Some unplanned turns of events last Saturday

The plan for Saturday morning was for all of us to go to Lost Lake on the refuge to introduce Avery and Phoebe to the fine art of fishing.  I think it’s never too soon to get kids interested in things outdoors.  We took two cars since Robyn and the girls would be leaving for their trip home around noon.  It’s a two rut drive down the Lost Lake Trail to the boat launch.

About one and a half miles in, we encountered a problem.  The road was blocked by a large aspen that had been knocked down in one of the recent storms.  That was unplanned for.  It was too big to move, and the large branches made it impossible to drive under.  Shucks!  Now what?

Nothing to do but pack up all the fishing poles, tackle box, two chairs, and bait, and hoof our way in to the lake.  Crystal, Robyn, and I put on jackets or sweatshirts, and we had the girls put on their raincoats to combat the mosquitoes and deer flies for the half mile walk.  It’s a good thing we did too.  The bugs were out in legions.  Why did I decide to wear shorts this day?  I also toted bug spray with me.

With my back issues, I of course brought up the rear.  Lost Lake is one of my favorite places on the refuge, and I was never happier to see it’s pristine beauty and quiet as I was after that final turn in the trail.  Few people make the journey here, and that’s one of the things I like best about it.

Uncle Dan got busy setting up the poles for the girls to try.  Avery was fascinated by the leeches we had for bait.  For a six year old, playing with leeches is more fun than actually having to sit and wait for a fish to bite.  She also ‘managed’ to get her boots filled with water while trying to get to the perfect place to stand.   Then it was more fun throwing rocks into the water.  Phoebe was totally not into this wonderful experience.  So much for the joys of fishing.

One of the reasons Dan and Crystal came to visit was to do some fishing, so Robyn and I gathered up the girls and headed back up the trail to the car.  It was much warmer and buggier for the hike back, and they left me in their dust!  It was best that way.  By the time I made it to the fallen tree, Robyn had turned the car around, the girls were strapped into the AC cooled car, and all I had to do was hop in.

We went back to the rig for lunch, and then I had to say ‘so long’ to them as they headed out for Rochester.  An hour later, Dan and Crystal returned fishless, but not before Crystal had also slipped and fallen into the lake.  No fish were harmed in this escapade, but we all enjoyed the time together in the presence of some trumpeter swans, loons, and bald eagles.

Later in the afternoon, Dan was watching my TV and remarked, “ Your HD TV sucks!  You need a new flat screen.”  I had to admit that I wasn’t very impressed with my switch to DISH HD that I had done in May.  My TV was labeled high definition, but I sure couldn’t notice any difference.  That’s when he started looking at my set up, and doing some on line investigation.  To make a long story short, here’s the result:

With John Hatch’s help, they took the old TV out of my entertainment center, we made a quick trip to Wal Mart in Detroit Lakes, and I now have a new 40” flat screen TV in the rig.  What a difference in the picture!  Thanks guys.  I sure didn’t plan that.

Goodnight, John Boy!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy