Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

Bobby Bass · March 12, 2015

LUCKY FOR ME I was working at the Lodge yesterday afternoon, I say that because this morning I still have most of my girl scout cookies. Yesterday our order of Girl Scout cookies arrived. Not just a few boxes but cases of the cookies were delivered in a black cargo van with tinted back windows. The Lodge is one of the better places in town to sell girl scout cookies and there may be a kick back of some cookies to the manager for the right to set up shop. The cookies were brought in on a two wheel cart and several trips were made. I felt like one of them bartenders in a movie where they make the secret drop. The driver came over to the bar and under the dim lights he slid a clipboard over to me and I slipped a manilla envelope back across the cherry bar top to him. He said "You don't mind if I count it?" I just raised my hands up and said "Knock yourself out"

A assortment of bills were in the envelope. Five's and tens and twenties and a wad of singles. No checks, that was the agreement and no pull tabs from any of the FELLOWS they had to pay cash like everyone else. With the money counted the driver nodded his head and just said "Till next time" and he took his cart and wheeled it out the back door. Even though the cargo van was unmarked it did not take long for guys to start showing up for their cases of cookies. Now these are the same guys who have already received their cookies at home. Those couple of boxes of cookies were of course shared with their wife and children, the cookies here at the Lodge are for personal use only. You have no idea what the bartering power a sleeve of thin mints in July or better yet in October can have on a cookie junkie.

The FELLOWS are especially troubled with an appetite for GS cookies but their order is usually gone the very first day. For a box of cookies late in the summer you can get a tree cut down or a roof patched. There have been times when a box of cookies will get your dock taken out with ice forming on the lake. Ask Hammering Hang and Skinny about that. They prefer the Samoas or in a bind the Tagalongs but the gold standard has been and always will be the Thin Mints. Here at the Lodge we buy several cases and hide them on the top shelf inside the walk in freezer, Gus and I hide them in meat boxes marked Liver Parts. That part of the freezer has a separate door with a lock that only Gus and I have the keys for, we keep them on a chain around our necks. The door can't be open unless both keys are inserted at the same time and turned together. It is an old lock system that the FELLOWS sold us, reportedly taken from some abandoned missile site they found while out deer hunting one year. We use the cookies to get work done around the Lodge and of course from time to time we have to sit down and do a taste test, quality control you know. If you are thinking about talking to the FELLOWS about the keys the first thing Gus and I did was go to a locksmith a couple of towns over and had different keys made. We dropped the old keys off with the FELLOWS and by the look on their faces we knew we had blocked a future problem.

The reason why the FELLOWS never have any cookies is because as soon as the order comes in they have a poker game with cookies as the chips. A special thrill they say as you aren't gambling unless you are gambling with your cookies. They sit down behind stacks of cookies and pitcher's of milk. Nothing says you are a winner then being able to sit at the big round table with a mug of cold whole milk and eat your opponent's cookies, right in front of him. Of course not all the guy's cookies are gambled away. Most guys eat a sleeve then take their cookies down to the basement of the Lodge and secure them in their lockers along with their new golf clubs, fishing rods and shotguns. Cookie day is the one day of the year where milk actually out sells beer sales here at the Lodge. Something's are just never meant to be brought home and shown to the wife, besides what she does not know about, is probably a good thing for you here at Lake Iwanttobethere. {2,634,707}

Bobby Bass · March 15, 2015

WINTER SURE THREW in the towel quick this year. Already just about all my snow is melted and in some spots the ground is actually drying up. The big garden has some snow in it but only in between the furrows I left when I tilled it last fall. A few drops of water fall from the eves but not enough to really make a puddle on the ground. Wind chimes make a soft banging sound just enough to know they are out there. I still have one apple hanging from the big tree, it never fell and Edd and Eddie the squirrels never came and dropped it to the ground. I can see it here from my window. I am hoping it is not a bad sign for this year, I hope it falls soon and is replaced with hundreds of blossoms.

In the den here I have several shelves in the south windows and that is where I start my seeds. I start them inside and then will transfer them out to the greenhouse sometime next month. Of course I do get some dirt on the shelf's so I had the vacuum out and was cleaning up the shelf's and I sat down and vacuumed some girl scout cookie crumbs off the desk top. For a long time now I had a feeling that someone other then myself has been using my computer. Today I found proof as I ran the wand from the vacuum over the key board and starting pulling cat hair out of the board from under the keys. Them sneaky cats have been on the Internet! I just need to find out which of the three cats is the culprit and what sites they are logging on to.

I have a good head start on the seeds as three different kinds of tomatoes are already about three inches tall and the bell and hot peppers are also doing good. I planted some expired cauliflower seeds and dang if they didn't germinate and are growing good. This is a good sign as last year I didn't get any cauliflower has a pack of rabbits came in and in three nights they cleaned me out. This year I am going to fence in the cauliflower and give Duncan a green light on chasing down the rabbits. Speaking of rabbits I have not seen to many this winter, that red fox seems to have reduced the population.

The Lodge was kind of busy for a Saturday night. A lot of guys were in and the talk was loud and the beer was flowing. We did not go through that keg of Hamms we had out in the ice house so we brought it in and sold it at a discount. Soon as guys found out about the cheap tap beer they tried to order them two at a time. They would slam the first mug and then stand at the bar with their hands holding their heads as we refilled the mug with the super cold Hamms. Nothing like a good beer head freeze to slow your beer drinking down to sipping. A fire was going in the fireplace but not a real big one. Talk was making the rounds of early trout season and with the little snow we have already melted on how the water level was going to be on Mystery River this spring. Talk of gardening and cleanup and how the wood piles are still a couple of rows deep. After the last two winters of deep snow and sub zero temps this last winter was almost like a long cold fall.

Barney came down to the Lodge with me, the warmer weather has him up and moving around a lot more. He made the rounds getting his ears rubbed and pats on the head. He is about six weeks away from his fifteenth birthday and most of the guys at the Lodge have known him since he and his brother Bud were pups. Duncan stayed home with the wife, she was making cookies and he is hard to get away from her when she is baking. Besides Barney needed some me time and I think the old dog felt right at home in the front seat of the Tahoe with the window cracked and just the tip of his nose hanging out catching the smell of spring here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,638,995}

Bobby Bass · March 16, 2015

TAP.....TAP....PING... The sound of rain is welcomed here at Lake Iwanttobethere today. I spent some time sitting in the grand kid's playhouse listening to the sound of rain drops falling on the metal roof. It is not raining that hard out, actually it is like a heavy drizzle. Sitting in the playhouse though the drizzle rolls down the bare branches of the big maple tree to form water drops that fall and land on the metal roof and echo, they sound like big rain drops when one is trapped inside. Some rain has fallen off and on and everything is wet and the smell of the earth is heavy in the air. I can smell wet cedar and that is a welcome smell to my nose. I was sitting on a chair in the playhouse and I had the window open and was taking in the smell of the air and the sound of the drops on the roof when my cell phone rang. I answered it and my neighbor Chuck was on the other end.

"I think I am just going to fish the rest of these here Lilly Pads and then I am going to come back in, I was going to do some top water fishing but I think I should have brought my rain gear with" I looked out the window of the Play House over at Chuck's place and I could see him sitting just inside his garage with the big doors up and his feet just out of the falling rain. I went along with his conversation and told him. " Yup, I hear ya, I was going to go fish off the dock for a spell but now I think I am just going to back the Puddle Humper on the trailer deep enough into the water so that she gets wet. I am going to fish off the back seat so I have a place to sit, much better then standing on the dock" We both chuckled and did some more small talk, couple of more months and we really will have our boats in the water and a little rain like today would be perfect to be fishing in.

I was already down to town this morning, had some errands to do and I made a stop at the Gas-N-Go and put some gas in the Tahoe but mostly I was there to wash the windows. I took the foam wand and soaped up all the windows and just let the falling rain rinse everything all off. Next stop was at the General Store, had some seed to buy and I was looking over Big Earls selection of outdoor thermometers. Thought maybe I should pick on up for the playhouse. I was admiring the new four temperature ones he had in stock. They measure the temperature four different ways, Celsius, Farenheight, Spring and Fall because forty degrees is different on all of them. So you may be shaking your head but go ahead and tell me that a forty degree day in the fall feels the same as a forty degree day in the Spring.

Saturday the golf ball driving range was open and yesterday I drove by and it was pretty busy, two days in a row where the temps rose up past sixty and Sunshine Ray was all smiles. He actually had a forecast that came through and when that happens he is all over town. Of course when he misses the mark he is no where to be found, like today. I had to go back here and put in "golf ball" in front of driving range because down at the high school the driving range is open there to. All winter long the kids have been taking Drivers Ed and now they can go out and drive cars in the big parking lot. It is also referred to as the driving range and also the hitting range as there are not to many orange cones that have not been smacked, driven over or dragged for a ways.

I started this story this morning but got distracted and when I made it back in the den I found the story just sitting here waiting for me to finish it. Rain has stopped but the roofs are still dripping, ground is wet as is the deck. Duncan just came in leaving a trail of wet foot prints. Had to call him back to the rag box by the door to get his paws wiped. Snow is all but gone and I am thinking I'll take a ride over to the river this afternoon and check it out, I am guessing there is still a lot of ice but the little streams are running full with snow melt making their way down to Lake Iwanttobethere {2,640,131}

Bobby Bass · March 21, 2015

SAINT PATTY'S DAY has come and gone and I am not going to miss green beer for awhile. We went through a couple of kegs at the Lodge and we really didn't need the second one but we got a good price so we sold it at a discount. Made up a sign and called it a Lodge Member Special. No parade in town but we did have one at the Lodge. Fellows were all wearing green hats and matching tee shirts and they all got up went outside and walked around the Lodge a couple of times. I think they went around three times just because they were following each other and Gary in the lead could not find the door to get back in.

Grandson number two had his ninth birthday so we had a gathering for him and his tackle box was refilled from his uncles and aunts. I spent the last two days up at the Resort, always something to do this time of year up there. Matter of fact everyone was up there as we had a nice supper and a discussion on what we want to do up there this summer, just as long as it does not mean a lot of work. Cabin number three is on the list to get redone so I will be keeping an eye out for deals on some windows and maybe some siding but we are leaning towards just painting the place. Vic is happy with the size of the garden so no expansion will be happening there. Tomato and pepper plants are coming up nicely on the windowsills of the main room and we are still kicking the idea of building a greenhouse around.

Snow is all but gone on the property and the road coming in is in good shape. It hardly got plowed at all this winter so there are no potholes and just a tad of standing water. I have two picnic tables to rebuild and my spring project up there is maybe making some chairs. Got a line on a guy who has started his saw mill back up and he is cutting cedar, we talked in passing one day and he told me he would shoot me a price on some wood. Would like to copy the chairs I have on my deck, they are starting to come apart, you would think they would last longer then twenty years. Anyway I was thinking I would take one all the way apart and use it as a pattern for building others. Was going to do it last year till I saw how much Luana wanted for cedar down at the lumber yard, this guy is talking maybe a third of the price if I mill it myself.

Bait room needs a good cleaning and tanks flushed. I have started working on my tackle order and it is already bigger then last springs. Next week Vicki down at the Masterbaiters shop will be going on vacation and I will cover for her. I am sure I will get a few more ideas when I see what she has ordered in for this season. Came home late last night as Sunshine Ray was forecasting a snow storm to hit, it never did and today Sunshine Ray is no where to be seen around town. Of course here is a question for ya, when did 2-4 inches of snow become a snow storm? I didn't see a flake yesterday and if Sunshine had just forecasted rain he would have been right on but no he had to push snow. We did get some rain and things are looking cleaner. I have deck furniture out and I spent some time sitting with my neighbor Chuck the other afternoon on it. Granted we had to wear our boots and hat and kept our hands in our pockets but we were outside on the deck, chatting here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,644,339}

Bobby Bass · March 23, 2015

HAM AND CHEESE omelet with some sweet onion and rye toast with strawberry jelly, a tall glass of orange juice and a side of hash browns, that was breakfast at the Middle of the Block Cafe this morning. This week Vicki the owner of the Masterbaiters Bait Shop is on vacation and I am spending a few hours everyday here. Mostly I am here to be around when the UPS guy makes deliveries. Last thing you want is a 2x2x2 foot box of fishing lures to disappear from your front door. There is still ice here at Lake Iwanttobethere and there are still guys who walk out on it and are still fishing for crappies. I don't sell much bait as most people already know that if you need minnows you can go around back and there is a tank on the back porch with a scoop and you just slip your money in an envelope and drop it in the door slot. The honor system and it has been that way ever since Vicki's dad own the place.

I came into town this morning and had breakfast then went to the bait shop. A pleasure to slip the key in the lock and open the door to the sound of bubbling bait tanks. I flipped the sign in the window to open and pulled up a couple of shades and let some morning sunshine in the place. Turned on the lights and made sure the cash register was on but I will mostly be making change out of a cigar box under the counter. No time card for me to punch as I use the barter system with Vicki. All this week while she is gone on vacation I get breakfast at the Middle of the Block Cafe and lunch at Amy's Bakery for free. I also get 10% of what ever I sell in the shop and that comes back to me in the form of a tackle credit. Vicki has some kind of barter system set up with the Cafe and Bakery and everyone is happy at the end of the day.

I set my laptop up on the counter and checked my e-mail and the start jotting down a story, this one as a matter of fact. The thought has passed my mind a few times over this last winter that maybe I should stop writing. Have been sitting in front of the keyboard thinking who really wants to keep reading about the weather here at Lake Iwanttobethere. I know for a fact that none of my family reads what I write, the wife tells me "Why should I read about the Lake when I live here" I have been writing in spurts sometimes everyday for several days and then nothing for a few days. Mainly because I just didn't have anything to say or I am having doubts that anyone wants to read what I have to say. Sitting here on my stool at the bait shop surrounded by fishing lures and by the occasional customer who wants to chat fishing leaves me with time in between to ask myself about writing.

But then I tell myself it is just Cabin Fever kicking in. There are things to write about and everyday is different from the next. Maple sap is running and my neighbor Chuck and his wife are busy tending to trees. Vic is busy at the Resort as Chuck has expanding tapping trees up there and working out of the pole barn. Vic is now keeping an eye on the operation up there. Days are getting longer and the wife seems to be able to find things to add to the Honey Do List. At the Lodge the FELLOWS are spending time at the big round table coming up with the next great business idea. Last night the conversation was that if you have camouflage to hide your truck in the woods why don't you have camouflage to hide your car in the city? I was not paying to much attention but something about making your car look like a mailbox or a bus stop. Of course these are the same guys who camouflaged their kids bikes and then the kids rode them out into the woods and lost them here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,647,108}

Bobby Bass · March 25, 2015

RAIN AND SNOW mix falling here this morning at Lake Iwanttobethere. I am down at the Masterbaiters Shop and even though the UPS guy has already come and gone I am still hanging around. I was standing in the doorway for awhile just watching snow flakes fall and rain drops land on the ground right next to them. Water is running off the roof and dripping onto the ground and it is a good sound to hear. We need the moisture Sunshine Ray has been saying on KCUM the local radio station. Hardly any snow in the woods and the creeks are already running low as they head to the lake. Ground is still frozen though, maybe a little mud on top but try to dig in it and your shovel will bounce back up in your face.

Good conditions for Chuck and his Maple syrup business. Below freezing at night and above during the day. Last few days he has been hauling sap and in the evening his wife is baby-sitting the kettles. Tractor is fixed so he is hauling wood by the bucket which is a lot better then with the wheelbarrow he thought he was going to have to use. Going to flirt with some fifty degree days after the weekend maybe even hit sixty in some places. Then back to mid forties with over night temperatures back in to the middle twenties. Just the kind of weather that teases ya into thinking you can start working outside. Spring cleaning is just around the corner at the Lodge maybe we will get everyone in to do it on one of them sixty degree days.

Fishing is getting close enough to now start counting the weeks instead of months before it opens. Of course the river fishermen will be in their waders and wet before the rest of us. Arlo has been down with his buddies at the Lodge and they are sipping on beer and trading stories about steelhead and sliding down snow covered banks to get to the water. Not this year, no snow measured in feet on the trail to Mystery River. Path might even be dry so you will not have to slip and slide in the mud in your waders.

Of course a lot can change between now and then, Mother Nature has a way of toying with the plans of fishermen the most. OK, well she does screw with the farmers a lot to and the loggers and the skiers and the, come to think of it Mother Nature messes with everybody. Guess that is why there is no Mister Nature. Makes you wonder where Nature Boy Rick Flair came from. Sorry I was wandering a little there. After a while I headed back to the counter and opened up my lap top and started tapping on keys and this story just kind of wrote itself.

No customers came in and I could have closed up shop but I figured I should at least stay till noon so Vicki gets enough time out of me to pay for the breakfast I had and the lunch I am going to have at Amy's Bakery. I'm thinking of an egg salad sambich on a fresh Kaiser roll with of course a sliver of apple pie. It is kind of nice to spend time here in the bait shop though, the sound of the bubbling minnow tanks in the back ground and the tinkling sound the spoons make when the fan blows in their direction. The best part is knowing that this is not my shop to keep and the end of the week I will be out of here. Poor Vicki never gets to fish as she has to be here selling tackle and bait at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,648,874}

Bobby Bass · March 28, 2015

THAT'S MORE LIKE it here at Lake Iwanttobethere this morning. Fishing open on the Mystery River today and here at the Masterbaiters Shop I had some customers. Not really looking for any fishing gear but just looking to hear on how the fishing was or is. So far I have heard nothing bad as what can be bad about walking down to the river in your waders and not having to wade through snow before you can go wade in water and ice chunks. Some haze in the sky and not really any clouds you can point your finger at, the wall thermometer here says it is forty-one out. The parking lot is pretty much dry and the garbage barrel by the door has a few breakfast fast food bags in it.

No deliveries scheduled for the day but I came in early an I am going to stay around late. Local college hockey team won yesterday afternoon and they play again today. They are not on TV but the game comes in just fine here on the radio at the shop. Figure I might as well just sit here and listen to the game and maybe get some fishing reports from the river. Laptop is open and resting on the counter, been doing e-mail and checking on a few sites I haunt. Internet is an amazing place to waste time on. Been searching the garden sites picking up pointers and laughing at some ideas and then actually thinking about a few other ones. I always tell Elmer he should get on here and share some of his wisdom but he tells me he has to much too do already.

Speaking of busy my neighbor Chuck is a very busy guy. Sap from the Maple trees is flowing about as good as it gets. Last night it got down in the teens and with day time highs in the forties the sap is flowing. With his wife at home and Vic up at the Resort cooking for him he is spending all his time gathering sap with a couple of the local kids he hires.... Just had a couple of guys come in looking for information about the river and I didn't know them so I played it close to the vest. After they bought a couple of sodas and some chips I open up a little and told them what I had heard. As they walked out two more guys came in and we exchanged HIYA's told them all I knew and they got the town discount on their Slim Jim's and Lake Iwanttobethere bottled water. The HIYA's gave them away as being locals.

I followed them out and stood in the sunshine out of the wind. Forty is still cold when you are not moving around and just wearing a tee shirt. Could hear the sound of a distant chain saw as it is allowed this time of the year and I imagine someone is hard at work cleaning up around their cabin. A guy drove up and asked if Vicki was around and I told him she is on vacation till tomorrow, he said he was looking at a fly rod reel and when he told me which one and I told him we have a couple in stock, just came in this past week. A few minutes later and I sent him on his way and I had some money put away in the cigar box. That started a roll as someone else saw him leave with a box in his hand and came in and I sold him a new tackle box and a few things to go in it. A birthday present he said so I tossed in a free lure and a couple of twenties found their way to the cigar box. Another guy stopped in saying he saw the trucks in the parking lot and didn't know we were open, he set off browsing while the bell rang over the door and a couple of guys in waders came in. Hope they all leave by four, that is when the hockey game starts here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,656,345}

Bobby Bass · March 31, 2015

SOUNDS LIKE SPRING this morning as I was out on the deck with the dogs Barney and Duncan this morning. Yesterday I had moved the table to the center of the deck and brought a couple of chairs out of storage. Today I was going to bring my juice out and sit on the deck officially opening it for the season but it had rained over night and everything was wet. Just a patch of snow/ice in the yard otherwise there is nothing but brown grass to see. A couple of pigeons have found their way to the point here where I live. They make the rounds from my rooftops to Elmers and then over to Chuck's. They are not welcomed at any of their stops and I am thinking it will not be too long before Elmer gets his pellet rifle out and takes a few shots.

Actually in the past few day's things have come alive out here on the point. Wife says she saw four small bunnies the other afternoon so there must already have been a couple of rabbits busy. I did not see but heard the honking of geese yesterday afternoon and this morning I heard a couple of robins dueling it out. Ten o'clock freight rumbled by a minute late and that just added to the racket outside. Well digger was over at Chuck's this morning he is talking about putting in a new well, Have not heard the estimate yet but it is not going to be cheap. Last night in town we had the Town Hall Meeting. Not much to report on there, the minutes were read and the mayor reported that we had enough sand to make it through winter and the county reported that they are going to be spending more time with the street sweepers in town. With the low snowfall this past winter they have money in the fund for more road work.

Lodge Meeting tonight as the Lodge has been a busy place these past few days. Fishing reports from Mystery River are saying that the ice is all but gone, water is low and steelhead are biting. I have heard from the FELLOWS who set up camp on the river that they have landed a few over the twenty-six inch keeper mark. At the Lodge meeting tonight Arlo is going to have a presentation on steelhead fishing so the beer will be flowing along with the stories. Our next Town Hall meeting and Lodge meeting will not be till June and by then we will be well into summer. Tonight will also be a volunteer fire department meeting as we forgot to get the drill in this month so we are going to have one at eleven-fifty. We should be able to cover this months drill and next months at the same time then.

Sixty degree weekend did not happen and Sunshine Ray is no where to be found today. It is fifty-two here in the shade at the cabin this morning and no clouds in the sky. I don't think it will hit sixty but I do have the deck chairs out. I took a trip to the garden but it is a mess. Couple of inches of mud on the top from the melted snow and rain. I kicked at the straw over one of the raised beds and the ground is still frozen, it is after all still March for a a half a day. While the dogs wandered around the yard smelling and pawing things I did the same. Went over to the son's boat and shook his tarp some getting the water that pooled off. Had my keys on me and since I was close to the Dodge I decided to see if it would start. Put the key in and it cranked for about two seconds and started. Patted the dash and told the old truck she was a good girl. I let here run for a little while but not too long, she was burning some of that three dollar and fifty cent gas from last fall. Barney seeing that I had the Dodge running came over and I help him up into the passenger side. I rolled the window down and he sat with his head out taking in the smell of spring and thinking maybe he was going to take a ride here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,663,227}

Bobby Bass · April 3, 2015

A ROLLER COASTER ride is how I would describe spring so far here at Lake Iwanttobethere. A couple of days in the sixties followed by some in the forties then some rain and then some unforecasted sunshine from out of no where. The wind shifts and the temperature goes up or down twenty degrees depending on if the wind is coming off the lake or heading to it. Sunshine Ray's forecast calls for rain but the sun is out instead, he then forecasts a partly cloudy sky and instead it snows half dollar size snowflakes that cover the deck. The ground is frozen solid in some places where just a few feet away it is mud and running water. Snow is all gone till you move a tarp and find a foot of ice beneath it.

Easter on Sunday and I don't think the grand kids will find any bunny tracks that morning. Will have to work a little harder hiding the eggs outside as the bright plastic eggs the wife bought will stand out against the brown grass. She won't let me camouflage them this year as she was still finding them late last summer. Actually Duncan would just appear on the deck with a plastic egg in his mouth. I told her we should just number them it would be easier to find them after the kids are done. The family will meet up for supper at the mother in law's house, a couple of turkeys are on the menu along with a ham. One turkey will be roasted inside and the other will be deep fried outside. If the weather is decent most of the brother in laws will be outside cooking while sipping on Hamms out of sight of ma.

I'll end up inside with the knife carving the ham and the turkeys and slicing bread as the brother in laws may be a little unsteady by the time supper comes around. No doubt I will get stuck in the corner at the main table but that is OK as all the ladies will be waiting on me as I cut up the birds while them no good husbands are outside drinking beer and having a good time. Of course I know for a fact that the little glasses or coffee cups that the ladies have don't all have tea in them but might contain a few splashes of cooking sherry in them. One of the brother in laws is trying to convince ma that we should have a dinner with Saki, kind of a break with tradition. I know that Hammering Hank sold him two cases of the stuff that he got in a barter working over at the Chinese eatery and now the brother in law is trying to get rid of it.

No doubt it will be a full house, with the two latest babies Ma now has a total of 51 grand and great grand children. Add in all her kids, son in laws and daughter in-laws and you better be there early if ya want to have both ham and turkey on your plate. Of course the best part is the pies, all the sisters in laws bring a couple each and the wife brings over four or five. I will have several different kinds of apple to try and I will do my best to sample them all before the day is done. Today I need to go down to the General Store and pick out a few Easter Baskets and then over to Diggers for an Easter Lilly for the wife and one for the Mother in law. Seems the ladies always get yet another gift on Easter while the menfolk end up paying for them. Big Earl just smiles and nods his head in agreement that it is just not fair as Barb rings up the baskets and the bag of Kit Kat's that some how got added. But with Easter soon to be marked off the calendar it is clear sailing now to the fishing opener here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,669,282}

Bobby Bass · April 4, 2015

WOKE UP TO snow on the deck this morning, made me scratch my head some as I thought we were past that by now. I didn't touch it with my snow shovel, because I don't have a snow shovel. They are all hanging in the back of the shed and rakes have taken their place leaning against the siding of the cabin. Duncan of course had to race out the door and make tracks in it. I think there is something unwritten that a yard may not have undisturbed snow in it if you have a dog or in my case four dogs this weekend. The oldest daughter has taken her family up to a cozy little cabin get away up the shore for the weekend and I am baby or I should say dog sitting their dogs. They will be back in time for Easter dinner at the mother in laws but the dogs are mine till then. Yesterday the wife spent the day with her mother grocery shopping and what ever they do together. This morning I was out working on the Tahoe trying to figure out why my dome lights won't come on and the wife walked past me and got into her Jeep. I looked at here with the Tahoe manual in my hand and all she said was "Going to mothers" I turned to see all four dogs sitting, waiting to see what I was going to do next.

I watched the wife drive away and closed the door on the Tahoe. Fuse was good and half the things on the circuit were working but some lights were not. I just decided to walk away as the Tahoe always has had some quirky things electrical wise with it. I just figured I would let it heal itself, it has worked in the past. Headed back to the cabin leading a wagon train of dogs behind me. You would think I was in a mine field as each one was walking in the footsteps of the one in front of it. They all waited at the door as I got rags from the rag box and wiped off paws. With the last one done I handed out dog biscuits and only then did they scatter to different rooms of the cabin. I sat down at my desk, kicked my feet up and decided maybe me and the dogs needed another day to ourselves.

Now even if I am sitting at my desk I am still working. At any minute the phone could ring and who knows who could be on the other end and what problem they might have for me to solve. Matter of fact I am also charging up some AAA batteries in a new charger that I bought from Big Earl at the General Store. Since it is a new charger I think it is a smart idea that I should be close by to keep an eye on it. Then there is the seedlings in the big windows here in the den, sun is shinning and I should keep an eye on them to make sure they get rotated. Matter of fact I should water them and I will as soon as I get around to it. I have a couple of catalogs that came in the mail that I should look through and I have them close at hand. Matter of fact they are sitting right on top of the Honey Do List, a good reason why I can't find the list.

Sun is higher in the sky, just a few weeks ago I would have to lean back in my desk chair to keep my eyes out of the sunshine, now I don't have to. I was thinking about going down to the Lodge but bring all four dogs would be two to many. I did put a call in and things are running just fine. We have promoted Honey Sauce to a day supervisor which means she can now open. This allows both Gus and myself to sleep in. Vinny has also been promoted as he was needed to take the place of Honey in the evenings. He wanted a title but we really don't have one till I came up with a great idea and gave him a name tag that said Maitre D it was from a foreign exchange student who worked here one summer. Vinny things it means something as he is taking classes at the junior college in business. He is now wearing a towel on his arm and trying to get the FELLOWS to sample wine from our wine list, I didn't know we had one here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,672,647}

Bobby Bass · April 8, 2015

HAD MY FIRST reminder that summer is just around the corner but not a reminder that you would like to share. Back in my softball days, about thirty years ago I played ball for the Lake Iwanttobethere traveling softball/fishing team. I was playing in a game down the road in the town of Charter which we all know is at the End of the Line. Normally I would walk the outfield before games to check the lay of the land so to speak. On that day they started the game fifteen minutes early and I was in the bar. I had just enough time to jump the outfield fence and get into position as the batter stepped into the batters box. As luck would have it the batter smacked the first pitch right out to me in center and I had to make a run to get to it, Didn't make it as I hit a hole and rolled my ankle good. My outfield partner said it looked like a stock car wreck at the county fair race track with the grass and dirt I flung up.

I crawled off the field and ended up in the big city hospital where they told me I was a borderline surgical candidate. I declined and about five years ago the ankle after all of this time started to act up on me. I had good insurance at the time so I went back to the big city and had one of them MRI's done on the ankle and a big name DOC read it and told me that my ankle was a mess and there was a lot of debri floating around in the joints. He said he could go in and do an exploratory but was not guaranteeing if he would find anything to take out that would make much of a difference. A little while later I over heard him on the phone making plans for a fly fishing trip to Colorado and decided I was not going to be paying for it and declined the surgery. Easter I was reminded of the softball injury as I was leaving the Mother In Laws house and my foot went out from under me on some loose gravel and by the next morning I could not put any weight on foot or even think of getting out of bed.

I called for the wife to find my sticks, crutches as they are usually called and she told me that she had borrowed them to my nephew awhile back. Told her to get him on the phone cuz I needed my sticks back. Well the sticks got borrowed to someone else and I never did get them till they showed up this morning. So for the last few days I have been bed bound and the wife has been waiting on me. Foot swelled up and DOC Burriem made a house call, he knows all about the history of the ankle and just told me to stay off it and the swelling will go down after the chip that was dislodged finds a new niche to settle in to. This morning the swelling was way down and I could walk again and I moved around the cabin slowly and carefully.

Duncan was always close at hand except for the one time when I scared both him and me. Duncan likes to lay next to me in bed and rests his head on my knee but for some reason on Monday he jumped in bed and plopped down across my ankle. The yell from me scared him and surprised me and then it turned into a laugh. If I didn't laugh then I was going to cry. The wife came in and looked and me and at Duncan and just shook her head and left both of us on the bed. Took a moment but Duncan came back and laid down next to me, staying away from my ankle. So this afternoon I am hobbling along taking baby steps and Duncan is glad to see that I am up moving around. I know this because every time I walk by the shelf where the dog biscuits are kept he makes like he has not gotten a single biscuits since Easter. This is not the first time I have had the ankle do this but it seems to take a little longer each time before I am feeling a 100% again. Of course it is not all bad as I just told the wife this morning I just don't see how I am going to be able to go to those dance classes at the Lake Iwanttobethere Community Club {2,680,390}

Bobby Bass · April 10, 2015

WOKE UP TO some frost on the skylight window this morning. Several things ran through my head first being it was not snow and second it was cold enough for frost but not so cold that the skylight was crystal clear. Next was the sound of the furnace turning on and as I washed my hands the cold water was just that, cold. Made my way through a quiet cabin as everyone was still sleeping but they would be up soon enough. Yesterday was a busy day, the number two granddaughter is here for a couple of days as she is on Easter or spring break, I can't remember which. Any way she had me penciled in for a couple of days and she didn't come here to just sit around, she had her own Honey Do List.

The same granddaughter that my daughter says she can't get to clean her room came to her grand parents house with a list of things she wanted to clean. I don't say anything to the daughter I just keep it our little secret that she likes to clean stuff here. I actually got off pretty good yesterday as number one on the list for the granddaughter was to clean the wife's collection of porcelain bells. I sat back and watched as the granddaughter climbed the ladder and handed down to her grandmother the fifty plus bells and together they hauled them to the sink and washed them off and then set them on the counter to dry. I think it is an excuse for the granddaughter to inspect the bells and get grandma to tell her stories about where they all came from.

My neighbor Chuck came over and we chatted for awhile, he needed to borrow the muding tools and I told him where they were stored. His wife has him knocking a hole in one of the cabin walls and putting in a niche so they can store nick nacks. Never is enough space or shelves as you get older to store them little trinkets. As Chuck left he saw the rows of bells drying and asked where I had them hid, told them they are stored on the big archway on that little shelf between the living room and dining room. "Hmm guess I never noticed" Chuck said. As Chuck walked out with the pail of muding tools Elmer my other neighbor walked in with a paper bag and a cane. HIYA, HIYA, HIYA the three of us exchanged and then Chuck left and Elmer came in.

I shuffled over to the kitchen table and sat down at the first chair, Elmer followed me and stuck the cane out to me. "What's this" I asked. Elmer replied "The first in your collection" Elmer then went on to tell me he heard the ankle was bothering me and figured I was ready for a walking cane and you know I didn't say no because I didn't need the sticks but a cane might come in handy. I looked over the battered wood cane, well maybe not battered maybe well used or seasoned as Elmer calls his well used stuff and said "Thanks, so does the top come off" I asked. "What ever for" Elmer replied. I tugged on the top of the cane and said "You know, is there a hidden sword or a shot gun in here or maybe a couple of shots of Wild Turkey like Dock Burriem has in his cane." Elmer just shook his head at me and said "You have to take little steps first Bobby."

We talked canes for awhile as the wife and grand daughter put the now dry bells back up on the narrow shelf over the arch way. With the last one put away the granddaughter came out to the kitchen and asked Elmer "Did ya bring em?" And Elmer handed over the paper bag. The granddaughter then filled the sink with water again and I said nothing just watched and waited to see what she was up to now. A couple of minutes later with the sink full of water she disappeared into the back hallway and came back with her tackle box. She opened the box and with her back to me I could hear something falling into the water. Then she turned and picked up Elmer's bag and dumped the contents into the water. She stood on the chair and watched and I had to get up and using the new/old cane I made my way to the sink and saw that it had several bobbers in several sizes floating in the water. I then heard Elmer say "Time of the year to check your bobbers here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,684,346}

Bobby Bass · April 11, 2015

SUNSHINE RAY SAYS we are going to see highs in the upper fifties and rising to the mid sixties in some bays of Lake Iwanttobethere this upcoming week. I am taking him at his word and today when I got up I open the bottom drawer of the dresser and pulled out a pair of shorts! Yesterday afternoon I took my new/old walking stick for a walk on Main Street here in our fair city. I am calling it a walking stick even though it is not really a stick but I have already started to train Duncan to retrieve the walking stick for me. I was sitting on the deck tossing the cane out into the yard and calling for Duncan to retrieve it. Dang that dog is smart as he started bring it back up to me. The wife just came out and shook her head at me and told me it was not a good idea, something bad is going to happen. So far so good nothing has happen as of yet.

So yesterday I was strolling down Main Street taking my sweet time as the ankle is much better but if I lengthening my stride it, the ankle gives me a little tinge to remind me not to do that. I passed a few guys from the Lodge and they exchanging HIYA's with me but they called me Mister Bass. It took awhile but I think because I am walking with the stick I have suddenly gained full name status, or they think I am old. I was just not taking a walk, well actually I was I wanted to see how the ankle was feeling but I did have a destination in mind. Burt and Bart's Barbershop has a special winter beard trim sale going on and I figured with temps in the sixties it was time to trim the beard.

I entered the shop and hung my hat on the coat tree and took a seat on the bench, Burt and Bart were both clipping away and had their backs to me. I figured they were clipping beards and I was right as they worked they way around to the back of the chairs and they both saw me and gave me a HIYA. We exchanged some banter and it was soon my turn and the first thing I said to Bart was "No matter what the wife said on the phone I just want a trimmed, don't cut it all off "Bart holding his hands in the air with a clipper in one hand and his scissors in the other just said "I don't know what you are talking about, she talked to Burt" and we all chuckled and I shook the stick in my hand at him and he just nodded that he understood. With the beard trimmed I paid the man, put on my hat and headed back out on to Main Street.

A couple of ladies from the Woman's Auxiliary walked past me and I tipped my hat and they just said "Mr Bass" and kept walking. I reached the curb and waited for a couple of truck's to pass. As I stood there I tried to twirl my stick but dropped it to the pavement. I was going to bend down and pick it up when a kid on one of them little scooters zipped by, picked up my stick, handed it to me and said "Here ya go Mister Bass" and before I could say anything he was gone. I crossed the street and tossed the stick into the back of the Tahoe before heading into the Middle of the Block Cafe. I was greeted with HIYA's and how is it going Bobby as I made my way to the counter. I sat down and ordered lunch and got to thinking that maybe I should get me a top hat to go along with that cane here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,687,975}

Bobby Bass · April 12, 2015

FIRE DANGER IS HIGH here at Lake Iwanttobethere this weekend, rain in the forecast for tonight but... Stormy Clearweather has come out with her forecast which is much warmer then Sunshine Ray's forecast. Stormy may be right as it is already over seventy here this morning and she is calling for temps all week to be in the middle sixties. Today it is warm and windy and we are of course very dry. I am keeping my cell phone close in case I get a fire call, I am still a member of the Lake Iwanttobethere Volunteer Fire Department but I am down the list to be called. I do have the hundred gallon tank of water filled in the back of the old Dodge and I can help with small grass fires.

Yesterday the Department was called out three times but caught the grass fries early and made quick work of them. With guys scattered all over our response time is pretty good especially when a lot of us show up with a hundred gallons of water and a sprayer in the back of our pick up trucks. I spent the afternoon enjoying being outside in the warm weather waiting for a call that never came. I did spend time sitting on my dock, sun was warm and the wind was blowing the right direction, from the shore out. I had Duncan with me and he was on the hill rolling on his back with his feet pointing up at the sky, reminded me of Bud till he got up and didn't shake off. He came walking out on the dock covered in small twigs and brown grass and just stood there next to me. I reached down and brushed the grass off his back and I think it was all his plan as he got a free rub out of the deal.

Of course the afternoon was not wasted as I did spend time on the deck and I had the garage doors and shop doors wide open. Time to let out that cold winter air and exchange some warm fresh stuff for the stale stuff. My neighbor Elmer came over to check up on me, he was on his way up to the Resort for the weekend. We did have time to chat some and Elmer tried out one of my cigars. He took the small cigar and rolled it around in his fingers before clipping the end off and then he lit the wrong end. I didn't say anything as he does this all the time. According to Elmer if you smoke a cigar backwards you go gain time back. If you do it while fishing you get twice as much time back. I think it works as he is getting to be a pretty old guy and he fishes and smokes cigars a lot.

After Elmer left I sat in my chair and Duncan was laying on the deck next to me, his head resting on my foot. I made a few calls and got a few in return and I got to thinking about something. Actually that was what I was thinking about, something. One of the guys I called told me he could not talk because he was right in the middle of something. I told him to call me back when he was done with something which made me think that a lot of people tell people that they are doing something, but I don't really know what something is. I know I have told people that I am doing something when I am not really doing anything but then again I have been in the middle of something and told people that and they never ask just what I am doing but just say OK. I got a call from Big Earl this morning and I told him I could not talk as I was right in the middle of something and that it involved a Do Hickie. Big Earl could not get off the phone quick enough, I guess if you are doing something with a Do Hickie you should not stop, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,690,454}

Bobby Bass · April 14, 2015

WE GOT SOME rain the other night and it started to fall at six-fifteen as I was sitting out on the deck here as I had just replaced the battery on the big wall clock that hangs on the side of the cabin. I moved from the table to the covered swing and Duncan came up from the yard to sit next to me and we watched the rain fall. Not much more then a shower and after about ten minutes it slowed then stopped. With the last drop hitting the table it was a cue for robins to suddenly swarm the yard as it was like someone had rang the dinner bell for them. The air was loud with chirping as the birds moved across the yard searching for food. Duncan just sat and watched, there were to many of them to just pick on one so he tried to watch them all.

Thunder rang out and soon there were flashes of lightning and the rain started back up. The rest of the evening the rain fell and the ground soaked it up and asked for more. Yesterday I took out the hay fork and cleared most of the straw off the strawberry patch. Even with the rain of the night before there was still frozen ground and the plants were not ready yet to let go off the landscaping fabric that I use as a blanket. Today I was back in the garden and the fabric was removed from the berries and they looked like they took winter well. I wandered around the garden with the pitch fork hitting spots and finding a lot of hard ground still.

Been moving around a little better everyday, taking baby steps but I am on the mend and should be fine by the time fishing opener arrives. With the warm weather of the past few days the cabin is being heated by the solar collector and a couple of windows have been cracked to let some fresh air into the cabin. I did spend a little time restacking the wood in the pile, came through the winter a lot better then in the past seasons. I almost kicked a log laying on the ground but thought better of it. Instead I went and got a sledge hammer that was leaning up against the side of the wood shed, guess I had forgotten to put it away last fall. A couple of whacks at the log told me it was still froze to the ground so I gave it a two handed whack and promptly broke the head of the hammer off the handle. No one around to hear me curse so I didn't bother. Duncan kind of cocked his head at me and I found myself talking to him about how we now have to go see Big Earl and buy a new handle.

The rain sure made a difference, little water in the ditches now and some grass is starting to turn green. Maples have a few buds and I checked my little apple trees but no sign of life yet. Zippy the chipmunk survived the winter as he ran across the driveway and Duncan saw him and gave chase. Seeing the chipmunk reminded me about buying some hardware screen to put around the berries to keep him and his family out, something else to add to my shopping list. I ended up at the boat house looking at the tarp that covers the Puddle Humper. I almost started to untie the ropes that hold the tarp on but decided to wait, still twenty-four days till opener and there are a lot of other things to tend to here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,695,273}

Bobby Bass · April 15, 2015

PRETTY TYPICAL PACE of life going on here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Someone on the lake is putting on a new roof as at seven this morning I could hear the sound of a roofing nailer coming from somewhere on the other side of the lake. Took me a little while to figure out exactly what it was but then the wind shifted a little and the sound became clear to me. Most of the ice has gone out here but some of the bays still hold big stretches. I was down at the Lodge last night, pulled a shift behind the bar after having not been down there for over a week. First thing I noticed when I came in was the faint smell of Lilac in the air. I know for fact that there are no Lilac anywhere close to blooming so my next thought is that Honey Sauce has added a woman's touch to the Lodge, I was wrong.

I came in the back door and exchanged HIYA's with Gus who got me updated and then headed off for home. Vinny was working in the kitchen so I just tied on an apron and found my stool behind the bar and started going through a pile of messages written in Gus's squiggle on the pink telephone message pad paper. That is when I started sniffing and could smell the Lilac in the air. I got up and walked around the bar and I didn't find any scented candles, not even any scented plastic garbage bags. Nothing by the popcorn machine and it was not till I came to the big round table where the FELLOWS were sitting that the smell got stronger. With my nose sniffing I walked around the table and stopped right behind Gary. "What are you smoking" I asked. Gary looked back over his shoulder and said "The usual" the other FELLOWS started to snicker some and I knew I had found the source of the Lilac. Tiny with a big grin on his face said "Go ahead and tell him what your wife did Gary"

I sat down next to Gary and said "Yes Gary tell me, I have time" Well to make a long story short Gary has always mentioned that he would like to have a humidor to store his smokes but he never has gotten one for a gift and he don't want to spend the money on one himself, to many FELLOW projects to pay for already. Anyway his wife for Christmas got a plastic case filled with bath salts and the other day she used up the last of the salts and transferred Gary's cigars from the box he just bought into the plastic box that held the Lilac scented bath salts. Seems she didn't really wash the box out all that well and it would not make much of a difference as the smell gets right in the plastic and cigars are really good at absorbing smells from around them. Gary now has a mess of Lilac smelling cigars. I shook my head at him and said "You know they busted that shop in the big city for selling bath salts last year, people were smoking them" Gary nodded his head and said "That is why I figured they were OK to smoke but I just do one a day" I shook my head some and asked how they smoke and Gary told me just fine, although he does feel a little lite headed.

Quiet night behind the bar, poured a few drinks but most guys were just nursing Hamms. No baseball on the radio but tomorrow night there will be hockey to watch. Expect a better crowd and Gus has ordered extra wings and onion rings. Our stretch of warm days continues and I am on day four of wearing shorts. Today here at the cabin I am going to turn the outside water on and start cleaning things up some. Might even take the power washer out but I think I will save that for a day when it gets above seventy. I did untie the clothes line that held the tarp down on the Puddle Humper, wife wanted it back. This morning there are already sheets flapping in the breeze on the line and the sound of air nailers in the air, here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,697,070}

Bobby Bass · April 17, 2015

NOT A CLOUD in the sky this morning and you can clearly make out the turkey buzzards as they ride the thermals on this end of Lake Iwanttobethere. The brush pile is growing alongside the fire pit as I have been picking up the property and Duncan has been helping me. Barney has taken his position as porch dog as he sleeps the day away on the deck oblivious to what is going on around him. But then when you are a dog and you are just a few weeks away from your fifteenth birthday you deserve a few naps on a sun warmed deck. As the evening went on last night it got warmer and by sundown it was seventy out, something that both Sunshine Ray and Stormy Clearweather had missed in their forecasts. I did start a small fire in the metal fire ring but only big enough to set in a couple of piece of old 4x4 so I could rest the head of the sledge hammer on top and make a fire in between. It took about an hour or so and I had the old broken piece of handle burned out of the sledge hammer head.

This morning I looked over the list of things to do and the easiest one was to dig the sledge hammer head out of the ashes and pound in the new handle. With the hammer fixed I looked around for something to try it out on and found nothing. I carried the hammer down to the shop and tucked it away where it should have been stored all winter. Edd and Eddie the squirrels are running through the cedars chattering away and Duncan follows on the ground watching. No sound of roofing nailers today coming across the water, I think they are done. Today it is supposed to be in the seventies but rain is in the forecast. Will work a little in the garden maybe plant some onions but I think I will save that for when the granddaughter comes over tomorrow.

A late start to the hockey game last night so it was dark by the time I got down to the Lodge but I didn't miss anything. Our team won so we have at least four more games of hockey to watch. Baseball team even won a couple of games back to back which to some is a surprise. There had been some talk of taking Reed's bio-disel down for a game but that disappeared with the bad start the team had. Now there is some talk of maybe later in the season, depending on if they improve any. Bar was busy between periods but pretty quiet when the game was actually on. Gus made sure there were plenty of wings and rings and French fries with salt between periods to keep beer sales going.

When the game ended it was already kind of late for the guys who have to go to work in the morning but just the right time for us retired guys to pull up a chair and light a cigar out on the deck. One of those few times of the year when it is warm out and there are no bugs to bother you. I have a feeling that with the warm weather and the forecasted coming rain it will not be that long before we see or hear skeeters in these parts. So we sat out on the deck and took in the smell of spring and Gary's Lilac cigar. I asked him how many he had left of the cigars and he told me a whole box, at one a day he will be well into fishing season before he runs out here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,702,950}

Bobby Bass · April 18, 2015

TOOK MY TIME driving into the Lodge this morning, come to think of it I pretty much take my time all the time. Gives me time to look around when I drive and observe the sights. I drove past Potato Joe's place and I didn't see him but I did see his beef herd out. The cattle were out along the fence with their noses down looking for anything green to eat. Saw a guy out with his push mower, didn't recognize him he was just mowing up a cloud of dust and I am thinking maybe some leaves. I would have beeped the Tahoe horn but he had a hard hat on and ear muffs. Forty-seven out and another blue sky day but it is windy, and gusty and trees are swaying and it feels a lot colder. Of course I am wearing shorts so I am a little more sensitive to the breeze around my knees. Like everyone else walking on Main Street this morning I am wearing shorts and a hoodie, typical Lake Iwanttobethere fashion.

Would be a good day to rake leaves into Elmer's yard but I am down at the Lodge because the hockey game is on at two. I parked in my spot at the back door and made my way into the Lodge. Exchanged a few HIYAs with the FELLOWS who were already at the big round table that they had moved closer to the TV. As luck would have it the Ladies Auxiliary was not having their Saturday morning meeting but instead they were down in the big city at the circus. No word on whether they are just attending or taking part. I say that because I heard they all went down in just one car, the twelve of them.

I settled in behind the bar when two couples came in through the front door. I didn't hear their license plate song play on the juke box so I was caught off guard. They stood just inside the door taking in the place and they looked a little lost. I came around the bar and asked if I could be of assistance and the guy in the lead asked for a table for four. I noted the guy behind him was busy on his smart phone so I took them over to a table near the wall, well away from the TV and the FELLOWS. Now I don't know if you know this or not but sometimes we do like to mess with the tourist. Yes, they pay the bills around here but sometimes they just ask for it. No sooner did the couple sit down then they all asked for spring water and the 2nd guy said he was not getting any signal. I went for the water and as I turned all four of them were pointing their phones in different directions searching for some bars.

I was popping the caps off the Lake Iwanttobethere spring water when Gus came out from the kitchen rubbing his hands in his apron. He spotted the tourist right away and smiled as he saw them trying to find a signal for their smart phones. "Sat them along the wall where Windy the Windmill has her power cables I see" said Gus. I nodded and said "I thought they looked like they needed a real wilderness experience." I put a towel over my arm like Vinnie does and served them the spring water on a beer mug carrying platter. As they looked over the menus I had brought with we made some small talk. One of the guys asked if I knew where they could rent a canoe and looking over my order pad I did mention that there is ice on the lake here still. He replied they just wanted to rent one so they could tie it on the top of their SUV and get that real feeling of being in the outdoors. I just nodded and thought to myself I should have brought them the road kill menu.

They order some buffalo cheese burgers, rare and some salads. But only after I told them we were all out of soy burgers. Washed it all down with some Whynotale and I gave them the directions to Hunterdowns place to rent a canoe and told them if they still can't get any signal the teletype office in town is open till five on weekends. That got their attention as they thought that would be a great way to impress their friends back in the big big city. I sold them a Lake Iwanttobethere map and some pine air freshener for their SUV, told them they didn't have to roll their windows down to get that pine smell if they used the air freshness. As they drove out the guys started to show up for the hockey game and the first platter of wings and rings came out of Gus's kitchen. Just a windy Saturday here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,707,040}

Bobby Bass · April 20, 2015

SPENT SILENT SUNDAY at the Resort. Brought the granddaughter up with me and she spent most of the afternoon with Vic tending to seedlings and plants that are in all of the Main Room windows. Them little fingers come in handy when dealing with the small plants. Vic also enjoys the attention of the young lady and he shares stories with her that he has told for years but are all new to her. Chuck was up tending to his maple trees and after awhile the granddaughter was done in the Main Room and put her coat on and came up to the pole barn to watch Uncle Chuck work. Matter of fact at the Resort just about everybody is called Uncle.

A nice walleye chop on the water yesterday as the wind was blowing steady, the rain had stopped but my run of wearing shorts was over as I had on pants. The walleye chop was not on the lake by the way, it was on a big puddle in front of cabin number two, guess we need to haul some fill in there this year. Today finds me back at the cabin, was looking for a place to get out of the wind but that didn't happen. Wind chimes here are banging away and seagulls are flying low and fast. No rain but it is in the forecast and I heard Stormy Clearweather talking of a chance of snow for tomorrow.

Did have a little accident up at the Resort yesterday as Chuck was standing outside of the wood shop and a gust of wind grabbed the door and slammed him in the back. Hit him so hard it knocked the change right out of his pocket. Lucky for him it didn't hit him in the head and Dock Burriem was fetched and told him he would be fine, just stop standing in front of doors in gale winds. The granddaughter made fifty-seven cents in the deal as Uncle Chuck didn't want to bend down to pick up his change.

The Bait Room at the Resort is all cleaned up and ready to go, walls are a little bare as we are waiting on our tackle orders to come it. Only a few minnows in the tank as no one is fishing right now and the granddaughter has decided to give the few minnows left all names. Still we seem to find time to go in there and Hammering Hank has cleaned out the stove pipe and replaced a few sections so we can start a fire in the pot belly stove. Figure we could move some wood chairs from out of storage and put them around the fire and have a good sit down place for guys to warm up and just tell stories. I know for a fact that if you put a cup of coffee in a fishermen's hand he will need a place to set it down when he tells a fishing story, got to have both hands to show how big the big one was when it got away.

Fishing season is getting close enough to start counting it down by days not weeks or months. Not today though, today would not be a good fishing day with the wind howling and tree branches swaying. Wind chimes banging away and Duncan the dog is sitting at the back door staring out the glass but he does not want to go out, he is just looking. I am sitting at my desk with my fingers interlocked behind my head leaning back in my chair looking at the gray sky out the windows of the cabin. Not the best day but this time last year we had snow on the ground and I had broken shovels. Playoff hockey tonight and I am not on the schedule to work at the Lodge. Big decision to make, do I stay home and drink my own beer or go watch the game at the Lodge here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,709,780}

Bobby Bass · April 21, 2015

FOR CHRISTMAS THIS last year I received one of those digital picture frames that you just plug a thumb drive into and it puts on a slide show of your pictures. I think I have around eighteen hundred photos on the drive and I need to add some more to it. I find myself leaning back in my chair and interlacing my fingers and just looking at the pictures as they go by. So far I am doing good at remembering where all of them were taken and who is in them. Almost all of them make me grin as they are good memories to be renewed. The walls of my den are covered in eight by tens. They are mostly dog pictures or big bass pictures from my family and friends that I have been lucky enough to be with when the fish were caught.

A picture caught my eye from last summer, I was out with the granddaughter and we were bobber fishing. The picture shows her with a smile bigger than the bass she is holding up to show off. We decided that day to keep it simple, at least simple for me. The Puddle Humper stayed on the trailer instead we used the old wood row boat that is kept tied up to the dock or flipped upside down on the shore. Simple for me is an adventure still for the grand kids when they get to go fishing in the old wood boat. Everyone knows the big ones you can't reach by casting from the dock. The afternoon started with making a lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a couple of cans of pop and a couple of bottles of water. The water was for me but the granddaughter said she would share her pop when we were down the shore some and Nana could not see us.

The rest of the lunch was left to Nana to decide, goodies wise. Granddaughter says if you let Nana decide you get a little something of everything. Fridge out in the garage was checked for worms and we were a little low that day so I had to follow her to the garden where we lifted pots and turned over rocks and were rewarded with some fat night crawlers and some small worms that we could use for little fish she told me. Next was going to the boat house and getting life vests and tackle boxes. Making sure we had a stringer and the fish basket. The granddaughter told me as she looked up at the sky that maybe the crappie will be biting that day. We loaded the old wood boat up and made sure we brought a coffee can, in case we had to bail or maybe catch frogs in. We stood on the dock with our vests on and I asked her if she forgot anything. She stared into the boat and turned with a smile and said "Fishing poles"

With the anchor that was made out of filling a gallon paint can full of cement secured we pushed off with an oar and set sail. The granddaughter pointing the way and me on the bench acting as the engine room took commands from the captain. The oars complained in the locks as I pulled on them and they squeaked. The granddaughter said we really should oil them and I just nodded in agreement. A few minutes later we rounded the point and with calm water in front of our bow and just a shade of a wake behind us I pulled the oars from the water at the captains command. "Here" she said "Here we will catch fish" and so we did. I know this because I just saw her picture and her smile on my desk here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,711,439}

Bobby Bass · April 22, 2015

A LITTLE LIGHT coming through the clouds where the sun should be shinning this morning. Got cold overnight as this morning the water in the dog bowl on the deck was frozen over. Kind of funny watching Duncan trying to get a drink of water and not being able to. The old dog Barney did not have a problem, he just knocked the bowl over and the ice cracked and Barney drank from the unfrozen water left in the bowl. Can't teach old dogs new tricks because they already know them all. The weather the past few days has not been the kind that you want to work outside in if you have a choice. Windy with snow showers and as all ready noted cold enough to freeze standing water.

Another playoff hockey game tonight and it is a late one. The weather is fitting for watching hockey as no doubt we will have a fire going down at the Lodge. We will open a couple of windows so the cold air can blow in and it will feel like we are sitting close to the ice. Should also be loud as the FELLOWS have hocked up the surround sound to the TV so we will have it turned up! We are also going to charge twice the price for our hot dogs and cup beer just to make everyone feel at home. We will how ever be offering a steep discount if you wear your Lake Iwanttobethere Lodge vest. Come to think of it I don't ever think I have written about the Lodges vests. For Lodge meetings and special events we all wear vests with names on them and years of membership.

I have mine hanging in the office on the coat tree and I guess I never really think about it. Mine as you would guess is pretty old and has been expanded a few times by the wife. You can always tell who the younger members of the Lodge are because they can still button their vests up. Arlo wears his vest all the time but then he is a fly fishermen and his is full of fly fishing tools and little boxes. Honey Sauce the waitress here at the Lodge wears hers and has her order book in it and extra bottles of ketsup and mustard. Now that I think of it a lot of the guys wear their Lodge vests all the time. I know Vic does but he has a reason to as he told me the story about when he went to the nursing home and the first thing they did was take away his pants and give him pants with no pockets. Vic says a man with no pockets has nothing. No wear to put your wallet or change or your pocket knife, no place for keys or hard candy not even a place for a few sinkers or a lighter.

I am at the cabin here but now I am thinking about what I have in my vest, the Lodge vest that is. I do have a couple of vests. My hunting vest hanging in the closet here has shells, a compass and some hand warmers. Pretty sure there are some gloves in there and a good chance there may be a dog biscuit or two. I better check on that. I do have an old Lodge vest that I wear around outside, that has a lighter and a hidden cigar case. Some nippers and twine a pencil various nails and screws, one of them handy dandy do everything combo tools and probably some old empty seed packets. The Lodge vest I will have to check when I go there this evening. I am sure I have business cards tucked away in pockets and old receipts. Might even be some expired fishing licenses, I know there are wood stick matches and some spare change. Pencils and pens for sure, a black magic marker, I remember using that the other day. Now I am thinking that I should go in a little early and see what I really do have in my vest here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,713,991}

Bobby Bass · April 26, 2015

SILENT SUNDAY WILL not be observed today, one of those times when I can invoke the need to speak rule. This afternoon at the Lodge we have a playoff hockey game. We won or I should really say the team that I follow won the other night and with a win this afternoon we can move on in the playoffs. With some luck there is a chance that I could be listening to hockey while driving home from fishing here in just a few weeks. Playoff hockey is always good for the Lodge, beer sales are up for the month and we got rid of the last of our Saint Patrick's green beer the other night. Just so happens that the green beer goes well with the hockey teams home colors.

Have been busy the past few days, can't tell you what I was doing as I don't remember but I must have been busy doing something. Stormy Clearweather is forecasting that the weather is going to change starting tomorrow. High in the sixties all week and maybe hit seventy by next weekend. Much better then the cool sunless and very windy days of the past week. Was hoping to be working in the main garden by now but I have to follow Mother Natures schedule and she was not changing it. Did spend time out in the greenhouse and cleaned it up. Need to start moving seedlings from inside the den out there, just don't have the room inside. Tonight is supposed to be the last night below freezing so I am hoping to start bringing the seedlings out to the greenhouse and then start some more inside so they are all ready to go in the gardens by the first of June, the typical garden starting time in these parts.

Of course a little foul weather has not stopped the robins from trying to build bird nests. They are back at it under the boat house and I was complaining to the granddaughter when she was here about it. She told me why don't I just put up a sign and we got a good laugh about that. Then she said with that same look her mother gets on her face and said she was "Serious" she then got some markers out and made up a "No Robins Nests" sign and we pinned it under the roof where we always seem to get a nest. This morning I checked the spot and there is no nest, go figure. I have been working on my buy list, need some things for fishing, like oil and a new rubber bow stop for the Puddle Humper trailer. Already got a replacement battery for the trolling motor remote, actually had to look for that. Bought a new starting battery last fall so that will take care of the starting problem I was having and graph problems.

That reminds me I will have to go see if there is a software update for my graph. The days of just pushing the old wood boat away from the dock and dipping the oars in are kind of gone. Nowadays you have to send your spendy reels away to get serviced because there is like two hundred parts in them. Graphs need to have their software updated and you have to check with the DNR every spring to see what sticker you need on your trailer or boat this season. Batteries for flashlights and trolling motor remotes, oil for the engine and charging starting and trolling motor batteries. Of course you get all used to doing it but every now and then it is nice just to push off the dock and make sure you have two oars, a coffee can for bailing and check to see the boat plug is in here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,722,841}

Bobby Bass · April 28, 2015

WAITING FOR RAIN to start falling here at the Lodge on the shore of Lake Iwanttobethere today. It is in the forecast and the sky has been cloudy all day but so far no rain has fallen. Yesterday was just a sweet day for April, in the sixties and lots of sunshine. I spent a good part of the afternoon sitting on the deck at home transplanting seedlings to bigger pots and then putting them in the greenhouse. Might have gotten a little to much sun as today I am glad there is some clouds. Need to work up to being outside all day after spending way to much time inside during winter. BB gun is sitting outside as enough is enough. I say that as not once but twice I had pigeons make bombing runs on my deck. Wife says I should just leave them alone but changed her mine when she had to go and clean the [PoorWordUsage] off her railing where she keeps her potted flowers.

Have more plants to pot today but I think I will wait. I know for a fact as soon as I get the dirt out and cups on the table it will start to rain. Instead I have been working in the shop cleaning up and taking inventory. Granddaughter has a half a day of school on Friday and is coming over. Told her I will get the onion bed ready and she can plant. Wife is already working on the strawberry bed, we are going to double it in size this year and we have a lot of plants that can get transplanted. Hoping to have another berry season like last year which was outstanding. Fishing season is almost here to, just a couple of weekends left to get out of the way and we will be back on the water. I have already called the oldest son and hinted he needs to get his boat out of my yard and back to his.

Last night I spent some time at the Lodge, not working but just in for a cold one and to check on the progress of things. FELLOWS were all sitting at the big round table and they were working on something and eating bananas. I brought my beer over and sat down. We all know how them big bass boats have them power Talons that they put on the stern to hold positions. The FELLOWS have been spending the winter watching fishing shows and were hard at work trying to figure how they could duplicate the anchoring systems with out spending more money then what their boats are worth. From what I could see looking over their shoulders they were working on a round tube bolted to the transom. The idea being you used the round tube as a guide to run a piece of concrete rebar through it and then pound it in to the bottom of the lake with a sledge hammer. It also involved a couple of vise grips to hold the rebar in the guide when not in use. They even have a deep water version with twenty foot rebar but that means they would need a bigger hammer.

I figured they are still aways away from getting a working model so I made an excuse to move on. I did ask about the banana eating and Gary said that Steve's wife saw some show where they said you should bury a banana peel next to your rose bushes, it will feed the rose bush. The FELLOWS have volunteered to eat the bananas and give Steve the peels. Then they found out that Steve's wife needs the peels not for her roses but for the rose bushes that the Ladies Auxiliary tends to down at the city square. Now they have to eat the bananas or hear from the Ladies Auxiliary here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,725,600}

Bobby Bass · April 30, 2015

A BOX OF tissue is close at hand here today as it has been the past few days. Should have known that a week of forecasted nice weather was too good to be true. Woke up the other morning with a little sore throat and a few extra pains and by evening I was in full blown cold stage. Running nose, hacking cough and every thing ache. Yup, Mother Nature has struck just a week and a few days away from the opening of fishing season. Everyone always says that bad things happen in threes I am still waiting on number three as I have two out of the way. Besides a cold the wife came home yesterday and said she had no brakes on the Jeep. I dragged myself out of the cabin to look the Jeep over and came up with a bad brake cylinder and put a call in to the son Dug.

Dug came over last night with a cylinder and brake fluid, took the tire off and found the shoes were a mess. Back to Dan's for cleaner and shoes and today he has to make another trip for brake line. Have not pulled the other side off but I am going to go out on a limb and this is going to turn into a total brake job. The fishing fund is lite a few twenties as I just gave money to the son as it has to get done. Yesterday was also Barneys birthday, the old dog has made it to fifteen. Just another day for him as he spent most of it sleeping out on the deck, laying in the sunshine. Was going to give him a doggie birthday party but with me under the weather we were just content to sit around and do nothing.

Friday the mail and paper will start being delivered by boat. It being the first of May and ice is no longer a problem on the lake. I did shuffle down to the dock and removed a bird's nest that one of the robin's was building on the lid. Water level is down some and it looks like we will have to drag the old wood row boat a little further to get it wet here. Checked the plants in the greenhouse and they are all doing well, need to transplant some more plants from inside the cabin and move them out there but that will have to wait till the granddaughter comes over. I heard the Chicken Shack is open and have been meaning to get down there. They have changed up their menu some and I heard from a good source that the deep fried chicken skins are pretty tasty. No chicken, just skin rolled in herbs and spices and deep fried along with a side of potato skins.

Hockey tomorrow night, the second round of the playoffs start, and as much as I would like to be at the Lodge I think the cold and the granddaughter are going to keep me at the cabin. Rain in the forecast and it is supposed to be warm so maybe the girl and I will sit out on the covered swing and drink root beer and listed to hockey with rain drops as out background. With a win it could be a night memories are made from here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,728,548}

Bobby Bass · May 2, 2015

SEVENTY IN THE shade, sure does feel good writing that down. If I didn't have this dang cold slowing me down I would be getting a lot of work done here at the Resort. Last night our team lost the first game of the series in hockey. Bad first period followed by a good second left us on the short end at the end of the night. A few guys left after the first period when we were down 3-zip but the guys who stayed around enjoyed the come back. Several guys had their boats on their trailers sitting in the parking lot. Today is the opener for the far side of the lake and several Lodge members hold licenses for fishing both sides of the lake. It is a tradition for them to be on the water at midnight and last night it just so happens they had a hockey game to watch before they went fishing.

Yesterday with the help of the granddaughter we planted onions and radishes and set up two of the three rain barrels. Tomorrow it is forecasted to rain and this time it might actually happen. Granddaughter had a birthday party to go to today so she went to the party and I came up to the Resort to work in the Bait Room. During the week some of our orders came in and even though the guys opened the boxes up like it was Christmas Eve they didn't hang anything up on the pegboards. When I arrived I found Vic sitting down on the dock with his rod trying to get some crappies to bite. The fish had moved into the shallows and he could see them swimming around but they were not interested in any of his offerings. He did come back up after awhile saying he would try later this afternoon after he watches the big horse race on TV he might have mentioned that he has a couple of dollars on the race with a friend of Marv's from back east.

Had the windows open in the Clubhouse and the Bait Room door was open and the only thing keeping the big bumble bees from coming in was the screen door. Nice to see bees so early in the year along with a wealth of birds. Vic told me he has been hearing Peepers in the evening and it just sounds like summer is coming sooner then later. Next weekend of course is fishing opener here and we are fully booked, well unofficially. We still are not really open as a resort so to speak but all the cabins are spoken for as are the camping sites. The FELLOWS have their rigs untarped and we have a long To Do List for this week. Of course having all the guys makes the list seem much more manageable then it would be for just one guy.

I took a break from hanging bags of plastic worms on pegboards and headed into the Main Room for a soda. Vic told me he was going to make some BLT's and I told him I would of course have one if it was no trouble. I traded lunch for watering his tomato plants in the window and soon the smell of tomato was in the air carried by the warm breeze coming through the windows. We were just finishing up the sandwiches when a caravan of pickups and boat trailers came down the driveway. The FELLOWS had arrived from their all night fishing opener on the other side of the lake. With doors slamming and some yelling I made by way out to the drive as Gary came around from behind the back of his pickup carrying a cooler. He asked if Vic was around and I told him of course. Gary then said "Do you think he would mind cooking up a mess of walleye for everybody" I just said you will have to ask him and Gary walked by as I held the door open for him. Still a week away from fishing opener but it looks like we will be having walleye for dinner tonight here at Lake Iwanttobethere {2,736,643}

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