Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

Just getting up from my nap, something that I seem to be doing more of in the winter then in the summer. I am of the opinion that naps are good for you as I seem to come up with what I think are a lot of good ideas when I nap. Some of these ideas I remember but truth be told most of them, the ideas, are forgotten. Today I had a good reason to nap as the Lodge meeting went quite late last night. Me being on a lot of committees ended up being one of the guys who spent the night at the Lodge sleeping on a couch. I found myself at first light riding with Skinny and Hammering Hank in the work truck to a distant farm that Hank on good knowledge, Was said to have a State Fair bungee cord for sale. We are always looking for backups for the ice house fling. Short story here is that there was no bungee and it was only a story and the farmer was not real pleased to see the three of at his door at first light.

However since we were on the other side of the lake this meant that we were close to the Snow Flake Diner and after all it was breakfast time. Now it has come to my attention that I do tend to write a lot about eating establishments. In my defense I think people would rather hear about places to eat rather then gas stations or bars. But now that I think about it a lot of the eating places have bars in them and pumps out front. So back to the Snow Flake Diner which does not have a bar and the pumps were taken out years ago. Well there I have to correct myself again as they do have a ketsup and mustard pump on a side table.

So we walked into the quiet dinner nestled under some rather large blue spruce trees with just enough parking for maybe a dozen cars or trucks. Pretty hard not to look at the tops of the Spruces covered in snow as they swayed side to side in the wind. Like most places if you have lived as long as I have on the lake you have been to them a few times. As I remember this place was known for their potato pancakes and when I came through the door that is what I smelled in the air. I did not know the waitress but I saw she had a name tag with Maureen on it so I greeted her like a long loss relative. I find this usually works well in getting your coffee cup filled first.

A few minutes later and we could hear the sound of potato pancake mix hitting the grill and the smell of butter and oil in the air. The coffee was hot and the diner was warm. Before I could even make a dent in my mug a platter was set down in front of me. Four golden brown pancakes, two eggs looking up at me and steam rising off a slab of ham, all on a bright green plate. You see the trademark of the Snow Flake Diner "Where none of the plates are the same" is not that the meals are all different it is that the meals are all served on different colored plates. I have a green platter with an orange coffee mug and Hank has a blue platter with a purple mug and Skinny was just having coffee in a big orange mug. I already knew this as Big Earl at the General store sells the Snow Flake their dishes from broken sets. Keeps the prices down and really it does kind of give the place that at home feeling. From Lake Iwanttobethere {193,277}

[Bobby Bass]

So it should be Diner not dinner but I can't edit, I must have had food on my mind when I wrote this! Bobby

[Bobby Bass]

Another dusting of snow here overnight and now Sunshine Ray and Stormy Clearweather both agree that it is going to get cold out. Tonight it will find it's way below zero so that mean we will be making ice for sure. Some of the guys are walking out on the ice in the bay, not going far but going out where they can chip out a hole and wet a line. Have not heard if anyone is catching anything but these guys just want to be on the ice. As you drive around the lake there are plenty of ice houses sitting in driveways or already at the ices edge waiting patiently to go out.

A lot of Bob Cat tracks around to, I noticed some at the end of my drive this morning. With the coming of winter and snow the tracks are easy to see and follow if you want to. With the leaves all but gone you sometimes see the Bob Cats in backyards or up against the garages trying to stay out of the wind. I know Elmer had a small one years ago but it disappeared on him. Now Chuck has one, pretty good size as Bob Cats go. I know this past summer I would see it and it always seem to be pretty muddy, then you would see it again and it would be all clean. I think they are a lot more common then we think, they are all around the lake. Really nice to have when you want to move snow....

I did spend some time with the shovel today, pushing the banks back around the parking area and sidewalks. No way can you let mother nature claim any of your concrete. Bud and Barney have been busy, somehow a couple of rabbits have taken up residency under the main deck. They were seen about a week ago and the dogs ran them off into the woods but by the look of the tracks in the yard they are here to stay. Even tracks on top of the deck checking out the swing and under the table. Other day I noticed Smokey our big black cat in the widow sill watching the deck, tail twitching. Bud saw this and rushed the back door and sure enough there sat a bunny looking back. A three way standoff with the bunny, Bud and Smokey all watching each other. I made the comment that I would not be surprised if the squirrels Edd and Eddie had something to do with all of this and sure enough from the Maple tree they too were watching.

Was hoping for some sunshine and maybe take a walk and look for some grouse but that ain't happening. I got enough fresh air shoveling and both Bud and Barney are sleeping in front of the crackling fire. Wife has bread rasing and is busy on the phone planning a Christmas party. Think I will work on a video from this past fishing season. I may not be able to be on the lake with a warm breeze in my face but I can watch some of the action from this past summer. Just a few more weeks and then the days will start getting longer again, from Lake Iwanttobethere {194,181}

[Bobby Bass]

Burr, I have no great love for cold weather and last night was our first real cold one. Letting the dogs out in the morning they agreed as the visit to the closest tree was quick. Their breath rose above them as they ran out quickly to do their thing and maybe even quicker back. I took a few steps out on to the deck myself. The wood of the deck creaking loudly in the cold and it took about ten seconds for me to declare it was cold out. The cold metal of the storm door made my fingers stick to it for just the tinniest portion of a second. Back in the cabin all three of us headed for the fire place. We jockey for position as the wife laughed at me. Her only comment was about me still not wearing socks yet.

I was hoping that with it being so cold out today that there would be a pretty good chance of no clouds and maybe just maybe we will get some sunshine. Well that did not happen as it was overcast all day. Sunshine would have been nice as I have moved all my tomato plants inside and have turned the heat off in the greenhouse. I know I could probably go down to Ma and Pa's grocery store and for a few bucks buy some tomatoes but I like being able to brag that I am still growing tomatoes. Some sunshine would help ripen them up and I really want to see if the buds will continue to grow and make some more tomatoes Another reason for the sunshine is Big Earl from the General Store has talked me into buying a couple of strings of solar power Christmas lights. Cost nothing to run, don't have to worry about turning them off and on and best of all no extension cords in the snow to worry about. I have them strung on the dock and they glow faintly now but with a day of sun shine...

The local radio station KCUM has already started to play Christmas music, A little early I think but the local merchants like it as they just tune it in and then don't have to worry about changing the cartridges in the eight track players. It is a little weird to walk from one store and into another and hear the end of a song that started in the last store you were in. The Lodge and of course Gus insist on playing his own music and he has his box of classic Christmas tunes at hand. He however has not yet started playing the music so there is still a place you can go and not hear Jiggle Bells. On that note Hammering Hank has started to flood the ice ring that is set up down on the softball field and he does have Jingle Bells playing loudly over the PA system, he especially likes the guitar version of it, over and over.

So today found me running a few errands and of course working on the Honey Do List. Wife came back and told me her Jeep needed oil and windshield wash. So she went through my truck and borrowed what she needed. Now I have to go and replace it, I guess I should be thankful that she can check her own oil and fill her own reservoir. More catalogs in the mail today, got one for saltwater fishing. That one makes me scratch my head a little as I figure I got to be two thousand miles from the nearest ocean and they won't let me back into that saltwater aquarium place anymore. Geeze talk about making a big deal out of a guy with an ice fishing rod and a little piece of cheese.

Well the sun is down and it is cooling off again, Think I am going to go and sit in front of the fire and maybe do some reading. Lot of catalogs to go through and I do have to start making a shopping list for the buddies. Don't have a clue what I am going to buy but then I do better the day before Christmas anyway. From Lake Iwanttobethere {195,056}

[Bobby Bass]

Yawn, been a long day today. About three o'clock this morning the beeper went off, the one I carry for the Lake Iwanttobethere volunteer fire department. Fumbling around the cabin I got dressed and headed into town, the beeper said General Store. I arrived to find both of our fire trucks manned and ready, lights flashing and the two spots lights aimed at the front of the store. Reed the Realtor flooded in the light stood at the main picture window of the General Store with his fire axe at ready. A red glow could be seen in the rear of the store and Reed was ready to smash the window in. Big Earl skidded to a stop in his pickup truck right behind mine, he was out and running before I could get my door open. For a big man he moves real quick. With Reed pulling back his axe Earl grabbed it and jangled his keys in front of Reed.

Earl went to the door and stuck his key in with out disarming the burglar alarm, the door opened and the alarm went off adding to the confusion. With whooping sirens and flashing lights The entry team went in, secondary team had a charged two inch line and they were close behind. A few seconds later and the sirens went quiet and the lights slowly stopped spinning and went dark. I had my boots and coat on and was just putting on my hat when they came out. Reed leading the way with his axe at his side, False Alarm is all he mumbled as he walked by.

Well the red glow that was reported by a passer by was really just the display of solar powered Christmas lights. Best we can figure is somehow they got enough energy to go active and someone saw the light and called it in. Earl threw a tarp over the display and locked the store back up. All the guys regrouped at the fire hall and the two trucks had to get cleaned up from the snow and slush on the street. We went ahead and held our monthly meeting as long as we were all there. Some of the guys went back home to catch some sleep while others headed to the Lodge for an early breakfast. As long as I was at the Lodge I did some book work and before you know it noon had come and the lunch crowd was in.

Sun is peeking out now and it is not to bad out, actually feels kind of warm. Twenty-seven in the shade and Windy the windmill is barely turning over. Turning into a lazy Saturday afternoon and someone is sprawled on all the couches. Couple of cribbage games going on and the TV is on a basketball game, no one really watching, just back ground noise. Elmer and Marv are sitting at the bar, a couple of beers half empty or half full depending on how you look at them. Hammering Hank and Skinny finish their chili and head back out to the work truck. They have a load of cut Christmas trees that need to be delivered out to the roadside stand.

Twenty-one days till Christmas or is it twenty? Either way today is the day when businesses are OK to go ahead and start decorating. Already from my vantage point here at the Lodge I can see window decorations going up along main street. I guess Gus will be down in the basement here soon looking to get into the locked cage and pull the Lodges decorations out. He already told me he was going to post the eggnog on the menu, Yawn, time for a nap I think. From Lake Iwanttobethere {195,473}

[Bobby Bass]

Lodge is busy on this Sunday afternoon, a lot of tables are full with members still celebrating the football win. A large group came in early riding snowmobiles as we have more then enough snow to ride on. It has been a snowy early winter so far and now the ice fishermen have returned to the lake to. Ice is getting thicker and fishermen are creeping out a little farther every day. Hammering Hank and Skinny will be hauling the ice house fling test log over tomorrow and a couple of the guys are working in the garage getting the bungee ready to mount tomorrow. With any luck we will start test firing and retrieving the log this week. For those of you who are new here we fire a test log to see if the ice will support the shanties later. Right now it looks good that the ice house fling should go as scheduled next Saturday.

Some of you may be new here so I will briefly explain the ice house fling. The Lodge has two very large pine trees that a state fair bungee cord is attached to. Then ten lucky ice houses are placed in the sling, one at a time of course and with great fanfare shot down the hill. There are stories of past Ice House flings and there always seems to be a problem or two in launches. So the ten houses are flung down the hill and they of course spread out across the ice. Some are by design and others just pure luck where they stop. Inside this area the ice town will then spring up and Lake Iwanttobethere moves out on to the ice for the winter. There are sign up sheets here at the Lodge for ice houses to be entered and the first ten are selected as long as they clear inspections.

Already the Luge is ready and the local kids having been riding their sleds down the track and out onto the ice. As the snow keeps falling we will continue to add to the hill and the top of the Luge. A nice blizzard would give us a lot of snow to work with but Sunshine Ray has none predicted. Skating ring is open and last night the youngsters were seen skating on it. The smaller ones who are just learning how to skate could be seen holding on to chairs, pushing them around the rink.

This morning was Seniors open skate on the rink and the sounds of Lawrence Welk could be heard over the P.A. System. Some people were skating and holding hands, bundle up so well you could not tell who was the guy or the gal. Even a few chairs were being pushed around by those not to stable on their skates. Only thing there is that the chairs were rockers with a couple of Lazy Boys thrown in the mix. Where as the kids were given hot chocolate when they came into the warming house the seniors came up to the Lodge for Hot Totties and warm Apple Jack.

The rink is reported to be in good shape since Hank and Skinny have taken over flooding it this year. Melvin had been the caretaker but has retired completely now. It might also have had something about him putting down the lines in the rink with a paint ball gun last year. I think not removing the pitchers mound and flooding over it was also a factor, he might have gotten away with that but he also left in all the bases. Well sun is going down and I have a tip that the crappies are biting right off the point which is just a short walk after you take the Luge down to the ice. I'll let you know how I do, from Lake Iwanttobethere {196,429}

[Bobby Bass]

Last night after catching several eating size crappies I made the long walk up the hill to the Lodge. With out to much bartering I managed to get Gus to cook up the fish and along with a lot of potatoes and onions it was enough for a meal for the two of us. While I was waiting I overheard a couple of young fellers planning a midwinter camping trip into an isolate lake off Lake Iwanttobethere. Of course the tales of walleyes to be caught grew as the night went on and the planning got to be less and less about planning and more about the fish they were going to be catching.

This brought back memories of a mid winter fishing trip I took as a lad. One of my buddies had gotten his dad to OK letting us go to the cabin for a three day fishing trip in the dead of winter. We would fish and hunt and live off the land. Grouse would fill the lunch table and fish for supper. We also thought it would be a good idea that we should each bring a dinner for all of us and maybe enough for breakfast. Gary's dad picked us up one by one with our fishing rod, shotguns and duffle bags. He dropped us off at the cabin and promised to return on Monday afternoon.

First thing we did was eat, because as teenagers that is what we did best. Besides we would have plenty of food harvested from the land. I noticed that we all had brought some sort of pasta. Gary's ma set him with some lasagna, I brought spaghetti and Tony had brought ravioli, add a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs and a pound of bacon with a bag of some pancake mix and that was our menu. I think between our first supper and breakfast the next morning we ate everything we had brought. Pasta just don't fill ya up and none of us could really make pancakes at least ones you could eat.

Did I mentioned it got real cold and started to snow, no grouse to be seen and ice formed on the lake. Not thick enough to walk on but to thick to try and cast into or under. We were screwed. It got to a point where we were looking at crows flying by and wondering what that saying was about eating crow and why was it so bad? Luckily for us Gary's dad came Sunday night with steaks as a surprise, or maybe he knew that we had not really planned our trip. So now I always plan having enough food and always throw in an extra bag of spuds. Listening to the guys planning there fishing trip I could not resist reminding them to bring lots of taters and a few cans of Spam. Winter camping can be fun and it seems all my memories of my trips were always good. Trouble is I always retell the stories from the comfort of a soft chair in front of a roaring fire with a full belly, From Lake Iwanttobethere {196.979}

[Bobby Bass]

I'm sitting here at the Lodge enjoying a few minutes of sunshine coming through the main deck windows. The Lake Iwanttobethere Times folded in my lap. The paper comes out only twice a month and it is never much more then eight pages. No advertisement in it, only local stories and a few black and white photos. Come Christmas edition there will be color but that is only because you can't do justice to a Christmas tree with out seeing the decorations. No ads because the local businesses that support the paper are more interested in just having a paper to promote the lake.

Paper is nothing fancy but I dare say I spend more time reading it then I do the big city paper that from time to time someone will leave here at the Lodge. Heck the Matter of Record is sometimes bigger then our local paper. Ad in all the ads for stores and such and there is nothing really there to read. Two pages of sports, a page on local news, a page on national news and all of it bad news. Seems like nothing good ever happens at least in the big paper. Looking through the big paper I see a big article surround by a bunch of adds about how milk is good for ya. Da is that something new? Then an even bigger story from some animal rights people how we are hurting the cows by stealing their milk meant for their poor calves. Some people just don't have a clue.

I was going to write here about a bunch of articles I was reading when I just set the big city paper down and walked away. This was getting close to breaking one of the Lakes big laws and that is no discussion about religion, politics and mother-in-laws. I know the site where you read about the lake it is hidden back in a forum where all the stories about religion and politics are kept. Somehow Lake Iwanttobethere got tossed back in with them and yet people still come and read about our quiet little town with it's few quirks. Gets me to thinking there are still people who drink their coffee black and hold doors open for women folk.

So having said all that here is what is going on at Lake Iwanttobethere today.. It's cold! Sun is shinning so that helps some when you are out feeding the chickens. Test log for the Ice House fling has been skidded down the hill a few times and the ice is holding up well. As a matter of fact with no new snow the ice is building strong and quick. Ice fishermen on five gallon pails are fishing off Root Beer Island and doing well, at least better than I did the other night. Decorations are up along Main Street and Hammering Hank and Skinny brought another load of trees out to the roadside stand. Brisk sales of trees and hot cocoa going on out there.

Gus has started playing Christmas music in the Lodge and a few of the guys put up a small tree and decorated it with swizzle sticks and coasters. As soon as Tess, Hammering Hanks wife found out about it she left me a note saying she will be over soon to get decorations out and Hank will cut a tree. Envelopes are out on the bar for Members who want to exchange gifts with others. We do it two ways, either pick an envelope with a name inside and buy or just a random gift exchange at our Christmas party. Some of the guys just keep giving the same gift back and forth to the same Lodge member. Well break time is over need to get back to work here, Have a good one only seventeen days till Saint Nick from Lake Iwanttobethere {197,344}

[Juneau4]

Keep up those reports--I want to be there

[Bobby Bass]

Granddaughter spent the night last night. After she ran grandmother ragged she was passed on to me, I think I might have lasted a little longer before passing her back to Grandma. Baking cookies took up most of her time after dinner and so it was almost bedtime when she came in the den and sat in my lap. We spent some time on the computer looking at pictures of this pass summer. I had a bag of jerky open and found that a nice size piece would keep her busy. Soon she was sitting and chewing jerky only stopping from time to point out a picture that she approved of, most of the ones she pointed out had her in them.

Bedtime came and off she went, with no complaints she piled covers deep and Bud went to keep her company. The clock at the side of the bed said 2:01 went I felt her tapping me on the forehead and could hear her saying quietly Papa, Papa I have to go to the bathroom. Rolling off the bed I took her hand and walked her to the bathroom, Bud following behind us. We walked past Barney who open one eye before closing it and ignoring us. Bathroom trip complete we head back to the bedroom before she announce she never got her bedtime snack and she reminded me that her and Nana had made cookies.

Off to the kitchen we headed, walking quietly through the cabin. Barney now was wide awake and got up to follow, after all we were headed to the kitchen. Glass of milk for me and a glass for the granddaughter. One cookie for me and one for her. Bud and Barney patently waiting for something, anything to fall to the floor. Granddaughter hands on hip informed me that the dogs also needed their snack and I nodded in agreement. Lid came off the dog treats and two biscuits were handed out. Bud ate his under the table while Barney took his to the living room.

Cookies and milk done the granddaughter headed towards the living room to see why Barney was standing at the picture window. I put glasses away in the sink and grabbed a second cookie. "Papa Look" my granddaughter whispered loudly. I made my way to the window to look out and see the buck we call Hulk standing near the dock. The solar Christmas lights glowing in the dark behind him.. "Reindeer" my granddaughter said as she pointed at Hulk and a few does that I had not seen the first time but could now make out standing off to the side at the edge of the brush. We stood and watched for awhile. The deer moved slowly noses down in the snow, they made their way to the apple trees and searched in vain for apples long gone. I picked up the granddaughter to give her a better look as they finally move out of sight.

This morning the granddaughter was up early, busy with grandma they made pancakes and I got breakfast in bed. Before I could make it to the kitchen they were dressed and outside, I watched from the window as the granddaughter waded through thigh deep snow on her to get to where the deer were last night. I could not hear her but I know she was telling grandma about the reindeer from last night. I took the chance and grabbed a couple more of the cookies. From Lake Iwanttobethere {198,000}

[Bobby Bass]

Lake Iwanttobethere, place seems to be very busy or very quiet, never to much in between. Today the Lake was very busy, several ice shanties were under tarps down at Dug's garage awaiting inspection for the Ice House Fling on Saturday. Wind was whipping and pulling on the tarps early this morning, more then one passer bye tried to take a peek at the houses under the covers. My house is ready to go down to the garage but tomorrow is supposed to be warmer so I will wait another day. Elmer was working in his last night but I don't think he is changing anything, I am betting he is just loading it up as full as he can so he will have more to fling and less to carry out on to the ice.

Stormy Clearweather has stated that we are coming into a cool spell and it does not look like we are going to have a really great day for the fling. Also some snow in the forecast, a few inches each day for the next few days and that should give us some more to add to the top of the hill and make the Luge even quicker. The Lodge is already renting out some of the plastic toboggans and Earl told me the new shipment is supposed to be in on Friday. Hammering Hank and Skinny have been stock piling the orange barrels that the county stores here. They have the good ones moved down to the shoreline along with some of the picnic tables. We have nine houses signed up and all we need is one more to complete the field.

Tess and some of the other ladies have been here most of the afternoon putting up decorations and Gus has been helping them with the tree. The small tree that was decorated with swizzle sticks and coasters is tucked away in my office, otherwise Tess would have tossed it out or had it burned. I was reminded by Marv that there will be a meteor shower on Monday night. Might be a good night to hold the first overnighter spent on the ice this season. Also an eclipse of the moon later next week so another reason to spend a night on the ice.

Friday night we will be having the drawing to determine the order of launch on Saturday. I am hoping to go off first, looking for a smooth ride. My barbers chair is bolted in and I did spend some money this past summer adding heat to the seat. I hooked up with Mike at the salvage yard. He had a Tahoe come in and gave me a deal on the front seats. With a little work I took the seat heating coils out and stuck both sets in the barbers chair. Looking for a warm ride down the hill. Hoping for a good fling and one that will get me out always, not looking forward to Marv's airstream or Big Earls log shanty anywhere to close to me.

Snow is falling, the nice fluffy kind that makes everything look nice and clean but is still easy to move with a shovel and not to much work. Looking down main street it is almost like looking at a winter postcard. Windows all painted up, red ribbons hanging off the only street light. Red and yellow shovels stacked in front of the General Store with metal snow scoops undented alongside. You can even smell mini donuts in the air as the trailer is set up down by Dug's garage. The over head bells jingle at Ma and Pa's every time the door is opened. Kind of peaceful like here at Lake Iwanttobethere. {199,419}

[Bobby Bass]

More snow fell overnight which made loading both my shanty and Elmers onto the borrowed converted pontoon trailer a little easier. We brought both houses down to Dug's garage and they passed inspection right away. Tomorrow they will be ready to go at the front of the line for the parade through town to the Lodge. See if we come in last we get to leave first. Landing area has been busy all day. Skinny already had his shack at Dug's so he spent the day helping Hammering Hank move the orange barrels around and bring in a load of wood for the fire pits. The light snow was easily cleaned away from the fire pits with a couple of backpack blowers.

In the morning several other shanties will join in the parade to the Lodge and the hillside along side the bungee. Already the Mini donut trailer has moved to the landing area along with the hot pretzel cart. Tents are all up and Mindy and Mandy will be stocking them with their Lake Iwanttobethere Rootbeer, guarantee to be cold they say. P.A. System is hooked up and you could even hear it on main street when Skinny was shouting out TEST TEST TEST

Lodge is all decked out and the last of the lights went up just as people started to come in for the drawings. We did get ten lucky ice fishermen to sign up and as soon as they Lodge was full Mrs. Willis stated to draw names from the plastic minnow bucket, the crowd went quiet as Margaret made a big showing of pulling out the first name, actually she got her sleeve caught on the lid and could not pull her hand out. First draw goes to....................... Marv in his airstreamer! He is requesting a full pull! This means that Marv in his converted airstreamer camper/ice house will be pulled back as far as the state fair bungee can be pulled with the tractor and then release to slide down the hill and on to the ice as far as it will go.

Now you should know that the first ten lucky shanties that make it down the hill will form the outskirts of the ice town. Public utilities and plowed roads will service everyone who sets up inside the area where the ten stop. There is also a nice prize package for the house that travels the farest. The long toss receives an ice road to their door maintained through out the season, A dozen free shiners from the Masterbaiters bait shop everyday, Two loose meat sandwiches a week from Amy's Bakery. A season of free fruitcakes from the General Store, a pound of propane a day from Dug's Garage. A thermos of black coffee or Hot Chocolate from the Dew Drop Inn every day and a assortment of thick sliced deli meat from Ma and Pa's grocery. Add the ice fishing tackle box and being tossed the farest is a big deal.

So I guess you would like to hear the rest of the lucky winners? Well, I am going out in 2nd followed by the Johnson Brothers in their converted VW house. Skinny in his outhouse Shanty, Nytelyter in his sailing shack. Hunterdown is sixth with the Log Cabin of Big Earl in seventh. Elmer is number eight and Dan T in ninth. Chuck is number ten and will be using his pontoon as his shack now that it has a hole in the center of it's decking. With the last named announced the drinking began and the boasting and laying of side wagers. Gus was busy writing everything down in his little brown book. I did notice that neither Tess or Hammering Hank had an entry this year, I thought that was a tad strange. Well tomorrow is a big day so I better get to drinking my Hamms from Lake Iwanttobethere {200,109}

[Bobby Bass]

Going second in the fling can be a good thing. At least that is what I was telling myself as I closed the door to my shanty and secured the racing harness around my chest. Normally I would like to be last, that way I am not in the way of Marv's airstream ice house or that log cabin that Big Earl calls his shack. Nytelyter sailing shack has that big prow on the front that could go right through my plywood walls. But second is not all that bad, I mean I was lucky enough that Marv's big airstream launched first. It lumbered down the slope after a full pull and pushing up the newly fallen snow went airborne when it hit the ice then landed with a huge thunderclap so loud that some people in the crowd looked skyward. The ice held and the airstream skidded sideways across the ice. Then disappeared into the cloud of white blowing snow. I lost sight of it and was more concern about the two giant ruts it had left behind on the slope.

We have had better fling days as there was a winter storm watch up but it was dropped right before launch time. Just a few inches of new snow but very windy which made seeing a hit and miss option. Lucky for us the Johnson brothers had pulled the new GPs units from their beer trucks for the weekend. Right before launch time each shanty had a GPs unit installed allowing us to track the houses progress as they are launched.

Now that I was secure in my shack and being drawn back in the bungee I was wondering how long I could stay between the two ruts before I fell into one. A new design for me this season as I had salvage two satellite dishes and had bolted them to the top and bottom of my shanty. This gave the shanty a kind of Yo Yo on it's side look. With the sound of the dozer straining a little I looked out the side window to see the crowd gather along the slope of the hill. Several Lodge members were giving me the thumbs up while I could see Mrs. Miller crossing her heart and then locking her fingers together. That gave me a moment to pause and to reflect. Even though I have done this many times in the past I was having some second thoughts. It is never good when you do something all the time and then you get second thoughts. It has been my recollection that this is when something bad happens. I think having the song "He was a Lucky Man" playing over the PA system also was another omen.

Having second thoughts or saying something stupid like "Watch This" usually ends bad or now a days on TV or in a video at a funeral. If you are unlucky it is seen on HICK TV. Ain't nothing worse them someone drinking a toast to your memory and you happen to say them words "Watch This" I don't know why I was thinking these thoughts. I had a good shanty under me, I kept it in the garage and out of the summer weather. I was only launching my reinforced section the rest would be added later. I had new bolts holding the barber chair in place to the floor and plastic windows. Was not going to have to worry about broken glass anymore. I had trap doors on the floor and one in the ceiling in case I turned over and my CB radio was already on. What could go wrong? Then I saw Mrs. Miller again, crossing her heart, or was that her twin sister?

I faintly remember hearing the sound of the bell being rang and then saw the faces zipping past the window. I was bouncing from side to side going down the slope, Not catching in one rut or the other I was sliding between them, Then Quiet...

I could no longer feel the dish in the ruts beneath me and the ride had gone smooth. Looking out the window I could see sky then snow then sky again. I was not having a good feeling then I realize what had happen. I guess I had made a slight miscalculation and I was not sliding on my dish but when I came off the landing I had landed on my side and now I was rolling across the ice. All I know I was glad that I kept the head rest on the barbers chair as I pushed deep into the leather. Now spinning across the ice I had no way to see how fast or how far I was going, All I could see was ice and snow. I was dizzy and starting to feel hot and uncomfortable. The house came to a stop and hitting the harness release from out of the race car that Dug had borrowed me I fell to a wall which was now the floor. Crawling to a trap door I made my way out onto the ice and could see nothing but wind blown snow and hear the faint sound of music from the direction of the two skinny ruts on the snow covered ice.

It was almost thirty minutes before two riders on ATV's found me. Hooking up a tow row they flipped the shack from it's side to it's bottom. The battery had broke lose and soon I had the CB back on the air and my heated seat in the barbers chair was feeling pretty nice. Of course I could see nothing more of the launch but I think Hammering Hank will be posting more later. From Lake Iwanttobethere {201,613}

[Bobby Bass]

Sometimes it is good to live on this side of Lake Iwanttobethere! The far side of the lake has had a weekend of troubles. Over twenty inches of snow and now cold and wind. Football game got canceled and Saturday nights hockey game moved to this afternoon. Some grumbling going on here as the whole weekend has to be rescheduled. Some of the guys were looking forward to watching the football game in their shanty this afternoon but now will have to wait till later to watch the hockey game instead. But that actually seems more fitting, what better place to watch a hockey game then while out ice fishing.

Fling was a success, all ten houses made it out onto the ice and no injuries were reported. Not even any close calls which is a common occurrence it seems. The GPs tracking worked like a charm as Hammering Hank could plot the houses as they disappeared from sight. With a little angling of the tractor and adjusting of the pull no one hit anyone. This morning the sky was clear and standing on the deck at the Lodge we can see where everyone ended up. I thought I was going to have first place but I did kind of curve off to the side where as Skinny's outhouse was straight as an arrow out from the launch. Yesterday as I sat on the ice waiting for the others to launch I did hear a high whistle go by me in the white out. I was to find out later it was Skinny in his outhouse.

Seems Skinny had requested his normal ¼ pull, he does not like to be tossed to far from shore. Somehow the ¼ got changed to 5/4 which means they pulled the old state fair bungee cord back as far as it would go and then some. Normally the outhouse is launched in a vertical position but when it came off the hill it landed down on it's side and the roof worked just like a snow plow. The whistle I heard was the wind rushing through the deer alerts that he has fasten on the side of his shack for decoration. Skinny was upset that he had been tossed so far but today I saw him heading out with his arms full of his prizes. Loose meat sandwiches, a thermos of coffee some pigs feet from Ma and Pa's his propane tank filled and a dozen shiners sloshing around in his minnow bucket and he was not feeling so bad after all.

So with the wind not as windy this afternoon and not a cloud in the sky there is a lot of activity out on the ice. Shanties are being dragged out by the ATV club who will accept a donation for doing it and then they will also bank snow around your shack for another donation. Luge is busy as kids are riding the run. New sleds did come in on Friday and just about all of them are in use. Skating rink has a pick up game going and the mini donut trailer has a small line at it's side. Stan and Jennies ice cream and tackle truck is parked in the lot and just as many people are on both sides of it.

I am thinking by sundown the ice town will be pretty much established, the doors will start closing and lights will start shinning through windows to light up the night ice. More then a few guys will go to sleep tonight with the sound of groaning ice and maybe the hum of a generator. From this side of Lake Iwanttobethere, where we did not get all the snow, we just got the cold and a successful fling.{202,256}

[Bobby Bass]

'Tis the season for Christmas programs, here at Lake Iwanttobethere we still call them Christmas programs and we don't go around town saying Happy Holidays. Christmas is a holiday all by itself as is New Years a week later. Yesterday I attended my #1 grand daughters and #1 grandsons Christmas program at the Lake Iwanttobethere grade school. The social event of the year for grand parents I was informed by my wife.

The parking lot was full as well as along the street. No parking signs meant nothing as grand parents arrived in waves and parked where ever they could get a tire off the street. Thinking ahead I had parked my Dodge in a prime spot early in the morning and then had my son pick me up. The plan was to let other grand parents see my truck and be a little envious of my parking spot. I then drove in with the wife, son and daughter in law and got dropped off at the door. We made the son find a parking spot down the street and he had to make the long walk back. I did wait by the door and shook hands of other grandparents and received questioning looks at how I managed to get a prime parking spot right by the door.

Now since I did have a prime parking spot there was a trade off to be made, there was no seat for me inside. When I did get in it there was standing room only. I found a spot against the back wall and me and the son made ourselves comfortable. The school sent random groups of classes to the stage to sing and do short skits. They do it this way otherwise grandparents will come and watch their son or daughter then walk out. By doing it random you had no idea when your grand kid would appear. The area in the front of the stage was a busy place as with each class shuffling off the stage new groups of parents and grand parents armed with tri pods and video cameras would storm the vacant area. Acting like paparazzi they would get shoulder to shoulder calling out kids names to look at the camera and smile.

My wife being a veteran of many a rummage sale season did not have much of a problem throwing her hips around and moving the slimmer parents out of the way. Moving her way to the edge of the stage with video camera in hand she caught both grand kids performances in their entirety. As luck would have it the grand son was last to perform and when the class was done they were allowed to leave the stage directly to the crowd of parents. My grandson made grand pa proud and looked the part with a snappy three piece suit and a vary familiar looking clip on tie. I told him that grand pa had a tie just like that. My wife looked at me and making a scissors motion with her fingers said " Not any more" Guess I know what I will be getting for Christmas. From Lake Iwanttobethere {203,585}

[Bobby Bass]

Just a little more then a week out from Christmas and the invites are starting to come in. Partes and informal get togethers, ice fishing plans and just more time spent standing outside of shops chatting. Winter is here and has been for awhile and if you are not used to a little cold by now it ain't going to happen for ya this year. Baseball caps are stored behind the seats in the trucks and the mad bomber hats are a common sight around town. Flip flops are long gone and to see any skin other then what is peeking around a scarf is a rare sight indeed. Matter of fact one of the gals in town was wearing one of them long skirts and when she stepped up on the street curb you could just make out a little skin where her ankle should be. Many a guy along the street stopped to take a stare and it is only mid December.

No matter where you go in town you hear Christmas music playing in the background. Where as Ma and Pa's grocery always has a bell hanging above their door, now many other business in town have bells hanging from theirs. In the Sunshine Cafe an urn of hot cider greets you when you come in the door. Chuck has been busy as displays of Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup seem to be everywhere. Nor do you have to travel far to find some of Mindy and Mandy's Root Beer. The gals have been seen a lot around town as they are wearing their bright red with white trim parka's. They are this years co- chairs for the annual toy drive in town.

When the Lake Iwanttobethere founding fathers designed the town they made Main Street almost twice as wide as any other street in town. When you come in to town you know right away what and where Main Street is. The reason or one of the reason was so that you could turn a wagon around anywhere along the street. Now in the more modern times we just plow all the snow to the center of the street and run a snowmobile trail down it. Instead of sleds going around town they can go right through and usually they stop to eat or check out the stores. In the summer instead of horse draw wagons turning around trucks with trailers can make use of the wide street.

Marv's Book and Smoke Shop has also seen an upturn in business. I used to be able to sneak in there and catch up on my reading, smoke a cigar and not be bothered. Now a days someone is coming through the door every five minutes or so. Mostly women folk looking to buy a cigar or two for their husbands. Seeing me behind a newspaper with a curling ring of smoke rising they often come over to ask what I am smoking. I am usually polite and recommend something to them. I know that no matter what they buy it will be better then a tie or a new set of hedge clippers. Just a little hint for Mrs. Bass who says she reads my ramblings from time to time.

So time to get back to work, am staining up a mess of window and door casing for a cabin owner that has hired me to replace the stuff they have. Fumes were getting a little strong when ya can't open up any of the windows. Perhaps a stop at Amy's Bakery for some apple pie is in order before I go back to work. From Lake Iwanttobethere {204,401}

[Bobby Bass]

Nice and cozy in the workshop today, well maybe cozy is not the right word but here it does fit. The potbelly stove is throwing off heat and with the temperature hovering right around twenty or so outside, the heat coming from the stove makes it warm enough inside to work in short sleeves. I guess cozy is an old mans word and I am getting to be an old man, not so old that I have to wear suspenders but nevertheless I am getting old. I don't have a problem with that. Actually getting old can work in your favor, store clerks get stuff from high shelf's for you and if you want you can park your shopping cart in the middle of an aisle. You seem to get more than one sample from the ladies at the tasting tables and sometimes even some discounts that no one else gets. There are some downsides though. Cute girls call you sir which always makes me stop and turn around to see who is behind me that they are talking to. Then I find out it is me.

So I am out working in the wood shop putting on some final touches to toys and puzzles. Elmer got me started a few years ago making some simple puzzles with the scroll saw. I started off seeing how many I could make but now it is just a few. They are hand done and hand sanded not to mention hand painted. Simple puzzles of sail boats and trains and a dog and his dog house. Along with the other presents the grand kids will get they will each get a wooden puzzle. With luck when I am long gone the puzzle will still be around for them to remember. Already the number two granddaughter has her puzzle from last year hidden away in a box for her secret stuff. That is were I am hoping this years puzzle ends up to.

Some light fluffy snow fell yesterday, didn't even need a shovel to clear it away. A broom worked well and truth be known I'll bet the leaf blower would have done a better job of moving it. But the blower would have been noisy and it would have spoiled the moment. I broomed off the main deck and Bud and Barney sat on the edge waiting for me to clear the snow. As soon as I had an area cleared they would walk behind me and sit there. Acting like a couple of foremen's they would inspected each section as I cleared it. With the deck cleared I did the same with the sidewalks, dogs close behind me. I even brushed the snow of the dock and checked the solar Christmas lights draped on the railings. I will have to see if Big Earl puts any of these on the clearance shelf, they have worked out nicely.

So now we are in Christmas week and the countdown in my mind officially starts. Thursday night is the Christmas party at the Lodge, Friday is Christmas Eve and of course Saturday is Christmas. Sunday will be the first ice fishing contest of the year or last depending on how you look at it. A traditional ice fishing contest is held with only hand augers used along with old poles or hand lining. No ice houses, just sleds and five gallon pails. Elmer loves the contest as all the stuff he has is older then most of the other fishermen. Everyone's ice fishing Christmas presents will have to wait another day to be used, that is if you want to be in on the contest. The contest is held right out in front of the Lodge and last year a lot of guys just took the Luge out to the ice and set up where ever they stopped. I think we will see more of that this year. Vicki at the Masterbaiters shop is the main sponsor along with of course the Lodge and there are some nice prizes to be won.

Well time for another coat of paint on the puzzles and a few more scrap sticks to the stove. Bud has found me or maybe it's the heat from the stove and is sitting waiting to get some attention. From Lake Iwanttobethere Ho Ho HO {205,509}

[Bobby Bass]

Flexible, a good word to live by. Today I am being flexible because I am so far behind in my schedule for the week that it is the only word I can use that is not a swear word. About 12 inches of snow fell here at the lake and it took it's sweet time doing it. For twenty-five hours the snow fell falling straight down. No wind to speak of and anything that was flat has a ruler high coating of snow on it. Deck, deck railings Tree branches, fence's mailboxes cars and trucks, garbage can lids, rain gutters roofs, swings. Are you getting the drift of things?

Strange track's criss cross the yard until you see Bud walking through the snow, his gut making a round trail behind him. Anything that might have been laying around the yard and has fallen over is now gone till spring, buried under the snow. I think my big push broom is out there, somewhere. Me and Chuck had good intentions of spending the overnight in the shanty and watching the eclipse of the moon but all we saw was falling snow. Must have been about halfway through the snowfall when it got quiet out. That is when there was enough snow covering everything that sounds didn't bounce anymore. It got really quiet, so quiet that you could no longer hear the crunching of snow under foot.

When the snow final stopped the first order of business was to dig the Jeep out and remove all the snow from the roof. The wife was headed into town because there was still a few presents that needed to be bought. Not to mention a trip to Ma and Pa's grocery for the Christmas ham and a trip down Main Street to drop off Christmas cards. I found another broom in the workshop and pushed snow off the Jeep and the Dodge. With the wife on her way I went to the shed and got the snow blower out, primed the engine hit the electric start and a few seconds later it was purring away and looking to eat some snow.

Ten seconds after that I turn the engine off and looked at the broken clutch cable dangling from the handle. A few hours later and I had ran down a replacement cable installed it and had better than half the drive done when the blower shuttered to a stop. I had found that ten foot cable that the grand kids were playing with, it was wrapped around the auger and I had broken a shear pin. Did I mention that it had started to snow again?

Well I left the snow blower where it was sitting, I to had some last minute shopping to do and this looked like a good time to do it. By now the wife had return to the cabin and asked me why I had not finished snowblowing and I was of course going to get all the snow of the cabin roof and outbuildings as it looked to be pretty deep. Changing the subject I asked if I needed to get any wrapping paper or tape or anything and she told me we were good. So shopping I went, well more like picking up, I knew what I wanted and I knew where it was. I arrived home to do some wrapping and found out we were in short supply of paper and out of tape. I knew I should have bought both. So do you think duck tape is tacky on Christmas wrap? From Lake Iwanttobethere ho ho ho {207,602}

[Bobby Bass]

Somebody broke the door handle at the cabin yesterday. Usually when my wife tells me that somebody broke something around the cabin it is her. Just last week somebody broke the closet handle in the spare bedroom, the one that holds the Christmas decorations. I bought a new one and when somebody gets some time they can install it. So early this morning I added going down to the General Store to my schedule. This time of year Big Earl has both check out lanes open which is common for most stores this time of year. But Earl always does things just a little different.

One lane is manned by Barb and has a hand lettered sign calling it the Santa Express Lane. It is anything but an express. If you want to chit chat about the local school program or trade cookies recipes then this is the lane you go to. If you are not in any kind of hurry and want to compare notes about where to buy wrapping paper on sale this time of year talk to Barb. But if you want to get in and get out you go over to the other lane manned by Big Earl's son Junior. His hand written sign in block letters simply says " Ah Hum Bug" you will get no greeting from Junior he most likely will not even look you in the eye.

Place your item on the counter, a new lock kit in my case, He will ring it up and hold out his hand for your cash. Change is made quickly and the change if he decides to give you any, will be placed in your hand coins first then bills on top. Two stacks of paper bags sit at the edge of the counter, you can take the one best suited for your purchase. Sounds pretty unfriendly eh but first thing in the morning and at closing time more people are in Junior line then in Barbs. As for me this morning I just wanted to get in and get out and even though no one was in Barbs line I knew if I started to chat with her I might still be there now.

Just a few more shopping days till Christmas, and as soon as I figure I am done I am reminded about getting something for someone I forgot. Christmas party at the Lodge tonight so I am covering for Gus while he works on the big Lodge dinner. Lots of eggnog to be poured today and after the snowfall the temperature has not really fallen much. Luge is doing a brisk business as with the help of Frank the plow driver we have a really decent size pile at the edge of the hill to start your run from. The snow is a little moist and is packing well so with the help of the bobcat they, they Lodge guys are filling up orange county barrels and the dumping them upside down to make big snow blocks. Skinny tells me by nightfall they will have the Lodge looking like a castle with turrets. Well I need to get to work, just not enough time in the day come this time of the year. But on a good note today the sun will be out longer then yesterday!! From Lake Iwanttobethere {208,189}

[Bobby Bass]

( a re posting of an early story}

Lodge dinner/dance was a huge success. Food was great and the cold Hamms was just the right temperature to wash the bad taste of the football game from our mouths. Nytelyter left a lasting impression with both Mindy and Mandy. Not to mention some fancy footwork on the dance floor. He was smart and left the football game early. They were squeezing him like a puppy's new chew toy. Great getting together with family and friends and some of the new residents of Lake Iwanttobethere. Thursday the kids and grand kids arrived at the cabin. Elmer came over as did Chuck. The guys spent time out in the shed sipping a few beers and looking over projects and trading tales of the past summer. All the boys are old enough to drink legal like and now I hear the stories of how they would borrow from Elmers' refrigerator in his garage. Elmer made the comment that he always wondered about that and he never thought he was drinking that much. Now that he knows where it all went he suggested that the boys should make a beer run and restock his fridge.

It was decide that the guys would spend the night fishing and would spend the night in the ice shack. They went down at dusk and I stayed at the cabin entertaining the grand kids. After a nice pot of chili was destroyed the women took their wine and headed to the bedroom to finish wrapping presents. I had the grand kids and the dogs with me in the living room. The kids were looking over grandma's collection of snowballs. You know the little glass things that you shake and the fake snow comes falling down inside to slowly cover the small buildings inside the globes.

When 8 o'clock arrived I told everyone that I had a surprise for them and I wanted everyone outside on the deck. As the ladies helped the kids get their coats on everyone was asking me why they had to go outside for. " It's a surprise" I said. Finally everyone was dressed and they were ushered out onto the deck. As they stood on the deck the grand kids were shouting about the surprise, where is the surprise. A light snow was falling and the kids were standing with there mouths open trying to catch the falling snow flakes. I gathered everyone to the rail and told them to look out over the lake where the ice town is. Through the light snow you could just make out some of the ice shanties and the Christmas lights. I asked if you can see grand pa's shack. They all nodded yes. "Watch" I said. I then picked up the cell and whispered "now" into the phone. A moment later the whole ice town was washed in a brilliant light as Dug took the new 20 million candlelight spot light and pointed it up into the sphere on top of my ice house. The light was magnified and it tossed a shield of light over the whole town. The falling snow reflected the light and the Kids yelled out that it looked like a giant snowball!! From the deck it did look like someone had picked up the whole ice town and shook it..

Faintly at first you could hear clapping, then it got a little louder, soon the clapping was echoing around the bay and more joined in. Christmas lights started coming on and I turn on our outside lights to add to everyone else's. The kids started to sing Jingle Bells Jingle Bells and the adults joined in. Dug could hear us on the phone and we could hear the guys join in from the ice town. We stopped singing but now everyone on the ice was singing and it was echoing around the bay.

Perfect!

From everyone here at Lake Iwanttobethere, have a Merry Christmas.. Be safe, Be happy, enjoy your friends and family. Sing a song in the shack this weekend, you may be surprised who joins in

[Bobby Bass]

Got out of bed and moved around today some, DOC Burriem came by and say I should be well enough to be able to sit on a Lodge stool come New Years Eve. As is our tradition we have Christmas Eve here at the cabin and the kids and grand kids open some of their presents that night and then the rest come morning. This year the youngest daughter in the sprit of giving gave all her nieces and nephews these really shinny and really quick roll up flat slides. I mean these things look fast when they came out of the wrapping paper. With a little snow falling the grand kids convinced grandma to OK a few runs down the yard on the new sleds. Well they know if they get grandma to OK it what ever grandpa says means nothing and with that they started to pull on gloves and hats.

A long time ago when working on the cabin we installed flood lights on all the roof peaks, I have always thought just because it would get dark at four in the afternoon it should not mean that the kids had to come inside. With grand kids rolling on the floor trying to worm their way into snowsuits the wife came up behind me with my coat and boots. Dropping them in front of me she simply said someone has to watch the kids outside. I pointed to my kids and son-in-law, the parents to these four grand kids and saw they were all drinking some cheap box wine and getting ready to sing Christmas carols. Cheap wine and carols or watching kids. I pulled the cap down over my ears and followed the kids outside. The wife hit the switch and the flood lights turned the darkness into daytime.

The two grand daughters ran to the end of the deck and jumped on to the sleds they slid out into the yard. An impressive start as they slid almost all the way across the yard. The two grandsons who are more adventurous made a couple of passes on the hill leading to the lake, each time traveling a little further as they made a track in the new snow. Almost at the crest of the hill they came and got me, I knew I was being conned but I agreed to go down the hill for them first. The con of course was that I was going to have to carry the sleds back up the hill. Thinking back I should have thought this over a little more but I took one of the new sleds and with a few quick steps that some might have mistaken as a jog I jumped on the sled and landed on the slope and knew I was in trouble right away.

This sled had a bottom that was way faster than the plastic toboggans we have at the Lodge. The slope had a crust on it and the sled was not slowing down at all. I was headed to the lake and was already out of the light from the cabin. Hitting the bottom of the hill where the ice started I went airborne and was listing to port, not good I am thinking then I hit the ice and the sled separated from me. Putting it simply I landed badly on my hip and the only way to describe it in a word is I Crashed. With the wind knocked out of me I heard a few weird noises then realized it was me making them. Catching my breath laying in the snow like a angel I managed to sit up just in time to see a blur coming out of the darkness. Number two grandson, the daredevil was rocking down the last of the slope and before I could move he plowed feet first directly into my butt down spread leg position.

I can not describe the feeling or the loss of feeling in my lower body from the impact. His size six boots left quite an impression on me. Grandson said something about going back to the cabin for cocoa and disappeared into the darkness as he grabbed his sled and ran back towards the hill. I vaguely remember hearing the bell on the deck ringing, calling the kids back to the cabin and what I was to learn later was for hot chocolate with them little marshmallows floating in big mugs. I do remember the floodlights going out and being left on the groaning ice or was it me.

I can now mark off climbing Mount Everest on my Bucket list, the climb up that slope to the cabin trying to catch my breath with snow falling in the darkness has to be about the same thing. Taking small baby steps the only thing to guide me being the off key singing of my wife and daughters. Jingle Bells Jingle Bells has a new meaning for me. Other then that It was a good Christmas, the next morning I did enjoy my son-in-law running down the yard before jumping on one of the new sleds to disappear down the slope. Riding on my trail I can still hear his scream as he hit the ice. So who wants more cocoa? From Lake Iwanttobethere {210,735}

[Bobby Bass]

Good day today to take out the scraper and clean the packed snow off the deck. Between doing that and knocking icicles off the roof before they come down on their own I spent a lot of time outside today. Kids are on vacation so the sons had the grand sons out fishing while the granddaughters stayed at the cabin and grandma taught them how to make apple and cherry turnovers. I thought there would be a lot more of them but seem the gals enjoyed eating the so called mistake ones. Down at the lake the sons spent most of the time out on the ice, a warm day for the end of December and if the sun had been out it would have been an outstanding winter day. A few fish were caught but mostly the boys spent the afternoon working on the fence.

For Christmas the kids all got some of them plastic boxes with handles that you fill with snow and then flip them over to make snow blocks. A few of the shanties have fences made around their shacks out of the snow blocks to stake a claim and to keep other shacks from getting to close. They also act as wind breaks and a lot of the guys will set up their Webers behind the walls out of the wind to cook. Of course just like on dry land as soon as you build something someone has to build something bigger. The warm day made the snow on the lake just about perfect for block making and so that is what the boys did. Might have been only a few blocks high if it was just the grandsons doing it but once the fathers got involved the walls grew and started to get a shape. The ice shack is now starting to look more like a castle of small Ransom and a poor one at that.

With the sun setting the doors on shacks started to close and smoke curled up from stove pipes. The boys had made some ice blocks and set them on top of their walls with candles inside. From a distances the castle looked a little better in the growing darkness. The door to the shack could be heard banging closed as the grandsons kept going in and out checking to see if their candles were still burning. When the kids came home they made quick work of shedding their snow pants and between chewing on mouthfuls of cherry and apple pastries they spoke out loudly of the flag that grandma was going to sew for the castle.

But a few days left for chasing birds and tomorrow is suppose to be just like today. I think with the shoveling all caught up and me feeling better from the sliding incident me and Bud will take a walk on the trail behind the cabin. I think Bud has read my mind as no sooner did I type this then Bud came in the room and is now leaning up against the gun cabinet looking at me. I don't say a word out loud because if I even mention the words bird or hunting and he will start bouncing around the room. So I ignore him but I can see him watching me watch him out of the corner of my eye. Dang dog knows something is up. From Lake Iwanttobethere }211,788

[Bobby Bass]

Merry New Year or is it Happy Christmas either way it's morning here at the Lodge after a wonderful get together by the locals. The Lodge was the place to be for New Years Eve as we had a dinner then dancing and this morning finds the place still half full. Gus and Skinny are in the kitchen and platters of sausages, pancakes and eggs are disappearing as soon as they come out from the kitchen to the serving table. Close to the lake here the past several days we have seen nothing but rain. The unseasonably warm weather has since turned cooler and shortly after dark last night the rain turned to freezing rain then to sleet before finally turning to snow well after the dance started. The parking lot was so icy that cars and trucks just parked at the door and the parking attendants wearing their ice cleats would just push the cars to their parking spots, sliding them across the ice. No accidents in the lot but cars were parked pretty close this way making it difficult to leave.

So people just spent the night, Lodge was all decorated up with Christmas decoration still up and Tess bring in even more stuff for the New Years celebration. Balloon drop was held precisely at midnight and this time helium was not used to fill the balloons. I was especially looking forward to the balloon drop as I was going to fly my new remote control with camera helicopter. I had taken up position up in the rafters with a birds eye view of the dance floor below me when I spotted, get this another helicopter flying. Someone else was trying to steal Big Thunder, the name of my helicopters, Thunder!

I quickly buzzed lower trying to get on the tail of the other copter when the countdown began, with everyone shouting I searched for the other copter's pilot in the crowd. I was getting close to the copter when the noisemakers went off and the balloons fell. Dodging the balloons was beyond the few hours of practice I had on the joystick and I could not avoid the falling balloons. The first few I bounced off of, I popped a few but then I ran straight in to one that might have been made from an old weather balloon and it sent me }into the ceiling fan which sent me directly downward into the punch bowl. By the time I got to the balloon the other copter was gone and I had to pull Big Thunder from the liquid and dry the camera off so I could download the pictures.

This morning finds me at the lap top looking over the pictures Big Thunder took. Funny thing is that a lot of the pictures show a lot of people in compromising positions during the balloon drop. If the wife ever got a hold of who was kissing who at midnight it could sure keep the girls at the sewing club busy for the next several meetings. So there was no sign of the other helicopter this morning, I am thinking someone snuck it out after the balloon drop, but if I have these photos I am wondering what he shot on his camera and who he or maybe even she is? Eggs are up, have a good day from here at the Lodge at Lake Iwanttobethere {213,729}

[Bobby Bass]

Man is it quiet out, I just made the walk back from the wood shop, had to put some tools away. I stood on the deck for a few minutes and just listen to the quiet. How can you listen to quiet you say, well all you need to do is just stand and listen the next time you head out to the shanty or even your back yard. Dark out so there was no sound of birds, Edd and Eddie the squirrels I am guessing are both snug in their leaf covered nest in the swaying maple tree. No cars to be heard and just a few faint noises that you have to stop and listen for. The one set of wind chimes that we leave out year long make a soft dong in the slightest breath of wind that is out.

Sun has set an hour or so ago and the shanties out on the ice are all closed tight. To far away to hear the hissing of gas in heaters or even the crackling of tinder in the small wood stoves. Football game has been over to so no sounds of radios or yelling from fans when their team scores or is score on. This time of the evening the night bite is about coming to an end I would say and those who have a bucket of fish to clean have already made their way off the ice and back to shore. Just some small slits of light coming from the shanties holding the guys hanging around to see if they can pick up a walleye or two.

After the football game was over I set off to do something and got sidetracked doing something else. That replacement closet door handle was sitting on the counter so I installed that and coming back down the hall I got a whiff of something foul in the air. Putting the tool bag down I open the door to the theater to smell what I think is a dead mouse. Now having a few random mice in the cabin is a common thing, usually come fall and few will find their way in and the three cats will quickly find them. I know this because they make a big deal out of bring them to me and showing why we keep them, the cats around.

I remind the wife of why we keep the cats around almost everyday during the holidays as they think the Christmas tree is decorate for their pleasure. Every morning we wake to walk through a mind field of decorations that have been removed from the tree during the night. The first year we got rid of all the glass bulbs as they either got broken being swatted out of the tree or in some cases were stepped on. Now we just have to keep an eye out for stepping on the wooden ones or find the foam balls that are covered in colored thread only to be uncovered by the cats as they roll them down the hall. At first the dogs were blamed for the decorations being removed as they are labs but I believe that the cats have spent to much time with the dogs and they think they are labs.

I am pretty sure of this as the large tom cat Smokey has been seen carrying big rolls of toilet paper around the cabin. I once saw him with a roll of quarters in his mouth and I have teeth marks on my wallet. So getting back to the mouse, I think one of the little boys caught himself a mouse and then hid it somewhere. I can't find it and the dogs don't want anything to do with something that is already dead, like I said, their labs. So after moving couches around and looking in places that I though the mouse might be I have found nothing. Windows was cracked and now I can hear the furnace running a little more. Tool bag finally made it back to the shop and I took a break and just listen to some quiet. Maybe tomorrow morning I will wake up to find the mouse along with some more decorations outside my bedroom door, from Lake Iwanttobethere {214,326}

[Bobby Bass]

Well, the Lodge is back to normal at least what we call normal for the Lodge. Decorations are all down and packed away in storage boxes. They have been returned to the basement caged storage room for another year. Most of the guys here like the decoration gone right after New Years as they still have trees and decorations up at home. Speaking of trees once again the Lodge is offering free recycling for trees out in the parking lot. In a few weeks Hammering Hank and Skinny with come with their big chipper and reduce the pile to chips. Some of the trees will not make it to the chipper as a few of the older gents will haul them away and hide them. Come Spring the trees will become brush piles for crappies and their location will only be known to a few. Sooner or later though the new brush piles will be discovered by fishermen and be added to the Lake Iwanttobethere fishing map that hangs in the hallway here at the Lodge.

Yesterday I was at Marv's Bookshop and Smoking Den, he keeps changing the name trying to find one that sticks. For Christmas I received a few certificates for smokes and was looking over the selection. Every time I go down there Marv has added to the cigar inventory and now he has expanded into crystal ashtrays. Add in all the cigar lighters along with the cigar cases and cutters and a growing selection of humidors and that end of the shop is starting to fill up. More of the guys are coming in as he offers a Lodge member discount, add that to the HIYA town discount and there is no reason to go to the big city to get your gars anymore.

I did spend the good part of the afternoon smoking a Rocky Patel Vintage Churchill while sitting in my donated easy chair near the window. I was lucky enough to catch some sunshine as I smoked and read from my new e-reader that the kids bought me for Christmas.Yup, I have entered the modern age as the kids bought me one of them readers that you can download books to. I like how you can just turn it off and turn it back on and not lose your place. The last few days while around the cabin I have been reading instead of working on the Honey Do List and as soon as the wife checks up on me I just turn it off and set it down. I act like I am working till she is gone. As soon as she leaves I am back to reading. Not going to replace my books but it is nice nonetheless and I can put my fishing videos and pictures in it to take with me and show the guys. Think of it as a big wallet with all your photos in it.

Speaking of photos I still have not found out who was flying the other chopper at the New Years Ball. I have been doing a little detective work, I was at the General Store asking Big Earl who bought choppers from him. He was checking his records but they are a toy so it is not like they had to be registered or anything. Junior bought one, but that one is accounted for. Junior took out the camera pod out and inserted a model rocket engine in it's place. The Chopper was destroyed on it's maiden flight as when Junior fired the engine the chopper flew into the side of the building, it might have been better if had been outside.

More sunshine today although the bass thermometer is not going to rise above five above. After the lunch rush at the Lodge I may just head back down to Marv's and sample another cigar, I do have them certificates to use. From Lake Iwanttobethere {215,348}