After our trip to Canada, it was back to work and there was plenty waiting for me. We also went to the Faith in Action appreciation dinner, listened to the Replacements Tim reissue, hung up some posters in the pole building, and helped Kevin and Emily with some projects.

Sunday, October 1st was a really nice day and we went for a pontoon ride on Woman Lake. The new pontoon is very nice and we have used it a lot this summer.

On Monday, October 2nd we went to the Hack Muni to celebrate my birthday a day early, and for the meat raffle. Karla and myself, Kevin and Emily, and John were there. We didn’t win much but I got a sack of potatoes and a free drink and Emily won some really good bacon. It was fun and we managed to have a few beers. When the meat raffle was done, we got some Happy Pizza took it to Rendezvous. John drove my truck home. It was a fun evening.

On Tuesday Karla made me a mug cake in the morning and gave me Lemon Jail for my birthday. Thanks, Karla!

Friday, October 6, I took the day off work to go to Moorhead for a funeral for my cousin Bob. He was a great guy and much too young. I am glad I was able to spend the sad day with my cousins and their families. After the services and lunch, Mike, Karla and I visited a couple breweries and lifted a toast to Bob.

Saturday was boats-out day. We started at Widow Lake and there was a dead battery for the small pontoon lift and a flat tire on the trailer for the small fishing boat. We went over to Woman lake we took the big fishing boat out at the near landing. It was busy and we had to wait for others to get their boats out. We took the giant pontoon to the landing near Longville. It was a cold ride across the lake but it was worth it. No one else was there and the ramp is much nicer. For the first time taking it out, it went really well. We went back to Widow and Karla had lunch ready. She had made bacon and potato soup with our winnings from the meat raffle and it was really tasty. After lunch we took out the big and small pontoons on Widow Lake. All the boats were dropped off at Wheelers so they can be winterized. We put some more stuff away and took out the paddleboat. We cleaned up and went to Kevin & Emily’s on Woman Lake. Had snacks and beer, watched sports on tv, had spaghetti & red sauce with sausage, more beer, and some heated political discussion. It was a good day.

Sunday we did some more cleanup, put stuff away and closed up cabin 4

Monday, October 9 I had the day off work for a global wellness day. Karla and I drove to Laport and went to the Woodshed for lunch. Not too bad. They had Hooey on tap. We then drove to Itasca State Park. Looked around the visitor’s center, hiked at Preacher’s Grove, stopped at Peace Pipe Vista, and went to the headwaters. We drove around the park and went on Wilderness Drive. It is a one way and it was really nice. Stopped at the Big White Pine and the former Largest Red Pine. Both had been the largest at one time, but both had lost their tops. Still cool to see. We stopped in Walker at Portage for a beer on the way home.

Saturday, October 14, the boats were ready. Kevin brought the giant pontoon and backed into the pole building. He took his time and did a great job. It takes up a lot of room. We put the new tire on the little fishing boat trailer and Kevin and I took the little fishing boat to Wheelers. John brought his truck and he got the small pontoon. Kevin and I got the big pontoon. Kevin backed it into the pole building and John backed in the small pontoon. We pushed stuff around and made some room and pushed in the paddle boat on the flatbed trailer. Still enough room for our gator but the pole building is full. 3 pontoons, a fishing boat, 2 skidoos and a paddleboat. Scott and John came to our place and helped Karla and I take out our dock. Everyone went their own way for lunch. After lunch Karla and I went down to John’s. Caden had a camp fire going. We hung out for a bit and John took down a dead birch tree. Anna started the fire for the sauna. It was looking good so Karla and I went back to our place and put on swimming suits. And sweats and sweatshirts. A little more work on the sauna fire and it wasn’t too long before the sauna was hot. Karla, Anna, Gaby and I went in. After we heated up, Karla, Anna and I ran down to the lake. I jumped in, Anna jumped in but Karla didn’t. It was cold. We went back to the sauna and got hot again. Emily came over and joined us in the Sauna. Scott and Donell also came to the sauna. At some point I went in the water again. I went back in the sauna just long enough to warm up. Then went down by the camp fire. Caden still had it going and Karla was there. Anna and Gaby went in the lake. So did Scott. John went in the sauna and also the lake. When someone finished in the sauna, they came and joined us by the fire. It turned out to be a really nice day. We had some beers and sat by the fire. Before we knew it, it was 5:00. It was a really fun afternoon and I am glad I jumped in the lake. Probably the latest in the season I have been in the lake. Karla and I went home, made a fire, heated up some leftovers and sat on the couch. We watched a little tv and listened to Green Cheese.

Sunday, Karla and I went on a hike on the North Country Trail and went to the Piggy BBQ for lunch. Good stuff.

It is starting to get cold and we have a fire every day. In another week or so we will close up our place for the season. This summer went fast but we had a lot of fun.