Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

A QUIET SUNDAY here at the cabin on the shore of Lake Iwanttobethere. Has been a long week with the loss of Bud my old friend. But like everyone says it is getting better, I am starting to talk about the old man and not choke up. Stories are starting to be told about him as my friends share with me their memories. Duncan is at my side and yesterday I spent most of the afternoon outside working in the garden with my number two granddaughter. We dug for tatters and broke the pitch fork, will have to go down to the General Store tomorrow and buy another. Picked the last of the acorn squash and harvested the sunflowers. The granddaughter pulled some carrots because only she knows how to find the big ones and we got seeds from the tobacco plant to save for next year.

Duncan was busy chasing the little birds that seem to be everywhere. Not the best day for being outside, windy and everything was wet. A few snow flakes may have fallen but we could not agree on it being snow or just really cold rain drops. The wife was inside canning the last of the ripe tomatoes, there are a still some left on a couple of plants in the greenhouse but I will eat them on sandwiches this week. Fire going in the fireplace, not a big one but we needed something to take the chill out of the place. Having almost a week of cool damp windy weather has pretty much shut down any thought of fishing. I guess my fishing vacation has ended unless we get a sunny day this week with no wind.

Mark the mailman has returned to his motor route as has Jessie the paperboy. Duncan has taken over the job of barking when Mark's mail van stops at the end of the drive. Last night for the first time in a long time Barney climbed into my bed and took Bud's spot. Felt good to have that part of the bed filled with dog. So I am getting better, Was having second thoughts about writing actually was thinking about taking a break. Didn't want it, the stories be just me writing about Bud and I have made mention of him some in this one but I would be lying if I was to say he is not on my mind. I think after fourteen years and almost a quarter of my life he should get some face time. But life goes on and things have a way of balancing out.

Friday night something happen that put a big smile on my face. The granddaughter was having a sleep over and she crawled into bed with me and we talked about Bud. I asked her if I could tell her a secret, she is very good at keeping secrets. She said yes and I told her that I am thinking I need to get myself a puppy because no way was I could to have more cats (three) then dogs in the cabin. Real quiet like she whispered to me, "Can I tell you a secret?" I whispered back "Of course you can" she then made a big deal of looking from right to left making sure that no one could hear her and asked me when is my birthday. I told her June 22nd, she nodded and said "I overheard my mama and auntie talking about getting you a puppy for your birthday" I chuckled softy and had a big grin on my face in the dark. You see I had made a promise to the wife that I would not buy any more dogs, but if I was to get one as a present, well he or she would have to stay here. I am thinking Holly would be a nice name for a female lab here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,266,790}

[Bobby Bass]

I DIDN'T WANT to say anything till I was sure but people the sun is shinning here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Of course the wind is blowing at about twenty-five miles an hour and you have to be careful when you are outside so you don't get hit by a bird. I will explain, the very brisk winds of the past few days has helped along thousands if not hundreds of thousands of songbirds from Canada on their journey to the warmer weather of the southern U.S.of A. In a conversation I had with Sunshine Ray he told me that the birds will not fly across Lake Iwanttobethere because the cooling waters do not provide enough lift for the wings of the little guys. This means the birds follow the shore till they get to this end of the lake and then they go around the lake and continue on their journey.

Normally we don't notice the groups of birds as they come through but with the winds of the past few days they are coming in a mass. Poor Duncan does not know what to do as everywhere he looks there are birds to pursue. He is trying his darnest to keep them away from the garden but when there are hundreds at a time he can't be everywhere. Barney is no help, he just lays in the sunshine on the deck and sleeps and since he is deaf he can't hear all the tweeting. The wife says she won't go outside till they are all gone, but then she is not a fan of Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds and it does kind of look like that around here. I will say one thing, there is not a speck of seed lying on the ground anywhere here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Finally the birds have gotten all the seed from the feeders before Ed and Eddie the squirrels could.

Chuck came over to borrow my leaf blower, told him it was a losing cause but his broke and he wanted to clean out his boat. He forgot to put the cover on and it has filled with fallen leaves. I have been pretty lucky so far, most of the leaves have just blown right through my yard into Elmer's. Today I am well into the fall to do list, not checking many things off just mostly adding to it. I did empty the rain barrels and they still need to get washed out. I did one the other day and then set it on the play house deck to dry. My granddaughter when she was here on Friday asked me with her hands on her hips why there was a rain barrel on her deck. I told her I was going to store it there for the winter and she told me, very firmly I might add that she will be using her deck during the winter and I should find somewhere else. I just nodded and did not tell her that I have two more to put on the deck hoping she will forget.

Not too bad out this afternoon, amazing how sunny and fifty can feel pretty good as long as you are out of the wind. Not fishing weather for me at least not in a boat, to much wind. Saturday looks like it might be a boat day though. Temps in the fifties, sunny and wind a manageable 10 mph of course that is Sunshine Rays forecast and anything can change between now and then. I will try and get out though, need to clear the fuel lines of gas and then bring the Puddle Humper to the car wash and give it a good rinse before emptying it and wrapping it up for winter. Long range forecast does not show any signs of an Indian Summer so Saturday might just be the last time I get out in a boat. Will have to shift over to bird hunting with Duncan, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,270,231}

[Bobby Bass]

THE PAST WEEK zipped on by here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Had a few days of sunshine and even though it did not warm up much time was spent outside working in the gardens and on the never ending fall to do list. I had broken the pitch fork digging up tatters with the granddaughter and I went down to buy another one at the General Store, Earl showed me a couple of different ones and of course they were the last ones he had in stock. I decided to just buy a replacement handle as that was the third of the cost of a new pitch fork and brought it home. I sat out on the deck with my drill and worked at getting the fork out of the old handle that was protected by metal and what should have been a easy job was becoming a chore. But the afternoon was sunny and I was out of the wind and I was not in any great hurry to get it done.

I was leaning back in my deck chair taking a break watching some leaves fall when Elmer made his way over to my place from his place. He sat down across from me and we exchanged HIYA's and just looked at each other for a spell. I knew he wanted to say "Fixen the pitchfork" but I knew he was not going to say anything because I would have called him out on stating the obvious, just like he would have done to me. So we chatted for awhile but neither one of us brought up the pitchfork between us on the table. After awhile Elmer got up to leave and we bid each other good day, Elmer turned to walk away when he looked back at me and said "Would be a lot quicker if ya just put it in a fire "So I started a fire in the pit and stacked wood around the pitchfork and after awhile the metal got red hot and I pulled it from the fire gave it a tap and the fork fell right out of the wood handle that was wrapped in metal. I let it sit there and cool and moved on to other projects.

Yesterday it was safe to be back outside as the massive flight of songbirds has abated. It is now safe to walk outside with out the chance of being hit by a flying bird. Duncan has been busy though as some of the small songbirds did not survive hitting the widows of the cabin. Duncan would find them on the ground and nose them to see if they were alive and if they were not he would bring them to me. I set them down on the edge of the deck and after awhile Duncan would just bypass me and bring the birds to the deck. Since the ground was soft where I had made Bud's grave I just buried them there, I figured Bud would have been OK with that.

Puddle Humper sits on its trailer with the tarp covering it. Have not emptied it for winter yet as Sunshine Ray is forecasting a few days next week where it might hit sixty. I am thinking there may be a few more days of fishing still left so I have the tarp on to keep the leaves out. Speaking of leaves here on the shores of Lake Iwanttobethere for the most part they are still green but some yellow is showing up. Away from the lake the leaves are pretty much done changing color and are filling up the low spots on the ground. Have not done any bird hunting this week, just don't have the urge even though Duncan has been nosing the gun cabinet and trying to get my attention. Too windy and to many little birds, maybe tomorrow I will go and take a walk down a few of my buddy Chuck's trails. A couple of weeks of some sunshine and no rain with warmer temperatures could sure do a lot into changing this into a normal fall here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,280,221}

[Bobby Bass]

SO I HAVE a new boss here at the cabin on the shores of Lake Iwanttobethere. I am not counting the wife or daughters or even my seven year old granddaughter who has grown into being a pretty good boss. Nope I am talking about Duncan the pup who is no longer a pup but a grown dog and I guess he thinks my master. I say this because Duncan would not take no yesterday afternoon and we went and did some bird hunting. I was taking a break from pushing the lawnmower around getting to places that the riding mower could not reach. Duncan sat on the wood deck and watched me work and from time to time he would sit up and bark to get my attention. I felt he was pointing out spots with his nose that I had missed mowing. After I was done mowing I took the leaf blower out and cleaned off the wood deck and steps and made a few passes across the drive to blow leaves off to the side.

With the push mower put away and the blower hanging from its hook I was thinking about getting on the garden tractor and taking it for a spin. As I started to walk to the shed Duncan started barking and would not stop when I yelled at him to be quiet. I figured something was up, either Ed or Eddie the squirrels were making a raid on the bird feeders or maybe the raccoon that has been hitting the garbage cans at night was making a daylight raid. Nope I was set up, what I did find was my single shot twenty gage leaning up against the deck railing and hanging over the rail was my orange bird vest and Bud's old bell was sitting on top of my hat. I went up the stairs and I spotted the wife looking out the glass of the deck door waving for me to get off her deck. Duncan was wagging his tail so hard his head had to go in the opposite direction so he would not fall over.

I took Bud's bell in my hand and it rang softly, I reached down and took Duncan's collar off and slipped the loop of the bell on to the collar and then snapped it back on around Duncan's neck. The bell rang softly as Duncan continued to wag his tail and I spoke quietly to him telling him fine we will go. My vest went on over my sweatshirt and I cradled the shotgun in my arm and followed Duncan across the yard to the trail. Reaching in my vest I felt for shells and the wife had made sure I had several. Either she was expecting me to shoot a lot of birds or miss a lot, I can never tell with her.

We never saw a bird at least not a grouse but in a way I knew that was not what the wife had in mind when she put the gun and vest out on the deck. It was time to get back up on the horse so to speak and for me that meant it was time to take Duncan into the woods. I knew that and as I walked down the trail behind Duncan I watched him work like Bud had shown him. The pace was a little quicker I didn't have to stop and let Bud catch up but to be fair Duncan did spend a little extra time here and there letting me catch up to him.

Grouse season is short enough without making excuses not to go. I walked behind Duncan and I enjoyed a nice fall walk, brown grass under foot and falling orange leaves tumbling down. Every turn on the trail made both Duncan and myself slow down and peer around it and look down the next stretch of trail like little kids peeking around the corner on Christmas Eve expecting to see Santa. Bud's bell rang softly in the quiet and it looked good hanging on Duncan's collar here on a grouse trail at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,284,269}

[Bobby Bass]

SILENT SUNDAY HERE at Lake Iwanttobethere and I am sitting in the den with the radio tuned into KCUM and some soft music playing. I can hear the wife emptying the dishwasher in the kitchen, the sound of spoons and forks making soft clanking noises as they find their spots in the drawer. Duncan is under the desk at my feet and Barney is over in the corner, snoring. I have not seen any of the cats yet this morning, usually by this time they will have appeared and will jump up on the desk to get in my way or as in the case of Smokie the big tom will flop on my keyboard demanding attention.

The granddaughter is still asleep she had a long day yesterday as she was at a couple of Halloween parties and then came over here for the night. I am thinking about fishing this afternoon and I needed to go to the Masterbaiters shop for a few plastic lures that I was running low on. I have a few but you never know, I might run into a good bite and run out. I asked the granddaughter if she would like to stay home with grandma or go shopping with me. She asked where we were going and as soon as I said the bait shop she was in. Now normally I would just walk into the Masterbaiters Shop head over to the wall where all the plastic baits are hanging on the pegboard and grab what I needed and be back out the door. Shopping with a seven year old is a tad different and one should shop from time to time like one. We took our time and looked at colors and shapes and not prices. We looked at stuff we never have tried and put them back on the hooks and moved on.

So this morning with the cabin pretty quiet I got to thinking about writing stories here at Lake Iwanttobethere. The title is fishing reports but looking back there are not really that many fishing reports. Lake Iwanttobethere has become more about weather reports and fishing and hunting and mowing grass. Tales of past adventures and passing thoughts about life and raising kids and especially dogs. Eight years of Bud and Barney and I hope many many years of Duncan. Winter snow storms and Summer rains Spring thaws and Fall colors. I hope I am letting you in on a little slice of what is going on around here. Not many places like Lake Iwanttobethere not many towns have the FELLOWS and Dock Burriem or Lodges for everyone to gather and exchange stories and learn from them. A good mix of old stuff and new stuff of old values and some plain common sense.

I never know what to write about and I tend to be all over the place, kind of like life I guess. Thing is everyone has stories to tell, and you may not think your life is interesting but it is. If you hunt or fish or have a dog you have a story to tell. Got kids and grand kids you have a wealth of stuff. I am just sharing a slice of life here and if it rings a bell with you then I figure it is all worth it. I should not write on quiet Sunday mornings, Gets me thinking and as the FELLOWS will tell you thinking can sometimes get you in trouble, Sometimes it is best just to do things as planning can just get in the way. Today I am going to spend some time with the granddaughter, maybe watch some football and maybe even go fishing, but I am not going to really plan anything for the day here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,288,235}

[Bobby Bass]

MY PLAN FOR not having a plan went well yesterday, it was so good that I am going to do the same thing today as yesterday and that is not have a plan. Yesterday I spent time with the granddaughter and I watched some football, don't know why I watched football as the home team lost yet again and they could not hear me yelling at them from way up here. I should have gone and done some fishing but I was sitting on the deck in one of the old wood chairs and I had a cigar burning. I get but one cigar a week to smoke these days and to be truthful sometimes I don't even smoke that one during the week. Anyway I was sitting on the deck and it was calm out, the red needle on the Bass thermometer was resting just above sixty degrees in the shade and I was thinking I might be wasting a fishing day. A few minutes later and the wind reappeared and I was back to thinking that just sitting was the better choice.

The daughter was out with the granddaughter as they had gone over to McDonnell's farm to walk the corn maze. They came back with a story to tell as the daughter told me they had some Leafers up taking pictures and a couple of them went and took a walk in the corn maze. Seems that one of the Leafers walked out of the corn maze and across the dirt road to the corn field where he got lost. McDonnell was just about ready to call the Lake Iwanttobethere volunteer fire department to help search for the lost Leafer ( tourist ) when a grouse hunter and his dog found him and escorted him back out and across the road. The Leafer said he was just fine and he would have found his way out by himself if the battery on his phone had not died so he could not use his GPS app. McDonnell was about to tell him all he had to do was look up and he would have seen the windmill but decided to say nothing and told him he owed an extra five dollars for trampling his corn.

The granddaughter came out of the cabin with some milk and a slice of pumpkin pie and sat down at the table alongside of me. I put my cigar out and listen to her version of the lost Leafer story as she ate pie and slurped milk. We then had chores to do as the granddaughter has her own list of things that need to be done. First off we headed to the garden where we cut down stalks of corn and put them in the red wagon. I had to pull the wagon down to the mailbox where we then stood them up and tied them to the post holding the mailbox. I was informed we were doing it because we needed to decorate the mail box for Halloween. With the stalks secured I went to pull the wagon back up the hill but not till she got in for a free ride, I think the ride was also on her list of things for me to do.

This afternoon finds an overcast sky overhead and calm winds. I have been in an out of the cabin and a few drops of rain have fallen but nothing that would get you wet if you were caught under them. I took the tarp off the Puddle Humper and cleaned some leafs off the carpet, changed lures on a couple of rods and checked to see how much gas I have in the tank. Battery charger is humming just to make sure the trolling battery is ready and tomorrow I am going fishing. Sixty in the shade is the battle cry and I can't very well be sitting at home if it is that warm in the middle of October here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,291,746}

[Bobby Bass]

TOUGH CALL YESTERDAY, the red needle on the bass thermometer hanging on the siding here at the cabin was nudging sixty degrees and I had a decision to make. Fishing, golfing, bird hunting or raking leafs. Right off the bat raking leafs was ruled out, there are still way to many in the trees hanging on even in the brisk wind. I figured golfing would be nice but my neighbor Chuck was busy cursing and beating up his truck with a hammer as the night before his wheel bearing went out on his pickup. No golfing or fishing for him till it was fixed. A walk on the trails might be a good idea but there are still leaves up and it might be a tad warm to do to much walking. So that left fishing, o well I suppose I could go wet a line.

Raking leaves might have been a better choice. Loaded up the Puddle Humper and took off for what is usually a good fall lake only to arrive to fifteen plus mile winds and they were coming out of the North, not good on this lake as the lake runs North-South. I was having second thoughts even about launching but I have had days like this before and sometimes, not all the time you get surprised by the fishing so I launched. First mistake I stepped in a little too far and some water spilled over the top of my right boot. It was not warm and as I parked the Tahoe I had a little squishing going on in my boot and my toes confirmed that the water was cold. I pushed the Puddle Humper out into the lake and took my boots off, dried my feet with a towel I have on hand just for that reason and put my shoes on. I checked the graph and it was reading forty-seven degrees, yup the water was a little cool.

I worked by way up the shoreline going against the wind and tossing a big spinner bait at a few likely spots. Not ten minuets into fishing and a real nice bass was chasing down my bait nipping at the big purple trailer I had on it. In a split second I saw the fish, the fish saw me, we had a brief tug of war over my trailer and the fish darted off under the boat and was gone. I was thinking it might just be one of them days but in the next two hours that is all I saw or felt for fish. There was no dock pattern to fish as all the docks were pulled up and resting on green grass. In there place I spotted a couple of ice houses pulled down close to shore ready to be pushed onto ice which I hope is still a few months away. A couple of ducks quacking and the sound of someone sawing wood with a chain saw is all that broke up the quiet of the afternoon.

The wind was not looking like it was going to go away, it was blowing up waves on my favorite points and the big reed bank was like fishing in a wind tunnel. I tucked away behind a small island but even there the wind wanted to suck me back out. I ate a sandwich, and drank a little water. Started the big motor and rode on top of the waves to the other end of the lake and fished for a few minutes but doubt had already settled in. Figured I was just wasting my time so I headed back to the landing and found another trailer parked alongside mine. Never saw anyone on the lake so I don't know where they are hiding at. Took my time and got the Puddle Humper ready for the ride back home. Usually I am doing this in the dark so it was kind of nice to have daylight to see by. I ate my second sandwich and sipped on a soda leaning up against the side of the boat and looking out at the lake. I took in the deep smells of fall and watched leaves fall on the water of a lake near a lake near Lake Iwanttobethere {2,294,065}

[Bobby Bass]

GO SOUTH YOUNG man go south is what Elmer told me when I related to him my fishing experience of the other day. The water is warmer that way and so that is what I did yesterday, I fished a lake to the south of Lake Iwanttobethere. Stormy Clearweather had forecasted that the winds would be calm and the further I would travel from Lake Iwanttobethere the warmer the air would get, she lied. When I left the cabin it was fifty out and foggy but I could see some light in the sky where the sun should be. Twenty miles away and the Tahoe thermometer was showing fifty-five and there was some sunshine. By the time I got to the boat landing it was fifty-seven and I was looking forward to the forecasted sixty-three by late afternoon. Two other trailers were sitting in the parking lot and I was not alone in thinking this might be a decent fishing day.

It went down hill shortly after I launched. I stayed dry but the wind instead of dying kept on building. I started off with a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt, shortly after being on the water the pull over golf wind jacket went on, half way down the shoreline the big heavy black hoodie went on and I traded my baseball cap for a stocking hat. Water was warmer then the northern lake of a few days ago as the graph was reading fifty-one. I guess no one was telling the fish it was warmer as I was not getting any bites. Some docks were still out so that was good to see but I must have picked the pontoon taking out day to fish. A steady stream of pontoons were making their way to the landing to be pulled out by pickups and four wheelers and a couple of farm tractors.

The local population of geese were busy as they kept flying overhead in flights of twenty birds or more. Flying low over the water they would not gain any height till they were almost on top of me. I was thinking they almost looked like bombers making practice runs. A few mallards kept pace with me I am sure looking for handouts, but after awhile they left me for the quiet water behind a big boat dock. I was thinking that in my journal that this trip was going to go down as a boat ride and not a fishing trip as after two hours I had not had even a tap that I could call a bite. The good shore line that I would have liked to fish was feeling the brunt of the wind and waves so I didn't even go there. Instead I headed towards the landing and fished a small bay figuring I would get off when there was a break in the pontoon loading.

Wind was a little better so I dropped the trolling motor into the water and decided to throw a few casts while I waited. Gloves were on now making fishing a little more interesting but I was thinking this might be my last time out so I might as well keep a line wet. The idea of being skunked two trips in a row gets a guy thinking that fishing season might just be done. I felt a tap on my rod and a pull and a quick hook set had me with a fish on. Looking down into the clear water I watched as a pike went zipping by heading for under the boat and was trying hard to take my rod with it. I know I had a smile on my face as I was not going to be skunked and even though it was a Pike I could live with that. A couple of quick pictures and I lifted up a chubby four pounder into the Puddle Humper.

I eased the Pike back into the water and figured as long as I am here I could toss a few more casts and so I did. Five minutes later a bass hit and I did the same with him, a couple of pictures in the water then I eased him into the boat and released him with a thank you. Now I was ready to take the boat out of the water. By the time I started the Tahoe the thermometer was reading forty-seven, a far cry from the forecasted sixty-three. Good thing I got off the water, I was running out of jackets to put on here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,297,512}

[Bobby Bass]

SPENT THE WEEKEND at the Resort had a list of things that needed to be done up there. We dug up the last of the tatters and pulled tomato plants out of the garden. I helped Vic as we hauled in loads of fallen leaves as there is no shortage of them around the Resort. The FELLOWS have a large shredder that we used to make mulch of the leaves and anything else that happen to get picked up. The compost pile was turned over using the tractor which is a lot easier then doing it with a pitch fork like I have to at home. Even thinking I will keep adding to the compost pile at the Resort and maybe I will be able to make enough extra to bring a load back to the garden at the cabin next spring.

My neighbor Chuck was also at the Resort on Sunday, told me he had to get away from the cabin before anything else breaks on him. First it was the wheel bearing on his truck that he fixed and then the next day the power steering line blew. I told him if he stopped driving the truck he would stop breaking stuff on it. That is why I park the Dodge for seven months out of the year, I get great gas mileage that way to. Wood shop is pretty much clean and waiting for winter still have not sawed the big white pine logs yet but it is on the list of things to do. The fir has been cut and is stacked neatly drying, Chuck has a few projects in mind for the wood next spring.

Sunday was a surprise as it was much warmer then forecasted. We ran the antenna cable out on to the deck and moved the TV out there is watch the football game. Hammering Hank is not a big fan of the local football pro team and we had to listen to him all game long telling us how the home team was going to lose and sure enough on the last play of the game they did. Rather then listen to him patting himself on the back everyone who was on the deck scattered as we still had half of a nice Sunday afternoon. Vic and Dock Burriem made their way down to the mail boat and set off to drift in the small bay. The plan was to do some fishing but more likely they were having a few nips from Dock's flask and just enjoying the afternoon. Elmer and Marv not in a hurry to go anywhere just sat back in their chairs and tuned there hearing aids off and watched and smiled from time to time as Hammering Hank waved his hands in the air and said " I told you so"

At half-time I had gone over to the Tahoe and emptied out the back of the truck. I was thinking of doing a little bird hunting so I piled gear on top of a bale of straw and with the football game done I headed that way with Duncan close at my side. With Duncan's mentor Bud now gone almost three weeks Duncan has been a little lost, Actually we both have but we are getting better. I didn't think Duncan could spend any more time with me but I was wrong, he does not let me leave his sight unless he is at the cabin and the wife is baking cookies. I was holding Duncan collar in my hand and I saw him nuzzling the hunting vest and managed to snap a picture of him, caught in the act of trying to get a reward biscuit from the vest.

I changed boots put on my vest and Duncan and I took a walk down the trail that runs past the garden and goes back into the poppel. Trees are starting to get bare back there as the wet and windy weather had taken a lot of the leaves down. They make that crunching ruffle sound when you walk through them and the forest smells earthy. Duncan with his head down low and his tail up high plows through the fallen leaves like a vee plow going through a fresh snowfall. From time to time he will raise his head to snort leaves out of his nose and to check to see if I am still following him. I am, with a smile on my face and memories of how Bud would do the same thing here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,303,360}

[Bobby Bass]

DEBATING ON CHANGING the lower unit oil on the Puddle Humper. I was in town today and stopped off at Dan's parts store and right as you come in the door there was a display of lower unit gear oil. I bought one for the Puddle Humper and a can of fogging oil. The tube of lube is sitting here on my desk and it would be an easy thing to walk out to the Puddle Humper and change the lower unit but if I did that I would be making a commitment that I am really done fishing for the year, can't pull that trigger just yet. Sunshine Ray is forecasting a little warm up and we may see a couple of days in the low sixty's here by the end of the week. I know the water is still cold and I am guessing it is still getting colder as I type this but.... I am still thinking there is a big northern out there waiting for me to throw something in his or her way.

On my way back to the cabin I gave a wave to Frank the plow driver. He was out plowing leaves here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Yes from time to time the leaves get so deep that we have to have them plowed into the ditches. Trouble there is sometimes the Leafers who stop in the middle of the road to take pictures walk off toward the woods and disappear into the deep leaf filled ditches. Town council a few years back approved some "DITCH LEAF FILLED" signs only to have most of them stolen that fall. They have since been replaced with "DANGER- DITCH" signs and had the FELLOWS were hired to install them. If there is anyone that can screw something up or on it is the FELLOWS.

When I was in town I also noticed a few of the locals starting to wear their blaze orange caps. Deer season is just around the corner so to speak and I did make a stop at Ma and Pa's grocery just to check in and to make sure we still have our freezer space for this season. As long as I was there I had Pa slice me up a couple of pounds of thick sliced bologna and he wrapped the six slices in white paper and chatted with me as he worked. I paid Ma for the cold cuts and headed out the door, the bell jingling over my head. No sooner did I hit the sidewalk then my nose picked up the smell of fresh bread and almost in a trance I turned and walked over to Amy's Bakery and found myself inside. Amy with a smile came out from behind the glass display cases with a glass of milk and a large portion of apple pie, not what I had on my mind but since she went through all that trouble I sat down and smacked my lips in anticipation.

I left Amy's with my cold cuts and a couple of loafs of thick sliced fresh warm bread. A loaf of wheat and a loaf of rye better known as the top and bottom to my bologna sandwiches. A few more HIYA's were spoken to locals as I made my way back to the Tahoe. I opened the door to find Duncan curled up on my seat, he stood up wagged his tail and pushed his nose into my coat pocket. There was no hiding the chunk of scrap that Pa had given me to give to him. With his treat secured he headed to the back seat and sprawled across it. With the widow down I headed back home and that is when I saw Frank the plow driver pushing leaves.

The rest of my afternoon was stolen by a Time Bandit that is what I refer to my grand kids as. This afternoon the daughter had a doctor's appointment and baby M was at the cabin when I got back. Baby M is now walking and one has to keep an eye on here. Duncan does a pretty good job of being a baby-sitter but once she is done dropping her cookie crumbs he losses interest. Before I knew it the daughter was back from the doctor and done visiting with her mother in the kitchen. Meanwhile Baby M was in the den with me stealing time as I don't know where time goes when you are with your granddaughter playing blocks and going through the toy box here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,307,415}

[Bobby Bass]

MUST BE ONE of them kind of days here at Lake Iwanttobethere. This morning I had to run into town and do a few errands, had a few projects and I needed to pick up some things. Nice sunny day so I thought I would patch a few cracks on the sidewalk that runs out to the garage. Been meaning to do it but just ran out of summer. I called Big Earl at the General Store and he said he had some premixed pail stuff that would do the trick. I was all for that as I didn't want to make a big deal out of mixing up some cement, figured that would be a project for next summer. I had some bills to mail but was out of stamps so my first stop was the Post Office where I ran in to my first part time employee of the day.

Now normally here at Lake Iwanttobethere we are pretty high tech, as least as high tech as we want to be and still be able to call ourselves a small town. I figured I was going to have one of them days when I went inside the Post Office to find a young feller working the window and before him a small hand written sign said CLOSED- INTERNET DOWN I said good morning to him and asked for ten first class stamps, he pointed to the sign and just said sorry. I looked over the top of my glasses and repeated myself, Ten first class stamps please. He pointed at the sign and said he can't sell any stamps with out the Internet. I was about to say something when Mark the postmaster came around the corner and opened the drawer and handed me ten first class stamps. I gave him a five dollar bill and he gave me change from the drawer. I nodded and went on my way thankful that I was not going to have to teach the young feller how to sell stamps and make change with out the Internet to help him.

Next stop was the bank, I drove up to the drive up window and exchanged hellos with a young teller. She looked at my check and asked me how I would like my money back and I told her IN LARGE BILLS, she smiled back at me through the bullet proof glass and said "All of our bills are the same size" I nodded and told her I guess that they will just have to do.

Was getting towards lunch time and I was a tad hungry, figured I would treat my self to one of them subway sandwiches. I drove up to the open bulletproof glass window and placed my order. I asked for minimal lettuce and the young clerk told me they only have Iceberg lettuce, told him I guess that will just have to do. The bill came to 5.25 I handed over a ten dollar bill and a quarter. The clerk told me I gave him to much money. I shrugged and just said "Give me five dollars back" clerk told me he could not do that with out the manager's permission, told him I would wait.

Ate my sandwich in the parking lot and then headed over to the General Store, Said HIYA to Big Earl out on the sidewalk and he told me Junior had already pulled a pail of the premixed patching cement for me and it was under the front counter. I thanked him and went inside, Barb was on break and there was a young gal working the register. I told her I had a pail of cement under the counter with my name on it and she looked and asked if I was Mister Ready Mix and she lifted it up on the counter. I just nodded and took out my wallet and pull a twenty out, she saw the cash and leaned over to the mike and said " Junior, there is some guy up here who wants to pay with cash" I hope this happens every where, just not here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,310,068}

[Bobby Bass]

GRAND DAUGHTER TOOK a spill on her bike and the daughter asked if I would come over and take a look at the bike. First off the granddaughter is OK as it is getting hard to get hurt riding a bike these days. The days of riding a bike without a helmet and full body armor have past. Not that I am complaining to much about that as I am getting to the age that it might be a good idea for me to start wearing body armor. Yesterday I patched the sidewalk and I was backing up to admire my work and tripped on a trowel. Just about took a tumble but managed to stay up right. Elmer is right when he says you need to watch your step the older you get.

So I went to the daughter's house and saw the bike resting against the living room wall, I didn't see any damage but the daughter said the granddaughter was complaining it does not shift right. I looked at it and saw that it was one of the eighteen gear thingies with a lot of chain and screws and springs and told the daughter it is out of my league but I could spend some time and tinker with it. Daughter told me that was OK she just needed me to bring it down to the Spokes N Wheels, it was due for a tune up anyway.

I have driven by the Spokes n Wheels Shop many a time just never stopped, I parked out front and pulled the bike out of the back of the Tahoe and rode it in... Ya right, I held on to the handle bar and pushed it in. Pretty fancy door as I came up on it and it opened upward for me, I was impressed. Inside rows and rows of bikes and all of them had yellow tags hanging from the handlebars with a lot of numbers on them. The inexpensive cheap bikes of my youth were not going to be found here. I made my way to the service counter where a young guy wearing a hat that said BIKE TECH. He took my information and then came around to look over the granddaughters bike. He picked it up and spun the back tire and said that a GEAR GUY would have to look at it. I asked how long would that be and in said in just a few minutes.

I figured I would wait so I browsed a little and quickly came to the conclusion that I am glad I am not in need of buying a bike. I did see a row of bikes that were more in line with what I paid in the past and asked the guy with the hat about them, he told me they were day rentals and not for sale. I just nodded my head and went to look at the wall of body armor, helmets and padded fingerless gloves. I turned back to see the bike tech guy looking over the granddaughters bike and I walked over. He was now sporting a GEAR GUY hat and I just smiled as it is not unusual to wear many different hats here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Ten minutes later and the bike was pronounced good to go and no there was no charge, he even rolled it out to the Tahoe and put it in for me. Told him thanks and was on my way, I give the Spoke N Wheel Shop a thumbs up for service.

Dropped the bike off at the daughter's house and took the back road back to the cabin. I was driving slow and looking over the gravel shoulder for some grouse as you never know when you are on these back roads. I was thinking of my old bike, a Jc Higgins three speed and where I used to ride it and the trouble I got into it with it, Glad I didn't have eighteen speeds back then, that would have been an accident just waiting to happen here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,314,886}

[Bobby Bass]

LOOKING RATHER BLEAK on this end of Lake Iwanttobethere. Over the past few days the leaves on the maple trees that have been hanging on just kind of gave up the good fight and fell to the ground. Apple trees are still holding on to their green leaves but they are not holding any apples for the second season in a row. Well there are eight apples on the one tree that turned red late and emerged from behind the green leaves. I was thinking of picking them for a pie but then I thought I would just leave them up there and see what happens to them. My neighbor across the road hearing I was apple poor gave the wife two bags of apples for pie making. The neighbor knows how I can get without my fall apple pie. The wife made three pie's day before yesterday and brought one of them over to the neighbor who gave us the apples, I did complain a little telling the wife that the neighbor probably has more pie then we do.

Civilization has reached its long skinny finger of asphalt that much closer to the cabin. The newly rebuilt roadway that my driveway ends up on is pretty much all done and the day before yesterday they painted a yellow line down the center. Still not totally done but they are getting closer and no longer will I have to take detours or put on my old white hard hat and orange vest and pretend I am one of them as I drive around barricades. Of course having the Puddle Humper on the trailer behind the Tahoe might be a give away but I am already past them but the time they see the boat. With the new roadway I am sure I will see a mess of bikers riding the new ribbon next summer. Have already heard many a story from Elmer talking of the old days of having to ride a horse to get to the cabin, I think he might be embellishing it a tad but then again Elmer is a pretty old coot.

Been working on the do list and things are getting wrapped up here. Work trailer is put away and covered in its blue tarp. Wheel barrow is leaning on its side up by the fire wood pile and the splitting maul is leaning against the stump. Tiller is cleaned and tucked away in the back of the garage and there is an open spot where the snow blower should be. I have not bought one to replace the old one that died last winter. I have been at the General Store a few times eyeing one that Big Earl has. Don't want to seem to interested in it as he will know I need one. My neighbor Chuck has a plow truck that he has been wheeling and dealing with his brother over. The truck has been sitting there for a couple of seasons in storaage but just last week the plow finally arrived for it and Chuck stuck it on the truck. He is thinking a couple off passes with the old plow truck would save him a ton of time as it would move a lot more snow then the tractor. Thing is we need to get some snow and make some snow piles, the dump truck does not have the greatest brakes and we would need some banks for it to hit to make sure it stops. I say we because he already promised he would come over and plow both my drive and Elmer's.

Kind of a gloomy dark day here at the Lake today. Few rain showers fell this morning but even though it is damp out it is not dripping wet. Am thinking that me and Duncan will go take a walk here. With the leaves pretty much all down it is time to leave the single shot twenty gage in the cabinet and take out the side by side double. Have to put twice as many shells in my pocket and maybe an extra bone or two for Duncan. Lots of work to still do outside but it is a little cool to be working out in the damp. Funny thing it is just the right temperature for dragging your boots through wet quiet leaves on a damp trail with a dog here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,322,782}

[Bobby Bass]

I CARRIED THE blue plastic tote out to the Tahoe this morning and exchanged it for the gray plastic tote that had SUMMER written in bloc letters on its side. Inside the winter tote there were gloves and a hat, window scraper, window ice melt, a small blanket, disposable heat packets and some old Kit Kat's. Last night shortly after dark it started to snow here at Lake Iwanttobethere, nothing big and not deep enough to track a mouse in but yet it was snow. The afternoon was divided up into rain and sleet showers, heavy enough at times to get you wet if you were dumb enough to stand out in it and enough to make you miserable if you had to be out working in it.

Had to run into town this morning and when I walked by the bass thermometer hanging on the side of the cabin the red needle was pointed at just under thirty. I tapped it and it dropped down some more. I am sure it was colder somewhere else but it was cold enough here for me. I started the Tahoe and let it run as I went back to the boat house and grabbed the shovel and small rake and picked up a few surprises in the yard left behind by Duncan and Barney. Won't be long and we will have enough snow on the ground that I will not be worrying about picking up behind them. Garden hose was out, guess I should put that away and I made an attempt to roll it up but it had water inside and of course it was frozen. Instead I dragged into a part of the yard that will get sunshine today and will let it melt.

The ride into town was uneventful, Duncan was at home, warm in bed. Barney did give me a look but he to preferred the warmth of the bed and now that I was out of it he didn't have to share. What little snow that fell last night was already gone, letting the Tahoe warm up some was a good idea as when I went to lower the window it was frozen and I had to try a few times before it would go down. Grass is still a deep dark green but the hillside trees are now bare of leaves. The color is gone and in its place it a lot of brown and gray and the occasional white of a birch tree. Going to be that way till next spring and already I am missing summer.

In town a lot of ghost and goblins decorate store windows and Big Earl standing outside of his store wearing his bright orange apron does not look out of place. He has a fog machine running at the door and of course it has a yellow tag hanging from it declaring it is the last one in stock. Ma and Pa's Grocery store was my destination as the granddaughter is having a birthday party tomorrow and there was a box of stuff that I was supposed to pick up for the party. The ladies had a to do list and on the bottom of the do list was give the do list to me to finish doing what they didn't get to. Running errands into town to pick up decorations and a last minute search for pumpkins was on the list.

Back from town I parked the Tahoe and the sun was shinning brightly. Water that froze overnight was now thawing out if it was in the sunshine but the deck that was still in the shade and was cover in frozen drops of water slippery enough to skate on with your boots. Elmer was sitting in the kitchen making small talk with the wife and I noticed a plate in front of him with a fork. Elmer looked at me with a smile on his face and just smacked his lips, I had it already figured out he had some of my apple pie while I was gone. I was holding on to the to do list when the wife handed me yet another page of things they had not gotten around to. I glanced at it and saw I was to pick up some hay bales and before I could say anything the wife said I could use Chuck's truck, she already asked. I headed back out the door and this time Duncan was on my heels, we took the trail over to Chuck's house and found Chuck under the hood of the pickup. Looks like it was not going to be all that easy of a day here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,329,434}

[Bobby Bass]

THE WINTER TEASE looks to be over, at least for a few days. We had a little snow and woke up to a couple of mornings where the water was froze in the dog bowl outside. Halloween came and went and nothing to report on that other then there are fewer and fewer kids making the trek up the driveway to ring the bell for candy. Once again this year Old McDonnell loaded up his hay wagon with kids and made the run down our road so the kids would not have to walk between cabins. You could hear the horses coming as their hoofs rang out as they walked along on the newly paved road. The kids would come up Chuck's drive then take the path to my place and then get back on the path to Elmer's where they would then follow his driveway back down to the road where Old McDonnell would have the wagon waiting. Other then my own grand kids that came with their parents that one group was the only group that knocked on the door. Elmer was saying he got all dressed up in his bibs and pitchfork for nothing till I pointed out that is how he dresses everyday.

Saturday afternoon I was at the Resort, went to watch the pumpkin chunking. The FELLOWS have a small catapult that they built for one of the FELLOWS kids school projects. After breaking a few windows and putting a hole in a garage roof it was deemed unsafe for the kids and the FELLOWS and removed by their wives. Somehow the FELLOWS located it and it was brought to the Resort for safe keeping. The FELLOWS had other ideas and come Saturday afternoon they were busy tossing pumpkins and gourds they had collected from home, recycling they called it. As an added twist after the first few were launched they decided they would use the pumpkins as target practice for their goose guns. As I sat on the deck I watched the FELLOWS take turns missing the pumpkins with their ten gage shotguns. It was almost as much fun as watching Tiny trying to catch a pumpkin and it explained why the FELLOWS never shoot any geese.

Back at home I am still working on the fall to do list and for some reason this year it seems I am making no headway on it. Might be because I am spending more time sitting and adding to the list then actually working and checking any thing off of it. Deer season is almost on us and I have been making the rounds talking on the phone to the guys and planning our stay at the deer shack. It was suggested that this season we should go back and try a good old fashion deer season at camp. This means no cell phones, no GPS no laptops no TV just beans, beer and brats. As the years have gone by we have gotten away from ruffing it so to speak and have been bring to many of the conveyances of home along to camp. We talked about it some last deer camp and I am for it, some of the younger guys think it would be a real adventure while some of the older guys are welcoming the idea of not having to listen to stray music from ear buds turned up to loud or the sound of phones ringing with calls and text messages from wives and girlfriends.

I told Elmer if that is the case then he and Marv will have to take their hearing aids out, he told me that is not a problem because half the time he has them turned off anyway. No electric generator, light will be from the stove and from the propane lanterns. For me it means no laptop so if I want to write anything it will have to be in a journal with a pencil. Might be pretty quiet on here as I don't write well wearing choppers in a deer stand. Everyone is supposed to get together on Tuesday night down at the Dew Drop Inn for supper and we will decide then if we are going to have an old fashion hunt. I didn't say Good Old Fashion because a lot can happen in a dark deer shack in the back woods here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,334,034}

[Bobby Bass]

PUDDLE HUMPER IS all tucked away for the next six months. On Monday the son came over with his boat and parked it along the garage. It was covered in a tarp and I heard a comment about picking it back up in the spring. I figured it was time for me to put the Puddle Humper away so I got out the check list and started working my way down the page. I had already been to the car wash so it was pretty clean and I just put some gas in the leaf blower and it was handy so I fired it up and cleared away the maple leaves that had fallen into the boat. Not spotless but good enough I thought as I picked out a few leaves that resisted the leaf blower. Cardboard boxes came out and the plastic tackle boxes found their way to the correct cardboard box along with all the little things that I have in the boat that I never think about till I need them.

Storage under the seats was emptied and with the boat empty I open the screws and drained the lower unit. Next was a search for all the bungee cords that hold on the winter tarp and were used during the summer for other things. I found some of them hanging on the fence and a few more in the wood shop and yet a few more in the garden. With the lower unit oil changed I fogged the motor and wiped it down. Next up was removing the trolling motor and the two batteries and they found there way down to the basement and the empty shelf in the wood room that is reserved for them. Framework went up inside the Puddle Humper and I put the tarp on and secured it from the snow and wind that should be here soon. Sounds pretty easy, actually only took a couple of hours with a few breaks, wish putting the boat back together come spring would be so easy.

Boxes with the boat gear was put back on the high shelf's going down to the basement and reel drags were loosen and the rods put in the holders along the wall. I sat down at the deck and checked everything off the list and made a few notes for next spring. Trolling motor plate was a little loose so I made a note to tighten that next year along with painting the trailer with a big ? behind it. Lower unit oil was dumped out inside the oil barrel and the oil pan put back in the garage. During the whole time I was doing this Duncan was close by, for the most part sitting and watching me work except when I had to get down on the ground and put the lower unit oil in. Then he decided to crawl under the trailer and make his way up close so he could watch and not miss anything.

With the boat check list complete I sat back in the wood chair on the deck and took in the view. Sun was low in the sky and it takes a little getting use to the lost of an hour of afternoon light. The only trees with any green leaves left on them are the apple trees and everything else is naked. Was thinking of getting the rider out and mulching up some leaves but I figured just sitting for a spell and enjoying what might be the last fifty degree day for awhile was a better choice. Duncan flopped down on the deck alongside of me and decided it was nap time, I guess watching me work was just too hard on him. I pulled my collar up around my neck and tucked my hands deep inside my pockets. Sitting out of the sun and not moving around it was getting to feel a little cool. Not that many days from now and I will find myself sitting in a deer stand and I was thinking, a fifty degree day and long underwear will feel good here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,339,241}

[Bobby Bass]

CLOCK IS TICKING so to speak as we are just a few days away from the firearm deer season here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Most of the guys made it to supper at the Dew Drop Inn on Tuesday evening. Lasagna was the special and I think everyone had a serving if not two. French bread and a salad washed down with some smuggled in Hamms made it almost feel like we were at deer camp already. The reason for dinner was to vote on the idea that we should be an old time hunting camp and electronics should stay at home. No laptops or cell phones or GPS units would be allowed. TV was no big deal as the home football team was not playing this weekend so no one was going to miss a game. After much talking it came down to the old guys against the young guys and the middle age guys in the middle not caring either way so a compromise was made. One hour, that is how long you will be able to use your cell phone or in my case lap top. Now this is not an hour of use but you can only use it during one hour. Say from six to seven in the evening. We figured this way the young ones could get all caught up with their texting and calls could be made home if needed.

No one is going to police the decision as we all agree it would be on the honor system. I may or may not post some stories as I am leaning toward the quiet of an old fashion hunting camp. Since the cell phones are going to be OK'd the power for the camp will be turned off. Not even an hour a day will we run the power as we are going to have an old fashion hunting camp where propane will be king and coffee will be made on top of the potbelly stove and not in a mister coffee. Batteries will be allowed so radios can be used and cell phones till they go dead, no power so no chargers that goes for my laptop and my e-reader. Will have to pack along a few books to read and I think guys will be heading to bed early.

Today I am just killing time looking around the cabin for things that need to be packed. Most of my gear is already laid out in the extra bedroom or hanging out in the boathouse. Gun has been cleaned yet again and my knapsack has been checked for hand warmers and my compass. Skinning knife and drag rope and extra gloves and a bag of lemon drops to keep the cough away when sitting on the stand. Duncan has been following me around he knows something is up and the wife pointed that out to me. I think he smells the gun oil on my pants and figures we are going bird hunting, he is just waiting to see when.

Have not even looked at the weather forecast, can't do anything about it so I figured why bother listening to it. Will pack for snow and hope for no rain. Always cold on the stand so dress warmly, walk in light and carry your warm layers in. Wind is the only thing you can't really control. Wind with a little rain gets anyone cold especially the older ya get and I am getting old, makes me wonder how Elmer and Marv do it, cuz they are really old !

Will be leaving for deer camp tomorrow, I go up early in the day as it is really not that far from the cabin here and I have to haul up groceries from Ma and Pa's. That and I like to have the first parking spot close to the door at camp. Hammering Hank and Skinny were up to the camp yesterday and it is a good thing they had the chain saw with, a couple of birch were down across the trail leading in and would have been a problem if you were coming in alone. Trees were cut up and the trunks were dragged into the parking clearing, young guys can cut them up into firewood when they are bored. May or may not get another story out, if I don't for those of you who are out in the woods this weekend be safe and be smart. If you know where the deer camp is better known as the HOTEL stop on by, Bring your flashlight as we are not going to have any lights on here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,344,723}

[Bobby Bass]

RAIN AND SNOW is in the forecast from Sunshine Ray today. Matter of fact the thirty-eight degrees might be the warmest it is going to be for the next ten days and a good chance it will be the warmest for all of deer season. Does not look like any tee shirt hunting will be done this year. I have some time on my hands as Chuck is going to be riding up to the HOTEL with me but he had to run into town with the wife for a few last minute things. No big deal I always plan on leaving well before I actually do. Matter of fact I took a look at the weather and saw that some rain is on its way with a good chance of snow. Still had some gas in the lawn tractor so I fired it up and ran across the yard a few times mulching up the last of the maple leaves that had fallen. The trees are bare around here, not a single leaf on the big maple and I am pretty sure every one of them fell on my side of the fence this year.

Got the leaf blower out and there was some gas in that so I started it up and blew off the deck and down the sidewalk. Mostly just make work but when it snows it is nice not to have to deal with any leaves. My knee feels a lot better today then yesterday, I was worried there for awhile. The other day I was coming up on the big deck and Duncan raced out the door to greet me. He was moving a little quicker then he thought he was and when he went to stop on the deck he just slid right into my leg and buckled my knee. Knee ain't supposed to go that way and when you start getting a little older and have a bad one already I thought the worse. Yesterday I woke up and sure enough the knee was talking to me and I hobbled around the cabin. This morning though it feels just fine but I am staying away from stairs, don't want to test it till I have to climb up into my stand.

Tahoe is packed and check list has been checked twice or is it four times? Even the wife went over the list and could not find anything that I had forgotten. Duncan knows something is up but the wife said she will bake some cookies and Duncan will forget all about me once the first cookie accidentally falls to the kitchen floor. My other list is all checked off to, stuff put away outside. Garden hose rolled up and planters in storage. Not only is deer season a vacation for me but it is for the wife also. She has her own list of things she wants to do while I am gone and I know when I come back all the furniture will be rearranged in the cabin and my closet will be cleaned. I had it on my list to hide some of my favorite work shirts in the garage as we disagree on when a shirt is to worn to be worn. I call them broken in and she calls them dusting rags.

My cell phone charger is sitting on the shelf and she held it in her hand and told me I had forgotten it. I told her about the old fashion deer camp we are having this year and she held the charger in her hand and said something about not being to get a hold of me when ever she wants to. I nodded my head and told her that I knew it might be a problem but you know, the guys voted on it and I have to go along with the majority. She asked how I voted and I told her of course I wanted to keep cell phones but... A little while later she came into the den and told me she just gotten off the phone with Chuck's wife and they were talking about the cell phone restriction. Funny thing Chuck's wife said he voted for the phones to. I just nodded and told her I think everybody else voted against them.

Well, I just got off the phone, Chuck is about thirty minutes away from getting home and we should be on the road here in the next hour or so. Gives me enough time to post this story and give Duncan and Barney some back rubbing ear petting time. A few drops of rain are on the deck so it looks like it is going to be a wet ride up to the HOTEL. You may see us heading north in the Tahoe we will be the one with gear piled up to the ceiling in back and two guys smoking cigars wearing flannels with the windows down and the radio on loud, we are heading to deer camp here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,347,327}

[Bobby Bass]

SITTING HERE AT the HOTEL I am reminded of them old war movies where the guys are writings letters to be sent back home with nothing but a stub of a pencil and the flickering light from the nub of a discarded old candle. Here at the HOTEL we are following through with the no electricity old fashion deer camp. We might have picked a better year though as I looked back through the log book and the past two deer seasons found us with temperatures in the fifties for opening weekend and we are going to be lucky if we top out any day over thirty this week. The main room of the HOTEL takes a long time to heat when we don't have the ceiling fan to move the warm air that rises from the old pot belly stove.

I figured if I conserve my battery on the laptop I will make it till midweek when I have to bring Chuck back to his place. He has to be back for his wedding anniversary on the twelfth and there is no way the wife will let him not be with her for the first anniversary. Since I will be driving him back I figure it will be a good time for me to take a shower and charge the cell and laptop. Our trip up to the HOTEL was a wet one as we had some rain that turned into snow and the two wheel rut into the HOTEL was a couple of inches deep in slush. I was thinking it would at least make the leaves wet and it would be quiet but that was not the case. Overnight it all froze and the walk to the swamp stand was loud all the way in and slippery in spots.

Not a single shot was heard either yesterday or today (Sunday) matter of fact as I sat on the swamp stand it was very quiet, almost painfully quiet. Other then some crows that flew over head in the late afternoon the woods were empty of any life that I could see. No grouse, no mice no pesky ground squirrels to give away my position. There was movement, the wind blew both days and it was cold, a few snow showers fell but not enough to cover anything. I hear that is going to change on Monday as the little transistor radio we have is warning about a coming cold snap and for sure some tracking snow. Snow would be nice but it is cold enough already, thank you.

The no cell phone has not been much of an issue, we don't get very good coverage out here even with the new tower. Your best bet is to climb the big pine but I don't have to call anyone that bad. Chuck's wife wanted him to bring up a couple of her carrier pigeons but he reminder her we tried that a couple of seasons back and most of the birds headed to Iowa and didn't return till spring. Her replied was O Yea and left it at that.

We had steaks for supper on Friday night and there was no problem keeping anything cold. Matter of fact there for the longest time the Wild Turkey was served at room temperature which was about fifty. The Hamms were so cold we had to warm them up by the fire to drink. Now after a few days of a fire burning in the stove we have the HOTEL warmed up and you no longer can you see your breath. We played cards last night and cigar smoke filled the upper couple of feet of the HOTEL and a couple of the guys who wanted to turn in early could not as their bunks were in the smog zone. Of course Elmer and Marv spoke of hunting back in the old days, Elmer recalling his days of hunting from white canvas tents with three feet of snow and Marv hunting out of a Bed and Breakfast back east. To Elmer this was a step up but to Marv it was a step backwards.

I was on the swamp stand Monday morning when the snow started. The forecast was saying ten inches of wet heart attack stuff was going to fall but it started off with the small pellets that make noise when they bounce of the branches and your gun barrel. Didn't take long and a few inches was on the ground and I was covered in it. As the snow fell I could not see far in it but yet I could see more if that makes any sense to you. Snow was covering up the brown ground and now trails jumped up at you and if anything moved I was going to see it, nothing moved.

At noon I headed back to the HOTEL and I dragged my feet along the trail, I was trying to move some of the snow out of the way and also some of the leaves. I arrived back at the camp to find Reeds bio-diesel RV running. Reed had decided to call his hunt a little short and was going to drive back to town and come back up later in the week in his pickup. Last thing he wanted to do is get stuck in the woods with the RV and the radio was now calling for as much as ten inches to fall maybe more out here in the woods. I made him a copy of this and asked if he would swing by the Lodge and have Gus post it for me. If you are reading this then Reed made it out of the woods and back to town.

My plan for the rest of the afternoon is to wait till things quiet down and then I am going to brush the snow off the rocking chair on the porch and sit out there with a cup of hot chocolate and my 30-30 Figure I can do just as well there as I can in the swamp in the middle of a snowstorm here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Happy Anniversary Lake Iwanttobethere, first story posted nine years ago today ! Gus

[leechlake]

good work Bobby.

As I sit in my office reading your previous post I'm being lured into the woods to do exactly what you did, see no deer but like it anyway.

[Bobby Bass]

MONDAY AFTERNOON FOUND me in the old wood rocking chair on the porch of the HOTEL not rocking. To much snow had fallen and the floor under the rockers was hard packed. When I did try to rock I would kind of go back and forth and sideways at the same time, kind of like a cheap ride at the county fair. Big Earl had hitched a ride with Reed in the bio-diesel back to town. Big Earl being a big guy preferred the ride of the RV vrs Juniors SUV but he will be back later in the week. Marv and Elmer looking at the falling snow decided to spent their afternoon in the HOTEL playing partner cribbage against Tye and Chuck. Two old coffee pots were sitting on the rack on top of the pot belly stove, one holding coffee and the other hot cider. I was thinking about making hot chocolate but the first sip of hot apple cider hit the spot and I used one of them big insulated mugs and set it down on the railing of the porch, steam rose up from the sippie hole and I could smell the apple in the cool air.

Snow was falling, sometimes hard but often just enough was coming down to say it was snowing. Wind was blowing so some of the snow might be coming of the tall trees that surround the HOTEL and just made it look worse then what it was. I could take a walk down to one of the stands but I was comfortable in the rocking chair and it was starting to get dark out. I had finished my cider and I was smacking my lips thinking about getting up and getting a refill when the door creaked behind me and Elmer's hand with the pot in it appeared. I turned in the rocker and stretching out I made it close enough so that the two of us could do a midair refueling. I nodded my head and the pot dipped in return and the hand and arm and pot retracted back into the HOTEL and the door clicked closed softly.

I took a few sips, the new stuff was a lot hotter then the last cold sip I had in the mug. I reached out to set the mug on the snow less spot on the rail and as I sat it down I looked up over the mug and focus on a deer standing at the edge of the woods looking in my direction. Snow was falling a little harder and there was a few gusts of wind making it swirl so it took me a few seconds to see it was a doe. I froze with my arm sticking out and the rocker tipped forward. I was looking hard behind the doe looking for more deer and maybe just maybe a buck. I took a few heart beats to slowly pull my arm back and let the rocker settle back down into the ruts. The snow underneath the rockers suddenly sounded pretty crunchy. Leaning up against the post was my 30-30 and I slowly reached for it and brought it into my lap, my eyes still searching around the doe who now had her head down and was slowly walking along the edge. We did this for a couple of minutes, the snow fell and she would disappear only to emerge again from the falling snow a few yards down from where I last saw her.

I watched and something about her kept me looking behind her, I got that feeling she was being followed and I was waiting to see who it was. I of course was thinking buck so I was disappointed when a small doe followed her tracks. I didn't give up though I was still holding out for a buck but after awhile the small doe hooked up with what I was thinking was her mama and the two of them disappeared into the swirling snow and I lost them. I brushed off some of the snow that had fallen into my beard and took a few sips from the apple cider mug that had cooled. Guess I was watching for longer then I thought. Still I thought to myself at least I saw a deer, as a matter of fact I saw two, that is one step better then being skunked here at the HOTEL at Lake Iwanttobethere

...

TODAY NO SOONER did Chuck and I riding in the Tahoe hit the blacktop and the sun came out! Of course we were not in our stands but we were heading home as today is Chuck's wedding anniversary and even though it is deer season he had promised to be back to celebrate. I of course having been through thirty-seven of these events would rather have just stayed in camp but I did spent some time jabbing Chuck some on the ride back giving him some grief. I actually was looking forward to a hot shower and maybe a nap on a bed instead of inside a sleeping bag on a two inch flat mattresses resting on a sheet of plywood hanging off a cold log wall that I shared with a mouse named Ralph.

Ride back home is always quicker then the ride out to deer camp, ditches were full of snow and it looked like more snow had fallen around the lake then back at camp. Chuck was looking forward to making the last few fixes on the old county snowplow and he promised he would have me all plowed out before it was time for me to head back to deer camp. We arrived at Chuck's driveway to find the snow cleared and a couple of trees down. Chuck speaking out loud said he had a bad feeling and when we drove up to the garage we saw the snowplow truck resting in his garden. It would appear the new wife had decided to plow with the county truck and I guess Chuck did not tell her about not having gotten around to fixing the brakes and the pump for the plow blade was leaking. I let him out of the Tahoe and told him to have a happy anniversary and I turned around and drove up my snow covered drive and parked in my space, the wife's jeep was gone but I did find a note on the fridge after I got past Duncan and Barney who greeted me like I was never coming back, I don't know what the wife had told them while I was gone.

Dear Husband

I hope this letter finds you in good health and safe in the elements. I have tried on several occasions to get in contact with you at the hour we agreed on that you would have your cell phone on but with no success. All is fine here at the cabin, what snow that fell in the driveway I just drove through with the Jeep. I have been parking where you normally park the Tahoe as there are no ruts there.

Your dogs are fine and Barney has taken to fluffing your down pillows on your bed before laying down to take his afternoon naps. Duncan prefers just laying on your bed and just scratching your blankets onto the floor. I have given up on making your bed and am just letting the dogs do what they want.

Last night I found some porterhouse steaks in the freezer hidden under some pizza's. I figured you were saving them for something and must have forgotten them so I cooked them up, The dogs agree they were delicious as Barney and Duncan shared yours.

When I was in the garage looking for a snow shovel I found a cardboard box with old shirts and some pants. I assumed that you were helping me out cleaning your closet and the box was meant for the garbage man. Not to worry he got them along with a few other things you must have forgotten. Since you now have some hanger space in your closet I moved a few of my seasonal things in there.

Mark the mailman was here yesterday, he made a trip up the drive with a box for you. Gus at the Lodge told him that you were at the hotel/hunting camp so the box was brought here. Imagine my surprise when I open it to find out that you are a member in the Pie Of The Month Club. Not to worry about it going bad as my mother stopped by and we had a delightful tea and shared the pie for dessert.

I am posting this letter here for you to read as I don't know how else to get a hold of you. I did have a reason for trying to get a hold of you but it escapes me right now, Your Loving Wife {2,362,574}

[Bobby Bass]

UPDATE : THE HOTEL as of today there are still no deer hanging from the cross pole here at the HOTEL. I have seen two does and Tye has seen one, no one else in camp has seen anything at all. Not even a grouse or a rabbit but I have seen some tracks. Elmer and Marv have been threatening to put a scope on the pellet gun and go big mouse hunting in the cabin. Trouble with that is we don't have a scope for the pellet gun and if we did I am afraid my hunting boots through a scope would look a lot like a mouse to them guys.

This morning it was seven above zero but it could have been seven below because seven above in November is still more then cold enough to be sitting in the snow on a stand down in the swamp. At least the wind is not so bad and there was some sunshine to make you feel like you are warmer then you are. On Wednesday I was in town for the afternoon and evening. Chuck needed a ride back to his cabin and when he arrived he found he had some work to do. Getting the old county dump truck with the snowplow out of his garden was first on the list. The ladies, his wife and my wife had decided they would take on clearing the nine inches of snow we got. My wife at one time was a Lake Iwanttobethere bus driver and as you may or may not know the buses here have snow plows on them. Chuck's wife has seen him fiddle with enough engines and between the two of them they figured they could get the trucked started and surprise us with clean driveways. It could have been a success story if the trees had not gotten in the way and the brakes worked when you put pressure on them.

After digging the dump truck out with the tractor we hooked up the Tahoe with some chains and made our own commercial. That went as well as expected right up to the part where the chain snapped but we were prepared for that and we had a sheet of plywood between the two trucks. The chain came back and hit that plywood hard enough to break a couple of links through. We stopped and inspected the damage, fixed the chain and of course we went and tried it again. Dump truck is now parked over at Elmer's house behind his garage and out of sight of the ladies. With the truck out of the garden I took the time to head in to town to pick up a few things. With hunting so poor and the guys spending a lot of time in the HOTEL we needed to restock some of our foodstuffs.

I made a quick stop at the Lodge to give Gus an ear full about sending my Pie of the Month selection to my cabin but I found out he didn't do it. Seems Vinnie was trying to make some brownie points with Mister B as he calls me. He knew how much I like my pie and figured he would make sure I didn't miss this month's delivery. I took Vinnie into the kitchen and had a heart to heart talk to him. I thanked him for the pie and then told him never ever forward any mail or package that comes to a Lodge member at this address. There are a lot of lockers in the basement with stuff that members do not want their wife's to know about. If it is sent here it stays here. " Gotcha Mister B" Vinnie said and gave me a big thumbs up.

Next stop was Ma and Pa's grocery, I had a list with me and I was surprised when I drove up and had to park down the street a ways. No parking in front of the store and as I entered I saw several guys wearing their blaze orange hats just standing around sipping soda's or chewing on jerky sticks. I asked Ma where Pa was and she told me he was back by the walk in cooler. I found Pa back there holding on to a coffee can and guarding the cooler door. I was just about to ask Pa what was going on when a couple of guys came out of the cooler and nodded in my direction and gave Pa the thumbs up sign. I asked Pa what was going on and he told me he had two really nice bucks hanging in the cooler. Seems we are not the only camp not seeing any deer and guys hearing about the bucks in the cooler were stopping by just to see what a deer looks like this year. Sounded like a good idea to me and I asked Pa if I could go in and take a peek. Pa held the coffee can out in front of him and said "One buck to see two bucks" and I looked in to see dollar bills smashed down inside the coffee can. I am not going to tell you if I paid to see the bucks, you will just have to wonder, but remember I did see two does!

Now this is Saturday and you might be wondering how and why I am posting a story from deer camp. Well all the guys who voted that we have an old fashion deer camp are not here this weekend, so we turned the power on. We may be old but we are not that dumb all the time here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,372,972}

[Bobby Bass]

GOING THROUGH THE firewood like someone else cut it here at the HOTEL. Yet another morning of waking up to a single number above zero here at deer camp. Bad morning in the stand as I was cold when I walked to the stand, cold on the stand and cold when I got back to the HOTEL from the stand. One of the problems of getting old like we all do is the circulation starts to go. Wish they made something like a radiator flush that you can use on old guys. Over the last several years I have been having circulation problems and if my hands start off cold they usually stay cold. Makes it tuff during deer season and especially during late fall fishing. But then again some days my hands are so warm I can't bare to wear gloves, go figure.

Didn't spend a lot of time on the stand this morning, too cold and way to windy. There were gusts moving the tree and sneaking cold air anywhere I didn't have my skin covered in several layers. I figured after awhile it was just better to head back to the HOTEL and hope for the wind to die and some sunshine to appear. Chuck's son in law who is not hunting with us shot a nine pointer on Saturday. I hear it was a pretty decent deer and glad I am not going to have to hear about the deer every day for the next several months like Chuck is. Chuck is not at camp, he had some jobs to do so he is not here for me to give any grief about his son in law's deer.

Some snow in the forecast, mostly just flurries to fall according to Sunshine Ray. I am thinking we might get enough snow to fill in tracks enough so you can tell the difference between an old one and a new one. I did hear one shot this morning, not close but not real far away either. Hard to tell really as in the cold air sound seems to travel a ways. Not like in the city where you have a hard time hearing a metal trash can lid from a half a block away. Out in the woods a noise that does not belong seems to be loud and stands out. The sound of a four wheeler stuck and it's rider yelling can be heard from quite a ways a way. The outhouse door slamming is something else that is pretty loud, ours was till we put them springs on the door.

So I am siting at the old wood round table here inside the HOTEL, I am close to the pot belly stove and there is a healthy fire going inside. My fingers are cold and the keys on the laptop feel cold to the touch. Was thinking there for a little bit about heating the laptop up but that would not be a good idea. I do have a mug of hot cider close and I am trading hands holding the mug trying to get my fingers warm. Eyeing a bottle of Old Granddad and thinking about adding a splash or two to the cider but if I do that there will be no afternoon hunting for me. Looking out the widow over the sink the wind is still blowing strong and I see branches swaying back and forth. Occasionally I will see a few snow flakes go sailing by, don't know if they are new ones or just something the wind picked up.

I am on lighthouse duty as we call it. No one else is here at camp but me. Chuck had some jobs to do and Big Earl and Junior are back working at the General Store till the weekend. Marv and Elmer are back to work at the smoke and book shop, they closed it all of last week. Tye also is back at work along with Skinny and Hammering Hank. Reed was going to come up but someone actually wanted to check out a cabin he has for sale. Dock Burriem is coming back tonight and Vic is going to come along for the ride. Until then someone has to stay around and keep the pot belly stove burning and the coffee hot. I must admit it is a job I am good at. I don't have much problem sitting here by the fire smoking one of Dock's cigars and soon I will be sipping on some of Elmer's bourbon. Now if I could only get my fingers warm here at the HOTEL on Lake Iwanttobethere {2,380,923}

[Bobby Bass]

I GET TO play the winner of the cribbage game going on here this afternoon. Dock Burriem and Vic are sitting at the round table here in the main room of the HOTEL, actually it is the only room here at the HOTEL. We sometimes refer to it as the "Grand Ball Room" I did go out and sit on the stand this morning, not the swamp stand but I took the trail and went up to the ridge to sit on that stand. As you might have guessed I was feeling pretty good this morning so I thought I could handle the hike up the hill. The best part about the walk up to the ridge stand is it is all down hill coming back.

Was cold out but no wind which makes a difference and the sun did come out every few minutes or so. Another thing is today my hands were warm and that sure helps keeping me sitting longer. I did see one deer down the ridge but it was so far away I could not tell if it was a buck or a doe. I waited to see if it would turn and come my way but instead it followed the trail and went into the swamp. Seeing the deer was a good thing having it go down the trail to the swamp that I could see from my swamp stand was the bad.

I have some spaghetti sauce simmering away in a pot on the pot belly stove and a loaf of French bread wrapped in tin foil alongside. The sauce I brought from home and sometime this afternoon I will go ahead and cook some noodles and we will eat. For now I just keep breaking off chucks of the French bread and dipping it in the sauce. I tell Vic and Dock it is not quite ready yet but I happen to like French bread and sauce and if I am not careful by dinner time there may not be any bread left. I have been spending some time peeking out the widows of the HOTEL, never can tell when a deer may walk by.

So far I have won two and lost one game of cribbage at the table. Ever notice when someone else is playing cribbage how long a game can take and when you are sitting down losing a game how quickly your turn is up. The old guys may be slow but when it comes to playing cribbage they have been doing it for more the fifty years and the don't count cards they just lay their hands down and announce their score and start pegging. I am quick but not that quick and sometimes I count their hands just to make sure they are not pulling a fast one on me. Reed is due back at the HOTEL this afternoon and everyone is going to be here Friday night for the last weekend of the season. Someone has to get lucky here and get us a taste of venison, otherwise it is going to go down in the log book as a skunked year.

We got that one good snow fall right away and since then we have just gotten a dusting of snow a few times. Has been cold the entire time here and we have gone through a lot of firewood but we still have plenty. There has been a little bit of talk about the first week when we ran an old fashion camp and some growing support that maybe we should put some money into the HOTEL over the summer and remodel. The thought of an addition with an indoor bathroom is very popular and Big Earl can order us one of them fancy waterless toilets and get us a deal. I must admit I do like a bench with a cushion on it and a porch with a screen would be nice to sit out on. We figure if we made some improvements maybe it, the HOTEL would get more guys using it during the summer. It does seem like a waste just using it for a couple of week's deer hunting and maybe a few stops when grouse hunting in the area. Vic just put his hands up in defeat and it is my turn to take on Dock who has won three straight. I stir the sauce with the wood spoon before sitting down and Vic heads out the door to stand watch on the porch for awhile. Really not a bad way to spend some time here at the HOTEL at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,384,979}