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Author Topic: Lake Iwanttobethere  (Read 318889 times)

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Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
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IT MAY NOT be fifty out but the melt continues. Time to put the boots back on as now when you walk around the cabin you have to watch your step. More then once today I stepped on what I thought was snow only to find cold standing water beneath. I should have started a thread on signs of spring as I have run into a few today. First off I traded in a stocking cap for a hat and found out it did not fit to well. I have not had a haircut all winter and now there is to much hair on my head to get the hat to sit down on my ears. For most older guys that is not to much of a problem as there are plenty of guys at the Lodge who would welcome a covering of hair on the top of their heads. These are the same guys who usually have the big bushy stashes and the thin beards. Speaking of beards I think the longer days are helping my beard as seems to be growing again to.

Ran into Diggers this morning, needed to pick up a bag of potting soil. Thought I had a bag but the wife used it and forgot to tell me. I needed the dirt for transplanting some of the tobacco and tomato plants. Thought I would give them some more room to see if I could encourage a growth spurt out of them. While I was in town and dropped in to the Lodge to see what was up. Found my parking space filled with snow along with several others. Hammering Hank had the snow thrower out and was tossing snow from the piles along the edges of the parking lot back out onto the parking lot where the sun was melting it. I would not do that as I consider it a "Make work" kind of a job. But it was working and the snow was melting and we are gaining some of our parking lot back.

Melt is doing a job on the Luge run, even a few spots where you can see the hillside. Patch of ground down by the access had a couple of geese strutting around on it. About the only part of the shore where there is no snow and they are staking claim to it. A couple of trucks down by the access, guys just sitting in the cabs looking out at the ice of Lake Iwanttobethere and I am sure they are trying to mentally help it melt a little faster. The town is slowly trying to shake winter off its shoulders. A week of fifties would sure help, snow banks along the street are still shoulder high and now you have pools of water standing where the drains should be but are covered in snow and ice. General Store is wide open though, Big Earl pays to have the snow removed from in front of it so there is never any need to walk over a bank to get to his sidewalk.

Business hours have been expanded, it is just that time of the year where people start doing projects. I know Diggers is open till nine at night now and people are coming in to look over the plants and thinking about getting gardens ready. If the snow was only gone they would be buying instead of just looking. Guess I am not the only one with snow on my deck, a few guys at the Lodge were talking about how they just ran out of space to put snow so the snow on the decks just stayed where it was. I know one guy has been just using his BBQ and moving it around the deck, Cooking supper and melting snow as he goes. I should try that but my BBQ is still just a big snow covered mound on the deck. Dogs want to go outside so I guess I should put an end to this and follow them out. Not a bad silent Sunday here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,414}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
  • Karma: +8/-28
YESTERDAY SOME LIGHT rain fell in the morning and I was out and about. By mid afternoon the rain had stopped and the clouds had moved on to rain on someone else's parade. The grand kids are on spring break so they are taking turns coming to the cabin and spending a night. Yesterday granddaughter number two was here and she is the one who has the order put in for a new fort. After a pancake breakfast of pancakes in the shape of a fish we got dressed and went outside. The granddaughter wanted to survey the area that I had picked out for the new fort and wanted to see how the snow melt was going on. With hands on her hips standing in her purple glitter boots she told me that if I was to start shoveling the snow away we could get to work that much faster. I walked over and picked up a shovel that was leaning up against the deck and handed to her. "Knock yourself out" I told her. She took the shovel from me looked at it and then asked why she should knock herself out?

I smiled and then explained to her just what the saying "Knock yourself out" means. She listened intently as she always does and then handed the shovel back to me. "It will melt" is all she said and we moved on to other things. The granddaughter had friends coming over to her house later in the day and her ma, my daughter wanted her home by one so she could clean her room. Didn't make much sense to me to clean the room before four little girls tear it apart again but I did get her home on time. My daughter met us at the door and we both got a kiss on the cheek. My daughter asked her daughter how things went at Papa's house and my granddaughter just said that she got to knock herself out! I had to explain to the daughter what the granddaughter was talking about.


After I left the daughters house I took the back way to the Lodge, was looking for some signs of spring but all I found out was that we are going to have a really good year for pot holes. Matter of fact I was wondering out loud was is the difference between a pot hole and a sink hole. The pavement at the Lodge was steaming as the sun was high in the sky and the asphalt was actually hot enough to dry the rain a way. Has been several months since I have seen a steaming parking lot and I added that to the list of spring sightings. I pulled into the Lodge's parking lot the same time as my neighbor Chuck came in from the other end. We pulled up door to door and exchanged HIYA's. Chuck was just coming from potato Joe's place and was on his way over to another farmer who has some young beef to sell. With the ponies gone Chuck was not wasting to much time looking to buy a couple of head to put in the fenced in pasture.

Chuck pulled out and I sat in the parking lot, I had a reason to come to the Lodge but I just didn't remember what it was. I took out my phone and checked my do list on it but I forgot to put down what the Lodge trip was for. O well I did see on my things to do list that I had on getting some tee shirts. I put the Tahoe back in gear and went out the far side of the lot. I was headed to the Fat & Short Shop. It once was a Big and Tall men's store but here at Lake Iwanttobethere we have a lot of guys who are just short and fat so the guy renamed it. I had noticed the wife was doing some cleaning at home and her rag looked pretty familiar. I went over to examined it and sure enough it was one of my favorite tee shirts. Is it just me or does your wife go through your drawers or closets and decide when a tee shirt is no longer wearable but can now be used as a wash rag? I know for sure that I would never think of going into the wife's closet and sort through her clothes. If memory serves me right just about when a pair of pants or a shirt gets broke in just right it disappears. Paint shirts are supposed to have paint on them, that is why you call them paint shirts. I pulled up to the free parking space outside of Fat & Short and parked. I will have to tell you tomorrow about shirt shopping here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,448}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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FAT & SHORT SHOP was not busy when I came through the door. Slim the owner greeted me and we exchanged HIYA'S and said he would be right with me as he walked by carrying a stack of shoe boxes. Slim who is actually slim moved to Lake Iwanttobethere several years ago. He told me that he had enough of the big city and always wanted to have a nice little shop that would let him get to know his customers and have some flexible hours. When he first got here it was a big and tall men's shop but after the first year Slim had it figured out that most of the guys who came through his door were looking for shirts to cover their guts and a lot of tourists that were looking for something with Lake Iwanttobethere on it.

With the help of Katrina the town artist and Hammering Hank and Skinny he hung a new sign and renamed the place. Fat & Short Shop brings in customers who want to know who would name their shop that. Would never see a name like that in the big city, he would have skinny people protesting. A lot of guys around town are just short with guts, myself included. It would also cover a lot of farmers around here, for every tall farmer with a piece of straw in their mouth is a short farmer with a bologna sandmich in their hand. Going to Al-Mart in the city you can get bigger tee shirts but they are never long enough and they charge you for the extra material. Slim has shirts and more importantly pants that fit us short legged guys. Nothing worse then trying to buy a pair of pants that fit ya in the gut but the pant legs are a foot past your toes. Having twelve inch cuffs was not cool when you were back in school nor are they when you are an adult.

Another problem with buying big shirts is you get sleeves that hang halfway down your forearm when you buy a big enough shirt to cover your gut. Here at the Fat & Short Shop shirts actually fit you in the shoulders and arms and cover your gut without having to stuff a lot of extra material in the back of your pants. Slim also carries a mess of shoes and boots in the wide category, Us short fat people tend to have wide feet to. I went over to the tee shirt rack and picked out a couple of your basic gray, blue and green shirts. I picked the ones with two pockets on the front because one pocket is not always enough. I paid for the shirts and made some small talk, mostly about if Slim has found any rain bibs that will fit a short fat guy and he told me he is still looking. With my shirts in one arm I shook his hand and left.

Got back to the cabin and was greeted by all three dogs, Duncan seem real happy to see me and as I stepped up on the deck he grabbed my hand and took me around the side of the cabin. There on the snow covered ground was the big ice dam from the roof. I checked around the other side and that one too had fallen. No damage that I could see so I was a happy camper when I went into the cabin. The wife seeing the tee shirts under my arm told me that she was glad I went out and got some shirts, she had already cleaned out a spot in the drawer for them. I set the new shirts on the table and headed back to the bedroom to see what good shirts of mine she had taken. I got distracted by the telephone ringing.

Today the forecast of Sunshine Ray is calling for us to hit sixty in the shade, I sure hope it happens. I have plans to dig the BBQ out and maybe dropping a couple of steaks on it for an early dinner tonight. With the ice dams now off the roof that means there is nothing left up there to melt. Lot of snow on the ground but there are a few places under the trees where you can see some dirt. The rag box is at the cabin deck door for wiping the dog's feet off when they come in from outside. So far no mud and the old dogs know better then to go looking for the mud. Duncan on the other hand has not figured out that he should stay out of the water and makes a point of going where ever he wants to go. A sixty degree day would sure make it feel like Spring is here and dare I say we could be looking forward to summer here at Lake Iwanttobethere  {66,475}

Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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  • Posts: 5203
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SIXTY-TWO DEGREES out yesterday, don't think it has been that warm since sometime last October. Snow is melting and brown ground is appearing around the base of trees and along the fence line. I can see a darkness under the snow in the garden where I plant cucumbers. The snow cover must be thin there. I have been moving snow on the deck from the piles to where the sun has heated the wood, I am enjoying watch the snow melt and then the water drip down between the cracks in the decking. Almost like payback against mother nature. Last night a few hours after darkness fell the sky was lit up as lighting flashed across the sky. North of the cabin a thunderstorm was moving across the area. I was hoping for some rain here but just a few drops fell and the storm missed us. A good rain would help melt even more snow.

Garden is still deep in snow but this morning I saw a few robins standing on top of the fence posts. They did not look none to happy but as soon as Duncan saw them they took to wing and headed towards Chuck's place. Frank the mailman honked his horn this morning, I was out on the deck kicking at snow and sipping on some coffee. I walked down to the mailbox and like a kid at Christmas I had a few packages along with the envelopes hiding bills. I do like Spring, besides all the obvious reason of melting snow and grass growing, this time of the year is when my fishing orders start to arrive. Today I got my mount for my Flip cameras that will allow me to put my camera on a pole and take video from new angles and heights. I quickly got out a camera and attached the camera to a pole and started doing some test shooting.

I ran the camera now attached to a sixteen foot long painter poll around the cabins eves. I should have done this years ago I am thinking as I took a video of my roof and inside my rain gutters without having to get a ladder out. I am looking forward to shooting some video out on the water this season having the camera high over head to get some different vantages points of catching fish and just a different look at fishing. With the video shot I played it back on the den computer and thought this is pretty slick. With Duncan looking over my shoulder I put the camera back on the stick and this time shot some video low, like from a dogs point of view. Yup this is going to work pretty slick.

Another package had some lures I ordered and I tucked them out of sight and distracted the wife with some of the footage I shot when she came in the den to see what came in the mail. Parking area has some dry rock on it, I am sure you would not have to dig much with the tip of your toe to find water though. Roofs may be clear of snow but a lot on the ground and then it is going to take awhile for the ground to dry out. Dodge is almost free of snow and it looks like it should after a winter of snow on it. Few more days and I should be able to pop the hood open and give the battery a charge. Some fresh gas and an oil change and it will be ready for another summer. One more month till fishing starts, I sure hope it goes by quickly here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,512}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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NOT AS WARM a day yesterday but the snow is going and revealing more of what has been hidden under it for months. This morning I was up early for me and I took a stroll with the dogs around the yard. The dog trails that cris cross the yard have now melted to the ground and once the trail hits grass they seem to widen on their own. The wheel barrow that just a few days ago had nothing but the top of the handles sticking out of the snow now has the entire wheelbarrow revealed. I open the work shop roll up door to let out the old March air and let in some fresh April air.

Robins have been moving in as I saw a couple more this morning, geese to have been showing up as I saw a flight go by in a hurry to get somewhere. Standing pools of water have disappeared and in town the street gutters are clear and free flowing again. Streets are dry and dirty with piles of snow still along the curbs covered in gravel and sand. A good spring rain is needed to clean things up. Back at home the Dodge just has a pile of snow and ice in front of it. All the snow in the bed has melted away and just for the heck of it I dug my keys out of my pocket. I opened the door which creaked loudly stuck the key in the ignition and turn it expecting nothing but it started right up. I patted the truck on the dash and said "Good girl" I let it run for a few minutes and gave it a walk around as it idled away. Mentally I was making a list for the old truck, oil change, some fresh gas. Maybe some touch up paint and for sure a trip to town and the car wash. Not today though as there is still a snow and ice pile as high as the front bumper in the way. I turned the key off and slammed the door closed, adding some WD-40 for the hinges to my list.

It was not on my list of things to do yesterday but I found myself walking past Burt and Bart's Barbershop and there was an open chair calling my name. The thought of a haircut was on my mind as I tried to put on a cap that morning and was having a hard time keeping it on. I exchanged HIYA' s with a couple of the guys who were sitting around just making small talk and sat down in the empty chair. Bart with a comb in one hand and a scissors in the other approached me with a grin in his eyes and a comment about what he could do. I told him I just wanted a trim and he made me an offer. Told me he would give me a decent haircut and today's special was beard trimming that he would throw in for free. Always looking for a deal I told him to cut away. Been fall since I had a haircut and the beard is usually kept closely cropped but this winter I had let it grow. I settled back into the chair and Bart started clipping and talking.

My dentist Mike when he gets me in his chair starts asking me questions that I can never answer because he has his fingers in my mouth or has me so numbed up I can't make words come out as intended. Sitting in the barber's chair I have a nice conversation with Bart and the rest of the guys. Was not to long for my hair to start piling up on the floor around me and the clicking of the scissors seemed to be loud in my ears. Topics of conversation ranged from the weather to hockey to ice out to fishing and of course if I was going to have any camping spots open at the Resort. I was asked about Chuck's ponies leaving and if he, Chuck that is had found any beef to buy yet to replace them. Does not take to long in town for people to find out about other people's business.

Bart seemed to be taking his time cutting my hair, guess it was a slow day. He spent a lot of time stepping back from the chair and talking. He jabbed his scissors out in the air from time to time when he wanted to make a point. I learned long time ago you don't want to get in to a heated argument with him when he is cutting your hair. Or be next in the chair after he has had an argument with someone else. A few questions about how long I wanted my summer beard to be and I was spun in the chair to face the mirror to see what he had done. The questions about how long I wanted my beard were asked after he had cut my beard as he had gotten distracted by talk of DOC's retirement. I nodded my approval and he slipped the apron off my shirt and gave me a quick once over with the shop vac. I took my cap off the tree rack and had to adjust the ban to make it smaller. Looks good I said out loudly and Bart said "Yup, just what your wife ordered" I gave him a look and paid him. "You can get your tip from my wife" I said with a grin and stepped out of the shop and onto Main Street here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,646}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
  • Karma: +8/-28
AT THE RESORT today, a tackle order came in and we have it spread across the great table in the main room. Pretty good timing I was thinking as the weather has changed and outside right now the wind is blowing strongly and the trees are swaying back and forth. Some rain is falling but not a lot. Just enough to get ya wet if you stood in the same place long enough. I was planning on doing some work outside here but with the rain that plan has changed. Duncan came up with me and he has already made a tour of the grounds and checked out all the rooms that are open to him inside. He is now laying on the floor stretched out to take up as much space as he can. Vic with his eye glasses low on his nose is tending the tomato seedlings that are sitting on the wide window sills of the main room. Watering and poking and prodding the little green plants.

The deck is clear of snow, yesterday day Hammering Hank and Skinny spent time with the ice choppers and broke the piles of snow and ice up and then pushed the mess out off the edge of the deck to melt. Today's rain has the deck clear of any snow that was left and I was thinking of taking a broom out but I think I would be better off using a hose, that is if it was not raining. With that job tabled I went back to check on Elmer and Marv who were working in the Bait Room. The shelves have been cleaned and rearranged along with some new pegboard hung. They were spending more time walking around with their coffee mugs then really working but we are not in any real hurry. The sound of water bubbling can be heard as one of the minnow tanks has a few minnows swimming around in it. The bait room outside door is on the lee side of the wind and they had the inside door open. The screen door kept the rain out but let the noise and the smells in. I walked over to the door and holding my own coffee cup I stood and looked out at the little ice covered bay.

The bottoms of the turn over row boats can be seen. The metal attracting the sun shine when it is out and heating up to melt snow away from the boats in a widening circle. Yesterday Vic told me a couple of geese were hiking around the shoreline but he has not seen them today. Vic's ice shanty rests on the shoreline, Hank has already promised to build him a better one for next season. Vic has a white board where he has been writing down what he wants in the new shack, it seems to change every couple of days. Hammering Hank seems to think he can recycle the old ice shack and turn it into a chicken coop. The idea of having fresh eggs up at the resort is a good one and we are going to see if Chuck will take on a few extra chicks till we can get a coop ready up here. With the pegboard clean I start to bring in tackle from the table and we start filling hooks and rearranging things. No hurry we just hang one item on a hook so we can see how everything is going to fit.

I was hoping to do some work in the wood shop this afternoon. Was going to start a fire in the potbelly stove and tune in the baseball game this afternoon. The long wire that we hung last summer for an antenna is still up, I thought for sure the wind or snow would have pulled it down over the winter. I am having second thoughts about going out there now as the wind is going to steal all my heat from inside the shop. I sat down in the first booth and watched Duncan as he lay on the floor and watches me with one eye. I think he has the right idea, it might just be that kind of day to just sit back and watch other people work here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,607}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
  • Karma: +8/-28
HAD AN ITCH to take a drive yesterday so I grabbed a stogie from my stash and me and Duncan climbed into the Tahoe and we did a road trip. I think back in the old days they use to call it a Sunday drive. I can remember a few of them Sunday drives back in the day. Usually it was into the big city to go to Dairy Queen. Always thought it was interesting that the country folk would drive into town and the town folk would drive out to the country. Now a days a lot of people live out in the country but work in the city. Can't say the same for to many people working out in the country and living in the city, if that makes any sense.

So with the window just cracked to let smoke out for me but open wide enough in the back for Duncan to stick his head out we took a drive. Ditches that were just a few weeks ago piled high and deep with snow just have water in them. Pretty cold looking water at that I thought as I drove down the road. I spotted a couple of deer and a rabbit running across the road. A raccoon who did not make it across was on the shoulder. Some geese flying low looking for a place to land, the pond they were by was still froze and you could see the tracks that snow mobiles had made during the winter. A few horses were out and they would look up from the snow they were nuzzling and give us that horse look.

Not a lot of people out I noticed. You would think people would be out working in the gardens or mending fences. Getting lawn tractors up and running. Might be all the snow on the ground and the blowing wind was keeping them in. Sunshine Ray is forecasting a chance of more snow come midweek. Enough that it will stick to the ground and shovels may be needed. Pretty tuff to work in a garden still buried in snow and too cold to paint a fence because the paint will freeze before it will dry. There is water to be seen, the rivers are open and flowing near the top of their banks. Everything is black and white along the river, no color to be seen. No green grass or green leaves on trees. No colorful rowboats or canoes on the water. No bright red coolers or daisy printed sun hats. Just cold dark water with snow on the banks and an occasional ice chuck floating down river to go under a white colored concrete bridge. Winter is still holding on and she has a firm grip.

I pulled the Tahoe off the road and went down a narrow track that ends up at the lake. Just enough room in the summer to park a couple of trucks with trailers. It has not been plowed but the snow has melted enough where other people have driven down and made the turn to come back up. I figure if the tracks went down and came back up then I should be able to do the same. I follow the tracks and drive slowly, Duncan has his head out the window and I can hear him snorting in the air taking in all the smells that he can. I drive right up to the edge of the lake and I stop in the same spot where others have before me. I get out and Duncan climbs from the back set to the front and out the door to the snow covered ground. Head down he goes to work sniffing and inventorying smells.

I follow in the footsteps of someone who has been here before me. They lead to the waters edge where just a little sliver of water separates the shore from the ice of the lake. I stand and look out at the ice the same way I am guessing someone else did before me. Less then a month till fishing opener, things are going to have to speed up I am thinking. I turn and head back to the Tahoe, I give Duncan a Whoop Whoop and he runs back to the truck before skidding to a stop and sniffing something that somehow he missed. I give him a minute because I know he needs it. He is satisfied and bounces the last few yards to me and hops into the truck and into the back seat. I wipe the snow off the seat that he left me and climb in myself. I turn around in the small space and drive up slowly back to the road.

I just reach the road when a pick up comes slowly to a stop. We exchange head nods and I pull out onto the road as he pulls into my tracks and heads down the narrow track to the lake. No doubt he is going to check on the ice just like I did, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,701}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
  • Karma: +8/-28
I WOKE UP at three this morning, I didn't do it on purpose but I knew there was going to be a lunar eclipse and when you get old you have an internal clock that just goes off by itself. I woke up and went to the bathroom and as long as I was up I headed to the kitchen. For some reason I had a craving for a soda. A couple of black cats crossed by path but that is OK, they are mine. I got to the kitchen and no sooner did I open the door to the fridge when I heard the stereo meowing of my two black tom cats Buff and Smokie. I got out a piece of sliced cheese and gave them each half, a blatant bribe to keep them quiet so the wife would not hear me in the fridge. I took a can of soda to the living room and tried to open the can quietly in the still of the night. It took but three long sips to finish the can and in-between sips I looked out the window at the moon. I thought about getting out the camera but I figured I could just go on the computer and see pictures shot with better equipment then what I have. A satisfying burp later and I was headed back to bed, the black cats leading the way like mine sweepers in the darkness.

With the wind blowing and snow in the forecast for tomorrow I needed to go find some warmth. I was out in my greenhouse but it is barren in there. It has been too cold to move the little seedling out there as I normally do by this time of the year. I still need to do a cleaning in there but it did smell pretty good as I gathered up some small pots to bring in the cabin to do some transplanting. A few old cherry tomato plants are still in their pots and a couple of shriveled up and dried out pepper plants add to the earthly smell. Warm but not warm enough to leave plants out there overnight yet. I drove into town and headed over to Diggers Garden Center. He has a big greenhouse there and I walked in the front doors of the store and then made my way back to the greenhouse entrance. My daughter works there so I can come and go as I please in the greenhouse.

I opened the door to the greenhouse and was greeted with warm moist air and the aroma of tomato and pepper plants. A delivery of flowers had arrived and they were spread out on the big center table. The daughter greeted me and then went to wait on a customer. I noised around the flowers some and then went out to get the cart that the daughter had set a side for me. I have been putting it off but it was time to get my cart of onion sets and tatters. No sooner do you put something in a cart and put a name on it then people think it is something special and want to buy what is in the cart. An old trick of the greenhouse is to take plants and mark them as being SAVED and sure enough someone will come and want to buy what is in the cart. Works really good when the sign says it is for the town or county. Big Earl uses the same trick when he hangs them little yellow tags on stuff saying that it is the last one he has in stock.

With spuds and onions I added a couple of bags of soil and some seeds, I had added some Butterfly Weed seeds to my order and they went in the cart. I pushed out to the checkout and paid for everything getting the daughters discount along with my HIYA discount. Out to the Tahoe and I opened the doors and emptied the cart. A few small bags of tatters were going to my place but the rest were going to the RESORT where we are going to expand the garden and add these seed tatters to some we saved from last year's garden. The dirt was going home to be used for transplanting cherry tomatoes and my tobacco plants. The Tahoe was at least starting to smell a little spring like inside. The smell of tatters, onions and black dirt mixed in well with the mud that Duncan has been tracking in.

I went to the RESORT where I unload the tatters and onion sets into the BAIT ROOM. Good as place as any to store them till we can get around to tilling the garden and planting. They were not sitting in the corner for more then thirty minutes when Arlo came by to chat and saw them sitting there. He asked Vic how much we were selling the tatters for. Vic told Arlo they were not for sale then asked me if he should put a sign on them saying they are not for sale. I told him no I will find some other place to store them. Soon as we put a sign on them then someone will come and make Vic a offer he can't refuse, that is how it works, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,718}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
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THE TIRED SNOW shovels lean up against the cedar siding of the cabin, alongside rest a couple of leaf rakes waiting their turn to go to work. Not going to happen today for them as I am looking out the den window at falling snow. Some wind moves the long tubes of the wind chimes just enough for them to bang softly together, they sound like a distant Buddhist gong. If Stormy Clearweather is correct with her forecast the soft wind chimes are going to soon sound like the first day of band practice at middle school. Just when parts of the big garden are starting to show dirt more snow is going to fall. I can't tell you how old this is getting, not just this year but the same thing happen last year to. A little token snow is fine come spring, I can live with that, but the forecast is calling for as much as twelve inches and you know sometimes the weather people actually get it right.

Yesterday I was down at Big Earl's General Store, had a list of things I needed to buy. Lots of little projects that are just piling up and I needed to start on them. There was some grumbling about the weather from customers who stood blocking the aisles but then there always is. Thing is we can't do a thing about it but having yet another winter storm in spring is going to make summer feel that much shorter, and it is short enough already. I had enough stuff on my list to buy that I pulled out a shopping cart and started pushing it down the aisle. I took a left to the outdoors section as I was looking for some new outdoor furniture for the deck at home. The stuff we have is showing its age and I have been kind of looking the past few years on replacing it. Trouble is I am looking at buying some wood chairs and no one seems to make anything in wood anymore. Even here at the General Store it is just a bunch of thin metal or plastic weave that looks like it will rust or rot through after a few seasons outdoors.

I didn't notice them when I came in but this time of year the big water tanks are usually by the front door filled with baby chicks. I found a couple of the tanks back by the patio furniture and the heat lamps were only on over one tank that had a few ducklings in it. Even the baby chicks are behind schedule it would appear. I wandered around the rows of garden tractors and pull behind mowers. I looked at priced tags and shook my head some. I then weaved my way through the fishing tackle and even though the shelf's were stocked and the pegboard hooks full I didn't see anything that I needed. Finally getting past the distractions I made by way to the paint department and got a can of flat black and then over too electrical to buy a new flood light bulb. House wash was on sale and I picked up some, sooner or later this summer I am going to stain the cabin and I will need to clean the siding off. Looking at my list I headed back to the paint department. Stain brushes were on sale so I got a few of them along with some roller covers for an indoor project. Next stop was clothing, I needed a few replacement tee shirts but I had to stop to answer my phone.

I have a cell phone and it rarely goes off, I feel that the fewer people I tell my number to the less calls I will receive. I always seem to get looks when I do answer my phone as I always just say out loudly "Yes Mr. President" and for a few second's people around me get real quiet. This call was from my grand daughter, so it was an important call that I had to take. After a few yes yes yes from me I ended the call and then walked back to the ducklings where I took a picture and then forwarded it to my daughters phone so the grand daughter could see the ducklings. I then went back to shopping.

As I sit at my desk here in the den the snow has picked up some, the deck is now white and the handles on the shovels and rakes are resting places for snow flakes. I can hear the wind blowing  through the trees and the wind chimes have a little more sway into them. Duncan walked over to the deck door looked out and then made his way back to me. He bumped his head against my knee and I moved so he could climb under the desk and lay at my feet. His head is resting on my foot and he just gave me a heavy sigh, Winter can come to an end anytime here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,752}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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STORM IS DONE, at least this one is. Another eight inches of heavy wet sticky snow covers everything in sight. The bare ground of the garden is gone back to sleep under yet another blanket of snow. The driving wind of the past twenty-four hours has taken the snow and covered the South wall of the cabin from the peak to the foundation. I wish it would be that easy to stain the wall. Overcast sky but the sun is up there, somewhere. There has been times in years gone past that by this time of the year I could go outside on the deck in bare feet, That is not going to happen today or tomorrow for that matter. I did shovel some, but only enough so the storm doors would open and a clear spot to rest the shovel back up against the wall, I am going to let the sun melt this last batch of snow, I hope.

I walked down to the mailbox, was that time of the morning and as I got there Frank the plow driver was bring Khan the grader around the bend. He pulled up alongside of me and turned the motor off and open the glass cab door and gave me a hearty HIYA. I gave him a HIYA back and we chatted some. Frank was in good spirits and I soon found out why. With this last snow storm he figured he would have enough overtime between this years and last year's snow falls that he was going to be able and buy himself a new boat! He actually said he was hoping that we would get one more good snow fall so he could upgrade the trolling motor on a boat he has his eyes on. With a grin on his face he starter the grader up and slammed the cab door closed, He even lifted the blade when he drove past my drive.

I watched the grader go around the next bend and thought well at least someone is still happy about all of this snow when Mark the mailman came around the same bend. I waited as he stuck mail in Chuck's box and then came to a stop alongside me. HiYA's were exchanged and some small talk. Mark gave me some bills and a large box that I have been waiting on. I watched as he drove out of sight and quiet returned to my stretch of road. I turned and followed my footsteps up the long drive back to the cabin. Bud and Barney sat together at the top of the hill, watching me. Somehow I get the feeling they are blaming me for the snow as no sooner do I reach the top then they both get up and turn to walk slowly to the cabin. The cold and snow of the long winter can not be feeling good on the two old dogs.

The wife opens the door and Duncan comes flying out of the cabin, jumps off the deck to sail out into the snow and runs past the old dogs to race past me before losing his rear legs trying to make a turn and wipes out in the snow. He is back up and at my side with his tongue hanging out and giving me the look of "I meant to do that" What can I say Duncan just cracks me up and I reach down to rub one of his ears and call him a crazy pup. The wife lets the old dogs into the cabin and I stop at the stairs to take a breather. A couple of robins are singing and I look for them. On the garden fence post I see a couple. I know they are a couple because one robin is singing away and the other one is looking away but no doubt has to be listening. The wife is telling her mate " I told you so, we should have stayed down south longer, we could have been warm and dry at my sisters in Atlanta" I know this because I speak robin.

The box in my hand holds a fishing tackle order, Several of the guys got together and we made an order sharing in the discount by buying in quantity. Chuck has been asking about the order as he has a mess of spinnerbaits and trailers. I put the box on the deck and with Duncan I head to the wood pile. That is where I was headed when I first came outside. The wood pile is on its last row, winter had better end here soon or I will be out of this year's wood and will have to dig into next years pile. I don't really want to do that, it is just plain depressing. I grab and arm load and Duncan helps by bring a stick with. I walk back to the cabin and lookout over the lake, I am really hoping I won't have to shovel the dock off for fishing opener here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,777}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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TWENTY-ONE DAYS till opener and looking at the piles of snow and water dripping off the eves I am just a little skeptical at what opener is going to be like. Bluebird sky overhead but not really warm out. Bass thermometer in the shade is saying it is forty-four out and I am thinking of moving the thermometer into the sun to raise the temperature some. Snow has melted from the deck so that is good but I still am not going to walk out on it in my bare feet. Cabin is busy today as this morning the daughter dropped off her two dogs. Four labs and an Austrian herding dog running around. Well actual it is Duncan and Mia doing all the running around. Bud, Barney and Buster are just laying in the sun covered floor of the living room doing what old guys do best, nothing.

Daughter and her husband along with the two granddaughters have gone for a weekend getaway. Some place with pools and a hot tub and room service. It is not around Lake Iwanttobethere because the only hot tub I know around here the Fellows have, and it involves fire. The kids will be away till Sunday night and I have the dogs. They all get along so it should not be a problem. Will be Mia's first sleep over so tonight might be interesting when the two black tom cats come out of their day sleeping hiding places. My daughter has a black tom to so Mia has been trained by a cat already. Might be a surprise for her when she comes up against two cats at the same time, both of which are black and might be confusing for her.

I can hear hammers pounding over at Chuck's, he is working on the roof of the Love Shack as I call it. With snow melting the tarps have been removed and he is back at working on the shell of the building. Roof tresses are up and the walls have been covered in sheathing. Working with one of his a son in laws they are looking to get the roof sheathed today and some ice shield on. Stormy Clearweather is calling for rain tomorrow so there is a little hurry in getting the roof covered. I have not heard if there is any snow in the forecast so maybe just maybe it will just be rain in our future. I should get out and clean the greenhouse up, with no snow I may finally get the plants from inside out into the greenhouse where they all should be. Yard is a mess and as the snow melts I keep seeing more work appear. With the long winter things that should have gotten done in a dry spring are now going to have to get done in a few weeks instead of a couple of months.

Snow has melted a lot in the main garden revealing a pile of branches that I trimmed from some trees and just tossed in there. I had forgotten all about them till the branches started to emerge from the snow. Going to have to get Duncan to drag them down to the fire pit so they can get broken down to size and burnt. Poor Duncan has a lot of work to do around the cabin, I need him to haul some firewood down from the pile today and I wonder if I can teach him how to wash windows.

I have so much work to do and get caught up on here at the cabin and at the Resort that I just don't know where to start. I seem to spend all my time just making up lists of things to do. Right now I have a list going for what parts of Lake Iwanttobethere am I going to fish when opener gets here. Of course the list has another list depending on what the weather is that day and leading up to opening day. Matter of fact I have another list for the week after opener and then there is the list of lakes to fish around Lake Iwanttobethere. I have rain day fishing spots and windy spots and sunny spot and secret spots. I also have another list that is encrypted and stored under taxes on my computer, that is the list of excuses I have thought up to use on the wife for getting out of work and going fishing here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,184}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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OVERCAST DAY HERE at the Lodge, some sprinkles of rain falling and the wind is blowing a tad. The women of the Ladies Auxiliary are in the side meeting room and they came in looking none too happy. It being Easter tomorrow the ladies were sporting their latest Easter weekend fashions. A few of them had what appeared to be shower caps over their colorful sun hats. I have learned from Gus that when the ladies come in I just move to the far end of the bar and try to avoid eye contact. I brought Duncan with me to the Lodge mainly because I did not have much choice. No sooner did I open the door then Duncan was outside and heading to the Tahoe. Mia the daughter's dog has been chasing Duncan for the past twenty hours. Mia is just a little more then a year old and I think Duncan has decided that he needs a break from her. No sooner did I open the Tahoe door then Duncan was in the truck and in the back seat. I swear he was ducking down so Mia could not see him.

Ride into the Lodge was uneventful, still snow in the woods and water in the ditches. I had the window down but the heater on high. The fresh air of spring was flowing in but it was still cool enough to need some heat added to it. I did see my first turkey buzzard doing lazy circles overhead, about that time when the big birds returned to Lake Iwanttobethere. Some rain fell early in the morning and the potholes were full of water. I took my time driving through them as you don't know what surprises are being hid under the dirty water. Big Earl was standing outside of his store, red apron on and corn broom in his hand. I gave him a wave and he returned one. I drove by Del's Sub and Pizza Shop and he was outside with some of his employees. I pulled over and watched from a safe distance as they were practicing flying the new drone that he had ordered.

The sub shop as you know is known for its special way of delivering pizza in the summer using the pizza cannon. The pizzas are placed in a double sided pan and then flung out the back door of the pizza shop with a modified trap thrower to skip across the water to waiting fishing or pontoon boats. The personal size pizza are just shot out across the water using the pizza cannon, something the Fellows designed. Now trying to stay ahead in the pizza game Del is going to use a drone to deliver pizza's with this summer. With the drone he will be able to get to make delivers to the trailer park and the campground. From the looks of things flying the drone is not all that easy to do. There was a problem that has been fixed when it was discovered that Little Louie's Licorice and Liquor Shop was on the same frequency with their beer delivery drone. Seems orders were getting mixed up and for awhile there the pizzas were going to Louie's and the beer to Del's.

Seagulls are down at the softball field, not finding anything to eat as the field is still covered in snow. Crows are sitting on the light poles watching to see if the seagulls find anything. Orange barrels sit in neat rows stacked along the backside of the park. County has not yet come and picked them up yet as with the snow no road projects have started yet. Picnic tables are not out yet and only a couple of garbage barrels are in their places. The landing is pretty quiet with only the occasional truck driving down to the edge to get close enough to get a good look at the lake. The pink fish cleaning house is about the only thing standing out on the shoreline. I was just looking out the big deck windows. I had a white bar towel draped over my shoulder and a baseball game on the radio playing softly in the background. A few drops of rain hit the glass and started chasing each other down to the sill. I just shrugged some and returned to the bar, at least it is not snow here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,895}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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CATS & DOGS and muddy ground, Easter came to the lake and it was the warmest day in six months I heard on the radio today. Any family gathering always bring a wealth of things to write about so I will just touch on a few things here. After a long long winter when the family gets together it is time to catch up and a telephone call made during the winter does not do justice to stories that are better told with hands and smiles with weird noises. I arrived late as the wife went ahead of me. I was at the cabin waiting for the daughter to come and pick up her two dogs that I had been watching over the weekend. With the dogs gone I drove over to the mother in law's house and managed to sneak in the back door to the kitchen where I had my plate just about filled before I was noticed. Everyone had already eaten and there was no waiting to fill my plate from a table that was piled so high with food it was unsteady on its legs.

Ham and turkey, tatters and gravy, corn and stuffing, Sliced bread and of course cranberry sauce. I made my way into the dinning room and exchanged HIYA's with the relatives and found an empty chair at the long table. I sat and ate and listened to conversations going on around me. Little girls with white Easter dresses and chocolate covered fingers chased by mothers ran by me. There was an arguement of which is better Brachs or Jolly Rancher jelly beans. Russell Stover bunny's still rule as proven by the few chocolate bunnies I saw on the table with their heads bitten off. As I ate I moved my head from side to side and ease dropped on different conversations. Talk of E-85 and old problems with new trucks and new problems with old trucks. Snow still in yards but mud is appearing. Garden talk and Butterfly weed planting, cruise missiles and sinking ferries. Price of heating the house this past winter and changing to propane might not have been such a great idea.

Smokers were outside on the front porch and I could hear them through the open window. A few sister in laws talking that once smokes get to ten dollars a pack they will quit for sure this time. Kids yelled at by parents to get away from the root beer colored waters of the creek and teenagers sitting in their parents trucks texting each other. Dessert had already been served and adults sat back with empty plates and half full coffee cups. As I finished up my meal the table realigned and men moved to one end while the ladies moved to the other. Now talk was about spring sales and up coming graduations on one end while at the other end talk of turkey hunting and ice out was mixed in with the idea of everyone getting together for a fishing trip.

Toddlers wander around being watched by the ladies and comments about how much the kids have grown. The mother in law fussed around making sure everyone's coffee cup was full and with out asking she took my plate away and set a healthy size piece of apple pie in its place. I got a pat on my shoulder and a kiss on my cheek and the wife smiled at me in approval from the other end of the table. With the pie gone I wiped my lips with a Easter egg covered paper napkin and thought about wading in on a couple of the conversations. My youngest grandson climbed into my lap and proceed to leave chocolate covered hand prints all over the new shirt that my wife had bought for me to wear. I bounced him on my knee and smiled at my wife who finally looked in my direction and just smiled. What could she say? Here at Lake Iwanttobethere {66,947}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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A GOOD DAY and a bad day yesterday. The good part was it was a good day for melting and my big garden has appeared from beneath the snow. Can't walk in it because it is way too soft but if we were to get some drying weather I might be able to walk on it here next week. Some more good news finally got around to replacing the leaking power steering hose on the Tahoe. Now for the bad news. One of those freak kind of deals I was getting out of the son's car who I rode in down to Dan's parts store. I was getting out of the car with my hand on the door and the old hose in my hand when the door started to close on its own. The hose came back in a arc and the end of the hose with the metal fitting hit me square on my eyeball.

There are only a few places on a grown man that can stop you in your tracks, getting hit square in your eye ball I have discovered is one of them. Spent the rest of the afternoon hiding out in a darken room with an ice pack. Today finds me with a watering sore eye and very sensitive to light still. Even sitting here at the keyboard I have to take frequently rests. Sunshine Ray is forecasting that rain and maybe some snow is in our future and this will be one time I am going to welcome some cloudy skies. At least till the swelling on my eye goes down and I can go outside with out having to wear sunglasses and my hat pulled down low. My granddaughter was here last night to pick up dog beds and when she heard I was hurting she came into the room to check on me. Being seven years old she seems to have a lot of answers to things and the first thing she asked me about getting hit in the eye was "Didn't I see it coming?"

So I am going to take some time off writing and let my eye mend itself with out straining it any more then I have to. I got a couple of audio books for Christmas and now I am going to go ahead and listen to them. Of course I have always said baseball was a game made to be listened to so I will tune in a few games and just kick back and try and take it easy. I did watch the hockey game last night which might now have been the smartest thing to do but hey it is the playoffs. Lucky for me the next game is not till Thursday night and I hope to be on the mend by then. So just a short story from here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,000}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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HERE IS A surprise for you.... It is snowing here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Not little flakes that you may mistake for snow, no these are big old flakes the size of daddy long legs falling from the sky and not just a few of them but an entire army of them are falling with plenty of backups. Already the deck is white again and the big garden is covered. Just last night I went out and pulled the straw off the strawberry patch and found green plants growing, now I am wondering if I should go back out there and fork some straw back on them.

The eye is on the mend, having an overcast sky helps as it is not as bright out. I did go see DOC Burriem up at the Resort and he got out his black bag and looked me over. Gave me some drops for the eye and told me to buy some sunglasses and wear them for awhile. I asked him if there was anything else I could do and he told me yes, "Don't hit yourself in the eye" So today the swelling and pressure is down on the eye and I am very happy that DOC didn't see any scratches on it. A few years back I was holding a ladder for the son who was trimming a tree and got saw dust in my eye. That time I did scratch the eyeball and when they flipped my eyelid up to clean the eye out, well that is something I was not looking forward to doing again. This morning under the cover of clouds I went into town, wearing of course my sunglasses on a overcast day. There was already some light rain falling so I wore my black hooded sweatshirt and just pulled the hood up over my head.

I was at the General Store in search of some lemon drops and I had a hankering for jelly beans. I was getting some strange looks as I wandered around the candy aisle with my head down low trying to stay out of the bright over head lights. I never even heard Big Earl till he was right up behind me and spoke. He was saying something about shop lifters till I turned around and he looked hard at me. I pulled the hood back and looked up over the top of my sunglasses at him. "Booby, what happen to your eye?" Big Earl asked me and I told him the story. Pulling the hood back down and pushing the sunglasses back up on my nose I followed Big Earl to the end cap where he had a few bags of Easter jelly beans. I grabbed the bags and a bag of lemon drops and flashed them at Barb the cashier and just asked her to put them on my tab.

I have been hiding out in the theater at the cabin, nice and dark in there and of course it has a good sound system. I got a couple of audio books for Christmas and I did listen to one, just a tad over eleven hours long so it took up two evenings. I have another one to listen to that is why I need the lemon drops. As for the snow and rain let it fall, can't spend any time outside in bright sunshine for a few more days anyway so I might as well embrace the overcast days that are forecasted. Play off hockey game on tonight and I will watch it in the theater with the brightness turned down. Sixteen days till opener and it is snowing out, does not look good. Cool weather in the ten day forecast and there is talk at the Lodge that some guys are going to try and find a lake with some ice for opener, just so they can say they were ice fishing on opener here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,100}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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WATER DRIPPING OFF the eves of the cabin here is loud, not too unusual here the last week of April. The old line of April Showers brings May flowers comes to mind. Except here at Lake Iwanttobethere the dripping water is from melting snow on the roof of the cabin. Depending on where you are around the lake anywhere from four to nine inches of heavy, wet, shushy snow fell yesterday and overnight. The strawberry bed that I removed straw from is now back under a blanket of snow. I walked by and I can almost hear the plants who were nice and snug under a foot of straw now complaining about the cold, wet snow.

I was out in the yard, actually I was over by the pet cemetery checking out the still frozen ground. Got a call last night from my daughter that they have been talking with Mike the town vet about their lab Buster. Buster who was here last weekend has failing health and is not doing very well. The daughter called to tell me that they are thinking real hard about putting Buster to rest and the granddaughter wanted to ask me something. She came on the phone and we exchanged hellos and then she asked if she could bury her dog, Buster at my house.

My heart hit the floor and I told her of course. Buster has always been welcomed here and it would be no problem at all if he was to come here for his resting place I told her. We talked some more and she told me she wanted to have a place where she could come visit him and maybe a place where she could decorate with some pretty rocks. I told her for sure we can find something and then she promise that she will be coming over tonight and we can talk some more. Her mother got back on the phone and we talked about Buster and how his health was failing. Mike the vet had giver her some options and her and her husband talked it over and the granddaughter was explained what was happening. She cried but she seems to understand what is happening.

Never an easy thing to do I have had to put to rest a few dogs over the years. Buster is my daughter's dog and the grand daughter has not spent a day without him with her. Buster has spent many a weekend here with me and I have grown attached to him like he is one of my own dogs. Makes it hard to write about but even death happens here at Lake Iwanttobethere. So I was out side leaving tracks in the new snow and kicking away at the dirt. Frozen solid and I am going to have to figure out a way to dig a grave. Not going to be done today as the daughter has decided they will wait a week so they can have time to pamper Buster like a king. Next Tuesday my two old dogs Bud and Barney will be having their fourteen year old birthdays. They are getting extra pats on their heads today. As much as I love my dogs I hate what is coming. I have had many a conversation with guys at the Lodge as we discuss our best friends. Just not fair that they are not with us longer. I'll share some of Buster life with you but not today, he is not yet gone from Lake Iwanttobethere  {67,144}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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LOUD OUT TODAY and it is not because the granddaughter is still here watching cartoons in the living room. She is sprawled across the couch using Barney as a pillow and Bud to rest her feet on. Only reason Duncan is not in the mix is because he is laying under my desk with his head on my foot. It is noisy out becomes the wind is banging the wind chimes together and I can hear the ringing inside the den here. Also the sound of the ice pellets that are falling and being blown against the glass making a ticking sound. Sunshine Ray is not forecasting the best start to the week as rain and freezing rain and a small chance of snow is in the works for the next few days. Might not be cold enough for the snow but with the wind it is going to feel cold anyway.

Just a few days away from counting down the days till fishing opener in single numbers but there is no rush in the air. I still have an ice pile in front of the boat house. The snow is all gone but the ice remains, the ground is still frozen where the sun, when it is out shines. I have taken an interest in the frozen ground as I have to make a place for Buster here soon. I shoveled off a few inches of dirt but then hit frozen ground. The rain might help speed the process but right now the digging area is mud and I had to make a small trench to divert some of the water. I think Buster knows something is up as the last few days he has made a real effort to show he is not ready to give up. Might also be all the attention he is getting as I even drove over just to see him yesterday. Between rain drops I took him out into the back yard and followed him around as he slowly checked things out and wagged a lazy tail at me. He is on some new medication and seems to be more comfortable. The daughter has a terrible decision a head of her and Mike the town vet has just told her she will know when it is time.

I left the daughter's house and made my way into town, drove past the Chicken Shack on the way in and I thought about stopping but it was raining out and I didn't want to get out of the truck. I picked up my other daughter who was working at Diggers and drove her into town. She had some shopping to do and I parked as she went into the pet shop. She is setting up another fish tank and was looking to buy some bottom feeders. With the truck window cracked and the wind blowing the right direction I put flame to a cigar and turned on the radio. Baseball game was on and I settled back to listen to the game and watch the smoke from the cigar get sucked out the open window and get blown away by the wind. A few drops of rain ran down the windshield and I people watched as I smoked. I noticed a couple of things right off, a lot of people were still wearing winter hats and I saw several pairs of boots. For being just a half a week away from May a lot of people were still dressed like it was November.

This time of the year I should be seeing a few boats on trailers and some campers. But as I watched I didn't see a single out of state license plate. Sidewalks were pretty empty and the town was quiet. Matter of fact I did not even see Big Earl standing outside his store. Hammering Hank and Skinny drove by in the work truck, a section of dock hanging out the back of the bed. I thought that to be a good sign, at least someone is thinking about getting out on the water. The daughter came out of the pet shop with a paper bag that she was holding by the top with one hand while the other hand was on the bottom. I figured she had bought fish and I was right. I rolled the window down some more so the smoke would get out and she got in and said "Home James"

Today finds me at my desk doing more planning then doing. The cold wind and rain has me inside so nothing is getting done outside. Not looking to good for fishing opener, there will be guys on the water but they will be doing it to say they went fishing on opener or that they have not missed an opener in X amount of years. Resorts will be busy but not as busy as they would be if the ice was already out and we had some sunshine and even normal temperatures for this time of the year. I heard Sunshine Ray on the radio the other morning saying it has snowed fourteen of the last nineteen months. Alaska is starting to look kind of good from here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,268}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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WINDY THE WINDMILL is free spinning today, as a matter of fact it has been free spinning since yesterday. The wind has been blowing here at Lake Iwanttobethere for the past day and the forecast of Stormy Clearweather is calling for it to continue. Once the winds are a steady forty miles an hour the blades on the windmill are set to free spool so there is no damage to the generator. The windmill sitting high up off the ground looks like the prop on an over loaded Piper trying to take off. On my drive into the Lodge this morning I noticed a pretty good walleye chop on the water filling the big pot hole on Main Street. Main Street itself is looking pretty bare as there is not a scrap of paper on it and even the dust seems to have been all blown away.

I am working at the Lodge today helping out with the lunch hour and getting ready for the Lodge meeting which as you all know is held on the fifth Tuesday of every month that has five Tuesdays. Tomorrow is also the birthday of my two old dogs Bud and Barney who will both be turning fourteen. The old guys who are brothers will be coming to the Lodge and a brief birthday party will be held for them. Of course they are also there to cash in and collect a few boxes of their favorite dog biscuits. To say the wind has been blowing strongly would be an understatement. At times the wind chimes are banging so loud out on the Lodge deck here that you have to stop talking because you can't hear each other over them.

Pretty good fire going in the fireplace as the sight of roaring flames makes you think you are warm. The sturdy wood logs of the Lodge gives you that sense that you are stronger then nature. Having said that there has been a few times where the wind has gusted so strong that the Lodge seem to shake just a tad. Guys sitting at the bar all stop eating and drinking and looked at each other, shook their heads and went back to what they were doing. Big Maple off to the side of the Lodge is still bare of any leaves and as you watch it seems the trunk is twisting in the wind. The big pines that we tie the bungee to for the ice house fling, if you look at the tops they are swaying at least fifteen feet from side to side but no one is going to climb them to really check. A few drops of rain are falling or it may just be water coming off the tree branches, hard to tell. We were under a freezing rain warning but it did not get cold enough on this side of the lake for that to happen.

The sound of spoons clanking the sides of bowls of chili and the square bottom beers mugs hitting the bar top can't be heard over the constant howl of the wind. Guys stand with one thumb in their suspenders while holding their beer with their other hand and look out the big windows at the weakening ice on Lake Iwanttobethere. They sway a little from side to side like fishermen standing on the stern of a boat. As I scoop on Coney sauce to a row of hot dogs I listen in to guys making comments on the wind and the ice and more than one guy says "At least it aint snowing out!" I tamp onions on the row of Coney's and slide them on to plates two at a time filing orders. Honey Sauce picks up the plates and delivers them out to waiting customers. Thursday is May 1st, here at Lake Iwanttobethere it is "Short Day" I am wondering if the wind is going to die down by then. Other wise I am going to be wearing my long underwear under my shorts here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,350}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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THIS BIG LOW that is causing all this wind sure does bring back some memories for me. Getting along in years I don't care much for low pressure systems as they bring in winds and aches and pains. When we get a low that hangs around for several days I can feel it in my knees and fingers and am reminded about every football injury I ever had along with a shoulder that talks to me about splitting wood and casting heavy lures in damp and cold spring weather. I didn't say I was complaining about the memories I just don't need to be reminded about them for several days in a row. Back in the day I sprained every finger along with both wrists, ankle sprains and twisted knees. Add a few broken bones to the mix and these cold, damp days are not so welcomed around here. The old dogs Bud and Barney who by the way are officially fourteen years old today share the same feelings. As today all three of us are moving a little slow around the cabin.

Lights were out for a few hours as a tree blew down across the lines, Gary from the power co-op with his crew restored power but didn't have any time for chit chat as they were soon called to another down line. The wind is blowing strong still and it would be a good day to rake up leaves left over from last fall and get them up in the air where the wind would take them to some place other then my yard. But I am not going out any more then I have to. Earlier I went and checked the mailbox and had to take a walk down the road to bring my garbage can back. The wind caught it and it went on a little road trip of its own. I brought it back up and chained it next to the garage so it can't get away again.

The deck is dry and this might be the first time in months that there is no snow on it. Sunshine Ray is forecasting rain in just a few hours so I will make a trip outside to pick up branches and toss them in the fire pit pile. I need to bring a few arm loads of wood in too, still have a small fire burning in the evening to keep the dampness and chill at bay. I really do hope that we are getting all of our weather out of the way here now. It can rain and it can blow it can even snow some more, which by the way is in the forecast. I just want it to all stop in about ten more days. Gardens by this time of the year should have been tilled over and the greenhouse should have shelves filled with plants just waiting to be put into the ground. Yard should have been cleaned up and several fires in the fire pit should have taken the pile of broken branches down. Some hot dogs should have been cooked with a pointed stick and the BBQ should be ready for another tank of propane. None of that has happened yet.

Looks like I will be driving in the rain to the Lodge late this afternoon, meeting day and the old dogs will get some loving, they know how to work a room. As of May 1st Gus will be running the Lodge as I will be busy at the Resort. Will still be in and out but not handling the day to day activities. We did this last summer and it worked out well. Gus is more of an ice fishermen and I prefer open water so the best for both of us. Tomorrow I will be up at the resort and we will be getting ready for our non opener opener. Last I heard Vic said there was still ice covering our little bay and lots of water in the ditches. Still some snow on the ground to but this rain should take care of it. I have some picnic tables that need some work and I hope the wind dies down so I don't have to tie the doors to the wood shop close. Eleven days out from fishing opener here at Lake Iwanttobethere  {67,376}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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STILL DRIPPING WATER from the sky here at Lake Iwanttobethere just I am now looking out the window here at the Resort instead of at the cabin. Just had lunch here and decided to take a little time and catch you up on the Lodge meeting that was held last night. Pretty good turnout by the members. I would like to say it was because the dogs Buddy and Barney were having a birthday party but I know some members were just using the meeting to get out of the house. There will not be another Lodge meeting till the end of July so there was a lot for the planning groups to discuss at the end of the meeting. We all agree it has been a long tuff winter and ice fishing was not the best. For the second time in a two years the ice house fling was not held because of the heavy snowfall that arrived at the same time as the lake ice was forming.

We figure it can't happen three years in a row and we are looking forward to a bigger ice house fling next season. Heads nodded in approval and Hammering Hank got up and closed the drapes over the big deck windows, it was snowing outside. Don't want to get into the little tick and tack things of the Lodges goings ons so I will briefly cover some of the things discussed. Lodge membership drive kicks off starting May 1st and even though we lost no members during the last year we are always looking to gain membership. Honey Sauce and Vinnie will be working again or should I say still at the Lodge joined of course by Gus and I will be there from time to time. We also have some part time local kids who work bussing tables and doing odd jobs. The Ladies Auxiliary will continue to rent the small meeting room every Saturday morning. There was some question to why we are renting them the room but that was quickly explained by the fact that all the women of the auxiliary are wife's of Lodge members and this way the members know where their wife's are every Saturday morning allowing the husbands to be elsewhere.

Tye Knotts our local Tacksidurmist and custom rod builder will be holding a six week long rod class in the Lodge basement on Thursday nights. This will be the second class this year as we forgot to tell anyone about the first one. There have been reports of several Lodge members who have broken tips and eyes on their rods that they want to learn how to repair so Tye has agreed to a second class. Speaking of classes next Saturday we will be holding a clinic here at the Lodge parking lot where you can have our local town electrician and Lodge member Twitch look over your boat wiring. There is no charge for current members.

Meeting broke up and groups formed to discuss the fishing contests and 4th of July celebration, BBQ events and if we get the smelt run there will be a smelt tent in the landing area. Members were reminded to say HIYA and give the secret Lodge membership hand shake to receive your Lodge discount at local merchants and not to share the handshake with tourists. During the meeting Bud and Barney wandered through the crowd and got plenty of pats on the back and ear rubs. Over the years the dogs have spent time with just about every member on the wicker couch listening to stories with the total under standment that only a dog can have. Before I left with them I had to push my way into my office as I think just about everyone at the Lodge had brought the old dogs some biscuits. Gus told me he will find a place for the boxes in the store room other wise the dogs will eat them like they are Halloween candy. Ten days till opener and it is raining here at the Resort, this morning there was a half an inch of snow on the railing but the ice is starting to pull away from the shore in our little bay here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,416}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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FIGHTING THROUGH A cold here, I had thought I would make it through winter with just that little one I had a few weeks ago but no. The best way to get rid of a cold is still the old fashion break a sweat way so that is what I did yesterday. The road crew with the winds finally calmed down some starting dropping trees along the section of road that is going to get rebuilt. I started up the Dodge and drove it out of its resting place of the past six months and checked the oil and added some air to the tires. I called Chuck and he met me at the end of the drive and we drove to where they were dropping trees and we slipped on our orange safety vests and my battered white hard hats and we went to work.

This of course was all on the up and up as the tree crew was just going to grind up the maples they were cutting and shoot the chips back up into the woods. We eyeballed some nice looking eight to twelve inch limbs and trunks and instead had them load up the Dodge. Made several trips back and forth to my place and Chucks. Unloading was done the old man way as I just backed up to the big pine off the drive and hooked up a chain to the tree with the other end to the end of a log. A quick tug and the log was out of the truck and on the ground. We would do that till the truck was empty and then go back for another load. Over at Chucks we would just use his tractor to pull the logs out. I would say we got maybe two and half cords of maple each and a few Birch trees to. This morning I could hear Chuck with his chain saw cutting them up to stove length and by now I bet he has them already split and stacked by now. I will let mine season a tad before I cut them up.

Today I drove into town to get some cold medicine, the break a sweat way didn't quite work out. I was hacking some still this morning but I do have a couple of cords of free firewood so all was not lost. I made my way over to the Lodge a little after the lunch hour and I parked out back. I came into the Lodge to find a group of guys standing over at the windows. Not unusual but they were looking out the windows that faced the parking lot not the lake. I wandered over to see what they were looking at and I saw several orange barrels out and it looked like a teenager trying to park between the barrels. Gus came around from the bar with a towel in his hands and told me that he had OK'd the local high school's Driver Ed class to practice in the parking lot. I nodded my head in approval as they used to do it on Main Street and they would hold up traffic. Some of them kids you would think it was there first time driving.

As I watched the gal in the Ford was having a little bit of a time getting the right angle, she kept getting closer and closer to an orange barrel behind her and in her blind spot. The guys were coaxing her on which I thought was a little strange till she hit the barrel. I heard a loud bang and a puff of smoke came up from the barrel and the guys cheered and some money exchanged hands. Seems Lodge member and local pyro tec guy Nytelyter had been by and showed the Fellows how they could rig the barrels with a small smoke charge, just to make things more interesting for the teenage drivers. As I watched the teenager put the car in gear and drove off going through the stop sign. More money exchanged hands between the Fellows. I don't think the Drivers Ed people will be using the Lodges parking lot much longer. Got to admit though, when Gus is in charge of things at the Lodge, things happen here at Lake Iwanttobethere  {67,529}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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AS YOU READ this somewhere on the other side of Lake Iwanttobethere there is boat bobbing in some very cold water. Three fishermen are sitting with their backs to the wind which also happens to be the same direction that the sun is shinning. Kind of a trade off, the warm sunshine at their backs with the little breeze blowing cold as it comes across the water also hitting their backs. A keeper walleye floats in the live well and from time to time one of the guys will lift the lid to look into the water at the skinny back of the fish and make sure that it is still there.

The three buddies have been fishing together since high school the streak of fishing openers still running. Of course it, the streak had had a few changes over the years. Used to be all three of them would have to be out on opening Saturday, all together in the same boat. But as time went on and things came up the streak was adjusted. Somewhere in the streak it got changed to a day on opening weekend, either fishing Saturday or Sunday would count. Sometimes only two of the three could make it till now the current streak just means that it counts if the boat got wet one of the days of opening weekend. Still a pretty good streak, it has lasted longer then catching a fish and the short streak of catching a limit of fish on opening weekend.

The three guys sit on padded seats, one fishing over the stern, one fishing port and the other going back and forth between the bow and starboard. All are wearing rubber boots with wool socks and after that nothing is the same. Lucky rain coat on one, torn jeans on another. The guy, Joe up in the bow he has his old lucky stainless steal thermos close at hand. The handle broke of back in o4 so now he just has it duck taped on. Several dings and dents and worn off black marker where his daughter drew on it so he would know that it was his. Still works though, as the salesman who sold it to him years ago said "It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold" Joe always brags that it is his lucky charm and many a good thing has happen with the thermos at his side, Jeff always responds the same, "You bring that thermos with you everywhere, sooner or later something good happens to everyone"

Captain Bill sits at the stern, he is the captain mostly because it is his boat and he is the only one that can get the old Mercury to fire up. There is a walleye chop on the lake and that is good they all agree, they ride the boat like wranglers working a cattle drive. They bounce up only to bounce down and the boat rocks a little from side to side. They have a pretty good spot to fish on and Captain Bill does not think they should move. The spot does have some things going for it, not to much wave action, it is in the sunshine. Hardly seen any ice in the last hour and there is that walleye that Captain Bill caught five minutes after they dropped anchor. A boat goes by, slowly as the fishermen in it eye the guys. Captain Bill whispers quietly to his buddies to keep it still, don't want the guys in the passing boat to see how they are fishing. The boat gets close and a few yells are exchanged across the water.

"Geettin any bites?" NA, pretty slow here, How bout you guys? Nothing here either, but certainly is a lovely day out! Waves are exchanged and the boat motors on. Jeff says with a loud whisper. "I got a taker here" Jeff with his rod close to the water watches his line and he can't hold back anymore. He stands up and sets the hook and the rod bows. Captain Bill eyes the water looking for a flash and then looks back at the boat that just passed them, it is turning around. Joe in the bow grabs the net and slips it under a walleye and lifts it over the side. Captain Bill announce that the walleye "Will eat" and Jeff slips it in the well to join the other one. With in casting distance the other boat drops an anchor and now two boats are fishing or should I say riding the waves looking for walleye here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,643}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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FLIRTED WITH THE fifties over the weekend but today finds us back in the low forties with enough breeze around the knees to make the wind chimes, chime. Over on the far end of the lake fishing season has started and a few Lodge members made the drive. They came back and sat by the fire of the Lodge telling tales of little lakes free of ice with to many fishermen and of big lakes with ice bergs. A few fish were caught and held over head like trophies, trouble is they were small enough that you only needed one hand to do the holding. Sunshine Ray was on KCUM radio this morning with his forecast, not good. Six of the next seven day's look good for rain and two of the days we are looking at some thunderstorms and high winds. He was even reporting that a few listeners called in and said they were seeing snow flakes falling this morning.

The weekend was not a total loss here at the cabin though. I managed to get some small projects done without getting distracted by others. Green house got cleaned up and I put some plants out there to see how they fare. Other plants inside the cabin were transplanted and I started a few other things. Onions were planted in the one of the raise beds and me and Duncan dragged branches to the fire pit. Dodge has been moved to its summer parking space and I looked at the logs we hauled but did not do anything with them. I need to clean out the wood shed before I start to refill it. Over at Chucks I was wrong, he did cut his logs to fireplace length and split them but did not get them stacked. His plan was to get his grand kids over to the cabin on Sunday and he was going to play the logging game with them. That is where they stack the wood and think it is fun. Seems a few of them have wised up to the game and didn't want to play.

Overcast and cloudy here today and shorts aint going to cut it. I went back in the cabin and put some sweat pants back on and got a flannel out of the closet. Dogs were outside and listening hard. Lot of noise out there as the freight train was going by and the engineer was laying on the horn at the crossings. Road crew is working and I heard the sound of trees being chipped up and the sound of chain saws. A couple of times while I was out I could see dump trucks driving down the road through the trees. Not going to be a quiet summer here at all I can see. Looks like only Sundays will be quiet as I am sure they will be working on Saturdays in order to make their deadline. I will be working a little on the Puddle Humper today as the winter tarp needs to come off. I took the wife's clothes line to secure the extra tarp over the boat and now the wife wants her rope back. I suppose I will have to hang it up for her to as I don't think I can get away with just leaving the rope in a nice coil on the clothes pole.

The only nice looking day of the entire week will be Saturday, fishing opener. That will make a lot of business around town happy as we should have a lot of fishermen in town. Pretty iffy if the ice will be out by then but it is pulling back away from shore and in some places it is gone. Bring on the rain and some thunderstorms and that just might be enough to do the job. I would rather that we had a nice stretch of seventy degree days but that is not going to happen, at least not this week. I have a lot of things to do on my do list for the summer and now you can add just about the entire spring list to the summer list. We are all ready getting to the point that I may not be able to wait for nice days to do projects as we may not have many of them kind of days. Not to mention that most nice days should be used to go fishing on. Summer is coming to us, just not today here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,680}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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RAINING NORTH OF here but not a drop here, I am not complaining but it is still an overcast cold day here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Never did get the wife's clothes line off the Puddle Humper yesterday. I thought about it some and then got distracted with other things. Ended up going shopping with the daughter who had a list of things to get and some of the things she needed were at the same stores that I had to get stuff at to. So we both just decided to go shopping and it pretty much killed the rest of the afternoon. The town of Lake Iwanttobethere does have a mall, not like a big city mall, those are so big you might be able to fit the town of Lake Iwanttobethere into one. Our Mall here is just some shops that are close together and decided to call themselves a Mall. During the summer they put up a big tent that connects four of them together and call it the food court.

I had not noticed but the tent was up for the season and we stopped at the food court. The daughter was hungry for some Chinese food and I bought a soda and a hot dog from a vendor who had his cart parked under the big tent to get out of the cold weather. The hot dog was not good but it was not bad either. Of course hot dogs are the one food that no matter where you eat it and if it is hot or cold it hits the spot if you are hungry and outdoors. The daughter ate her food but she got up and took the walk to the far end of the mall to get some special coffee at the coffee shop. You know one of them four dollar foam cups with express this and moco that with a twist and a swirl and a hint of mint. I don't drink it myself but the tourists sure seem to like standing in line in the summer to get theirs.

So I am sitting back in my chair doing what I do best, people watch. I sip on my soda and watch the comings and goings of people at the food court. First thing I notice is that in the middle of the day there is sure a lot of old people in the food court, I mean older then me. After awhile I figure they are power walkers and they are using the food court as there meeting place. I can't tell if they are getting ready to walk or have just finished walking. Of course the food court is not a very big place to walk and now I notice them some of them are doing laps of the place. Almost like a relay as some sit down at tables while other get up to take there place walking around the mall. I did notice there are a lot of older ladies who wear glasses and not as many men. But I also noticed a few men walking into tables so maybe they were just not wearing their glasses.

A few teenagers in the food court, they all seem to have their heads down as they sit at tables busy texting their friends sitting across from them. As I sit and watch from time to time I take a sip from my can of soda and I notice when I put the can back down on the table top the table tips. I don't think to much of it because I know why the table tips, The legs are uneven on purpose, it keeps tourist from getting too comfortable and keeps people from lingering to long in the food court. The daughter walks by my table, one hand holding on to her foam coffee cup and the other hand holding on to her phone. Her thumb moves quickly across the face of the phone, no doubt texing someone something very very important. She hits send and stops to look up searching for our table. She turns and sees she has walked past the table and says nothing but does smile in that way kids smile at their parents when they do something wrong and they both know it.

I stand up as she approaches and as we walk to the end of the food court I drop my can into the recycling bin and step aside as two older lady's, arms pumping power walk past me. I get a nod from one and the other one looks right through me. I think she is in "The Zone" and I think to myself that I am not ready yet to join the walkers at the mall here at Lake Iwanttobethere  {67,734}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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INSTEAD OF COUNTING days we are down to counting hours away from the opening of fishing season here at Lake Iwanttobethere. We still have ice, I know that must come to a surprise to some of you as I am sure a lot of you think that the weather here is always perfect. Nope, that is not true. I am looking out the den window right now and I can see a big sheet of ice covering the center of the lake. Ice has pulled away from shore and I suppose you could launch and motor along the shore for quite a distance. If the wind was to shift on you that might make things a little interesting trying to get back to your trailer. But we still have time for the ice to melt some more and if we get the thunderstorms that Sunshine Ray is forecasting for later this afternoon that might help. I was at the Lodge last night and the Fellows were trying to locate old fridges and washing machines. They were busy with one of their ideas and I listen in and got most of the idea before I moved on.

First off we all know how powerful lightning can be. The saying lightning never hits the same spot twice is because it does not have to. Well the Fellows after hearing Sunshine Rays forecast came up with an idea. They are looking to drag old metal fridges and washing machines out onto the ice of little bay where they have their trailer. I am interested because the little bay they talk about having their trailer at is where I have my resort and they have their trailer at my resort. Well the idea is to haul the stuff out onto the ice and spread them around some. The lightning hits the appliance, vaporizes the appliances creating heat which in turn melts the ice and we have the little bay ice free and ready for fishing opener. I just nodded as they told me their plan and I had but one question. "Where did ya come up with this idea" Tiny said that Elmer and Vic said they used to do it all the time back in the old days.

I was not hearing anyone volunteering any appliances so I figured I was OK and the bay would be safe. I was just at the Lodge to pick up a few things and soon I was back in the Tahoe and heading to the Resort. A few hours earlier and I had been at the cabin stacking wood. My good friend Chuck had taken pity on me and brought his log splitter over and we sawed up the logs we got from the road construction project and Chuck split them and made a nice pile right in front of the wood shed. He took the splitter back to his place and I took my time stacking wood back into the back of the shed. I took my time simply because I don't work fast any more. Between frequent breaks I notice the sky getting dark as it came across the lake. Duncan was outside with me but he headed to the back door of the cabin and jumped up to ring the doorbell. The wife came to the door and let him in just as the first piece of hail fell from the sky to bounce off the deck. As I stood and watched the hail marched across the deck and then the yard and started bouncing off the wood at my feet.

I was thinking that Duncan was a traitor and left me out in the hail when a good size piece clipped me on my ear and it stung like a bee sting. I stepped back under the roof of the shed and watched as the ground was soon covered in hail. Hail came down the valley roof of the cabin and flowed like a white rain out onto the deck. The hail lasted for but a minute or two and it was done. Some heavy rain few for a few more minutes and I discovered the shed roof was not as dry as I thought it was. The rain ended and Duncan burst out of the cabin door made a beeline to me and gave me his lab look "Hey, did ya see that" I reached down and patted him on his side and told him thanks for the heads up buddy. As he walked away I reached down and picked up a piece of hail and tossed it at his rump. He took off running back to the cabin, no doubt thinking the hail was coming back to Lake Iwanttobethere  {67,839}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

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MORNING BEFORE OPENER and I think this one will be remembered. Maybe not for good fishing but it will be one of them openers you look back and talk about the weather. I am at the Resort this morning, actually spent the night here. Will be our second season here and all the co owners are here working at getting things ready for the few guests that we have coming in. This morning I spent some time with a cup of steaming coffee ducked under the eve standing on the deck. The dust till dawn flood light at the peak of the Clubhouse was still on at eight in the morning. Might have to do with the fog that was hanging in the air making it hard to see much past the shoreline. Water was dripping off tree branches to land on the ground or making splats sounds on any hard surface.

Yesterday Hammering Hank had graded the road as best as he could, filled in some ruts and potholes. Chuck with the tractor had moved picnic tables to their places and Skinny positioned chairs and hung clothes line. DOC Burriem has moved in to one of the cabins and has his car tied to the railing. The old DOC will not give up his trademark of tying his car to a post just like he used to do to his buggy back in the day. Already this morning Marv was up before everyone baking in the kitchen. The smell of rolls and bread is in the air and hangs low mixing with the morning fog and the lite rain that still is falling. Some of the Fellows trickled in late last night, their camper is quiet this morning but I see Tiny left his driver's window open on his truck so that should be interesting when he discovers it.

Elmer is with Vic in the Bait Room, they are checking minnow tanks and packing night crawlers into round cardboard bait boxes. Normally my grand kids would be in on the action but with some snow still on the ground out here the picking of night crawler has been non existent The main room of the Resort is clean and all of the booths are open for business. Vic has moved his stuff back into his apartment and booth number one is now open for business, but Vic has his coffee mug sitting on the table, still making a claim to it. Just a few trailers due to come in, no campers or I should say no tent campers are coming. We don't have any dry ground for a tent to be set up on. Hammer Hank did get some gravel moved around down by the old access, it is not in the best shape but if you want to launch a small boat it is a lot closer then having to drive around the lake.

Duncan came up to the Resort with me and he spent a few minutes checking out the grounds before coming back up on the deck to shake and spray water against my legs. He then sat down leaning against me and looking out at the grounds we both just watched the rain fall. I could hear a few robins and I looked down at Duncan to see which way his head was cocked to see where the robins were at. Marv came to the door and held the coffee pot in his hand. I reached out with my mug and we met halfway. A new puff of coffee steam leaped up from the mug and I nodded my thanks. Duncan seize the open door moment to leave me and follow Marv back inside. No doubt after shaking some more water off he is in the kitchen waiting to see if Marv will drop a donut hole on the floor in his direction.

With a fresh steaming mug of coffee I pull my collar up a little higher around my neck and try to look out at the little bay. I see open water but I know there is still some ice just beyond my eye sight. I can hear the sound of metal on metal up in the pole barn. I look that way and I see the doors are slightly open. I did remember Chuck talking about some tractor problems and I can hear what I think is a hammer being used with some force and a little yelling. The hammering stops and I stand and listen waiting for it to start up again. After awhile I give up, must be an electrical problem. The phone rings and I reach in to my pocket and pull out the portable, That's my job today. GOOD MORNING, THIS IS THE RESORT HERE AT Lake Iwanttobethere {67,872}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
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FISHING OPENER HERE at Lake Iwanttobethere has been a surprise. Not the fishing but the weather has been the best two days that we have had in months. Today it was supposed to be raining but as I take a break here in the Main Room of the Clubhouse there is actually some sun shinning and even though there is some wind it is sixty out and that feels like a slice of heaven. A lot going on here at the Resort so I will just have to touch on a few things that have been happening. Friday night we watched hockey till about ten minutes before fishing opener started. The game ended, in a win and the guys who were already dressed in an assortment of winter and duck weather clothing made their way down to the docks and bobbing boats and headed out into the little bay.

During the day on Friday we did get a second dock in and the place did get busy with a few RV's showing up and we were busy moving boat trailers around and setting up some camping spots. Saturday the weather was warm and sunny and there was plenty of places to hide out of the wind so guys stayed out on the water for most of the day. Fishing was not great, it was not even good. OK It was bad but after the winter that would not end any reason to be out on the water was a good one. Last night was supposed to be a fish fry for supper but all that we had was a skinny northern and no matter how many tatters Marv had to fry up it was not going to be enough. The backup plan was to start up the grill and we did hot dogs and hamburgers. The evening stayed nice so some guys who did not have enough of fishing went out for a boat ride. There was no evening bite so they just returned saying they went on a boat ride.

Bon fire was burning on their return and soon they had a beer in hand and feet up on chucks of wood and sat back in chairs and enjoyed the beginning of fishing season. Sparks lifted skyward and dogs made the rounds. Plans were drawn up for today's fishing which was supposed to have some rain but when everyone got up it was dry and the sun was out. "To the boats" was the battle cry after a big breakfast of pancakes and scrambled eggs. Sausages and slabs of ham with a side order of bacon filled most plates. Guys had been waiting for months for this weekend and diets were forgotten and with no wife's looking over shoulder's orders for sandwiches were placed with extra Mayo. The water of Lake Iwanttobethere was cold so there was little demand for ice. Guys were just floating their sodas in the live wells which were more then cold enough.

A few guys came back in for lunch, I had not noticed but the sky is starting to cloud up some and the temperature has dropped a few degrees. I was in the Bait Room for awhile there helping out Elmer. Sold a few scoops of minnows and gave away some free advice. Of course I am guessing like everyone else is right now as to where and what the fish are doing. From what I have heard fishing is slower then slow and the water is cold but still a nice day to be on it. DOC Burriem and Vic are spending some time together. I spotted them looking over Vic's boat that is not yet in the water but is ready to get wet. Chuck is up in the pole barn working on a trailer that one of the Fellows brought in without working lights. He has his own boat up there that he is working on but he got sidetracked.

I am leaving here in a few hours, have to be back at the cabin for the Mother In Laws surprise Mothers Day BBQ. Kids and grand kids are all coming over so I was told that I should show up to. I think it might start to rain by then so I will not be missed here, besides I can use the time to work on the Puddle Humper, I still don't have the tarp off yet here at Lake Iwanttobethere {67,931}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
  • Karma: +8/-28
THERE ARE JUST some smells that seem to trigger memories or in general just put a smile on your face. Bacon and coffee are right up there with making guy's grin and making mouths water a little. Baking bread or pies cooling on a window sill are a couple of favorites of mine. Now if you take the coffee and frying bacon smell outside and add a wood fire you have a guarantee memory maker. But for me the one smell that is a sure bet to get my mind wandering is the smell of charcoal. The smell of burning charcoal seems to travel farther then other smells and if it is riding the wind you can be miles away and smell it. Charcoal is a long simmering smell that hangs in the air and brings the smell of coffee and bacon on its coattails. An educated nose can pick out steak sizzling or hot dogs burning as the smell of charcoal is the platter that other smells rest on.

Yesterday evening I was at the cabin and I was doing hamburgers and hot dogs on the propane grill. Cabin was full of grand kids and nieces and their parents and I was just outside with the old dogs making supper. With a platter of meat done I brought it into the cabin and set it on the counter and then slipped back outside. It of course was Mothers Day but it is also a silent Sunday and I knew I would be left alone outside. I got out a cigar and sat down on the swing that was some what protected from the wind and was just getting ready to put flame to the cigar when I smelled charcoal in the air. At first it was just a teasing whiff but as I turned my head and sniffed some more I could smell it coming from Chucks place, or at least from Chucks direction. I held off lighting my cigar and instead I just took in the smell of the charcoal and maybe the hint of steak. Somebody was eating well tonight I thought.

Wood fires are good and burning leafs in them is right up there, but you have the wood smoke that always follows you around the fire. Charcoal gives you all the smell but none of the smoke to make your eyes water. Still wood fires have their time and place but anytime seems to be the right time for a charcoal fire especially if you have a nice thick steak that is just begging to be cooked. At the Resort we have been tossing a bag of charcoal into the evening fire, a trick we learned from another resort owner. Seems that charcoal smells seems to do wonders for late night snacks which is good for business. I know of the trick but I find myself falling for it to as I head to the kitchen for one of Marv Kaiser rolls that are split open and then filled with egg salad.

Weather forecast is not a good one for the week, rain and cool weather is not going to be the best for fishing. Guys will go out and chalk it off to paying your dues. All things even out in the end and as the summer goes on it will get warmer and fishing will get better. For now we will gather around the evening fires to keep warm and because when you are out fishing or camping having a fire is just another way of making a memory.

I got side tracked last night and didn't get to finish writing my story. I have a gang of nieces that run between four and six years old. Wearing an assortment of jackets and sporting pigtails their parents sent them all outside to keep Papa company. My granddaughter lead them all out to show off where her Papa has promised to build her a playhouse and she told them they are all invited to come sleep over. I sat on the deck and was bombarded with questions. I felt like I was at a zoning committee hearing. What color will it be, how many windows, will it have swings and a trap door, it should have a ladder and maybe a climbing wall. Will dogs be allowed and how about the cousins, is it girls only? A drop of rain fell and I welcomed it, I marched them all to the cabin door and opening the door I shouted to parents inside that it is starting to rain and closed the door behind them. I sat back down on the swing and then it did start to rain here at Lake Iwanttobethere  {67,967}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
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FIFTY -TWO DEGREES out, a slight wind under threating rain clouds. Yesterday was a wash out as the rain fell all day and the wind was blowing strongly. Like an outdoors pressure washer everything that was outside got wet. Even the siding on the cabin was wet from the ground to the eves on all four sides which is rare. This morning I went out to pick up branches and Duncan walked with me. The old dogs sat on the deck each facing a different direction like sentries. After a few minutes Duncan abandoned me to take up his post at the boat house. A robin has been working at building a nest on top of wood stored in the rafters and after Duncan saw me pull it down once he is now guarding the area from the robin.

A lovely fall day as the air is cool and I have heard a couple of grouse drumming. I am saying two because they seem to be having a contest and are drumming from two different locations. The lake is quiet and I have seen no geese this morning. I did go down and pick up my mail and the morning paper. Both Jessie the paper boy and Mark the mailman are now delivering by way of boat. The last of the ice went out over the weekend and that was all that was holding them back. Greenhouse is full of seedlings as I transferred just about everything from inside the cabin out to the house over the weekend. Rain barrel is full and I am going to go to town and buy another one for the new shed. First I will have to go see Big Earl and get a rain gutter and a down spout. The second rain barrel will save me walking as I will be able to water plants in the garden using it.

Way behind on work that needs to be done outside. The ground is soaked and you have to wear boots to keep your feet dry. The need list keeps growing as I walk around the place looking at things that need to be done and just keep adding to my list of things that need to be bought in order to get things done. Oil changes on the Dodge and Tahoe and I have to check the records to see if the lawn tractor is also do. Broken end on a garden hose and I have to wrap the two little apple trees and the plum tree where the rabbits chewed on them over the winter. I was checking the plum tree that was chewed right down to the snow line and Duncan was right there sniffing away. I told him it was his job to keep them rabbits away from the trees and he wagged his tail and talked to me like labs do. I think he said he would get right on it but then he ran back to guard the boat house from the robin, he is just so busy to.

A few drops of rain fell and I retreated to the covered swing, the old dogs had already been let inside the cabin by the wife. Duncan sat under the roof of the boathouse eyeing the robin who was sitting on a fence post with a piece of dry grass in her beak. They patiently sit and watch each other waiting the other one out. A few more drops of rain fall and they are big enough to be heard on the swing roof. I pat the seat and Duncan comes running to jump up and sit alongside of me. No sooner does he leave the boat house and the robin leaves the fence post and goes back to building the her nest under the roof. I don't tell Duncan instead I just rub him behind the ear and tell him he just has so much to do. Yup it feels like a nice fall day out, to bad this is supposed to be spring here at Lake Iwanttobethere {68,034}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!

Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
  • Posts: 5203
  • Karma: +8/-28
SAME OLD STORY here weather wise. I just came in and it is trying to rain out. Overcast sky and there is enough wind to make it feel cold out. Of course just a few months ago fifty degree weather would have had us running outside in tee shirts and shorts but now fifty just feels damp and cold. Yesterday I did get part of the clothes line that is holding the tarp on the Puddle Humper off. Only part of it as I just needed to get under the outer tarp so I could take some measurements of the front deck. I am going to add a step in front of the deck so I can put small tackle boxes in the step and because I need a step to the front deck. Not young anymore and taking that high step in a walleye chop has lead to a few interesting moments the last few seasons balance wise.

I had already gone down to the General Store and bought myself some indoor outdoor carpeting to kind of match what I have in the boat. I will make the storage step and cover it in carpet. At the same time I am going to make a couple of dog steps for inside the cabin. Bud who has shorter legs then Barney is having a hard time getting up into my bed. He can still do it but he has to take a run and it sometimes it ends like a plane crashing on an aircraft carrier deck. I am the safety net and eighty plus pounds of dog rolling into you can be a surprise when you are sleeping. Also going to make a step for his favorite chair in the living room not to the approval of the wife who was figuring that she was finally going to keep the dogs off the furniture.

Weather is going to clear some but we still have some of these cool wet days in store for us. A pretty good forecast by Sunshine Ray as the odds are with him that the weather will change. Vic has had his boat in the water and fishing has been poor for him on our little bay. He now goes out in the morning to pick up our mail and paper from the point where it is left. DOC Burriem has been riding along as he and Vic have become fast friends and Vic is going to teach him how to fish. Old DOC has been to busy delivering babies for most of his adult life and now it is time to have a hobby. Matter of fact I think I totally forgot to mention that DOC has now become an employee of the Resort. I found him the other day sitting on one of the Resort docks in a wicker chair fishing. We exchanged HIYA's and made some small talk. We got around to DOC telling me he needs something to do, he just can't sit around waiting for me or one of the Fellows to hurt themselves.

I told him the only job I had was that of a dock boy and that is more something a teenager would do. DOC thought it over and said that he could be a dock boy what does he have to do? I came up with a few duties off the top of my head and said "The dock boy needs to be at the dock to assist people loading and unloading their boats" DOC replied, "OK I can tell them how to do that." Hmmm, the dock boy may be asked from time to time to clean fish. "DOC answered with, "I am pretty good with a knife" I nodded. Coming up with nothing else I just looked out at the water and DOC asked "So the job is mine?" Tossing up my hands and thinking I might regret this later I said "Job is yours" DOC looked at me over the top of his glasses and asked "What's it pay?" I thought for awhile and made him an offer of free bait, he accepted and now DOC Burriem is DOCK Burriem here at Lake Iwanttobethere {68,084}
Bobby Bass


Bud and now Barney working the trail again in front of me.

It is not how many years you live, it is how you lived your years!