Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

WELL THINGS ARE getting a little back too normal here at Lake Iwanttobethere as we are just a week out from Christmas. The Ladies Auxiliary decorated the Lodge main room on Saturday and Skinny and Hammering Hank dropped off a ten foot spruce for the ladies to decorate. Ladies were questioning Gus about where the little lights were that they donated last year and Gus feinted a total lack of knowledge on their where abouts. They had to make do with the old bulb lights which I know for a fact Gus prefers. The snow shovels are stacked near the back and front doors with the small sign above them asking for Lodge members to move a few scoops of snow. Lodge members have been stepping up and shoveling back the snow around the entrances and the sidewalk is cleared and bare. With the Lodge Christmas party coming up next week we don't want anyone falling.

Today finds me at the Resort, have not been here for a week as I was trying to clean up my mess at the Cabin. With the Cabin pretty much caught up I decide to come over and check on Vic and I see somehow the three of them Marv, Elmer and Vic have the place pretty much squared away. Hammering Hank plowed the roads back and the parking lot is snow packed but level. The ice fishing tackle order that I put in several weeks ago arrived and they have already sold half of the stuff. I was surprised to find out that the little bay the Resort is on does not seem to have as much snow on it as the main lake. A couple of the Fellow have holes cut in the ice and have been fishing but not talking to anyone about it. Marv and Elmer have been working on a shanty to put out and although it is nothing fancy it will be with in walking distance of the back door to the Resort.

As I mentioned the Bait Shop or Bait Room is actually doing some business and the kitchen has been selling a few burgers. Marv's Kaiser rolls seem to be a secret hit and we may just have something going on here. Arlo showed a few of his snowmobile friends a trail that leads back to the Resort and now that it has been traveled a few times we are getting sledders riding it to see where it goes. Vic has a Christmas tree set up in the main room and there are even a few presents under it, I think they are fake ones as they all look to be the size of a beer case but when you lift them up to shake they are to light to be a full. I did notice the main room and the porch along with the bait room are covered in them small Christmas lights. I asked Vic where they all came from and he said that Gus dropped them by right before deer season, said they were extras. I nodded my head and told Vic they look good here.

The bell jingled over the bait room door and I followed Vic back. A couple of fishermen were just knocking the snow off their boots and looking into the minnow tank. Vic exchanged HIYA's with the guys and went to work. I slid behind the counter and found the clip board that had our NEEDS list hand printed in Marv's block lettering and took it out to the main room where I had my laptop. Ten minutes later Vic came out from the bait room and added a few more things to the order I was making. Some of the things I could just pick up down at Big Earl's General Store so I figured I would just go ahead and take care of that today. I got in the Tahoe and the temperature on the mirror said seventeen and no minus sign in front of it. I adjusted the visor as there is actually a blue cloudless sky and the sun was in my eyes. I drove out the Resort road and some Christmas music was being played on the town's radio station KCUM and I thought to myself it is getting to look a lot like Christmas here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,487,399}

[Bobby Bass]

JUST WHEN I thought I was all done Christmas shopping I spent the better part of the afternoon and into the evening yesterday, shopping. I was driving the youngest daughter around who had a day off from work and a list she wanted to do all at one time. We started off at some of the stores right here at Lake Iwanttobethere and making the rounds the daughter shopped and I chatted up people that I knew. A couple of the stores had bell ringers out front and both my daughter and I made donations to the pots. Here at Lake Iwanttobethere the ringers do it a little differently. Not ringing the bells or shaking tubes with rice in them but what they do is when you make a donation they give you a little sticker to put on your jacket. When you go to another store with a bell ringer and they see the sticker and they don't give you the evil eye when you walk by the pot because you have already donated.

The big city is a different matter, some of the gifts on her list were in the big city so I drove her in and dropped her off at the different stores and then waited in the parking lot for her to exit. This gave me an excuse to smoke a cigar and do one of the things I like to do best, people watch. First thing I noticed is the total lack of skin to be seen. I don't think I saw a single naked ankle the entire time we were shopping. Everyone is dressed in long coats and pants and high boots. The next thing I noticed is the parking lots, full of slush and piles of snow. You would think an effort would have been made to clear the lots so people could push carts across them and not have to worry about slipping or falling. Guess the profit margin does not allow for lot cleaning. I really feel for them cart wranglers trying to get the carts back to the store, definitely a young guy's job.

We hit a couple of mini malls and every time she came back to the truck she had a few more names on her list checked off. Our last stop was a clothing store and she was looking to cash in on the clearance sales and I followed her in. I guess the sticker from the bell ringer at Lake Iwanttobethere does not work in the big city. I walked through the main entrance and a little old lady gave me a kindly smile and softy rang her bell. As I passed by the pot and past her she rang the bell a little louder and I looked back over my shoulder to see her glaring at me. I brushed the sticker on my chest but all she did was give me one more loud ring from her bell before smiling at a couple behind me. I saw the guy drop some change into the pot and the bell lady tell him Merry Christmas.

The daughter made her way to the woman's clothes department and I headed towards the aisle with the gadgets. The store we were in always has a mess of seasonal stuff like talking counting coin banks and back scratchers. I did find a big display of Christmas mugs and Gus likes mugs so I decided to buy this rather large red mug with a picture of Santa on it. I took the mug back to where I had last seen the daughter and when I arrived I saw her with an armful of clothes heading into the dressing room. The ladies clothes dept. is on the other side of the main aisle from the shoe department and on the end there is a bench where you can sit and try on shoes. Looked like a good place for me to sit and that is what I did. Not five minutes later Walt and his wife walked by and as Walt's wife headed into the ladies section Walt spotted me and came over for a chat. Like me he was a chauffeur for the day and we exchanged parking complaints. Walt inspected my Santa mug and gave it his approval and when his wife reappeared he turned to follow her but not before he jokingly dropped a couple of quarters in my mug. The coins hit the bottom and rang out. He chuckled at me and walked away, before I could say anything a passing lady dropped a couple of more coins in the mug and told me to have a Merry Christmas.

A young couple pushing a cart with a little girl in it approached and I heard the little girl ask her mom if I was Santa taking a break. She made me chuckle and I gave her a smile and the dad dropped some change in my mug and said "How's it going Santa" and the young couple rolled the cart and their daughter down the aisle with the little girl looking back at me around her ma. I gave her a little wave and someone else dropped some more change in my mug. The daughter appeared with one shirt from the pile she carried into the dressing room and asked me what I was doing. She looked into the mug I told her people keep dropping change into it. She just said "What do you expect, you are sitting here on the main aisle wearing a black and red flannel jacket with a red shirt and black pants and you have a white beard holding a big red mug with a picture of Santa on it, you are a Big City Santa"

I got up and followed the daughter to check out where I paid for my mug and then headed out the door but not before I stopped at the little old bell ringer. I dumped the change from the mug into her pot and she smiled back at me and said Merry Christmas softly ringing her bell. We walked out the doors and I stopped, holding my mug I pointed with it to where I parked the Tahoe, and a lady dropped a quarter in it and said Merry Christmas, from Lake Iwanttobethere {1,491,751}

[Bobby Bass]

GOT OUT THE skinny skis yesterday afternoon and struggled some through the deep snow till I made my way out to the trail that Arlo has been coming into the little bay to fish on. He and his buddies broke trail wearing snowshoes and when they got the deep snow packed down some they switched over to the cross country skis. As long as you stayed on the trail you were good and I made my way to the trio of pop up ice houses they had just off the little island where the eagle has her nest. The number two granddaughter had spent the night and as we laid in bed the next morning watching cartoons she declared that Saturdays should be called Lazy Saturdays. I was leaning up against the headboard sampling Christmas cookies that the wife was baking. The grand daughter had managed to wrangle some samples for us and I thought it was a good idea.

Lazy Saturdays I asked the seven year old, now where did you come up with that idea? The granddaughter munching on a shortbread cookie that she had already plucked the cherry from said " Well you have Silent Sundays so we need to call Saturday something" I nodded but decided to pursue this a little more. "Lazy Saturdays, you mean no work on Saturdays?" The granddaughter slurping some milk through a straw glanced away from the TV and said "Well I already have to go to school five days a week and I have to ride the bus to and from and you know bedtime comes early for me" then looked back at the TV. I nodded and as I thought about getting another cookie I looked at my granddaughter who I guess did need a Lazy Saturday.

Shortly after one my daughter came and took my granddaughter back home with her, they had to run over to her in laws to do some baking and when the grand daughter gave me my kiss on the cheek she whispered in my ear so much for Lazy Saturday. I chuckled at her and we did our secret handshake and out the door she went. With the wife baking in the kitchen I looked out the deck window at the lake and the deep snow and I thought there just might be something to this lazy Saturday idea and I decided to get my skis and head over to the Resort. All three dogs were laying on the kitchen floor and no one wanted to go with me, I think the idea of a chance of a falling cookie was more inviting to them.

As I came up on the trio of fish houses I could hear the faint sound of a radio and some voices. I paused to catch my breath and looked out over the spot where the houses were tucked away behind the island. Undisturbed snow stretched out as far as the eye could see. Pines along the shore still held heavy loads of snow on their branches and the birch trees blended in with the snow along the shore. Arlo popped his head out the flap of his house and asked if I was going to stand out there or come in. I gave him a half wave of my hand and took the skies off and stuck them in the snow alongside several other pairs. The snow had been cleared away from the ice and I had to step down to get into the portable.

Arlo and his buddy Norm were sitting on little chairs inside the house and I was waved over to another one sitting over a hole and I was handed a rod. I dropped a waxie down the hole and started unzipping and unbuttoning. Arlo handed me a Hamms from a shallow depression in the ice and the popping of the can sounded loud in the little house. The guys were listening to a football game and it didn't really matter who was playing, it was just some background noise to add to the sound of the heater and the propane lantern. The flasher at our feet flickering in colors but mostly we just sat back in our chairs and enjoyed the peace and quiet and the sound of cracking ice on the little bay under our feet. The wind shook the shelter and the sound of snow could be heard hitting the sides. We made small talk and I mentioned the granddaughter's thoughts about Lazy Saturday. To a man we all agreed, we all need more Lazy Saturdays here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,498,572}

[Bobby Bass]

LODGE CHRISTMAS PARTY tonight at the Lodge of course. The wife was up early this morning getting the fixings together for her seven layer salad and the oven is warming up for her Swedish meatballs. Over night it looks like about four inches of snow fell and as I stand at the Den window I can see the wind is up and the snow is blowing. Already the morning tracks the dogs left on the deck are gone. Fire is crackling in the fireplace and the wood box is full. Dogs are sleeping on the couch as there is no sunshine on the floor. Christmas tree has already been watered and presents surround the base. I have rehung the ornaments that the cats have taken down during the night, at least the ones that I found.

Been on the phone with Gus down at the Lodge, Hammering Hank was clearing the parking lot as we spoke. The work truck with the plow was making quick work of the empty lot as the snow was light. Hank's wife Tess had come down to the Lodge to check on decorations while Hank plowed. Gus said she was fussing with the tree and removing beer coasters from it that the guys had decorated with. Later this afternoon Lodge members and their wife's will start to show up and the women will go to work on the tables and the guys will find a stool at the bar. Some will not be so lucky and will get roped into moving tables and chairs and expanding our dance area so more then two couples can use it.

Around five or so the paper bags with lit candles with be put out to mark the path to the Lodge and that is about as fancy as we get here. Candles will be lit inside the Lodge and each table will have one. I often tell the wife we eat by candle light so we can't see what we are being served and I usually get the same response, a smack of a wood spoon to the back of my elbow. Casseroles or hot dishes will arrive in gloved hands and will be placed on the serving line. Always more food then we can eat and more kinds then can be all sampled. Bread baskets will be filled with hard rolls and dinner rolls. Wicker baskets will hold dozens and dozens of cookies and fudge bars. Home made rock candy will fill small little dishes at each table and the wife's will have husbands use napkins.

Husbands will display their best table manners and silverware will be used instead of fingers. Actually Christmas dinner at the Lodge is just a big family affair and lots of food will be eaten and the ladies will get to show off their baking skills. Big Earl will make the rounds and deliver thumbs up to the ladies as he samples cookies and bars. Matter of fact I have never seen him give a thumbs down. As the night moves along dinner partners will interchange and no doubt before the night is over the Fellows will all be sitting at the big round table. The bar will open at seven and there will be people on the dance floor by eight. The small meeting room will hold the gift exchange and groups will use it.

By ten the place will be clearing out as members with kids have to get back home and get baby-sitters back to their own homes. The Fellows will bring wife's and girlfriends back to their houses and some will return for a second shot at the serving line. By eleven it will just be the hard core regulars who will pull up chairs to the fire and watch the moon reflect on the ice and snow off Lake Iwanttobethere through the big windows of the Lodge. Back bar drinks will be sipped and cigars lit, smoke rings will drift up in the main room till caught by paper angels taped to the blades of the slowing moving ceiling fans. A couple of the guys might head down to the lake to do some ice fishing as that is a tradition for them while others will just tell tales of Christmas past. At least that is the usual plan for the Christmas party here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,500,504}

[Bobby Bass]

Merry Christmas from everyone here at Lake Iwanttobethere

Reed the Realtor, Porky's Houseboats, The Johnson Boys Barley and Hopps, Hammering Hank and his wife Tess, Tom Foot, The Dew Drop Inn, You Bet'Em Casino, Mark the mailman, Ms. Molly Bodensteiner, The Watering Hole, Frank the plow driver, Marv's Diner, Marc's Towing and Lawn Service, DOC Burriem, The Sundown Cafe, Gas-N-Go, Jess the paperboy, Old Lady Snaggletooth and her son Bucky, Blaze, Dan Theim, Dusty McMurty, Dale "Frozen Toe" Mitchel, Mabel's Sauna and Hot House,

John Lufer and the Power Co-Op, Jimmy, Swen and Leona and their son Lars, Sunshine Ray, KCUM Radio, Stormy Clearweather, Old Man Walter, Surplus Is Us, Floyd's Hardware Store, Nytelyter, Ben and Jeanie, Mr. McPettes, Mrs. Peters, The Jones twins and the Do Me Inn Resort, Peatmoss, Mindy and Mandy, Brandy, Rocky and Rocky's Hobby Shop, Uncle Gus, Mister Big, Candy, The Inn, T's Bait Shop, Big Jim, Skinny, Chuck, Big Earl and Junior, Dug, The Masterbaiters Shop and Vicki, Amy's Bakery, Del's Pizza and Sub Shop, Sadie and Lady, Barney, Bud, Elmer, Mike, Mr. Thompson, Werid Willie, Walter, Old Man Peabody, The Old Goose, Ed and Eddie, Old Man Iverson, Jerry, Jason, Ma and Pa's Grocery, Vic, Vinney, The Fellows, Honey Sauce, Duncan,

Fred and Fiona, Tatter, The Wife, grand kids 1 through 5, Marv, Gus, Katrina, Bailiff, Sheriff Tim, Mr. Wilson, The Women's Auxiliary, Burt and Bart's's Barber Shop, Farmers Market, Jeanie and Stan, Howard and Polly, Tinker's Fly in Service, The Dew Drop Inn, Eagles Nest, Gray Goose Inn, Echo the wonder dog, Grace, Buff and Smokie, Sam, Pepper, Old McDonnell, Barb, Diggers, Close Enough Shop, The Golf Course, Mr. Perch, The Chicken Shack, Little Louie's Liquor and Licorice, Captain Swanson,

Elise, Duckslayer, Junkyard Mike, Luan, Tongue and Grove, Norman, Arlo, Andy, The Bacon Platter Diner, Butter and Scotch, Broken Stuff, Doris, Denise, Mr. Scroggs, Steve, Mrs Stitch, Tiny, Twitch, Wing Gee's Asian Chop Shop, The Well Bar, In Your Face the Breakfast Place, Josh, Lucky the Duck, Middle of the Block Cafe, Mr. Miester, Walt, The Resort, all the tourist that have come to call this home and the Lodge here at Lake Iwanttobethere and of course Bobby Bass

[Bobby Bass]

I WAS RESTING on my shovel here this morning watching small snow flakes fall and wondering to myself, why bother. Over night a few more inches of snow fell completely covering the reindeer tracks I had made in the snow for the grand kids to find this morning. The magic combination of corn and oatmeal, reindeer food, was also covered by the fresh snow. The dogs Buddy, Barney and Duncan have already been outside tracking up the new snow and have made the rounds of the deck, wood pile and boat house. I started off the morning with the broom sweeping snow off the trucks and then had to come back for the shovel. More snow had fallen then I had thought and now I was taking a break from pushing snow out of the way, making a path to the trucks.

Last night we opened presents here at the cabin and three of the grand kids spent the night. Later this afternoon we will head to the mother in laws for dinner and another round of present openings. Not everyone gets the holidays off and my daughter and her husband both have to work today, but they will be at the in laws where they will hook up with their kids and me and the wife will make a quiet ride back to the cabin. For now I am just leaning on the shovel and taking my time moving snow out of the way, no hurry, it is not going to go any where by itself.

I am guessing we have receive five more inches of snow over the past two days and there is enough for me to get the snow thrower out but not today. Today I will just carve out some paths as Stormy Clearweather is calling for a warm up on Friday. Highs will hit thirty maybe and that is much more appealing to me then the ten outside today. Of course it can be worse it always is somewhere. The other side of the lake received thirty plus inches of snow, add that to the thirty they got in the beginning of the month and that is five feet of snow and we are not out of December yet. As I shovel snow I think to myself what a weird weather year we have been having. Almost snow less last winter till March and then the snow started falling. When ice was supposed to be melting it instead was getting thicker and snow was covering the gardens that should have had robins working.

Took well into May before the ice started to melt and fishing was poor. Gardens got in late and summer never really did arrive. Now fall came early and cold weather arrived with it. I took another lean on the shovel and looked at the snow banks high around the cabin. More snow on the roof that needs to be cleared away and the wood pile looks like a big mound of snow. But it is Christmas and that is for me the halfway point. Another week and we are in a new year and everyday the days are getting a little longer. The latest grand baby will be crawling in the grass here in a few months and I will hold her in my arms and take her down to the lake and point at bluegills swimming in the shade under the dock. Like her sister and her cousins before her she will point at the fish and talk in some gibberish that I won't understand but I will translate it into fishermen talk and we will get to share the moment.

The snow will melt, the grass will grow, Birds will fly and maybe this spring the robins will not find snow covering their tracks. Kids will count days till school is out and grown men will count days till fishing season starts. I go back to shoveling and I hear shouts and the door of the cabin bangs a few times. Dogs come racing out followed by grand kids looking like marshmallow men. New Christmas scarfs are tied around chins and the shovels leaning against the wall of the cabin are now in the clutches of the children. Number two grandson comes over and with his hands outstretched and I give him my shovel. Kids not being asked to shovel snow, a Christmas miracle! Here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,504,266}

[Bobby Bass]

Jingle bells, Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh! what joy it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way

Oh! what joy it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh. Hey

Christmas dinner here at Lake Iwanttobethere for more than forty years has been at the Mother in law's house. Dinner is supposed to be at five but over the years it gets to be later and later. Main reason being that more and more relatives gather at the house and parking and seating has become a problem. The mother in law now counts her grand kids and great grand kids into the forties and I over heard that the next great grand child will put her at an even fifty. That is a lot of kids and on Christmas Day everyone of them was at the house along with son in laws and daughter in laws, uncles and aunts and a few boyfriends and girlfriends. The house was full, the living room was full, not just the couches and chairs but the floor to. Dinning room was full and standing room only in the kitchen where all the chairs had been removed.

The kitchen table had the leaf put in and stood alone in the center of the room. A sliced up turkey along with a spiral ham took center stage and was surrounded by baskets of sliced home made bread. Relish trays and a three piece slow cooker set which held corn, stuffing and gravy took up one side. A large bowl held salad and an even larger bowl held mashed potatoes. A variety of salad dressing stood lined up like soldiers and a bucket held silverware and dinner plates were stacked like the leaning Tower of Pisa at the edge of the table. The mother in law with her back up against the built in oven directed traffic with a wood spoon in her hands. Grand daughters whirled and twirled around the kitchen under her direction placing salt and pepper shakers and setting out glasses.

Uncle Mike and his friend Jim being the oldest they waited at the head of the serving line and when the Mother In Law waved her hand they started to circle the table dropping food on their plates. Trouble is the two of them were sharing a senior moment and what should have been an efficient trip around the table was turning into a rush hour traffic jam on a cloverleaf. A couple of the granddaughters stepped in and urged the old guys through the line and after that it was just a matter of sliding in the second platter of turkey and all was well.

Kids were fed, babies burped, Gallons of apple cider disappeared and plates collected. Pie was served and belts were loosen. Fifty-five gallon black trash bags appeared from the closet and the kids knew what they were, The Mother in law had presents and there was one for everyone. Having done this many times before I relocated myself to a chair in the living room next to the front window. It was open a crack to let fesh cool air in. I looked out and saw Uncle Mike and his friend Jim, they had slipped out the front door and were now standing on the sidewalk at the bottom of the porch steps sneaking a smoke. The Mother in law called for attention and it took awhile but finally she had everyone looking at her and she announced she was ready to pass out gifts but first everyone had to join in and sing Jingle Bells and so we all did.

Dashing thro' the snow,

In a one horse open sleigh,

O'er the hills we go,

Laughing all the way;

Bells on bob tail ring,

Making spirits bright,

Oh what sport to ride and sing

A sleighing song to night.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh! what joy it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way

Oh! what joy it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh. Hey!

The Hey shook the house as everyone really put their heart into it, I noticed something outside and yelled "One more Time" and the Chorus was sang again, this time with all the adults joining in trying to out sing the kids.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh! what joy it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells,

Jingle all the way

Oh! what joy it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh. HEY!

And with the last shouted HEY I watched with a grin as the snow broke loose on the porch roof and tumbled down on top of uncle Mike and his best friend Jim ..... here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,508,827}

[Bobby Bass]

BLAME ME OR thank me but I am pretty sure that we are not going to get anymore snow this season. I say that because this morning I was down at Dug's Garage and I ordered two auger belts for my snow thrower. The way I have it figured that since I ordered the new belts when they arrive and I take the snow thrower apart and install them it will stop snowing. The snow thrower will then sit in the shop with new belts and a full tank of gas and not be used. Because we all know that is just how it works. If I did nothing we will get snow from now till May and between now and then I would break the old belt and I will be without a snow thrower, because that is just how it works.

The red needle on the bass thermometer hanging on the wall here at the cabin is nudging thirty-six, I would tap it but I am afraid it might go down. Duncan has been restless and about every thirty minutes he wants to go outside. So I let him out and while he makes a quick trip around the grounds I scrape some packed snow off the big deck and shovel it out into the yard. The sun is shinning and I may even get all the snow finally off the roof of the Tahoe. The luggage rack on top holds the snow altogether so I have not been able to get it off but now with the heat and some sunshine there is dripping going on.

Tomorrow is forecasted to snow but that is not my fault, I will not get the new auger belts till sometime next week. Sunshine Ray is forecasting the bottom is going to drop out and we are looking at a spell of cold nights that might hit minus thirty not counting the wind chill. Monday night is Town Hall meeting night and Tuesday night is a Lodge Meeting along with our gala New Years Eve party. Lodge meeting is going to be a little different this year as we will be sitting down at tables decorated with glassware and napkins. Christmas decorations are still up and the only big difference will be the balloon drop. I expect the Lodge meeting will be brief so we can get right to the drinking part of the evening. Unlike the Christmas party no kids are allowed so everyone should be in the sprits before eight.

With cold weather and some snow on the way everyone is taking advantage of today's warm weather. I know Big Earl has his sidewalk in front of the store completely clear of snow and it is even dry. Down at the Lodge the Luge has been busy as kids are out of school and for fifty cents they can rent a red plastic toboggan and ride all day. Several fishermen are also out on the ice and over the weekend a small town has grown straight out from the landing. Hammering Hank and Skinny have plowed a couple of roads and the Fellows have been dragging out shanties with their retired half track truck. So far it has not broken down which is a surprise to a lot of the guys who have placed wages in the betting pool.

With the small town right out from the Lodge we could not have an Ice House Fling even if we wanted to. Several houses are out on the ice arond the lake though as locals have just hauled them out right off their properties. Might not be the best places to fish but a lot of guys just have the house so they can get away from the wife. Back at the Resort Vic has a house out that Marv and Elmer helped build. Not far from the Resort it just so happens to be over a brush pile that somehow was located late last fall. Eating size crappies are coming back to the Resort just big enough to make fish sandwiches on the home made Kaiser buns of Marv's. Along with the French fries from the home grown spuds and I don't think Vic has a need for anything else. With the sun shinning and the red needle on the thermometer now reading thirty-seven things are good here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,512,816}

[Bobby Bass]

HEARD A RUMOR of a few grouse sitting just off the county road on the way into the Resort. So this morning I am trying to get a few jobs done around the cabin here so I can slip away and maybe chase them. Yesterday was down right decent here at the lake and I took back some of what Mother Nature tried to bury in snow this month. Got sidewalks cleaned right down to the concrete and packed snow cleared away from around the gate posts. Big deck is cleared and this morning I am working on pulling snow off the cabin roof. Never any fun and hard on the arms dragging the snow rake down the roof. I had planned on getting the number two grandson up on the roof but the wife saw me helping him up the ladder and nixed that idea.

In defense of my idea the snow on the roof is deeper then his legs so no way was he going to be able to fall off and besides it would have been an adventure for him, good or bad something he would have a lasting memory of. Instead the wife brought him into the kitchen and made him hot chocolate and gave him buttered banana bread. I came in looking for banana bread but was directed back outside to finish what I started. Snow from the upper roof is now resting in a big pile on the lower roof and after I take a break here I will go out and shorten up the snow rake and pull it all down to the deck. Snow thrower will get started and with any luck I will toss all the snow off the deck without breaking the belt. At least that is the plan.

Sunshine Ray has revised his snow forecast and now we are only going to get an inch or so this afternoon. Going to stay warm the rest of the day before the front comes in tonight and then it will be time to sit in front of the fireplace and read. Thirty degrees out right now is supposed to turn into minus thirty degrees in thirty-six hours. These are times when I have a hard time explaining just why I love living here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

The next part of the plan after the snow throwing is done is to grab the old twenty gage and me and Duncan are going to take a walk in the woods. Snowshoes are already in the Tahoe and we may not walk far or long but we will still get in the last bird hunt of the season. Duncan's web feet are going to come in handy when we hit the deep snow and he will be going alone. Just to much snow for the old man Bud to try and hunt in.

Since the grouse are near the Resort I will head there after we take our walk. Change of clothes and I will see about joining Vic in the shanty for some early evening fishing. Now that I look at what I have written I have a pretty full day ahead and it is not getting done sitting here. From what may be remembered as a pretty good winter day here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,517,083}

[Bobby Bass]

SOUND AND SMELL of thick bacon sizzling on the grill here at the Resort on the last Sunday of the year. I am sitting in the first booth and Vic is on the grill this morning frying bacon and making pancakes. Never one to turn down a breakfast Vic was already up and asked if I wanted some breakfast and now I can hear him humming away as he mixes up pancake batter. Yesterday I had a pretty good day, it was warm and I got the snow off the roof at the cabin. Duncan and I spent an hour on our last grouse hunt and the evening was spent in the new ice house here at the Resort. Might have been better if I had seen a grouse or caught a fish but sometimes it works out that way.

The soft snow of yesterday has been replaced with crunching snow this morning. I had just my flannel on when I went out to the Tahoe to get the plastic bowl of dog food that I had brought along for Duncan. As I passed the deer jumping thermometer on the wall here I saw the red needle resting at minus ten which was expected. The wind however was not and it was brisk and it was cold. The flannel jacket didn't do a whole lot to keep it off me. With food bowl in hand I turned and shuffled back to the Resort at a quicker pace then what I came out. I paused at the door now out of the wind and gave a quick look around me. Nothing at the bird feeder and other then the wind chimes banging away it was quiet out. I grabbed a couple of chunks of Birch from the wood rack and let myself in to the main room.

Duncan greeted me or maybe it was his bowl of dog food with a wagging tail. I popped the lid off and put the bowl down next to his water bowl and he looked at me and I gave him a wave and told him to go ahead and eat. The wood went over to the rack by the fireplace and I poked at the fire and decided there was room for a couple of more sticks, I tossed in some Maple and adjusted the screen and listen to the fire crackle for a moment. I went over to the first booth and sat down and cradled the coffee mug in my hands. The coffee was warm to the touch through the mug and I didn't drink any but instead let the coffee warm my hands.

The sun has broken through the cloud cover and is streaming through the windows of the main room. I have to move my laptop a tad to avoid the glare. Duncan is done with his food and he slurps water from his bowl. He heads towards me and water drops drain from his open mouth to splat on the floor, a typical lab moment. Duncan sits at my feet and I reach down and tug on his ear. He looks up at me and I can hear his thoughts, he wants to know if the pancakes are done yet. Speaking out loud I tell him no the pancakes are not done yet and Vic comes out from the kitchen carrying two plates and says "Yes they are."

Vic slides the plates across the table and sits down across from me. I get up and bring the coffee pot back to the table and fill Vic's mug while adding a healthy splash to my own mug. I just set the coffee pot down on a pot holder and think to myself the wife would be so proud if she saw me using a pot holder and I sit back down. There is a few minutes of quiet as the only sounds are the scraping of forks through the stacks of pancakes dripping with the Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup and maybe the munching of bacon. There is also a tapping sound and I look down to see Duncan's tail hitting the wood side of the booth, patiently waiting for his pancake. I lift a pancake from my stack and lower it to Duncan, the pancake disappears in his mouth and he walks towards the fireplace where he lays down and starts licking the syrup off his lips. Vic says "That will keep him busy for awhile" and Duncan knowing we are talking about him stops just long enough to make eye contact and then goes back to licking.

Vic and I plan the rest of our day, not much of a plan mind you as us older guys don't work to much on planning and instead just kind of let things happen. Football game is on at noon, maybe some lunch at half time and we will take another try at the evening fishing bite. Yesterday was a poor outing but today is another day. Besides Hammering Hank and Skinny mentioned yesterday they were going to try and fish during the afternoon today so the shanty should have some heat in it when we venture out. Last Sunday of the year, where did it go here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,521,471}

[Bobby Bass]

I STARTED THE Tahoe and let it idle away for awhile. Heater was set on high and the blower on low. The car companies should put on the windshields of the new cars the summer and winter mileage you can expect. That would take in account the warm-up time used up here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Granted the trucks now a days can be started and driven after a brief warm up but who wants to? This morning when I walked out to the Tahoe and started it the temp gage on the mirror said -ten and I thought to myself that it is warming up. There is something wrong when you consider minus ten to be warming up, just like when you tell someone the price of gas has gone down, to three dollars a gallon.

Yesterday afternoon after the football game Vic and I dressed up like grade schoolers and made the walk out to the shanty. Wind was up and snow was blowing across the packed trail to the ice house. Boots were pulled on and we were both wearing bibs over long underwear. I had a heavy sweater on and a jacket under my winter coat. Bomber hat with the ear flaps pulled down and a scarf over my face. Vic was dressed the same only he looked like some version of a turn of the century arctic explorer. I think it was the fur mittens he had on that covered his arms all the way to his elbows.

We might have been a tad over dressed but the older we get the longer it takes for us to make what once were short walks. Back in the day we would have just put on a jacket and ran from the Resort to the ice house and we would have been so quick we would not have had time to get cold. I think it is colder now and I know for a fact that I can't run fast. The walk out to the shanty took a few minutes, but we were moving slow and stopped a few times to enjoy the scenery. The air was crisp and you could feel it on your nose. Being bundled up the wind was not felt and I was cozy for lack of a better word. I was thinking as we were walking that all we needed was a rope between us and a couple of ice axes and we could just as well be members of a polar expedition in the arctic.

We arrived at the shack and kicked snow off our boots at the door. Skinny open the door and let us in. Cozy was not the word for the shack as we could see our breath. Hammering Hank was working on the fire in the little pot belly stove. Seems the guys had gotten the place nice and warm and fishing was slow so they took a nap. Vic and I traded places and Hammering Hank and Skinny headed back to the Resort. Hank said he would run some wood out to us after they ate. Vic and I hung coats from pegs on the wall and I tended to the fire while Vic cleared slush from around the ice holes. I soon had the fire going good again and the heat returned to the little ice house. Looking around I saw that Hank and Skinny had been working on a to do list for the shack.

It would appear that some more insulating needs to be done. The shack is not nearly as warm when it is twenty below as it is when it is thirty above. I noticed some frost along the bottom walls and added a fan to the to do list. Door could use some weather stripping to as the winds seems to have shifted and snow is coming in around the edges. Vic tuned in some music on the little radio and I lit up a cigar and blew a few smoke rings. I watched as the smoke rose and disappeared into a crack between the wall and roof and added that repair to the list. I put my coat back on and added some wood to the fire. I looked at Vic sitting on a stool looking into the cold water of the lake and he just said just loudly enough for me to hear "Just like the old days, Ice fishing on Lake Iwanttobethere" {1,526,226}

[Bobby Bass]

TOWN HALL MEETING last night and we had a sparse turnout, I think it was due to the cold weather and the fact that tonight there will be the Lodge meeting and also the New Years Eve gala. Most Town Hall meeting business is usually done well before the meeting at the Dew Drop Inn over some waffles or an eight egg omelet. For those who could not attend KCUM did a live remote so people could listen in. I made the drive in from the Resort after dropping Duncan off at the cabin. The wife said she had things to do and would just listen in on the radio. On the ride into town I sure did notice that just about every chimney in town had smoke curling out from them and there was a slight haze above the lake, no doubt from fire places.

At the Lodge the big coffee urn was placed on a table near the front entrance and also the back up one held hot apple cider in it. Just as many people were sipping on the cider as the coffee. The main fireplace was crackling as Elmer had been feeding it all afternoon and the flames were high behind the spark screen. I must admit the place looked pretty good with all the Christmas lights still in place and the tree in the corner decorated. Rack of folding chairs were up against the wall but they were not needed as we had just enough chairs and stools for those who decided to attend.

Mayor stood in front of the Lodges cherry bar and spoke briefly, didn't say much as it is not an election year. Committees read their minutes and progress was reported on various winter events which mostly are held at the Lodge and will be reported on more fully at the Lodge Meeting. County reported we are right on track with the budget for snow removal, If it does not snow we will be fine as we have two gallons of diesel and one five gallon pail of sand and salt mix. Of course come Wednesday it is a new year and go ahead and bring on the snow, we have a new budget.

Fall tourism was reported to be down, no doubt due to the weather and the early heavy snowfall had put a damper on some business but was a boom to snow removal and the ski hill. Ice fishing has been iffy and Sunshine Ray was asked to give us a long range forecast but declined. Something about his models are not agreeing. Chuck and I gave each other a knowing wink as we know Sunshine Ray has been dating the Jones Twins who are part time models.

The meeting came to an end but not before Big Earl got up and announced there were plenty of free samples of Fruit Cake that he was donating and the cake could be found by the coffee. With the meeting done some people filled up their coffee cups and headed out into the night while others made their way to the bar and had a shot of something added to their coffee. Still others gathered around the TV and watched the basketball game and ordered wings since the kitchen was now open. I headed back to my office and worked on the box of paper work I had been putting off. Never ending here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,530,397}

[Bobby Bass]

WOKE UP TO an overcast sky and made my way to the deck door. I open it and let the three dogs outside to do their thing. Not a minute later and Bud was back at the door and Barney was already coming up the steps. I let them back in the cabin and waited for Duncan to appear. The cold does not seem to effect him as quick as it does for the old dogs. After a minute I was getting cold from the draft and open the storm door to yell for Duncan, another minute later he comes bounding up onto the deck, tail waving and the "You wanted me boss" look on his face. I let him in, closed the door and kicked the rug up against the bottom of it. All three dogs followed me into the kitchen and waited as I got three dog biscuits out of the box and gave them each one.

The beginning of a new year starts pretty much the same way every morning does here at Lake Iwanttobethere. For the past several weeks it has been focused around snow and cold usually it is one or the other but so far this winter the two topics have gone hand in hand. Last night at the gala New Years Eve party the number one topic was the weather or something related to it. Talk of wood piles shrinking faster then planned and the hope for this just being the one long cold snap for winter and spring to come early. No high heels at last nights dance as all the womenfolk were showing off sorrel boots and fancy wool scarfs. I have heard stories that down in the big city the ladies dress up for New Years, here at Lake Iwanttobethere they just dress warmly.

About eighteen below at midnight I heard and someone mentioned it was warmer in Alaska. Like many others I had the Tahoe started and warmed up by midnight and shortly after we welcomed in the New Year I and the wife were on our way back home. We were not the only ones as the Lodge's parking lot emptied out shortly after the balloon drop. Only a few of the hard-core members were still there. Before dawn they will be down on the ice fishing as it is there New Years tradition but they were not going to leave the warmth of the Lodge just yet. The ride home was uneventful, no deer seen in the headlights and of course not a single bird. We came around the bend and the lights of the Tahoe flashed into Chuck's pasture. There standing next to a round of hay were Chuck's two horses.

The wife called the two horse "Them poor things" and no sooner had I parked the Tahoe then she was headed for the door of the cabin. I followed her in but did not take my coat off, instead I loaded my coat pockets with some apples we were saving for pie. I made my way back outside after hitting the outside light switch. Does not take much light to reflect off the snow and show me the path to Chuck's. With my hat pulled down tight on my ears I made the walk to the pasture and all I could hear was the sound of crunching snow under my feet and my own breathing. A few minutes later I was at the fence and I made a few clucking sounds with my tongue calling Snapper over. He looked at me and was trying to decide who or what I was then finally lifted one hoof up and walked slowly over to me.

Snapper and his partner came over to the fence and I held out an apple for him. He plucked it from my hand and ate it, then nudged me looking for another. I fed the two of them the apples I had in my pocket till they were gone. I patted them on their long foreheads and brush some snow away from their eyes. With the apples all gone they both gave me a soft snort and turned and walked away. Back to the hay round where they stood close to each other and just pulled at some hay. I turned and made by way back to the cabin, the way being lit up by the outside spot lights and I thought to myself that I was not going to complain to much about the weather, not when horses out in it.

From Lake Iwanttobethere, let's have a good New Year {1,534,217}

[Bobby Bass]

DON'T KNOW WHERE the day has gone but as I sit here at the desk in the den I had to turn on a light. The sun is setting fast and before I finish this it will be gone. It got a few degrees above zero here for awhile today and the sky was clear of clouds and we got some welcomed sunshine. Not warm enough to do anything but I spend some time in the living room with a chair turned facing the window and the sun felt warm on my face. I can see why the dogs kept moving on the floor to stay in the sunshine. The wife asked me if I was going to get up out of that chair and do something around the cabin. I replied I am, I am busy making vitamin D

I did after awhile get dressed and me and Duncan went down to the mail box. Some bills of course and a Bass Pro Shop catalog, the Master one rested in the mailbox with a little snow on top. I brushed the snow off and tucked the mail under by arm as I walked up the drive. I could hear clanking coming down the road and I stopped to watch as Frank the plow driver came around the bend, chains on his tires slapping the roadway. He gave me a wave as he drove on by, his blade up not pushing any snow. I waved back and turned to continue my walk up the drive. I got to thinking that we are probably the only county around that has a name for its snowplow. The locals around here call the big yellow grader Kahn. I think it has to do with the old Star Trek movie where Kahn is the villain and his name is shouted out by Captain Kirk. Kahn is shouted out a lot here at the lake when Frank comes by plowing snow into just cleared out driveways.

I walked up the drive thinking I should toss some ice melt on it but it is to cold out for it to work. Maybe tomorrow when it is supposed to get in the teens and if we are lucky maybe the sun will make another appearance. Mail goes in the cabin and I trade Duncan for Buddy and Barney who want to come out. The three of us walk around a little checking on ice dams on the cabin. No melting so they are not growing any. Got most of the snow off the roof and it now sits off to the side of the deck. The grand kids have been working on the mound of snow with the idea of making it into their own private slide. I had briefly thought about building a slide this past fall but didn't get around to it. With all the snow it would have been a good project, maybe next year.

A few broken branches down and I gather them up and haul them to where the fire pit should be. Right now it is just a big mound of snow and I would need the post hole digger to find the ash pile. Dogs are waiting to get back inside the cabin so I climb up the steps and make my way to the door. Dogs are let in and I decide I have had enough fresh air so I step in and close the door behind me. With my coat dropped on the table I pick up the mail and head for the den. Bills are tossed into the in basket and the catalog is set down on the center of the desk. I pull out a yellow legal pad and a Number one pencil, a Christmas gift, a step up from a Number two I was told and I start to turn pages and make a wish list. I have to get it done as no doubt there will be another catalog in the mailbox tomorrow here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,537,672}

[Bobby Bass]

WIFE AND I both rode into town this morning together, a rare thing as she prefers to shop alone. But today we were both heading to Big Earl's General Store so we rode together. First thing the wife said as we walked over to the Tahoe was that "It was nice out" and hearing that I glanced at the Bass thermometer hanging on the siding of the cabin and I did notice the red needle was pointing at ten, above. I had already started the Tahoe and it was warm inside and we pulled down the drive I turned on my heated seat. Never thought the heated seats were that much of a big deal but I sure to like having them. Sitting back on the heated leather is nice this time of the year and they get used a lot fishing in the fall. Nice to sit on them when you are chilled and don't know it. Matter of fact I think I should start looking for a heated seat for my desk.

We parked in front of Big Earl's and went through the front door together. Earl was not at his usual spot so I asked Barb the cashier where he was. She pointed back to the Christmas toys section and I headed that way. The Toys section is a seasonal section and when I got back there all the toys were gone and I saw a banner proclaiming TAPE SALE. I found Big Earl and his son Junior unloading boxes of tape and already there were several displays filled with an assortment of tape. Might actually be the biggest assortment of tape that I have ever seen in one location. Well wait there is that tape store in the mini mall in the big city right next to the gum store but for here at Lake Iwanttobethere, this was a lot of tape.

Now I was not really to surprised to find a tape sale going on, I do have it on my calendar back at the cabin. This time of the year there is always a White Sale and the wife comes to look for sheets that we don't need. I on the other hand am always in the need for tape. The past few years has been a bonanza for finding colored duck tape in just about any color you need to fix just about anything you have. I had picked up one of them hand baskets when I was talking to Barb and now I was looking over the tape displays and dropping selections into the basket. Several three packs of clear cellophane tape and a ten pack of masking tape found their way to the basket. A ten pack of black electrical tape and also a mufti pack of colored electrical tape, Never can tell when you want to ID some house wiring.

Some black duck tape, a roll of brown some blue to match the tarps and several rolls of gray. I saw but two rolls of the yellow and black minion tape with the characters from Despicable Me and I grabbed them both. Good for fixing anything as the minions seem to match everything and the grand kids like them. Made some small talk with Earl before I went to the front and had Barb check me out. No sign of the wife so I went out to the Tahoe and waiting comfortably on my heated seat. When I got home the wife headed off with her bag of goodies and I did the same with mine. I left a three pack of cellophane tape on the desk in the den and a roll of gray duck tape in the junk drawer in the kitchen along with one roll of black electrical tape. The rest of the tape I put in a old fishing box in the basement, hidden. There is nothing worse then trying to find tape when u need it, unless you hide it here at Lake Iwanttobethere. {1,539,280}

[Bobby Bass]

THE POLAR VORTEX is on schedule to arrive tonight and unlike the Polar Express it is not going to be a fun ride. To be truthful it is not going to be a real big deal here at Lake Iwanttobethere as we have dipped below thirty below several times just in the last week. But on the other side of the lake and down south this might be a surprise. Don't get me wrong I agree with my neighbor Chuck that once it gets below twenty below and the wind starts blowing it does not make any difference, it is just plain cold out.

Today was spent outside with the dogs, sunny and as warm as it is going to be for the next several days. Fire wood box is full inside the cabin along with the rack on the deck. A couple of extra loads were stacked between the railings. Grand kids will be coming over later this afternoon as they will be spending the weekend along with Monday here. Already the governor has closed all the schools statewide so the kids might as well be here instead of traveling in the cold on Monday. I think I can come up with some projects to keep them busy. Lots of nails and screws need to be sorted down in the basement and the wife has some baking that can be done.

Might watch some football tomorrow and see how many guys decide to play in short sleeves. I am sure they think that they will be proving how tuff they are and as I sit in my recliner in front of the fire I'll tip my glass to them and call them idiots. Phone has been ringing away here today as I am getting calls asking me to go ice fishing tomorrow. Thanks but no thanks, I don't see fishing in this just to say I went fishing in a Polar Vortex as anything to really brag about. Elmer says it is going to get so cold that the telephone lines are going to freeze just like they did forty years ago. I have him rubbing his head when I told him we have wireless.

Elmer is staying at his cabin, wants to be around to keep a fire going and make sure the pipes don't freeze. I think Marv is going to come over to but Vic is going to stay at the Resort. Hammering Hank and Skinny will no doubt be busy as they will get calls about frozen pipes or someone deciding that they need firewood right now. I am thinking that everyone is just going to hunker down in front of the fireplace and read a good book or get into some serious cribbage. Some of the younger guys will go ride their snowmobiles or go ice fishing just to brag that they did. Us older guys pretty much have the same answer to that. "Been There, Done That" as we to were young once.

I think the dogs know there is a weather change coming, Barney has pulled the pillows of the couch and has them over near the fireplace. Looks to me like he is building a nest and plans on being there for awhile. He is not alone as I see the wife has her knitting bag out and it is resting on the big overstuffed chair, I think she too is staking out a claim. By the time the grand kids show up I better carve me out a spot as they will find the couch and pull up the quilts. Cats will go into hiding and it will be my job to keep the fire burning and fetch hot cocoa. A middle of the winter adventure, just like the old days here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,540,887}

[Bobby Bass]

MINUS FORTY AT the Resort at eight this morning that is the report I got from Vic. He is sure it got colder then that but he didn't bother to check when he got up in the middle of the night to load the fireplace with oak fire wood. Only twenty below here at the Cabin but that was at ten this morning as I got to sleep in late. Kids stayed up late last night as they were telling stories and having a sleep over party. Sleeping bags were out and spread on the floor along with every pillow they could find. Center of the living room floor just looked like a big Eagles nest and was about the right size. Kids tangled up in blankets and sleeping bags with all three dogs mixed in and only the flickering flames from the fireplace to lite up the night.

I heard the phone ring and I rolled over trying to ignore it but the wife came in the room and tapped my shoulder with the phone. Vic was on the other end and the first thing he said was "I didn't wake ya did I?" But I could hear in his voice he was happy that he had. I rolled my eyes at the wife who was already out the bedroom door, no doubt with a smile on her face to. I exchanged small talk with Vic as I got up out of bed and put slippers on my feet and a robe on. I made my way down the hall to find kids still scattered on the living room floor and dogs watching me with eye open and the other still closed. I checked the jumping bass thermometer through the window and that is how I know it was twenty below.

A minute after I hung up with Vic and the phone rings again, I pick up and my neighbor Chuck is on the line. We chatted some as I added wood to the fire and stepped over sleeping kids who were starting to stir. The smell of bacon was in the air as the wife was making breakfast in the kitchen. No sooner did I hang up with Chuck then my daughter called checking up on her daughter, I past the phone to her mother and made my way back to the den to get a good look out the window. Thing is you can't really tell how cold it is outside by looking through the window. I sat down in my desk chair and from there I can look north through one window and south through the windows on the other side of the room. North window shows bare trees and a big snow pile, the wind chimes hanging from the eve are just barely moving so there must be a small breeze.

I turn in my chair so I can look out the South window and I have to squint some as bright sunshine is coming around the leaves of the orange trees I have there. Yes I have orange trees in the den, during the summer they are out on the deck but it being the dead of winter they now have a choice location in front of the South windows in my den. Over the past few weeks they have been ripening and as I sit at my desk I have winter to the north and summer to the south. All I can see through the South window is blue sky and the tops of my bare apple trees and of course the oranges.

Tonight is supposed to be the cold one but forty below is not so bad. Should be good for a few stories in the boat come summer. I am sure we will remembering the night it got to be forty below when we are drifting in the Puddle Humper and it will be in the mid nineties and no breeze. We will almost wish for a cool day like that but not really, Forty is way to cold to be fishing for bass here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,543,386}

[Bobby Bass]

GRAND KIDS ARE still here as the Lake Iwanttobethere school has closed for a second day in a row, unheard of! But the scuttlebutt from the teachers was that if them schools are all closed down south then they wanted a four day weekend here too. According to Sunshine Ray we are on the other side of this Polar Vortex and temperatures should be starting to rise. By the weekend it will have a chance to be in the thirties and I am sure the Fellows will be in the Lodge wearing shorts and flip flops. Speaking of the Fellows they were all down at the Lodge yesterday afternoon taking turns plowing the parking lot. When I first heard that they were plowing I was trying to figure just what they were moving. We did get a little dusting of snow overnight but nothing that you would need a plow for.

I was out running errands and I decided to swing by the Lodge and when I drove up I understood what Gus was talking about on the telephone call. The Fellows were all inside the Lodge but they had moved to the table by the window that over looks the side parking lot. They were taking turns plowing the lot with a remote controlled Jeep. One of the guys had bought it for himself for a Christmas present. I watched the 1/10 scale Jeep push an inch of snow for a few minutes before I had to shoulder my way into give it a shot. Gary held out his hand and said "One dollar" I looked at the Jeep and Gary's hand and gave him the buck, a money making idea that might actually make the Fellows some money.

After my turn was done I made my way over to the bar and checked the mail. I overheard a heated argument between Elmer and Marv over a weather forecast. We have had the TV tuned into a weather channel that if you go up on the roof and move the antenna just right we can get it in. The wind had moved the antenna a few days ago and no one wanted to go up on the roof and readjust it so we had the weather channel on 24/7 To tell the truth no one was really complaining about the channel as there is not much on TV to watch this time of year anyway. So the argument was on just exactly what is the right way to say it is -10 out. Elmer was saying the correct way is it is minus ten out and Marv was saying it is negative ten out they asked me and I just said it is ten below out and they both threw up their hands at me.

Today finds me sitting in the Den and grand kids are scattered in the living room. They have a movie on and are enjoying the end of their mini vacation. Parents will pick them all up after work this afternoon and when they are gone the cats will come out of hiding. I have had enough of this cold snap as I need to haul some firewood down here soon from the wood pile. I would much rather do it when it is thirty above then twenty below. Yesterday I found the wife just standing at the kitchen window looking at the glass, after awhile I opened the deck door and told her she should come on in.

This morning I went out to start the Tahoe and it would not start, Not that cold out either only about twenty below. I plugged it in and put the battery charger on and I tried again an hour later and it started right up. Am thinking the Tahoe is getting a little tired of the cold to. Heard later that Chuck my neighbor and also my son in law had trouble starting their trucks this morning, Must have been a Polar Vortex that passed over us during the night. The good thing about when it does get this cold is we usually have sunshine. This morning the sun is poring through the windows and if you sit a spell you can feel it warm you. Just got to keep reminding yourself that every day the sun is out a few minutes longer and we have one more day of winter behind us, at least here at Lake Iwanttobethere we do {1,548,836}

[Bobby Bass]

STARTING TO WARM up here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Yesterday it actually made it above zero, granted it was for just a peek and you had to be looking at the thermometer when it happen. This morning the Tahoe fired right up and I let it run for a few minutes before I headed into town. Saw a few crows perched on a branch and they looked down at me more like the summer vultures do. I gave them a blast of the Tahoe horn which did nothing to scare them but it did make me few better. I decided I was going to go down to Mable's Sauna and Steam House for a steam. Even though I have a sauna at the cabin I just didn't feel like warming mine up. Besides I had a punch card good for ten visits that I got for a Christmas present from the guys at the Lodge.

I arrived at Mabel's and parked right in front, I open the door to the smell of eucalyptus oil in the air and made my way over to the counter where Mabel was sitting. No way to mistake Mabel for anyone else as she has looks the same as she did when I came in the door the first time forty years ago. Slender, wearing horn rimed glasses with dark hair rolled into a bun on top of her head with fingernails too long to be real and bright red lip stick covering her lips. Her eye lashes look like they could be Venus flytraps and she smokes her cigarettes in one of them long holders. She gave me a big hello and I passed the ticket over the counter to her. She gave me a shrug and punched the ticket and just said "You know where to go" then slapped a towel on the counter. I was going to meet up with Big Earl but I decided to just go ahead and go inside.

A few minutes later and I was roasting quite nicely in the steam room when I heard the click of the glass door opening. "Bobby, you in here" I heard Big Earl whisper and I replied "Yes, over here by the wall" I heard the click of the steam room door closing and saw a shadow part the steam before the shadow became Big Earl and he sat down next to me. "Today is our lucky day" Big Earl said. "How is that" I replied. Big Earl coughing a little in the steam said "Mabel told me we have a celebrity in the house" "Ok" is all I said. I could just make out Big Earl in the steam and he was trying to look around the steam room. "Who is this celebrity suppose to be" I asked. Big Earl said Mabel told him that the guy who plays Peter Griffin on Family Guy is in here. I just said Hmmm, I had not seen anyone else in the steam room.

After fifteen minutes in the steam room I went out and took a quick shower then headed to the dry room. This is where the eucalyptus smell was coming from and I sat down on a bench and took in the smell of the oil and felt my nose clear right up. After a few minutes in the room I went out and eyed the cold plunge pool but decided not today. Instead I took another quick shower and then went to sit down under the heat lamps. I passed the mirrors on the wall and of course I took a glance at myself. Mabel could not have been telling Big Earl that I looked like Peter Griffin, Peter does not have a beard. But wait till I get back to the cabin and tell the wife that Mabel says I have the body of a celebrity, I might be the only one here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1551,679}

[Bobby Bass]

I SURE DO hope we are not in the eye of a winter hurricane. That was the topic of conversation at the Lodge last night. A pretty good night at the Lodge as there were a lot of fishermen out on the ice taking advantage of twenty above rather then twenty below weather. Several guys came into the Lodge boasting of catching fish and talking of plans on being on the ice for the rest of the week or at least until winter returns. That is where the talk of the hurricane came in. With the cold cold weather we have had for the past three weeks a week of twenties and perhaps even thirties we feel like we are in the eye of a storm. Everyone pretty much figures we will have to pay for the week of nice weather with another batch of cold stuff. Sunshine Ray is not saying anything right now, instead he is just taking the credit for the mild weather.

Fellows were gathered around the big round table, sipping on beer and working on another idea. The model jeep snow plowing business if out of business. Could not just leave it alone plowing sidewalks, they had to take it to another level. They started plowing roofs with the Jeep which worked surprisingly well till they hit some ice and everyone knows that not even four wheel drive will stop you on ice. The jeep tumbled off the roof and landed on it's roof. It hit so hard the tiny air bags went off inside. Reed the Realtor declared the vehicle totaled and offered to buy it from Gary for pennies on the dollar. Gary ended up taking two Hamms for it and Reed now has it.

Last night we also held the monthly volunteer fire department meeting here at the Lodge. Vinnie as a new member got to climb up onto the roof and turn the hand crank on the siren. As long as he was up there we had him go over to the women's bathroom and clean the snow off the skylight. It has been covered in snow since the big storm almost six weeks ago. That should have been the end of the roof visit but Denise, Bart's wife was in the bathroom at the time. She came running out yelling about a peeping Tom and before anyone could tell her any different she was out the door and gone, leaving her husband Bart behind. Vinnie came off the roof and about twenty minutes later Sheriff Tim drove up. We thought he was here for the fire department meeting but he was actually here looking for the reported peeping Tom. As soon as he said peeping Tom we all pointed to Vinnie who for some reason ran out the back door. I then told Tim about cleaning the snow from skylight and he was satisfied but was a little interested why Vinnie took off running.

This afternoon Chuck and I are headed to the Resort to install a new antenna for Vic's TV For a Christmas present we bought him one of them hi def little compact ones to replace his rabbit ears. Frank the mailman dropped the converter off we had ordered yesterday and Chuck ran down to Big Earl's to get some cable. I did some researching on the Internet and found a site that shows me that if we get the new antenna about seventy-five feet off the ground we can get signals all the way from the big city. Just so happens that Chuck still has tree climbing gear from his logging days and there is a nice big pine close enough to the Clubhouse that it just might work. Should be a pretty straight forward installation, climb the tree, screw in the antenna, hook cable up, lower cable to ground, drill hole through wall, insert cable, attach to TV, what could possibly go wrong, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,556,591}

[Bobby Bass]

SO MUCH OF a difference some sunshine can make. Here at the Lodge at Lake Iwanttobethere the sun is out and the thermometer is reading thirty-four degrees in the shade and that my friends is above zero ! Have been in and out of my office several times since I arrived this morning. Been working on putting numbers together for tax season and have been taking breaks and going out onto the deck and using the ice chisel to scrape away packed snow. I will work on the deck for maybe ten minutes till my fingers start getting cold and clean off a section of the deck. I take the shovel and push over the side what I have chiseled up. Then head back inside to the office to crunch numbers for awhile. Of course the door is open and I have been getting some distractions from people popping their head into say HIYA.

Lady's Auxiliary is holding their Saturday morning meeting behind closed doors as usual. I have taken on the I don't bother them they don't bother me attitude. There is also a four fruit pie resting in the cooler that Gus and I have agreed to spit. Around eleven or so Gus went out and fired up the grill and now a few hours later the area around the grill is clear of snow and he is out there flipping burgers and burning sausages to just the right taste. Inside the Lodge is all cleaned up and back to its original configuration. Big dance floor is just a small dance floor and a table now sits where the Christmas tree was. All the decorations are back in boxes and down in the basement secure behind the chicken wire fenced wall.

Thirty-eight degrees out as I just came back from another trip outside. Some water dripping off the eves and I just tossed up a couple of dozen of them hockey puck sized ice melt thingies. Bid Earl donated a pail to the Lodge to help clear up our ice dam problem, kind of a test to see if they actually work or not. There really is only about a half a pail of them as I took several of them down to the hockey rink the other night. Tossed them out on the ice when the seniors were having practice and they were good for a laugh when Gus took a wrist shot with one that hit Big Earl in the goalie mask and it exploded. Well we all thought it was funny but Big Earl's ma was there and she gave us all a finger pointing lecture about how we could have took his, Big Earl's eye out, Sounded a lot like the lectures she would give us when we were teenagers, something's just don't change.

Shanty town is busy today, I can look down the hill from the Lodge and see a lot of people sitting on over turned five gallon buckets outside their houses. Some smoke curling out of stove pipes and even up here I can hear dogs barking and polka music. I am betting Elmer is in his house and has the speakers on high pointing out his windows as his neighbors. With the warm weather a lot of houses have now appeared and the launch area has been busy. Not a full blown city like in normal winters but this winter has not been normal. Skinny has promised a few more ice roads are going to be plowed out this week and the ones that are already plowed are going to be widened. Even Vicki down at the Masterbaiters Shop has expand her hours to meet what everyone is hoping to be a good week of fishing here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,159,163}

[Bobby Bass]

MESSY SILENT SUNDAY here at Lake Iwanttobethere as we are getting rain showers from time to time. Mixed feelings about the rain as it is nice that it is warm enough out to rain but I am not looking forward to the ice it is going to create when it freezes later tonight. Was already down at Big Earl's picking up an extra bag of deicer and I was going to get some sand but he is sold out. No big deal I have some bags in the green house and a lot of times the sand works better on the paths then the deicer does. Already there is a crust forming on the snow so that is going to help Ed and Eddie the squirrels when they make their raid on the bird feeders.

Vic called just a little while ago, wanted to thank me and Chuck for putting up the new antenna at the Resort. Told him it was no big deal and I am glad he was enjoying it. He said it was half-time at the San Fran football game and the picture is great. I didn't tell him that the game was being broadcasted locally and he was not really getting the game on his antenna from Charlotte North Carolina. A few more minutes of small talk and he said good-bye, his hot wings were done. Thinking of the antenna I rubbed the spot on my head where the screw gun bit had hit me. The installation of the antenna on the pine tree went pretty good I thought as I rubbed the little bump on my head.

We had everything we needed at the Resort and it was the warmest day of the year. Chuck put his tree climbing rigging on and put the small backpack over his shoulder. Up the tree he went and even though he didn't climb up seventy-five feet like the web site suggested he was still pretty high up the tree when he stopped and declared that it was the spot for the antenna. Having come prepared he tied himself off to the tree and opened up the back pack. The little all weather antenna just needed four screws to hold the adjustable mount to the tree and when Chuck reached for the screw gun the screw bit came out and tumbled to the ground. Lucky for us I was there to catch it with the top of my head. The bit bounced off my head and off into the brush, I will admit it stung some and after I got back up I yelled some encouragement to Chuck, thanking him for the heads up.

Chuck hung from the tree for awhile as I made my way up to the shop to get another screw bit. While I was gone I could hear Chuck yelling and I didn't give it to much thought as I figured he was just telling me to hurry up with the screw bit. When I got back to the tree I found Chuck hiding at the base looking upwards. I too looked upwards but didn't see anything. Chuck gasping for breath looked like he had raced down the tree trunk as there was a pretty big hole in the snow where he hit. After awhile he told me he was just leaning back in his harness enjoying the view when a snowy owl landed on the limb right next to him. I guess they were both surprised by seeing each other, the owl flex his talon in Chucks direction and that is when he decided to bail. He said the owl came off the limb and followed him down.

I looked around for the owl, has been a few years since I had last seen one and I admit I had never had the close up experience that Chuck had. It took awhile but finally Chuck went back up the tree and the antenna was mounted and cable secured. Like I said before what could possible go wrong with a simple antenna installation here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,160,862}

[Bobby Bass]

BRING IT ON the snow that is. Installed the two replacement belts on the snow thrower this morning. Sunshine Ray was forecasting some snow for today but no sooner did I install the new belts then Sunshine Ray changed his forecast. The snow is now supposed to fall on the other side of the lake. If I had not changed the belts then for sure it would be snowing right now. Thermometer says eighteen out but the wind chimes are banging away and it feels much colder. Dogs came out side but didn't hang around to watch me work, they quickly did their thing and headed back to the deck door. Duncan jumped up and rang the door bell and the wife let them back inside the cabin.

Getting to be that time of winter when I should start an inside project. Need something to do other then looking over the seed catalogs that have been coming in along with the fishing catalogs. Watched a little football over the weekend but I don't have a horse in the race so I really don't care who wins or loses. Yesterday I was at my number two granddaughter's school, I was grandpa for the day. Not an award or anything I was just the token grandparent for the day and I spent my time helping out a few teachers. I also felt like I was my granddaughters show and tell item. My only complaint was I had to spend most of the day on my feet as I can't sit down in them little kid chairs. I mean I can sit down on them I just can't get back up out of them.

Since I was at school I brought the granddaughter back home and she didn't have to ride the bus with Bigfoot. Bigfoot is the name the kids have given to the bus driver and I will admit then when we walked by the bus I checked out his feet, I don't know why they call him Bigfoot and the granddaughter didn't know either, I asked. With the granddaughter in her car seat we headed to her house and talked along the way. She is seven going on about twenty-seven I think. When did kids get so smart? She always makes me chuckle and as we drove home we talked about a lot of things, including a fishing trip. She told me she needs to practice on her casting as she is not very good at that but makes up for it by being a good catcher. I told her I know a lot of guys who are good casters but not very good catchers and I thought being a catcher is better.

This fishing trip she has been putting some thought into it. She has not decided yet what part of Lake Iwanttobethere she wants to fish but thinks when the day comes we will know by the weather. We will bring the cooler and have bologna sandwiches with the crust cut off. One side will be white bread and the other side brown bread. We will have Ritz crackers with creamy peanut butter and them Twinkies that I like. We also need a bag of Cheetoes to snack on and to feed the bluegills with. Of course we need bottles of Lake Iwanttobethere Root Beer and she has already talked to Mindy and Mandy who told her they are going to make a special batch just for us. I asked her what day this trip was going to be and she told me "When the day comes we will feel it" now she is starting to sound like her grandmother, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,566,450}

[Bobby Bass]

TAX SEASON IS upon us at least it is for me here. I actually like doing taxes and I do the kids and a few of their friends along of course with the Lodges taxes with the help of the accountant. Today I got one of the daughters all done and played some with my own. Pretty simple now that I am retired but always looking for ways to squeeze something out of the government. For decades I always made to much to get in on any of the programs now I am researching for anything that will save me a dime. Still trying to find away to get paid to go fishing though.

Yesterday afternoon I did spend some time down at the Masterbaiters shop. Vicki needed the afternoon off and from time to time I will fill in for her. Weather has cooled off some and we are a bit more normal temperature wise. That now means that fishermen are out on the ice and the afternoon went quickly. I hardly got much time to check out new lures when I would be interrupted by a paying customer. Sold some minnows and waxies and a new short pole to a guy who didn't want to tell his wife he dropped one of his down the hole. Of course I think bait shops are the original what you say here stays here place. I may be wrong when I think about that as I sure have heard a lot of rumors that might have started at a bait shop. Matter of fact I think the bait shop is as bad as Burt's and Bart's Barber Shop when it comes to keeping secrets.

Our own Bait Room at the Resort is slowing expanding, matter of fact in just a few short months I will have to get together my order for Spring. After being open for one fishing season we have a pretty good handle on what we need to keep hanging on the peg board. So I did notice a few things when I had time to walk around the shop. The price for hard body baits have taken yet another price jump. The jointed lures are at least a couple of bucks more than last season. That is bad for me as I was looking to fill a few empty spots in one of the tackle boxes with some smaller lures to chase smallmouth with this season. Always have to buy two of everything just in case you lose a hot lure or you want to sell it to your fishing buddy at of course a small markup.

When I got back to the cabin last night I found out that Frank the plow driver had left me a surprise. Even though it had not snowed at all he was out plowing and he managed to find some snow somewhere to cover the end of my drive. I think he somehow found out I had replaced the belts on the snow thrower and was just doing his part in making sure I got to try them out. I drove through the pile and parked by the shop. I took the thrower out and ran it down the drive and as long as I had it out I cut into the bank and expanded the drive some. The old snow thrower was really flinging stuff back into the woods, guess I had forgotten how it was supposed to run. A few passes at the end of the drive and it was clear again. Did manage to fling a few rocks off the mailbox and I suppose I should have closed the lid before I filled it up with snow. Actually it worked so good I made a pass over at Chucks and his mailbox was open too, just doing some snow removal here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,568,630}

[Bobby Bass]

WIND IS SWIRLING here at Lake Iwanttobethere but then from what I have heard on the radio it is blowing pretty much everywhere. Never have been much of a fan of the wind maybe because I am not a sailor or do I hang glide. Of course back when I was a kid hang gliding was still just someone's dream not something one would really do. I have in the past took a few runs on an iceboat here at Lake Iwanttobethere, Snow free ice is needed and you glide across the ice with the wind filling your sail and the sound of the runners on the ice beneath you. It has been several years since I have done that and no one is running their iceboats on the ice this winter, not with two feet of snow cover.

I am sitting in the den watching the wind blow snow up against the window glass. We have had a couple of inches of light powered fall overnight, not really enough to shovel. The wind is doing its best to move the light snow everywhere but where I would want it. A drift is forming across the drive and another one is blocking the shop door. Wind chimes are banging away and the two bird feeders I can see are out of seed and swaying. I don't know if birds emptied them or Ed and Eddie the squirrels. Daughter called earlier telling me her husband, my son in law is back home from North Dakota two days early. Storm brewing out that way and they shut down early with some bad luck the storm has followed him back to the lake.

Grand kids are coming over tomorrow looking to spend another long weekend. I do not remember having so much time off from school when I was young. Already the daughter told me that the granddaughter is making a list of "Projects" for us to do. The list is being written in crayon which is of course appropriate for her age. Forecast is calling for it to be in the twenties over the weekend before heading back to zero to stay the rest of the week. I was thinking of taking the snow thrower to the big garden and blowing all the snow into a big pile in the center. The snow there has been undisturbed for the whole winter and I was thinking maybe the kids could dig out an ice shelter from the pile. At the very least it would keep them busy for an afternoon. I have not mentioned the plan to the wife who I am sure will come out with several reasons for not doing it.

Spent some time on the phone with my neighbor Chuck, we covered a lot of topics. One of them was him and the new wife are thinking hard about selling the horses. In their place they are talking of bring in some beef and if I would be interested in throwing in with them on a couple of head. The idea of some fresh T-bones on the grill is a no brainer and I told him to go for it. They are still in the talking stage but maybe by spring we will have some dinner walking around in the pasture over there. A gust of wind just rattled the windows here a tad and made me look out at the lake which I can't really see with the blowing snow. Getting dark out and there will be no star gazing tonight. I know Marv and Elmer are spending the night on the ice, fishing, Elmer says the night before a storm is always a good night to fish. Chuck suggested that maybe after dark we should head down to the shanty and give it a few good shakes and play with the old guys some. Last year we tied a rope to it and pulled the shanty off their holes while they were sleeping. I still don't think they know we were the ones that did it. Never boring here at Lake Iwanttobethere {1,570,301}