Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[ANYFISH2]

Good to hear from you Bobby!

[Bobby Bass]

GOOD NEWS, BAD news It has been a couple of weeks since I have written but things have not been quiet here at Lake Iwanttobethere. I have spent most of my time in bed and for some reason my laptop will let me read what is going on but not let me post. I have in my mind written at least a dozen stories but they did not get posted. So here is some of the topics I did kind of write about and I will now show in a very very brief format.

　

About a month ago I started feeling a heaviness in my left leg and about two weeks later on a Friday night the entire leg blew up and I was off to the hospital. Long story short I had developed a deep blood clot in my left thigh which kept be in the hospital for three days till I could adjust to a blood thinner. I will now be on a blood thinner for at least the next 90 days. It took me another week to find a pain killer that will let me tolerate the constant 24/7 pain from the clot. The pain feels like someone hit my thigh with a sledge hammer and it does not go away. Stairs are almost impossible to do by myself so add that to something caused by a side effect.

　

Good news is my kidney function has returned to almost normal and with it my blood pressure has returned as well as my heart beat has risen. This means the lightheadedness and dizzy spells have gone away ! Matter of fact I may even have to go back on pressure med to keep them in the normal range. My favorite fishing daughter has joined me as she had an mri done on her ankle and is now sporting a cast. The two of us now spent Friday nights together with our crutches and me with my walker having the wife wait on us.

　

Smelt season has come and gone and I never did get to make it down to the fry tent in the parking lot, although Elmer did bring me a foam plate of them which went down pretty easy.

　

Fishing season has of course started and I will no longer have a need for the countdown unless I start one for me and when I will wet a line. A couple of yeas ago my neighbor Chuck and his wife got rid of their horses and even though there was talk of adding some beef to the fenced in pasture nothing happen till now. No beef but Chuck is about halfway done putting in a three hole par there golf course. The trail has been widen from my place to his as he uses his lawn mower to ride the course and mow the fairways as he goes. I can of course use my mower to do the same thing once I can stand up and swing a club.

Crazy weather the other ay as we hit 94 in the shade and then the thunderstorms came through dropping the temp 30 degrees in an hour. Today finds us in the fifties with a constant steady wind bending the trees. Not a good fishing day so I am not missing anything. Pain pills make me sleep a lot and I am OK with that, don’t hurt when I sleep and the next thing we are trying to cure is the tingle and numbness in my hands and feet. Makes it tuff to type and even holding a fork can be challenge. Holding on to the soap in the shower has been all but impossible. Told the wife to go to the General store and buy me some soap on the rope otherwise I am going to have to make my own! My to do list is usually about ten things long and if I get one thing done I am quite happy with myself. If I do three things I am doing to much and end up paying for it for a couple of days after. Today’s thing was to write a story to let you al know we are still here, still reading your stuff and hoping to read some good fish stories. This is the first time in forty years that I do not have rod sitting at the ready by the back door, feels really strange here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[nytelyter]

Great to see a post i am hopeing that you get back to a new normal soon. and that things will start to regulate them selves. wishing that you get in some boat time soon.
 

[Bobby Bass]

YESTERDAY, ANOTHER RAIN day so it was not a fishing day so I have yet to lose a day. I should note here that I am referring to the far side of the lake where the season open last weekend. This side of the lake is still a few days away. I am moving around better and spending more time back in the den and surfing the web. I have noticed that when I leave the den chair and head to the living room that the old couch and chairs are not very comfortable. I broached the idea with the wife that perhaps it might be time to buy some new living room furniture and to my surprise the wife agreed it may be time. I started off with a nice overstuffed chair and perhaps a couch and she added a love seat to seal the deal and I surprised her by saying that was good with me as long as I got to pick the furniture. She agreed which surprised me! Got her back by in listing my oldest daughter who loves to shop and it didn’t take much for the daughter to set a date to take me furniture shopping.

　

I got up this afternoon to the smell of baking cookies and I should have known something was up. Double batch of oatmeal raisin cookies were cooling on the racks and I had not even asked for them. Round three or so Elmer just happen to drop by and he had a plastic bag full of pie pans. I thought he had gone to the thrift shop only to find out he was cleaning house and all the pie pans were ours that he was returning. Around four or so there was a knock on the door and here standing in the rain was Burt from Burt and Barts Barbershop. Well I invited him in and he headed for the kitchen with a paper bag in hand. I was trying to renmber if we gave him pie in pans when instead he opened the bag to reveal his haircutting cape. He told me the wife said I needed a trim and didn’t think I could get into his chair at the shop so he being a friend that just happens to be a barber came out to give me a trim at home. He then looked me over and said the wife was right, I needed a trim and then some.

　

Well, I sat down in the chair and did not protest too much, I could use a trim on the beard and I was not going to let the wife any where close. Another knock on the door and in comes DOC Buriem, Nytelyter and Vic and right behind them was Chuck with a twelve pack of Hamms. Since I could not go to the barbershop it looks like the barbershop came to me. In no time the scissors were nipping away at my hair and small talk about the upcoming fishing season and small wagers over who was going to catch what were made. Hamms were cracked open and raisin oatmeal cookies eaten between sips of the beer. I did try a sip of beer and a cookie and I will tell you it is an acquired taste.

With cookies and beer gone the guys left and I was looking a little better. The wife cleaned up the hair from the floor and Duncan kind of gave me a second look to make sure I was who I was. It is still raining out so another day where fishing was not going to be happening on either side of Lake Iwanttobethere

[Dotch]

Did he trim your nose hair and eyebrows too, Bobby?  Good to hear that I'm not the only one who thinks beer and cookies are OK! It'll help you mend.

[Bobby Bass]

Another week lost in the hospital but I am back !!!

 

[Bobby Bass]

MYSTERY RIVER IS giving up fish to old guys and kids who ride their bikes to the shore and toss out into the water from shore. Not many boats working the river as with the season open everyone is fishing their favorite little lake. I spent the last week in the hospital once again and I am not going to spend the time writing about it as there are other things to write about. I am back at home and I am trying to get through another set back but it seems that is all I am doing. Before I went into the hospital I did go shopping with the two daughters and we did find a new couch and a new rocking recliner chair which I gave my stamp of approval on. The wife also gave me a thumbs up on my choice so last night I slept on the couch by choice, back felt better when I woke up on it then I went to sleep so I might have found my afternoon napping spot.

　

While I was in the hospital we did lose a pet. Smochie the Siamese cat got sick and died. More the wife’s cat then mine but I did wake up this morning missing her chewing out her kids which she did on a regular basis every morning. I will have to add her name to the sign that rest at the edge of the pet cemetery we have here. Grass needs to get cut and I have a list of things that need to be done today. The three ten and eleven year old grand kids will be here this afternoon and they are willing to work so I am working on there own do list. Sunshine Ray is calling for thunderstorms tomorrow so the rain barrels need to be moved and lids screwed on. The three new raised beds I hope will be put in the garden and filled with dirt today and then the paths mulched. If this gets done then the butterfly garden will get planted out in front.

　

I am looking forward to sitting on the covered swing on the deck tomorrow and if it is a warm rain I might just stay out there all afternoon. Has to be better then sitting in a hospital room with no air movement. Of course I will be thinking of more jobs for the grand kids to do. Tobacco in the cabin was not watered so they died while I was away so no plants to plant this season. I really don’t have the time to watch them so I will just plant more vegetables in the gutter gardens this season. The two daughters are going to buy me a cement mixer as my fathers day/756 birthday present, for those of you who keep track in years that is number 63. Today is my 755th birthday which is the one that I keep track of. The cement mixer will be used for remixing all the potting soil I made last season. About a 1000 pounds which is not something I want to do in a wheelbarrow. The grandkids should have fun doing it till it becomes work.

Well I have a ton of mail to go through and have to make my do list while keeping in mind that I have to work slow or get someone one else to do it for me. Sure wish I was fishing as the last week has been pretty decent weather wise here at Lake Iwanttobethere. When I do get fishing and I will I am going to take the time and enjoy every cast I make and every fish I catch will be a special one. This post is someone short but just wanted to let you know I am still around and there may be times when I can not post for a few days or several days. Life still goes on here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[RebelSS]

Hang in there, bobby. I know what the set backs are like, always seems like one is just around the corner.  You'll get through it. Glad to see you're out and back, always enjoy your posts. 

[ANYFISH2]

Always good to hear from you Bobby!

[Bobby Bass]

DRYING OUT HERE yesterday we got rained on pretty good as a big storm fell on the other side of Lake Iwanttobethere and the lake did act as a buffer but still we got pretty wet here. High winds blew here but from my vantage point on the deck it does not look like we lost any branches. Good thing the rain barrels were put out as they are over flowing and two of the three new garden beds are filled with dirt so they are ready to be planted in. This coming weekend I will get the last bed filled with dirt by the grand kids who have agreed to return even after the long weekend they had last weekend. I had made arrangements with Stan and Jean to stop by with their ice cream truck and as payment to the grand kids they got to pick anything they wanted from the truck. Amazing what a double cookie dough malt can do for a sore back.

　

Thursday was the wife and mine thirty-ninth wedding anniversary, we had a bbq here as I am not up to do much traveling other then going to doctors appointments but family and friends came over. I just held court on the deck and sampled food and chatted with people if they made it past Duncans approval. He was bribed quite easily with a chunk of cookie or some pats on the head. I was treated to a couple of fishing stories but I had nothing to offer in return. All I can do is look at the Puddle Humper still covered in her tarp and waiting patiently for me to get better.

　

This is my third attempted at writing a story as I got side tracked with some calls that I needed to answer. All three times I had to get on my computer and lost what I was writing. Time for a new computer I think, this one is nine years old and I spent more time fixing things on it then it is worth. Sunshine Ray was calling for it to warm up today but that has not happen. I am sitting here at the desk wearing shorts on his forecast but have a space heater pointed at me, go figure. I was just talking to my neighbor Chuck how I have missed all of spring this year. I sure hope that I don’t do the same with summer. Spent a few days in the hospital which seems to be the normal thing for me every few weeks. Found out that I have a growth of my pituitary gland and will be going in for surgery here in a few weeks. Thought being that it may be the cause for a lot of the side effects that I am having. Just kind of a timing thing as they are finding more things wrong with me then right. Pretty much a no brainer to get it looked at and fixed but I am sure getting sick of being in the hospital and being called by my first name when I go through the door.

Son in law is enjoying working on the bridge over at Mystery River, He has more paid down time then working time and if he would stop setting himself on fire it would be a great job. They are burning off and replacing supports and he has lit his knee pads on fire a few times. No biggie he says till tells my daughter his wife that he needs to buy some new knee pads and shows her the holey burnt ones. Elmer and Vic are slaying the crappies on their new brush piles up at the RESORT and I may be borrowing tomatoes plants from Vic to plant in my own garden. Seems the wife forgot to water my seedlings and they don’t look very good here. The wife is finding out just how much stuff I do around the cabin now that I am not doing the stuff around the cabin. Matter of fact the grass needs to be cut but I think I will have the grandkids do that, they might actually think it is fun using the riding mower here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Dotch]

Good to see you back Bobby! Nothing wrong with letting the grandkids mow the lawn. Do they hire out? Take care Bud! 

[Bobby Bass]

THE UNDER TWO foot granddaughters are here at the cabin while there parents are out looking at some houses. Duncan is busy watching them so they don’t get in trouble at least his version of trouble. He is right along side of them as they search through the toy box and empty the contents on the floor. Some rain falling here once again but most of it is staying to the West of us, the other day it was all streaming by on the East. Some may call us lucky I am just saying Lake Iwanttobethere is doing her best to keep us out of the mess.

　

Lots of projects going on here at the cabin I started this story the other day but got sidetracked. The kitchen floor in the cabin got tore up yesterday as I was going to retile it but the wife decided to go ahead and start it without me. The oldest daughter and her husband somehow got convinced to help and it took them all day to pull the old tile off and remove the subfloor which was damaged. Buff the big tom cat had a problem as the tile was first removed leaving a very sticky surface behind. He made it half way across the floor where he got his paws stuck. The wife had to go and pry his paws off the floor and make sure he was not hurt. Today he is keeping his distance from the kitchen.

　

Does not much matter what the weather is as if it rains out like it is suppose to tomorrow. I have inside projects to supervisor or if it is nice out there is outside stuff to do. Going to fire up the BBQ here soon as it is turning into a nice evening here. Yesterday there was some commotion at my neighbors Chuck place as Echo the wonder dog is in the dog house. Chuck had added a small pen outside for the new batch of chicks he bought and Echo decide the chicks would be better off set free. She tore open the fencing and chased the chicks out of the pen into the open. Several crows spotted the chicks and flew off with five of them before Chuck could run the birds off. Tomorrow Chuck will be heading into town to see if he can find some replacement chicks. Needless to say Chuck is not to happy with Echo the wonder dog.

　

Also found out that a neighbor down the road has bought a bee hive, Was wondering why I an seeing so many bees around and now I have my answer. Of course there is a ton of wasps looking to see up nests to and I try to keep the wasp spray handy to get them before they get settled in. A couple of robins slipped past and established nests but their broods have already hatched and set sail. Now if we could just get the rabbits that are hiding in the bushes and are to quick for Duncan to catch. We may have to leave the gate open so Duncan can keep them out of the garden.

 

May is all but done and June is up, Did get grand kids to mow but this time of the year a week later and it needs to get mowed again. Might have worked them to hard last weekend as they were not to interested in coming over this weekend till we said we were going to BBQ and no work was going to be done. Going to rain tomorrow so the wife is planing on doing some more planting tonight in the big garden but I don’t know if she will have enough time. Elmer and Vic have been fishing almost every night and they dropped off some walleye yesterday. The crappies they are keeping for themselves. Them old guys can really pack the fish away when they are hungry for them. Hope everyone had a good holiday and looking forward to seeing you here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

Edited May 30, 2016 by Bobby Bass

[Bobby Bass]

DUSK TWILIGHT, BLUE light, sunset they all appear at the same time here on Lake Iwanttobethere. Last night I was sitting on the deck when they arrived. Grand kids and parents had all gone home, school the next day for them and work for their parents. Some smoke was drifting up from the fire pit and I was down wind. Just enough to keep the skeeters away if there were any. The wife was letting me smoke a cigar but I had to wait till the kids were gone. She was inside washing dishes and putting away fixings from the BBQ. I sat on the swing and Duncan was perched up along side of me. I was watching what he was watching and I think he was watching what I was watching.

　

Son in law had tended the BBQ while the oldest son cooked on the fire pit. Ribs, burgers, polish and corn on the cob. Potatoes wrapped in tin foil and slit open to hide sweet onion and butter were turned and watched in the fire pit. Hot dogs speared on sticks and smores for desert along with carrot cake. Watermelon and a fruit bowl did not last long. Some of the kids went to the dock and fished a little, some small gills stole worms and made quick getaways. I made it down to the old bench where I used to spend time watching Barney fish from the dock and it brought back memories of the old dog. With everyone gone I sat on the deck and listen to sounds coming from across the lake.

　

Someone was mowing which is against the law here at Lake Iwanttobethere on weekends and holidays but with dusk arriving they too stopped and it was quiet unless you were listening for things.The sound of screen doors slamming shut could be heard and somewhere across the lake a lady was laughing loud and hard. Might have had one to many cocktails but she was pass the point of caring. There was also the sounds of missing, the redwing blackbirds had gone quiet and the sound of geese were faint. Frogs were heard and in the sky I watched along with Duncan as seagulls soared toward the lake only to reach the lake and rush back inshore. You could not hear their wing beats but they were working hard to get another ride before darkness arrived.

　

A couple of boats trolled pass the cabin and I waved and the passengers if they were looking in my direction waved back. Long lining daredevils I am guessing they passed by as they followed the weed line. I saw one guy get up and make a big deal of reeling in a fish then I could clearly hear him talking to his partner that he sure thought it was bigger then a hammer handle on the end of his line. It was brought into the pontoon and looked over, it still was a fish caught and then it was released with a splash back into the water and the lure slipped back overboard.

Darkness fell and lights on cabins went out and cars and trucks started up. You could hear them as they drove by my place heading back towards blacktop and homes in the city. It was a holiday after all and people had to go back home and back to work in the morning. I sat on my swing and watched and listened to the lake go quiet, me and my cigar my dog and a few snap and pops form my fire here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

WELL SUMMER IS here, maybe not on the calendar but after June first we count it as having started. I was in town today, ran some errands and made small talk as I sat in the Tahoe. The wife did all the driving and I did all the sitting. Grandsons will be here for the weekend so I have bunch of projects for them to do but I needed to pick up things. Garden is not all in but we will take care of that this weekend as long as the weather holds out. I think tomorrow is going to be a rain day so I will be working inside the cabin. Of course when I say I will be working it just means I will be directing traffic. Just a few more days of school and I will keep the grand kids busy if I can keep them coming over. Of course along with work they will be plenty of time to fish and swim off the dock.

　

My neighbor Chuck is working to get me out fishing, so much that he has dragged the pontoon boat down to the shore and has started to convert it back from the ice fishing shanty to a floating boat again. I have told him I really want to fish out of the Puddle Humper but it still sits quietly under its tarp in the boathouse waiting to be uncovered. It has been over two months since I developed the blood clot in my leg I am hoping anytime here it will finally go away and I will get the use of my leg back and with that I will be able to drive again and of course fish. Tomorrow if the rain stays away I am going to see if I can get up on the riding mower and cut some grass. Watching the wife mow is driving me nuts as she mows under the trees like she is using a vacuum cleaner, back and forth back and forth.

　

Normally by this time of the season I would have a few fish caught and would have visited a few of my spring honey holes, not this year though. Chuck has not been out fishing either, we have not really had very many nice evenings to go out fishing so we figured we have not missed out on to many chances. I think Elmer knows I have not been able to get down to the dock and pitch a sucker out as I did have the granddaughter check his bucket and there were no sucker minnows in it. I almost went to the Masterbaiters shop and bought some but I gave it a second thought as it has been awhile since I have had to buy my own.

 

Cabin should be busy with the grandsons here and am also watching the city dogs of the daughters. I think Duncan will be teaching the city dogs how to chase rabbits not catching mind you as the two in the garden have made him look pretty sad in his attempt to catch them. Lilacs are in full bloom and there are several vases in the cabin holding them. Apple tree in front of the cabin is in full bloom and it looks like it may be a good year for apples if the blossoms can just hang on a while longer. The neighbor's bees are showing up at my place as I noticed they have been banging against the glass of the windows, sometimes it almost sounds like hail hitting the glass. Yesterday I did come home and sat on the swing, the wife tossed a few covers on me and before you knew it I had polished off about a three hour nap. Felt good at the time but then I had a hard time going to sleep last night. Tonight I am watching a little basketball to make me sleepy here at Lake Iwanttobethere

 

 

[Bobby Bass]

WHEN WILL WE get two nice days in a row? That is what the guys at the Lodge are betting on this week. Yesterday was decent out till out of no where a big time thunderstorm appeared. Hail, strong winds and rain fell like it had been dumped from a bucket. I was out in the yard and did not have time to make it to cover but we did have a tarp close at hand. We stood in the middle of the yard and the grand kids held onto the tarp and my head acted as the center pole of a makeshift teepee. We were at least kind of dry from the knees up, the rest of us got drenched.

　

The storm passed quickly but was followed with small showers but by then we had umbrellas at the ready. Most of the time was spent in the garden and we got a lot planted. Potato buckets were made and planted. Corn was planted along with the cucumbers and onions. The 3rd big raised bed was filled with dirt and beds number 1 and 2 were planted with carrots and radish. I know we are way behind time wise but the weather has not been all that great so we may catch up here in the next few weeks. Bought a new small lawnmower to mow the hill with and number two grandson was itching to try it out. Told him the grass was going to have to dry so he did not get to mow, but said he would be back.

　

Wife got a new swing for her birthday which is coming up and a little rain was not going to stop her from putting it together. As I write this she is kicked back swinging away. National Donut Day was celebrated here and I convinced the wife to take me down to Amy’s Bakery. She was promoting the day with buy one get five free and some people were complaining she was only offering the deal on plain cake donuts not everything in the shop. I happen to prefer the plain cake donuts so she got no complaints from me as I dug in the white bag that held a dozen tasty treats.

　

Cabin is quite again as the city dogs were picked up last night and with the grand kids gone Duncan and I have the place back to ourselves. Gus told me in a telephone call last night that the Bait Room has been doing brisk business. I have to get up there this week sometime and get a tackle order in. Also the grandson needs to restock the crawlers as Arlo has been doing fine in the trout fishing and his group he has been taking out has been losing more bait to the trout then catching trout. I have a doctor’s appointment first thing in the morning so I will try to get over there then. I was going to borrow some tomato plants but since I did some transplanting here at the cabin and the plants have just blown up. End of the week I think I will go ahead and plant the tomatoes and see what kind of luck I get in growing them. I was going to plant my sweet potatoes in bags but I found a big big tote that I am going to fill with dirt and try out. Always like to do some experimenting when I am gardening.

　

I did go and buy a cement mixer, it was on my list for this spring as I have about a thousand pounds of potting soil to be remixed and additives added. The potting mix will be used to fill pots on the deck and all the five gallon pails that are used in my rain gutter gardens, The rain gutter gardens are started a little later then the big garden so they are still on schedule. With no tobacco being grown this year there will be more vegetables planted and experimented with. I also have a few concrete sidewalk sections that need to be replaced if I get around to them here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

IT’S BEGINNING TO look a lot like summer, all the birds are flying about, there are bunnies in the bushes and boats are trolling about. Sounds more like a winter song but it is true. Getting some good sleeping weather as long as you have a quilt on when you leave the bedroom window open all night. Got a real good nights sleep here the other night after working on a lot of projects that day. Now last night I was not tired so I did not sleep that well but hope tonight to be back sleeping and not wide awake at dawn like I was this morning.

　

Duncan had me worried this morning, he was let out early and took off after a rabbit and was in hot pursuit ignoring the wife’s calls to come back. He was gone for about five minutes which is just enough time to get me worried. Normally I never let him get out of my eyesight and even though he is five I still treat him like a pup and worry about what can happen to him. I was just getting ready to give my neighbor Chuck a call to see if he was over there when he came thundering through the brushes and jumped on the deck, tongue hanging out of his mouth and panting some. The wife was telling me that I had nothing to worry about but I still gave Duncan a lecture about boundaries. Dang Dog has me wrapped around his paw.

　

Cabin projects continue to be worked on, slowly but there is some progress everyday. This evening Hammering Hank and Skinny brought the new fridge from the General Store to the cabin. They got it inside and placed it where the old one was and here we find out the cord is two inches short, go figure. Will have to put on a longer cord tomorrow and complain a little to Big Earl. New dishwasher is also here and the son in-law will be over this weekend sometime to install that. Wife is happy she is getting her kitchen remodel done even if it is taking longer then planed. The daughter and son in law will be over again on Sunday to do some work as some sheet rocking as that needs to be done before any painting can be done. The last of the garden should be planted as that is taking forever to do. I m pretty much just being the Forman and it takes so much time to teach and tell how I want things done rather just doing it with out thinking like I would normally be doing.

 

By this time of the summer garden would be in and I would have been fishing several times and lawn would be mowed tight and evenings spent sitting on the swing enjoying myself. Speaking of swing we did manage to buy a new swing for the wife and a new bench seat cushion the old swing was sagging pretty good and the bench seat had lost all of its coosh. That has been taken care of and just in time as today I was going to sit outside and enjoy the two lines of thunderstorms that were headed for the lake but somehow spit in two and went right round the cabin, we got a few showers but nothing like everyone else caught. Had to get the wife to take the hose out and water the gardens.

　

Grand kids will be here tomorrow and mowing grass is on there list of things to do. I did buy a smaller mower so the one grandson can push mow the hill down to the lake and my daughter bought me a battery powered weed whacker that the granddaughter can use to weed whack. She is too small to use the big gas powered one so the small one should be perfect. If I can keep them interested in mowing grass and tending to the gardens it will make things a lot easier for me as I heal. In a surprise I caught a walleye off my dock the other night, can’t remember when that has happen but then again we are usually jus throwing a sucker off the dock to tease the passing northern. Speaking of dock fishing today marks the one year passing of Barney my dock fishing dog. I spent some time sitting on the dock not fishing but just thinking back on all the time that Barney spent on the dock looking into the water of Lake Iwanttobethere and watching them sunnies hiding under the dock and in the shade. Funny how time keeps marching on here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY normally this time of year is always busy but with my current health issues it seems that I need an extra six hours added to every day. It was pointed out to me that I have not written for over a week. I have been meaning to but something comes up and I never make it to the desk and put words down. Several storms have hit us here at Lake Iwanttobethere and just as many have missed us. Lawn has been mowed a few times and number two grandson has declared that it is his job, I bought him a small gas powered mower and he won’t let anyone else touch it let alone use it.

　

Number two granddaughter is in Texas on a big family get together. Back in the day we might travel thirty miles for a get together now it is no big deal to fly across the country. She is ten and has seen both the East coast and the West coast and can now add the Gulf. Funny thing is she has yet to make it to Canada which is just a few hundred miles away. The wife celebrated her birthday on Friday. Her sisters came over and I just made an appearance to sample the goodies that were brought over. I am a couple of days away from my own birthday. I will be sixty-three and as you all know I will also be celebrating my monthly birthday which will be 756 and still counting.

　

Yesterday I got a huge present from my number one daughter who told me she is pregnant with what will be number four. She already has three girls and her and her husband want a boy, I don’t care I will spoil a boy or a girl. This will make number eight and I made a point of pointing out to the wife that it was a good thing that I built that playhouse a few years ago, it looks like it is going to need an expansion here soon! Woke up this morning early with a smile on face, already had a dream about having eight grand kids running around the lake here.

　

In other news I did get the cement mixer put together and have put it to work mixing potting soil. I should have know there was going to be some problems when the lettering on the box said " Some assembly required "Then the directions consisted of nine small black and white photos of what it should look like but not on how you got it to look like the pictures. After putting it together four times we finale found the right combo. Today it is ninety in the shade and strong winds coming off the lake. The wife is outside thinking abut doing some work and I am hiding out in the den doing as little as I can. A couple of the grand kids are here and I got a quick hi and then a minute late could hear them screaming as they leaped from the dock to hit the water. As long as I don’t move I am just fine where I am here at the desk. I am smoking some of my home grown tobacco in one of my pipes and now that it has aged for a year it is actually not bad at all.

 

Am going up to the RESORT later this evening, Have a beer or two and visit with the guys in the Bait Room. Might go out on the pontoon but might just enjoy the A/C and chill. Forecast is calling for rain but for some reason where ever I go the rain does not follow. Wish I could say that for the wind as that is always with me. Matter of fact last Sunday they had to call the church league softball game as it was so windy the pitcher was tossing the ball to home and the wind would take the slow high pitch and deposit the ball behind the pitcher. Hard to hit it if you can’t even get it to home plate. Lot’s projects getting somewhat done around here I hope to spend more time in town and also at the Lodge in the next few weeks so I can get ya all back up to speed here .Fishing has been kind of slow but the town has been busy with tourists. Hope you are all having a great Fathers Day I know I am here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

TWELVE HOURS LATER and the lake is almost calm again. Last night I did make it up to the RESORT where I pulled up an easy chair and tried to watch the game seven NBA final game. Of course about every minute or so a weather warning scrolled across the top of the screen and a weather box open up showing us the advancing weather system. We did not really need it as all we had to do was look out at the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere and the trees bending downward under the force of the gusts of wind. Like most of the guys I enjoy a good storm just as long as it does no damage that we have to fix. A call to the wife back at the cabin was made and she was getting some wind and light rain but it looks like the storm was going to split and go right around Hidden Bay.

　

I decided to stay at the RESORT for the night and was treated to a pretty good light show and a few gusts of wind that had to be well into the sixties. The old guys Elmer and Vic agreed that we were getting some serious wind. Sunshine Ray was on TV talking of tornadoes and straight line winds. Hail was from ping pong size to grapefruit size. Grapefruit size, insurance guys are going to be busy today, don’t know how a car windshield is going to stop a chunk of ice that big. One gust of wind made all of us look at each other as it shook the Clubhouse. I happen to be looking out the window at the time and it was like scene from the Wizard of Oz as I watched the umbrella that was in the glass deck table get lifted right out of the table and go airborne. Elmer made mention at that time that someone should go check on the umbrella and I just took a sip from my Hamms and said "We will find it tomorrow"

　

Most of the storm had past us by eleven so we moved outside to enjoy the light show as it moved out over the lake. Still some wind and by midnight I was in bed with the window cracked open. It was good sleeping weather and I slept until seven. Vic made pancakes for breakfast between answering the phone and relaying messages to Hammering Hank who was already gone. Lot of broken tree limbs down and a few trees to had toppled from the storm. I was asked if I wanted wood and I of course said I would take any hardwood. Wife came up and brought me back to the cabin and Hammering Hank had already dropped a few loads off by the wood pile. Nothing like free firewood I always say.

 

A slow walk around the yard produced just a few branches but no missing shingles on any of the out buildings so I was happy. I took a seat on the deck and listen to the echo of chain saws working across the lake. Duncan who had been following me jumped up on the swing and was soon fast asleep. Wife told me he was up most of the night keeping track of the storm. Jumping bass thermometer hanging on the cabin wall said it was seventy in the shade which is better then the ninety it was yesterday. I think I am going to just sit back and enjoy the weather and watch Hammering Hank bring me wood. Wife is making lunch and we will feed him and send a big bag lunch back to Skinny who is doing the cutting while Hank is hauling the wood away. It is the least we an do for the free firewood here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

I JUST HAD a box of Cracker Jack’s without a single peanut in it ! What is this world coming to? I know this is a fact because I bought the box just for the peanuts. Cracker Jacks has always brought back fond memories of when I was a kid and would go to the minor league baseball games, that and nickel hot dogs and dime cokes ice cold pulled out from a cooler filled with ice water that a guy would carry right up to your seat and pop the top off with a flourish and hand to you in exchange for your quarter. Young kids just don’t know what they are missing these days. Popcorn was a nickel and a sack of peanuts in the shell were a dime. You could go on a date for a dollar, try and do that today. Guess I am thinking about the old days since tomorrow is my birthday. The girlfriend I had back in the days is nothing but a memory and if I remember she ate most of the peanuts and usually my hot dog to!

　

The oldest daughter will be bring over pizza tomorrow for my birthday dinner. It will cost her twenty-five bucks for it, Times and prices sure have changed. Nice day today and it would be a good day to go fishing except for the wind that is strong and coming out of the East. Trees are swaging and the swing is moving on its own on the deck. Wife is out planting and the big garden except for being late will finally be all planted. Of course the stuff that I like is in the ground already so I don’t care about what she is finally getting in the ground. On Friday the number two grandson will be here and we will plant the thirty some five gallon buckets that will rest in the gutter gardens. They will quickly catch up to the plants in the garden and we will harvest from them long before the bed gardens produce.

　

What I am looking forward to is the container sweet corn that I bought and will plant in bags and then keep in a small swimming pool. I tried this with sweet corn last season and they grew small ears but were very tasty. The container corn is supposed to produce regular size ears on small stalks so we shall see. Sweet corn might just be my favorite thing that comes out of the garden, can’t beat it along side a nice grilled steak and a beer or some crispy fish and tatters. I better change the topic here I am getting hungry.

　

I was actually doing some work this morning, had the electric chain saw out and I was cutting off small limbs from the loads of tree branches that Hammering Hank dropped off yesterday. I can do the cutting but I will have the grand kids do the picking up and stacking next time they come over. There were some dead branches in the pile so they will get burned up in the fire pit tomorrow night as I am sure I will have a fire going for my birthday. My neighbor Chuck was over and he offered to cut up the bigger wood for me and I of course accepted his offer. Just something I can’t do as I have to lean up against something to stay up right.

 

I did try and hit a couple of golf balls yesterday over at his golf course, I can forget driving that is not going to happen. The best thing I was at was chipping only because I can lean against the mower so I have some kind of balance. The best way for me to get the ball down the fairway was to ride in the mower and hit the ball like I was playing polo. The game of golf between the two of us quickly became a game of trying to hit the other one’s mowers with golf balls with a lot of shouting, laughing and close calls, but that is pretty much the way everything ends here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

SLEPT IN LATE but it is after all my 756th birthday today. I was still in bed at noon just getting ready to roll over and start an afternoon nap when the kitchen door open and Duncan who was already comfortable in my bed jumped up and left to check out the visitor. The mother in law was soon standing in my doorway cake and card in hand. I open one eye and just said "You are a tad early.put the card on the night stand and give me a fork for the cake" She laughed at me and told me if I wanted either I needed to get out of bed and come to the kitchen, and so that is how my day started.

　

In my defense I was up past my bedtime last night. At bedtime we usual turn on the whole house fan for awhile and cool things off. Last night it would not turn on and I have a feeling that it has seized up, you would think something would last longer then thirty years. Plan this morning was to get the compressor out and blow it off and see if it is just dirty, maybe see if there are some oil points but I don’t remember any. Middle of the night I woke up in search of a quilt as it was cold in the cabin. The predicted lows in the fifties and wind had done its job cooling the place down. So I figured I would sleep in and look at the fan later.

　

I did hear some Hollering coming from my neighbor’s Chuck place which reminded me that today is the beginning of Hollering Days here at Lake Iwanttobethere. There was also a few curse words in there so that made me think twice. I was just about out of bed when the wife followed by Duncan came in with scramble eggs and toast, almost breakfast in bed. I ate half and let Duncan clean the plate, a little secret we keep between us. Went to the kitchen thanked the mother in law and went over to Chuck’s riding the garden tractor. Chuck was putting a rolled rubber roof up on a damaged section of steel roof and after getting it up there and spreading it out he discover he had it upside down, The Howling was for the work it was going to take to start back over. Back in town Howling Days will go on for the next few days then we will have a week of Hush as town folks try and get their voices back.

　

Wife out did herself yesterday as the big garden is finally planted and now we can just water and watch. Of course I read stories of people being south of us with three foot corn and flowering soybeans and we are just happy that we have our garden all in my mid June. This of course means I have some time on my hands to work on other projects and I can take my time. Normally I would start fishing now but the Puddle Humper is still under her tarp and it will be while before I get her out this season if I do at all. Some fishing will be done off the dock and since I caught a walleye off the dock who knows what I just might catch off there this season. I do see some home grown cigars in my future to be rolled and smoked. Kids will be over later tonight to eat the Mother in laws cake and the fire pit will be lit as long as the wind stays down. It is forecasted by Sunshine Ray to rain this evening so I will not have to water the garden, my only chore for the day on the calendar. Of course this also means I will get back to writing and bring you the news of what is happening here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[ANYFISH2]

Happy birthday (belated) Bobby!

[Bobby Bass]

A NICE GARDEN rain fell after dark last night so for once Sunshine Ray hit a forecast. This morning my sister who was in town from California came to visit and we caught up. My older sister shares the same date for her birthday as I do and my younger sister was born one day earlier. With a title better timing my mother would have had three kids born on the same date. Two days I is not too uncommon but three I wood say is unusual. After she left I took a nap on the couch because I can, having the garden in does leave me with some free time now.

　

I am hoping for the number two grandson to come over tomorrow, the grass needs mowing and we will work on the gutter garden as he knows the super secret recipe for the potting mix we use. Hollering Days going on in town and if the wind is blowing just right I can hear it here at the cabin. Chuck did not go into town as I can hear him working on the roof next door. He was over here a little while ago as he was working on his trolling motor that is giving him some problems. I up graded my motor and few years ago and told him he is welcomed to the old one that I did not toss but put in storage. I think it just needs a new foot pedal so we shall see if he can get it going. Worst thing that can happen is I get rid of the old motor for free and he gets a working one for far cheaper then buying a replacement. Then again the FELLOWS will take anything so that might be another option.

　

Cleaning off my desk of a lot of stuff that just does not to be on here. Was getting kind of deep here with mail and stuff that should be put a way in folders. Good thing it is a big desk top. That and I need the room if I am going to roll some cigars. I thought about doing that yesterday but ran out of time as the young grand kids were here and I got busy with them. Hardly any wind blowing right now and I am thinking maybe I should try and get down to the dock and maybe pitch a minnow off the dock under a float and see if I can get something to hit. Not really fishing but still is better then trying to catch something from the deck as that would be one long cast.

　

With my birthday out of the way I am thinking I might go spend some time at the RESORT. Vic said it would be no problem keeping an eye on me and it would give the wife some time away from me. She has been watching me for the past five months and I am sure she would like a spell away from me. Might be able to get some fishing time out on the pontoon boat and maybe even a few trolling trips on the mail boat. FELLOWS have been working on a way to get me in the boat I have heard.

 

No doctor appointments for a week or so and I would like a change of view to. Week with the boys might be just the thing the doctors have not ordered but would make me feel a little better. Of course a few cigars and an occasional beer and bacon sandwich might go well to help speed my recoverer or at the very least make me feel that I am getting better. Who know maybe I could get in dip in the healing waters of Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

CHANGE OF PLANS Sunshine Ray is forecasting heavy rains and thunder a lot like what we had last Sunday to start again tonight. He has been right two times in a row so maybe he is on a roll! That and Stormy Clearweather is forecasting the same thing. So I think I am going to wait till Saturday to head on up to the RESORT. Grandson number two is here for the day and I have been working on keeping him busy. So far he has been in the garden picking strawberries which I of course helped him eat. Weed whacked the yard and even got the leaf blower started and cleared the sidewalks. The wife wanted to steal him but before she could number two son got him to help fix the broken brake line on the Dodge. The excuse to crawl under the truck and get dirty is much more appealing then baking cookies to a eleven old boy.

　

I was going to have him start mixing potting soil up for the five gallon buckets but with rain on the way I think we will wait for the weekend and the forecasted nice week a head. Now here is where I think Sunshine Rays streak of forecasting will run out. Son is fixing the brakes because he needs the truck to haul some scrap to Mike’s salvage yard. Sounds like a fair trade to me and I have a few things that can go go bye bye here to. Nice day here right now, upper seventies a little breeze and I have a bobber floating off the dock. The wind is pulling the bobber out so I don’t have to go down and toss it out. The one shot was good enough and guess what it has a sucker that I just happen to fine in Elmers minnow bucket.

　

Speaking of Elmer he was over talking to the boys under the Dodge. I asked what he was up to and he said he was looking for someone to do some mowing, the grandsons services are in demand. Over at Chucks place he is working on getting his rubber roof secured before the forecasted storm arrives. I did hear from one of the Lodge members Dew that he may have a foot pedal for Chucks trolling motor but I forgot to tell him. I will get back over there later today and see what he is going to do. He was talking to the wife about making a purchase so he just might go ahead and make an upgrade. So I might go out shopping and do my favorite thing, help spend someone else’s money.

　

Took a break just now, the bobber was bouncing some. Called the grandson to check it out, minnow is OK must have gotten spooked by something. I sat on the deck and kept an eye on the bobber for awhile but it settle down so I just came back in the cabin now to finish this up. Duncan brought me the mail and the wife headed into town to Ma and Pa’s Grocery. Going to pick up some cold cuts and fixings just in case the storm comes and we lose power. Have to think ahead of these storms out here. I of course had a few cravings and added them to the list. Kit Kats and a six pack of Hamms were added to the bottom of the list and a bag of apples. Maybe she will bake some pie tonight. A couple of days into summer and we are almost where we should be as far as having some time to relax and enjoy time on the deck here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

COOL, CLOUDY BUT not raining out this morning. The forecasted storm pretty much missed us here at Hidden Bay but we did get enough rain that the gardens did not need to get watered. Last night a light rain fell that was not forecasted but was welcomed. Most of the garden has been planted with seed so watering is important till things pop up. Early strawberries are appearing but we have a problem there as the last few days when the wife has gone out to pick them she has found a woodchuck already picking the best ones ahead of her. She told me this and I now have the .22 by the deck door and a shell in my pocket. She made the comment that the woodchuck is so cute then I reminder her of the chuck that ate all her cauliflower one night. She then asked if one shell was going to be enough.

　

The chuck has been showing up in the middle of the afternoon so I have plenty of time to set up on the deck, of course my luck today will be the day he changes up his routine. I did put call to Elmer who hates woodchucks and told him about the berries. He said he will come down from the RESORT and check his garden, The wood chuck must be having breakfast somewhere close. Some good news though, we did get the attic fan back working, was as simple as blowing it off with air and a good shot of WD-40, we let it sit and soak for a few days and last night we hit the switch and she purred right up. Was not looking forward to replacing it.

　

Skip ahead a day here as yesterday afternoon my best bud and neighbor Chuck came over in the afternoon to bring me a jug of Maple Syrup and we sat for a spell in the torn up kitchen. Talk came around to the new dishwasher sitting in its box in the corner and when I was going to get around installing it. Well Chuck said it was a little warm for working outside but not to warm to work inside and well he went ahead and installed the dishwasher for me and the new kitchen facet. I didn’t know when I was going to get around to it with my bad leg so I can’t tell you how happy I was to get it done. We ended up doing some bartering as I had my old trolling motor in the basement that I did not toss when I upgraded a few years back and it ended up being a good trade for both of us.

 

Had some Drs. visits to go to today but when I got back to the cabin the water of Hidden Bay was like glass and the leaves on the trees were still. I made it down to the dock and tossed a sucker out on to the water and sat on the dock and caught some sunshine. Duncan was making the rounds and did find some chipmunks to chase. Duncan knowing there is a woodchuck working the garden was always making a passing round by the strawberries to see if he could hook up with the Woodchuck. Would have been a nice night to be out in the Puddle Humper cruising the shoreline in search of some bass but the Puddle Humper remands under her tarp and it is looking more and more I will not be uncovering her to go fishing this season. It sounds like the blood clot I am carrying in my leg is not going to be going away and it is something I am going to be living with. I am not real happy about this as it looks like the quality of my life is going to be what it is right now. This would explain when I ask my doctors when I am going to get better and none of them have an answer. To say I am a little depressed right now is an understatement. But this is Lake Iwanttobethere so there is always some kind of hope for a change. Maybe this will be a case where me being "That Guy" means I will break the rule and pass the clot safely here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

MOST OF THE time I have a hard time starting an opening paragraph for a update here at Lake Iwanttobethere, that is not the case here this past 4th of July as I have many. So I am just going to throw some out there in random order.

　

4th of July is of course is a time for celebration but it is also a time for bright lights and fireworks and also the time for blowing things up under the cover of fireworks. I received a call from the wife there is one less woodchuck in the garden at the cabin as it was shot by her using my twenty gage. I will need to clean the shotgun when I get home and she told me the body was tossed off the dock into the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. I started to complain about that asking why she did not just bury it till she told me a big northern scooped up the wood chuck almost as soon as it hit the water. I guess I need to start fishing off the dock with a bigger sucker minnow.

　

At the RESORT there is no longer a curve in the driveway as Hammering Hank and Skinny blew out the big maple stump that was in the way.

　

A few beaver dams have been removed from the trout stream (Arlo) and there is a pool that has been deepen (Arlo)

　

Remember when you were young like twelve or thirteen and you had these great ideas but you lacked finical backing? Well when you get to be fifty or sixty that is no longer a problem. You can use cash, savings, borrow or barter, wheel and deal or share your ideas with others. On the fourth of July this year a number of things were tried that were first thought of in our youth. First off I do want to say that a gathering of men without kids or wife’s are usually done at deer camp and now we have the RESORT where kids and wife’s don’t belong on the 4th. Early in the day the FELLOWS tied several of their kid’s GI Joe miniature solders to bottle rockets duck taped together and then shot them skyward to watch them float back to the ground using their parachutes

　

Next estes rocket engines were placed inside their shipping tubes with a cherry bomb as a nose cone and launched off into the sky. They gave a satisfying explosion about five hundred feet into the sky. We had to stop that when somehow we shot out a passing drone. The drone sank in the waters of the bay before we could get to it. Funny because Vic had gone out to the mailbox that morning and put up the big sign that said explosives were going to be used that day and it had the skull and bones painted on it. We had borrowed the sign from the mine and will return it tomorrow, funny how people just can’t read warning signs.

　

The night before we had taken the outboards off the wood rowboats and had a bottle rocket and Roman candle war was held on the bay. I will add at this time the disclaimer that there was no drinking involved by any of the participants, just like it would have been if we were twelve.

　

4th of July night was a lot of fun as we did something we had been planning for months. We were going to try and out do Nytelyters Fireworks display down on Root Beer Island. I heard on KCUM radio that 43 % of al Americans go to a public fireworks display, the rest stay at home and shoot off their own or do nothing, we had a plan. Some where somehow the FELLOWS picked up what is suppose to be a civil war motar. It is big enough to shoot a bowling ball and of course that is what we started off with at dusk. So does a bowling ball make noise when it lands in the woods on the other side of the bay if we hope no one is there? Does a bowling ball make noise when ten bowling pins are in front of it when they all land on the other side of the bay?" I might add it was a perfect strike about halfway across.

　

Awhile back I wrote about how the FELLOW had brought back a crane to the RESORT. Well we have found many uses for the crane all the way from a very very high deer stand to moving picnic tables and outhouses around the RESORT. Well it also works very well in moving a civil war mortar to the edge of the bog where the FELLOWS dug it in and used the bog as a cushion. We also moved all of our fire extinguishers to that location and the old boat was filled with water and suspended over the motar just in case it was needed. Now I hear the first shot that was fired was perfectly timed between some shots Nytelyter and fired off and a few people down at the boat landing took notice of the cloud in the sky. Second shot was noticed a little more but our third shot was kind of special. I will take credit as it was something from my youth that I wanted to recreated

　

When I was maybe twelve or so A couple of my buddies saved our money and we bought about ten boxes of paper book matches from a very young Ma and Ma grocery store and we clipped off all the match heads and put them into a glass freeze dried coffee container that was shaped like a motar..We than ran a cord or something I don’t remember and lit off about 10,000 match heads at the same time. A roar of flame maybe ten feet high went skyward and it was the hottest est coolest thing we had ever done up to that point. Now being 756 months old I wanted to recreate that using the civil war motar. The last several months we have been secretly buying up paper book matches we cut off the heads, and now we put in a bowling ball and filled the motar with thousands of match heads, well maybe tens of thousands of match heads, actually I don’t really know, it filled the area in front of the bowling ball and I guess we forgot about the charge we had placed in behind the bowling ball.

 

Now all of us being hopefully a little older and smarter we also had brought up the back hoe to hide behind and with Nytelyters fireworks display coming to an end we had Elmer on his cell phone giving us the thumbs up to fire our motar off. It was not what we expected. It was way more!!! I only got to see a brief moment as the flame shot out of the motor and I was blinded by the light. It shot out in an arc across the bay and Elmer said from his vantage point it looked like a second sunset had appeared in the sky. The boom echoed through the bay and seemed to get louder each time. The crowd at the boat landed gave out a collective awe. And when it was done and we could see again we gagged at the sulfur cloud in the air. We all looked at each other with twelve year old grins and as we shook our heads back and forth saying no we said out loud we have to do this again ! Not this year though as the motor was gone. The explosion had driven it into the bog and steam was rising were it had been a moment before. Tiny tripped the release and the boat hanging from the crane dumped its load of water into the hole and the bog closed up around the mortar. We all agreed that later in the summer we would dig it back up, it would be safer that way here at Lake Iwanttobethere