Jan 4 - an early blog ?

It seems that most days I don't have service in the a.m.  This morning was even worse than usual, the blog that I "posted' at 5:30 a.m. not getting sent via email until after noon.  Needless to say I couldn't access the internet during that time either ... so ... I had to find something else to do ...

 

Down came the tree -- but I had lots of help.  Sandy, Kylie and Michael joined in and we made short work of it.  Most of the pack-up and clean-up falls to me, however, since I've got the extension ladder out, the shop vac doing it's thing, the snippers cutting branches off the tree, and finally, finally, out the front door and over the railing !

 

The tree is now stuck in the ice, frozen into an ice fishing hole.  It will last until the first thaw, perhaps falling down on Friday at this rate.  It does look pretty sad since most of the lower branches were removed.

 

Speaking of ice fishing, I went out to pull in the rigs, replace the dead minnows, chopped the rigs free and behold, one of the rigs had a fish attached !  The flag had not been tripped; the biggest-so-far pike was lethargic enough that I could chop the hole big enough for it to come through without it getting excited. 

 

Speaking of fishing, who would show up late in the day but Donnie.  He and Isaac were in for the night, no fishing this time.  He wasn't sure how much ice we had and wondered about us romping out there, thought that I was very brave.  Not me, says I, having drilled my way across the lake !  I know how thick this ice is !  I'm not guessing !

 

I succumbed and ran the snow blower, getting rid of the 2" that was already there plus the 1" that came down this morning.  Settled it was still only 1" in spots; 3" in spots; short work for a snow blower.  Luckily I had topped up the tank when I last ran the machine, because I'd given all my spare gas to Jeffrey to get him to Parry Sound.

 

The 4-wheeler did it's thing, pulling the girls on the GT Snowracer.  It was warm and easy going.  I could have started the 3-wheeler as well, but the 4-wheel-drive ATC is easier to get up the hill, slick from all the sledding.

 

We had pork loin last night and are having fresh-caught pike this evening, along with brussels sprouts (Kim's recipe) and mashed sweet potato.  We're not going hungry !   

 

That's about it.  Sandy might go into Sudbury tomorrow; we'll be heading to Oakville & Barrie on Friday.  Our winter interlude is just about over.

 

Onward !