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Author Topic: Lake Iwanttobethere  (Read 318864 times)

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Offline Bobby Bass

  • Master Outdoorsman
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36 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay well after dark. First day of Spring and it was a busy one. Slept in late trying to catch up on my sleep then ended going outside to take in a cloudy yet warm fifty plus degree day. Been a long time since I could just sit out on the deck and take in some fresh air. The wife came out and it was so nice out that she could not just sit and do nothing but instead started to pick stuff up around the yard. No matter how well you clean things up in the fall things have a way of showing up come spring. I sat on the deck with a clipboard and a yellow legal pad and started jotting down things that needed to be done. My neighbor Chuck came over and pulled out a chair and we sat and chatted. After awhile the sun came out which was not in Sunshine Ray's forecast which made it even harder to go back inside the cabin.

Wife went inside and opening the window asked if we had any gas for the BBQ, we did and I told her so. A few minutes later she was back out with a couple of steaks and Chuck fired up the grill and invited himself for lunch. The smell of sizzling steaks was soon in the air and who comes wandering over but Elmer, with his own steak no less. We ate steak and moved our chairs around the table to stay in the sunlight. Of course conversation soon turned to fishing and plans for the summer. Before you know it most of the afternoon was gone. Elmer went back to his place and Chuck to his. I sat on the deck and the wife brought out a big heavy quilt and tossed it on my lap. I snuggled under it and dang if I didn't take my first spring nap.

Woke up to the sound of number two grand son on his new bike, I pretended be asleep but he knew I wasn't. He wanted to borrow the computer to do some school work so I followed him into the cabin. I was a little stiff as a spring nap is nothing like a middle of the summer nap. So much for the plans I had for the day, was going to make some cigars and do a little transplanting of seedlings, but they will still be there tomorrow. A few telephone calls later and it was supper time, where does a day go.

A birthday week here at the Lake as my neighbor Chuck, and Nytelyter will be having theirs in a few days and LegalMusky just had his big 780 month one. Special shout out to LegalMusky as he always seems to say something to me when my sprits are a little low. Matter of fact I have forgotten to mention that last weekend the Ladies Auxiliary had made a couple of birthday cakes for the guys. unfortunately they also ate most of the two cakes during their Saturday morning meeting. But I guess they had good thoughts and no one I know wanted to question them about the cakes.

If you guys swing by the Lodge I am good for a couple of beers on the house that is if I can find them drink tickets I had printed up. Weather to change to rain showers for the rest of the week. Should have figured that we were just going to get a tease of spring and not the real thing, at least not yet here at Lake Iwanttobethere
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
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32 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay, some sunshine but it looks a lot warmer then it is. Back at the cabin after running a few errands in town. Had to go down to the Lake Iwanttobethere Bank where I slipped into Mr. Fergenson office, the bank president to approve some town transactions. I do this from time to time but never mention it but now that you know I am working in the background helping the town out I thought I would share a little of what is being done around here to keep looking good. Today I approved a pink paint job on the fish cleaning station down by the access and also one of the docks is in need of replanking so that to will get done before fishing season starts. A check was sent out to the street cleaning company and the flag on the pole in the center of town will be replaced.

A donation was made to the Ladies Auxiliary to pay for their rental and we talked about the request to resod the softball field in time for the church league season. The big check was for ten thousand walleye fingerlings to be hauled into the lake under the cover of darkness to keep them walleye guys happy. Another donation to the volunteer fire dept. And my favorite thing Mrs. Gleason to her surprise will find out that she won a contest at the bank which just happens to be enough to pay off her mortgage. Money was donated to the Lodge to pay for six membership and they will be drawn for in a contest that Gus will come up with, his job now as the manager.

A couple of new bike racks for around town, and a fresh coat of paint on the two parking spaces and a good cleaning of the meter where DOC Burriem still ties his car to when he is in town. An envelope with a couple of dollars to the Smith kid to keep helping out Ma and Pa after school with sweeping their sidewalk. An order confirming Diggers flowers for all the town's planters and a new planter out on the road leading the way to Lake Iwanttobethere and maybe touching up the sign. Next month I will have to look at the grass contract and there was talk that the boat landing needs to be dug out some. A few fire rings may have to be ordered for the park. I enjoy being the little birdy listening to what we need done around the town as I sit behind the bar wiping out mugs with my towel. Have been doing this for a long time and I enjoy spending bucks. Makes me happy to put a smile on someone's face. Now it is not all me the town does bring in money I just help Mr. Fergenson out when the town is a little short or I see where I can help the town out.

I have always backed the Lodge as a place where guys can go and put their feet up, not a place where people go to get money for stuff. My me donating we keep the fishing contests going. I do donate a lot to the school for things because I want our kids to enjoy being kids not having to learn how to be salesmen in the second grade trying to earn money for field trips. Of course there I have a price tag and that is they get at least one ice fishing trip and one summer trip. If they don't have rods Masterbaiters seems to find a check for them. Now this is not a total secret, of course Mr. Fergenson knows about me and the town along with Elmer and Big Earl and Vicki at the bait shop, they also help donate or at they get the town stuff at cost. There are a lot of people out there who love to donate and a kid's smile is all they want in return. I find that smile means a lot to me these days. My 765 birthday today, everyone now is kind of special and you might have figured it out, my birthday is the day I go see Mr. Fergenson here at Lake Iwanttobethere

131177 <><
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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39 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay, yesterday we had sleet and snow and the furnace was running when I got home, things I do not want to see hear towards the end of March. Was in the big city yesterday at the clinic, Thursdays are chemo days so I was hooked up to an IV for most of the day. However I did spend most of my day chatting up the guy who was sitting next to me. Interesting fellow he was before retiring the CEO of a hospital and spent a lot of his down time on a northern lake that is on my bucket list to fish. What better way to learn a lake then by someone who has fished it for the past forty years. I am hoping to share a chair alongside of him next Thursday. When I was getting blood drawn I sat next to yet another interesting guy. He to was retired but I was to find out that he worked at Cape Canaveral for thirty years where he was a jig and fitting's guy. His job was to take an idea and make it real for the rockets they launched there. Another guy was sitting behind us ease dropping and he pitched in that he new a guy who lived in a small town up the shore who was also retired and his job was to fly a helicopter and pull the astronauts out of the ocean when they landed. Funny where local guys land up and what jobs they acquire. I gave all three of them Lodge business cards, would be interesting future Lodge members.

So the good and bad part of doing chemo is last week was a great week, Since I was last in the hospital I took on a huge amount of water weight. Last week I lost twenty-one pounds I was a very happy camper when I got off the scale, Hope to repeat it again this week, now the bad part is I am back on steroids and I have to take them for three days running after every treatment, the side effect is insomnia. Last night I only slept two hours and then I was wide awake, So at five this morning I made big batch of chili and took my time dicing everything by hand. Should be done here soon and I already called Elmer and Chuck to come over for late lunch.

Even though it is cloudy out you can tell the sun is up longer and higher in the sky, my seedlings in the South window are finally starting to grow and even the tobacco is becoming bigger then dots. Only a month before stuff should go out to the greenhouse and two months before we start planting in what was looking to be an early spring, now I am not so sure. I did roll a few cigars an I am getting better at it, I am surprise at how much tobacco leaf I am using up on a single cigar. I may have to plant more then I was planing this summer.

It was nice to go to the big city though, I have been locked away in the cabin most of the winter and the fresh air is good for me. The wife is none too happy as I am building a pretty good Honey Do List of my own! for her her at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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56 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay, let me repeat that   56   as in above zero! That kind of number in the fall would be a for sure an afternoon in the Puddle Humper working some late green patch of weeds down a shoreline in search of that late fall bass bite. I would have a rod with a buzz bait handy and when I would come up on some down green I would fling that buzz bait across the top and pump it back to the boat. There would be a good chance for a bass to bust it or more likely as not a northen would try to impress me with a splash and a swirl. The rod would bend some and I would work the fish back to the Puddle Humper. With the northern thrashing at the side of the boat like a toddler trying to get away from his mother at the grocery store I would wait for him to settle down. With years of practice I would grab the northern by his shoulders if fish really had shoulders. I would be able to gage if it was a keeper or not just by how wide I would have to spread my fingers for a good grip.

Lifting the fish out of the water drops would fall back and I would be face to face with a fish that always seem to have that attitude about him. I would pull the hook from the corner of his mouth and give him the fish a look over. Twenty inches, not bad but it was too early in the afternoon to be thinking about supper. I would tell the fish thanks for the action then let him slide from my hand back into the water. The fish of course would do nothing for a second or two then dart off to rejoin his buddies. Taking his position he would brag about how no fishermen could hold him. Back in the boat I would pick up one of the wife's new fluffy kitchen towels that I had borrowed to dry my hands and work a little heat back in my fingers. I would stay on the shoreline tossing a spinner bait and staying were the sun was shinning and with the luck be out of the wind because 56 is still 56, yup that is what I would be doing.

So I am sitting in the cabin, I have the den window cracked open and I can smell the outdoors. The cabin is breathing a little and I think it to is enjoying getting some fresh air to exchange with the stuff that has been here all winter. A few clouds in the sky but lots of sunshine coming in all the south windows. Wife is out on the deck with the brown dog, she has a soapy bucket of water and is wiping down deck furniture. Duncan is touring the grounds taking his time and walking slow, his nose deep into the old brown grass. I can't see them but I can hear a few birds making noise. The wife comes over to the window to tell me she just saw three bees. Does not surprise me as the neighbor down the road has a hive, I am guessing bees get cabin fever to! Told her go to the greenhouse and grab the screen for the den window, don't need bees in the cabin.

Sunshine Ray was forecasting mid fifties this weekend but today is a surprise, I was not ready for it. Not much ice on Lake Iwanttobethere and this will put a dent on what is left. Grabbing a jacket I made my way out to the deck and sat down on a chair in the full sun shine. It was just like a day like today should feel like. I lean back in the chair and closed my eyes and took a good listen. Some birds, a chain saw, which put a smile on my face that someone was using a day like today to do chain saw work. I am betting they are thinking winter is not done yet and filling the wood box might not be that bad of an idea. I took a moment to check our wood rack which was half full and decided we are good to go. Then I heard it, and you can't mistake it for anything else. Someone had started their outboard, what lovely sound!

Well the wife went in the cabin and came out with a quilt and covered me up. I had no problem tugging it around me, I pulled my cap down low over my eye and the brown dog came over and laid down at my feet. Sleeping especially good sleep is hard for me to come by these days so I don't need much of an excuse to close my eyes and think of buzz baits, lapping water and northerns who think they are something here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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40 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay, been a busy week here at the cabin. There are a lot of things that the wife does around here but the there are a lot of things that she does not. As we all know when you own something sooner or later it needs some attention. The grandson spent the weekend here and was game for anything to do so I got out the Honey Do List and we went to work. Spent several hours transplanting flowers, peppers and tomatoes from their starter beds into the small hydro cups. Glued up legs on a end table, put a back on book case. Finally got the tobacco in the shop that has been hanging for two years. Grandson had to climb the tresses which he thought was great fun. Taught him how to do some muding as I have been beating the heck out of the plaster corners in the cabin with my wheelchair, and of course we made pizza, had a fire in the pit and did marshmallows, not a bad way to spend a weekend.

Spent time on the deck with my neighbors who were attracted to the smell of smoke. Chuck and Elmer came over sat down and we talked about all the stuff that needs to be done outside. It always seems to take so much longer to put stuff out then to put it away. Might be because the snow comes and hides half of what needs to be done. So instead of doing anything we talked about our plans to do it. The wife hung the wind chimes that she had put away for winter and now as I write this there is a breeze and the chimes are banging away outside the den window. The robins returned in mass last week and it is not really all that quiet here at seven in the morning.

I checked in with Gus at the Lodge and opening day of baseball was well received. A lot of Lodge members were there watching the game and even though it was an afternoon game some beer was sold. Hockey tonight and the playoffs here soon. We are always looking for a way to keep the Lodge members happy and I guess making the move to a big TV was long over due. Hammering Hanks wife Tess is sewing a big curtain for us so we can cover the TV when not in use. That will bring the Lodge somewhat back looking like it has for decades. I don't want us to miss the log walls and yellow butter stained glass of the popcorn machine. The fire in the fireplace and old wood chairs that shoud get refinished but more then likely never will. The cherry bar in the low light and the mugs with round bottoms on square coasters.

Old fish mounts on the walls donated by Lodge members. The black board with the current big fish listed. The old couch in the corner and scattered rugs where dogs have laid after hunting with their masters. Tourist kids with a dollar bill looking over the candy case. The view from the deck at Lake Iwanttobethere of Root Beer Island, the boat landing and park. The sound of church league softball on a Sunday afternoon and of course the tourist taking it all in and trying to remember how they found this place. We are quiet now, still six weeks from fishing but that does not mean guys are not working on boats and making plans. I have not seen the FELLOWS for a while but I am sure if they have a money making idea that will find me and show me. Actually Vic told me they were trying to get the mortar out of the swamp but it is still frozen in. They do think they can put a big magnet on the crane and dip it in the lake to find my anvil that they used, we will see how that comes out.

Sunshine Ray is forecasting that it is going to keep getting warmer, I think he is really stepping out on a limb there. I hear guys on the other side of the lake are already planting their gardens, my raised beds are still frozen here and Vic has not even looked at the big garden at the Resort yet. Warm weather will come and it will get here when it gets here. For now we work on the Honey Do List so we have time to enjoy summer here at Lake Iwanttobethere

131908 <><
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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49 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay, not bad for an afternoon here at the cabin. Yesterday was spa day, not for me or the wife but for Duncan. The wife and I changed roles for the day I found myself in the kitchen making fried chicken and a batch of potato salad and the wife was outside cleaning up the yard of dog bombs. Seems Duncan does not always do his business in the woods. I totally understand, it does get cold out there come winter. So spa day, the wife was picking up the yard and Duncan was close by making sure nothing was missed. The way I hear it he found something to roll in as dogs do. And he did a famous job of transferring what ever he rolled in on to him.

They came in the cabin and I covered my nose it was that bad. The daughter came out and did the same thing then we had discussion on when was the last time Duncan had a bath, which none of us could remember. Matter of fact we could count on our fingers how many baths he has had in six years. Duncan has always gotten clean by taking a dip in the lake or he will stand under the rain gutter when it rains. Being a lab it would all just run off his back, a quick couple of swipes with a towel and he was good to go. The daughter said what the heck she would do it and the two of then headed off to the bathroom. I sat in the kitchen listening the next ten minutes as Duncan protested at getting into the tub then refused to get back out.

 I heard the bathroom door open and Duncan came running out to the kitchen a new, clean dog. Hair all puffy he looked like he had gained ten pounds. He came to me looking for attention and I gave him a good patting, he acted like he was three and he just about waged his tail off. He was an even darker shade of brown and dang he looked good. I gave Duncan a bone and he headed to the couch to eat it. I was going to say something about a damp dog on the couch but let it go. A few minutes later Duncan was sleeping on the couch on his back, feet pointed up and I swear he has a smile of contentment on his face. That and he was clean and smelled a lot better then he had for awhile.

Meanwhile back outside for a brief moment spring had arrived. The temp in the Puddle Humper remote thermometer was showing 65 I saw that and headed outside, it was that warm. ten minutes later the sun went behind the clouds and the wind shifted and we were back in the low fifties. I should not complain it is only the first week of April but now I am looking for that first seventy to appear. I heard a noise at the back door and it was the brown dog wanted to get out, dang I know he is a handsome lab but clean and with out his old red collar on he is down right one very handsome lab. Lately I have been working real hard not to compare him to Bud and what Bud could do at his age. Duncan deserves to be Duncan and with his bath and the way he has me and the wife twisted to do his biding I think he is doing just fine. So I let him out and he sat on the deck getting blown dry by the wind as he watched over HIS yard here at Lake Iwanttobethere



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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57 HERE IN THE boat on Hidden Bay, been a busy week here at the cabin. Seems every time I sit down at the desk I have to get up to tend to something. The daughter was in the big city and found a deal on deck furniture, needed the work trailer. Before you know it the wife found deals for us and we ended up going back and replacing all of our old deck stuff plus I bought a huge overstuff chair for my bedroom/theater. Which means I had to do some moving and rewiring of where speakers went. While I was at it with this big chair I have turned that area into a reading spot so more lighting was needed, which means a trip to see Big Earl at the General Store. A stop was made at the Chicken Shack which open a little early, supper was bought and bones were licked clean.

Had a surprise birthday party here, it was a surprise because we were told three hours before the party we were hosting it. After the party I tripped and fell on my ribs that has really slowed things up. Geeze this getting old is a real pain. Things I used to do when I was young and not think twice about make me sit carefully watching what I am doing. Doc Burium was kind enough to stop by and told me simply "don't do that." Sunshine Ray forecasted we were going to get snow but we got none on this side of the lake. We did get a lot of wind and we have plenty of new branches to cut up to size and for a nice evening fire in the pit. Wife has been complaining about all the down branches she has to haul and how she seen this many before. I smiled to myself as I have been the one doing all the hauling but now she is starting to find out all the work that I would do around the cabin that she did not give me credit for.

I heard the same story from Vic up at the Resort about down trees and branches. I talk to him every day as we are having a small indoor growing race with our tomatoe plants. He is winning. In my defense he has a lot more growing space on his southern windows in the main room right behind the booths. Some snow on the ground up there but it is going fast and running off to Mystery River where I hear fishing has been good for those who want to get wet. Vic has cleaned out his ice shanty and everything is put away for another season. Time is moving pretty quickly this year and Cabin Fever has really not happen, at least for us here at the lake.

Lodge members are coming in and watching hockey and surprise the Twins are in first place and there are people junking, at least now on the bandwagon. Even Big Earl has some caps and tee shirts for sale and Reed the Realtor is talking of a summer road trip to see a game. Another order of tackle came in at the Resort and Vic hung it for me. Took him most of the afternoon but he had nothing better to do and he enjoyed it. Said it was like filling the biggest tackle box he had ever seen. So this is a short story about a lot that happen here at the lake. I am halfway though my scanned chemo therapy and the side effects are catching up on me. Writing is hard to do for some reason. Fatigue has me tired and just not wanting to do anything. Things will get better and I hope stories will improve here soon. Good time to be sick with luck I will feel better when fishing season arrives here at Lake Iwanttobethere
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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fishing contest tomorrow, bbq in the park with mindy and mndy
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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you all missed my 768th birthday! and here i bought a round at the lodge  sleazy-422.gif
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!

Online glenn57

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  • 2015 deer contest champ!!!
Happy birthday bobby. It's ok I don't indulge during the week. You have an extra one for me! :tequila; :tequila; :drinking:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Offline Bobby Bass

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HIYA, IT HAS been awhile since I have written. I have been back a few days after spending over 90 days in the hospital and nursing home. The wife brought me home last Thursday and we took our time. Been quite awhile since I have rode any distance in the Tahoe and the wind in my face coming through the open window was welcomed. Just off the main road from the big city where you turn towards Lake Iwanttobethere is an area where in the winter Christmas trees are sold. In the summer watermelon and corn and other farmer market items find their way here as they ripen. Before I could say anything the wife hit the blinker and turned in to park in front of the corn stand, my lips were already smacking together.

I don't have my legs under me yet so the wife helped me get out and using the walker I made my way over to the picnic table and sat down in the shade of a big brown tarp that was attached to the stand. An older gent wearing a white tee shirt and bibs with a John Deere cap got up from a stool and waited on the wife. He had a radio on and I could hear it from the picnic table, it sounded like the afternoon farm report from Lake Iwanttobethere's very own KCUM radio station. The wife held up two fingers and he took two ears of the grill and pulled down the husks. With a brush dipped in melted butter he coated the corn and pulled the husk back up. He then put them on a couple of paper plates and exchanged napkins for dollar bills. The wife brought the corn to the picnic table just as a station wagon pulled up to the stand and a husband and wife and four kids bailed out and ran up to the stand.

I pulled the husk off and reached for the salt shaker on the table, the wife shot me a look and I just said "It is just one ear of corn" she nodded her OK and I lightly added some salt on top of the melting, dripping butter. I sat the shaker down and the wife picked it up and said to me "It is just one ear of corn" with my mouth watering I held the ear with my left hand by the husk and I used my right hand to balancing it. I started on the husk side and nibbled away at a row working left to right doing my imitation of a typewriter. I didn't realize I had my eyes closed as I nibbled, I was to busy tasting the melted butter and corn as it ran down my chin into my beard. I paused and chewed and tried to remember the last time I had something this tasty. I set myself up for the second pass and looked across the table at the wife, she was eating her corn by staying in the same place and just rotating the corn.

Halfway done with my ear I set it down and cleaned my face and hands some. I told the wife you just have to love that early sweet corn from Iowa. She asked me how did I know that and I told her I know my corn. I finished my corn and was thinking of getting another, the wife gave me hers and told me to finish it, she then got up and walked away. I didn't know where she had gone till she came back with two slices of chilled watermelon, this day can't get much better I thought. Now as much as I enjoy corn the wife demolished her slice of watermelon. The two of us sat licking fingers and watched the station wagon family go back for seconds on the corn.

The wife got up and headed to the corn stand, I gave her a look and she said " I think I'll get a couple of ears for home, I nodded my approval and watched as she picked out six ears from the pickup truck parked behind the stand. Some conversation and money was exchanged and the wife came back to the table. "Your right, it is Iowa corn, how did ya know?" I just smiled and pointed at the trucks license plate. Good to be back here at Lake Iwanttobethere

144163 <><
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 mike89

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a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline LPS

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LOL Thanks Bobby.  I will be buying some sweet corn now.

Offline Jerkbiat

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I like reading your stories Bobby. Thanks!
Hey look your bobber is up!

Offline cookie

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great little story there .
Cookie's on Upper Red Lake
e-mail: cookie16@paulbunyan.net
website: www.cookiesonupperredlake.com

Offline Bobby Bass

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76 HERE IN THE boat when I left to go up to the Resort this morning. Has been ten days since I got back home but I have been sick to my stomach for six of them. I talked to a nursing aid who I became friends with and she told me there was a stomach issue making the rounds in the nursing home. The nursing home kind of forgot to tell me about it. After we left the farmers market we drove in to town and made a stop at Ma and Pa's Grocery. No sooner had the wife gone through the front door and the bell stopped making that jingling sound then it started up again as Pa came out to the truck. He had a big onion in one hand and a white package in the other. He shuffled around to my door with a smile on his face and reached into the truck to hand me a porterhouse steak, I know this because it was written on the tape "Bobby's porterhouse steak" we chatted for a few minutes and I promised to come down to the shop and visit. The door jingled and the wife came out with Ma right behind her. I got a kiss on the cheek and then Ma and Pa went back into the shop.

The wife started the truck but then there was a thump on the roof of the truck and the passenger's door was opened from the outside. I turned to see Amy who reached in to give me a big hug and whispered something private in my ear. A big kiss on the lips and she pushed me back to arm's length and told me I look like hell but welcome back! she then pulled a white pie box off the roof of the Tahoe and put it on my lap. I know this is a pie because it said "Bobby's apple pie." She turned and walked back to her bakery and I closed the door and brushed flour off my shirt. I watched her walk away and the wife said something about Amy wearing Daisy Dukes at her age. I mumbled something about it being hot in a bakery and it is summer. Amy got to her door and gave me a wink and a wave, she knew I was watching the whole way.

We drove over the Mystery River on the way home, the river was up with all the rain that has been falling this summer. As we went over the bridge I looked down and saw a bunch of tubers floating down stream. a cooler with its own inner tube not too far out of reach. It looked very inviting but it will be quite awhile before I can get in the water. The infection left me with a hole in my calf the size of my hand and I have to go to open wound care in the big city twice a week for several more months. Another problem to over come before I can go fishing. Got home and I did not feel like having any supper, the corn and watermelon had filled me up. Instead I did sit on the deck and watched the sunset.

Today I went to the Resort, my neighbor Chuck took me up, told me he had a surprise and to grab a fishing rod. We got to the Resort and all the FELLOWS were there and they had this idea. They rolled my wheelchair with me in it on to a custom pallet that they had put a roof on and sides. The idea was they were going to pick me up with the crane and swing me out over the reed bank. Lower me down so I was just above the water and using the two way radio headsets I could direct Tiny who was operating the crane to where I wanted to fish on the reed bed. Sounded like a plan to me so I gave him the thumbs up signal and he hit the up lever a little hard and launched me up a little too quick. My stomach did not agree and I emptied it over the side. Surprising how all the FELLOWS have such weak stomachs. With some fine tuning I think we might get this idea of the FELLOWS to work here at Lake Iwanttobethere
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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69 HERE IN THE boat sitting on the trailer here on Hidden Bay. Does not look good that the boat is going to get wet this season which makes it two years in a row that I have not fished out of the Puddle Humper. I came back home yesterday evening and today I will be working on the To Do List. It might take me all day just to write it out as everywhere I look something needs to be done. The summer list will be added to the fall list and then there will be a list of things that need to be replaced or fixed. The grand kids known as the Tenners are back in school but will be here this weekend to start helping me out. Of course it will not be all work as I have to catch up on their summer.

 

The granddaughter went to the rodeo last Sunday and she was down close in good seats and has already starting telling me about calf roping. She has a couple of fishing vacations under her belt this summer as she would send me pictures of how she out fished her dad. Makes grandpa proud. Grandson played baseball, his first year and he had fun. He did come up and did the mowing when he was not trying to catch the eye of a gal that worked the concussion stand at the ball park. The daughter has her hands full with three granddaughters under four. They bought a house not to far away and even though it was a turn key place they have been working on it all summer. They put in a big pool and the volunteer fire department filled it for them. 4000 gals of water and it took a week for it to get anywhere close to warm enough to swim in.

 

Even though I missed all of summer I guess I did not miss much. Cold and wet and the gardens did not do well at all. Even under the green thumb of Vic at the Resort his garden was nothing to brag about. The FELLOWS for the most part stayed out of trouble, at least I did not read about them in the town paper. Lots of rain and just a few days where anyone even thought about turning on their air conditioners. The one bright spot is that a lot of grouse have been seen this summer. If I can figure out a way to go bird hunting I might be able to salvage part of my outdoor year. Duncan was happy to see me and last night he came in several times to check on me. I tried to coax him into bed with me but like a night watchman he went on his way making the rounds of the cabin.

 

Duncan had a good summer keeping rabbits out of the yard I am told but he did have a little miscue last Saturday when he found himself with his nose up the wrong end of a baby skunk. Before the daughter could call him off he took a shot right in the eyes and got a bath both from the skunk and from the daughter. He is now wearing a new collar and the old one is hanging on the fence post to remind him to stay away from the little ones to.

Spent this afternoon on the deck with my neighbor Chuck as we worked on ideas to get me fishing without getting the FELLOWS involved. Chuck is thinking that somehow we can use the tractor and drive it into the lake with me on the bucket. I am thinking we should explore other ideas. Maybe even the pontoon but it would just not be the same as fishing out of the Puddle Humper but I need to get on the water somehow. I did check out the garden and I will give it a c- if we could just get some dry hot weather we might be able to salvage enough produce so we can do some canning. The only thing that grew well was peppers, we have a ton so a lot of chili will be made this winter here at Lake Iwanttobethere


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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 mike89

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skunks not good!!!  good story!!!
a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline Bobby Bass

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HIYA FROM THE deck here on Hidden Bay. Have been spending a lot of time here as I can't get enough fresh air and the smell of cut grass and of course Lake Iwanttobethere. The Tenners were both here on Saturday and they did a lot in just a few hours. Fallen branches were gathered and the fire pit was burning most of the afternoon. Grass was cut and all the tall grass along the out buildings was chopped up with the weed wacker. A couple of suckers were swimming under big red and white bobbers and everyone kept an eye on them but we had no hits. Play house got a good cleaning and they even swept out the garage. Lunch was hot dogs cooked on sticks over the hot coals from the firepit and we even tossed some corn wrapped in tin foil on to the coals. Managed to get them out before they burned and it might have been the best fire pit corn that I have had.

Did an inspection of the yard and the big apple tree is looking a little bare, Wife told me that a few squirrels have been working it over pretty good. The pellet rifle is now with in easy reach at the deck door and I will take care of that problem. No sign of that little skunk that got Duncan, hoping it was just passing through and not living around here. So much to do around here but the Tenners said they are happy to help me out, Good kids are hard to come by but these guys are my favorites for reason.

Since I am back home I have been getting a lot of visitors stopping by, The coffee pot gets drained a few times a day and the wife has been bakin away so there is something to go along with the coffee. I of course have to do some taste testing or as I refer to call it "Quality Control" FELLOWS came by and left me fish, it was walleye but I can't be too picky. After a month of hospital and nursing home food the wife's cooking, well I have no complaints. I just need to add fish and stuff from the garden along with some apple pie and some grouse here in the next few weeks. Looks like a week of warm weather coming up all I can say about that is it sure would be nice to be fishing.

Onions have been harvested and I wanted to till up that bed and plant radish but I can't find any. Even called Big Earl and he said he had none. He is having a big shotgun shell sale going on before grouse season. Told him I will be in town this week but if I remember right I don't think I even went though a box last year. Sunshine Ray is forecasting rain later in the week right about when I was planning on widening the sidewalk out to the garage. Now I am thinking I will go up to the Resort for a coupe of days and spend time with Vic, DOC Burriem, Elmer and Marv. I think there are a couple of cold Hamms up there with my name on them.

Tonight I am going to have a taste of some steak and watch some football. Been going slow as I am still on the mend and from past experience it does not take to much work to make it to much work. I will say it is great being back home and being able to take in deep lake air breaths. See geese flying and crows cawing. Ten o'clock train, didn't realize I missed that horn and clanging bell. Of course Duncan sleeping with his head on my lap and the watchful eye of the wife. Sharing with you guys what is going on here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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« Last Edit: September 09/11/17, 09:42:50 PM by Bobby Bass »
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 mike89

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keep on trucking!!! :happy1: :happy1:
a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Online Gunner55

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 :cool: :happy1: keep sharing
Life............. what happens while your making other plans. John Lennon

Offline Bobby Bass

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ANOTHER NICE DAY to be fishing not sitting and watching others troll by in their pontoon boats. Spent some time this afternoon watching my neighbor Chuck doing some roofing on his front porch. I found myself a nice shady spot to sit and sip on some lemonade as he pounded nails into shingles and complained about the last guy who shingled the place, if I remember correctly it was him. He probably would have gotten it done quicker if it was not for me making suggestions. He came off the roof for lunch, his wife had made us egg salad sandwiches and you can't beat the taste of fresh eggs harvested that morning. Lettuce and onion from the garden and some cucumbers cut up and a few strawberries made it a nice light lunch.

Now I didn't spend the entire afternoon over there I had work to do to. The ups guy showed up with a couple of packages for me. My lap top died on me and I did some troubleshooting and took a gamble that my charger had died. Plugged in a new one that I had bought and I looked pretty smart as that was the answer to the problem. Next box was a new printer as that died to while I was gone. I think it was just a software problem but the daughter took it in her own hands and smashed it on the driveway. I didn't give her a hard time about it because I did the same thing a few years ago. It is very satisfying to bust something up that wastes a lot of our time. New printer is up and running. Last but not least before I went into the hospital five months ago I bought a new CPU only to forget the password to get into it. My son in law who is a I T tech was over yesterday with a program that let him hack in and delete the password and now I have it back.

So today was a pretty good day. I have potatoes baking in the oven and the wife is down at Ma and Pa's picking up some steaks for the grill. A couple of small ears of corn were harvested from the garden and along with a Hamms I am looking forward to tonight's dinner. 80 in the boat and skeeters are no where to be see, it is a good time of the year to spend time on the deck. Talked to Vic at the Resort and him and Marv are still on the crappies. Told me to make sure I bring up a rod but the latest forecast is calling for rain, gee what a surprise. A little rain I can handle, have a lot to catch up on. The FELLOWS have been working off their lot rent and I hear they have done a fine job dropping trees and straitening out the main entrance road. They have a couple of Rangers that go faster and can haul more then the old golf carts we have.

Wood pile is pretty big as all that stuff that was blown down last summer has been cut split and stacked. Bait room has some bare pegboard where things from the spring order have all sold out. Getting to be that time to think about doing an ice fishing order. People have discovered we have live bait and we are getting a decent amount of traffic tying up at the docks and doing lunch and then when they leave buying bait. Arlo has been doing real well fishing for trout as with all the rain this summer the pools are staying full and cool. He did take both of the Tenners trout fishing and he said they enjoyed themselves. I will have ask them about it as they did not mention it to me. Of course he might have sworn them to secrecy like all fishermen do. Well time to light up a homemade cigar and watch the daughter work the grill here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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SUMMER IS HERE or at least the illusion of it. It was already 82 in the boat when I left to head to the big city for the first of two DR appointments for the day. I was in and out and had a few hours to kill till the next appointment so we did a little shopping, well the wife did. I sat in the Tahoe and lit up my second cigar in two days but I have not had one in five months so I figured I was good. Last nights supper was pretty good, T-bone on the grill, three hour cooked baked potatoes stuffed with butter and fresh garden onions and fresh corn on the cob. I didn't finish my steak but plan on slicing it up thin and putting it on a toasted hoagie bun with cheese for supper tonight. I'll set myself up in front of the living room TV and watch the baseball game and pretend it is the middle of July

Had plans to do some concrete work but it looks like Sunshine Ray's forecast of rain is going to hold up. That's OK as there are plenty of other things that can be done. Was going to head up to the Resort for a couple of days but I have physical therapy coming over tomorrow and a home nurse on Friday. Looks like my only get away time will be on the weekend. We did stop in town on the way back home and parked outside of the General Store. Big Earl gave me a wave and headed inside only to return with a box of number 8's in his hand. Asked me if I had gotten my small game license and I told him no. Gave him my drivers license and back in the store he went returning with my license and a receipt. Wrote him a check and we were good to go. Now where else but Lake Iwanttobethere can you get that kind of curb service?

Next stop was Amy's bakery for hoagie buns and an apple pie, she to brought it right out to the Tahoe but would not take my money. I made her promise to put it on my tab and thanked her. We then drove home with my nose twitching at the smell coming from the white box holding the pie. I opened the lid and was just reaching into scoop some pie and the wife gave me a look and told me I can wait till supper. I let out a sigh and closed the box back up. Got home and sat on the deck, Duncan came out got his rub behind his ears and then took off on his inspection of the yard. A few minutes later he came back up on the deck and he had something in his mouth I called him over, put out my hand and he dropped an egg into it. I called the wife out and gave her the egg, she didn't make a deal out of it. Seems Chuck's free range chickens are not always laying eggs in the coop.

Well I thought that was the end of it, Duncan gets the mail and now gets eggs for us. The wife came back out and asked if I wanted cupcakes or a cake to bring up to the guys at the Resort, I picked cupcakes. She went back into the cabin and came back out with an egg cartoon. She yelled for Duncan who came racing over from Elmer's and sat down at her feet. The wife held out the cartoon and raised two fingers up for Duncan to see and said "Two more eggs" Duncan took the cartoon in his mouth and headed back towards Elmer's. A few minutes later he came back with two brown eggs in the cartoon and setting the cartoon down at the back door he jumped up to ring the door bell. The wife came out and he traded the eggs for a bone. Now I am wondering how many other new tricks Duncan has learned since I have been gone from Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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60 IN THE BOAT on this cloudy and windy day on Hidden Bay. 80% change of rain Sunshine Ray had predicted and we didn't get a drop till a thunderstorm came through at 2 am. But in a telephone call to Vic at the Resort he told me it has been raining hard all night and it is still coming down now. Standing water around the cabins and main building and there were a couple of ducks swimming down the entrance road. He told me it was raining so hard they are worried it is going to wear the roofing off one of the old outhouses, I think he was just kidding.

DOC Burriem's old nurse now does home care and she was just here to see me. I will get a visit from her twice a week and she spends more time telling me stories about DOC then working on me, but she worked for him for years and I am all ears to find out more about the old doc. Daughter made stew for supper last night and I didn't say it out loud when the wife was around but the daughters stew is better then hers. She used small carrots and baby potatoes and onions that were very tasty, and all from the garden. Best part is I still had some of my T-bone steak left over on the bone and she put that in the pot. I got a couple of pieces of the T-bone in my bowl and that might just be the best way to eat left over steak. Some home made rolls and apple pie from Amy's and it was one very satisfying meal.

Plan on going up to the Resort tomorrow morning but my neighbor Chuck, Duncan and me are going to go to the Lodge tonight. Will spend some time shaking hands with Lodge members and I plan on eating a slice of pizza, a bowl of chili and a Coney, something I have not eaten in months. I will not do it all at one time but spread them out over the night. Friday nights always have a pretty good Lodge member turn out and with the big screen Gus has told me a lot of guys stop by to watch the baseball games. I also need to see how Diego the parrot is doing. He was to much for the wife to handle so he and his cage are now at the Lodge. Members get a kick out of his foul mouth I am told so he is kind of earning his keep down there.

With tomorrow the opening of grouse season I am sure there will be a few guys talking about the opener. Around the lake the trees are really green but the French trees are starting to turn yellow and some of the others are getting some color away from the lake. Right now as I write this the wind is blowing hard enough to shake tree tops from side to side and the wind chimes are banging together pretty hard. I don't think I am going to see the humming birds at the feeders tonight and maybe they have decided summer for them is over and are heading south. Got some wave action on the bay and even the dock is wet from the splashing. The old wood boat never saw water this summer and is sill in the wood shop waiting a few coats of paint. I have so many other things to do that might have to wait till spring. Duncan just came in the room and he is sitting by the gun cabinet. He takes turns looking at me and then the gun cabinet then back at me. There is no way he can know bird season starts tomorrow here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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LATE START HERE this morning as my neighbor Chuck had to go to town to pick up a replacement float for his sump pump. My bag is packed so I figured I would kill some time and jot down a few lines. Chuck drove me to the Lodge last night and we parked in my space, I was surprised I still had a space. Duncan led the way and Chuck rolled me up the ramp and into the Lodge. I now know why when the tourists come in they say the Lodge has a real earthly smell to it. Not being in the Lodge for several months I to can smell the old log walls, a hint of the lake and beer. I rolled in and got a mess of Hiya's from members. Shook some hands then went looking for Diego. I found him in his cage over by the jukebox. I got close and said "Hello" He looked down at me from his perch and then at a small picture hanging in his cage. Looking back at me he said "Hello Mr. Fish" I chuckled and thought to myself some one has had some time on their hands training Diego.

I rolled back to the bar as Duncan made his rounds, it to has been awhile since he to has been in the Lodge. I think he got a bigger welcome then I did. Gus came out from the kitchen wiping his hands off on his apron. He patted me on the back, shook my hand and gave me a nod of his head. Between friends that pretty much said it all, He then went back to his kitchen. It might just me but guys can catch up on each other in a minute or two where the wife will spend an entire afternoon catching up with a girlfriend that she has not seen in a month. Maybe they have more exciting lives, I'll never know because I have never sat in on one of them afternoon sessions.

Vinnie wiped the dust off my rolling stool and I climbed up and took a spot behind the bar. I had a good view of the big screen TV and the ball game was just starting. Members came over and we chatted and caught up. Some of the older guys did not even know I was gone so I told them about being in the hospital and having to go to rehab. They then said they didn't know I had a drug problem. I shook my head and told them not that kind of a rehab. Finally I just gave up telling them where I had been and jokingly said I had been at "Band Camp" that clicked and they left me alone.

I watched the game and had a couple of slices of pizza, was too good to stop at one. Gus came out and asked if I wanted a bowl of chili ad I told him yes but in the smallest bowl he had. He returned with crackers and asked if something was wrong with the chili and I told him I hardly eat anything these days. He nodded his head and said he had put in a kiddy section in the menu but it is mostly ordered out of by the "Old guys" He walked away and I thought to myself "Am I an old guy now?"

Seventh inning stretch and I had a Coney and a short beer, I was full. Home team lost the game and the Lodge emptied. A caravan of pickups and SUV's left the parking lot and headed to cabins and homes around Lake Iwanttobethere. Chuck finished his game of cribbage with Vinnie and we woke Duncan up and headed home. I dozed some it had been a long day and I am still on the mend. Wife got me into bed and I was asleep as soon as I closed my eyes. Not much better medicine then being at my two homes, the cabin and the Lodge here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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IT TOOK ME awhile to get to the Resort on Saturday. We were halfway there and Chuck was driving my Tahoe when steam starting rolling out from under the hood. We pulled over and parked at a tote road right behind a white pickup truck. I was guessing someone was hunting the road it being the opener of Grouse season. We had to let the motor cool off before we could see what the problem was and I was hoping it was just low on fluid as I am sure the wife has never thought about checking it. Chuck and I sat in the truck and killed the time away just chatting. It cooled down enough that we could  look it over and found a little pin hole right where the clamp went. Trusty pocketknife came out and we cut the hose back some and pushed it higher on the radiator and put the clamp back on. I had a gallon of water that I always have in the Tahoe and we dumped that in. A hunter came out of the tote road and we exchanged Hiya's. He told me he had a jug of antifreeze and I was welcomed to it. I gave him ten bucks and a business card and told him to stop of at the Lodge sometime and I will buy him a beer, I then told him about one of my favorite grouse roads just a little ways away, we shook hands and soon both of us were back on the road. Nice to run into people like that when you break down.

Supper Saturday night was fresh Kasier rolls that Marv had just baked that morning. They were filled with egg salad made with the Resorts chickens eggs and onion and lettuce from Vic's garden. Even did some French Fries using russet potatoes also from the garden. We sat up late and we traded stories. When bedtime came I looked at the stairs and wondered how I was going to get up them. Hammering Hank came to my rescue and told me they had moved my room downstairs and his wife Tess had made curtains for me. I got into bed and thought to myself that I have some really good friends. A few minutes later Duncan came in and jumped up on the bed and we were both soon asleep.

Bacon and eggs for breakfast and more chit chat before the football game started at noon. Right at half time Vic came into the TV room and asked if he could borrow Duncan, I said "Of course" then Vic asked me what do I say when I see a grouse and want Duncan to know. I told him I just shout out "BIRD, BIRD, BIRD" next thing I see is Vic with a shotgun and Duncan on his heels as they sneak out the side door heading for the garden. I look out the window at the garden and there in the strawberry patch I see a grouse. As I watch Vic sneaking up I looked back at the grouse and see him stretching up as tall as he can get trying to see Gus. I tap on the window and the bird looks in my direction. I hear the shotgun go off and the bird roll over on the ground with wings flapping and Vic yelling "BIRD, BIRD, BIRD" Duncan on the run sees the down bird and makes a beeline to the garden only to put on the brakes and crouch, his tail straight out and he is taking slow little baby steps and I know what is about to happen. Before I can get Vic's attention another grouse rockets up out of the garden and heads for the woods. Five seconds later another follows the same flight plan. Duncan not hearing any shots goes for the down grouse, picks it up and heads back.

I hear the door open and Duncan walks in with the grouse in his mouth and Gus right behind him. Gus says "Your dog won't give me my bird" I smile and say "The key words,  your dog" I put my hand out and Duncan gives me the warm bird, I hold it up for Gus to take. He heads for the kitchen and I tell Gus "You better give Duncan a reward. Duncan comes back a little while later licking his lips and I can smell peanut butter on him.

The second half of the football game begins and we are all back in the TV room. Gus comes in with a platter covered in crackers and cheese and some rainbow trout rolled in flour and fried in butter that he got in a trade with Arlo. Along side the trout was thinly sliced grouse breast pan fried like the trout. I don't think many people around were having this kind of a football snack. I know almost every story I have written has a mention of food, but if you ate some of the  institutional food that I have been eating the last few months you can see how much I appreciate the fresh grown garden stuff, fish and today's grouse. Can't think of a better place to eat well and heal then here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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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BEEN TWO WEEKS since I have been home and things are somewhat returning too normal. With football and grouse season here the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere are somewhat quiet. Don’t forget guys are trying to get in their last rounds of golf in and it is a hard decision on what to do when you have a nice afternoon on your hands. When I came back we had like ten days of summer then some rain. Yesterday I took a chance and got one of my big projects out of the way. Youngest daughter and son came over and I put them to work. They dug out along the old sidewalk to the garage and expanded the sidewalk from twenty-four inches to forty inches wide by thirty feet long, need the extra width for the wheelchair when the snow starts falling. About fifteen hundred pounds of concrete was ran through the mixer. I just played foremen and cut stakes and forms to size. It pays to teach them young and they remembered it all so I mostly watched. I then just had to sweat it out as a big thunder storm came through this morning and dumped on us but the sidewalk was set and it still looks good.

 

Sunshine Ray is forecasting rain for the next several days so the next project of staining decks and the ramp is going to have to wait. On the bad part my tiller that was thirty years old died. As soon as I told the son he could have the motor which is not that old he called his nephew telling him they have an engine for another go-cart. I have a home nurse and PT coming in on Mondays and Fridays and Wound Care in the big city on Wednesdays. Gives me two days and the weekends to have time to myself, at least for the next seven weeks. Don’t think I will be getting any golfing in and I still have some hope for fishing and I will hold on to that till the ice makes it hard to put a boat in the water. Now grouse hunting is another matter, I can always wait for the guys to come to me. Seems we have several birds at the Resort and the only reason why Vic just shot that one is because he didn’t have any more shells. When I left on Sunday I took the box of 8’s I had in the glove box and left them there for him.

 

Close to the lake here the trees are full of green leaves but as you get farther away there is some color and with the strong winds and rain the black top now has leaves plastered on it. Pickup trucks are parked along tote roads and hunters with either their human or dog partners set out to search for grouse and hunts to make memories. It looks like we might have a decent fall, Lake Iwanttobethere is keeping the frost away and finally after a rotten growing season tomatoes are ripening and even the corn that is small but still tasty is coming to the table. Orange hats sit on top of heads and them spendy orange wool shirts are seen around town. You don’t just have to wear them during deer season or under your duck rain coats.

I must admit I really miss fishing this time of the year. Being the only trailer at the landing and having no one fishing in my spots. The bite is usually pretty good and I am not cold till I put the Puddle Humper on the trailer and secure it. No skeeters or biting black flies at the landing and I will slide on to the heated front seat and feel the warmth on my backside, that is when I realize that I am cold. I open the little cooler and eat a cold bologna sandwich as I munch on a big dill pickle. I leave the soda and instead pour myself some warm coca, check my lights in the mirror put the Tahoe in gear and point it in the direction of home. A baseball game on the radio plays and if I am lucky I chase a sunset from one hill to the next here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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
FALL ARRIVED ON Friday, it kind of just snuck in overnight I think. On the calendar it said Autumn begins September 22nd which just happened to be my 771 monthly birthday. No I noticed it because this vine that grows on the big garden fence went from green to a lite orange over night. The wife hates the vine and no matter how many times she cuts it or tears at it it just comes back the next year bigger and stronger, I don't think the fact that I go out of my way to fertilizer it has anything to do with it. The Tenners were here Friday night, we made popcorn and watched a movie and they stayed up way later then their parents thought they would or should. Come Saturday morning another sign of spring as they went with the granddaughter's Tenners ma to Old McDonnell's farm to be one of the first groups to go through the corn maze.

They came back to the cabin with some sweet corn and a couple of small pumpkins that they had decorated. With some time to kill they pulled up and cleaned the concrete forms around the expanded sidewalk and with one hauling shovelful's of dirt they back filled around the sidewalk then swept it all clean. Sipping on a soda's they admired their work and I mentioned that I was thinking of putting in a concrete pad for a new fire ring. The grandson told his cousin to not volunteer for moving dirt rather go for pouring the concrete, I smiled as I listen in on his words of wisdom. Grandson mowed part of the yard before his uncle came and they all left for the stock car races. I would have gone but them wood benches are too hard on my behind.

I decided to have dinner at the Lodge and I hitched a ride with my neighbor Chuck. Baseball game was on so I watched some of that and chatted with some of the Lodge members. Nytelyter was there and we spent some time together catching up. He told me he had been at my son in laws place helping him out with a stubborn stump. Not only does Nytelyter put on the best fireworks display in the county he also blows things up and usually with better results then the FELLOWS do. I now understand what the four old granddaughter was talking about when she called me about a big KaBoom at her house. Nytelyter smiled and nodded his head seems he got the attention of several people that afternoon. Now I will have to ask the son in law why he didn't invite me out to the house.

Sunday I watched the football game at the Resort, about twenty degrees warmer there then at the cabin but even just in the last week more leaves are changing color. Even a little float line of leaves in the water of the bay just off shore. A lot of ducks around to, I don't know if they are all locals or just passing through. Few flights of geese were spotted overhead and Vic says the deer are starting to move in come dusk checking out his garden. Had a tasty egg salad on a Kasier roll with a garden salad with all the fixings from Vic's garden at half-time. After the game I helped out with making a big pot of red sauce that Vic canned. I need to do the same at home but am still waiting on tomatoes to ripen. Rained off and on all weekend and it is threating to do the same today. No deck staining so I am just spending time with Duncan and adding more stuff to the Honey Do List here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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
HOW QUICKLY A week goes by! Been busy all this week and it is hard to remember what I have been doing. Of course I am still healing and will be for months and people tell me I should just be happy with that but I am not. Winter is coming and the way the weather has been we could have 68 in the Puddle Humper like it is right now and 28 tomorrow and never recover till Spring. Have been harvesting the garden and it might be the worse garden I think I have ever had. Does not look like any canning is going to be done and I think we will be lucky to get enough apples for maybe a half a dozen pies. I blame the weather and the wife for the poor showing and those thieving chipmunks in the garden and Ed and Eddie the squirrels who have been raiding my apple tree.

 

Yesterday after my appointment in the big city I had the wife just drop me off at the Lodge, told her I would hitch a ride back to the cabin. I sat down at the big round table along with Big Earl, Skinny, Reed the Realtor, Chuck and several of the FELLOWS and the Johnson brothers. The topic of conversation was on whether or not they were going to take their road trip to North Dakota to hunt pheasants. A few calls had been exchanged with family and friends out that way and the bird reports were pretty bad as far as the population went. Tiny asked me if I was going to go this year and I thought about it for a moment and told them that I think I would be to much of burden this year. Tiny smiled at me and said they were really just being polite asking me but they were really more interested in bring Duncan along. I then looked down at Duncan who Chuck had brought to the Lodge and he was sitting and wagging his tail so hard from side to side that he was wearing the wax off the floor. He had his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and I could almost hear him saying "Can I go, Can I go" I patted him on top of his head and I said "Sorry guys you have your own dogs," and I don’t want him coming back smelling like Reeds bio-diesel RV

 

Gus came out with a platter of ham and Swiss sandwiches which were tonight’s special. Old McDonnell and brought pigs into Ma and Pa’s for Pa to butcher and smoke some hams. Here at the Lodge we try and serve as much locally grown food and harvested meat as we can. Table was quiet for awhile as we ate the ham on some of Amy’s Bakery hoagie buns. One by one we started talking about the hunt and if we did not go what we may be missing out on. I can remember many a time when I would be sitting at the kitchen table staring in the direction of the Puddle Humper and have the wife say " Your not thinking about going fishing are you?" and most of the time I was not but as soon as she told me I could not go fishing then I had the urge to go and I most times I did pretty good.

Same with bird hunting, threating rain or falling snow I always shot more birds walking down a wet muddy trail then sitting in an easy chair in the living room. Guys then took turns trying to out spin each other on when their better halfs told them they could not go fishing or hunting because of the weather or a report there was nothing biting or flushing. By the end of the evening they were back making plans for North Dakota and the Lodge might a little quiet for awhile here at Lake Iwanttobethere


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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
SILENT SUNDAY AND I spent most of the day at the Lodge. Came in for lunch and to watch the football game. Home team lost, let the opposing team hang around and ended up paying for it. Lot of grouse hunters came and went as the day went on. Dogs laid in front of the fireplace drying off and getting a snooze in. Sunshine Ray had forecasted some afternoon showers but he missed the morning rain that came through. Today is a special day for me because it is three years ago that I had to lay my Bud to rest. I am kind of surprised at how many Lodge members patted me on the back and shared a story or two of Bud and Barney. They would then ask where Duncan was and I would point at the rug next to the beer cooler behind the bar. They would chuckle at the sight of the sleeping dog and I would poke the brown dog with my toe making sure he was not getting too comfortable.

Had the little shrimp basket with home fries and a couple of small ears of corn, was just enough to hit the spot so to speak After awhile I retreated to my office cleaning house and tossing old pink phone messages. Gus has removed all the dry goods he had stacked in there and I can now see all of my pictures on the walls, including the one of Bud where his eyes always seem to follow me no matter where I am in the room. The North Dakota pheasant trip looks like it has been green lighted. Season opens next week and the guys are making plans. Weather here is suppose to be wet the front half of the week then dry up and be warmer, we will see.

A few boat trailers behind pickup trucks are parked down at the public landing below the Lodge. Softball field is quiet but there is a pick up game of basketball going on at the court. Even a couple of people playing tennis but they have so many layers on I can't tell who they are. The other day the county brought in several loads of orange barrels and cones. Hammering Hank and Skinny have then all tucked away behind a orange snow fence. Picnic tables are all stacked on top of each other and only a few fire rings are left out. Sun peaked out for awhile and a couple of the guys went out and shot some skeet. I went from one side of the Lodge to the other so I could watch. Was thinking I should shoot a round or two myself, been awhile since I had sent any shot down the old double barrel.

As I watched darkness arrive slowly but surely, this time of year it has a way of doing that. Boats came off the water and trailers were backed into the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. Prime stump shooting time with sun going down. Many a stump or patch of leafs are taken for a grouse in the middle of a trail. Of course by the time you convince yourself that it is just a stump or a brown pile of leaves and don't shoot is the time it flies away as you walk up on it, been there done that. By six I was ready to head back to the cabin and the wife came and picked me up. While I was at the Lodge her and the daughter had taken out the two a/c units and started pulling screens and washing windows. I sat down at the desk and took out the Honey Do List, I marked off screens and A/C units to storage, not a bad day here at Lake Iwanttobethere

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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!