Perpetual Ruminations

Wendnesday

A day off. Actually, I should get three days off then work this weekend. I do have to do a bit of paperwork, but it's from home and I have three days to get it done. So, unless somebody gets sick or the weather turns nasty and they can't get in, I have a bit of time off.

I have a new ice fishing shelter I want to try out, and hope that this is the chance. It's not new - new, just new to me. It's actually about nine years old but in pretty good shape. The only problem is, I don't have an auger or a heater for ice fishing. I have two portable heaters, but one is too small, and the other is too big. I will have to get one that fits in the middle. I will also have to get an ice auger.

For now, I will use my brothers auger and try and sharpen this old spoon type I have. I should also get my minnow bucket out and have that with so I don't have to run back and forth to get bait. I have to pick up some other items, an ice dipper, a couple of long eye screws, some cord and a couple of bungee cords. I'll make a list and get them while I'm in town.

First on the agenda is getting the garbage hauled out, then pick the stuff up, and then decide if Rhonda should go in or stay home. she works from six to ten tonight, but four hours isn't hardly worth the gas to drive in and home again. I'll let her make the call, it's her job. If she does work, she will have to take me in for fishing and then pick me up after work. If she stays home, I can drive myself. If her hours were anything like they used to be, or usually are, it would not matter, I could drive in and take her to work at the same time. Then, after I get off the lake I could hang out for a bit and then pick her up.

Oh well, they will soon loose a good employee because they cannot or will not schedule her hours right. One problem is they are inconstant in how many hours a week they give her. Anywhere from around ten to just over thirty. Usually it's been about twenty lately. Th other problem is the time she goes in and comes home. It varies constantly. And not just a little, it can change by hours. Day to day, week to week, there is absolutely no consistency; no rhyme or reason to the times she goes in or gets done.

Well, enough, it's time to get my stuff together, get busy with what needs done, then hopefully off to fish. Today, N.W. winds, changing over to East winds tonight and through the next few days. So, today's the best looking day for catching some fish.

Wish me luck~

And then again, maybe not. It's going on midnight here, SD time, and just getting settled down for the night. It was a busy day, a good day, and a lot got done today. No fishing, but a lot of other things. After I finished my journal earlier, I called my brother to se if he was about ready to head out for some fishing, so I could try out my new shelter. He couldn't go fishing, he had class this afternoon. Oh well, that's how it goes sometimes. We did make plans to go out tomorrow, but we will have cooler temps and east winds, but it should warm up nice. I hope the wind shifts again, too but I doubt it.

I don't know if it matters, but I was raised with the belief that the fishing isn't as good when there is an east wind. I really don't know why, but it seems to be. Also, it's going to hit -15 degrees, Fahrenheit tonight. Brrrr! It will warm up to about 18 or so they say, but it will take a while to bring that temp up.

I do not have a big heater for my shelter, so it may be a bit cold in there tomorrow. We did get some holes mended, cleaned it up pretty good, and made some adjustments and repairs. I also have some of the little things done with it and my fishing gear I have been needing to do. I hooked a line to one side so that I can anchor it on both sides if it is windy. I don't want to go blowing away. We mended up the holes and I fixed the windows, I worked on my fishing reels, and made a new rod from a broken ice fishing rod, and the end of a regular fishing rod. I also adjusted the back rest so it is more straight up and down, it feels more comfortable on my back now.

So, tomorrow, we will load it up and try it out. I may bring the big heater just in case, and try it out in there. I do have some vents, so it should not get too hot. It does not have a pilot, so I will have to run it and turn it off and on and off as needed. maybe with the little heater going and the big one on and off, it will be nice and toasty inside. I can just see it now. The wind blowing, cold out, people bundled beyond recognition out on the lake, and me in my underwear inside the shelter with that big heater cooking away.

Now that would be a sight, especially if the game warden happens by and needs to check lines. Outside, 18 degrees and everyone looking like Eskimos, inside my shelter, a sweltering 80 degrees and me looking like I'm at the beach. I'll have to wear something with a tropical pattern. Ha! Alright, maybe not, but it may be close to that; we will see.