the second annual great walleye challenge

Today is the second annual Great Walleye Challenge on the Sacandaga Lake. Being of a competitive nature, I am disappointed that we have not registered for this lucrative fishing contest. It is held the last Saturday in January, and I am giving formal notice that NEXT year, we will be registered. It features prizes and giveaways in excess of $45,000, and is limited to 1500 registrants, which gives you odds of winning at, well, nevermind that, the odds are good. They have $1000 prizes every hour, from 9 am to 3 PM. After that, the ATV's and Fishing shacks are raffeled off. What do you say boys? Next year? I know better than to put that challenge out to the girls, because, much to my chagrin, I have not raised any "outdoorswomen". This is not for lack of trying. I dragged them all through the girl scouts, family camping trips and Mother-Daughter camping trips. I was the camping Mother for all our scouting expeditions, and still, I have mall queens. How did this happen? I have no qualified answer for that. I do see that both girls have taken on Camping in Montauk, and will allow that as a possible activity. And camping in campers is allowed on occasion. Having LIVED in a trailer for a short period of time (my other life), I can tell you that this does not qualify as Outdoorswoman activity. It can be a viable activity for vacationing and enjoying the great outdoors while still luxuriating in foam mattresses and microwaves, but if you want to qualify as "outdoorswoman" you must unzip your shelter to get in and out. A zipper qualifies you. That being said, ice fishing is an activity that interests me. I want to be on that lake, cutting holes in the ice with an auger, dropping my line, and possibly qualifying for those prizes. Just having the satisfaction of PARTICIPATING in this great annual trek to the solidly frozen Sacandaga Lake is what I am after. Although I am truthfully thankful that I have NOT registered for THIS years contest, because it is eleven BELOW today. That's right, the thermometer on the porch is not broken, it is registering in the BELOW range. Which means, those fisherpersons who ARE registered are going to freeze their collective ARSES off while fishing for the illusive walleye. Thank GOD we're not registered. But consider this a challenge for NEXT year. I will, by then, have the appropriate clothing and accoutrements for ice fishing, and will have practiced a bit on the Caroga lakes, and will be ready for the challenge. Consider this the line drawn in the sand. You have a year's notice boys. Make sure there are no conflicts for the last saturday in January,2011. Any other takers? We'll put you up for the weekend. I dare ya. I double dog dare ya.

Tapping Maple Trees For Sap

Well Gang it's been a few days since my last post so here Goes . We have been Tapping Maple trees for the last week or so, off & on depending on the weather.

Fred in the Green 3/4 coat, Dave in the sweat shirt

No Snow shoes today, we had a warm day which melted the snow a bit, then refroze and made it easy to walk on

Dave placing tubing into his mouth to warm up tubing so it slides on to tap with ease.

Dave's Tractor ,our ride back into the woods, Guessing about a mile or more

It's very cold here , On My Front Porch , 2 Below but the sun is shining . We had a small snow storm yesterday with high winds and lots of SNOW DEVILS. No real snow to report, maybe 3 inches in last 24 hrs.

I had Jury duty the other day for the 1st time ever...there a couple hours and whole group excused... We are at the theatre rehearsing for a show next weekend in Feb. "Love Is!"

I have lucked out and running sound.....NO SINGING for ME!!!! Jen & a great Cast taking care of that. So much talent!....

That's about it for Now......Til Next time ........Jerry

Got Snow?

It was over 50 degrees here on Tuesday, and we were loving it. Much of the snow did melt, but our base is so substantial that melting snow takes weeks, not days. So, we're only down to about 12 inches here or there, and its falling from the sky again. We're supposed to get sub-zero temps this weekend, and it looks like winter is back. Actually, I don't mind so much. The spring thaw means MUD, like you've never seen before. I did take my car to the car wash last week, because it was impossible to see out the rear window. I spent the 8 bucks to get it washed (it's not like long island, they don't even go INSIDE the car-just a hose down on the outside) and by the time I got the 4.4 miles to the house, it was filthy again. Yuck. It all brings us one step closer to nice days, but what a dirty process it is. Jerry has gone into Johnstown today for Jury Duty. He was actually a bit excited because he had never experienced the law from THIS side of the box. We both realize he will most likely be disqualified due to his former career, but he wanted in anyway. Truthfully, I think he does miss the law a bit. Just the day-to-day tidyness of it all. You're either guilty, or you're not. Not alot of gray area there. Now, in our lives, there is nothing BUT gray. "What do we want to do today?" "Eh, I don't know" See? Gray. "Should we stay in or go out?" More gray. "What do you think of him/her?" Interestingly gray. There are many unknowns in our new lives. That's what makes it fun. But, as with today, occasionally we do miss the routine of it all. I think that is why I'm at the theatre too. Even though this routine is NOTHING like the routine of the PD, it is still a responsibility and a place where people are generally expecting something from me. If we didn't have that, I would rise to those low expectations like a pro. My personality is such that R&R could become a way of life very easily. I'm just not that motivated anymore to do something I don't love. So, doing something I love keeps me going at a pace much more healthy than reverse. When it stops being a thrill, it will stop being my job. I'm just so fortunate to have that choice. And don't I know it! So today, Jerry is playing down at the courthouse-which by the way is the oldest "functional" courthouse in the country. Built in 1772, it is a beautiful brick structure that has a fantastic cupola and sits right in the center of the town square. A small building with a big history. Jerry is reading a homicide novel - I don't think that will help his cause as an "Objective" juror. Not alot of homicides here though. Who knows? The town square in Johnstown is a lovely park where there is a small band shell, a fountain and lovely benches and walkways. Small by Long Island standards, it is just perfect for here. Even the dogs are allowed. Dogs are allowed pretty much everywhere here. Occasionally you'll see a stray fellow walking along the street without a human companion, and no one things twice. Most likely he's on his way home from SOMEWHERE. They ride without restraint in the back of a pickup and wait outside a store while you step in and shop. They are part of the landscape. Our dogs are not so well behaved that I could travel them in the back of a pickup. I ask myself the question, which came first? The well behaved dog, or the pickup truck? Do you just let them up and assume they'll stay? That could be a painful mistake for the dog, and I don't think I would want that responsibility hanging over my head. But when I see man's best friend riding along in someone's truck bed I have to admit, I'm a little jealous. Would Bailey or Jake stay in the back if they saw something interesting on the side of the road? I'm not so sure. And Daphne? She doesn't do trucks. She's more of a red sporty convertible type. As the snow piles up outside, I'll just think on those lazy summer days hanging in the town square and watching the dogs drive by. Am I bored and lonely? Is this cabin fever today? That's a gray area.

Ice Shanty onto East caroga Lake

Well Gang we had busy weekend , Jackie & Katie along with Blue came up to visit. We had shows going on at the Glove and I helped Dave & Fred to Launch an Ice Shanty and run more sap lines in the woods at the rear of Dave's property. This is the shanty being pulled out onto East Caroga Lake by Dave's son, Eric using a 4 wheeler

Ahhhh..... Fred who is always a help but never seems to get into any of my photos.....Got you!

Dave & Eric hooking shanty up to 4 wheeler

Dave

That's Me helping out.

We later headed into the woods at the rear of Dave's camp and ran more lines for Maple Sap. If you look close you will see Dave off my right shoulder behind the trees. It does not look too bad as the sun was shining and not too cold...snow was too deep to walk without snow shoes. I had lot of fun with these two guys. Going back for more in the next few days...... I did not bring my camera so not many photo's. This is at least a mile & 1/2 in the woods , Fred & I rode in on a 4 wheeler, Dave used his tractor

Brian this is not too far off that logging road that you hunted on for the 1st time , rear of Dave's property, where old tree stand was.

Again Had a Great time with Jackie & Katie ........So much more to come!

Having the times of our Lives!!!!!

Walter , Mike, Nicole ,Payton, Brian & Ashly we Miss You!!!! Come Back soon.

As I type we are having a heat wave...almost 50 and they say we will hit 58 today.

Til Next time Gang......Jerry

Here and Gone

How fast the weekends go when we have visitors. Jackie and her friend (and our friend too) Katie were here and we had a lovely visit. It is always so nice to see our family, and so hard to watch them leave. It's always a bummer when Sunday morning rolls around. I guess the Amish do have it right in many ways-just stay within the community and never leave. It certainly solves the traveling family issues. We had our last show at the theatre yesterday, the final production of "The Cocktail Hour" We've instituted a Sunday Senior discount ticket, and attendance reflected that it was a good idea. That made me happy. Today is a breakfast meeting at the local diner with members of the fund raising committee. It seems that the New Year has started off strong, with great Board member participation. I guess there were alot of resolutions out there. Hopefully, we'll benefit from that. Then it's back to the house at 2 PM for more pump training-today the "sensor" comes and we hook that up. Aaarrrgh. I'm a little uptight about that, but doing well with the pump otherwise. we heard from Jerry's co-worker who has been retired since October. He said he's never been so busy. I get that. How did we fit in real jobs? I don't know. Happy Monday. Miss ya girls. Daphne is despondent. Her Blue Man is gone. Come back soon, hear?

Wish You Were Here. . .

Resolve

When you have three dogs, you are lucky in that ONE of them will fit your immediate need. Want to snuggle? Daphne's your girl. She likes a huddle with the best of them. Looking to communicate? Jake will carry on a conversation if you want to engage in earth shaking barking. He likes to talk. If you ask him a question, he will bark the answer. The earth will shake, and you will have his voice. Deep from his diaphragm his opinion will come. When it comes to morning people, Bailey is the one I love to be with. He wakes with you and stays with you throughout all the morning rituals. He sits next to you while you make the coffee, he moves with you through the house while you open the shades and make the water rounds. He is right by your side when you go anywhere. And when you're ready to open the door and check out the weather, he is the first one out. He doesn't go far, as he likes to wait for Jake to head out into the field, but he will linger there on the porch, sniffing around and checking out the wildlife just beyond. The picture here is Bailey on the back porch looking out over the field. He is enjoying the dawn and waiting for his buddy to run with him. He and Daphne both slept in the living room last night. I have a sneaking suspicion Daphne is starting to accept Bailey. It's almost a year on Feb. 5 that he has been with us, and it has taken her this long to say "OK, he can stay". Even then, he is on thin ice. At any given moment, she may change her mind. but they are becoming uneasy allies. She still snaps at him when he tries to move around past her, but she doesn't jump up and nip at his legs. It's just a verbal assault-"Watch out Pal, I'm still in charge!" He is cautious, but slowly will continue on his way. Not hiding in the corner or fearful she'll kill him. He almost has her number. Almost. Speaking of numbers, the number here today is about three inches. Fluffy, light and still coming. This is snow shoe snow. I would like to get out there, but today at the theatre is full up, and I am due at the hospital at 1:30 for a diabetes education class. Not one to let the grass grow under my feet, it's been twenty plus years since my diagnosis and I am finally going to an "education" class. Nutritionally, I could use a little help. As someone who feels that cheese doodles are one of the four food groups (cheese=dairy=no problems) I am finally recognizing that education is the key to my success. I cannot do it alone. Those are scary words for someone who takes pride in independence. And so, off I go to be educated. This class WILL have tests. They are called Hemoglobin A1C. It is the test that all diabetics fear-the A1C. It busts you every time you let your guard down. It keeps you from being the queen of denial. It lets the world know "yes, she ate mallomars this month." Not a fan of resolutions, I think it's time to make a "goal" for myself. So, here it is, in writing. Don't hold me to it, but I'm giving it my best shot. To say I'm motivated is putting it mildly. I have alot of future to participate in!

Monday Trauma-I need to get over it

After many false starts, the new insulin pump arrived on Friday. The nurse showed up this morning ready to train me on all the little quirks of a new pump. One of them being the needle insertion set that comes with it. I'm not a happy camper. Suffice it to say that THIS new insertion set is twice the length (approx 2 inches) of the old insertion set. I am not a fan of needles. Even the diabetic needle, which everyone says is "small", is enough to send me over the edge. This thing is massive in my eyes. I was hyperventilating as I inserted it (into my belly-which has plenty of inches to pinch) but all went well. I have to change the sight every 72 hours, so I am good till Thursday. By Wednesday night, I'll be having PTSD. I have learned the first half of this pump-sensor program. Monday of next week, the nurse comes back with the sensor. As of right now, the pump and the blood sugar tester communicate, which means I don't have to spend any time entering that information into the pump-it just reads it electronically. Next week, the sensor will read it electronically and pump automatically. Quite cool really, if you can remove yourself from the personal facts of this is all CONNECTED to me, so electronically or not, I'm still participating on a needle level, which I haven't quite wrapped my head around. Call me a coward. It fits appropriately. We had quite a successful weekend at the theatre. "The Cocktail Hour" was well received by the community, and will be having its second weekend run this upcoming Friday. We're all happy that everything went off like a well-oiled machine. Quite a great accmplishment. I was happy to see my dear friend Maryellen and her husband Jimmy - they rode up from Windham on Sunday and stayed for the matinee. It is always such a kick to show someone around the theatre, because in truth, it is an amazing place. After the show, we went out with the cast and Director for dinner at a local italian restaurant. It was a busy and happy weekend. And today is a school holiday, so Allison is home catching up on her zzzzzz's. I'm off to the grocery while Jerry plows a few more inches of party cloudy. It's all good.

Just a Little Update

Well Gang I'm Back after not posting for a few days. Being Retired is a lot of work. Not sure how we got everything done before we retired.. Jen and I have given a lot of volunteer time down at the theatre and that takes up a lot of our time. I helped out with scenery and working on the very old oil burner in the last few weeks. Also starting to learn a little lighting and sound. Jen's been doing all of the stuff she does best which seems to be everything, Running the office , writing , singing and I'm sure 20 or 30 other tasks. Jen loves it and I believe she is the best thing that has happen to the Glove Theatre in 20 or more years. Tonight is the start of a play called, "Cocktail Hour" , it runs 3 times this weekend and again next weekend. The best part is that Jen nor I have any parts in the play, we just have to help out opening and closing along with all the chores needed in between. It's a lot of fun and it good to give back and help out. Weather has turned warmer here, expecting 40 here today and Saturday, the snow is melting fast. Ali and the dogs all doing well , Life is good, Having the times of our Lives. Lets all keep the people of Haiti in our Prayers. We miss all of our Friends and Family , Hope to see you soon. That's it for now, Til Next time Gang....Jerry

Cabin Fever and paint colors.

Sometime between 2 and 3 AM, something got in my eye. I am now suffering with a scratched cornea, and wondering if I got out the offending spec of dust, and I'm just sore, or its still in there doing more damage. Not sure yet. I was supposed to get my new insulin pump yesterday, and they never came. I called last night at 5:30 before we left for the theatre, and of course, it was postponed to TODAY. I really do love when they do that to you. It's bad enough that the delivery will be sometime between 8 AM and 7 PM, but could they at least GET THE DAY RIGHT? As you can tell, my mood is less than special this morning. We are coming up on a big show at the Glove, and of course the furnace is giving us some diva attitude. This sucks. I have no time and no patience for inoperable furnaces. Especially when the darn thing is almost 100 years old and being nursed along much in the same way I am-gently, but cautiously optimistic. I am feeling much like an old furnace this morning. Jerry has gone down to the theatre because me discussing the options of furnace repair with the oil burner guy is just too ludicrous for words-me who feels a car should be purchased because it still has a casette deck. My standards are pretty low when it comes to mechanics. In addition, my eye is really hurting, and I'm on the fence about going to the doctor to have him look at it and tell me what I already know. It hurts. The sunlight, which is intermittent at best, is hurting it too, which leads me to believe it is corneal related. The dogs are all settling into new sleep dynamics. Bailey has taken the couch. Right near the pellet stove. Smart dog. Jake is now sleeping on the floor by my side of the bed. His own bed is four feet away, and I'm not sure why he's not sleeping there, but he starts out by me. Daphne of course has her spot at the bottom of our bed, and guards it fiercely. I sometimes have to reacquaint her with the bottom of the bed, as she is passively moving up towards my pillow. Sorry dog. No way. I don't mind the bottom of the bed, I do mind sharing my pillow. I'm getting that cabin fever bug. I look around our house and am starting to feel up to the task of completing many of the renovations that we put on hold in the fall. I guess enough time has passed and I am interested in finishing up. Unfortunately the living room is waiting on window replacement and fireplace structure building, all of which must be put off until the warmer weather. Missing windows doesn't work when the outside temp is 5 degrees. And of course, these structural changes must happen before we can complete the interior enhancements. So fixing the living room is out. Our room is fabulous so no decorating there. . . Painting the hallway may be the next project. We've had swatches hanging on the wall for a few months now, and I think I may be ready to make a decision. I used to make decisions much more readily, before I had to run it by Jerry. There are alot of concessions one must make when taking on a partnership. One of them is that painting and redecorating cannot be started willy nilly without regard to your partner's tastes or desires. I feel this is a very worthwhile concession. Usually. Occasionally we butt heads and must have decorating negotiations that rival Custer and the Sioux Indians. Sometimes, there must be blood. I think that the hallway paint color is going to be an easy one that we both agree on. We have no wallpaper in the house, and I understand that is coming back into vogue. Neither one of us is a big fan of the guest room. It was done back when it was a vacation room. Now, it's a guest room for our visiting weekenders. I think it could be upgraded. I'm thinking Wallpaper. Now this could be a war. I'll keep you posted.

Miscellaneous musings. . .

Of course, I'm not the one moving it around on a daily basis, but I never tire of this white stuff that is falling from the sky. We had a little more of it today, the "glistening" kind. "glistening" snow is hard to describe, but you know it when you see it. It almost looks artificial, but it has to be really, really cold in order to glisten. So that is MY temperature update. Jerry will elaborate later, I'm sure. . . We've been spending alot of time at the theatre, more than usual actually. This upcoming weekend is the opening of the first play of our 2010 season-The Cocktail Hour. It is a play written by AR Gurney and is really quite funny. The set is absolutely beautiful, thanks to the hard working crew at the theatre (now consisting of my Guy-Jerry) He is an amazing asset to the theatre crew and really gets in there and gets it done. I will have pictures as the week progresses, but it is quite amazing. The Tech rehearsal was today and I was thoroughly impressed. Of course tickets are available and anyone seeking to come this far north for some serious entertainment at a great price should contact me. We'll get you good seats! We had a late lunch with the cast and crew at a local italian restaurant compliments of the Director. All in all, a really nice group of people who have worked so hard for this production. So when Friday night rolls around, keep us all in your thoughts. We need some good karma coming our way. . . We came home from this late lunch with two gallons of ice cream. Serious ice cream. There is alot of dairy farming here, and the ice cream is amazing. So amazing that eating it in January is totally understandable. Not normally something I would do, but. . . when in Rome. . . Chocolate chip for me, coffee for Jerry. I also forgot to mention that I am receiving my new insulin pump on Tuesday. It is a new model that calculates your blood sugar (from a sensor planted somewhere on your body) through the pump and then gives you the appropriate amount of insulin. It should take away alot of the guesswork, and the sensor actually STOPS the pump from delivering insulin if your blood sugar goes low-which is the real concern. I seem to have alot of lows during the night, which I am unaware of. (Jerry says alot of things happen during the night that I am unaware of. . . ha ha ha, he's a funny guy) These low blood sugars cause headaches, fries some brain cells, etc., so we are trying to get that under control. TMI? Sorry. It's just an amazing electronic that hopefully will take away some of the guess work for me. I'm sneaking in those sugar fixes (like chocolate chip ice cream) before the pump gets here and I'm busted. Of course, life busts you, so that is a silly little trick of mine, but hey, I'm human. So, that's our news. What's news with you? Keep in touch-we love to hear from you.

Vacation. . . not.

The big news here today is that it is 23 degrees. Woo Hoo! The dogs are in their winter mode - eat, out, snuggle in, repeat. Bailey is a herder. He likes to keep an eye on everyone and makes sure that we are aware of everyone's locality. He actually escorts each dog when they move their location. He feels it's his job to let us know exactly whom is where. Daphne actually looks to Bailey for direction in the morning. He gets her from the bedroom (she sleeps in) and brings her out to the LR, letting one of us know that "she's up! she's up!" It's quite a festival when Daphne gets up. Jake gets herded and merely tolerates it. It's kind of fun to watch, but that's the beauty of more than one dog-the interaction. I can't imagine having only one dog anymore. It must be awfully quiet. Then again, the homes I know of with one dog are not experiencing alot of peace either. I guess its what your used to. We are busy at the theatre-today we take on the costume shop. This is on the third floor and has been sorely neglected-you might even say abused. There are costumes everywhere that need to be sorted, hung up and categorized. We're taking this on because we need the third floor studio space for the tap class and rehearsals. We now have two shows rehearsing simultaneously-which is a good thing-but space is at a premium. So, that's our new task today. Lately, I've been looking at my knitting and wishing I had the time to finish my socks. This means that it is time for a small break. I think they call that a vacation-not entirely sure. I now understand how people go years without taking a vacation-I hate to leave the theatre for even a week. this is how it happens I guess. You become so enmeshed in your job that its hard to leave. I never felt that before. Leaving for vacation was the goal. Every January 1 I would sit down with Jerry and we would plan our year-when to leave, where to go, what to do. I am not feeling that. I am looking at my knitting as a vacation, which is about as far as I will go. To the recliner. With a hot cocoa. And a nap. That is beginning to sound like the perfect vacation. I may reconsider. What did I say that temperature was today?

DOWN BABY DOWN

This snow is getting boring. Actually, I find it hard to believe that we don't have 14 feet of it on the ground, because it just keeps falling. I think we're into our ninth or tenth day of continual snowfall. It just keeps flying around, but the accumulation seems to be less than the air activity. Interesting. I have been paying attention to snowfall lately, because there are so many different types of flakes. That's true in everything isn't it? There are all kinds of flakes out there. January is the nitty gritty get down to business time of year for me. There are few distractions, because spending time outside is essentially not going to happen until we at least break 20 degrees on the upside. I try not to spend alot of outdoor time if the temp is less than that. It hurts. But I have found the solution to winter. Down baby, down. Goose down, duck down, it doesn't matter. It's all warm. I have acquired a down filled full length coat from Cabela's which has a full hood. I can finally say that I am toasty warm. The coat comes below my boot tops, which means that no area is exposed to the elements. This, finally, is the answer. There are no cold moments when you sit your bumm in the car, because the coat covers you all the way to your feet. I am laughing at the weather! The dogs are being walked more than 30 seconds, because I am perfectly happy to stand out there for a few minutes while they pick a good spot to handle their business. I can throw it over my PJ's and still be warm and covered. This is historic. I generally have a love-hate thing with winter. Usually, the love comes and goes rather quickly-say Dec. 23 through Jan 1. Currier and Ives, over. But this year, I am feeling much less concern that this cold snap seems to be endlessly eveloping the entire country. I am warm and toasty in my down coat. We can do this til May for sure. Along with my down booties, I got it licked! Is it attractive? Absolutely not. Ugly. It resembles a black quilt with arms. More like a thick snuglee. I would not be wearing this coat anywhere but here. Which is why I love it here. Wear what you want, as long as it's warm. We're all on the same page-there is no fashion judgement here in the northeast. I am in a good place. I can wear my sweatshirts that have crafty painted penguins and no will will say "Mom!" Actually, that's not true. I still have one fashion officer on the job. But she leaves for school pretty early, which means I'm free to offend until 3:30. And I work alone at the theatre, so we're pretty safe there. Well, off to work. There's a bad outfit just waiting for me. Stay warm. Down baby, down.

N.E.W.S. From Caroga

Well Gang , Been Busy last couple of weeks here in Caroga & down on Long Island visiting the family. As you can see we have snow and maybe less then south of us. Nicole and Mike Surprised us over the Holidays that they are expecting and Due 08/07/10...Woo Hoooooo , we are so Happy. We are so blessed. I'll keep you updated as the reports come from Nicole & Mike. We saw all of the kids over the holidays, Jackie running her own graphic arts business , Nicole Nursing, Walter working on the water on a Tug Boat, Brian working Numerous places....Hoping any day to get on NYPD., Ali doing well in school and developing into a very nice young girl. Jen got to sing New Years Eve at the Glove Theatre with BIG STAN and his group. As always she was fabulous and sang about 4-5 numbers...back up to a few others. Elvis is In the Building !!!!!! Do You Know Me????????? Look Close!

David R. Smith Down the on the Left ( Direct from Nashville)

She and the Band just GREAT.....Asked her to come on the road with the Band.

Tried to down load Jen Singing and Hope it's there when I publish this blog...If not you just have to come up and she her sing in person.

Have a Happy New Year, Always do the Right thing and good Karma will follow you always.

Pay it Forward

Til Next time Gang....Jerry.