Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[ANYFISH2]

How are you Bobby?

It's been 18 days since we heard for ya, I hope the rain and storms haven't hurt the lake Iwanttobethere area.

Hope all is well.

[Bobby Bass]

IMPRESSIVE, TODAY'S WORD. I went down to the Mayo Clinic for my visit on Sunday afternoon even though my appointment was not till early Monday morning. I guess you could call it a bucket list write off. Not the appointment the fact that I went down with my daughter and her three blonde hair girls and we traveled over 200 miles each way and survived.

I should have brought a camera with and I thought the wife had packed one away but she had forgotten or I had forgotten to remind her. First off the traffic to the big city was beyond terrible. There was a thirty-five minute delay that was posted from a flashing information sign along the road and when we came up on it a lemonade stand was moving down the shoulder of the freeway at a faster clip It had been awhile since I could look at the side of the road and that is when I noticed the huge stands of corn., acres and acres of shoulder high corn. Sure put my little patch of corn back at home to shame.

Corn as far as the eye could see, it would have made a good picture. We took a detour that the daughter's phone suggested and saved the thirty-five minutes. I have always given the daughter some grief on the spendy phone she has but she said nothing as the phone and it's App showed it value. Several miles down the road another huge stand of corn with two silver silos in the center and the sun getting low behind them in the late afternoon, another picture I missed. And then I saw one of the huge windmills turning in a field. From time to time I will see a blade of these huge windmills been moved back in Fish County where Lake Iwanttobethere is. Seeing the three blades together and turning slowly in the late afternoon was pretty impressive and another picture I missed not having a camera.

We found our hotel and checked in and ten minutes later the four blondes were in the pool and I was searching for the baseball game which of course was blacked out. Supper at a rib joint and I was in bed sleeping before ten. Next morning the daughter and the blondes dropped me and the wife off at Mayo which was only a mile away and they headed back to the pool and me and the wife entered either a giant bee hive or an ant hill. That is what it felt like. Hundreds of people moving underground between buildings. The lobby of the building that we entered could have held a couple of tennis courts. Or the block that DOC Burriem had his office on.

Twenty minutes later and I found myself in a ten by ten room with two doctors and two hours later I left knowing I was not a candidate for any work done at the Mayo. The risk was too great that something bad could happen and after a discussion I decided to continue with the current treatment plan and not taking what would be a risk at not coming off the surgical table because of other health factors. A call to the daughter found her in the pool with the girls but thirty minutes later I exited the hive to find them waiting for me. Back to the hotel and a nap for me and yet another visit to the pool for the girls.

Spent another day at the motel since we had booked it and the girls spent more time in the pool. The wife and daughter went shopping and I just took it easy. Cell phone was off and I just enjoyed the A/C and thought over my decision. By mid afternoon we packed up the van and headed back home to Lake Iwanttobethere We did take another detour by Mystery River The daughter had a surprise for me. Her and her husband and put an offer in on a house not far from the river and it had been accepted, the blondes were not moving far away from me here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[hoppe56307]

KEEP FIGHTING BOBBY,  all of us are pulling for you.

[ANYFISH2]

Sure nice to read your voice again!

Stay well my friend.

[Dotch]

Nice to see you back Bobby! Hoping the docs can help keep you going a long, long time yet there bud. 

[Tom7227]

On 7/5/2016 at 6:13 PM, Bobby Bass said:

 

This July 5 entry is one of the best you have ever written.  I laughed all the way through and wondered at times how you could have known what I wished I had done when I was 10.  A hoot all the way.

[Bobby Bass]

I hate the merge function but here ya go one big post to get got up on.

 

Two bad storms the past two weeks here at Lake Iwanttobethere. No sooner do we get one clean up then we get hit with an even bigger one with 70 mph winds that took out trees and power. RESORT is in bad shape as road is blocked and I just got out in time to make it home. Sunday night I head down to the Mayo Clinic for my appointment, I have no idea how long I will be down there. I will post when I get back and hopefully the RESORT will be back open and the forecasted storm of tonight will not be bad. Health wise for me nothing has changed, still have clot in my leg which limits my movement and numbness in my hands which makes these posts shorter and shorter. Still hoping to get some fishing in this fall, throwing a sucker off the dock does not count here at Lake Iwanttobethere..

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ALMOST THERE TODAY, that is the cleanup of the road leading into the LODGE. We are three weeks after the rain storm that toppled a few trees and left mud measured in inches everywhere. Now two weeks after a storm that left the rain storm look like a sun shower we have the main road cleared of trees, power back on and enough firewood for a few winters waiting to be cut and split. This took a week to clear the down trees and here at the Lodge we have big boy toys, The crane was repositioned and was used to take tree tops and toss them back into the woods away from the road. I am looking forward to these brush piles as homes for grouse come fall and maybe a few bunnies will also move in. Back hoe hauled loads of tree trunks and burn size limbs back to the wood shed making a pile where they will be cut to length and split. Still don't know where we are going to stack it all but right now we are not worried.

We had so many trees blocking the road that we had a meeting and almost decided to just build a new road but we would have had to haul a lot of fill in. The first few days were hard as we had to decide what to do with our gas, use it for fishing or keep the generator running. I was at home so I could not vote but it was a close vote I was told. At home I missed it all, did not lose power and just a few branches fell. I was up when the big leading edge of wind came though. It was impressive as I watched the deck umbrella get sucked out of the table and fly away. The wife found it the next day over in Elmer's yard snagged in his garden fence. I did get to see the damage as I took the ATV trail in, that was open first, not for me but to get gas in for the fishing boats.

Not a lot that I could do around the place. Somewhat frustrating being stuck in the wheelchair and not being able to do anything as we still have a lot of mud and skinny tires don't do well in the mud. Then I had my trip down to the Mayo' don't feel like I am carrying my weight around here. Lost the corn here but Vic has been out in the garden tieung up stalks hoping they will rebound. On another topic it looks like chemo has won a round here. Getting to be harder and harder getting up and down the stairs to my room so we are going to change the downstairs bedroom back to a bedroom from its current theater status. This will keep me on one level but will take me away from climbing stairs. Still hoping to lose that blood clot and regain my mobility, if and when it happens the downstairs bedroom will just become a guest room here at Lake Iwanttobethere

============================================================================

I USED TO be pet rich but I no longer am. It was not that long ago or at least it seems not that long ago where Barney patrolled the shoreline and kept the old goose away. Come to think of it when Barney passed the old goose and his mate also disappeared. Bud who was always at my side no longer shares the swing on the deck with me during thunderstorms and was always there if you had a cold or to answer the door. Bag of dog food disappeareds in weeks instead of days now and the bowl of dog bones last a long time if someone is not at the cabin to visit.

The small little female Siamese cat named Smoochie was the boss and ran the show and now all three of them have been gone for awhile. Duncan is doing his best trying to fill in but he is just one dog and as smart as he is he did not really have enough time around the old dogs to learn all of their jobs and tricks. I see times where I think he to misses the old dogs as he has taken to spending a lot of time with Buff the cat. It works out as Buff the cat was Smoochie favorite. Now I find Buff and Duncan sleeping in the sun on the floor together and following each other around the cabin. If you see one it will only be a minute or so before the other one appears making sure they are not missing anything.

Big boy the other cat in the cabin spends most of the day in the basement. He avoids everyone till evening where he will then come up to eat and check out the cabin to make sure nothing has been moved. I suspect he spends the night patrolling the cabin and sleeps all day. From time to time if I am up late he will jump up in my lap for a few minutes and rub against me, I think he is giving me a report but I only speak lab not cat so the best I can do is pet him some and pretend I understand.

Birthday party this afternoon for one of the blonde hair granddaughters, the wife just came back from Ma and Pa's with sandwich fixings. I know this because Duncan just showed up in my bedroom with a package of thick sliced bologna wrapped in white butcher paper. No sooner did he hop in to bed then I heard the wife yelling for him to bring the package back. I was thinking he was just showing me we had bologna and he didn't have any thought about eating it himself, well now that I think of it maybe he was going to share the bologna with me. Something Bud would do from time to time.

With the Mayo trip out of the way I have a Drs. appointment on Tuesday then nothing on my list for me to do. I should be going on a maintenance program for awhile as I am doing good cancer wise but no one wants to do anything with me as long as I have the blood clot in my leg and am taking blood thinners. No one wants to get rid of that clot more then me. Another great looking day outside of my window and I sure wish I was fishing instead of writing this. Duncan and Buff just showed up in my room. I am sitting on the edge of the bed working on the laptop and Buff is on my left side and Duncan on my right. They are both licking their lips and I just now hear the wife yelling for Duncan. There is a whiff of blognia in the air here at Lake Iwanttobethere

Edited August 1, 2016 by Bobby Bass

[Bobby Bass]

THE RIDE HOME was slow and relaxing. It had been five weeks since I had taken any big breaths of outdoor air. Two weeks in the hospital with windows that didn’t open and another three weeks in the nursing home. The daughters came and got me out of the nursing home where I was doing rehab. I told the oldest who was driving to take her time going home so I could enjoy the sights. I had missed all of summer and now I found myself already deep into fall. We had to avoid a few of the Leafers as they were parked in the middle of the road taking pictures. I found myself looking out the passenger window at the colorful leafs and the ones on the road and if someone was to drive by I guess they would be right in calling me a Leafier to.

　

I got myself pretty sick and if I got into an am wrestling contest with baby the baby would have won. Three weeks of rehab has gotten me better but now I am going to get two months of rehab at home. Guess I was pretty sick there but I should be much better with the home care I will be getting. I came home a couple of days ago and I am just now sitting at the den desk putting some thoughts down. First off it was very good to turn into my own driveway after five weeks. Duncan was waiting for me with his tail wagging so hard side to side I was worried he was going to shake it off. The yard needs mowing and the garden was loaded with bright red tomatoes. First thing I did was pet Duncan and the second thing was to ask the wife to make me a tomato sandwich.

　

Not going to bore you with hospital talk other then I met a few interesting people and I don’t want to go back. Nothing worse then the highlight of your day is meal time and everyday meal time was a new surprise. I have been home a few days now and I have yet to get sick of tomato sandwiches and I am working on the wife to bake up some apple pies. The tree out front is just hanging with ripe apples and I am going to get the granddaughter to get the picker out. I have not been to the Lodge yet but I heard while I was in the hospital that there was a fire but all is well.The FELLOWS along with help have added an addition. When I get a chance it is on my list to get down there. Might be a small problem because I have been declared home bound and there are not to many places I can leave the cabin to go to. I need the help at home so I may have to get creative getting to the Lodge, although I don’t really think there are Medicare police watching me.

 

The wife asked me to make a list of what needs to be done outside before the snow flys I was about halfway through and she looked at it over my shoulder and stared complaining. I told her don’t act so surprised, I was not even half done. No outside work today, cold and windy out and over night we even had some snow. It melted soon after sunrise but it still was snow. Garden needs to be harvested and the big tomato patch needs a plastic cover t so I can turn it into a mini greenhouse. While I was gone the wife and daughters did get the kitchen painted and put a new tile floor in. Some trim needs to still be installed but they did a pretty good job. Well I all done for now, hands hurt but now that I am back home I should catch you up with what is happening here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Dotch]

So good to see you back Bobby! Here's to your continued improvement and many more episodes. 

[ANYFISH2]

!!

What a relief Bobby!  I won't lie, I really started to think the worst.  So happy to read a post from you at Lake Iwanttobethere.. 

[Bobby Bass]

Cleaning my desk today at home. Funny how the wife just piled it high with anything that she found belongs to me. I got moth old mail through and pink slip telephone calls. A few were fishing offers but have since expired. I did get out once and caught a decent bass but this fishing season was a wash. Hope to post a story later today, thanks for the well wishes, the lake and me live on !

[Bobby Bass]

MIDMORNING THIS MORNING the wife announced that if she was going to make apple pies she needed t go to town and pick up a few things from Ma and Pa’s. I casually mentioned that I would like to go along for the ride. After dropping several hints along the way the wife gave in and pulled into my parking space at the Lodge. First off I notice my sign had been freshly painted and also the small H/C ramp had been stained. I was half way out of the Tahoe when I felt a strong pairs of hands grab me and ease me into my wheelchair. Skinny stood above me and asked if I wanted a push up the ramp and I nodded my head yes.

　

The doors to the Lodge open up and I was back where I belonged The smell of popcorn and beer and hundred year old logs. A fire going in the fire place and the big drapes pulled back to show off the deck and the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. Skinny rolled me over to the bar and one by one the FELLOWS got up from the round table and came over to welcome me back. They did not do it with a handshake but with a big old man hug that we both held, no words were spoke but the hugs said a lot. It did not end with the FELLOWS everyone in the Lodge greeted me back and I had tears running down my check from the welcome. I can’t describe what it feels like to have friends open up and great you.

　

The Lodge was dark as usual so I don’t think anyone saw my tears so I wiped them away with the sleeve of my jacket and announced a round is on me, That is when Gus came out of the kitchen and announce my money is no good at the Lodge then quietly he added for today only. I sipped on a Hamms which I have not tasted in months, it was all that I remember it to taste like. Gus sat next to me and told me of the fire that happen while I was away. Insurance took care of the damage but they, the members put it to a vote that maybe we should do some expanding. I finished my beer and followed Gus through the door that once led to my office but now led to a long hall the length of the Lodge.

　

At the very end was two rooms to store dry goods for the kitchen, something we always needed as Gus was always filling his office with flour and spice. Next room could be used as a meeting room or a break room for employees. Gus told that high stake card games just happen to happen there. Two more rooms left and one was Gus’s. Of course there was a case of spices on his desk, old habits are hard to break. Gus open the last or first door depending on how you looked at it and said this one was of course mine. I rolled in to find my odd desk and coat rack, pictures on the wall and the old couch with Buds blanket piled in the coroner. Weird I felt a bump against the chair and I swear I saw the couch shake a little and the blanket move, Gus asked me what I thought and with a tear rolling down my cheek I told him it was just perfect It is good to be back home at Lake Iwanttoebethere

[ANYFISH2]

[Bobby Bass]

I SAT IN my new office surrounded by my old stuff and it took but a few minutes to feel at home. As I looked around I was missing something and there was an empty spot where my golf clubs should have been setting I rolled out of the office scraping the right side of my door with the wheelchair. I left a mark but I figured it was just going to be the first of many. I made it out to the main room and went behind the bar, I found that I could still reach the tapper for the Hamms and I drew half a mug and I balanced it with my left hand. I rolled around the bar and Gus called the room to attention.

"Bobby I and the rest of the Lodge have something for you"

Skinny came from the kitchen with my old golf bag but right away I noticed new clubs sticking out.

"Bobby while you were gone we washed out an empty pickled egg jar and set it on the bar, the guys have been dropping change into it and we came up with enough to buy you some clubs. There is also a calendar in there with the dates penciled in with guys who would like to take you golfing. Of course if the weather is real nice they will more the likely be fishing. We bought you clubs becase we think you are going to be well enough to golf again come spring.""

　

I looked at the new clubs and reached out to shake Gus’s hand. And I waved at the members in the room and said thank you thank you. I then asked Gus if his name is on the calendar and he said of course. I then asked if we were playing for a buck a hole and he nodded yes. I then went to figure out where I was going to spend my eighteen dollars because Gus is a great friend but he is even worse then me at golf. Skinny asked if I wanted the clubs in my office and I nodded yes. Sipping on my beer Gus asked what is with the left hand and I told him during my hospital stay I threw another blood clot in my right forearm making me a lefty. Gus looked alarm and I told him I am OK just something else I have to work around this winter.

　

I just finished my beer when the wife walked in, back to the cabin just in time as granddaughter number two showed up to spend the night. I put her to work picking apples as I watched and pulling carrots from the garden. We both got cold and went inside and got busy doing other things and never got around to peeling apples That was OK it was great to just spend time with the granddaughter. During the evening grandson number two called and asked if he could sleep over on Saturday and before I knew it we had the couch booked. He offered to mow the grass in exchange for some sweet corn that was still growing in the garden and a deal was made.

This morning Chuck took me to the RESORT and I watched the football game and Vic filled me in on what had been going on over the last five weeks. Him and DOC have been catching crappies and are looking forward to putting their shanty right on top of their hot spot come winter. I was of course sworn to secrecy but I don’t have a cue where the hot spot is. FELLOWS have been working to pull out the Mortar from the bog but are having hard time hooking up and no one wisely wants to step into the bog after it. So if even though I have been gone for awhile things have changed but a lot has stayed the same here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[vermilionfox]

[Bobby Bass]

SOMETIMES YOU HEAR "timing is everything" Yesterday I got up and made my way into my den and sat down in my office chair. I looked at the hanging wall clock only to see that it had stopped. A simple battery replacement I thought and I open the desk drawer to see I was out of double AA batteries. I started a need sheet and wrote down double AA batteries. Next I got out my blood testing kit and guess what the battery dead. message was on. Checked where there should be spare ca 2032 battery and found nothing. No big deal I added it to the list. Called for the wife to bring the bathroom scale to the den because I needed to weigh myself to se if I was still losing weight. Guess what the wife tells me the scale is dead we need a battery., I am beginning to see a pattern here.

　

The daughter is going to town so I tell to pick up some batteries, she ask me if I am going to get a battery for the deck clock, I add it to the list and she drives away. With the wife's help I get down to the shop as I am thinking about starting on the short little wheelchair ramp I need to install on the deck. You will not believe this but the batteries to the electronic keypad are .....dead. Wife goes into the cabin and gets the key and we go inside and get my Paslsoe nail driver. We put it on the deck and I jokingly say "watch this will be dead. We plug the battery charger and.......its dead. I just shake my head and call the daughter on her cell and she goes over to the General Store and we are lucky enough that Big Earl has a battery in stock.40.00 for the battery and another 15.00 for all the others and I am down 55 bucks and I have not done a thing.

　

Today finds me doing nothing, forecast from Sunshine Ray called for rain that never came. It was nice to do nothing as I am still getting use to being home. I did mange to get to the hot house and discovered we have a ton of tomatoes and more peppers then I will ever be able to use. We have a bell pepper plant that has produce over 20 peppers bigger then my fist so I am gong to save and dry seeds from that plant for next year. Frost was in the forecast for last night so the tarps came out to cover things up in the garden and some select plants in the five gallon buckets went into the greenhouse. Yesterday it hit 76 degree here, If the Pudde Humper was ready and it was another time I would have been fishing instead of sitting in my wheelchair.

　

Still have not peeled any apples and the wife has made no pies. If I want pies I have to peel. Nothing has changed for me in that department. It is not that I don’t have peeling applies on my list of things to do it is just that other things seem to get more attention then the pies. On a more serious note we has a death in the family. Ziggie, the daughters gold fish died. Now this was not one of them little toilet flushers Ziggie was four years old and was thirteen and a half inches long and weighed in at twelve ounces. He would plug your everyday toilet so early this morning a hole was dug in the front flower bed and Ziggie was laid to rest. With any luck we will have even better looking flowers with his remains here at Lake Iwanttobethere

 

[Bobby Bass]

YELLED AT THE wife this afternoon to give me a dollar. It has been months since I have had a dollar in my wallet. I spent two weeks in the hospital and then three more weeks in the nursing home That entire time I did not have a dollar to my name. Good thing as the other day I bought a round at the Lodge and had no way to pay for it, lucky me Gus bought. I was not going any place but I still wanted some jingle in my pocket. Busy week as I had home therapy Monday. Tuesday and Friday. Wednesday and Thursday I had to go see the doctors but the weekend is all mine. The smell of baking pies are in the cabin and yesterday I made chili and you can still smell that to. Tomorrow the two ten year old grand kids will be here and I have a long list of things for them to do. They are both good workers so if it does not rain we will be busy. I plan on making my deep pan pizza for supper so we will pig out.

　

Very good visit with my cancer DOC as he is continuing to keep me off any cancer drugs. I have been off for thirty days and my next appointment is four weeks away and no cancer drugs have been prescribed. I am thinking I might be on the other side. Now I just need to shake all the side effects and get myself back too normal. This may take months but I have a better outlook on life now then I did a few months ago. I had hoped I would have gotten out fishing this fall and deer season is going to be iffy at best. I do have 60 days of in home therapy and they say they will be able to get some strength back into my legs so I may be able to get out of the wheelchair and perhaps get around with a walker. That would be a big thing to me even though it may sound like a small thing to you.

　

I started this a few days ago but got sidetracked with projects.The ten year old grandson and granddaughter spent the weekend here and they are workers. A ramp was built off the deck for the wheelchair and I cut the boards but they screwed it all together. Sunflowers were harvested from the garden and they cut down the sweet corn. This was all taken to the front yard where they decorated the shepherd hooks holding up the bird feeders. The next morning a war was going on as Ed and Eddie the squirrels tried to hold off a black squirrel and a couple of blue jays from raiding their feeders. Add some pigeons and some crows and I just sat back with the grand kids and watched. Garden was mowed as weeds have taken over and we were going to build another raise bed but they had things to do at home. Me and the wife might try and do it as I want to dump the five gallon buckets of dirt into the new bed and see how we did in the potato growing experiment. The new bed will be for strawberries as the bed we have is being choked with plants. The wife said if she had another bed she would transplant so guess what another bed she will get. I have no problem at all eating home grown strawberries.

 

Indoor projects continue as the theater is next on the list. New carpet and maybe a couple of overstuff chairs. Also I am not going to risk it anymore and I have spoke with Big Earl about a new snow thrower. Not a big monster but a smaller one that I or the wife can handle. Matter of fact the ten year old grandson asked what age you have to be to run a snow thrower and I said here at Lake Iwanttobethere it just so happens to be ten.

[Bobby Bass]

THUNDERSTORM CAME THROUGH the area late last night. As storms go this summer it was not much of one. About thirty minutes before the rain fell we had some strong winds for a few minutes. The wind came through the trees briskly and loudly and the wind chimes on the deck rang out. I was sitting at the desk in the den watching a football game but the wind was more interesting. This morning I got up and the French trees had lost a lot of leaves. I call the popple trees "The French Trees" just like my uncle did. I asked him why and he told me because the French trees give up their leaves so quickly in the fall. It was years before I understood what he was saying.

　

The afternoon was broken up by Maureen my social worker from the county. She came to interview me but I am afraid I took up most of her time talking. She will return in a couple of weeks to finish her interview, I will have to remind myself to stick to her topics. After she left I had the wife help me out on to the deck and I sat on the swing. A cool over cast day and everything was still wet. Duncan made his rounds of the yard and the headed to the trail that leads into the woods and this time of the year grouse. He sat in the wet grass and looked at me and since I speak lab I knew what he wanted. He wanted to know why I was still on the deck and why weren't we walking down the trail. Just about then the wife came out and she saw Duncan sitting. She asked if he was waiting for me to go hunting and I nodded my head yes.

　

The wife sat down next to me and she told me that when I was at the nursing home he did the same thing to her. It was a sunny afternoon so what the heck she decided to take a walk with Duncan down the trail She told me she walked across the yard and onto the trail and Duncan jumped up and started working the trail in front of her. He was a very happy dog the wife thought as his nose was working the high brown grass. He looked up from time to time to get his bearings and looked to see if she was following him. The French Trees were still holding their leaves then and the brown grass on the trail could hide anything. The wife said she was enjoying her walk when they came up on a rather large dead pine tree top. The wife said she thought it was the one that got hit my lighting and was not prepare at all when a grouse thundered out from beneath it. She had just caught her breath when Duncan jumped at the bottom of tree top and a second grouse even louder took off and flew over her head.

"Not today" she yelled out and Duncan looked down the trail then turned and trotted back to us on the deck. I gave him a good pat on the back and told him maybe a stupid one will find its way in to the yard for us. The wife got up and went back into the cabin but first she gave both me and Duncan pats on our heads. Duncan jumped down from the swing and raced around the cabin heading for the road. A few minutes later he reappeared with the mail. He jumped up on the swing and gave it to me. Nothing interesting so I gave it back to him. He jumped from the swing to the deck and then went to the back door He stood on his hind legs and rang the door bell with his nose The wife came and got the mail and Duncan went in for his reward. I just sat on the deck and thought how I would sure like to walk down that trail with Duncan here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

THE WIFE AND I were sitting outside on the swing last night affeer supper. The daughter had cooked supper making spaghetti and her meatballs. The meatballs are half mild sausage and half hamburger with onions and cracker crumbs. She pan fries the meatballs and then simmers them in the sauce while she makes the noodles and heats up French bread that is already cut up and buttered. We ate supper and had a little red wine and were now outside enjoying the evening. We were sharing our thoughts, she on how nice the evening was and how dark green the grass was in the yard. The French trees were dropping leaves and the garden looked good now that the sweet corn had been cut down. She sipped on her wine as I looked at the yard and saw it a little different.

　

The deep green grass is going to need another mowing. The falling leaves were going to need raking. The garden was going to have to have tomato plants pulled and potatoes and carrots harvested. The rain gutter garden had tomato and peppers to be brought in and the five gallon buckets emptied and the tarps folded and put away. Lawnmowers to the shop and oil changes for the Jeep and Tahoe. Even though the Puddle Humper never got wet this summer it still needs to be checked, ropes tighten around the winter tarp and the full tank of gas replaced with fresh stuff. I still have a snow thrower to buy and a tree full of apples to be picked. Fire wood to cut and wood racks by the cabin filled.

　

Back in the cabin I got help to my easy chair and sat back on the cushion and turned on the TV looking to relax. The wife came in and stared washing dishes as she looked at a basket of clothes to be washed and thought about rugs to be vacuumed and beds to be made in the morning. Cats needed to be fed along with Duncan. Water bowls filed and bring me some juice. Funny how we look at things just a tad different.

I read this to my wife who asked me how I managed to have more stuff to do then her. She then started to rattle of her list but thankfully I don’t remember it all here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, the last several days. I have not had the time to even sit down at my desk and jot anything down. The grand kids have been over so I have put them to work. They, under the proper direction work way quicker then I do. Big garden has been harvested and pretty much cleaned up. The growing potatoes in five gallon buckets did not turn out as planned. I did get a mess of small potatoes which will be good in stews but no big tatters were grown. I have not given up as next year I will try again but add more holes to the buckets and use fresh new cuttings instead of the third generation seed potatoes like I did this year. Another bed was built and filled with dirt. If we get one last warm day the wife will transplant strawberries into it.

　

Apples were picked and pies made but the tree is still loaded so a few more picking days are needed More pies for the freezer will be made and I will make a couple of batches of applesauce. Should have mowed the grass but ran out of time, daughter wants leaves to bury her new flower bed and it is easier to rake when the grass is short. Normally it would not be a problem as I would just mow with the tractor and mulch it all. Shop still has to be cleaned out and mowers and tractor tucked inside. Have to make room for the snow thrower when I buy it. Or we will make a spot in the garage. We have been fighting a fruit fly invasion in the cabin. When I brought in the citrus bushes I forgot to give them their usual soap wash and I guess we brought in a bunch of fruit flies. I made traps and we seem to be winning the war as there are less fly's buzzing us.

　

The other night the oldest daughter and her girls took me shopping down at the General Store. I bought some tee shirts on sale and a new hard gun case. The gun case is for my son in law as I am going to gift him my double barrel shotgun. This will join the 30/30 that I gave him this summer. I know both guns will be taken care and get some use down the road. On our way home we spotted Stan and Jeanies ice cream truck and we honked till they pulled over. During this time of the year they also sell caramel apples and as soon as I said I would buy everyone wanted one. The best part of Stan’s caramel apples is they use ripe apples so you don't have to cut them up with knife to eat them like the kind they sell in a store. Nice thing is you are buying your apples from an ice cream truck so you can get any kind of sprinkes on your caramel apple. I just got a big apple double dipped in caramel and it was delious.

 

Chuck my next door neighbor has been busy this last week to. He tore of the roof on his porch and is redoing it all. A few more nice days and it will be shingled and then he will be good to go to do some bird hunting and before you know it deer season will be here. O as for bird hunting even though I am giving away my shotgun I still have my trusty single shot, which is a lot lighter to tote around the woods and it is full choke just in case a stupid grouse wanders into my backyard. Still have some tomatoes in the back under plastic and as long as a frost does not happen I will be harvesting tomatoes still. Lots of carrots in the beds and still more work for the kids to do. Today they are all at Old McDonnell's corn maze and I am staying home and am going to watch some football and maybe a hockey game this evening. We had satellite installed this week just so I can watch hockey this winter. Kind of a reward if I promise to get myself out of this wheelchair. I know a kind of funny reward but this is Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

GOT TO LOVE it when Sunshine Ray forecast an overcast day and rain showers. So far this morning it has been nothing but blue sky and sunshine. I hope to pull some tomato plants from their five gallon buckets that are in the hot house and strip them of their foliage. I will them hang them upside down in the green house and they should, the tomatoes then ripen on the vine. I am lucky enough that I can blow basement air into the greenhouse and keep it at least fifty overnight. Going to also pick all the apples in the next few days and put them in boxes and store them in the greenhouse till we can turn them into pies and applesauce.

　

Next door Chuck has the new sheathing on his porch roof and it is covered in ice shield. If he does not get around to putting the shingles on he will still be OK. I saw him heading out this morning grouse hunting, I wish I could join him. Had lower body therapy yesterday and today I will be working on the upper body. Getting stronger but still have a wase to go. One of the things I do is work out with a bell jar that has a handle on it so it acts like a mug. We control how much it weighs by putting pennies in it. I caught the wife adding change this morning to it, it is already heavy enough I tell her.

　

Daughter bought one of them state of the art gaming computers last month. She is happy with it so she is giving me her old one to have. Even though it is outdated as a gaming machine it kicks butt on my old machine for everyday use. Now I just need to transfer all my stuff between computers. I have so many pictures it may take awhile as I will of course look at all of them. Getting to be that time of the year to button the cabin up for winter. Gloves come out as do hats with ear flaps. Boots may be a tad early But slippers will find there way to the edge of the bed. Duncan will get an extra blanket on his bed but who am I kidding. He will just find a warm spot next to somebody.

　

　

The wife asked me last night what I wanted for dinner and I had a hankering for a fish dinner but if you don’t fish there is no fish in the freezer come the end of the season. As much as I dislike ice fishing I just may have to actually try and catch some fish through the ice this season. Now that brings up deer season. I am not going to be able to hunt without making it hard on the guys to get me to a stand let alone up in one. I am going to nominate my new son in law to take my place at deer camp. I am thinking it should not be too hard to become the camp cook so I will still be able to experience deer season here.

 

Well I went outside and the wife joined me, we pulled tomatoes out of the big pails and some got hung in the green house while others were cleaned of their fruit and brought inside to ripen. Clouds came in and robbed us of our sun and it did not take long for things to cool down. I was the first one in the cabin and a few sticks of wood came in with me. The coals in the fireplace were awaken and the sticks of wood tossed on top. I sat in front of the fire and the wife soon joined me. Winter is coming, slowly but surly here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

TOOK A SLOW ride into the Lodge this morning. The wife who was driving was in no hurry so we took the long way in. First thing I noticed was the Leafers are all gone. The Leafers if you remember is the name we give to the tourists who come and take pictures of our fall colors. Nice people but they do tend to get carried away trying to get in to position for the perfect picture. If this means stopping in the center of the road on a curve then they will do it. Now add the lazy weekend grouse hunter who is slow rolling down the same stretch of road with their windows down looking into the woods out over the ditch and we have an accident waiting to happen..

　

I found myself with my passenger window rolled down and my elbow resting on the door going between looking for grouse and then back to the road for Leafers. I saw neither on the ride into the Lodge. No wheelchair for me today I have been waiting for two weeks for forearm rests for my walker. They came yesterday and I am trying them out today. They are a metal attachment that goes on my walker and lets me put my forearms on to padded rests. This takes I am guessing 60-70 lbs off my legs and makes walking a ton easier. No great distances right now but I figure the best way to make my legs stronger for walking is walking.

　

I had to have the wife help me up the short ramp as I have not figured out how to do that yet but once I was inside the Lodge I was fine. The one thing I missed the most being in the hospital and then the nursing home was talking. There is no lack of talking in the Lodge so that is why I have decided to get some shifts in. The wife went on her way and Duncan who was at my side went ahead to my office. By the time I got there he was already up on the left side of the couch and I chuckled to myself as I hung my coat up. I had to pull my chair over to the desk and I sat down and took the weight off. Figure I could go through my pink message slips as I took a rest.

　

I was about halfway done with the small pile of messages when I heard the first loud bang. Made me stop and think for a sec then I realized that someone was sighting in their deer rife on the range. I looked up at the calendar hanging on the wall and had to remind myself that deer season is coming quickly. .A couple of more shots and then quiet. I sat back in my chair and thought about my decision not to hunt this season. Can’t remember when I have not fished or hunted in the same year. Has to be a first for everything I guess.

 

With pink messages done I grabbed my walker and made my way to the main room of the Lodge. Duncan open one eye and watched me leave then closed it and went back to sleep, he reminds me more and more of Bud everyday. Went behind the bar and poured myself a short beer and took a sip, took maybe a minute before a Lodge member sat down across from me and a conversation broke out. Just a Saturday afternoon here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

SO I AM having a conversation with Lodge member Mel about aquariums. He has several and the daughter has a few. A long time ago I had two thirty gallon aquariums where I was rasing some rather larger Oscars. One tank had the Oscars while the other held minnows that I would feed the Oscars. Goldfish even then cost to much to use as feeders.So Mel was telling me how he has to keep telling his grand kids not to tap on his aquariums. The tapping he says bother his fish and besides how would you like it, someone banged on your walls.This afternoon I am sitting in my easy chair in the cabin watching a football game that I don’t care about when there is a banging on the wall of the cabin right by my head. Sure enough here is a mess of wood peckers flying through and they decide that they should stop and give my siding a working over just in the off chace there may be a snack.

　

Now I know how the fish felt as I reached over and banged on my walls trying to scare the wood peckers away but all they did was beat their heads even harder. I suppose they thought my banging was supper trying to get away. After awhile they flew off and things got quiet again. So glad they were just little dudes not like the big red headed woodpecker that was in the yard the other day. He or she would have made some serious holes in the siding I am guessing rather quickly.

　

I was at the Lodge working the bar looking for some conversation. One of the things a bartender has to be is a good talker but it may be more important to be a good listener. A good memory is also something to have so you can put conversation with faces. Mel likes talking fish and I know just enough so I can keep up with him. Some guys talk hunting or fishing and other guys may talk about trap shooting. Still other talk about gardens and house plants or things they can’t talk about with their wife's or casual friends. Your bartender is kind of like the priest doing confession what you talk about over the cherry top bar stays right there.

 

I had the feeling over the past few months when I came into the Lodge that guys were a little hesitating in talking with me. I have my own problem and maybe they didn’t want to dump theirs on top of mine. I fixed that by putting up a cardboard sign with writing in black magic marker that I was open for business. So unlike them fish stuck in the aquarium having their glass tapped on I can get out and see who is banging on my house. Who knows, maybe they have a god reason here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

WITH HALLOWEEN TONIGHT I came into the Lodge to pull a day shift. No sooner did I get in the door then Gus greeted me with a smile on his face. We had been looking for a part time bartender to cover some shifts during deer season and of course the Lodge gets busy as we wait for Lake Iwanttobethere to freeze over. The guys have nothing to do so they spend time at the Lodge instead of being at home working on their wife's Honey Do Lists. I hung my coat up in the office and Gus was busy telling me about a guy at the bar who would be perfect. He grew up on the lake and now that he had retired he has moved into his parents cabin and is looking for some part time work. Has bartended before, loves to golf and fish and runs a couple of labs that he hunts grouse over.

　

I followed Gus out to the bar and saw a short bald guy siting at the bar nursing an orange juice. As I got close I turned to Gus and speaking loudly I said "Are you talking about the short guy at the bar? He won’t do" The short guy at the bar turned to look at me and a smile broke out on his face almost as big as mine. "Gary, how the heck are you?" and we shook hands and patted each other on the shoulder. Well to make this a short story we hired Gary on the spot. Gary was an old time friend of mine back in grade school and high school, we got into many a fix and we spent the next hour talking about all the trouble we almost got into back in the day. I am sure I will write here about some of the things we did as I have touched on some of the things we did as kids but now with Gary here he will help remind me of the Good Old Days. We agreed on a wage and a starting date and I told him I would be happy to sponsor him into the Lodge as a member.

　

I worked till noon and I got out candy for the trick or treaters. The Lodge always sees a lot of kids for Halloween as during the summer we run a lot of fishing camps for the kids and during the winter the kids using the Luge run come into warm up. I went through the candy as this is a good time for us to get rid of the stuff that does not sell and it is of course a good write off for the Lodge. I caught a ride back home with Chuck and we were half way there when it started to drizzle. Chuck turned on the wipers and I made a comment about it was a good thing he got the shingles on his porch roof this fall instead of waiting till spring. Chuck agreed but he still does not have his boat put away for winter. We then talked about Sunshine Rays forecast of sixties for the weekend, going to make it a tee shirt opener for deer season. Chuck said he will try and get his boat put away but if it is going to get warm out a day in the boat jusst might happen. Or maybe a day chasing grouse or he still has not put his golf clubs away. .Just so tuff for a guy to figure out what he is going to do this time of year.

 

Got back to the cabin around two and I had a long list of telephone calls to return. Most were from guys at the deer camp with meal requests. I had let everyone know that I was not going to be hunting but instead would be inviting my son in law Matt to take my place. With any luck Matt will fit in and we will add some young blood to the camp and someone we can get to play poker. (someone we can take money from) The wife told me that while I was away Hammering Hank and Skinny were here, they grabbed some decking for the deer shack and said I said it was OK, I nodded as I dialed Big Earl’s number. I stopped for lunch and hinted to the wife about some apple pie, she told me first I needed to pick some apples here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

SPENDING THE DAY at the cabin, no going to town today. I could if I wanted to but that would stop the wife from picking apples which she is doing right now. Duncan who has turned into being her dog is out helping her. When she tugs on a branch with the apple picker sometimes apples will fall to the ground. Duncan has been picking up those apples and putting them in the box. He has not been trained to do this it is just something he has picked up. Since I have been laid up for almost a year now Duncan has become the wife's dog. She feeds him, let’s him outside and every now and then takes him on car rides, not to mention feeding him under the table. I have not done any of those things for almost a year so being a lab he knows who to spend his time with. So I am dog less except for when the wife is not home then he will come and sit next to me but we both know as soon as the wife gets back he will be with her. The bad part is anytime I hint about bring a pup home I get shot down.

　

Just because I am home does not mean I have not been kind of busy. Phone has been ringing with guys from the deer shack better known as THE HOTEL calling and most of the conversation has been about me not deer hunting this year. The most common argument for me hunting is that the group would have another tag to fill and my answer is it has been many years since we have harvested enough deer that we would even have to worry about needing another tag. Besides I gave my deer rife to Matt my son in law and he I going to be hunting at the HOTEL this season But I have to admit maybe I should buy a license since it is going to be a warm weekend, I could sit on the porch in my rocking chair, we have seen deer there before.

　

I even got a call from Big Earl who was at the Laundromat dyeing white tee shirt's orange. He told me on the phone his order of orange tee shirts would not be here in time for opener and he was losing sales in orange tee shirt for opener. Lot of coats and hoodies are not going to be needed for Sunshine Ray’s forecasted warm sunny weekend. I added some charcoal to our buy list as it looks like Saturday night's steaks will be cooked on the outside grill. Going to need more ice too now that I think of it. Hammering Hank and Skinny were here a little while ago. Asked if they could go through the wood pile. Not the firewood pile but my 2x4, 2x6 pile of wood left over from jobs that is under a tarp behind the garage. They said they ran into some soft wood on the HOTEL porch that they are redecking, told them to take all they want as I don’t really have any jobs lined up and if the Hotel needs the wood I have no problem. They were out there for awhile sorting and the work truck looked pretty full when they left.

　

　

My granddaughters birthday today and I was going to go to her b-day party but her two little sisters are both sick with strep throats. I can’t be around sick people and the daughter already canceled the party. Poor kids I hear they feel miserable and the daughter has not gotten much rest herself. I am giving the granddaughter my pan fish rod for her birthday. She has been eyeing it and it would be her first adult rod even though it is only five feet tall which is the right size for her. I figure if she has two tackle boxes she should have two fishing rods. Other daughter is home from work, day off and it is supposed to be a work day here but I have been on the phone most of the day. I have had to make several stops when I have been writing this. That is just the way it goes here at Lake Iwanttobethere.