Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

July 12, 2013

Today finds me swinging in my hammock trying to figure a way to convert an old truck a/c unit to cool the wood shop. I have an idea but it may or may not work. Yesterday we actually got all the work planned completed. With six riding lawn mowers the place looks like a golf course before a golf tournament. We all met in the main room of the Club House and Vic doing his best General Patton impression had a drawing of the Resort on the Great Table. Using a stalk of celery he pointed out our assignments for mowing. With pats on our back he sent us out to mount our mowers and "Attack the green" as he refereed to the mowing battle plan.

The Fellows also wanted to get in on the assault and brought with them an assortment of gas powered weed wackers. Some of them may have not been used in awhile and I think their wives would have been surprised to see that they still even ran. Ear plugs were a plus as the Fellows had also brought Gary's lawn tractor with since he didn't have a weed wacker. The muffler on the tractor had long ago rusted off and with just a straight pipe we had no problem knowing where Gary and his mower were. The "Green plan" called for us to first mow ditches and trails and then form up as a group and mow the center section where the tent camper's pitch. The idea being that we would mow like the county snow plows, one following the one in front but just a little off to the side.

The mowing plan was a sound one and with six riding mowers we made quick work of the ditches and trails. The Fellows to their credit worked as a team and Tiny even brought waders so he could cut right down the center of the ditches. They stayed together till they ran into a couple of garden snakes and then they scattered out of the ditch running like little girls. Of course little girls with gas powered modified weed wackers with cutting line that voided the warranty can be a little scary if they are coming at you.

With ditches done the Green Plan called for us to mow around the cabins and then form up and mow the center section. After the first pass we had to go single file around the cabins to come back to the center section. Boys will be boys and as we came through the cabins there was some jockeying for mowing positions. The graceful symmetrical mowing of the grass field turned into a Calvary charge of mowers racing to get to the other side and back to the cabins. I don't know who did it first but when we came out of the cabin area we did not head back out to the field but returned to the cabins and mowing the grass was forgotten as we now had our own Le Man's course weaving in and out and around the cabins, clothes poles and Marv's Airstream. Mower decks were raised and guys started to hang off the side of the mowers to better lean into the turns.

Vic sitting on the deck of the Club House saw his plan falling apart and setting his lemonade down grabbed the garden hose and tried to get our attention by spraying us with water as we came around cabin #5 all he did was make the grass slick so we could drift around the turn. The Fellows waved Gary into their camping area and quickly dropped his deck off his tractor, topped off his gas tank and gave him a helmet to wear. Seeing this I pulled into the shop and popped the hood on my Cub, I made a few adjustments to the governor and was back to racing. This went on for awhile till one by one we ran out of gas and had to pull off to the side. I joined Chuck, Marv, Elmer and Hammering Hank on the deck and drank lemonade as we watched Gary drive in circles by himself, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,158,396}

July 15, 2013

The weekend here at Lake Iwanttobethere is or was the kind of weekend you would expect in mid July It was hot and muggy and we had some rain and the skeeters are so bad we erected a sign for the locals at the edge of town. The sign has a drawing of a skeeter and then a number below it. This weekend the sign had the number 127 on it. We call it the Skeeter Index and if the tourist knew what the index is about they would know that at 127 they should keep on driving. 127 means at dusk there are 127 skeeter's per square foot of window screen! That is a lot of skeeters no matter how you measure them. Sunshine Ray helped put up the sign as he is also a bug guy in his spare time. I learned that in our part of the county we have over fifty different kinds of skeeters and that we have so many this season is because of the late spring. Seems that these fifty different kinds of skeeters don't all hatch at the same time but this summer a lot of them have overlapped so to speak and for a bug guy it is a great time. Not such a great time for everyone else.

A good thing though is the biting black flies have kind of disappeared for now, might be because of all the skeeters, but that is just my idea. Mayflies are in abundance so eating outside can be a challenge and you better keep an eye on your food. Weather has been just sticky, the saying about the air so thick you can cut it with a knife comes to mind. Last few days here you could cut it with a 2 x 4 ... We have open up the Ice House at the Lodge with 4th of July having come and gone most of the ice that was in storage has been used. What is left sure does make the Ice House into a very nice cool place to sip a Hamm's or three. No tables or chairs in there but if you don't mind getting a little sawdust on you then sitting on a block of ice is a refreshing feeling in all this heat and muggy air.

Grass is growing good and the mowing day we had at the Resort might not have been such a good idea. Seems we might have just woken the grass up with the trim we gave it and now the stuff is really growing, except around the cabins. That area looks like a putting green it was mowed so many times during the race. As a reward the Fellows were allowed to fish in our little fishing contest we had that night, We just fished in the bay right here and no motors were allowed, just paddles or oars. I went out with Vic and he quickly directed me to his bluegill spot. I did the rowing and he did the directing. When we got there he checked to see if anyone was close and then we went around a little point and he took the push pole and leaned it against the bank that started to move. I watched and was going to say something when I saw it was a piece of floating marsh grass and it opened up to an even smaller little bay. We poled in and the floating grass closed in behind us and we were out of sight.

Vic then handed me a set of ear plugs and told me to put them on, I didn't question him and did what I was told. Some bobbers and pieces of worm and we were fishing like little kids a few minutes later. Nice bluegills were tugging at our bobbers and pulling them under the surface and running them away from us. Some of the hits made the pencil bobbers look like the periscope on a sub when they would do a crash dive. Vic pulled out an ear plug and pointed at me, I pulled my plug out and heard Vic say " You want to win the contest or keep this a secret?" I smiled and said "What contest" and I put the plug back in. There was a little lull in fishing and that is when I noticed all the red wing black birds hanging from the cattails and occasionally buzzing the rowboat. I pulled the ear plug and pointed at Vic who did the same, "What's with all the birds?" I asked. As I waited for him to reel in a fish I was hearing all the racket the birds were making, They were making sounds like bottle rocket's going off and a lot's of them. Vic with a hand size gill in his hand was taking the hook out and just said that this is a nesting site for this end of the lake and we will be fine, But when the birds fly down to the floating door and open it then it's time for us to leave. He then put his ear plug back in and grinned at me. I smiled back and wondered if he was pulling on my bobber, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,161,345}

July 16, 2013

Here is a surprise, it is hot! here at Lake Iwanttobethere today. Stormy Clearweather was right on the money calling for a day time high of ninety and with the humidity it was going to feel like ninety-five in the shade. I just got back in from watering the big garden here at the Resort and I don't even think the first beer that I drank even made it to my stomach. I tipped the mug up and the beer just kind of made a sizzling sound like water on a hot skillet when it hit my mouth. The new water hauling system works great and on a day like today it is a life saver. I made some refinements but the idea was all Vic's.

I know in passing I have mentioned that we have some row boats here at the Resort that need some restoration work. One was all fixed up for Vic to get the mail and daily newspaper and a few more were fixed up to be rentals or for guests to use. A twelve footer was put on a trailer and shoved up under the eves of the shop to be worked on later, it needed new bench seats. Well, I kind of forgot all about it till we did the serious mowing day and we had to move the boat and trailer to cut the grass around it. The boat was pretty much full of water and instead of draining it Vic suggested we just haul it to the big garden and pull the plug. I'm thinking a good idea but every idea can be improved so I installed a bilge pump and added a battery to the boat. Now we haul the boat up to the garden and turn on the bilge pump connected to a garden hose and there you have it, our new irrigation system!

The boat is back under the eve empty as are all the rain barrels, rain in the forecast so I am hoping everything fills up here in the next few days. Skinny had just left the Club House he was heading out to the road to update the Skeeter Index sign. We are down to 121 today as a few must have died overnight, I know when I was on the deck last night that I took out a few. I have the lap top out and I am jotting some thoughts down as I cool off under the big ceiling fan that is pushing the a/c air around. Windows are closed and shades are down it is in the mid seventies in the room but that feels a lot colder then what it feels like outside. Vic comes into the main room from the kitchen looking like one of them plantation owners. He has on white pants, a white shirt and vest and to top it off he is wearing a wide brim white hat. He has a cigar in one had and a tall glass in the other. I can hear the ice cubes clinking in the glass as he strolls over to the booth I am sitting in.

Vic slides across the leather of the booth till he is up against the window sill, he stops there and puts his short legs up on the seat and sips from his glass and takes a puff of his cigar. The smoke rises and the wind from the fan catches it and sends it across the room to fade away. He takes another sip from his glass before he sets it down on the table and smiles at me. "And just who are you supposed to be?" I ask. Vic smiles and takes another puff of his cigar and says "You can just call me Big Daddy" I crack up and grab his glass, I am going to see what the heck he is drinking. "Sweet Tea, are you kidding me" I manage to get out before washing the taste from my mouth with the cold Hamms that I had refilled the mug with. "Nothing better on a hot day like today" Vic I mean Big Daddy said. I shook my head and went back to the laptop, not even one in the afternoon and he is on the Sweet Tea already, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,162,605}

July 18, 2013

Waiting, still waiting here at the cabin on the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere, waiting for rain. Rain barrels are all empty and the plants tug at your sleeves as you walk by, like pan handlers you can almost hear them say "Hey buddy, got any spare water?" Rain has been in the forecast for the past few days but every drop that has fallen has been north of here. We have been getting the heat and the humidity but none of the thunderstorms have found their way down my way. Grand kids walk around with squirt guns tucked into the waist bans of their shorts. At the drop of a hat they draw and spray each other, no one complains about getting wet there is more complaining about getting dry.

I have been spending my time in two places, either in front of the a/c with Bud, Barney and Duncan at my feet or on the deck in the shade reading. When it is this hot my excuse for not doing anything is that I am reading a book and in the past few days I am averaging a book a day. Too dang hot to even go fishing but Elmer and Marv have been down on Elmer's dock under the blue tarp with bobbers drifting. The two of them have been fishing at the cabin in the morning then going to the Resort for afternoon fishing, Of course at the Resort they are in the main room watching their bobbers through the windows over the top of cold frosted mugs of Hamms.

Skeeter count is still high but the fly count is dropping, I think we saw the reason yesterday as dragon flies have appeared at the lake. I noticed them when I was sitting on the deck reading with my feet in the kiddy pool. The dragon flies came in with a British attitude, they take their time and announce that they are here for the pesky black flies that us yanks have and can you be a good bloke and point them in the right direction. Duncan sits on the edge of the deck and watches them slowly fly by, just out of reach. Speaking of Duncan he is busy, even more busy then usual as he has a new friend. I have a stack of lumber on the deck under a tarp for a project that I need to get to when it cools down. A chipmunk or maybe two have decided to move into the lumber pile and use it as a condo. Duncan now spends at least an hour a day circling the tarped wood pile trying to meet the chipmunk.

Old dogs Bud and Barney have this retirement thing down. They lay on the deck staying in the shade and from time to time will get up and walk over to the kiddy pool to stand in the water. They don't walk down to the lake as that means they will have to make the walk back up the hill to the deck. Grand kids take turns bringing them dog biscuits and feeding them ice cubes that they mostly lick no longer having the teeth like young Duncan to crush them with. They take turns coming over to the swing and I rub them with my bare feet. Grand kids have chores to do on the few days a week when they are at the cabin. Flowers to water and picking up the yard of branches and finding what ever Duncan has hauled out of the cabin. When chores are done the process of looking for bait to go fishing is next.

Frogs are high on the list but they get sidetracked when they find a garden snake. Thing there is the girls chase the boys with the snakes not the other way around. Kids are looking for rain to, and not so much to make it cool but they are running low on night crawlers to sell at the Resort. The money from the crawler sales have kept them in ice cream cones from Jeanies and Stan's Ice Cream and Tackle truck. Time for lunch here and I think me and the kids are just going to make some sandwiches and drink lemonade from shot glasses. Kids get a kick out of slamming the cold lemonade and standing with their water guns at the ready. Not something grandma really approves of but grandma is not here today, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,165,301}

July 19, 2013

One AM eighty-four degrees out, lightning all around and not a drop of rain does not make one a happy camper. Early this morning I sat on the deck waiting to feel the predicted rain on my face but not a drop fell. Three days in a row of ninety-two plus heat is not something we normally have here at Lake Iwanttobethere. The tourists that are going home today are leaving sun burned and maybe thinking twice about coming back. Today it is not suppose to hit eighty and the incoming tourists are thinking that this is pleasant weather with day time highs to be in the seventies the next week and just a few days with any chance of rain.

The only good thing that I got done was putting a good dent into the books that I received for my 720th birthday. Last night looking for an excuse to drive in the Tahoe with the windows up and the a/c on I drove over to the Resort. All the rowboats were out in the little bay as everyone had waited for the sun to get low in the trees before going fishing. It was hot, a little breeze but nothing that was going to cool you off just make you feel like a baked potato chip instead of a fried one. Hammering Hank and Skinny might have had the best idea as they had just waded out into the water and had an inter tube floating between them. They had their tackle box resting on top of the tube and a small cooler tied to the side. It looked like a pretty good idea but I saw Vic waving at me through one of the Club House windows to come in.

I left the comfort of the Tahoe's a/c and made the short walk to the Club House door. As I got to the door I saw that Vic had put up a closed sign and as I went in that was the first thing I asked Vic about. I pointed my thumb back over my shoulder and looked at Vic. Vic said the sign is up because people keep coming in and letting the cold air out" made sense to me and I headed behind the bar where I pulled a frosty mug from the freezer and filled it with cold water. I took the mug over to the booth where Vic was sitting and slid across the leather till I was close enough to rest an elbow on the window sill. Vic looked at me and asked if I wanted him to pour me a beer and I just shook my head no and said "This is good enough" Vic reached his hand across the table and with a look of fake concern put the back of his hand on my forehead.

I gave him a little HaHa and pulled back from his hand, I replaced it with the cold mug and pressing the dripping mug against my forehead I let out a little sigh of contentment. Vic settling back into the leather of the booth took a sip from his beer and said "Hot enough for ya?" Since neither one of us is a tourist or a customer I told him what I really thought about the heat wave and we both chuckled. We made some chit chat and I was watching Hank and Skinny fishing through the window. It took me a moment to notice but they only had one rod between them. One would fish while the other sipped on a beer and after a while they would trade off. Sometimes them guys do come up with good ideas.

Getting up to get a water refill I just decide to grab another cold mug and I saw out of the corner of my eye some movement. I looked around the end of the bar just in time to see a big back cat walk over to Vic and start rubbing against his leg. I made my way back to the booth and asked Vic "What is with the cat?" Vic kind of gave me a "I didn't tell you story" about how he thought the Resort should have a mouser and he had a friend that was moving into the retirement home and before you know it, Vic had offered to take the cat. I don't have anything against cats as a matter of fact I work for three of them back at the cabin. I asked Vic if the cat has a name and he told me "Why Yes, yes it does, the cat's name is "Theory" "You named the cat Theory, why?" I asked. Vic held Theory in his arms and I could hear the cat purr from the other side of the booth. Vic said, "Well I always wanted a Pet Theory of my own".... From Lake Iwanttobethere {1,166,712}

July 21, 2013

My neighbor Chuck made a major purchase this past week, he went out and bought himself a boat. Not a new boat mind you but an old boat, even has a few more years on it then my Puddle Humper does but it was stored in a garage and hardly ever used. Some guys travel the countryside looking for just the right old car to restore where others set out in search of the just right old boat. Most of the time they are never found but it gives one something to do. Chuck found his new old boat in the garage of a relative, who would have thunk that. Chuck has not been boat less he does own the S.S. Mistake and he has a Jon boat that he hits the local ponds with in search of the elusive Sungills.

Of course once the word got out that Chuck had gotten a new boat all the guys came over to do an inspection, drink a beer and tell Chuck what he should do to the boat. Basically he was told to buy and add on everything to his boat that they would want to have on their boat, if they had the money that is. Chuck told me over a beer that if he added everything to his boat he would have to start of first by adding another four feet to it. First thing on the to do list is a good cleaning of the hull. All Chuck has to do is pull out the wheel cleaner paste and hold up a rag and the inspectors find a reason to move on. He does not do that with me as I am in the process of cleaning the hull of the Puddle Humper and gave him the idea to clean his with the aluminum wheel cleaner.

A pleasant day today, much better than the plus ninety degree heat of the past week. Would have been nice for some rain but that never happened here on this end of the lake. Fishing is slow so Chuck and I took some time and went fishing yesterday. We took the Puddle Humper out in search of the elusive Sungills. A small local lake back in the woods is where we went and there always has been a rumor that Sungills can be found there. Now right away here I will admit that I have never caught a Sungill but I have heard stories about them. They are not a sunfish or a bluegill or even one of them over sized pumpkinseeds. Not a special cross or an accident at the hatchery but a special gold panfish that are rare in these parts but are rich in stories about them.

The old guys would tell of schools of the Sungills and battling them with musky tackle and old black braid line. Ear plugs were worn because a good Sungill could rip the line from a bait caster off so fast that the spool would scream and the plugs were needed to save your hearing. The fish were said only to be caught in the dead of summer, heat and long days were needed. Chuck and I figured that after several days of ninety degree weather we had the heat part taken care of. Chuck has been rasing some special night crawlers that he has been measuring with a foot long ruler. We had a dozen that were long enough and as thick as your thumb to fish with. The stories say the Sungills are bigger than turkey platters and even the northerns turn and swim the other way when the Sungills are on the move.

Catching Sungills is a team adventure, Elmer told me the best way is to take a big hook and thread your foot long worm on it, attach a old window sash weight to the line and then tie the line to a tether ball. Pretty heavy duty I thought till Vic gave us the rest of the presentation. You then have to have two fishermen tie their lines to the tether ball, one from the front of the boat and the other at the rear. Having two lines is the only way you will have a chance at a Sungill if he takes the bait. If it is a female then you might just as well cut the lines because you don't have a chance. Yesterday we spent some time just trying to figure out how to cast the worm, weight and tether ball. When we told Vic about the practice he just shook his head and told us we need to just put the setup into the water and back away slow and quiet like. The Sungills don't get caught or big by being dumb. They also are attracted by the sound of opening beer cans, so we spent some time working on that, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,169,324}

July 22, 2013

Nice relaxing Silent Sunday yesterday, got a lot done with out even breaking a sweat. Got to sleep in late as I was not bothered with the sound of a fan or a/c running during the night. With temperatures in the mid sixties most of the day and some wind the windows were left standing open and the cabin finally cooled off. I spent time directing grand kids in the fine art of weeding in the vegetable garden. I think the oldest one was catching on to the fact that they were doing all the work and I was doing all the directing. Secret to kids and gardening is to give them each a couple of plants to take care of. I could hear the youngest grand son and grand daughter boasting to each other how their tomato plant was better then the others.

Cut up some cedar 2x4's to make clothes line holders for the wife, somehow the ones she had disappeared. I think they might have been used to start a fire but I am not admitting to that. The fresh cut 2x4's do smell good and the cutoffs were placed in the fire pit as number one grandson was given the green light to build a fire. Lunch was hot dogs on pointed sticks roasted on the small fire that was tended to by the grandson. With the breeze we had no skeeters to bother us and the flies have disappeared for now. I might have to put down yesterday on the calendar as a pretty decent summer day.

The number one daughter came to the cabin to pick up her daughter, she is a few days past due for what will be either my number three grandson or granddaughter, no one knows yet. Either way it will be grand kid number five and it will be a tie breaker. Hopefully here in the next day we will find out if we have three boys or three girl grand babies. Can't be around the wife or daughter right now, they are watching the daughter like little hens. No one cares around here about the British baby we are waiting on our own.

Today it is supposed to rain but as I write this it is blue sky and just a few white clouds drifting by. Since it is a Monday I should go fishing but we are planning a little fishing contest tomorrow so I am going to wait till then to get out. Yesterday I saw Chuck hauling the new old boat out and heading for the access. Girlfriend had invited all her friend's kids to come to the lake where Uncle Chuck was going to give free boat rides. Chuck returned later in the afternoon with a boat filled with crushed potato chips on his carpet. He was not looking too happy when he backed the boat into the garage. By late afternoon all my grand kids were gone and peace and some quiet settled in here at the cabin. I decided to drive over to the Resort and see how things were going there.

On my way over I drove by Hammering Hank's wood lot and I saw Skinny out there just sitting on a pile of logs reading a book. I gave him a passing wave and he gave me one back. When I arrived at the Resort I saw Hammering Hank talking with Elmer and Marv, the way Hank was holding up his arms I knew it had to be a fish story. I parked up by the shop and was checking to see if any rain water had found it's way into the watering boat, it had not, it was bone dry. I came around the corner and found Hammering Hank standing there, he started to tell me about the huge fish he lost last evening and even though it broke his line and he never saw it Elmer and Marv told him they were pretty sure it had to be a Sungill. I nodded as I listen to Hank tell his story and watched over Hank's shoulder at Elmer and Marv as they walked to the Club House slapping each other on the back. I'm thinking there might be something to these Sungills after all. Hank was done with his story and I managed to ask him about Skinny at the wood lot reading. Hank told me that is just something new they are trying. It seems they get more money for a loggers cord of seasoned wood and they heard that the tourist will pay even more for "Educated" wood, so Skinny is now reading to the wood so they can charge more, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,171,470}

July 24, 2013

Went for a boat ride yesterday, was a nice afternoon with temperatures in the low seventies, a slight breeze and just enough clouds in the sky to give you some shade from the sun from time to time. I was caught up on chores, at least that is what I hope to have the wife thinking so a boat ride was in the afternoon plans. My oldest son was up for a ride so he came over to the cabin and the wife was convinced that she should spend some time with her grand kids and she fell for it. Not pressing our luck we quickly made up some samwiches and added a few goodies to a small cooler and were off down the road. As we pulled out of the drive we had to decide just where we should go have our boat ride and we exchanged a few lakes that we have heard people talking about.

Just so happen that we both a brought a few rods along so we thought we should pick a lake that maybe if we got bored with our boat ride we could do a little casting. The son had been out fishing the day before and had not done well so we decided against that lake and I had heard Chuck was out and he didn't fair much better on another local lake so we eliminated that one. We found ourselves just kind of driving down the road with the windows open and a couple of cigars with red tips in our fingers. The wife does not approve of me smoking cigars and if she found out her son was she really would have let him have it. But sometimes moms don't have to know what their sons and husbands are doing.

We decided to fish, I mean take a boat ride on a lake that neither one of us has been on, I have driven by it many a time but just a few years ago did I turn down the gravel road to check out the access for the first time. The water was low and it looked like it would be work to get the Puddle Humper into the lake so I just made a mental note and moved on. With all the rain that has fallen in the past ten days I was thinking that maybe the water would be up and the son could do the pushing and it might be a lake to take a boat ride in. The son is always looking to find a new "Honey Hole" so it was decided to head to the small lake and an hour later we were driving down the gravel road leading to the access.

First off it was a decent gravel access with a good size area to turn around. I watched as the son backed the trailer into the water and got out to push the Puddle Humper off. No problem there as all I had to do was stand and swat at skeeters that came out of the cedars in waves like one of them alien space movies. The son parked the Tahoe and almost didn't make it back to the Puddle Humper as I was busy trying to get away from shore. The skeeters were scarce once we got out on the water and out of the protection of the cedars, the little breeze was enough to keep them back on shore. Dropping the trolling motor in we were soon gliding down the shoreline looking at a lot of down tree's hanging in and over the water and as long as we had fishing rods well it would be kind of dumb not to toss a few cats out.

Our first clue should have been the old couple who to were just out having a boat ride on their pontoon. They went by us and we waved at each other and exchanged HIYA's. I shouted out "Leave any fish for us?" And the lady in the front just waved her fly swatter at us and said " We are not fishing, just taking a boat ride" and they continued on down the shore and I did notice they need not have a line out. Four hours later we were back at the landing. The son had lost two small northerns at the boat, I had lost one and had another hit at the boat only to go under the boat and get caught by the son who had his rod on that side. The son hosted the twenty inch northern up and held it over his head like he had just won at the Masters. "What's the big deal there kiddo" I asked. His reply was "I do believe you have been skunked there Dadio" He eased the fish back into the water and as he turned to me I just simply said " I was just taking a boat ride" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,174,193}

July 27, 2013

Yesterday was a lovely day, to work that is. Off and on rain showers made their way across the lake and it was cool enough that a/c units were turned off and given a break. Windows were closed and for the first time in weeks the rain barrels are full of water again. No need to water gardens or flower pots and the hose could finally be rolled up, it was not going to be needed. The indoor to do list has not been looked at for awhile but on top of the list was the water heater here at the cabin. I have been accused that I say "One of these days" too much when I am referring to work that needs to be done, and yesterday was the day I figured to replace the heater.

I had the water heater, bought it a month ago on sale and have just been looking for the right day to install it. Sure didn't want to be putting in a water heater on a good day to be fishing or some other outside project. Am replacing the oil fired heater with one of them efficient electric ones so it was not going to be a simple switch tanks kind of job. Had already made a few trips down to see Big Earl for a breaker and wire and Chuck told me he had everything else we would need in his plumber's bag, but we ended up being short a few things. As you might have already guessed Chuck was going to help me with the heater, actually I was going to help Chuck. Learned along time ago that if someone does something enough you get good at it, well Chuck is our heater man and yesterday I was going to be the helper.

I am a pretty good helper, just a tad slow which was a good match for Chuck as we were both feeling kind of old and slow yesterday. We eyeballed the job and made a mental list of what we would need for fittings and headed to the General Store where we chatted with Barb and got a little bag of copper fittings and then complained to Earl about how much copper fitting have gone up since the last time we had to buy any. Back at the cabin we turned off the water and drained the pipes and the water heater, of course I had to go outside and get a length of the garden hose for the heater that I had just rolled up that morning, should have just left it out. With the water drained we undid the heater but forgot to get a cap for the fuel oil line. Back to the General Store for a cap and a little more conversation. Got back to the cabin and decided that a cup of coffee would be good but we had forgotten to fill the coffee pot before we turned off the water. So are you beginning to see a pattern here in how the day was going to go?

Getting water from Elmer and explaining why we needed the water took a little time as Elmer wanted to know what we were going to do with the old oil fired water heater. We got out of there when he started hinting that the old heater might just be something he would be interested in. Truth be known I had already promised it to the Fellows who were going to use it in their portable car wash they were working on. With oil dry on the floor to catch the spill the fuel line was capped and the old heater was dragged out of the way, thing was a lot heavier then I remember. New heater was a lot lighter but that might be because Chuck was the one who moved it into place. I was busy holding the installation instructions till Chuck snatched them from my hand and shook his pointed finger at me and said "You know the rule, never look at the instructions till the job is done"

Three more trips to the General Store for forgotten fittings, a length of pipe and more solder, toss in a stop for Coney's and more water for coffee pot and late last night the heater was up and running. I told the wife that I was going to be the first one to use the shower and I was going to stay in it till it ran out of hot water, instead I was to tired and went to bed. This morning finds me looking at the inside to do list as it is cool and wet out but I do have a nice big check mark in front of Replace Water Heater, should be good enough for a couple of fishing trips! From Lake Iwanttobethere {1,178,646}

July 28, 2013

If this was a two months from now I would say the day is kind of blustery out. I was out weeding the garden and I had to put on a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie. The Bass thermometer hanging on the wall of the cabin says it is just above fifty out and there is enough wind to make the big old blue spruce sway some. Almost made me come back inside the cabin to check the calendar to see if we are still in the month of July. I have to walk by the garden when I come and go to the parking area and I have gotten into the habit of grabbing the hoe and take a few whacks at the weeds that always seem to grow from no where over night. It is working pretty good as it is keeping the weeds in check and I don't have to out there and spent an afternoon doing it.

Yesterday was another cool damp day but I am not complaining at all, I was not planning on doing any fishing and actually I hope the weather cools the water off some and fishing improves. At the very least it should give the flies the hint to head to a warmer climate. The day was not wasted though, since the heater has past its tests, no leaks and it is still running I spent the afternoon cleaning up my mess as the wife refers to it. Old water heater is up and out of the basement and that is a story in itself that I don't want to write about. Tools were put away and extra pipe stuck in the rafters. Copper that can be recycled was carried out to the garage and tossed in the five gallon bucket. One of these days I will have to go down to the scrap yard and get rid of it. If scrap is as high as the price of copper fittings I just may start referring to the scrap metal bucket as another 401 K plan.

The chipmunk is still running around, none of the dogs have caught him or her yet. The grand kids have given him or her a name, they call it Speedy. When I go into the garden as soon as I open the gate Duncan is in there ahead of me looking for Speedy. A few times the Chipmunk has been there and the chase starts, usually it is over before it starts as Speedy makes a dash through the fence and Duncan is left at the fence whining. I tell Duncan to use the gate and he looks at me and I can almost hear him thinking "O the gate" and then he takes off through the garden out the gate and around the fence to where Speedy has been long gone from. Bud just lays on the deck and licks his paws and watches. Either he knows that he can't catch Speedy or he just does not care.

No sooner did I check off the water heater from the to do list then the wife asked me when I was going to start on the shed expansion. I told her I thought I might get in a few days of fishing first as installing a water heater is a pretty big deal. She just shook her head at me and said something about Chuck doing all the work and I was just the gopher. That and the fact that it took us all day and she found the Coney wrappers and the Lake Iwanttobethere root beer bottles in the garbage can. Then she went on to say something about getting that pile of wood off her deck and if the wood was gone maybe Speedy would be gone and then Duncan would stop running round looking for that poor thing. She was putting up a pretty good chain of events that would happen if I put the expansion on the shed and I just nodded and pointed to the overcast sky and mumbled something about rain in the forecast.

The pregnant daughter is now a week over due and I think the wife wants to greet her latest grand baby. I too am hoping for the daughter to deliver as I figure that will give the wife something to fuss about and she will forget about the shed and I can get some fishing in. Of course I too want to greet my grand son or grand daughter, I got a lot of garden to weed and I am not getting any younger, can always use the help down the road, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,180,397}

July 29, 2013

Just got back from down at Marv's Cigar and Magazine Shop, no sooner did I enter the main room of the Club House then Hammering Hank came in through the side door. Hank looked at me with a smile on his face and said it is done. I handed him a cigar and we shook hands. The daughter had a baby girl at 11:59 if she would have held out for another minute it would have been a high noon baby. Hank was just back from changing the Welcome to Lake Iwanttobethere sign by adding one more to the population. No fishing for me today, I plan on handing out a lot of cigars! From Lake Iwanttobethere {1,182,555}

July 31, 2013

Today I feel like a flower, not something you would expect a grown man to say unless he has been smoking some herb. I feel like a flower because the woman folk are buzzing around the cabin like busy little bees or hummingbirds. The daughter is coming home from the hospital and the latest addition to the Bass school is coming home to. Well at least for a brief stop here before going to the daughters home. The ladies are all busy with setting up a brunch and relatives are coming over and grand kids are already here. I am trying to stay out of the way but I keep getting asked where stuff is that I know the wife knows as she is the one who has put the folding chairs away and table clothes for the picnic table.

Grand kids are doing chores right now, watering plants and walking the lawn to make sure there are no surprises left by the dogs for people to step in. Dogs are hiding out trying to stay out of the way. Barney is out on the deck fishing while Duncan is watching the garden waiting for Speedy to appear. Bud is under my desk resting on my feet just trying to get a nap in. The day did not start this way it was nice and quiet with the kids on the deck fishing out of their cardboard canoe. Yesterday I had brought up the cardboard box from the basement that the new water heater came in. I was going to cut it up with a box cutter to recycle when the daughter said that the box would make a good boat. The granddaughter agreed and before you know it the two of them were cutting up the end of the box to shape it into a pointed bow and used markers to start drawing on the sides of the box that was now a boat.

Some duck tape to reinforce a few spots and then off to the woods to cut saplings to make fishing poles out of. Some old lure bodies without hooks were tied to string and then to the poles and with a little imagination the granddaughter was fishing from her boat on the deck. When the other grand kids came over this morning the boat got a walk around and the boys went to work making improvements. Cardboard box boat needed more paddles and a anchor and another longer fishing pole. Once again I pointed out to the wife that kids sometimes have more fun with a cardboard box then the gift that is or was in them.

Rain that was forecasted for over night never fell so gardens all need a good watering, with any luck things will be quiet around here starting tomorrow and fishing will be how days are planed for the next few months. Gardens will be watered and watched and Duncan will get some special time every day as we work on his hunting skills. Projects will be worked on as long as they don't interfere with fishing and the grass might grow a little longer between mowing. Baby M will spend some time here and I will carry her around and show her the gardens and the lake and tell her stories that can only be getting better as I have told them to her sister and her cousins before her. It's good to be the Papa, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,185,530}

August 1, 2013

Well, July is gone and next up to bat is August. I am hoping that we have gotten our heat out of the way and we will be having a nice fall. If mother nature has her way things usually seem to even out. That means after a very long winter into a cool and wet spring that fall should be a slice of heaven. You know temps in the mid sixties, not too windy, a little morning rain leaving afternoons perfect for fishing and letting crops grow ripe and grass staying green but growing slowly. Late afternoons spent on the water with baseball games on the radio to listen to on the drive coming home from fishing. Football season and bird hunting will clear landings of trailers as there are to many things for guys to do and lets face it a lot of guys clear the water once it starts cooling down.

For the first day of August it is looking like Mother Nature is reading this. Here at Lake Iwanttobethere it is mid sixties, a few clouds in the sky and just enough wind to move the skeeters away from you. No rain this morning but I already watered all the gardens and even though things were planted late this year I am thinking I might just have a decent season if Mother Nature keeps reading me. Cabin is quiet as baby M has made her appearance and is now home with her ma, my daughter. Relatives have come and gone, ate my food and drank the old beer I had around. Projects on the to do list but nothing that I can't knock off today which will leave me open for some fishing time. I for one get a lot more work done when it is sixty out then when it is ninety. Got a window to rebuild and a fence that needs some attention, maybe a trip to visit Big Earl down at the General Store.

I was showing Chuck how to take aluminum wheel cleaner to clean his new old boat and I was demonstrating on the Puddle Humper. Well, I cleaned up a little spot and I could not leave it that way so I went ahead and cleaned the whole hull. I still had some left to do yesterday so as soon as I got my time in with baby M I went out and started cleaning up on the Puddle Humper what I had left. Amazing how black dirty hands keeps the relatives away from shaking your hand or offering to help. Heheh the wife accused me of having planed it on purpose. Duncan spent most of the time with me lying under the boat. Guess he could only take so much petting and he came and found me, he had that look on his face of "If one more person asks me to shake a paw" he rubbed up against me and since my hands were dirty I didn't ask him to shake a paw. I just told him to go ahead and hide out, he then worked his way under the trailer out of sight.

The cardboard canoe was a big hit, funny how grown people would stand around a cardboard box and make such comments as "Well that is a smart idea" and "Next time I get a water heater I am going to do that to the box" two more reasons why I went and polished the Puddle Humper. Kids enjoyed playing in the box and at one time there was actually a line to get into it. One thing did baffle me though. The saplings that were turned into fishing rods, I improved them, or so I thought. I took the string off and tied on fifty pound braid figuring that would last. Somehow seven year old kids managed to break the braid, I can't break that stuff but they did. I mentioned it to Chuck and he simply reminded me that they are seven year olds, they can break almost anything at that age, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,187,499}

August 2, 2013

Spent the evening at the Resort last night, borrowed Vic and his row boat and we set off to do a little fishing. A few small northerns were caught and one bowling ball hit that we both agreed had to be one of the Sungills. Vic was reeling in his lure from what looked to be a perfect spot in the reeds when he got a hit that looked like someone had dropped a bowling ball out of the sky. Vic being an older guy is kind of slow when setting the hook and he missed what ever made the hole in the lake. I didn't see the beginning but I saw the end and watched as the lake filled the hole and the little spot went calm again. Vic patting his shirt over his heart and said quietly "That was a big one!"

That was the highlight of the night as we just rowed around the little bay and mostly just relaxed and traded stories. Vic has lots of stories and I keep telling him that when he moves on to that great fishing hole in the sky that I am going to retell his stories as mine, of course I might improve on them a little and we both chuckled. Old fishing stories and old hunting stories never really go out of date. The rods and lures may change but the game is still the same.

Back here at the cabin this morning I have to finish up on the window that I ended up building in the shop. Going to have to go down to the General Store and get some glass as the old window was beyond repair. Had to make a new wood frame and with any luck I will take it over to the son's place and get it installed this evening. Busy day over at Chuck's as he is waiting on Hammering Hank to bring him a load of firewood, maple I hear and Chuck is planning on splitting it all this afternoon and maybe even getting it stacked. County is out on the roadway pounding in stakes with ribbons, they are going to dig the ditches deeper and wider and Chuck is getting a new culvert. Come to think of it there is a lot of work going on over at Chuck's, yesterday he took the tractor and mowed his pasture, around the cabin and even went and did his trails. Was all I could do to just sit on my deck and watch the blur of the tractor through the trees.

Sometime today I am going to mow here, will have to get the tractor out and spruce up the place. Maybe go down the trail behind the cabin that leads to the down tree top. I did hear some drumming back that way so I am guessing the grouse are still making it their home. Chuck told me he did run into two covey's back on his trails and Duncan's ears perked up at that. Swear that dog is learning more then I am teaching him. Speaking of Duncan he is getting some dummy sessions in every night. If I forget he goes over to the shop and scratches on the door to get my attention. The throwing dummy is inside and he knows exactly where it is.

Summer is slipping away from us here, maybe because of the long cold spring it did not feel like it should be as long as it should have been. Dark around eight-thirty and the last few nights it has been getting cool enough to wear pants. Skeeters are around but seem to disappear quickly once the sun goes down. I wish I could say the same for them little buggers in the garden that bite in the middle of the day. Another month and grand kids will be back in school and I will lose my cheap labor in the garden. My wood rack on the deck has but a few sticks in it, guess I should think about hauling a load down and filling it. For the beginning of August it has to be to early to be talking about fireplace fires, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,190,031}

August 4, 2013

Spent last night behind the bar at the Lodge, took me a little while to get used to it as Gus has moved a few things around. Not much and not a big deal but once you get use to reaching for something and it gets moved after years of being there it is a change. A quiet Saturday night till after dark when the fishermen haul their rigs up from the landing to park in the Lodge parking lot and come in quick like as to not let the skeeters in with them. A month ago and they would still be out on the water after nine-thirty but now nine o'clock will find them with a beer already settled in at the bar or around one of the Lodge tables.

Gus was taking one of them rare Saturday nights off and I do still have to pull a few shifts at the Lodge so it was not a big deal for me to tie on an apron and pour a few Hamms. I also spent the time listening in on the locals and the tourist's conversations. A few of the Fellows were sitting at the big round table and we also had a few of the farmers in with their wife's, must be some kind of date night for them. Baseball game on TV and a few Lodge members were gathered around the set and sitting on the wicker couch. Popcorn machine was chugging away and no sooner would I make a new batch of popcorn and it would be gone. Honey was filling baskets and putting them out to be scooped up by waiting fingers. Beer sales were good as that is why we give the salty, buttered popcorn away.

Bud came to the Lodge with me, no sooner did he come in through the back door then he was greeted by Lodge members. I got a wave from most of them while Bud got pats on the back and his ear rubbed by others. Took Bud several minutes to make the rounds of the guys and Honey the waitress just leaned against the bar and watched. Honey catching my eye said "Does everyone here know your dog?" Tying on an apron I said "Actually I think everyone here at Lake Iwanttobethere knows him and his brother" I found myself a clean bar towel, folded it in threes and tossed it across my shoulder. Hands resting on the edge of the bar I was ready for business.

Bud done with his rounds headed for the wicker couch and with a little coaxing got himself up on it and leaned into a tourist who was sitting there. The tourist was a little surprised but Bud let him pat his head. A few minutes later the tourist got up between innings to get a drink and when he returned to his spot it had been taken by Bud. The tourist asked one of the Fellows about moving Bud and Tiny just smiled and said "Good luck, it's his spot" Honey quickly move over with a chair and offered it to the man and whisper in his ear "Dang dog owns this place" Arlo was sitting on the other side of the couch and when he got up to get popcorn the man in the chair got up and made a move to get back on the couch. He was too late as Bud felt Arlo get up and proceeded to spread out the length of the couch. The guys watching the game chuckled at the tourist who was a good sport and just threw up his arms in defeat, I sent Honey over with a Hamms on the house for him.

Conversations were varied across the room, talk of baseball and upcoming football season. Early goose season and grouse drumming. Fishing was discussed and it has been quiet but everyone thinks with the cooler weather moving in fishing will start to pick up. Farmers talked farming and the gardeners talked gardening. Tourist drank in the place as it was a Saturday and it was a new crowd of them. A few were repeat customers from past years and they knew to say HIYA to get the bar discount. I poured some shots and put flame to a cigar, one customer made a little noise about it being against the law to smoke and Tiny just pointed and showed him where the door to the deck was if it was a really big problem. The screen was covered in skeeters and the guy just decide to stay inside with his drink.

Baseball game ended and guys with the boats decide it was late enough to go home. Lodge kind of got empty then except for a few members who always seem to be here every Saturday night. Honey left as there was not much for her to do. Guys sitting at the tables know if they want a drink they have to come to the bar to get it. Bud had moved from the couch to my old office, he has a bed on the floor in there and that is where I could hear him snoring. A couple of cribbage games going on and I announced that I was giving away three free pitchers of beer, and Arlo was buying. Arlo dozing on the wicker couch heard his name and just kind of waved his hand at me, I took that as an OK. From a summers night here at the Lodge on Lake Iwanttobethere {1,195,370}

August 6, 2013

Yesterday being Monday it was penciled in on the calendar as being a fishing day. Over a half an inch of rain has fallen overnight here at Lake Iwanttobethere and the sky was dark and gloomy with Sunshine Ray forecasting another round of thunderstorms. With the rain no watering was needed for the gardens and I told the wife that "Dang, just to wet to mow" as I carried fishing rods out to the Puddle Humper. "You are not going fishing in this are you?" She shouted out behind me and my reply was "It has to be dry somewhere" We were both just making noise as she does not really care if I am going fishing and after all it was Monday, it was on the calendar.

With the boat packed and some extra clothes in the Tahoe just in case, I hitched the trailer to the truck and off I went. Was thinking I would go do some northern fishing as everyone's conversation that I over heard down at the Lodge the other night was that no one was catching anything anywhere. I had a tackle order come in and I had some new skirts for my spinnerbaits and buzz baits that I wanted to try out. Lake about an hours drive from the cabin always seems to have northerns looking to steal lures so that is where I headed. The farther I drove away from Lake Iwanttobethere the better the sky looked and by the time I got to the little lake there were patches of blue sky, but the potholes were filled with rain water.

No one at the landing except flies and no sooner did I have the Puddle Humper in the water then the flies joined me for the afternoon. Third cast with the buzz bait and I had a fish on, I am guessing the northern saw that seven inch black and chartreuse skirt as a big old frog trying to get away. I spent the afternoon and evening catching a lot of small northerns waiting on every cast to hook up with a big one but that did not happen. I did catch a few bass and one was a fat eighteen incher that had no problem taking in the buzzbait in her mouth. Most of my time was spent swatting at flies till I gave up and just put my rain suit on. I did take great pleasure in smacking a few of them with the fly swatter that I have on board just for that reason.

Spent some time shooting some video and caught some fish. Was looking for a bigum as we all are when we go fishing. I did have an interesting conversation when I was working my way down the shoreline toward the landing as the sun was going down. I felt that I was being watched and as I got close to a dock with a pontoon tied along side I notice a house cat watching me intently. Sitting back in one of the seats was a lady who smiled and said HIYA to me as I got close. HIYA back I returned. As if on clue a small northern hit and I reeled in and let the fish go back into the water, the cat watching the entire time. The lady and I chatted some and she told me her cat used to like to fish with her husband all the time. I asked if her husband was gone and she told me yes, I told her I was sorry for her loss and she laughed and said no they were divorced. It worked out well for her, she got the cat and the cabin. She then told me all the places on the lake where her x caught fish.

I made a few mental notes about her x's hotshots and a little while later I had the Puddle Humper back on the trailer and was headed for home. No big northerns to brag about but I did a lot better then I had the last time I was out. Looking forward to some fall fishing as I think the big skirts on the buzzbait are going to put some fall fatties in the boat. Headed down the blacktop to Lake Iwanttobethere I can see lighting flashing across the sky and no stars. Looks like it is raining somewhere, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,199,228}

August 7, 2013

Siting in the sunshine on the deck this morning, I have the laptop out and decided to jot down a few thoughts out here. Actually I was looking over the to do list and hoping I could delete a few things on it. All three dogs are out and Bud is blocking the back door sleeping in the sunshine. Barney is out sitting on the dock staring intently into the water and Duncan is running through the yard chasing a butterfly that is ten feet over his head and no where close to being caught by Duncan no matter how high he jumps.

Monday was spent fishing and tweaking some lures, a good way to start the week. Of course being retired I don't really have a start or an end to a week any more. Matter of fact the more that I think about it I am kind of leading a dog's life now. Just like Bud I am sitting in the sunshine avoiding the shade because the sun feels good on my old body. That and the fact that if you go in the shade the skeeters are waiting to attack you. At least in the sunshine I can see the flies coming and I have a swatter close at hand to deal out justice. I think I kind of lead a life shared with the three dogs. Barney the fishermen, Bud the hunter who does not have a problem taking a nap anywhere or any time and Duncan who is my inner me, the playful anything goes run like the wind me. There is not enough of Duncan left in me and I am jealous as I watch him run and jump after the butterfly. He would not know what to do with the butterfly if he caught it, but then again neither would I.

Bud shifts a little on the deck to stay in the sunshine and without thinking I move the chair I am sitting in a little to the left to stay in the sun also. Barney is still on the dock staring down into the water that this morning has just tiny two inch waves. The Lilly pads seem to quiver in the water as the little waves flow in and around them. The old wood row boat is rock steady in the little waves and I have to cock my ear in the direction of the dock to just make out the sound of the wood rubbing on the dock bumper. Quiet at Elmers cabin, I don't think he is home and other then chickens I don't hear anything over at Chuck's place. A couple of crows fly by and Duncan stops his butterfly chase and stares at the birds over head, they are so low that even I can hear the wing beats.

Back to the list, I got distracted there, I see it is time to do oil changes and sharpen mower blades. Good day for it I guess, the mower blade part. I look around the yard and see the grass is due for a mowing, again. The last good rain we got was the cue for the raspberries to pop and now every morning is spent picking the berries for breakfast cereal. Summer is moving on, I know this because I can see the corn growing taller and the tomatoes getting bigger. Can't tell by looking at the dogs though, they just keep doing what they always seem to be doing. Bud is still sleeping, Barney is still staring but Duncan has disappeared. I get up from the chair and step out to the edge of the deck and look out over the yard. It takes me a few seconds but I see Duncan lying in the sun in the middle of the yard in the deep grass, sleeping. I don't think he is worried about sharpening mower blades or cutting the grass, picking berries is for sure not on his mind. For him it was time for a nap, and it just so happen he was standing in some sweet deep grass and the sun was shinning and well he didn't have any thing on his list to do. With that thought I went back to the table and closed the laptop, and my do list was gone, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,200,619}

August 8, 2013

Overcast sky today and the grass is wet from a shower that fell over night. Yard is mowed so the little rain is not going to be a problem today. As a matter of fact I think enough rain fell that I will not have to water the gardens and the flower pots should be good for the day. My neighbor Chuck came over and we sat a spell on the deck just catching up. I was out most of the afternoon yesterday in town and while I was gone the county brought in a crew and the ditch in front of Chuck's place is dug out and a new culvert is laying on the grass along his fence by the horse pasture. Chuck was saying they are going to put it in today but it looks like rain. As we sat on the deck sipping coffee Speedy the chipmunk who is either dumb or daring made an appearance. We watched as it ran across the deck making a dash for a piece of donut that had fallen off the table and somehow had been missed by Duncan.

I said something about Speedy and Chuck said you mean Flash! We then talked about the chipmunks as in two of them as Chuck says they are over at his place all the time and his girlfriend named them Flash and Gordon. I chuckled at that and I am guessing there is probably more than two or maybe even three of the chipmunks making the rounds. Speedy filled his cheeks with donut and I did see that Duncan was laying on his side with one eye open watching, maybe he has learned he can't catch Speedy anyway.

Yesterday when I was in town doing errands and at the General Store picking up some painting supplies I ran into Andy who is Mindy and Mandy's brother. He is town visiting some before the county fair starts up next week. Andy is a judge that works the county fair circuit and has been doing it for years. A good size guy standing over six six and must be close to three hundred pounds, his rulings are usually not contested. He does the tractor pulls but also does the food eating contests, you know pies, hot dogs and watermelon. He is known for his trademark dickeys that he wears under his flannel shirt year round. When I came into the store he was standing at the front door with Big Earl and customers were having a hard time walking around the two of them to get in and out of the store. I said a few words and he told me he was going to come out to the Resort and visit after he stops off at the Lodge for a Coney and chili dinner.

Chuck finish his coffee and headed back over to his place when we saw the county truck drive by and Duncan headed to the garden to stand watch for awhile. I went inside to find Barney and Bud both fast asleep on the couch. A note on the counter from the wife mentioned something about checking the Honey Do List. Don't know how but the last of my coffee spilled on the note making it hard to read, so I didn't. Back out on the deck I don't see any rain falling and the sky is overcast but there is no wind. I am thinking maybe I should clean up the shop some and then head out and do some fishing this afternoon. I watched Duncan sitting at the garden and decide that sounds like a plan, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,202,055}

August 9, 2013

Well, I didn't go fishing and it was by choice. I was getting ready to load up the Puddle Humper when the wind changed and the leaves on the trees started to sway some. A few rain drops fell and I headed to the deck swing to sit it out and see what was going to happen. Some more rain fell and soon the deck was wet and Bud climbed up on the swing with me and kind of pined me in. It has been awhile since he has sat on the swing with me, usually Duncan sits alongside me but he was in the cabin and the wife was baking cookies, Duncan's favorites I am sure. So I sat on the swing with Bud half in my lap and I watched the rain drops fall and I petted Bud along his broad back, I would tease him by tugging on his ear some and he would nuzzle me back. The shower slowed then stop but Bud didn't make an effort to get off the swing and so the two of us just sat there like a couple of old men.

After awhile Bud fell asleep but I kept rocking the swing nice an slow just pushing back and forth with my feet on the deck. One arm on the arm rest and the other resting on Bud's back. I could feel the rising and falling of his breathing and I ran my fingers in his hair like dog owners do. I ended up with my fingers resting in the deep folds of hair that cover his neck and I could feel him move closer to me in approval or he just didn't want me to move. The rain started up again but it was just another brief shower and it ended before it had a chance to even get the deck any wetter. I heard a tap on window glass and saw the wife standing at the back door with cookies and a glass of milk, Duncan standing at her side. I shook my head no and she turned back into the cabin and I stayed where I was with Bud warm against me. I must have fallen asleep myself as a while later Bud stirred and we both managed to get off the swing and make a few adjustments so we could stand straight and walk.

Bud stood at the edge of the deck that faces the lake and I looked at the Puddle Humper. Bud gave me a low little bark and I looked back to him as he stepped down the first step and looked back at me over his shoulder. I don't know why but somehow I just got this feeling that I was suppose to be making a decision here. Go fishing or go with Bud, most decisions take longer to write about then it does to make them and in that moment I decided to follow Bud and so I did.

Bud waddled down to the lake as he is old and only saves what passes as running for him to special occasions. I suppose if you were standing on the deck watching the two of us head to the lake we would both be waddling as I to save running for only special occasions. I stuck my hands in my pockets and I acted like a tourist with Bud as my guide. We went down to the water's edge and Bud took a couple of licks of water and looked up at me as to tell me it is OK to drink, I decided to pass. Up on the old dock where we both stood for awhile looking out at the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. Normally I would be the one to turn away first and would call Bud to follow me but this was different and we both seem to know it. Bud sat on the end of the dock and just looked out and I sat down on the bench and tried to see what he was seeing.

I spent some time following Bud around, hands back in my pockets we walked the shore and I had more interest then he did in a frog that jumped into the high grass. We came back up from the lake on the edge of the woods, we walked slow and stopped a few times to look at trees or for reasons I didn't know. We climbed the deck stairs and Bud needed help getting onto the swing, I sat along side of him and rested my hand on his back. He pressed against me and I just said "Thanks for the walk, old man" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,204,135}

August 12, 2013

No grand kids here today and I have to do morning chores. Which means I am watering the flower gardens and flowers that are in hanging pots all over the place. Number two grandson is correct in telling his grandma to stop buying and hanging more pots up. Kids were here for the weekend and they got to have some fun at least for them. I have a shed that is in need of a roof and a better door. The shed is just kind of a catch all and an eyesore so I gave them the green light to take it apart. They hit the wood shop and found hard hats, gloves and flat bars. Add hammers and cats paws they headed to the shed like an angry mob. I was missing number two grandson till I saw him dragging a sledge hammer through the grass and I then had second thoughts about letting them dismantle the shed.

The shed had already been emptied and everything put on a trailer and moved out of the way. Instructions were given that I wanted to save not totally destroy the shed. This changed the way the kids went at the shed and now they had to work as a fine polished team together to pull the plywood walls apart. Well, that is how I was hoping it was going to happen but it is more fun to try and drive a nail through the wall with a sledgehammer then it is to pull it out with a hammer. With some help from me after the afternoon was done the walls were down and the wood sorted into burn or save piles. What was to be a remodel job has turned into a total rebuild job and I went around the shop and cabin looking for some windows and 2x4's. Today finds the kids all gone and a warning from my number two granddaughter that I can't stain the new shed till she OK's the color. I told her she can fight with her grandmother over the color.

Yesterday I did make a new base for the shed and leveled it up and today I can start to frame up some new walls. Of course I had to run down to the General Store as no sooner did I take my impulse nailer out of the box to discover the battery charger was shot. I guess after ten years it can wear out but I don't know how things seem to break when you are not using them. I was greeted by Big Earl at the door and told him my problem he sent me to see Junior in the tool aisle. Junior said they had a charger, it was of course the last one. After trying to sell me nails, which I have plenty of Junior was distracted by another customer. I headed to the front counter but had my arm grabbed by Nancy, Steve's wife who wanted to know how the Resort was going and if we had any openings for Labor Day.

Finally at the front counter I had to sample some of Barb the cashiers raspberry sheet cake and we both tried to find out the other's berry picking patch. The new battery charger was written down in the ledger and I shook hands with Big Earl as I headed to the Tahoe. Riding shotgun with me was Barney who does not like to leave the dock when it is this nice out but he had followed me out to the truck and I yelled at the wife I was taking him with. Barney prefers to sit straight in the passenger seat and looks forward through the windshield. From time to time he might look out the side window but I think he just likes to feel the truck on the road. What he does do that annoys me from time to time is he will paw at the radio and change channels on me. He does not like talk radio as he would rather listen to music.

No fishing to report on, got this shed to build and then the mother in law's garage needs to be painted. Don't know how I got wrangled into that I was hoping she would forget but I think the wife keeps reminding her. Good week weather wise so maybe I might get the shed knocked off and it will give me some time to think of an excuse for not painting the garage. If I can get a little rain here I can blame the weather and go fishing instead, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,208,209}

August 14, 2013

Got to sleep in late yesterday morning, at least for me. Didn't get any more sleep it was just that I went to bed so late. Spent most of the day working on the shed and realize how much I depend on having the grand kids around. Seems all I did was spent the day walking to get something. Hammer left there, tape measure over there, lost the pencil in the grass and had to go into the cabin and find another one, sharpen it go back outside step on the pencil I dropped, break it, bend down to pick up the pencil have the other pencil drop to the ground from behind my ear. Have Duncan swoop in, grab the pencil and run off with it. I sure did seem to spend a lot of time just going to get stuff. Having an extra pair or two of hands even if they are little ones sure does seem to help.

After working on the shed and getting a couple of walls up I got some cross bracing up and decide I had done enough for the day. Then I had to haul tools and saws back to the shop and more walking was done. The wife came home from work and found me sitting on the deck sharpening pencils with my pocket knife for the next day. She gave the shed a glance and said something about progress and winter is not that far off. Phone rang and it was Andy, Mindy and Mandy's brother asking if I was going to be at the Lodge that night. Looking at the wife who I was sure listening I told him I would make a point of it. Took the sharpen pencils out to the wood shop where I pushed them into a piece of Styrofoam and then sprayed painted them florescence pink, should make then easier to find. While they were drying I took the path over to Chuck's to check on progress.

For the past few days Chuck has been moving dirt, about two hundred yards of dredging from the newly improved ditch along his property. The old bucket on the tractor has been banging away working on moving the dirt to the far end of his yard and down some of the trails he built last fall. New culvert is in and Frank the plow driver just finished grading the road that morning. Chuck is now daring it to rain but it has been sunny skies the past few days. Chuck sees me coming and drops the bucket and turns off the tractor. Ear plugs come out and we exchange HIYA's

"I'm heading to the Lodge for a cold one, interested?" I ask. Chuck just nods yes and climbs down from the tractor, He yells over his shoulder about getting his wallet and walks towards his cabin like someone who has been riding a horse all day. I smile and head back to my cabin I feel like I have been on a tractor all day. A little while later we are sitting on the wicker couch of the Lodge with pillows under our rumps. Andy is filling up one of the old wood chairs telling us stories about working the county fair circuit. Elmer, Marv and Arlo show up and no sooner do they join our little group then Hammering Hank and Skinny along with Vic show up. Vic with a beer mug in hand comes over and ask if it has started yet?

I speak up and say that you have already missed a couple of hours of stories, and Vic just shakes his head and says "No the meteor shower" I kind of knew about the shower but had forgotten and we took our drinks and headed out to the deck. We faced the Southeast and no sooner did we get settled in and a bright streak blaze across the sky. Andy said "I have something just perfect for this, I'll be right back." A few minutes later Andy returned with an old Lake Iwanttobethere Root Beer jug and told Vic to take a pull on it. Vic lifted the jug resting on his forearm and took a deep sip, I think he was expecting root beer but the jug held shine we were told from one of the southern counties that Andy had worked. To his credit Vic just whispered one word "Smooth" and with his eyes watering he passed the jug over to Arlo. The jug made it to me and I took a good pull as everyone was watching. I think I might have seen several meteors all at the same time as my eyes seem to get spots as the shine went past my lips. I tried to say it was good stuff but the old guys were just laughing. That's my excuse for sleeping in late as we stayed up late sipping shine, trading stories and watching meteorites, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,210,510}

August 16, 2013

Good progress on the shed so I am going fishing this afternoon. Don't want to have the wife think that I am going to just keep working on it everyday till it is done, a guy has to learn how to pace himself. My neighbor Chuck next door has moved just about all two hundred yards of dirt and when I mentioned that I was going to go fishing today he agreed it was a good idea. Well since he has his new old boat we thought that maybe we should go fishing together, he in his boat and me in the Puddle Humper. Last night we were relaxing at the Resort sitting in the main room and looking at the progress of the new wall map that the town's artist Katrina, was painting on the wall that only had a coat rack which we removed. The newly commission map when done will feature Lake Iwanttobethere in the center and a ton of local lakes that surround it. I had seen a map like this done before, an old friend had a wall in his cabin done of his area and then made it part of his bucket list to fish every lake on the map, when he was done fishing a lake he would then paint it blue other wise it was just white.

The map was not finished as he past before he could fish all the lakes but I thought a map like that would look good here at the Resort and the others agreed. So we were looking at the map and talking about the lakes when we spotted a lake that neither one of us had fished. Since we were looking for a lake to fish and bring separate boats, well it didn't take long and it turned into a challenge. Later this afternoon we will hook trailers to trucks and head out to fish, and have ourselves a little fishing contest. Will also be a good way for us to cover twice as much water and see if we have another bass lake we can add to our list.

I think the calendar and the weather have also finally synched up. Temperatures in the upper seventies low eighties, county fair is going on and the garden is starting to produce tomatoes and cucumbers for the table. Saturday we are all heading to the fair for the day, grand kids included. Treat is on me for them helping with the shed and it also gives me an excuse to sample cotton candy, kettle korn and what ever is the new thing to deep fry. Of course a visit to the micro brew beer tent will be in order later in the evening when the wife will take kids to ride some more rides. When the sun goes down the kids will start to clear out and like we do every year we will go and bribe the bumper car attendant to look the other way as a few of us guys will have a little race of our own.

School is just a few weeks away and summer suddenly has reached the other side of the mountain and is falling away. Fall is not too far away and I might even miss having the grand kids around during the day. I must be getting good at this watching kids stuff as the daughter has asked me to watch the newborn next week. It will only be for an hour but I am thinking it is a test for me. Has been awhile since I had to change diapers and make a bottle but I think I can handle it. When the new granddaughter has come over for a visit Duncan is totally focused on her. I don't think he knows what to make out of this little thing in blankets that gets so much attention from everyone.

Well the sprinkler is on and flower pots have been watered. Gardens checked and yard picked up. I could run the mower but I think I will let that sit. No rain in the forecast till next week so I am not worried about the new shed roof, it can wait till Sunday. Fishing this afternoon, County Fair tomorrow, good time to visit Lake Iwanttobethere {1,213,068}

August 17, 2013

Funny how just a simply thing can make an evening of fishing so much better, yesterday I had one of those simple things make my fishing so much better, no flies! My neighbor Chuck and myself made the trip to a lake that neither one of us had ever been on before and when we arrived at the landing we were impressed. All kinds of parking and a deep access which meant that neither one of us had to get wet. A little trouble finding the place as the access road was not marked and when I fired up my graph the lake didn't show up on my lake map chip, but then again Lake Iwanttobethere is not on the chip either. A flip of a coin and Chuck took the North shore and I took the South shore. The lake is long and narrow and most of the time we could shout across the water to let one another know when we caught a fish or missed one.

As luck would have it the 3-5 mile winds quickly picked up to ten from out of the South and while I had relatively calm water to fish Chuck was having to deal with the wind. Well he did pick the North shore so I might have mentioned, OK I rubbed it in a few times as I watched him fight the wind. It took us four hours to fish down the lake till we ended up meeting in a quiet bay. We both had stories to tell of fish that we didn't hook and the three eagles that kept flying from one side of the lake to the other and then back again. I came around a little bay and was so intent on fishing that I didn't see the eagle that was in a tree right there. I didn't have my video camera handy and I heard the wings slap together when the bird launched itself from a tree limb and took flight almost over my head. You don't realize how big these birds are till you have them right over head close enough to look them in the eye.

With the sun getting low in the trees we ate a sandwich and decided to make the run back to the bay where the landing was and get a few more casts in. Of course we had to race and all I will say is that the younger twenty-five year old boat beat the twenty-eight year old boat. Fishing the access bay was a good choice as we switched shore lines and between us we caught five more fish and I caught a rock bass that was guarding a stump fifty feet from shore. Which brings me back to the flies, there was none to be seen, swatted or cursed about. A few skeeters at the landing but they didn't show up till we already had the boats on the trailers and cigars lit to keep them away. Checking our little note books we landed twenty-six bass and four northerns, not bad for a first time scouting trip, we are going to pencil in the lake for another visit this fall, on a weekday as we forgot all about it being a Friday and there were some other fishermen out on the water with us.

Not many docks or cabins on the lake as there is mostly farmland surrounding the lake. On my way in I took a picture of a field covered in hay rounds, someone has their work ahead of them moving all of them. Today finds the winds blowing briskly and the bass thermometers red needle is hovering around the eight-five degree mark. Grand kids have already headed off to the county fair and me and grandma will relieve their parents for the second shift later this afternoon. With any luck the kids will have had their fill of rides and cotton candy by the time their parents come to get them later in the evening. I have been working on the shed the past few days and after a dose of more sun yesterday fishing the idea of sitting in the cabin with the a/c on is very inviting. Sunshine Ray is taking the credit for the next week of warm weather but Stormy Clearweather is calling for a few days of rain to be mixed in. I figure I still have plenty of time to put on a roof between now and then. With the corn growing taller and the fish jumping have a good weekend from here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,214,333}

August 19, 2013

Hot and muggy is today's forecast and it looks like a good day to do one of two things. I'll give ya a hint, neither one of them has anything to do with working. I figure I can read a book in front of the a/c or I can grab the little rod and head to the trout stream and do a little wading and fish for some of them small tasty little dudes. Since it is going to be a muggy one out today and it is going to feel like I am walking around in water I might as well just go do that. As you can see I am leaning towards the fishing instead of sitting today. Arlo let it slip out where he has been fishing by the Resort, a small stream that is hidden away and he says he has seen no one else on it except the occasional deer at the waters edge drinking. I have a couple dozen crawlers tucked away just for a day like today.

Yesterday was a work day, with rain in the forecast for today I had to get a roof on the shed. With the daughters help we got the rafters on and sheeted. A layer of roofing paper was put down with a lot of extra staples and it should be OK till I can shingle it. Chuck came over to check it out and told me the shed looks like a deer stand on the ground. Lot of old weathered wood and I still have the windows to put in. After I side it and stain it will be a good looking deer stand I told him. County Fair was a hoot to use one of Elmers favorite sayings. I have had my fill of deep fried hot dogs and cotton candy for awhile. Feet were sore from walking on the hot blacktop and somehow I got roped into going through the chicken barn with Chuck. Chuck raises chickens so we had to go check out the hens. It was not till we were halfway through the building that I noticed Chuck was trying to impress a lady chicken judge with his hen knowledge. I sure do hate it when I am someone's wing man.

Too hot to do any outside painting so I told the mother in law it will have to cool down some before I can get to her garage. She nodded and said something about that she had already figured that out. Could use the rain though, I was checking the corn this morning and the ground is hard but the corn is doing well, maybe a week of hot weather will be good for the garden. Speaking of garden I was at the beer garden and ran into the Fellows who just happen to be sitting around the largest table. They waved me over and I sat down and asked what that evening's conversation was about. "Tobacco" Steve replied, we are thinking of growing tobacco. I then listen in on how the guys were talking to a few farmers over in the horse building about how they are growing tobacco in a section of their pastures. With the price of smokes these days growing your own sounds like something that the Fellows would be interested in. After all they did have some experience growing crops in fields when they were younger.

I listen in as they talked about growing tobacco and how horse pasture is rich in the kind of special dirt that tobacco needs. I was thinking to myself that my neighbor Chuck has horses and maybe we should see about planting a few plants ourselves. After all making cigars can't be that hard, one just needs to experiment some I am guessing. I left the tent with the idea tucked away for next spring. Time to get the brown bag lunch from the fridge and head out to the Resort. Duncan is resting at my feet and I think I will take him with. Barney and Bud are already sleeping in front of the a/c and I am just going to leave the old dogs where they are. I'll be thinking of you when I am wading through knee deep cool water probably getting eating alive by skeeters, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,216,596}

August 21, 2013

Getting through the night is sometimes worse than getting through a hot day. Two days of hot weather here at Lake Iwanttobethere has the hum of a/c units echoing across the still waters of the lake. It's after one in the morning here and the red needle on the bass thermometer hanging on the siding of the cabin rests at eight-two degrees. I know this because I can clearly see the thermometer in the light of the blue moon that is high in the sky. Matter of fact it is so bright out that we don't even need any lanterns as we sit around a small fire glowing in the fire pit. Too warm to sit in the cabin let alone try to sleep so we are sitting around the fire and enjoying the evening. By we I am referring to Elmer and Chuck who both spotted my fire and wandered over to sit a spell. Elmer came over with his fogger and laid down a fog bank that would have hid a tank and a squad of troops. When the fog lifted there was not a skeeter to be seen, heard or swatted at.

Chuck came over with a cooler and a few bottles of Hamms could be heard clinking around in the ice water. We moved wood chairs down from the deck to the fire ring and soon we were sitting back and watching sparks float skyward. I ran a cord from the wall outlet and we plugged in a radio and spent some time listening to a distant baseball game. Didn't matter who was playing, just the sound of a ball game and the crack of a bat seem to be the proper thing to be listening to on a night like tonight. Around midnight the wife open the back door a crack and all three dogs walked out on the deck and then scattered to the grass. One by one they found their way to the fire and soon each of us had a dog at our feet, snoring. The light went on in the back bedroom and a minute later it went back off, Chuck said "I guess the wife is not going to join us" and I nodded and took a sip of my beer.

Not too often here at the Lake do we get temperatures in the low nineties like the past few days, The high humidity is the real kicker as it makes the heat feel even hotter and hard to find relief. No work was done on the shed, no way was I going to go up and try and put a roof on. I did go out for awhile and do an inventory on wood to see if I had enough to build my shelf's inside but after about fifteen minutes my tee shirt was dripping wet and I felt like I was back in high school doing two a day football practices. I just walked down to the shore and kept walking out into the water till I floated. That felt good but you can only stay in the water so long and when I came out I sat on the dock and didn't dry off, the humidity was just too high.

All three dogs and all three cats have taken over the master bedroom, the only room with a/c and they refused to give up the bed or the space in front of the a/c unit. I think the wife had tricked the dogs into coming outside so she could get in the bed. Baseball game ended and someone won, we didn't care as we never were listening that close to find out who was playing. We left it on the same channel and after the post game it went to some talk radio where they were talking about area 51 and the government finally admitting that it existed. From there it went to talk of aliens and abductions, you know the typical late night/early morning talk radio stuff.

Chuck's beer was gone but Elmer had a few bottles in his fridge and he went back to the cabin and returned with them and a half a tray of ice. With the fire nothing but coals we adjusted our chairs to face the North as Stormy Clearweather said there is a good chance of some Northern Lights tonight. I have the lap top out and I thought I would jot the moment down to share, it's too hot to sleep here at Lake Iwanttobethere tonight. {1,218,517}

August 22, 2013

Nice morning this morning, bass thermometer says it is sixty-five out and the cabin one inside says sixty-six, nice sleeping weather. Some more hot weather on it's way, a couple of more eighty degree days and then some nineties again but the nights will cool down. I have closed all the windows and pulled the shades, see how long I can keep the cabin cool and the dogs comfortable. Today is my 722nd birthday and I of course will be down at the Lodge to celebrate. Having a birthday is always an excuse for someone to buy a round or two and a lot of times the tourists will get wrapped up in the birthday thing and buy a few drinks to. Just good for business as we say. I did go trout fishing the other day as planned, I fail to mention it as I didn't catch a thing. I think Arlo sent me to the wrong creek as he was not surprised I didn't catch anything. But it was not a total loss as the water was cool and surprisingly there were but a few bugs, that should have been a clue there would be no fish.

Since it was too hot to work out yesterday I headed to the Resort to put my feet up and enjoy the a/c that we have in the Club House. Pretty much everyone had the same idea as all the co-owners were there. We decided to have a meeting and gathered around the Great Table and went over our to do list and started talking about winter. Kind of strange but when you think about it in the dead of winter we talk all the time about warm summer days. Hammering Hank has been in charge of fire wood and has been working on bring in down trees found on the property. We have a pretty decent wood pile going and we should add to it as fall arrives and we spend more time in the woods. Hank also brought up that we have at least three coveys of grouse on the property and Duncan's ears perked up at that.

Vic reported that it has been slow but yet still steady in the bar and bait shop. Just when you think you can go take a nap someone will show up looking for minnows or want to hang their hat and have a soda or beer. We have three of the cabins open and booked or maybe we better say "Spoken for" till mid September. The Fellows have asked if they could winter over their camping spot, I think they just don't want to have to move the camper back to Gary's place. Marv got up during the meeting but came back shortly with a platter of egg salad sandwiches on fresh Kaiser rolls. A big salad bowl was also brought out filled with radishes, onions, carrots, sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, the only thing store bought was the lettuce as everything was fresh from the garden here at the Resort. Between mouthfuls of sandwich Vic said the corn is still a few weeks away as are the potatoes, Home made French fries are going to taste good come this fall.

Talk continued around the table and it was brought up that maybe we should have a grand opening or maybe not. We for the most part agreed we are as busy around the place as we want to be. For our first summer we have gotten a lot done and knowing that we have grouse about fall might be just the time for all of us to sit back and enjoy the Resort ourselves. Some bird hunting, a little fishing. Spending time on the deck, sipping beer from our own keg, smoking cigars and not having to drive home at the end of the night is kind of why we all bought the place. As Skinny says it is kind of just like home, where else can you drink half a beer, leave it on the table and come back the next morning to finish it! From Lake Iwanttobethere {1,220,862}

August 23, 2013

Back at the cabin after a morning in the quiet town of Lake Iwanttobethere. On the drive into town the Tahoe thermometer said it was only fifty-seven but I had the window rolled down anyway. I enjoyed the cool breeze and stuck my hand out the window a few times deflecting the air into the cab. By two the temperature had climbed to eighty and Stormy Clearweather on KCUM radio said that should be as high as it goes. I was listening to the morning show on the ride in as I had heard they were having a ventriloquist on but I can't tell you if he was any good or not, since it was radio. I knew we had not received any rain for awhile but I was surprised to hear that Stormy was reporting that we have reached the drought stage. Good thing we had a wet spring as I have not noticed the Lake down that much. At the Resort we still have a few sections of grass that need to get mowed every week. Can't see where the drought has effected the grass growing. Maybe I need to trade mowing sections with one of the other guys.

We are getting July weather here in the late end of August, more heat coming and just a slight chance of rain. After listening to the drought report I did notice that the arrow on the fire danger sign was on high and the Skeeter sign arrow was low. Also a lot of dragon flies are around and spiders have suddenly appeared everywhere. About the only thing that is on time is the hornets which seem to be hovering everywhere. I drove by Burt's Barbershop and I saw he had an empty chair, I parked and made my way in to the shop and saw that I was the only one there. Burt came out from the back room sporting his softball team shirt that he sponsors. Across the shirt the team motto is printed "If you don't move, you can't get hurt" as you might guess it is a senior softball league.

With a wave he ushered me into the chair and with a swirl and flair the pinstriped table cloth was draped on me. I know it is not really a tablecloth but I don't know what the barber industry calls it. I told him to give me about five dollars worth and a minute later he was brushing the cut hair off my shoulders. Best thing about the quick haircut is we never got to the question and answer part. I didn't have to answer the Hot enough for ya, how about them deadbeat baseball players or is Honey Sauce down at the Lodge seeing anybody? I gave Burt his five dollars and told him his next beer at the Lodge is on me. Burt palmed the five dollar bill and offered me some scented water from the ledge behind his barber chair, I declined and watched as Burt splashed a few drops on his hand and slapped his face on both sides with it, He then took a sip before putting it back on the ledge and turned to give me a big smile. I just waved and said "Later"

A stop at the General Store was made, Big Earl had paint brushes on sale and I bought two. Drugstore for shampoo and Gas-N-Go for a fill before the price goes up again. Next stop was Diggers Garden Center where I chatted with the daughter as she watered shrubs and then I thought about going across the road and hitting a bucket of balls at the driving range. I have not golfed once this summer and I thought about Burt's softball team motto, Hitting golf balls sounds like a good way of getting hurt so I turned towards home instead. I pulled up to the garage and Duncan was there to greet me. Barney and Bud were on the deck watching but not making any effort to come see me. I gathered up the bags but gave Duncan the two paint brushes with instructions to take them to the shop. Duncan headed that way with the brushes in his mouth and tail wagging. I made my way up on the deck and petted the old dogs and waited for Duncan to return. Duncan came back with one brush in his mouth, I shook my head and pointed at the shop and told Duncan "Both brushes" dang dog, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,222,893}

August 25, 2013

Even if I wanted to I could not write today's report without talking about the weather. Only those living in a North Dakota missile silo are not going to be effected today. It was supposed to cool down overnight so said Stormy Clearweather but she missed that forecast. I had the whole cabin attic fan running on high all night figuring I would pull in all that free cool night air and then this morning pull all the shades and close the windows tight. I got up at seven and it was eighty degrees outside and eighty degrees inside. Reason I was up was I had to run down to the landing and pick up Chuck and his brother in law. Late last night I pulled their boat down to the landing and they were going to spend the night fishing, walleye fishing. I helped launch the boat and then pulled the trailer back here, they did not want to leave the trailer at the landing overnight. Chuck's brother in law is not from around here and even though we told him his rig would be fine he didn't want to leave it.

I was alone on the drive in, not even Duncan wanted to leave the cabin and the one room where the a/c was running. I figured the guys would be in no rush to get off the water so I took my time driving to the landing, in some places I drove at a grouse hunter's pace. Some wind was blowing so that is good well at least until it gets hot out then the wind will make what is forecasted to be ninety-five degrees feel like a blast furnace. As I got closer to town I noticed how quiet it was, even for a silent Sunday. Just outside of town I came up on a runner, well actually a jogger. I was going slow so I just slowed down some more. The jogger was running, I mean jogging down the center of the road. I was figuring he would hear the squeaking of the trailer and move over to one side but he just kept jogging.

I figured he was a tourist here for the week, I don't know anyone that is that healthy here at the lake that they would be running on a Sunday in the heat and high humidity. Also I think his clothes gave him away. We all know that when you are golfing you can get away with any clothing combo you want. Checks and plaids and stripes and bright colors like what a clown would keep in his closet. If it extremely hot I guess you can go running in any combo to. I suppose it was good that he looked like a peacock, he sure did stand out running er jogging down the middle of the road. I could just not figure out why he was wearing gloves. I trailed behind him waiting for him to move to the side or at least look over his shoulder. After a few minutes I did what anyone else would do here at Lake Iwanttobethere, no I didn't lay on the horn and pass him. I didn't leave him buried in a dust cloud or give him a one finger greeting. I just pulled back a little further turned on my four ways and escorted him into town.

Just as we entered Main Street he veered off on to the sidewalk and only then did he notice me behind him. He gave me a slow nod of his head and looked away, I just shook my head and gave the Dodge some gas. Well, I guess I was wrong, the guys did want to get off the water, Make a short story short they didn't catch any fish, it didn't cool down, they ran out of bug spray and they were waiting on the dock for the trailer. I turned around got the trailer wet and the boat was on like it was being timed. We were just pulling out when the jogger appeared blocking the ramp. He pulled ear buds out and running, er jogging in place he asked where the nearest drinking water was located. Chuck stated to point up the hill to the Lodge when I interrupted. "Are you looking for ice cold spring water" and the jogger asked "Is it free" I smiled and said "You bet, all you can drink, just over that rise there, stay on the running path" the jogger put the ear buds back in and just gave me that curt little nod of his. He ran down er jogged down the lakes four wheeler trail and soon was out of sight in the brush covered skeeter infested underbrush. Chuck looked at me and said "It's five miles to the spring there Bobby" I put the Dodge in gear and replied, "Yup, I know that" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,225,535}

August 26, 2013

I drank a lot of water yesterday with good reason. According to Sunshine Ray the high temp for the day was 95.2 and with the humidity it felt like 104 I am not going to argue his numbers. Whenever the temperature is so high it sounds like a FM radio station it is too hot for me. The afternoon was spent sitting on the deck with the sprinkler on. Every few seconds the water would fall from the sky like a gift before heading to the other side of the deck. All the dogs were on the deck and after a few passes they too started to follow the falling water with their eyes, too hot to chase the raindrops.

I sat in one of the wood chairs with a hat on, it was to keep the water out of my eyes. Elmer came over and seeing where I was sitting he joined me. Took a few minutes but soon his bibs were dripping wet and he started up with the stories of how when he was a kid every summer day was just like today. Chuck was next to show up, he had tried to get some sleep after staying up all night but it was too hot in his cabin. He came over with a jug of lemonade and I got up and fetched us glasses. Just too hot to drink beer, it would be a waste of good beer so we sipped on lemonade. We sat on the deck and got wet, it was refreshing and better than going in the cabin. The wife came out and asked what us fools were doing sitting like kids in a sprinkler. When the water went to the other side of the deck I looked up and told her that I "Have a condition" she just shook her head and went back inside, no doubt to sit in front of the a/c

As we took turns talking I told Elmer about the jogger and Elmer shaking his head said "He must be from that small town north of here" "Which one is that" I asked. Elmer ducking his head said " He must be from Nowhere" I nodded my head, "Yup, he sure did just come out of Nowhere" Chuck jumped in with "I used to date a gal just down the road from Nowhere. She worked in Obscurity for many years." I nodded my head and waiting for the next sprinkler pass to pass. 'I think I remember her, didn't she use to have a cabin right in the middle of Nowhere?" "No, No " Chuck replied " Her cabin was Nowhere in particular" All of us lowered our heads as the next pass of the sprinkler went over our heads. I think the Fellows get a lot of ideas from out of Nowhere, at least that is what they say when I ask them.

By four in the afternoon the wind started to pick up and we lost a couple of degrees. We had turned the sprinkler off and now just sat with our feet in the kiddy pool. From time to time one of the dogs would walk through the pool or in Duncan's case just sit down in it. Sunshine Ray was on the radio giving us live reports of what was going on at the Lake Iwanttobethere swimming hole and also keeping us up to date on a jogger found along the Lake Iwanttobethere beach. Chuck and I both looked each other in the eye over the watermelon slices we were eating at the time and kind of shrug our shoulders. Ray went on to say there is still a chance of rain later in the day and all three of us looked up at the blue cloudless sky and Elmer said " It is going to have to come from out of Nowhere" from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,227,410}

August 27, 2013

We got some rain last night, a few showers and a few rumbles from distant lightning. I was reading in the den after watching some TV when the phone rang late. I am sure many of you know that I do like thunderstorms and have been known to take a drive to get in the path of a good one. Well last night a friend of mine who lives an hour drive west of me called to tell me he was in the middle of a doozy thunderstorm and it was heading at me here at the lake. I moved a few books on the bookcase to reveal a hidden cigar I had placed there just for a good reason like a thunderstorm to smoke.

I made my way out onto the deck and moved the covered swing so it was facing the lake. Across Lake Iwanttobethere I could see the storm coming but it was still far away and not much of a light show. Matter of fact it was kind of like sitting in a movie theater waiting for the feature film. Some soft glows in the clouds and a few quiet booms like what you would hear if someone was shooting fireworks the next town over. A little rain was falling and you could almost hear the individual drops as they splattered on the wood of the deck. Duncan was sitting at the glass storm door and watching me so I got up and let him outside. He ran in the rain for a few minutes before shaking himself at my feet and then jumping up on the swing to lie with his head in my lap.

With an ashtray close at hand I put flame to the cigar and puffed on it till I had a nice red glow. I blew smoke out and watched the slight wind sweep it away. I had left my shoes inside at the door because I knew they were going to get wet and sure enough it did not take long for my feet to get wet from the rain that was splashing on the deck. A long rolling boom came from across the lake as the storm marched closer. Duncan moved but only to snuggle up closer, the noise does not bother him as he has been sitting on the swing during rain storms since he was a pup. The glow in the sky started to become sharper, harsher streaks of light. There are many reasons to live out in the country and one of my favorites is the lack of light out here. No street lights so when it is dark out here it is dark, I had turned off the motion lights when I came out and now the lightning was close enough and bright enough to light up the night.

The storm was on the other side of the lake and the wind suddenly picked up. My ash tray was blown clean of ashes and one of the grand kids plastic deck chairs flipped over and fell off the edge of the deck. The air felt like it dropped ten degrees and I had a little shiver, I was thinking to myself this should be a good downpour and so I waited for the rain. The lightning picked up its pace and keeping in the movie theme it now looked like it was a marquee at an old theater. The lightning chased itself across the sky quicker and quicker. The boom of thunder bounced off the water of the lake and you could feel it hit you in the chest. The wind died and then came the rain. A bright streak from Nowhere appeared and it was so bright it made me close my eyes. A second later I felt a boom that was so close it made me open them back up and the deck shook a little or so I thought. Another bright stab of light let me see the clock on the cabin wall and that is how I know it rained hard for the next five hundred seconds.

I had to cup the cigar in my hand as water fell hard from the sky, it hit the deck and bounced back upward. Rain rushed down the roof of the cabin like it was a waterfall, overwhelming the gutters and shooting out from the roof. Duncan sat up but stayed on the swing, leaning into me he looked at me like he wanted to make sure I was not missing any of this. We were both wet but we were both enjoying the storm. The rain kept falling and I was thinking of ways to describe it, I knew that I was going to write a report about it. The rain slowed then stopped, the lightning moved off and the thunder became softer in the distant. The water still fell from the roof but now it was just the sound of dripping and not like the sound of a rushing river. We gave the storm a few minutes but it was over. I stood up and Duncan jumped down off the swing and shook. I wish I could do that, shake, but I just made my way to the back door dripping water but feeling cool for the first time in several days, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,229,130}

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