First pontoon cruise this year

When we jumped into the pontoon to take the first cruise of the season, we discovered the battery was quite dead.  Bob went into town to get a new one.

Kyle soaked in the hot tub and read a book while Bob got the new battery installed.

John and Kyle enjoy the ride in beautiful weather.

We went to the other  side of the lake to pick up Christian and his Poppo and Mommo.  Christian helped Bob at the helm.  He did a good job!

At the south end of the lake we checked out this beaver lodge.  It's big.

Christian helped secure the pontoon so that Jan and Ellen could disembark. Christian is enjoying his stay at Pipe Lake and doesn't seem to miss his siblings too much.

Ellen and Kyle sharing some laughs.

Christian working the lines.

Arriving back at the dock.

Thanksgiving weekend at the lake

Peggy and Susie at the airport as she was leaving to return to Manchester, New Hampshire, on Friday afternoon.
Susie and Bob at the airport.
We arrived at the lake around 2 in the afternoon. Bob set right out to fill the hot tub. The water is 46ºF coming out of the well. When there was sufficient water to surround the stove, he fired it up to start heating the water. When the tub was filled, Bob pulled out the water hose and put it away. B U T, it became apparent that the water level was decreasing! The plug came out accidentally when the hose was withdrawn. Bob got out of his clothes and jumped in the 46º water to replace the plug!! When the plug was firmly in place (it took two tries!) he hustled into the house for a hot shower. Here he is in his parka and hat, sipping a hot toddy before we went to dinner at the County Line Tav.

All this manuevering paid off on Saturday night when we enjoyed a soak in the hot tub with our friends, Colleen and Rich. It was a clear night with a full moon---spectacular setting even though the temperature was around 25º with a pretty swift breeze.

Winter is beginning

We took a quick, mid-week trip to the lake to do some pre-winter jobs. Bob and Jan added stuff to Aubergine's bed so that it can go to the land fill on Saturday. Quite a collection of odds and ends.


Bob cleared off the leaves from the deck and the yard. A few chores will keep us busy this weekend: putting the remaining deck chairs in the basement; covering the screened porch furniture; putting up the icycle lights on the deck railing; connecting the lights on the spruce.



All that is missing from this winter scene is snow. Looked like we might get some and then the temperatures have risen to the 40s so it will not be here as soon as we had thought it would. After a walk in the woods, it's great to return inside and read a good book.


As we headed south to Minneapolis, we saw all these Canada geese flocked at the south end of the lake. I suppose they're on their way south too.