Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Scott and Alan got up early to go fishing this morning. We didn't get to sleep very quickly so it made for a long day. Scott got up at 5am to do his Bible study but I went to back to sleep. I went to the cabin around 10am and everyone was still in bed. We finally had breakfast and did a Bible study around 10:30am. Then we had lunch. After lunch, Bridget started the fajitas for dinner while Hannah, Lindsey, and I went out to shovel gravel into the shed. We did 28 wheelbarrow loads before we headed down to the water. We messed around with the ducks, kayaks, and clay, then decided to take the pontoon boat out. I needed to learn how to drive it but was very apprehensive. Hannah tried to teach me while Bridget gave me a pep talk. We finally got it out and Hannah and I took turns driving. When we got back we started moving gravel again while Bridget started dinner. The guys came back from their fishing trip at Green Lake a little after five and had not caught one fish the entire day. They were however encouraged by all the work the girls and I had done (39 loads). Alan and Scott started working on it then. Hannah and I stuck around and did a little more work here and there.

After dinner, Scott and I took our baths while Alan, Bridget, Hannah, and Lindsey took a boat ride out by where the guys fished today. We have retired for the evening. It's warm in the camper right now but it is supposed to get down to 59 tonight. We may have to turn the heat on again tonight. We hope to fish on eagle tomorrow. Rumor has it that Michael and Martha will arrive tomorrow.

Pictures from the day: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August102011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJOHhsvyyPeyDQ&feat=directlink

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

It was a cold, rainy day so we all hung out in the cabin most of the morning. After our Bible study, Scott, Hannah, Lindsey, and I decided we would go into Vermillion Bay. I told them that we had to take a bath first. No one was very excited about going down in the lake on this cold day but they wanted to go to town so they conceded. When we got down there there were eagles out by McCarty's point so I got the camera and took some cool pictures. After a while we took our baths and then headed to town. We went to the gift shop - Moose Creek and then Buster's for lunch. After lunch, we went to Bobby's and the Coop, ending our trip at the fort for ice cream. It was a fun afternoon and by the time we got back the weather was a lot better. The sun was even out.

Picture links from the day: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August9_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIzdkpWKiIf_6gE&feat=directlink

Monday, August 8, 2011

Yesterday morning we woke up to rain and some wind around 5am. We went back to sleep and didn't get up until about 8:30am. The rain had stopped so we went to the cabin to do our doctrine. After breakfast and our Bible study, Alan decided to go to Dryden. He took Bridget, Hannah, and Lindsey who went to the gift shop and the bakery. Meanwhile, back at the cabin during lunch, Scott said he saw a young eagle fly over and I didn't believe him. He stayed in the cabin reading waiting for a call about the gravel load coming while I came back to the cabin to work on pictures. I saw an seagull acting weird so I stepped outside. Sure enough there was a young bald eagle swooping around. I grabbed my camera and started snapping shots. He was flying above a couple of our cabins. I would watch for him to come back and he would come up behind me from the opposite direction. At one point, it soared over my head as if posing for me. That's where I got my best shots. I called Scott out to see.

After I finished pictures, I laid around and read and snoozed off and on until the girls came looking for something to do. I tried to convince them to kayak with me but they didn't care for the waves. Shortly after that, the wind picked up and you could see a storm coming in over the lake. Scott checked the boats and Hannah, Lindsey, and I started to play Clue. Alan moved our vehicles in the new garage and checked the boats. Scott started trying to secure the camper which was taking the full force of the wind and even tipping a little off of the blocks. We finally decided if we pushed it in front of the trees it would get less wind and there was a huge storm coming. The wind was whipping little sticks at my face when I went through the open areas. Alan grabbed his manual hitch puller - trailer trolley - and Scott, Hannah, Lindsey and I all pushed. It was protected much better so it was an answer to prayer. The wind died down and it started to rain but it didn't rain much. We went in and finished our second Clue game when Bridget announced that dinner was ready. We had a yummy fish dinner with homegrown red potato "fries," baked beans, and peas and carrots. After dinner, Alan, Scott, Hannah, and I went back outside and pushed our camper back to the hill but this time we parked it a little further up the hill and a little different of a slant so the wind wasn't broadsiding it right in the middle of the camper. After a little while, we started a game of Shanghai Rummy. Everyone played and we only made it through four hands until it was time to hit the sack. So far Lindsey is winning.

When we got to the camper, and it was windy but the camper wasn't blowing the same so we had a hole new set of noises to get used to. I swear we heard a moose trot by. Scott and I are going to look for tracks when we go out this morning. I had just read pretty much the stupidest western book ever - I guess you can't always trust BookList - so I was convinced that the Ojibwa Indians were sneaking up on our camper to do horrendous things to us. LOL - I had to faith rest and then I was able to go back to sleep. It was freezing cold so around midnight Scott and I traded places so I wasn't on the outside. Scott also turned the heater on which made it really hot in there plus it stunk because it hadn't been run for awhile so I turned it back off. It was an exciting night.

Pictures from the day: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August8_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP-p0tLFipS_cw&feat=directlink
Pictures from August 7: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August7_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLKZ5oLDiOWv6gE&feat=directlink

Thursday, August 4, 2011 - Saturday, August 6, 2011

Thursday is a bit of a blur. The girls all slept in and lounged around, then did our Bible study around noon. Then we played cards for a couple of hours. The guys all drove to another lake and fished. They caught enough fish for us to have fish on the rock. So when they got back we cleaned up the pontoon boat and got organized to take everything over. After dinner, I took a spin on my kayak to the end of Paradise Island and back.

Friday, the guys worked on the building some more. Hannah, Lindsey, Mom, and I kayaked around Paradise and Eagle Island. Paul taunted us on the jet ski spraying us off and on. He also pulled Nana on her kayak a couple of times. We saw about eight different eagles and a bunch of vultures. We also had a snack picnic on Paradise Island beach.

We picked up the construction mess as the guys were finishing up the front tin of the building.

In the evening, Mom, Jason, Lindsey, Paul, Hannah, and I swam to Paradise Island (about a mile round trip). Dad and Scott met us part of the way there on kayaks. Alan buzzed around us on the jet ski off and on. All the while, Bridget was making homemade spaghetti and meatballs. We were starving after that long swim and dinner was delicious.

Saturday, August 6 - Mom and Dad did their doctrine with us in our camper and then took our load of scraps to the dump. They saw a four hundred pound bear there. Bridget, Paul, Hannah, Lindsey, and I went to the Farmer's Market and then to Egli's Sheep farm. We had a blast trying on different hats. Hannah even bought one. When we got back we made quesadillas for lunch and then loaded up the boat. Dad, Scott, Hannah, and Lindsey took the fishing boat. They caught a few tiny perch and Scott caught one walleye. The rest of us took the pontoon boat out and Paul, Alan, and Mom fished. Alan caught a tiny perch and mom and small northern. We trolled on the way back in and Scott caught a large northern.

Mom and Dad went out to dinner with Ron and Dee and the others. The rest of us headed out to Breakfast rock for a brat dinner. It was great. The girls walked all the way around the island and we had brats, veggies, beans, and chips then smores to top it off. We got back on the Pontoon and took a ride. The sunset was one of the most incredible I have ever seen. God's creation is just incredible. We were in awe. Hannah and I took about a hundred pictures.

It was almost dark when we got back. Hannah, Scott, and I faithfully took our baths and raced back up to get away from the mosquitoes.

Also, Jeff saved the day - bringing me some antibiotic for my ear. Bridget and Scott are my designated ear dropper person. I ended up getting an infection in the other ear, too so the antibiotic was really the grace of God.


Pictures from August 4: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August4_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKObmr_2vqySEg&feat=directlink
Pictures from August 5: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August5_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNy69q3n5Me7bQ&feat=directlink
Pictures from August 6: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August6_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPGe0oXOqZfZLg&feat=directlink

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

During the rain last night. We ended up having to close up almost all of the windows. Our awning got too full of water and broke in the early morning. We did our doctrine at 8am and by 9am the guys were back working in the building. The girls played cards with mom. Bridget and I made chicken and bacon for Paul’s lunch. (Bridget did most of the work so I could blog!) The men got all of the trusses up before lunch. After lunch, Mom and Bridget in the canoe and Lindsey, Hannah, and I in kayaks went around Paradise Island stopping at the beach to play. When we got back the guys had over half of the roof nailed up. I came back and listened to my last summer class.

Pictures from the day: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August2_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCInCwc24k7-7eQ&feat=directlink

Monday, August 1, 2011

The next morning we got up and did our doctrine. The guys worked on setting the posts. It was one of the hottest days, I’ve ever experienced in Canada. We ran drinks out to the guys all day. They were pretty miserable after they got them all set - sore and tired. In between time we kayaked and swam. Lindsey and Hannah jetskiied, kayaked, swam, and ran along the shoreline. They found a big fish over by Durbin’s dock and took a picture of it. Lindsey, Mom, and I swam over halfway to Paradise Island and back. Ron looked at my ear and said I have an infection on the outer ear. He’s going to see if Jeff can bring me some antibiotic drops when he comes on Saturday. We fixed burgers, baked potatoes, corn, and green beans for dinner. After dinner, Dad, Scott, and Paul went Musky fishing. Alan and Bridget worked on the Pontoon boat. Mom and I took the garbage to Deer Trail and then played cards in my camper (after I took my bath and cleaned up the dock). Hannah and Lindsey went with Julie, Jason, Lennox, and Elliott to the dump to see the bears. They saw five bears and stopped for ice cream on the way back. It was hot in the camper most of the night but then it rained early the next morning so that cooled it down some.

Pictures of the day: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/August1_2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMuYs8rozqLPvAE&feat=directlink

Sunday, July 31, 2011

After spending fourteen hours in a car with Paul, I was pretty excited when we reached Eagle Lake. It was actually a pretty pleasant trip. God protected both vehicles and the campers. The weather was great and we made it across the border without any issues. We listened to three Hank the Cowdog books which were extremely entertaining. We unpacked all of the food while guys got the camper in place and set up. Mom had made some yummy chili type recipe. Then Alan and Paul jet skied. Scott and I kayaked. Then Hannah, Lindsey, Scott, and I took our baths. It was getting dark and there were a few mosquitoes so we headed up to bed. I woke up in the middle of night with a pretty bad earache.

Pictures of the day: https://picasaweb.google.com/ajohnsto693/July312011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP3Zge3Np7Ladg&feat=directlink