Arlo will be holding fly casting lessons through out the fishing season and Gus will be holding a few special workshops with his sons, Barley and Hopps titled "Six reasons to drink beer" as you all know Barley and Hopps are the owners of the Lake Iwanttobethere Brewery and are the makers of Needabeer and Whynotale. Additional information can be found on the bulletin board just down the hall before you get to the bathrooms. The last item on the agenda was Lodge membership drive, we are always looking for new members and you can always sign up at the Lodge. The next meeting will be held the end of July, I hope the ice is gone by then. The meeting was then called and the bar open, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,067,804}

May 3, 2013

I got up this morning and I had the hankering for some strawberry pancakes so I skipped breakfast with the wife and came up with a reason to head into town. Overcast and cool out and I had the heater on in the Tahoe. May 3rd and I thought by now I would be done using the heater and would be driving with the windows open but they were rolled up tight today. As I took the road into town I did see smoke from a few cabin chimney's rising in the air, I guess I am not the only one who is still burning wood. Ice still covers the lake but boats are starting to appear around town. Matter of fact just yesterday was the first day where I saw more boats on trailers then snow machines, two boats one snowmobile.

Turkey vultures have started to return to Lake Iwanttobethere as they ride the thermals along the lake. Pretty easy to spot as they circle and gain height before gliding off in search of food. Deer have started to creep out of the woods, some look to have had a tuff winter. With all the snow in the past few months it had to bury what ever food there was for them on the ground. I know I am almost daily seeing deer down around the apple trees looking for something that is not going to be there for several more months. On a good note I have yet to see or smell a skunk around the cabin and that is a good thing that I think Duncan will agree on. He still walks around the fence post where his collar from last years encounter still hangs.

I drove into town and I noticed the thermometer on the rear view mirror is falling and I click the heater up another notch. I have the truck radio tuned into KCUM and there is more talk and less music going on this morning. I have an ear out listening to the new commercials that are being played for local business around town. Big Earl's General Store is always on the radio and his radio spots are covering everything from grass seed to flower pots to water tanks. Digger's Garden Center is telling everyone that at his store the shrubs are in and now is the time to replace the ones the deer ate this last winter. Eagle's Nest resort spots are reassuring everyone they are now open for the fishing and dining season and the Chicken Shack is clucking about being open and offering daily specials on their three leg fryers. This commercial makes me think for awhile, I am looking forward to pancakes but I could do some chicken. I decided to settle on the pancakes for breakfast but chicken might be a lunch option.

I parked out front of the Dew Drop Inn and found an open seat at the counter. A few HIYA's were exchanged with others and I didn't even need a menu to order my strawberry pancakes. A few minutes later and I had the bottle of Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup in my hand and I watched as the syrup slowly rolled down the mouth of the bottle to cascade down on top of the stack of steaming pancakes like forty weight oil in the middle of winter. I made a circle of syrup around the healthy pat of melting butter on the top and added to the growing pool of syrup till it started to flow off the pancakes. Plate must not be level as the syrup was dripping off the stack on the side towards the front of the Inn. Setting the bottle down I picked up my fork and made first one then a second cut through the stack of pancakes and the pulled the fork back to stab at a strawberry before spearing several pieces of pancake. Licking my lips I raised the fork to my mouth and heard a loud groan behind me. I figured someone was objecting to my eating habits and I turn to make a comment when I saw several patrons looking out the big picture window of the Inn. I followed their gaze and I saw snow, it is snowing again, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,068,968}

May 4, 2013

Normally I would envy the guys from the Lodge who took off early this morning in Reed's RV to go fish on the far side of Lake Iwanttobethere. Today is the fishing season opener for that side of the lake and several of the guys fish both sides of the lake. But as I drove into the resort this morning I had the heater on high and the windshield wipers were moving from side to side clearing the glass of a mixture of snow and falling rain. The road had ribbons of black where tires had left tracks and along the side of the road a thin layer of snow laid mostly undisturbed. From time to time you could see the wandering of deer hoof prints where they had traveled along the road during the night.

I made the turn to the resort road at Elise's and no one has been in or out since the snow started to fall last night. Parking in what has become my space I walked to the Club House skirting the water puddles and pot holes and I noticed Vic's trenching has drained a lot of them. No sooner did I come in through the second door and Vic is there to greet me, HIYA's are exchanged and I hang my coat on the tree rack and kicked my shoes off on to the boot tray. Vic holds up my coffee mug and I nod my head yes, he then pours me a healthy measure of black coffee and splashed some more in his mug adding creamer and a spoonful of sugar. I see he has made himself comfortable in the first leather booth by the big windows so I slide in across from where he has been sitting.

As I watch Vic walks over to the booth and I notice his cane is not in his hand, matter of fact I see it hooked on the doorknob that leads to his living quarters. I bring up the cane as he gets close and he just grins back at me, come to think of it he has been grinning quite a lot as of late. I ask him if he is in pain ? He chuckles and tells me that moving to the Club House and hanging out with the guys is the best medicine he could have. Matter of fact he told me he has been getting a lot of exercise and walking more then he has in years. He even told me he has a goal for this summer. I replied "You going to catch a fish you old coot!" He looks back at me and says catching fish is a given, nope I am going to walk down the road and have lunch with my old dear high school friend Elsie. I sip from my coffee mug and I see there is a little twinkle in Vic's eye, I don't think I would bet against him making that walk.

We chat some more and after awhile Vic tells me he has things to do and they are not going to get done by themselves. He takes his coffee mug and heads to the kitchen. My mug is empty but I make no effort to refill it. I am comfortable just sitting in the leather booth with the smell of tomato plants around me. Rain drops race each other down the glass of the window and as I hold the empty mug in my hand I think that I could have jumped in with the guys in Reed's RV and took the ride to the other side of the lake. By now I would have been sitting in a wet boat for a few hours breathing in and tasting the smell of burning gas and oil from the outboard. I bet my right hand would be about frozen from handling wet minnows and my backside would be talking to me from sitting on that wood seat of Reed's runabout. Thermos would be long ago empty and I bet that I would be having a hard time keeping my cigar lit. I am sure rain has found it's way down my sleeves and there will be a cold damp spot on my elbow where the snow has melted.

In the boat we would talk of fishing opening traditions and the times when we just slayed them. No mention will be made of fish less openings or inclimate weather. The big ones that got away will somehow grow an inch longer and a pound heavier. We will brag how nothing is better then fishing on opening day. No one wants to be the first to call it a day and maybe go back to the RV to get warm. Because if you did that then you would be the one who could not handle a little rain or snow, cold waves with ice washing over the transom just helps keep the deck clean. I think by now we would all be siting with our heads down like Vikings in a long boat waiting to find shore or in our case waiting for a working wristwatch to get to noon. For lunch time is the only good reason to head back to shore. I sit in the leather booth with the ceiling fan slowly rotating above me pushing the heat from the crackling fire in the pot belly stove down on me and I think maybe I will have a half a mug more of coffee and maybe add a splash of something in it from the back bar. I will raise it to the Vikings fishing on the far side of the lake and I salute you, but I would rather just be here on Lake Iwanttobethere on this day. {1,070,485}

May 5, 2013

I arrived at the Lodge this morning to find the main room looking like a camping trip gone wrong. Sleeping bags and blankets were draped across tables and chairs and a fire was burning but needed tending in the fireplace. I moved the screen and poked at the red coals before adding a few sticks of wood. With flames now licking up around the wood I adjusted the screen and turned to hear the sound of snoring. Duncan who was with me also heard the snoring and set out to find it's location. I followed Duncan as he poked his head under blankets and moved on to a large lump of blankets on the wicker couch. Duncan must have hit the right spot as the lump stirred and Duncan barked his chocolate lab bark. The bark-howl from Duncan made a few more piles of blankets move around the Lodge. With Duncan at my side and his tail hitting my leg we both watched as Big Earl slowly emerged from beneath the pile of blankets. When I had pulled up to the Lodge I had spotted Reed's Bio-diesel RV with the pea green runabout parked under the pines. Other blankets started to move and Reed's head was the next to pop up along with Gus and Skinny. Some sheepish HIYA's with a few moaning mornings were uttered. Over the next hour or so and several pots of coffee the story which may later be told as an adventure unfolded.

For the most part the trip to their secret opening morning lake was uneventful, The RV had been ready for a few weeks and every day Reed would go out and start it up and make sure the batteries were charged and the beer in the fridge cold. The day before they were to leave Reed ran out of bio-diesel and there was but one can of Hamms left in the fridge. So there was a little rush to get more beer and make some more bio-diesel. The Hamms was not a big problem as Big Earl and Skinny made a beer run down to Little Louie's Licorice and Liquor store. The bio fuel was a little harder as they normally burn used French fry oil but this time had to make a batch out of oil from Wing Gee's Asian Chop Shop. The trip to and from the lake smelled a lot like stir fry.

Now the trip to the lake went well till they blew out a tire on the trailer and they didn't know how long they went down the road with the flat. No one noticed it till Skinny was in the RV's bathroom and smelled something different then stir fry in the air. Looking out the rear window of the RV he saw the sparks coming from the rear of the trailer and yelled for Reed to pull over. Reed pulled off to the side and everyone piled out to see the steam rising off the bent rim and just a little bit of tire left wrapped around the frame. Now there is a reason why Skinny gets invited to these fishing trips as being a handy man he is pretty handy. All Hamk did was get his tool bag and in a half hour he had removed the fender from the trailer, flipped it over to make a ski out of it and they were back on the road. I guess this is where I should mention that it had been snowing ever since they left Lake Iwanttobethere

They arrived at the secret lake at what should have been the crack of dawn, but with the snow now having changed to rain they could not see the sun. The lake was frozen but the DNR had just plowed a road right to the landing. They spent the day finding the spare tire for the trailer and getting it on the trailer. The tire was buried in the storage locker of the RV which was very cold. Seems that Reed forgot to fill the propane tank for the stove and heater but in his defense he pointed out that there was not supposed to be ice on the lake either. Supper was beans and Spam warmed over a small fire because dry fire wood was not to be found. Fish was on the menu but you have to catch some in order to eat some. Out of beer and out of beans they had decided to call fishing opener a bust and had driven back in the middle of the night. They made it as far as the Lodge where they decide to thaw out and get in a few hours of sleep. They of course could not go home as their wife's are not expecting them till late tonight. So after coffee was poured Gus started making a second breakfast for everyone, as the thing about smelling stir fry you are hungry again after a few hours, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,072,249}

May 6, 2013

Finally feels like a Monday in spring should. Not just one warm day but the beginning of what is supposed to be a warming week. Already this morning I have half of my to do list done, of course it is all the easy things but I am making progress and the lines with check marks now behind them looks better then none at all. I was down early at the Gas-N-Go to of course buy some gas. I filled up the mower can, not that I am planning on doing any mowing but I learned my lesson of not having the can filled. This is the same can that I forgot to fill for the snow blower last fall and we all saw how that turned out. So I went inside to pay for the gas and I had to stand in line, took me awhile to figure the reason why as there were no trucks parked at the pumps.

No, everyone was in line before me waiting on getting that special little piece of paper. I am not talking about scratch off tickets or lotto number but they were standing in line to purchase their fishing license. I had a kind of smug look on my face because I had already gotten mine when I got plates for the Dodge. I knew a few of the guys in line so after HIYA's I laid a little smack on them and got some in return. With the gas can secure in the Dodge I headed back to the cabin. Had already been at Diggers to pick up some potting soil and looked for a few ideas for a mother's day gift. Not in any big hurry so I took the scenic route back home and I noticed that mother nature is making up for lost time and some of the trees have buds on them. A little green grass here and there and I spotted some open water along the shore of Lake Iwanttobethere.

When I got back to the cabin the plan was to pull tarps off things. Work trailer can be uncovered along with the winter cover on the Puddle Humper. I'll move the Puddle Humper inside the garage and the wife's jeep will find's itself parked outside, where it belongs. It never fails that the Puddle Humper takes but a few hours to put away for winter but a few days to get it ready for fishing. I already know I have a tail light that is not working and I think the spotlight is ready to be replaced. Have to vacuum the carpet and load all the stuff back in including the new rods and find some way to protect the tips on the rods during travel. All the new rods are one piece and they don't fit in the spot along the side wall of the Puddle Humper anymore.

This all has to be started, notice I didn't say done by mid afternoon. By late afternoon I need to be at the Resort to start working on stuff for our non grand opening this weekend. The bay in front of us is frozen solid but we have hopes of rising temperatures and the chance of rain that it might, the ice, melt enough for us to put at least one boat in the water. Frank the plow driver has promised to make a few passes down our road and he might be able to arrange a few dump trucks of some class five spillage near our driveway. With any luck we will be able to use the spillage to do some road patching and later in the week we will see about getting Marv's airstream trailer set up on the property. This would make Marv's son in law, Hammering Hank and his wife Tess very happy I hear. I did have an interesting conversation the night of the Town Hall meeting with Doris the head of the Ladies Auxiliary, she was inquiring if we had a cabin for rent later in the summer that the ladies could use for a "Retreat." I have not told the other guys about her request, just yet from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,074,278}

May 7, 2013

Little deeper into the day and it did not get as warm as forecasted but sixty in the shade ain't nothing to complain about after the spring we have had so far. Busy day as the greenhouse was cleaned out and I moved some of the tomato plants that are now a foot high out there. Little easier to water them and don't have to worry about getting things wet. Ice is pulling away from shore but being down there feels like standing next to the fridge with the door open. Smells like spring though, drying mud and old grass. Made another trip down to Diggers to pick up my corn and carrot seeds along with some super pumpkin seeds that Digger has been raving about. Grand kids want to grow a giant pumpkin but I told them we will have to start small. On the other hand I did get some sunflower seeds and those plants always grow tall enough to tower over the garden fence.

Had to make a stop at Dug's Garage, I brought in a 7.5 HP Clinton air cooled outboard that we found out in the wood shop. It was tucked away in the corner covered by a burlap bag and it looked like it was still in pretty good shape. I brought it down for Dug to go over it and he called last night telling me it was tank tested and ready to go. A little carb work and a new impeller and it purrs like a, well I was going to say kitten but them old air cooled motors are just plain loud. If I remember right you can't carry on a conversation if they are running wide open but they sure to troll well. Hank and I have been working on three of the aluminum row boats that were turned upside down and left on the shore. After we got all the mice out of them and power washed them we picked the twelve footer to really clean up.

The last week or so it has been in the shop and we have been working on it with the buffer and some various cleaning solutions. It has not been licensed for several years so that is on my list of things to do here later this week. We also found some cement anchors down on the beach, the ropes have long ago rotted away but the cement is still just fine. Vic said his dad made them back in the sixties, should be one for every boat around here some where. Need to get some oars to, we found a pair but it looked like someone had stuck them in a fire. Vic said something about they might have been the ones they used when they had a Viking funeral for their old dog, Magnus. I have a pair of oars back at the cabin, I don't use them ever since I got my racing oars for my rowboat years ago, for the rest of the boats I think we are going to have to order them.

Arlo is having a fly fishing class tonight down at the Lodge so several of us guys are going to go down to the "WELL" bar and watch the hockey game on their big screen TV. I was thinking we could just have the guys over to the Club House but then I was reminded it is Tuesday and that means Bucket Night at the Well, all the beer you can fill a bucket with and free hot toes. Kind of their version of hot wings, only smaller like from pigeons or something. Anyway the game does not start till half past eight and the fly casting class should be right in the middle of false casting about then. So we kind of have a plan for the evening, hockey game and buckets of beer at the WELL and then smelt have been running at Mystery Creek so we might swing by and see of we can catch enough for breakfast, kind of make a night of it. Sounds like a full enough evening from here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,077,077}

May 8, 2013

Well, the hockey game last night was good for the first period then the home team got into some trouble and we started paying more attention to the bucket of beer and the hot toes. Ended up driving over to Mystery Creek and listening to the third period of the game on the radio. By the time the game was over we were in waders and ready to go into the water. First off the water is cold and it got really cold when the water got higher than your thighs but lower then your waist, if ya catch my drift. We took turns wading out into the lake dragging the old christen net that Skinny has had in his family for years. Took a couple of hours but we did manage to fill two of the five gal buckets from the General Store with some smelt. We figured we had enough for a couple of meals and we loaded the two buckets into the truck and drove to the Club House to get Vic out of bed.

Vic came out of his living quarters looking like Ebenezer Scrooge complete with a nite cap, actually he had one on his head and another one in his hand, the kind you drink. Seeing the smelt he just said "I'll fire up the deep fryer" and with that he was gone through the swinging door into the kitchen. The rest of us put plastic down on the great table and starting an assembly line for cleaning smelt. Of course all of us are of the age when we can remember what a "Smelt Run " really was like. Most of the guys down at the creek last night were acting like little kids who discovered the tooth fairly had come during the night and left them a dollar when they would do a "Pull" and come up with a gallon or so of the silvery little devils. Back in the day no one used a seine because you could use a dip net and fill a bucket with a single "Dip" of course back in the day the smelt averaged about six or seven inches long and a big one might push eight or nine! If someone caught a nine inch smelt now they would be looking to mount it but would release it under peer pressure from other smelters.

So as soon as we had enough to deep fry a simple batter was made and Vic started trading us cleaned smelt for deep fried ones. I ate my fill along with the rest of the guys and we sat back and patted bellies and looked at the mound of backbones on the table. Vic said he would take care of the second bucket as it would give him something to do and I headed upstairs to my room for a snooze. The idea of having a bedroom right at the Club House is turning out to be a good one. This morning found me waking up to the racket some robins were making outside my window and I rolled over and almost off the bed. Forgot where I was sleeping there for a moment. A quick sniff of my shirt that I had tossed on the chair, it smelled like fish, so I was good to go and I was soon dressed and down the stairs.

Vic was sitting out on the deck and I poured myself some oj and joined him. HIYA and HIYA back were exchanged and I walked to the edge of the deck and looked out at the bay, "I still see ice but it is looking weaker" I said to Vic. He nodded and took a sip of his coffee. Just then Marv came part way out the screen door and asked if anyone wanted some breakfast. I nodded at Vic and followed Marv back inside, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,078,509}

May 9, 2013

Some grumbling around town today as I run errands. Everywhere I went I heard comments about ice and lack of open water and it not looking to good for fishing opener. Yesterday afternoon it was in the mid seventies and humid, you would think the perfect conditions for a spring thunderstorm. Sunshine Ray had forecasted rain for the afternoon and people planed accordingly. Even I at the Resort had the shop doors propped wide open and had my repaired adirondack chair in the doorway waiting for a good rain. I did hear a couple of rain drops hit the two row boats that are upturned just outside the doors but that was it, nothing more. Today we have some dark sky overhead and it is windy and thirty degrees cooler. More like a fall day that you don't want to be on the lake fishing in. Wind chimes are banging away and sparrows are flying in groups coming through the property like a bunch of valley girls at a mall.

At the Dew Drop Inn over the sound of spoons clanking off the sides of coffee cups and forks dragging across plates with fried eggs and stacks of pancakes the conversation was pretty much the same, weather. Most people agree we need some good bad weather to come to the lake. A nice hard rain to beat up the ice and punch some holes in it so the wind can move some water around and melt the ice. I drove by the lake this morning and even though I would not try and drive an eighteen wheeler across the ice I bet you could persuade one of the Fellows to take a run at it with a pickup. Back at the cabin this morning I had to have Duncan help me carry some firewood from next years supply down to fill the rack on the deck. I have not done it for many years but this year I actually burnt every stick in the pile. This time of the year, mid May fires are not suppose to be needed to heat the cabin, but here I am this morning with fire in the fireplace and sleeping dogs on the floor in front of it.

Sunshine Ray is forecasting that it will hit eighty mid week of next week, but then he said it was going to rain yesterday. I have a stack of seeds sitting on my desk and I can see the big garden from my window, a few days ago it had snow on it. Slowly moving plants from inside out to the greenhouse and I would not even want to venture a guess when they are going to go in the ground. Might be mid June this year, at any rate it is going to be an interesting summer both gardening and fishing. At the Resort we were kind of toying with the idea of having our grand non opening to happen the same time as fishing opener. With our little bay still ice bound we have decide to postpone the date, good thing we didn't really say we were going to have a grand opening and didn't invite anyone to it.

The only thing that is on schedule is ticks, grandson was at the cabin last night and the wife pulled two ticks off him. Living out here skeeters and ticks are an everyday thing and I don't tend to say much about them. Just a couple of days till fishing opens and I think I will be at the Lodge attending the BBQ event on opener. I don't even have the cover off the Puddle Humper so I will not be trailing a boat to the event. I am looking forward to Sunshine Ray's forecast of that eighty degree day, for sure it will rain then, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,080,250}

May 10, 2013

The town of Lake Iwanttobethere is a quiet little town tucked away on one of the bays of Lake Iwanttobethere. Normally the Friday before fishing opener would find the bell on the top of the door at Ma and Pa's Grocery store jingling away. The door would hardly have a chance to close before another customer would be coming in to pick up a grocery order to take to the cabin. Big Earl would be standing on his front sidewalk in front of the General Store wearing his orange apron holding his push broom and welcoming folks who were looking to pick up things forgotten at home. Gas-N-Go would have extra help on and every pump would have a truck or SUV towing a boat trailer fueling up. Hats with fishing lures would be the norm and you would be hard pressed to see a car without a rod tip in the back window.

Boat access would already have several empty trailers as people would be launching boats to drive back to the cabin before hitching a ride to come back for the truck and trailer. Best spots in the campgrounds would have already been taken by noon and picnic tables will have been rearrange. Trailers would be leveled and clothes lines hung from between birch trees. Small fires built in the fire rings and weathered coffee pots sitting just close enough to the coals to keep the coffee drinkable hot. After setting up camp the short walk would be made into town and acting like the tourist that they are they would check out Ma and Pa's and the Dew Drop Inn. Some would find the Middle of the Block Cafe and stop while others would go all the way to the Corner Cafe. Little Louie's Licorice and Liquor Store would do brisk business with customers walking out with brown paper bags disguising bottles while chewing on long thick licorice sticks.

Old friends would walk down the Main Street being loud but friendly. Hearing aids turn down low they would talk like old fishing partners do, pointed out things in town they have changed and a lot of things that have not. Hammering Hank and Skinny would drive by in the big work truck, a load of bagged fire wood stacked in the back. They are off to service accounts because no one comes to the lake and does not have a fire first night. The Lodge of course will be busy, sitting on top of the hill overlooking the public access and the park with the softball field. This time of year there is always a boat or two on a trailer in the parking lot. Canoes tied to roof racks and people just tend to think the Lodge is the place to find out what is happening around town.

The Lodge sits under the protection of two very large pines and the logs of the building are a hundred years old and look it. The wood screen door has a new coat of green paint but you can still see the nicks and scrapes on it. Those who have been there before know to say HIYA to the bartender and get the discount, other's will learn before they leave the lake. But today the town is quiet, just locals driving on Main Street doing daily business. A few trailers down at the campground, their owners walking the shore looking out at the ice on Lake Iwanttobethere. The extra help at the Gas-N-Go was sent home and Big Ed stands outside his store broom in hand with a clean but empty of customer's sidewalk. The town is quiet this weekend but next weekend it should be different, the ice on the lake should be gone by then, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,080,989}

May 11, 2013

The parking lot at the Lodge had the look of an outdoor winter sports show. Boats sat on trailers behind an assortment of pick up trucks and SUV's a few canoes rested on top of car carriers being held down by bright yellow rope or in one case, red straps. The big BBQ was set up near the deck and a canvas awning had been hastily tied up to cover it. Not because of rain but from the falling wind driven snow/sleet that was falling from time to time. This opener will be talked about over beer mugs and campfires for a few seasons I am guessing. Some fishermen did go and try to fish Mystery River but the wind coming off the lake was so cold and strong it was actually making waves that went up the river against the current to make things difficult for wading fishermen.

Some fishermen set up chairs and fished the small sliver of open water between the shore and the ice pack. Other cracked jokes about bring their ice fishing gear but the more they sat the more the ice fishing gear did not seem like such a far fetched idea. Back at the Lodge the parking lot slowly filled as more and more fishermen drove to the landing only to get out of their trucks and look at the ice and the docks high and dry on shore. They got back in their trucks and took the winding road up to the Lodge and parked. Gus was turning hot dogs and brats and hamburgers for those who wanted to eat. For awhile there we even had some entertainment as the local shriners seeing all the people stopped by seeking donations. One of the guys did a brief song on his bag pipes which sounded kind of Eire yet fitting for the day. He was having trouble keeping his fingers on the pipes and his kilt on his legs and cut the song short.

He got some polite applause and a few dollars stuck in his pickle jar and quickly went back to his heated front seat of his truck. Guys walked around and looked over each other's boats. Rods were taken out and new reels shown off, if the ice was gone surely there would have been talk of fish caught by the end of the day. A little sunshine would peek out from time to time and guys would look out at the lake and hope there was a break in the weather on the way. Usually with in just a few minutes you would hear the wind coming through the branches of the big pines before it hit you standing in the parking lot. Guys who were standing with their backs to the wind would kind of hunker up a little while the ones facing the wind would have their faces turn red. After a few gusts they would surrender and turn their backs to the wind.

A real blast came through and everyone was caught by surprise when ice pellets started to fall. Those who turned to look were stung by the bb sized ice, and quickly looked to find shelter behind a truck topper or the Lodge itself. The pellets fell for a minute or so then changed to rain for a minute before stopping. The lot was covered in white that melted as you watched. A few guys made the comments that this is not exactly the kind of weather one wanted to be fishing in. Elmer could be heard saying that this would make for a fine walleye chop. Having made my appearance and after shaking a few gloved hands and trading a few HIYA's I left for the Resort. There is a fire in the potbelly stove glowing there and I am half way through a book I am reading. My fishing opener should be later in the week, when the ice is gone and the sun is shinning, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,082,408}

May 14, 2013

The weather has been improving here at Lake Iwanttobethere and the ice is disappearing. Not as warm as forecasted but this morning we had some rain and that helped clean things up and now it even smells like spring around here. Sunday was of course Mother's Day and we had a bbq and everyone showed up. I spent most of my time outside either turning burgers or trying to pry out some fishing information from a brother in law who is heading up to the border for a week long paddle. I got a feeling that he and his partners are going to be spending the week in a cabin waiting for ice to go out and play a lot of cards and sleep in late. After the last of the burgers were cooked and we ran out of hot dogs I slipped through the trees and visited my neighbor Chuck. I found him out in the garage filling egg cartons with eggs and of course complaining. According to him either the chickens are not laying eggs or they are laying to many. Lately they have been laying to many and it is all because of an idea I gave him.

Seems the chickens have been sitting on the nests all day and are doing nothing, no matter how many times Chuck would go out and yell at them they would eat, sit and cluck and lay nothing. I suggested jokingly that maybe if they had some reading material they would get off the pot so to speak. Well Chuck went down to Marv's Book, Magazines and Cigar Shop and picked up some old copies of Chicks Are Us and Buff Turkey. Seems to have done the trick as the hens are now laying so many eggs that Chuck is thinking he may have to open an egg stand to get rid of the extras. Chuck showed me his full fridge and offered me an egg salad sandwich.

Yesterday was spent at the Resort, got a kaleidoscope of work to be done there. I make reference to the kaleidoscope because you can stand on the deck and see all kinds of work that needs to be done and just turn a little bit and more things appear and move a little more and even more work appears. Good thing we did not have our grand non opener as we are not ready. I helped Vic transplanting tomatoes and we also did peppers. With snow finally all gone we took a walk back to the family garden and looked it over. I think we will need to get the tractor back in to do some clearing but still to wet for that. I was back in the wood shop and a couple of picnic tables are ready for stain and the replacement wood seats for the twelve foot row boat are just about done.

Even though I do not have the boat cover off the Puddle Humper I am not in any real big hurry this year for some reason. It might have to do with the late ice out or maybe that I am just going to be a little more picky when I go fishing. I did notice that gas at the Gas-N-Go went up another nickel today and we are just under four dollars a gallon. That number has been kind of the magic number as tourists don't seem to come out this way when the gas gets that high. Not much we can do about it but I hear the Fellows have been playing around with a sail on Gary's truck. I do know they had to put a smaller mast on as the first one hit the power line that goes across Main Street to the street light. I heard Gary talking about it as an "Electrifying Experience" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,085,090}

May 15, 2013

Quiet time here at he lake, does not happen to often. Wife is at work the daughter is at work the dogs are upstairs sleeping and the cats have control of the downstairs, lying of course in the best sun warmed spots. I have the cabin stereo on loud as the wife does not let me "Crank it" when she is around. I have so much work that needs to be done around the cabin that I am just sitting and doing nothing. I don't know where to start so I have decided not to try. I could sit here and write about everything that should be done but I am sure you have Honey do lists of your own and don't need any reminder of them. Matter of fact if you are reading this I am willing to bet you are avoiding doing some kind of work yourself. I don't really think reading the tales of Lake Iwanttobethere are on any honey do list.

Looks to be a real nice day, no clouds and it is getting warm enough to put on shorts. I have to go find some of my old shorts as the wife bought me new ones and I hate them. I can see why some of the high school kids walk around town with their shorts hanging around their ankles. The new shorts have no elastic in the waist. There is just that little white rope that you are suppose to take up the slack with, well if you are a middle aged guy you have no hips and nothing to tie the rope around. I am not old enough to wear my shorts like Elmer does, with a pair of suspenders. He only does that when he is sure no one is around to see him because he looks like an silly-me and has the whitest legs this side of Whitefish Bay. So now I am thinking about shorts and I tell you someone who wears a pair of shorts the right way and that is Mindy and Mandy, but then they have curves like a country road.

Got the music loud enough in the cabin that I almost can't hear the ten o'clock freight whistle, but I can. Trees are sprouting some buds but no where close to any leaves yet. Won't be summer till we have leaves and have to strain to hear the morning freight train. Already back from morning errands in town, me and Duncan drove in with the windows cracked and took in the smells of spring. A couple of boat trailers down at the landing and a few campers in the campground. Lots of reports of ice going out fast now and even got a cell call from the brother in law saying they are finding water to paddle on. No fishing report yet, but he won't say anything till they get back and it will be "You should have been with us" if they did any good.

The days are getting longer and Hammering Hank and Skinny are using all of it. Way behind putting out docks for folks and I have picked up a few odd jobs that they can't get to and are close to the cabin for them. At the Resort we do have one dock out and last night we used the tractor to push the S.S.Mistake off the shore and into the water. We did lift the shanty off the deck and put that on shore. No sooner did we have it tied off then Vic was setting up a chair and had a bobber floating off the stern. Thinking of that maybe I should toss a line off my dock and think a little what I should start on today, after all it does not get dark till the sun goes down, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,085,460}

May 16, 2013

Pretty big announcement to make here today and now that I have your attention I have decided to give up Kit Kat candy bars. I know I know it may not be a big deal to you guys but I usually buy a Kit Kat or two every time I go down to the Gas-N-Go and buy some fuel. The money I save from not buying the Kit Kats will now go towards paying for gas. I had to run down and fill a can so I would have gas for the garden tiller and found the Reed kid standing on top of the fifteen foot wood step ladder trying to change the gas prices on the old sign. They had tried to change prices on the new digital sign but there was some kind of software problem that would not let them put a four in the dollar slot. I pulled the Dodge up alongside the pump and got out to drop the tailgate and get the five gallon can out. Old man Swenson was on the other side of the pump and we caught each other's eye. He just shook his head slowly and that is when I noticed the price of gas, 4.24 point 9

Price had jumped thirty cents over night, I unscrewed the gas cap and made sure I didn't spill any from the nozzle as I filled the can. I was thinking to myself if I skip my two kit kat bars I will save enough money to cover the increase on the five gallons of gas. I screwed the top on the can and lifted it up on the tailgate and into the truck, didn't feel any different. I headed into the Gas-N-Go and exchanged a few HIYA's with several of the guys who were sipping coffee from their Gas-N-Go endless mugs and of course the talk of the day was the gas prices. I am not one to talk to much about stuff like that as you know I have a policy about not making comments about religion, politics and mother in laws. I walked around them and up to the counter where the Reed kid was now standing. "Pump #3" and he rang up twenty-one twenty-five. I put the twenty on the counter and had to reach into my pocket for a couple of singles.

Just another sign of getting old I thought as I walked out to the Dodge. I am getting so old that I can remember buying five gallons of gas, two Kit Kats, a soda and getting change back from two singles. I took the road back to the cabin driving not too quick because quick burn's gas. I came around a bend to see a sight that always brings a smile to my face. A bicycle down the middle of the road with a fishing rod across the handle bars. Tackle box secured to the rear fender with a bungie cord and the rider wearing a baseball cap down low. I tapped the horn just enough so the Dodge gave out a little bleep like a sheep and the rider moved off to the side of the dirt road. I passed slowly as to not leave too big of a dust cloud and waved as I went by. I got a hat wave in return and saw that it was Mr. Scroggs. I stopped and he rode up alongside my drivers door and we exchanged HIYA's

No traffic so we chatted for awhile, he was coming back from fishing and had no trout for his effort. He eyed the gas can in the back of the Dodge and I told him it was for the tiller, he nodded his head and mention that is why he was riding his grandsons bike. "I don't follow" I said and Mr. Scroggs said that he saw gas prices went up so this morning so he decided to ride a bike to the fishing hole like in the old days, got to give up something he said. I offered to put the bike in the back of the Dodge and give him a ride home but he declined, said he was just getting the hang of riding a bike again. But he would take an assist if I didn't mind and with that he held onto the driver's mirror put his feet on the pedals and I gave the Dodge some gas and got up to speed. We were doing about twenty when he let go of the mirror and gave me a wave, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,087,708}

Note: yesterdays report has the phrase "Silly Me" in it, that was not me but the auto corrector, I would never say Silly Me

May 17, 2013

Volunteer fire department meeting at the Lodge last night. A good turn out as no one was fishing it being so breezy out. Brief meeting as we have been pretty lucky so far this spring, one small grass fire that was quickly put out at the expense of three Hamms beers that just happen to be close at hand when one of the Fellows spotted a small fire along side a ditch. There was a round of applause for the Fellow who put out the fire and then a motion was made that all volunteer firefighters should be issued a six pack of Hamms to carry in their vehicle for just such an emergency. The motion was tabled for further review when it was noted that everyone does have a fire extinguisher already issued to them.

Fire danger sign is at high here in the county but volunteer firefighter Sunshine Ray gave us a forecast for rain for most everyday of the next week. If we can avoid lightning strikes in the next few days we should be OK as Ray is forecasting as much as a half an inch of rain a day. Since the firefighters come from all around the lake it was also a good time to share ice conditions as we still do have some ice on a few bays. Not a lot but still enough that you can't get a boat through. To close the meeting names were tossed in a hat and Nytelyter was selected to climb up on the roof and test the fire siren with the hand crank. It was found out earlier in the day that the wire to the siren had been chewed through by a squirrel, the smoking remands of the squirrel were found by Gus taking a smoke break outside.

With Nytelyter named as the lucky winner he donned his gear and a ladder was placed on the North eve for him to climb. Now Nytelyter is a pretty good size guy and as we all know he enjoys a good brisket from time to time. He also might have one of the most used fire fighters coats as it is rumored he does his BBQing in it. The rescue squad came up with the idea that they should also try out their new air bag so while Nytelyter was making the walk across the roof to the siren they took the ladder down and inflated their new used air bag. The crank was turned on the siren and turned for the required one minute with a slight pause and then cranked for another thirty seconds. Nytelyter stowed the crank and headed to the edge of the roof where the ladder was. The guys on the bullhorn didn't even have to tell him to jump, he just walked right off the roof and landed on his back in the center of the air bag, Some of us might have acted a little surprised on just how well that went. Nytelyter pulled his air mask off and was helped from the bag. He had that kind of look on his face that you get when you are surprised.

Meeting was deemed a success and the group broke up, some guys headed back home while others headed inside the Lodge for a cold one. A few more guys sat on tailgates and chatted and the rescue guys tried to figure how to fold their air bag up small enough to get it back in the storage bag. In the Lodge I bought Nytelyter a beer, on the house of course and told him he made a very good jump. Sipping the beer and looking around Nytelyter leaned into me and said "I was looking for the ladder and walked off the roof, but that is between you and me, OK?" I nodded and we gave each other a subtle head nod, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,089,441}

May 18, 2013

Today finds me sitting in a booth here at the Resort, well actually inside the main room at the Club House. The ride into the Resort was smooth and cool as the thermometer on the Tahoe rear view mirror was reading a damp forty-one degrees and I had the windows open but the heater on. The oldest daughter is taking an overnight trip to the big cites and her black lab Buster is spending the weekend with me. I brought him along for the ride and to check out the resort. He is ten and is the family pet so he does a lot of hiking but very little hunting. Always at the side of the youngest grand daughter so being out here with me is like being out on the town with the boys. Duncan stayed back at the cabin as we, me and Buster need a little quiet time and Duncan and Buster together, well it is anything but quiet.

With spring finally here and summer not too far away it is hard to keep up what is going on around the lake. Even though I am not always writing about the Resort things are getting done here. The ride in this morning is an example, there are no pot holes or is there any standing water on the road into the Resort. A couple of things came together for that to happen. Awhile back the local road guy from the county was by and mention that there might be some class five spillage in my area. Funny thing there that a familiar face pulled up to the Club House driving a big flippin corn binder tandem axle with two tag axles. six speed auto with an auto jake brake, fellow Lodge Member and firefighter Nytelyter. He rolled into the resort and climbed down from the cab and asked if we had a bathroom. I told him of course we do and in passing he said don't hit that button with the post it note on it that says hit me and walked into the Club House.

Well of course you know what I did, I hit the button and dang if that entire load of class five just kind of dumped out of that truck, imagine that. A few minutes later Nytelyter came out the door with a coffee cup and Vic in his wake. Looking at the pile of rock he declared it an accident and got on his radio to call Frank the plow driver. Frank must have been really close as a moment later the grader appeared, blade down. Frank pulled to a stop and turning off the grader he open the glass door and climbed down from the cab. Holding his big coffee mug out he said "I hear you have coffee" and Vic waved him to follow him back inside the Club House. Not five minutes later the county road guy appeared in his pickup, He got out with a clipboard in his hands and a pink form hanging from it. He nodded his head at me and looked at the pile of class five on the ground. "Hmmm, looks like a spillage" and started writing with a yellow #2 pencil on the form.

As he made notes on the form he walked around the pile and looked over the circle drive of the Resort and came back to me. "Bobby I have a question and a suggestion for you" He said. I stood with my thumbs in my side pockets of my work bibs and said "Fire away" The county guy looking out over the drive said "First off you are going to need more "Spillage" and second the county is looking for a turn around for the school bus, this might just work if you let us fill in a few low spots and clean up that washboard entrance road." Well I went through the motions that I was thinking it over and signed the pink form that gave the county the permission. County guy asked if I had any coffee and I pointed him towards Vic who was standing in the doorway. Nytelyer climbed back into his truck and headed out and Frank climbed up into his cab and looked down at me, "Well Bobby we will be seeing more of each other" he said. "How's that" I replied. Frank starting the grader yelled over the engine noise and said "I have to plow the bus turnaround in the winter you know, no charge" I smiled back and said "I know" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,090,493}

May 19, 2013

Saturday turned out to be a pretty lazy rainy afternoon. Buster and I took a walk around the property and I told him some of the things we were planning to do down the road. As all labs seem to be Buster is a good listener. I would stop from time to time and point out things to Buster who always stopped and looked at where I was pointing and then back to me. His tail was wagging most of the time so I am thinking he agreed with my, well the guy's ideas. We made stops at the wood shop and also at the pole barn to get out of the occasional rain showers that fell. Our last stop was at the old garden where several robins were sitting on the fence posts watching the garden like guards at a prison exercise yard.

We went through the double doors of the Club House and Buster wiped his paws off on the rug, I kicked my boots off and put my Resort slippers on. Buster set off exploring and Vic was sitting in the first leather booth with a mess of tomato plants on the table. I had to stop for a moment and tried to recall the tune in the air coming from the Wurlitzer Jukebox up against the wall. Polka music, Vic had polka music playing softly. I just looked at Vic and he grinned back a me and reaching behind a bag of potting soil he pulled out a glass mug of beer and toasted me. The timing could not have been better as Roll out the Barrel was now playing on the Wurlitzer.

I don't think I mentioned that the Club House has a Wurlitzer, a working model 1015 Bubbler that Vic had in storage and that Hammering Hank and Skinny had moved back to the Club House. It is not played to much as Vic has it loaded with Polka records but I have seen Elmer and Marv drop nickels in to it. Then I have watched Vic with a grin on his face retrieve the coins from the cash box as he has the only key to open it. I opened the cooler behind the bar and pulled out a Mountain Dew, the pop of the can was loud and I took a sip before I walked around the bar and made my way to the booth. I slid across the leather seat and sat close to the window where drops of rain were chasing each other down the glass. Vic was giving each tomato plant a little sip of beer before sticking long straws into the pots and using bread bag ties to hold the tomatoes to the straws, just giving them something to lean on is how Vic describe it.

We spent most of the afternoon just chatting and I eventually got roped into sticking straws into pots and securing the plants to them. Buster reappeared and found a place on the floor to go to sleep and Vic would pat him on the head every time he walked by. Sitting with the table now cleared of plants I told Vic I think that he needs a dog. Vic looking out the widow said he sure does miss his old dogs Butter and Scotch and then just as quickly said he was too old for a dog now. I joined him, looking out the widow at the falling rain and an idea was starting to take shape.

Just then I could hear the outside screen door of the Club House bang close and then the handle on the inside door turned and in came Skinny and Hammering Hank. Both of them look like wet puppies and if I was guessing I would say they had been out putting docks in and I would be right. We exchange some small talk and they told me they were just here to get some dry clothes and then they were off to the Bacon Platter Diner, Skinny had some coop-ons. Asked if me and Vic wanted to go with and they didn't have to ask twice. Bacon Platter is kind of a spendy place but if Skinny had Coop-ons I was in. I figured Buster would be OK by himself and Vic and I headed for the Tahoe, already I was thinking about what I was going to order. Maybe a Bacon and Bacon sandmich or a Bacon with extra Bacon Bacon Burger. I'll let you know how it turned out, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,091,799}

May 20, 2013

I am beginning to think that the older one gets the more one enjoys saving money using a Coop-en. I know most people pronounce it coupon but up here at Lake Iwanttobethere the proper pronunciation is Coop-en and if you go into a local business and say HIYA and show your Coop-en you get an extra discount on top of all of it. Something only the locals know about and very few tourists unless they come here more then a few times. Saturday evening I went to the Bacon Platter Diner with Vic, Hammering Hank and Skinny. Skinny had some Coop-ens that he got from the owner of the Bacon Platter, Big Daddy when putting his dock in. We all drove down to the Platter in the Tahoe and I could swear that I could already smell bacon in the truck. I asked the guys if anyone else could smell bacon and Skinny held up the Coop-ens in his hand and took a sniff. "Cool, the coop-ens even smell like bacon" Skinny said.

The Bacon Platter Diner used to be a steak house but the owner Big Daddy a few years back decide to do away with the steaks and feature bacon. Rumor has it business was not all that great when you could sit at the window booths and see cows in the field next door. Now the Bacon Platter has bacon and good coffee, two smells that just go together like peanut butter and jelly. The four of us walked into the diner and the smell of coffee and bacon was thick in the air. We found a booth that was close to the grill that is in the center of the diner. A waitress came over with a big beehive hairdo and horn rimmed glasses with four steaming coffee mugs shaped like pigs feet and asked if she could start us off with a bacon strip appetizer platter. We all looked at each other and Vic asked if we each get our own platter or do we have to share?

The waitress returned with two hands balancing a large platter and told us she would start us with one of them and if we wanted another to just squeeze the little plastic piggy toy on the table to get her attention. She put the platter on the table and we saw bacon in a new light as before us divided on the platter with little signs were Baked Potato Skin with Bacon and Cheese, Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bits, Bacon-Wrapped Bananas with Apricot Glaze, Bacon Mushroom Appetizers, Duck Breast with Bacon-Pineapple, Peanut Butter, Scallion, and Bacon on wheat crackers, Bacon Appetizer Crescents some Bacon and Cheddar Devilled Eggs. A pile of Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Shrimp and a mess of Bacon and Cream Cheese Roll-Ups. We all sampled one of everything and then we focus on our favorites till the platter was cleared.

When the time came to order Hammering Hank went with the Bacon wrapped grilled Elk backstrap and Skinny had the Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich. Vic and I just ordered another platter of appetizers. For desert we had Bacon pie and just settled back in our booth and drank some coffee until we could finally move. Big Daddy himself came over to the table and asked us how our meal was and then asked Hammering Hank if he could stop by and give him a bid on some dock work. We paid our bill and used the coop-ens and left a nice tip in the piggy bank on the counter. Big Daddy said thanks and sent us on our way with a bag of oatmeal and raisin with bacon bit cookies for the road, no charge. Sunday morning I woke up with bacon burps and the sound and smell of bacon sizzling in the kitchen, I had cereal instead, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,092,780}

May 21, 2013

Elmer and Chuck and myself started training this morning getting ready for Hollering Days here at Lake Iwanttobethere. The weekend of June 21st is the town's Hollering Days which just happens to be a three day weekend followed by Hush Week. Long before cell phones or telephone's neighbors would Holler at each other across their forty's to just say hello or to tell them their cows are out of the fence. We are a month away from the contest weekend so I stepped out on the deck and sent Elmer a Holler and he sent me one back. Chuck hearing the hollering was out getting eggs so he hollered back at the both of us. I thought I did a pretty good job for a first day holler but then I have the advantage of having grand kids around.

Three weeks into May and I am wearing a heavy flannel shirt and sweat pants and a fire is burning in the fireplace. That should be reason enough to holler as this is turning into one long wet and cold spring. Been raining the past few days and not the warm kind that you look forward to. No this is the chilly rain that finds it's way into everything and makes fishing miserable and camping trips short. Winds have let up some today but they have been snapping branches off and taking the weak shingles off the roofs. Main garden here looks like it is almost ready to plant rice and yesterday a few ducks landed in it. Duncan sitting on the swing with the canopy saw the ducks and jumped from the swing to the deck to the ground and ran them off. He came trotting back covered in mud with a smug "Did you see what I did look" about him. Buddy also saw the ducks but stayed on the deck and just barked a few times and stayed clean.

I have yet to drop the trailer onto the ball of the Tahoe and go fishing. Normally by this time of the season I would have been out a few times. In my defense we have had late ice and the wind and rain to blame. Gas prices are not yet to blame but when I go to fill the Tahoe and the Puddle Humper I will be Hollering a few choice words. I should have a few fishing stories written by now and at least one adventure but nothing to report. Even fishing off the dock has been poor and not even Elmer or Marv have been seen sitting on the end of Elmer's dock. Come to think of it Barney has been spending more time in the cabin then on the dock so that is a pretty good indicator that fishing season is not really here just yet.

Now there was another reason why I remember that Hollering Days are just a month away and that is today is my, or I guess it is better if I say my wife and mine wedding anniversary I know it is today because the wife wrote it down on the desk calendar here and put a big circle around it. Thirty-six years we have been married and I am reminded at least once a week by the wife how good I have it. Last evening I went down to Diggers Garden Center and bought her thirty-six strawberry plants. They cost more than roses but I am looking to get some berries out of the deal, At my age one should be practical with their gifts. I put all the plants on the floor of her Jeep so when she left for work this morning she would find them, That will give her all day to think of something useful to buy me on the way back home, as least that is the plan. Of course I did leave a fishing catalog in the front seat with some lures circled just in case she needs an idea or two, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,093,922}

May 22, 2013

Rumor has it that it is going to stop raining later today and a good chance the sun will be out tomorrow and we will start to dry out. That is what Sunshine Ray is saying but that might be because he had his back up against the hall wall in the Lodge where several fishermen had cornered him. With Memorial weekend coming the town could use a sunny, dry weekend. Pretty slow going as the campground is half full but should be full, hardly any tent campers as no one wants to spend an entire week living and cooking under a rain fly. Mindy and Mandy were at the Lodge yesterday dropping off our order of Lake Iwanttobethere Root Beer and I cut this week's order in half. Need some warmer days to drive sales up even though we still sell to tourists who want to sample the root beer

Car wash sits empty, no one needing to wash their boats or trucks with this steady rain. Marv's Magazine & Smoke Shop is doing a good business, might be the only place in town that is. The idea of having couches and chairs for customers to relax in has turned into a good one. Rain has not been all that bad now that I think about it, it has taken care of the lake ice and the rivers and creeks are all flowing high. Trees have started to bud and some have even started to leaf out. Golf course finally looks like a golf course as the grass had turned a deep rich green. Every morning rain or shine, the seagulls arrive around seven in the morning to march across the softball field in search of anything edible. The deer I have seen at dusk are looking a little heather, not so raged as they were looking the beginning of the month. I see them checking my garden to see if I have planted or not. Even saw a bee yesterday flying like a Huey, slow and lumbering in search of flowers.

The old goose has not shown up on my shoreline this year. Makes me wonder if that new mate of his has led him to another, better patch of shoreline. The wife made the comment that he probably became a dinner on someone's table but I prefer to think he is just with that younger honker on another bay. Chuck has but one mallard that made it through the winter and he looks like he has no intentions of going anywhere. He leaves the pen to go swim in the small pond and has been entertaining a few lady friends. They fly in, spend a day or two and then move on, not a bad deal for a single, unattached guy. Echo the wonder dog sits at Chuck's side under the roof on his porch and watches the comings and goings of the ducks. Not much she can do, no sooner does she come off the porch then the chickens scatter and the ducks swim to the center of the pond. Echo will make the rounds checking the horses who snort at her when she gets underfoot and wait till she has moved on before going back to tugging at the hay.

Going to head down to see Big Earl at the General Store this morning. Have some fencing I need to pick up for the garden at the Resort. Might as well get it on another rain day so when it finally does get nicer out I will have what I need on hand. May just have to fish a few days in a row as the ground will be to wet to work and grass to wet to mow. You can see I am already talking myself into going fishing instead of working. Also have to finish up work on that twelve foot row boat, going to need that at the Resort, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,094,928}

May 23, 2013

The steady rain/drizzle never did really let up yesterday. The new wiper's blades that I bought just a month ago I think are starting to wear out. Now that is a sure sign that we have had enough rain. I don't see how we can be in a drought any more when I broke three shovels this winter and I am already thinking about replacing wiper blades again. I did find an open parking space right in front of Big Earl's General Store and just a few splatters of rain hit my hat as I made my way in. Surprising Big Earl was not at the door but I found him in the main aisle tending to his chicks. His baby chicks are held in hundred gallon metal water tanks under heat lamps. He was busy catching a few to put in a small cardboard box that was being sold to a lady. I made my way around him and we exchanged HIYA's.

Junior was working back in hardware and he told me my fencing was back on the loading dock waiting and I nodded and went to the nail bins. Nails are still sold here at Big Earl's like they always have been. Along the wall are metal bins of bulk nails, screws and what I was looking for, fencing nails. I picked up a heavy paper bag and found the fencing nails down near the end. I then went back and found a claw which looks like hand garden cultivator to scrape the nails into a coffee can and then dump the can into my paper bag. Trying to pick up nails with your hand can be done but sooner or later you find the pointed ends of the nails and especially drywall screws are sharp and your hands are not as tuff as you think. I filled the bag about halfway and the took it to the scale. I took the carpenter's pencil that was hanging by a piece of twine and wrote on the bag the weight and price per pound.

Barb was clerking and she rang up my nails and added the total to my fence order and hollered back to Junior that I was on my way back to get my order. Big Earl came up and I looked at him and pointed at the intercom. "Turned it off" Big Earl said "Need the practice for the Hollering contest" I nodded, made sense. I headed back out the door and Big Earl followed me and stood under the awning as I got into the Dodge. We exchanged waves and I drove around to the loading door where Junior was standing on the dock. I backed up and Junior knocked over the two big rolls of wire into the bed of the Dodge, I tapped the horn and was on my way.

Thinking a hot cider with a little kick might be in order I drove to the Lodge and parked in my spot. I noticed a couple of the fellow's trucks were in the lot and one of them was hiding something under a blue tarp. Going in through the back door I made sure to wipe my boots off as Gus was watching me from behind the swinging kitchen door. I exchanged a round of HIYA's and of course the "Wet enough for ya" comment from a few of the guys. I took my hot cider over to the big round table where a few of the Fellows were hard at work drawing something out on the yellow think pad of paper. I sat down next to Gary and we nodded and I ask what they are up today. Gary pausing from his figuring took a sip of Hamms and said they are working on an electric truck!

Sipping on my cider I thought to myself, what the heck. I'll bite. "Electric truck eh. Good idea with the price of gas like it is down at the Gas-N-Go." Steve looked up and said "We have been working on this idea for a couple of beers, with the price of gas we figure we would make an electric truck since we see them car ads on TV all the time." I looked at Tiny and said "So how is it going so far" Tiny had a frown on his face and said "Well we got two portable generators in my truck but we are having some problems with securing the motors to the drive train" I nodded and held my hot cider in my hands, fingers were warming up nicely. I thought about my next question and figured I would just go ahead and ask the Fellows. "So, you going to use extension cords for your electricity?" Gary and Steve looked at each other and rolled their eyes and Gary looked back at me and said " Da, we have gas powered generators" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,096,733}

May 24, 2013

For most of you who read this you know we sometimes do things a little differently here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Seeing a snowplow on the school bus is common in the winter here but I hear is unusual elsewhere. Another thing that is different here is our school does not always have early school release but instead they have late school starts. Yesterday was one of those planned late school starts and the kids were dropped off here by their parents so I could watch them till it was time to bring them to school. I heard the slamming screen door and back packs hitting the kitchen floor from the bedroom. Dogs barking and cats running upstairs to hide under beds. I pulled the covers over my head and just tried to ignore them but a minute later the #2 grandson was hitting me in the head with a pillow telling me it was time to get up.

Putting on slippers I shuffled down to the kitchen just as the wife was pulling on her coat, before I could say anything she looked at me and said "You don't remember, I have that meeting" and with that she was out the door and gone. Yawing I looked at the four grand kids and said "Morning" that was a mistake as they all started talking at once. I heard a couple of "What's for breakfast" comments and then the oldest grand daughter told me I needed to get dressed. Because I had promised to take them all out for breakfast on the next late start and today was that day. With the help of number two grandson I made my way back to the bedroom and I really don't remember this promise of breakfast but I have learned that little kids remember everything, especially little girls.

Twenty minutes later give or take we were all in the Tahoe driving into town. I started asking where we should have breakfast at, The Lodge, Sunshine Cafe, Dew Drop Inn maybe Amy's Bakery for donuts, Nope, nope they kept saying, You know where we want to go. "The Corner Cafe maybe the Middle of the block Cafe?" I asked. I looked in the mirror and saw heads shaking side to side, no. I was thinking maybe the Bacon Platter but I didn't say that out loud instead I said "I know, you want to go to the Chicken Shack" Number one grandson spoke up and said " Papa you know where we want to go, stop teasing us" and with that he pushed his glasses up off his nose and looked out the side window. "Ok, OK I'll take you there" and the Tahoe got quiet as they all sat in their car seats and played the counting fishing boat's game.

A few minutes later and we turned into a parking lot and I pulled into a space just down from the front door and right in front of the big sign for the "In Your Face, the Breakfast Place" Kids jumped out of the truck and doors slammed and I followed them inside. I was not alone as I saw a few fellow Lodge members who had their grand kids with them sitting at small tables looking over the adult menus that were a third of the size of the kid's menus. The In Your Face Place is Lake Iwanttobethere version of a yuppie hangout, lots of finger food and caramel latte. Does a good tourist business but the local kids think it is a breakfast joint just for them. I ordered a double plate of French toast and it came already all cut up for me with a little bowl of dipping syrup. I pushed that aside and pulled out a bottle of Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup from my pocket and smothered the little squares of toast. Not a bad idea and I winked at the granddaughter who winked back at me. That got me thinking if she was winking back at me because I winked at her or because she had tricked me, from Lake Iwanttobethere have a great weekend! {1,097,805}

May 26, 2013

Silent Sunday here at Lake Iwanttobethere even though it is not really that quiet. Am spending the long weekend here at the Resort and the weather has been better then the opening of fishing weekend was but it is still cool. We have not yet celebrated our grand non opening but we figure that this weekend would be a pretty good test run. We have been busy since we bought the place, with all the work that has been done to the Club House and the out buildings and the newly graded road the place is starting to look like a resort again. Docks are out and the S.S.Mistake actually looks better floating in the water then resting on the ice. A lot of brush has been removed and paths cleared to the cabins. Three of them which are housing guests this weekend. Marv's Airstream trailer is in spot #1 with a buffer of trees separating it from spot #2 where the Fellows have their hunting trailer parked at.

Marv is in the kitchen and he and Vic are making potato salad and egg salad as the featured items for this weekends menu. Kids are fishing off the docks using worms that they brought from home. Bluegills have been doing a pretty good job of taking a bite out of their inventory. To the grand kids the resort is an escape for them, new beds to sleep in new trails to run on and adventures to be discovered. The Fellows came to the resort prepared, pulling their hunting trailer behind the ¾ ton pickup truck with the topper. Two canoes lashed to the top of the topper and two big propane tanks resting on the back bumper. They backed the entire rig into the space and set up camp, nothing unusual about that but I thought keeping the snowplow on the truck might be a tad of bad luck.

Early afternoon here finds the deer jumping over the log thermometer's red needle at fifty-five in the shade. Some wind coming off the little bay and it is better to be standing in the sun out of the breeze. Robins are everywhere and a flight of Bluebirds came through acting like the bullies they are. Hammering Hank and Skinny went fishing but not till they raided the kitchen to make a lunch. One of the items we have on the Resort limited menu is bologna sandwiches. In one of our group meeting it was discussed what we should have on our lunch menu was a bologna sandwich because no one can remember going someplace and being able to order a bologna sandwich. I happen to be in the kitchen when they took fresh Kaiser rolls that Marv had baked, sliced then open and inserted thick slices of bologna that we had ordered from Ma and Pa's Grocery. After that Skinny went one way with his and Hank another with his. Hank smeared Mayo on his bun with mustard and a few leafs of lettuce. Skinny used butter and sliced up a dill pickle and wedge in some cheese that he sliced from a block of cheddar. They both had to double wrap the thick sandwiches.

Elmer was spending time over at Big Earl's fire pit as he was in the Bear Cabin and they had a cooler close at hand and from time to time you could hear Earl's booming laff through the trees. I was just sitting out on the deck with the laptop jotting down a few lines from time to time and enjoying the sunshine and some peace and quiet. Had a view of the bay and kids leaning over the edge of the dock looking into the water, watching their bobbers. Fish are there, as Barney is sitting at the end of the dock watching the water with the kids. Bud is sleeping at my feet and Duncan is running the grounds with Chuck's dog Echo. Ladies are no where to be seen, they left awhile ago to hit some rummage sales down the road. I laced my fingers behind by head and close my eyes to the bright sunshine and think this is the way a weekend is supposed to be. Then my number one grandson comes up to me and says "I think the toilet is plugged" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,099,168}

May 28, 2013

I have totally given up about writing about the weather, mostly because this spring it has not changed any from the day before. Another day here with an overcast sky, a little breeze and Sunshine Ray has rain in the forecast. Would like to know where the sunny sixty plus days of spring are because they are not here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Now having said I was not going to write about the weather I have gone ahead and wrote about the weather, because we will always have the weather to talk and write about. When you are stuck in that awkward moment with an old girlfriend or relative that you have not seen in years or can't remember their name there is always the weather to fall back on. If I was a betting man I would venture a wager that already today your opening comment to someone was either, Cold enough for ya? Wet enough for ya? I hear it is going to rain or Some Spring eh!

Duncan is here with me at the Resort today, grand kids all went back home last night as they have school today. Wife took Buddy and Barney back with her and Duncan stayed with me as we have a day planned in the garden. Yesterday for a few hours we dragged the chipper up to the garden plot and the kids raked piles of leaves up and then we sent them through the chipper. Kids are still at the age where raking leaves can be fun and they ran out of worms fishing off the dock. Vic told them they used to pick worms in the garden so it was not too hard to convince them that the worms were still there. They did find some crawlers and most of the garden was cleaned before they took the coffee can and headed back to the dock. Today I need to work on the fence and maybe I will get the tiller up there and start turning some ground.

Resort is quiet, Fellows left their trailer in spot #2 and their canoes are pulled up on the small beach down by the docks. Big Earl was up and gone before dawn as he likes to get an early start down at the store. He was going to leave last night but we had a bonfire going and he stayed late. Vic is around, big smile on his face and spring in his step. Today is the day after Memorial Day and here at Lake Iwanttobethere it also means that the mail and the morning newspaper are now delivered by boat. The mailboxes out on the road are not used again till the end of summer and some are left open and robins take advantage of them by building their nests in them. That has happen to me a few times in the past.

Yesterday afternoon we brought Vic down to the shore and everyone gathered around for a surprise. Tied off to the dock was the twelve foot rowboat all polished with new wood seats and a sparkling white Clinton outboard hanging off it's stern. Gas tank was filled and a rod holder bolted to the side. We told Vic as the caretaker of the Resort it is his job to get the mail and since he will no longer be able to walk to the mailbox he is going to have to take the rowboat to the main lake to pick up the mail and newspaper. If he happens to get some fishing in well that is just fine with the rest of us. Mark the mailman and Jessie the paperboy don't make the trip into the bay as we are the only ones back in here but Skinny and Hammering Hank have gone out and stuck a mailbox off the point in the main lake right where the channel starts. Vic's job will be to take the rowboat out through the channel to the mail box and pick up our mail, a daily excuse to get in the boat and fish. Vic has already checked the box twice today, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,101,061}

May 29, 2013

Gas prices are down this morning by a few pennies a gallon, not enough so that I can buy a Kit Kat but at least they are not going up! Needed to fill the gas can for the garden tiller and also needed gas for the lawn tractor. Garden area at the Resort is cleared enough so that I ran the tiller across to break up some of the grass yesterday. With rain in the forecast I will come back and really till it deep and maybe start planting next week. I dragged the tiller up using the cart behind the garden tractor so I ended up doing some mowing. It has been awhile since the grounds have been mowed and I found a few surprises buried in the old grass. Didn't break anything so that is always good but it is going to take a few mowing before we get it to look anything like a yard.

Travel between the cabin, Resort and the Lodge has me driving more than what I usually do. I have noticed the grass is getting greener and the trees are really popping leaves in the past few days. Maples are still bare, they just take longer. Yesterday was a busy wildlife day as it started off with me and Duncan driving down to the Lodge and having to stop and wait on the access road for a goose to cross. Duncan who was sitting in the front seat of the Tahoe and looking out the side window was facing the wrong way when I rolled to a stop. He turned his head and looked at me with a "Why are we stopping look" and then spotted the goose strolling in front of the Tahoe. With his head wedge between the windshield and the dash he followed the goose with his eyes and whined and watched it cross the road and walk onto the grass of the shoulder. I gave the truck gas and Duncan retreated to the back of the Tahoe watching the goose through the back door windows. When the goose was out of sight he made his way back to the front seat, sat down and gave me a sigh and just stared at me like I did something wrong.

At the Resort Vic had a front row seat to some wildlife action of his own. As he was over at cabin number three doing a inspection and looked out the back bedroom window just in time to watch a doe in the high grass give birth to a fawn. The doe did not notice him behind the glass, I am thinking she was busy at the time. Vic told me how the little fawn got up and fell twice before finally standing upright. Vic said he snuck out the front door and went to the Club House for his camera and made it back but the doe and her fawn were gone. Vic had a pretty big smile on his face at having seen the event and was enjoying telling anyone who would listen about it. Now that we know that fawns are dropping we will have to keep an eye on the young dogs Duncan and Echo so they don't get into any trouble.

Not to be out done there was also wildlife adventures going on over at Chuck's. His girlfriend has been doing a lot of sprucing up around the place. Old flower beds are being planted with flowers and new beds are being put in. The trouble lies with the free range chickens that Chuck has. I was told by Chuck that the rooster has four hens that follow him around the property and his girlfriend refers to them as a "Gang" the rooster and his gang are being blamed for going into the new flower beds and dusting themselves while tearing up her flower beds. The girlfriend has strongly suggested that Chuck do something about the "Gang" in which Chuck is complaining you can't just pick on those five birds when there are fifteen more birds probably doing the same thing. Nevertheless the GF wants all the birds penned or she wants the gang bird's id in some way and if he won't do something she will. I bring this up because this morning I saw the rooster being followed by three pink hens and the GF chasing another hen with a squirt gun, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,102,435}

May 30, 2013

Fog is thick here at Lake Iwanttobethere this morning, some heavy rain fell overnight at least that is what I am guessing. Deck is wet and the water bowl for the dogs is full and the rain barrels are leaking from around the top. Was going to finish mowing here at the cabin but with the wet grass looks like that will not get done today. Yesterday I did get the push mowing done on the hillside and I know that I am in no way near to mid summer mowing shape. It didn't take too much mowing for me to take a break and check on how Barney was doing watching my rod on the end of the dock. Some dogs may be hunters and some dogs are fishermen I am lucky enough to have one of each. Barney is the fishermen as he will patiently sit on the end of the dock and watch my bobber, if it goes down then he will bark, I can tell by the bark if I need to hurry back to the dock or if I am just getting a nibble. I walked up on the dock and Barney looked up from the bobber he was watching and just gave me a quick look and was back staring into the water. I stood alongside and rubbed his ear and we both watched for awhile, then I went back to mowing.

Have been trying to get Duncan interested in fishing but he would rather run then sit. He protects the bird feeders from Edd and Eddie the squirrels and makes half hearted attempts to keep the sparrows away. A couple of blue jays have decided the bird feeders are theirs and as I was taking another mowing break I watched as Duncan would run them off only to have them come back a minute later. I could hear hollering coming from over at Chuck's during one of the mowing breaks, I figured they were getting some practice in till I saw the Chuck's girlfriend Sam chasing the gang of pink chickens around the hay wagon only to be heading the other way a few minutes later with the rooster chasing her. I thought there was only four hens in the gang but I counted six pink hens following the rooster, I think the gang is growing. Chuck seeing that I was mowing came over with a folding chair and set it up at the top of the hill so he could sit and watch me mow. When I saw him I took another mowing break and sat down on the bench.

Chuck in his folding chair and me on the bench we just sat for awhile saying nothing. Overcast sky and it was feeling humid out. Lake was not totally flat as there were a few small ripples washing up on shore. Barney was sitting on the edge of the dock trying to look under the dock as the bobber was slowly being washed back towards shore. Duncan came up from the bird feeder and after getting petted from Chuck laid down at my feet, one paw resting on top of my foot so I could not get up with out him knowing. With that he took a puppy nap and I thought that a nap on the newly cut grass is not a bad way at all of spending some down time.

Chuck looking back towards his place checking to see if the coast was clear reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of cigars. I just happen to have a lighter and we soon had some smoke drifting over our heads. He is not supposed to be smoking, Doc Burriems suggestion and the girlfriends new favorite pet peeve. I have been good at cutting back myself but it was the kind of afternoon that time for a cigar could be made. Ten minutes into our cigar break we could hear some more hollering and Echo, the wonder dog game flying across the grass pass us and towards the dock. Duncan woke up and gave chase, Chuck and I just looked at each other and said nothing. A moment later and we could hear someone coming down the path behind us, I was figuring it was Sam but no it was Tatter, Chucks big dog who seldom leaves the property. Tatter came over and tried to climb up on the bench with me but settled for a few good pats on the side. I turned and asked Chuck if he was going to go check on what was going on at his place, Chuck just blew a smoke ring in the air that we both admired and simply said "Nope" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,104,026}

May 31, 2013

First the good news, gas went down a dime yesterday at the Gas-N-Go and last night we had a thunderstorm which washed all of my trucks off for me and the gardens are about as soft as they are going to get. Of course on the other side of the coin the gardens are so soft that I can't get out and till them with out making a chocolate pudding mess out of them. Grass is growing like it knows I can't mow it and we found a few more low spots at the resort that we are going to have to bring some more dirt in. I did have this plan on tilling up gardens and have the grand kids do the planting this weekend. Since they are closer to the ground then I am it will be easier for them to do all the bending and reaching. Guess that is not going to happen but they have only one more week of school so it will get done sooner or later.

I did get a lot of work done yesterday as I put in a few posts and did some concrete work, a little sidewalk patching and had a fire going most of the day in the fire pit. Brush pile took a big hit as every time I walked by I took some of the pile to the pit. I was waiting all day for it to rain and an excuse to stop working outside but the rain held off till after dark and then it poured. I did some tree trimming on the apple trees and they are starting to leaf out. The new apple trees and the two fruit trees are also budding so they have officially made it through the winter. I think we are good on rain for awhile so anytime the sun wants to come out and warm things up I am all for it.

Some of my tools have found there way over to the Resorts wood shop and of course I needed them back here at the cabin. I took the drive over to the Resort and picked up my concrete trowels and spotted Vic trolling his way back to the dock. I walked down to the dock to wait for him when I heard the Clinton sputter to a stop and saw the bow in Vic's rod. Vic had one hand on a oar in the water and the other hand was trying to keep his rod tip high. From where I was it looked like he was trying to turn the boat in the direction he had just come from. I stood on the dock and stuck my hands in my pocket and watched as Vic battled something on his line. He was far enough away that I could not tell if he had a fish or a branch on. Didn't look like a snag and the weeds have not started to grow yet in our little bay. I was going to yell out to him but I remember him saying that the air cooled Clinton is so loud that he just turns his hearing aids off. He knows how well the engine is running by the vibration in the seat of his pants.

I see a fish jump and land back in the calm water with splash that echoes back at me. A single cuss word floats back at me and I see Vic turn in my direction and just raise his hands holding his rod with slack line dangling from it. Vic reels the line in and then does not bother trying to start the Clinton instead he slides the other oar over the side into the water and pulling on both heads in my direction. I sit down on the dock bench and wait for him to cover the water between us. It takes a few minutes but Vic pulls up his oars and glides into the dock, a small vee wave cut from the bow in the water spreading out behind him. "HIYA" I say and Vic just looks at me. "HIYA" again I say and Vic turns on his hearing aid and says "HIYA" to me. "Lost em eh" I say as I look out at the water. Vic tosses me a length of rope and points at the dock cleat. I catch the rope and drop the loop around the cleat and Vic pulls the rowboat close to the dock. Vic then says "Biggest fish I almost caught today" and I see the grin on his face and I know I gotta go fishing, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,104,877}

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Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

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