Every once-in-a-while I like to write about the day's activities, and the happenings of one day this past weekend was one of those times. I didn't write it humorously, although there certainly were times when it was, and it turned out to be rather long, but I thought that you might enjoy reading the account.
Due to the many various needs here, we don't get out much for the things we used to do together, and it's not really just pack up and go, either. However, we are seeing that more activities can be added back in as a family now that Chels and Garrett are a bit older. What's one of the things we haven't done much of in the winter? Ice fishing!
And it's about time that Chelsea and Garrett get out on the ice. It has been 5 years since I've been out, so this is wonderful! Of course, being only their second time out, the little ones will still be learning the dos and don'ts. Anyway, we decide to head out fishing, and we are finally on our way.
We get out to the lake and see that a friend's icehouse is open. Having an open invitation, we decide to settle in there instead of using our portable as it'll be warmer and have better lighting, not to mention quite a bit spacious. Cool!
We decide to put up the portable anyway because it's new, and it's better to set it up the first time when it's light out. So Dad and Kev do that while I start putting the lines in, and the little two play near the van. Just as we were about to settle in, the house being ready and the last tip-up being put in, a truck pulls up. Oh, it's Jim, and oops, he has some guests coming. We still have the portable, and it's already put together! There are still some things we'll have to set up again, drill a few new holes, etc., but we should still be up and running soon. So I unsettle us while Dad and Kev drill the holes for the shack. Kids are still happily playing.
Now, I almost have the shack set up. Heater's running, the lights are up. Chelsea and Garrett have been in to warm up a few times. Time to start settling them down, though, they're in squirrelly mode. They come in to warm up again, albeit a bit too playfully, while I'm rearranging the lighting cords. A second later, I hear a terrified scream. I spin around - oh, no!
- you're okay Garrett, I'm right here and I've got you.
Let's get you're boot off, it's soaked... Yes, Garrett stepped into one of the holes.
Cold, slightly wet, and scared - there's not much worse than that for a 3 year old unless injured, too... Calm him down a bit, put him closer to the heater. Okay, it's lesson time. Chelsea, Garrett, this is why, even though we do check the area for you, you guys still have to be careful and to watch where you are going. We only have 6" holes, and only Garrett's foot could fit in this one. But there are others who use bigger holes and they're dangerous....
Okay, Dad's going to take the little ones home, Garrett's more than ready to, and Chelsea was a bit reluctant, but cupcakes drove away any disappointment they might have been feeling. No, they didn't even fish except for jiggling a pole once or twice that I had set up the first time.
Kev and I are going to stay at the ice shack and get some fishing in before Dad comes back for us.
Everything is going fine except the fish aren't really biting. We decide to turn the heater down some. We're plenty warm, could almost take out coats and hats off. Instead, heater goes out. Or rather, we turned the temp down too far and weren't able to turn it back on before it could go completely out.
This is the first time either Kev or I have used it. Dad had always been the one to set it before. Oh well. We know how to get it going again. However, we have a really old match case that's seen better years and couldn't get the matches to light. So a few steps later, *knock, knock, knock*. A husky reply to enter. Hey, Jim, do you have any matches? We accidentally turned our heater off, and our match striker isn't working. One guy hands me a lighter, and two dogs follow me out. Up and running again! Yea! Return the lighter (and the dogs, too
) with thanks. Few minutes later, Jim makes sure we're still running. Yes, thank you so much. A bit of fishin' talk and then we're all back to fishin'. I decide to change lures and what do I find in the box? More matches and a lighter in case we ever have trouble with the matches.
Long after dark, dad comes out for some fishing before we all head home.
Just 3 crappies for the 2 of us, and 2 were very recent, might be picking up.
However, so is the weather. We had to turn the heater back up awhile ago. It's windy, the temps have dropped, and it's been snowing. Dad gets a few lines in outside. Fishing has definitely picked up, I've got another 2 in that time. That's 3 for me and 2 for Kev.
A few fish later, Jim and his friends take off, and dad decides to take a few of the holes in there. Now, we're really off! So much in fact that I don't know where an hour and a half went! Dad gets one, then we get one. Dad gets another, then a few for Kev. Oh, no! Kev has the lead again! A couple more fish for Dad, then I get 3 in a row!
I can't begin to imagine why
, but a few tried to jump back in the hole to swim back into the lake on us.
Although the fish are still biting, with a total of 20 fish (7 for Dad, 6 for Kev, and 7 for me), it's time to head home. It's late and tomorrow, or rather "today", is another day. I take the first real look around since stepping out back when our heater went out, and whoa!
Where did all the snow and drifts come from? I hadn't realized it has snowed so much! And with the wind and temp change, it is cold.
So we decide on a plan to take everything down in the most efficient order, and with that in mind, we pack up. It's almost whiteout conditions on the open lake, some of the snowdrifts are very deep, and the "road" is almost completely unidentifiable. It's not the best time to have a van, that's for sure. We get off the lake in fine shape and are now home with one of the best catches we've had so late at night.
