Good evening all:

“A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water, and is fat..” ~ from our north woods everyman we’ll call Claire

This, a small insight after seeing Marlene, Dia, and I lurch out into the clear northern woods air and walk each and every morning to the tune of 21 miles per week—all summer long.

Last evening we did not get home till around 11:30 from a wonderful concert at Auld Kirk arts center in town. Then at 7:45 Saturday morning we hit the pavement. Shortly after my return and another mug of coffee Marcia and I left to check out a major estate auction.

So, here it is, Saturday evening (nearly 8 pm) at Northern Comfort and I am just getting around to penning my weekly Ramblings.

THE table – was spotted by Marcia. She announced that once the bidding started and the table put on the block—victory would be hers. I could feel a headache coming on.

Hundreds of bids came and went—and still Vern the auctioneer’s rattling drone continued. Lunch came and went. Stacks of cups and dishes, funky glassware, an old mixer, a torn wicker basket, and so forth were handed off to their new owners. I was in a sort of reverie when I realized that THE table was on the block. “Who’ll bid $300 for a go” said Vern in a now raspy voice. “Two hundred?” “One Hundred?” Seventy Five? I saw Marcia card go up.

At that moment it seemed as if every fourth person in the room wanted the thing. $100, $150, $200, $250, and then as quickly as it had started the bidding stopped and a guy in the back seemed to have control. “Going once, going twice” came the call and up came Marcia’s bid card. This time her bid held.

Now the major question; how were we even going to get a table made from half a tree into the truck’ pick-up bed?
Let it be said that I am writing this on a great new addition to Northern Comfort. Thanks Donn and Marlene for helping with the heavy lifting.

Quiet week – is how the past few days went. Earlier several of us had a brilliant 22.6 mile ATV ride. The next evening I took Marcia out to do some casting for Bass. Less than half an hour later we were heading for the dock with Marcia’s lap full of a huge wad of knotted fishing line.

It was also a good week to take an evening coffee trip around the lake on Dia’s pontoon. Not to forget a bit of catching up on some reading and a spot of Kayaking.

Animal Planet – Our mouse control effort seems to be getting the situation under control. The locals tell that the mouse population spikes every six or seven years and I guess that this was the year.

Walking onto the dock a little all black mink stepped out in front of me. A second or two of assessment and the little guy dove into some shrubbery. Where is the camera when you need it?

Have a safe week, congratulations to Jacquie and Marlene on their birthdays. Think of the victims and the families of all those affected in Colorado.

Cheers,
Dirk