I hope there ain't nuth'in wrong with Barney (the dog)

So, anyway......when we go'in fish'in?




Hunter

A perfect day of fishing....... Is hard to come by. Went out yesterday afternoon with my fishing bud Jerry. One of those scheduled fishing days where we were going no matter what the weather was. He has commitments for the next two weeks so the daughter watched the grand kids and I waited for Jerry to arrive. Standing under the boathouse with the trailer hooked up to the Dodge I was just hooking up the light harness when the first rain drops fell. A minute later and it was like a monsoon as water was falling by the buckets on the roof of the boat house. Jerry drove up and made the dash to the boat house. His only comment being " At least it's a warm rain" After about ten minutes it slowed to a drizzle and we loaded the Dodge and left for a lake that was not in a path of any rain we could see on the weather radar.


An hour later we arrived at a small favorite lake to find a glass covered surface. No wind and get this no skeeters or them dang nasty flies. I got to be honest here we were excited about getting on the water and tossing some topwaters on this lake for the next several hours. We soon forgot all about how we normally fish this water and headed of to a sweet spot that is very hard to get into. But the water was high and the pads were not bad. We poled into our little spot and on a count of three we both shot out topwater lures at the same time. Of course they both landed with in three feet of each other. For the next hour we beat this little hideaway and got zip.. Not even a splash. We started shaking our heads. Started going through the six tackle boxes between us looking for something that the Bass would bite on. Even spoke out loud how even a northern would feel good on the end of the line.

We moved out of that spot and worked down the shoreline. After about twenty minutes we got a couple of hits and of course lost both fish. A few minutes later I felt weight on my spinner only to be rewarded with an empty line on the hook set. Northern had ate my lure. Retying we continued on down the shore line to the back of a stump filled bay. They have to be in here, dead calm water, beautiful sets of lily pads, stumps, reeds, down trees. Water higher then we have seen it at this time of the year. Nada, nothing, zip.... Not even bluegills to moan about. For the past hour off to the West out of sight we could hear the rumble of thunder. We would look over our shoulders from time to time tracking the progress of the storm, watching clouds. Still no wind, still calm and still no fish.

About six or so we dug into the cooler and took out sandwiches. Eating we sat back in the chairs and talked about things that fifty something guys talk about. Been fishing together for about thirty years. Funny how the conversation has changed over time. Used to be 90% of the time about gals now it about what our co-paynets are on our medical plans. Just about then the wind kicked up, blowing towards the dark clouds in the west. Figured the storm was sucking air in that direction. A few minutes later a dark cloud from nowhere was over head and big drops started to fall. Rain coats on we headed back in the direction of the boat landing. Of course we kept fishing all the way. Rain ended in a few minutes and guess what, we started to catch a few fish. A bass here a northern there. Another bite off and the retie of another lure. A missed set, a quick duck as the lure came out of the water to sail past your head. A good look at a decent northern that took a slash at the bait right at the boat before diving deep and going under the boat and of course skeeters...

With sun setting on the trees we called it a night. Jerry had to work in the morning and it would be midnight before he would get home. We loaded up the Puddle Humper and with a fresh cigar to drive the skeeters out of the Dodge we set off down the dirt road in the direction of Lake Iwanttobethere. Looking for deer Jerry watched the right side and I watched the left. Of course just like bobber fishing I knew he was watching my side of the road because I was watching his. Only two deer we saw. We figured the thunderstorm had sent the fish deep and not seeing any deer we figured to blame the day on the weather. Just could not figure out how in the last hour I caught six fish to his one. Pickles I said. I had pickle juice on my fingers from my ham sandwich.. Works every time. From Lake Iwanttobethere. (65746)

In the office here at the Lodge today, Have to get some paper work out of the way. Have been somewhat lazy about keeping up with doings here at the lake. With the new bartender working I have been able to spend more time at the cabin. Fishing of course. So I'll take some time here to catch up on the calendar.

Next week all week will be BBQ week. A week long contest with the finals being held on Saturday which also happens to be the same day that the Lake Iwanttobethere Lake Association holds there meeting and membership drive. We have several division including a home owner, business and both charcoal and propane pits. The hay bale stage will be set up and on Saturday entertainment will be provided by the fantastic fine fingers of fifties fiddlers Fiona and Fred Fiddle and there sons Fedo, Fritz, Floyd and daughters Fawn and Frema and grand kids Felicity and Frank. on the back of the fancy Ford flathead flatbed and it's free!

Foreign exchange student Becky O"Brien will be back to wandering through the park with her friends singing Irish folk tunes. And the Johnson Brothers will be offering free beer samples of Needabeer and Whynotale. The church ladies will also be having a week long bake sale and will have tables set up in the park. Blueberries of course will be the hot item as muffins and pies will be for sale. Also Saturday morning there will be a pancake breakfast, you guess it Blueberry pancakes will be available.

Lots of Mindy and Mandy's Lake Iwanttobethere root beer will be sitting in tubs of ice and water from of course Lake Iwanttobethere and for those in the know a keg of Hamms is also sitting in the ice house at a very drinkable temperature. Tuesday the 29th is the 5th Tuesday of the month so that means Lodge meeting time. Put that on your calendar. Also time for a membership drive at the Lodge and the meeting will kick off sponsorship month. We encourage you to introduce your friends to Lake Iwanttobethere and if you have a story you would like to pass on about the lake please do so. You can also contact us here at the Lodge at the lakeiwanttobethere@yahoo.com if you have any questions or just want to say hi. Someone is usually around the lap top and who knows who will answer your questions from here at the Lake. Keep in mind that the lap top is usually on the bar so if you want to address a question to me, Bobby Bass you will have to mention my name. Otherwise you might get Elmer or Gus or even the one finger typing of Skinny with your answer.

More on BBQ week and a schedule for you. There will be brat night, steak night. Monster hamburgers and of course Nytelyters brisket night. Fresh sweet corn and baby onions along with Dutch oven rolls like great great great grandma used to make. One of the better weeks to make a visit to the lake and take a walk around and visit. Hope to see or hear from ya soon.. From Lake Iwanttobethere (65777)

well after the first year of the bbq week when i was out of brisket so fast i didnt even get a sandwich for my self. i doubled my meat order last year, and again found myself out of brisket with in two hours. this year i have 1oo pounds of brisket coming, and will be on the third run on my new slow cooker. will be running a lowtemp charcoal cooker and adding a piece of hickory wood every half hour. for the optimum flavor. and i even have some mesquite to add. amy has agreed to supply me with enough fresh buns to make sure i have enough for late nite snacks at the lodge later on that eve. as a former trophy winner i will not compete in the contest this year. but will offer my taste-budds as a judge if needed.

it will be a welcomed trip to the lake as the boss has been out of town for over a week and i aint seen water in a while and am in need of a few at my point and on the water. hope to be getting the knot-a-clew on the lake again this week as her hulls have been dry for more than a few weeks.
see you on the water or in the park. ... paul

The Calvary has arrived! Late last night the parents, my kids arrived at the cabin to reclaim there demon seed. Just kidding. The kids were good all week long and we spent a lot of time together. The kitchen almost turned into a bakery with all the cookies that were being produced by grandma and the kids and I got to spend some time at a different level. The different level being looking at things from a three year olds level. Wet grass between your feet does feel a little funny at first but is cooling after awhile. Dog kisses ain't all that bad and little kids hears sure do beat fast when you listen with your ear on their chest. There is a difference between a palm size keeper bluegill when it is your palm next to a three year olds palm. I might just call them a Steveie keeper size! It is better to be pushed on a swing then be the pusher. Frogs have a big advantage when they are in the marsh. There is nothing wrong with afternoon naps. The smell of hay stays with you all day. Tall attractive thirty something ladies give bigger ice cream cones to three year olds then they do to 661 month olds. The view at three feet is quite a bit different then at five feet and cereal is not all that bad for supper, sometimes.

Kids are still here but now they are busy taking their parents around and trying to show them everything they did in the past six days in one day. Overcast day here at Lake Iwanttobethere. A good soaking rain yesterday afternoon. It will just about guarantee that the grass will keep growing for another few weeks and will be mowed again here soon. Steve and I sat on the covered swing and under a quilt we watched the rain fall. Didn't take long to fill the rain barrel and then the water started overflowing and ran over the top to run down the hillside. The rhythmic sound of rain and the swing moving back and forth soon put Steve asleep. Bud jumped up and made himself comfortable alongside Steve. This time using him as the pillow. #1 grandson made an appearance at the cabin door, saw that it was raining and just waved. He returned to the kitchen and to taste testing cookies. I sat swinging on the swing and in my head kept on adding things to the Honey Do List. Funny how if you just sit for a spell you see things that need to be done. The kids have a different look on things when they sit. I don't remember Steve once saying when he was sitting that this or that needs fixing or painting. I see an old row boat that needs a coat of paint and he sees a fishing boat calling to be fished out of. I see a deck that needs staining and he sees a place to eat hot dogs and drink kool aid with ice cubes. I see a yard that needs mowing and he sees a place to go running. Good to see things in someone else's eyes.

Swing does feel good today as yesterday I took my youngest daughter and the two granddaughters to McDonnell's farm where we had our annual horseback ride. My bottom side will never get used to a saddle. The small girls got to ride pony's in the corral area and spent time with McDonnell feeding them and standing on a bench they also did some brushing. The daughter grabbed me and we took a short ride out in the pasture and along the woods. One of those things that I enjoy doing while I am doing it but pay for it later. The ride was short because we had the grand daughters with, Will have to make sure they come again next summer. I was walking around today with a different stride and the wife keeps referring to me as "Cowboy"

Both boys and I did do the mid season cleaning of the Puddle Humper. We sorted through tackle boxes and did some rearranging. Raincoats and lifejackets were spread out to dry as we did get caught in some rain the other day. The tent on the dock has been taken down and moved back into the yard. The boys used the battery powered jeep and the garden cart to pretend they were on there own camping trip. No girls allowed. They loaded up and they drove around the yard looking for a good place to pitch camp. After passing the same spot three times they finally stop and unloaded. I think the battery on the jeep was getting low. The wife made the comment that they looked just like real grown up men. After watching the boys trying to get the tent up she came off the deck to their aid. She helped put up the tent and spread out their sleeping bags. Even brought them lunch. The grandsons came up on the deck and Steve whispered in my ear " Your right, she did pitch our tent" I just smiled and put my finger up to my lips. " Secret Steve, it's a secret" From Lake Iwanttobethere (67115)

Quiet morning here at the Lodge. Meeting tonight so I am sure we will be busy around cocktail hour. Yes the Lodge has a cocktail hour now. With the new bartender he can actually make drinks. Some of us other bartenders have had to learn a few to. But the days of dropping a shot glass into a big mouth beer mug will not be forgotten. Just something about a depth charge to wet the whistle. Was hot dog and brat night last night on the BBQ's some tasty combo's there. I must admit I like a good polish sausage done on the grill till it splits down the side and the slightly burnt. Gives that crispy crunch in the bun. Sweet onions and a pickle on the side with a Hamms and that is a decent snack. Burger night tonight, our own Gus from here at the Lodge will be entering his ½ pound cheeseburger with secret sauce. The plan is for everyone to go to the BBQ and support Gus and then come back to the Lodge for meeting time. Don't know how long the meeting will last as Gus also serves a side dish of beans with his burger. We have all the windows open already and hope to stay ahead of the guys.

A nice sight on the way into the Lodge this morning as I saw three young lads on their bikes riding down the dirt access road to the lake. Tackle boxes hanging from handle bars and rods lengthwise. Good to see kids heading off to go fishing. They even all had baseball hats on and they were all pointed forward. Jeans were pulled up and they were wearing belts! I gave them a wide berth when I passed them and a wave. They all kept their hands on the handle bars but came me a quick nod of their heads. Looking back in the Dodge's mirror I saw them turn off the road and head down a trail. Same trail I used to take when I was a young lad. Leads down to the old pilings and some Lilly pad covered water. Would be a good day to fish that water. Some big old willows along the shore there and this time of the summer the grass is deep and green and lush. A lot of time could be spent there watching a bobber and laying back in the grass. Cold cans of pop and sandwiches wrapped in wax paper. Small bags of potato chips and of course a Mars candy bar.

Just about that age where you don't have a care in the world. Don't have to worry about gas money, you had no car. Not even close enough for a license anyway. Girls were something you talked about but had no experience with. Baseball cards and chewing gum that was actually worth chewing. Stiff fiberglass fishing rods that you could use as a sword if need be. Maybe even a cigarette to pass around but that usually happens once and no one cared for them. No one wore a watch because no one had one. But with a practiced eye a glance at the sun would give you a good idea what time it was. Some days you would catch some fish and bring them back home your dad would clean them and mom would fry them up. Best meal you ever had. You would sit back from the table and after eating all of your greens and some fry tatters, hot buttered rolls and corn on the cob. Funny how one walleye could feed the whole family back then. Hardly enough for a taste now.

Well BBQ's are going already down at the park, almost noon and the townspeople are already looking to take lunch breaks. Fair amount of tourists down there as some people plan there vacations at the lake to match up with BBQ week. A lot of them don't even fish they just come here for BBQ and the blueberries. Strawberries were a little late this year so they are also getting in on them to. A good burger and some strawberry shortcake is a hard thing to beat. Well I suppose I should head on down there, a long day of judging to be had. I know it's a tuff job but someone does have to do it. From Lake Iwanttobethere (67935)

So I am sitting here in the Lodge waiting for everyone to come up from the BBQ so we can start the Lodge meeting and no one is coming through the door. I'm thinking must be some pretty good eating going on down there or that hard rock polka band is better then we thought they were going to be. So I am back in the office moving papers around and I look at the desk calendar. Today is the 22nd not the 29th the Lodge meeting is next week.... I think I just had a senior moment! I stroll back out to the main room and try to act as if nothing is going on. Out the back door I slip and return to the BBQ Talking out loud to myself I figure I just made a simple mistake, has nothing to do with me now being 661 months old and besides looking on the bright side. I just gained a whole week of July From Lake Iwanttobethere (68119)

Hiya from Lake Iwanttobethere. Working out of the Lodge this morning. A nice steady light rain falling from an overcast sky today. Not a heavy rain and no thunderstorms, just a good soaking rain falling. Looking from the Lodge's deck down at the park I can see people walking around and brightly covered umbrellas moving between tents and vendors. Wood smoke curls skyward and sits above the park, just a wisp of wind moving it out over the lake. The aroma of BBQ is heavy in the air as today is rib and steak night. Some of them ribs are slow cooked all day long and the smell makes it hard to get any work done. Finals will be held on Saturday and our own Gus was declared the winner in the burger division. Weather has been perfect for being out doors, Bass thermometer has not gone over 80 and most of the time the red needle is stuck right on 75 which is just fine with me. Skeeters have not been to bad out either. Could be all the wood smoke or it might have been Gus's beans.

Digging through paper work here at the Lodge. Sorting and filing invoices and getting orders together. Also have Lodge membership forms to file and working on the mailing lists. Some trips here to plan as the guys here want to go to a baseball game down in the big cities. I am surprised after last years adventure. I did call Reed the Realtor and he said that Dug did finish up on the RV and it is ready for another road trip and the fire damage has been all repaired. Just looking to get some more bio fuel as that is now become very popular in these parts. Which reminds me. The Lodge starting next week will become a bus stop for that bus with the dog on the side. We get a little something for letting the bus stop here and idle for fifteen minutes and then it goes back on it's way. I guess the Lodge has the only parking lot big enough for it to turn around in so we are now, the town that is on the bus run. We are thinking if they make a stop we will get some walk in lunch business from them so we will have to see how that goes.

I was in the city yesterday and since the bus was on my mind I noticed that in the city there are bus stops on every corner but there is also fire hydrants on the same corners. So how can you park a bus at a fire hydrant where there is no parking and not get a ticket? We don't have to worry about that here at Lake Iwanttobethere, we only have four fire hydrants and no busses. Well just since I started to write this the rain has stopped. Clouds are lifting some and I see two boats are getting ready to launch down at the access. Fishing has been steady here at the lake, we normally get a lull this time of summer but some big fish have been getting weighed in down at the Masterbaiters shop. If I remember off the top of my head a 41" northern a 29" walleye and a 21" bass all came through the door this past week. Some nice fish anytime of the year.

Past the midway point of summer already. Seems to have gone really fast again this year. Getting to fair time here shortly. Crops are getting big in the field and we will be talking about harvest time here soon. I am sure there will be some hot days still coming and we have been lucky with the rain as it seems we don't go much longer then a week with out something falling. Not like last year when it was dry most of the summer but we had that wet fall. I have been enjoying fishing some small lakes around Lake Iwanttobethere that have enough water to get into now. Even the county took advantage of the low water and installed a few more concrete ramps. Funny how they do that and don't tell anyone that it has been done. I was at one the other night and when I drove up to what used to be a pot holed dirt access is now a asphalt road down to the water with concrete ramp. Still had to get a little wet but much better then in the past. In my travels I have been looking for all the orange barrels that the county stored at the lake. I have not found them. Makes me wonder where they have a secret road project going on that I can't find.

Well a little early for lunch but I think I might take a stroll down to the BBQ and see if there is anything ready for tasting. Might even have to go fishing this afternoon. To wet to, dare I say work outside, but never to wet not to go fishing.. From Lake Iwanttobethere (68573)

Since we have so many new readers I thought I would bring back up last summers road trip for you to read...

Road trip, With things being quiet at the lake we were killing time in the Lodge when we all came up with the same idea while watching the baseball game, Road Trip. So after watching the Twins win we decide to make a few phone calls and the next morning we all met at the Lodge to go take in a baseball game. The spur of the moment event kind of snowballed from a few of the guys in a car to needing the van to end up gassing up Reed the Realtor deer hunting bus. Since the bus has been parked since last deer season the first thing we needed to do was run it in to the next town over where the high school was holding a car wash. We hid the bus around the corner while getting the Dodge washed and haggled over a price on the bus. With the Dodge all done we signaled the bus and Reed drove it around to park it at the Dairy Queen where the car wash was being held. We all ordered banana splits and sitting in the shade of the building watched as the cheerleaders spent the next hour cleaning off the bus. Seeing all that mud come off from under the back wheels reminded us of when it was stuck in the swamp last fall.


Now seeing a bunch of cheerleaders all lathered up washing a bus might be kind of exciting to some. But us being a bunch of old guys we were more into the chocolate syrup and ice cream melting in our banana split boats. After getting the bus cleaned and back on our way we did notice that the entire cheer leading squad was waving good bye to us but they were not using all of their fingers. And here I had left them a five dollar tip, Canadian. Next stop Dug's garage. Reed always being a thoughtful man had changed the bus to bio-disel a few years ago. At Dug's we filled the tank and After checking other things and airing all the tires up we were soon back at the Lodge to load up and head out. We took everything from inside the bus and put it down in the basement. There were a few things that made it to the dumpster and it was good to have all the windows open. The cheerleaders had washed windows so we could actually see out the ones we could not get open. We brought in a picnic table and set that up in the back so we could have our card game and some extra folding chairs were also brought onboard.

I notice the chip rack was filled but there was a case of chips left over, no sense in letting them get old so I tossed them on the bus. Along with some hot dogs and sauce for our tail gate party. Tapping kegs I found a half full one, so I left that and rolled a full one into the bus. Putting the keg in a kids pool that we had borrowed on the way to the lodge we were all set after getting some ice. I made change for everyone as we all had a roll of five dollar bills. Everything at the Dome cost five dollars. With that we boarded the bus. Myself with Reed driving had the two original seats in the front of the bus. Elmer had shot gun in the lazy boy. Chuck was on the stool near the keg with the flight harness on. Big Earl and Junior and Skinny along with Doc and Hank were already getting chips and cards out at the picnic table. We waited a few more minutes and a few more lodges guys came but after smelling the French fry exhaust from the bus they decide to drive down ahead of us. We all gave then five dollars to get tickets for us. Dug was the last to board and with the bus door closed and secured with a length of rope we were on our way.

Trip down was pretty uneventful, we made good time as soon as we hit the freeway. The guys were having a good time singing show tunes and mileage improved as the weight of the keg was diminished. Just outside of the Twin Cities we picked up a police escort. At first we thought we were in trouble when the squad rolled up next to us but then it just waved us to follow him. Pulling into the Dome parking lot we were directed to where the buses parked. The police officer rolled down his window and told us to have a nice stay Mr. Nudgent. Reed and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. We untied the door and got out, that is when we noticed the Ted Nugent tour bus parked right behind us. It had the same camo paint scheme as us just it was like a million dollars nicer. It was also missing the writing in lipstick across the rear of the bus signed by the Beavers, cheer leading squad. Well we unloaded and mingled with the band who by great chance were also here to see the ball game. We blended right in as we were all wearing the same bowling shirts. I even met Ted who offered to let us watch the game from their private box. We declined as we already each had invested in five dollar tickets.

After walking around the dome we met up with our fellow Lodge members and picked up our tickets. Going in through a service entrance we were soon each outfitted with our very own beer cup holders and 24 beers each. The dome has really changed since the last time I was here. By the middle of the 4th we were done passing out beer to new found friends and had a few extra bucks in our pockets. With just a few beers left between us we decided to just set the holders down and take to some empty seats down behind the 3rd base line. They were really great seats and you could hear the ball slap the catchers mitt. One was really loud and as I turned to tell Chuck and that is when I saw that he was holding the side of his face as the lady next to him was leaving. Soon after that the guy who gave us the beer carriers appeared with a couple of guys in yellow shirts. Pointing at us and yelling something that we could not hear above the crowd noise. This was when my fellow Lodge member informed me about our part time beer vendor gig that he had arranged.

Staying just a few sections ahead of the yellow shirts we were soon lost in a wave. When the second wave came around we were feeling a little lightheaded. The third wave and we found ourselves sitting in a crowd of fellow bowlers also on a road trip. As a matter of fact the entire section was bowlers and our shirt seemed to be a very popular color. Here we sat out the rest of the game

Making our way out the exit we had to once again walk around the dome to the bus parking area. We did notice a lot of birds flying over head and as we got closer we saw that the gulls had taken a liking to our Bio-disel French frying bus. As a matter of fact they had done a pretty good job of redecorating it. Getting in we soon did a head count and turning on the GPS and inserting the proper lake chip for Lake Iwanttobethere we were on our way back home. We were suppose to stop at Mall of America but we decided that we would just say that it was closed or that we could not find a parking space. As we headed up the freeway we noticed a lot of gulls in our exhaust. Hank said there was a red light or two following us but the gulls were between us and we were putting ground between us. With the windows down and the snoring of lodge members we were back at the Lodge by morning. Of course we did stop at the casino and enjoyed the breakfast buffet and spent another five dollars. Well the Twins won 5-3 and we missed Hot Dog night. Odds are we won't be going back this year anyway. The bus needs to be washed again, I wonder if those cheerleaders will still be there tomorrow? From Lake Iwanttobethere

Hot and muggy day here at Lake Iwanttobethere, just like a mid summer day should be. Went fishing early this morning, already knew the day was going to be like this. Sunshine Ray had forecasted lots of sunshine and muggy conditions. Did not take the Puddle Humper out but pushed off at first light in the old wood rowboat. Slipped the oars in the locks and with a few quiet strokes sent the old boat down the shoreline. Pausing for awhile I let the boat glide like she was new again in the calm water of the early morning. Only trouble with the rowboat is that it is a lot easier to see where you have been and a little more work to see where you are going. Does make it nice for trolling though. Set your rod against the transom and you can watch as the vee wave from the rowboat spreads out to either side. From time to time you look over your shoulder to see where you are heading and staying to the edge of the reed bank. Only sound is a little creaking from the oarlocks and maybe your feet on the floor. Some sloshing of water back and forth and maybe the tackle box floating and hitting the side of the old boat. When the old coffee can used for bailing starts to float it's time to take a rest and dip some water out.

It seems to take a little longer each time I go out but the shoulders loosen up and the arms seem to stretch out some. Soon the stokes have a little more behind them and the vee waves off the bow get a little bigger. Reeds and Lilly pads slide by a little quicker and you are ready to make the slow turn at the back end of the bay. Slowing down you drift to a stop and reel in the spoon that was dragging behind the boat. Cleaning off a few wisps of weeds you trade it for the spinning rod with the devil horse on it. Standing up in the boat you launch a cast to the point in the reeds farthest from shore. Have done this hundreds of times before and on a few occasions a fish was there waiting for the lure to hit the water, not today. It sits and waits and your twitch it and work it back to the boat. Trouble about fishing your home lake is that there is no bad spots on it. It seems that every log or every point at sometime or another you have caught a fish off it. Every dock you remember and the bass you caught from under it or the northern that you lost in front of it.

Trees that held eagles in them or spots on shore where bucks could be seen drinking from. That one spot where the black bear was crossing and the time you were surprised by a moose that was eating with his head under the water. You saw bubbles up ahead and thought it was a turtle till the water irrupted and the rack of a moose surfaced, covered in weeds and looking like something from outer space. Funny how much strength the arms found rowing backwards from that encounter. Every time you come around that spot again you look for the bubbles, waiting to see if a moose would be there again. Blackbirds follow you, making noise. Guarding there part of the cat tails they warn you not to come to close. Green frogs make their croaking sound deep in the high reeds and grass. Out of sight but somehow within arms reach it seems. Dragonflies flying in pairs like planes with wing men, sweeping in to check you out, make a pass and the continue on their way. Mayflies landing lightly on the bow, wings spread waiting for a breeze to lift them off again.

Quiet broken by the sound of a splash and a big ring of water left by an old pig bass rolling in the shallows, You can't see it but you know it is a bass. Can't get a lure back there either, to deep in the pads. But you stop and watch anyway, waiting to see if it is heading your way. Of course your attention is drawn away by another fish rolling down the shoreline. You pull on the oars a few strokes to see if that one is in casting distance. About then the first one rolls again. Loud in the quiet of the early morning. You chuckle to yourself and start rowing again. Back out to the outside edge of the reeds you turn and in a nice rhythm you head back for the dock. Nice long even strokes the bow of the old row boat lifts with each pull of the oars and then settles back down as you lift the oars from the water and slide them forward in the well worn oarlocks. You dip them back into the water and putting your back into it feel your muscles flex and your legs push against the floor. A little spray in your face and it feels good to be on the water, alone. From Lake Iwanttobethere. (68879)

Well yesterday was a break from the weather here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Park was quiet but the smell of BQQ still lingered in the air. Was expecting Hammering Hank to be out with Skinny restocking the firewood piles but the wife Tess has put her foot down. No more working on Sundays for Hank. That is not to say he was not busy. I saw the two of them, Hank and Tess drifting in their Lund out off Root Beer Island. Feet up they were having a lazy day of fishing and that I will agree is better then any reason to be working on a Sunday. The only thing I saw working on Sunday was Windy the windmill. She was spinning away on the hilltop behind the Lodge.

Busy next few days here as today is the fifth Monday of the month, that means a town hall meeting and tomorrow being the fifth Tuesday means Lodge meeting. Yes I did check the calendar and I do have the right dates this time. Most business was taken care of on Saturday when we had the Lake association meeting. We got our DNR survey results back and the lake is doing fine, as a matter of fact we are leading the area in several categories. Of course fishing here has always been exceptional. Reed the Realtor has reported that even though everyone else is having a housing decline we are still selling cabins as soon as they are open. Some building is going on and there will be no change to the height to shore rule. That is for every story you go up you must sit back a hundred feet from shore, so a three story cabin will need to be 300' back from shore. We like to keep the shoreline a low profile and not lose our trees around it.

There was some talk about banning electric lawnmowers and blowers on the weekends, Some are complaining the buzzing sound can be annoying. There are not many on the lake but people have been asked to refrain from using them on the weekends to keep the peace. During the meeting all 228 pink flamingos were moved to Duckslayers property. He has been quiet for most of the summer and we just wanted him to know we know he is still around. Tim the sheriff reported that the lake has been quiet, just a few dog barking calls and since Grace and Bailiff have been on patrol the calls of bears in town has all but disappeared. It might be in part to the good berry crop but we will give the dogs the credit for now. Lake association meeting ended and people return to the BBQ and to the fiddle playing of Fred and Fiona.

Yesterday the weather was cooler and today seems to be more of the same. Sunshine Ray has some rain in the forecast which is good for the farmers. Getting to that time of summer when the plants have grown to where they are going to be and now the corn will get ripe and the cuc's heavy. Driving around the lake you can't see the cabins as the trees are heavy and the grass tall and green. Golf course looks outstanding and with some cooler weather there will be some of the local farmers on it during the day. Now they wait and watch. A few bow hunters are already out setting up trail cams and doing some scouting. Sound of dog whistles and commands can be heard echoing across the water in the evening as guys are working their dogs. Have been doing it all long but you just kind of notice it now. End of July already, will not be long and the chill will be in the evening air. Good sleeping weather will return and along with it them great fall suppers. Fish and fresh corn, tatters from the garden along with salad and all the fixings. Mindy and Mandy's root beer on ice and apple pie. Spending evenings around the fire ring and flannel jackets again will be the uniform on the lake. Getting to my favorite time of the year, but we still have to get through August and I will not bet against a few 90 degree days and some thunderstorms. Still got a lot to do on the summer To Do List and then there is the fall list sitting on the desk waiting it's turn. From the last week in July here at Lake Iwanttobethere (69242)

Well you can all blame me, everyone else is. Here I say the weather is nice and a few days later we hit 90 in the shade! Might have been all right but a thunderstorm came through around 5 am and filled the rain barrels. Gardens all got a good soaking but when the sun came out it made for a bad humidity day. Dogs were chasing the cats inside the cabin but it was so hot they were all walking. Pretty much skipped everything that was on the To Do List today, Have a long standing rule that if the Bass thermometer hits 90 we are done working for the day. Used to get more days like that when the thermometer was hanging on the side of the cabin that gets full sun shine. The wife moved it to a shaded spot after I got a month of fishing in and no work done.

Monday night was the Town Hall meeting and tonight was the Lodge meeting. No great news to report and the beer was flowing in the frosted mugs as soon as we came through the door. All the ceiling fans were turned on high and the deck had all the chairs full of guys with cigars going. Next Lodge and Hall meeting is in September and it was quickly decide that anything we had to say could wait till it got cooler. Lodge meeting was moved to the icehouse where there was still the keg of Hamms from the Lake association meeting. Sitting on blocks of ice you could only stay for fifteen minutes or so before having to go outside and warm up. Bout that time you would be thirsty again so there was a lot of coming and going back in and out of the ice house. No skeeters in the ice house. They would follow you in through the door and then drop to the floor. Grace must have heard the key in the lock and she was there in line. She quickly pulled out a block of ice and didn't go far before she started to go to work on it. Bailiff was with her and if a beer mug was left unattended it was quickly slopped up.

The little black and white TV was plugged in the ice house so we could watch the baseball game. A win brought on another round of cold beer and shots of Wild Turkey. Kitchen was closed but we managed to stir up the coals and soon polish sausage was sizzling on the grill. A little late evening snack. The wind picked up off the lake some and the sun went down. Temps fell a few degrees and with the coming and going in the ice house we managed to get through the evening. Tomorrow sounds like it will be another day of the same. Not a lot of complaining about the weather, it's not like we can do anything about it and come the dead of winter this is what we say we are looking for. Not many guys are drinking cold beer and wishing it was a -30 out. Although I am sure there are a few guys sitting in there ice houses waiting for the water to get hard.

Could be the end of an era to. I noticed on the drive into the Lodge a guy on a motorcycle, helmet on with goggles wearing a heavy sweatshirt and jeans. Not much unusual about that. Then I noticed the sandals and he was wearing black socks. I think the guy was actually driving the cycle because it was a means of transportation, not a life style or a statement. I shook my head and wanted to yell at the guy to get some boots on. But I think he would not have a clue as to what I was saying.

Campground is about half full, you can hear the hum of ac running and soft talk and some laughter from around campfires. The fires are all small just making enough smoke for the skeeters. Don't need any more heat. A few boats lie of Root Beer Island. Some of the guys after the meeting had trailer their boats down and were taking advantage of the get together to go out and get some late night fishing in. From time to time you would see a light go on, I am guessing to land a fish or to find something in the dark. Even the light is on in the new fish cleaning house. Looks like someone caught something. Well I think I am going to find an empty spot on the deck. Light a cigar and enjoy the night. From Lake Iwanttobethere.. (69826)

July is over and August has started. Almost like some one clicked a switch in the gardens. Had to go see DOC Burriem yesterday, bad knee decided to blow up like a small melon which has slowed me down. Can't climb in the Puddle Humper so looks like there will only be fishing off the dock for the next few days. DOC wants to stick a needle in there but I will admit I am a chicken and will give it a few days to see if it goes down by itself. So I stayed here at the cabin and did some walking around and checked out gardens. Almost over night the corn seems to be growing inches in a day. Tomato plants are climbing outside their cages. Picked some cucumbers and the wife was busy yesterday afternoon making jelly from all the ripe raspberries. Turn over the edge of a potato plant and little spuds are doing well. Look like a good harvest for later this fall. Flowers are doing well and suddenly we have apples on the trees to.

Bass thermometer seems to be stuck on 85 with no rain in sight. Am getting a lot of sleep as the wife is steering clear of me and I have been sleeping away the afternoons on the swing on the deck. Bud has been around me constantly and if I could just get him to keep the beer coming so I can stay hydrated I should be good to go in a few more days. Baseball games in the evening to watch and a few visitors stop by during the day. Elmer brought me over conies today and a big jug of Mindy and Mandy's Lake Iwanttobethere root beer. Later in the day Mindy called and asked if I needed anything, Of course a jug of root beer would be nice I replied. Trouble is ya get lazy and ya stop moving around so I get up off the swing from time to time and drag myself around the yard. Moving kind of slow but seeing more things that need to get done. Lucky the grand kids are not up this weekend, They are just the right height that they would be constantly running into the knee. Bad enough the dogs have already nailed it a few times. It's like a big magnet, hit your thumb with a hammer, put a bandage on it and I will guarantee you will hit that thumb at least ten more times that day.

Getting better though, I can now sit at the desk and do some writing, had to keep it straight before but now I can bend it. As long as I rest a frosty mug on it I am keeping ice on it. Going to be doing a friendly little fishing contest here in a couple of weeks so I have been looking over the old fishing logs and asking question about a bay here on the lake that I have not fished for a few years. Looks like August is going to be a hot one which is good for the gardens but makes fishing a little tuff. Vicki down at the Masterbaters shop has already starting to do some rearranging. Moving some bow hunting stuff up towards the front of the store and I thought Elmer said something about her having a pop up ice house on display out front of the store. Already down at Earls there is a clearance sale going on for picnic supplies. Hammering Hank told me that he is already getting calls to schedule docks to be pulled out of the water. Go figure, Even though gas has dropped some down at the Gas- N - Go business at the lake has fallen off. Not so much at the resort they are still booked deep into the fall but we don't seem to be getting as many daily visitors as we have in the past.

Lots of events coming up this month though. Logger days will be coming soon, the big fishing contest. Corn roast and dancin in the park. County fair, stock car racin and of course the demo derby. I guess I don't keep up with all the doing that go on here that we take for granted. Friday nights the locals tie all the pontoons together and make a big raft out on Lake Iwanttobethere. They party and BBQ on the boats till the wee hours of the morning, one sure way of avoiding the skeeters. The sound of Del's pizza cannon is so common that I guess I don't even hear it anymore. The ten o'clock freight running on the other side of the lake is hard to hear now that the trees are all full of leaves and only in a few places can ya see the bright headlight wash out over the lake. Sounds of softball games in the park and boccie ball being played. The trap league on Tuesday night and the sight of 228 pink flamingoes in someone yard. Mark the mailman in his boat making the rounds of the docks delivering mail and gossip. Jessie the paperboy trolling between docks at first light. Frank the plow driver making truck breaking washboard roads and Dug working in his garage in the blue haze of two cycle smoke. The great smell of hot fresh bread from the ovens at Amy's and the ringing of the bell over the front door at Ma and Pa's grocery.

Guess I forget about these things from time to time, to busy going to or coming from somewhere. Good to stop and smell the roses, who ever made up that line had the right idea.. From Lake Iwanttobethere

Saw the wife giving Elmer a little kiss on the cheek last night, They didn't see me. A minute or so later Elmer came out on the deck and told me he was taking me down to the Crossroads for a steak. I quickly asked about the wife going with and argued a tad as we walked out to Elmers pickup truck. The wife made a fuss about how she was busy and us two old coots should get out and enjoy the evening and a good cut of meat. Elmer hopped into the truck and I crawled in the passenger side. I'll tell ya when you don't have that steering wheel to grab on to it's tuff getting in a pickup truck with a bum knee, but I made it. We are drivn out of the drive and I ask Elmer " Well what did she give ya?" " Twenty bucks" Elmer answers. " only twenty bucks to get me out of the cabin? That was pretty cheap, you should have held out for more." Elmer passes me a short cigar and we head off down the dirt road.

The tourists call the place the Crossroads because of course it sits at the crossroads. I am sure there are thousands of places across the country that have the name the crossroads and there is probably one not to far from where you live if you were to look. The locals still call it by it's real name and that is "Bretts" Bretts was Bretts before there was a crossroads. For a very long time there was gravel road that went out past it and you had to drive by in order to get to the far side of the lake. It was the last place where you could buy anything and if you had forgotten something this was where you came to get it. A short time ago maybe forty years or so they did some building and another road was put in, they had to go around the swamp so they met up with the gravel road at Bretts and the Crossroads caught on. Bretts has not changed a lot but it has changed. The first thing you notice is the big faded Muskie over the front door. When you drive up for the first time and if you are a fishermen a cuss word may fall out as you look at the beast over the door, Then you think who would put such a fish outside over the front door and then as you get closer you see it is actually a fish that some one had whittled. Still it is an eye catcher.

Story is that an old-timer got himself snow bounded and all he had to do to kill time was whittle on this big old piece of spruce he had. A few months later the snow melted and he had himself a sixty inch Muskie. He took a couple of spikes and nailed it in over his front door of his cabin. A few years later Brett was out bird huntin and saw the Muskie and in an exchange for a bottle of Wild Turkey the Muskie came to Bretts and was bolted over the front door. It was never painted and over time has weather to a deep dark menacing black. Locals use it when giving directions as in. " You go down the road a piece till ya get to the big Muskie and then ya hang a left" Over the years it has been taken down by rival High schools and held for ransom, once it was even on that e-bay as "60 inch Muskie". That got it some air time on the big city TV station.

So we found a parking spot kind of close to the door and walked past the old gas pumps. Out of habit you have to step on the air hose and make the bell ring. Passing under the Muskie as you step in you got to figure that must have been one long winter when it got whittle out. To the right when you come in sits a counter with the cash register and the assortment of little after dinner mints and tooth picks. Behind rests and assortment of cigarettes and a bottom row of cigars. The ceiling is low and the spruce beams are a faded yellow. Hardwood floor creeks under your feet and a small sign on a pedestal says "Seat yourself, We ain't your mother"

We find a table near the yellowed pictured window and sit down. No booth for us our guts are to mature to be stuck between a table and a bench. A granddaughter of Bretts comes to our table after awhile. I notice it is a commercial on the TV that she is watching so we better order quick before her show comes back on. We order up steaks and decide to do the medium well done, that will take us to the next commercials break. Spuds are always sitting hot so we don't need to wait for them. Sipping on a cold beer I lean back in my chair and look over the place. Reminds me of what my grandparents used to have when I was just a tot. Don't know if my memories are of what I had seen or what I had been told about the old place. Grandma and Grandpa had a place on a crossroads to. It was a tavern and gas station and also sold bait. It has some big white horse with wings on it that stood on a huge poll. I can remember the dust flying around always making the horse with wings look like it was really flying. The same horse was on patches that I found in and old cigar box years later when I was cleaning up grandpas cabin. Hmmm I paused for a while there trying to remember what ever happen to them things.

Well anyway we had some fine steaks and the beer came every commercial, and it was cold. The frosted glass mugs were thick and heavy. Not a lot of beer inside the mug but it was just about right. We ate, had a few beers and then watched the baseball game. Didn't talk to loud during the game as Bretts granddaughter was a real fan and she only talked during the commercials. The home team lost and Elmer thought it was best to leave her the twenty for a tip. We walked out into a dark parking lot with the only light coming from a single sixty watt bulb in a metal shield out over the gas pumps. Less bugs that way. Most tourists just drive on by, think the place is closed. We made the short walk to the truck and the sound of crickets were heavy in the air. A few lightning bugs twinkle off in the ditch and frogs could be heard croaking in the near by swamp. I managed to get in the truck and my knee actually felt a little better. I just might go fishing.. From Lake Iwanttobethere (71434)

Well I sure have been taking a razzing the past few days, Good think I don't have Sunshine Rays job. Just a little sprinkles and down right warm during the day here at the lake. Not 90 in the shade but close enough that you could tap the Bass thermometer and it might bounce up and hit the 90 line. But... The nights have been cooling off so if you have all the windows open the cabin does cool off and it has been some nice sleeping weather. The home baseball team is out on the west coast so I took a nice nap with the ac on. I had to share the room and beds with the cats and the dogs as they are not stupid animals. When they hear that ac go on they meander to the bedroom to stake out a claim on a piece of bed or in the cats case the top of the dresser.

Well I got a nice nap in and woke up to the wife cooking in the kitchen. A platter of potato pancakes greeted me. This bum knee is working out to be a good deal I thought to myself as I smeared on butter and sprinkle on sugar to the crispy pancakes. The wife starts telling me how she would like to redo the cabin kitchen. Not just paint mind you this is becoming a major remodeling job. With each spoonful of pancake in my mouth I start to realize what this is going to cost me... Being married for thirty one years I also know the proper answers to give. NO is not the first thing that should come out of ones mouth. Holding up my plate for another serving of pancakes I made mention that perhaps she should start looking at counter tops and a few paint samples would be a good idea. I went back to my plate as she ignored me and started looking at the curtains on the window...

So I went out and started a fire in the fire ring, brought the old RCA tube radio out and set it next to the swing. It takes a few minutes for the tubes to warm up and about the same time the fire was crackling there was a hum on the radio. I found the station caring the baseball game and with an ice pack on the knee I sat back in the swing and got ready to enjoy one of the better things that you can do.. A baseball game under the stars! Five days into August and it is now dark at nine o'clock. Did not seem that long ago that you would still be out fishing at ten with enough light to make it back to the dock. How quickly summer rushes by. Well the wife came out with a glass of wine and a beer for me. She sat at the table and started to talk about the kitchen again. I held up my hand and said " Geez the baseball game is on" she asked the score and I told her they wee just starting, "Why so late" she asked.. " They are out on the west coast" I replied. " So you will be out here for awhile" she asked. I just nodded and adjusted the volume on the old radio a little louder. After a while she finished her wine and took my ice pack, a pat on the head and she headed back into the cabin, the dogs followed.

Suddenly the radio seems kind of loud in the quiet of the night, I turned it down a little and sitting in the swing I listed to the baseball game as I watched a section of the sky for meteors, just like I did when I was a kid. As it grew darker the stars came out, more likely the light from the fire ring was dying and I was getting less light in my eyes. I tracked satellites across the sky as they crossed the section I was day dreaming about. I did see one meter, just a brief splash of streaking light. Dang woman had me thinking about the kitchen remodeling job and I started going over some of her ideas in my head. Some were doable and others were from one of then shows she got from watching then do it yourself cable channels. Home team was up 6 to zip and it was looking to be a good night. An hour later and the home team lost 11-6 that is baseball for ya. But what a way to spend a summer night, under the stars with the smell of wood smoke, waves slapping against the old wood rowboat and crickets to fill in the quiet times.. From Lake Iwanttobethere (72247)