ICEFISHAPALOOZA!

Open water in the backdrop of this photo!!!!!!

ICEFISHAPALOOZA A GLEAMING SUCCESS!

Saturday February 24,2006 starting bright and early on the questionable ice of GUN LAKE....The morning started with a trip to Gillets's Bait Shop after whipping up a nice fresh breakfast for me of eggs, bacon on the "George Foreman" grill, and a pot of fresh coffee.

I arrived at the lake at 06:15 a.m. and to my surprise much of the ice was gone! Oh man...The first 10 foot from shore was open water and I noticed that the area we were to fish was only 120 yards from a large bay of whitecapped open water......

I made a carefully navigated journey out onto the ice prior to the arrival of the ICEFISHAPALOOZA participants showed up...I had my ice auger, a hand-held air horn, and ice picks tied around my waist as I slowly and carefully walked checking the ice........A solid 5.5" of ice even within 80 yards of the open water. All was well. The normal area I walk onto the ice had open water at the shore so I knocked and gained permission from a lady in a cottage.....and then they came:

Later we fired up the grill and had some hot-spicy cheese dip heated on the grill then divied out and teamed with some chips.......Thanks to the wife TeamT Mama for this added delight.....With 24+mph wind gusts, anything hot was nice.....

After most of them orning and only a couple perch on the ice, the first annual ICEFISHAPALOOZA board voted to move to Payne Lake....

Much less wind...and much more ice! We then sat up camp ICEFISHAPALOOZA!

Ol' Merle got the first and only flag on the tip-ups all day...

An almost keeper pike...

..

Lunch time was hot dogs with grill fired sauce, onions, and chips.......Fun was had by all......

The night ended with hot Au Jaus sandwiches at Daisy Mae's and Karaoke.

and a side note, the guy who came along who told people at Karaoke he worked at MERCO meat packing plant/slaughterhouse kept taking his shirt off during Karaoke......

YET ANOTHER SURPRISE AT MY DENTIST-YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHAT...

Today began where the last hell left off.......While at work on Wednesday around 6:29pm, I was chewing gum sitting in the group "role call" session. Just as the names of coworkers were being called, I remembered chewing gum was a no-no and quick took a couple more chews. I then discretely spit my gum out into my hand just before my name was called.

I must tell you that immediately during my sneaky gum-spit-out maneuver I felt something very odd. My mouth felt different, it felt LIGHTER than it did just a second before.....I looked down and you guessed it,

THERE WAS THE BRAND NEW CROWN, STICKING OUT OF MY GUM....

Oh no! It was just then that my Dentist's words echoed in my head, "JUST DON'T CHEW ANYTHING STICKY ON THAT SIDE."

A call to my wife, a call to the dentist late-night after hours I got a problem number and I was set for round two with TEETH FUN! WOOOOOOOOO!

So after work, 07:30, there I was, sitting in the parking lot of my dentist again.....I saw him pull in, not as fancy of a car as I had imagined.....Another detail surprised me, he had a loud muffler! Man, I'M STARTING TO LIKE THIS GUY! I always seem to have a loud muffler. And then, a life altering event occurred, >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I saw him get out of his car. His face still puffy from sleeping, hair still wet from the shower, freshly shaven, little lunch box in hand......I thought of the "DENTIST HELL" post.......Could it possibly be, this guy is just like me.....Just like you.....Struggling to pay the bills, get to work, spend time at home, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE HE EVEN HAS TEETH HELL?

I waited a minute and went inside.

I saw him brewing a pot of coffee. Greeting the one employee that was there. He came in early JUST FOR ME since he knows I work third shift. He offered me a cup of coffee but told me I couldn't drink it 'til he was done. I saw him pour it for me, ask if I wanted cream or sugar......And I find myself staring at this guy....He's about my size, SMALL......HAS A WEDDING RING ON, SHAKES A LITTLE.....AND NOW I'M STARTING TO FEEL BAD....He tilts me back and fixes the tooth in a jiffy....Sits me back up, says, "here is your coffee." Now, this mythical monster of pain I always hated is sitting across from me.....He acts like he wants to say something.....I keep drinking the coffee....Neither of us say a word, I swallow it in four gulps. I say, "thanks so much." I wanted to say "I'm an ass. You aren't as evil as I thought." BUT IT GETS WORSE.....

I shake his hand, head toward the door when I hear him say, "Hey, almostgunlakers huh."


I FROZE, THEN SMILED AT HIM AND SAID, "ALMOST WHO?"











"JUST KIDDING, ALL IS TRUE BUT HIM SAYING "ALMOSTGUNLAKERS, HUH."

LIFE DIRECTION ADVICE

Grandpa TeamT always has a good piece of advice..........here is just one of his morsels..................






Just remember that in life, where-ever you go,




There you are.....







Well said, Grandpa.

DENTIST HELL

MY FOUR HOUR DENTIST APPOINTMENT MARATHON!!!!!



What can I say, today I went for a "routine" crown to be put on a large rear tooth,,,and 1.5 hours later, I sensed their was a problem......And my sense of when things are going wrong at the dentist is pretty keen since this is what my teeth look like,

This is not my first dentist rodeo, folks......My loving caring dentist looked at me in his little white coat and said, "This is not going as planned." I carefully thought about my reply for about 1 1.2 seconds and said, "Wow, that's a surprise."




To understand what went wrong (other than it's my screwed up cursed teeth) I want you to review the following:




See the root on the left, imagine that I already had a root canal on the tooth....Now, when the ol DOC opened the tooth up today, he discovered that the $745 worth of work done during the root canal didn't solve the problem, and one of the roots was as decayed as a rope left in the dead sea since the disciples fished there several years ago...However, this made a huge problem, since the ol DOC had to use my roots to put POSTS into them to hold/support the crown.........here is my rendering of what needed to occur.....

However, me and the ol DOC decided that in order for the tooth hell to continue and make my screwed up mouth right, we had to put in the crown.......so...........the group decision was to cut the tooth in half, get down in my gums and make em messy, and get rid of the bad half........




45 minutes into this next adventure that seemed like the logical thing to do, I couldnt stop the tears streaming out of my eyes.....I never complained, never moved, I just sat there and took it.....After 45 minutes of what I would describe as what felt like somebody using an air nailer to shoot a 4" long drywall screw through my head, I raised my hand and said, "I'm really trying to be a trooper here but, man, can you help me with the pain?"



The well experienced well educated dentist replied in perfect dentist form, "You mean the pressure?" I thought to myself, "pressure....huh..." Then i invisioned pressure.....this is what popped in my head,

Then I thought about the pressure my small frame could exhibit with a BEAUTIFULLY PLACED FULL CHOKEHOLD on his neck......I wouldn't give him 4 seconds.......NIGHT NIGHT DOCTOR......SWEET DREAMS. I gathered my composure and said, "No doctor, it's not pressure....Pressure is what you feel when you are standing in front of your boss after being caught sleeping at work, or if you have ever stood in front of a firehose, I FEEL PAIN."

The good ol DOC proceeded to put shots in my gums, cheek, even my tongue.....I couldn't feel my face. He then resumed his work.......I never said anything to him, he just suddenly said, "I know this hurts. Unfortunately, I can't numb your jaw. Can you hang with me?" This is what I then invisioned.....





I replied as best I could with a fat numb tongue and mouth full of blood soaked spit, "LET'S JUST GET ER DONE, SHALL WE?"


The old DOC yanked and yanked and yanked. I finally asked him, "I got a good pair of Craftsman needle nose at home. Want me to go get em?" He pulled a shiny tool out of my mouth and said, "they probably look about like this?" See photo below: His tool, and My tool....


The final tally? Four hours in the "chair."........I now feel the following:

BRING IT ON! ANY OTHER PAIN HAS TO BE CHILDISH TO WHAT I FELT TODAY!

I STILL HATE GOING TO THE DENTIST!

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION UPDATE/TIPS

SPOKE TO GRANDPA TEAM T TONITE AND HE SUGGESTED THE FOLLOWING:


FOR ALL OF THE LADIES/MEN THAT MADE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS TO LOSE WEIGHT, ITS NOW FEBRUARY 20, 2006, HERE IS SOME HELPFUL ADVICE.......


NEVER


SWALLOW

ANYTHING.......

BIGGER THAN YOUR HEAD.

DEERARAMA!

AFTER AN INVENTORY OF A WORK IN PROGRESS, HERE'S THE TALLY SO FAR:

18 YEARS OF DEERHUNTING-
BROKEN ARROWS, LOST BLOOD TRAILS, GUT SHOTS, OVER THE BACK OF THE DEER FLINGERS, HIT TREES, POISON IVY, DIARRHEA WHILE BEING 18FOOT UP IN A TREE,14 BROKEN COLEMAN LANTERNS, DEAD FLASHLIGHTS, 479 DEER SNORTING AT ME, 10,000 DRIVING HOURS......




SLEEPING IN CARS, 6 ARGUMENTS WITH HUNTERS, ONE MEDIUM SIZE TICKET FROM THE DNR, 36 OPENING DAYS, 11 STOLEN TREE STANDS, 3 JAMMED GUNS, ONE FIVE SHOT RIFLE THAT ONLY SHOOTS TWO SHELLS IF YOU LOAD FIVE, 26 PACKS OF MEIJER/KMART $3.26BROADHEADS,





NUMEROUS OCCURRENCES OF GETTING REAL LOST, 314 NAPS IN THE WOODS, COUNTLESS HOLE IN THE WALL RESTAURANT BREAKFASTS', 29 TWIGHLIGHT BLOOD TRAIL TRACK ATTEMPTS,





ONE FIGHT TO THE DEATH ENCOUNTER WITH A BUCK THAT I SHOT 14 TIMES AND BAYONETED TO FINISH OFF WHILE STANDING IN 2.5 FOOT OF FREEZING SWAMP WATER, THREE ROTTEN DEER,TOO MANY PROCESSED DEER, 8 SELF PROCESSED DEER,




3 BOWS, TWO RIFLES, THREE SHOTGUNS, POISON IVY AGAIN, HUNTING BUDDIES, FIGHTING WITH HUNTING BUDDIES, GOIN POTTY IN THE WOODS AND WIPING WITH LEAVES,











22 HUNTING BUDDIES, 7 DIFFERENT HUNTING CAMPS, 147 TRIPS TO WALMART/KMART/MEIJERS/GANDER MOUNTAIN, 20+ FRESH BACKSTRAP DINNERS, 43 RUNNING SHOTS AT DEER= ZERO HITS, TWO DISPUTES OVER WHO'S DEER IS LAYING DEAD ON THE GROUND=ZERO WINS FOR ME, COUNTLESS LOST KNIVES, WHISTLES, FLASHLIGHTS, CHAIRS............






NUMEROUS STARE DOWNS WITH MATURE ADULT DOES, COUNTLESS SUNRISES AND SUNSETS, FRESH SNOWS, WIND, 1 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, RAIN, COLD, HOT, FALLING LEAVES, CHICKADEES LANDING ON MY BOW, RABBITS, SQUIRRELS, FOX, COYOTE, CROWS, OWLS, PORCUPINES, ONE VERY STRICT DNR OFFICER,

14,789,463 MEMORIES.........

MAYBE DOGS HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT...

YESTERDAY IS GONE, TOMORROW IS NOT GUARANTEED, YOU HAVE TODAY.........REEEEEEEELAXXXXXXXXXX! AND ENJOY TODAY!

YOU DO YOUR THING, I'LL DO MINE

HERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS I THINK......



Put Me on a mountain, way back in the back woods
Put me on a lake with a big one on the line
Put me ‘round the campfire, cookin something I just cleaned,
YOU DO YOUR THING, I’LL DO MINE

I AIN’T TRAIDIN IN MY FAMILY’S SAFETY, JUST TO SAVE ON A LITTLE GAS
AND I’LL PRAY TO GOD ANYPLACE ANYTIME
AND YOU CAN BET I’LL PICK UP THE PHONE
IF UNCLE SAM CALLS ME UP

HEY, I’LL WORRY ABOUT ME, YOU JUST WORRY ABOUT YOU
I BELIEVE WHAT I BELIEVE, AND YOU CAN BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE TOO

I AIN’T GONNA SPARE THE ROD BECAUSE THAT AIN’T WHAT MY DADDY DID
AND I SURE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRONG AND RIGHT
YOU KNOW, TO ME, ITS JUST COMMON SENSE, A BROKEN ROAD=A CONSEQUENCE.

AND I’M GONNA KEEP ON WORKIN’ HARD AND MAKE MY MONEY THE OL’ FASHION WAY
BECAUSE I DON’T WANT A PIECE OF NOBODY ELSES' PIE!
IF I DON’T GET MY FILL OUT OF LIFE, I AIN’T GONNA BLAME NO ONE BUT ME!

AND, YOU AIN’T GONNA BE MY JUDGE BECAUSE MY JUDGE WILL JUDGE US ALL SOMEDAY…………..

SO,

YOU DO YOUR THING I’LL DO MINE….. MONTGOMERY GENTRY "YOU DO YOUR THING"

WANT A HIGH BALL MOM?

WANT A HIGHBALL MOM?


This is an inside joke.......sorry for others......

MY FOURTH LOVE-PERCHARAMA!

A BOUNTIFUL CREEL TO SAY THE LEAST!!!!!!!!






A GLORIOUS PERCH CRANKIN FEST......I KEPT 33 PERCH, THREW ABOUT 15 BACK, AND KEPT 14 BLUEGILLS.......THE BEST PART WAS SEEING MY DAUGHTER SAY, "DAD, FISH ON!"







A HOT FRIED PERCH DINNER WITH HOMEADE COSESLAW FOLLOWED BY AN ICE COLD TOTTIE, A CIGGIE, AND SNUGGLIN WITH THE WIFE..........WHAT THE HECK DOES A GUY NEED???????

WAR HEROES....SACRIFICES......OLD GLORY.....THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE WORLD!

WHAT IS SACRIFICE? TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS, I have an assignment for you......Ready?

Go and find a suitcase.....Did ya find it? Ok, good. Now, one pair of socks, one pair of underwear, toiletries, a picture of your beloved, one pair of shoes, a coat........o.k. you are all set.....

NOW:

Go down to the local bus station, get on the bus,and ride it to Fort Bragg....take that suitcase and give it to the guy at the counter.....He is gonna give you several sets of clothes, shoes, boots, a couple hats......Get in line, ITS HAIRCUT TIME!

Now endure 16 weeks of stress, training, and hardship......Now, are you seasick at all? Too bad....get on a boat and ride it for about 2-weeks.....and are you ready for the next part?????

YOU'RE DEAD.

GRANDPA SCHUMAKER, FAR RIGHT OF ABOVE 3 SOLDIER PICTURE.....WWII-THANK YOU GRANDPA!

HAIR AND AGING UNGRACEFULLY

The word "hair" is such a unique word that never seems to get the credit or time it deserves..We wash it, comb it, cut it, condition it, perm it, color it, obsess over flakes in it, curl it...........WOW! HAIR!

How many other body parts have their own spray named after them? I mean, HAIRSPRAY!

On this posting you will see some of the various hairstyles I've sported....... Enjoy them!

As a side note, I've included a recent photo of what I titled, AGING UNGRACEFULLY........

I'VE NOTICED THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, ITS FALLING OUT!

I'm not vain enough for the Hair Clinic for Men so it may all be coming off soon! Just remember.....these bodies are set to ultimately expire and go back to dust........

And the next time you are in the mirror, take a look at your hair........its worthy of the extra look after all.......

One other often undicussed and overlooked fact about hair, HAIR HURTS! I'm talking about full blown hat-head pain......That good old feeling of wearing a hat all day and then realizing your hair hurts! Not to mention how much it hurts to have one single hair pulled out.......If you've forgotten this, your assignment for tomorrow is to wear a nice knit stocking cap all day, perhaps putting it on right after the shower......Then take it off at the end of the day and try and comb your hair....!!!!! Oh man!

WHAT I BELIEVE.....

HANG IN THERE, THIS IS A LITTLE SENTIMENTAL...


I DON'T BELIEVE IN SUPERSTARS,
ORGANIC FOOD AND FOREIGN CARS
I DON'T BELIEVE THE PRICE OF GOLD
THE CERTAINTY OF GROWING OLD
THAT RIGHT IS RIGHT AND LEFT IS WRONG
THAT NORTH AND SOUTH CAN'T GET ALONG
THAT EAST IS EAST AND WEST IS WEST
AND BEING FIRST IS ALWAYS BEST

BUT, I BELIEVE IN LOVE
I BELIEVE IN BABIES
I BELIEVE IN MOM AND DAD
AND I BELIEVE IN YOU

WELL I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HEAVEN WAITS
FOR ONLY THOSE WHO CONGREGATE
I LIKE TO THINK OF GOD AS LOVE
HE'S DOWN BELOW, HE'S UP ABOVE
HE'S WATCHING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE
HE KNOWS WHO DOES AND DOESN'T CARE
AND I'M AN ORDINARY MAN
SOMETIMES I WONDER WHO I AM


BUT I BELIEVE IN LOVE
I BELIEVE IN JESUS
I BELIVE IN HEAVEN
AND I BELIEVE IN YOU

I KNOW WITH ALL MY CERTAINTY WHAT'S GOIN ON
WITH YOU AND ME IS A GOOD THING
IT'S TRUE, I BELIEVE IN YOU

I DON'T BELIEVE VIRGINITY IS
AS COMMON AS IT USED TO BE
IN WORKING DAYS AND SLEEPING NIGHTS
THAT BLACK IS BLACK AND WHITE IS WHITE
THAT SUPERMAN AND ROBIN HOOD
ARE STILL ALIVE IN HOLLYWOOD
THAT GASOLINE'S IN SHORT SUPPLY
THE RISING COST OF GETTING BY

BUT I BELIEVE IN LOVE
I BELIEVE IN OLD FOLKS
I BELIEVE IN CHILDREN
I BELIEVE IN YOU

I BELIEVE IN LOVE
I BELIEVE IN MARRIAGE
I BELIEVE IN MOM AND DAD
AND I BELIEVE IN YOU!

THANKS TO DON WILLIAMS FROM THE SONG "I BELIEVE IN YOU"






I ALTERED THE WORDS A BIT......BUT THATS PRETTY MUCH IT FOLKS.........AND I BELIEVE IN THE USA.....THAT WASN'T MENTIONED IN THE SONG........AND I BELIEVE IN WORKING HARD TO MAKE A LIVING AND PROVIDING FOR A FAMILY AND RAISING THAT FAMILY TO HONOR GOD.............



AND I ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE IN THE FOLLOWING:

FRESH FRIED PANFISH I JUST CAUGHT-WITH AN ICE COLD BEER

THE FEELING OF ARROWING/SHOOTING A DEER AND KNOWING ITS GOIN DOWN..

CRYING WHEN YOU SEE YOUR NEW CHILD EMERGE FROM MAMA FOR THE FIRST TIME....

A LONG DRAW OFF A CIGARETTE.....MOUNTAIN DEW.......CIRCUS PEANUTS....

A TUPPERWARE BOWL FULL OF HONEYCOMB CEREAL......FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH VITAMIN D WHOLE MILK.....

DIPPING FRESH LOBSTER INTO HOT MELTED BUTTER ON NEW YEARS EVE......

OPENING A WHOPPER CHECK FROM MY WORK......AND THEN KNOWING ALL BUT 50 BUCKS OF ITS IS SPENT........BUT FOR A MINUTE FEELING LIKE A BAZILLIONAIRE

MY SWEET DAUGHTERS' SNUGGLY BAD BREATH IN THE MORNING....

RUNNING THE BAD GUY DOWN AND SLAPPIN THE CUFFS ON HIM......THEN LOOKIN HIM IN THE EYE AND SAYIN......."..LOOK AROUND PAL, CUZ YOU AIN'T GONNA BE LOOKIN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME...." AND THE JUST RIGHTEOUS FEELING THAT ENSUES LOCKIN HIS ASS IN THE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND WHEN I SAY BAD GUY, I MEAN THE FACE OF EVIL, THE BOOGEYMAN.....THE GUY YOU WOULD SHOOT INSIDE YOUR HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THE BANK ROBBER, THE CHILD MOLESTER, THE WIFE BEATER, THE FACE OF SATAN HIMSELF, THE NO HOLD'S BARRED EVIL CREATURE THAT THRIVES OFF THE PAIN OF OTHERS....
I'VE LOOKED THAT THING IN THE EYE AND EVEN WRASTLED AROUND WITH HIM.......

ICE FISHING IN A WARM SHANTY.....TROLLING ON A WARM SUMMER'S DAY...RABBIT HUNTING WITH A DOG AND WATCHIN HIM WORK........MUZZLELOADING FOR DEER AND FINALLY BEING AT THE POINT IN THE SEASON WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY ENJOY BEING IN THE WOODS SINCE YOU DON'T CARE IF YOU ACTUALLY GET A DEER......SLEEPING IN THE WARM SUMMER SUN LAYING IN A FIELD AND NOT HAVING ANYTHING ELSE TO DO......

MY LOVELY WIFE.......





HEALTH INSURANCE, A RETIREMENT, ANYTHING SHIPPED TO MY HOUSE I ORDERED IN A UPS BOX!






AND ONE MORE THING,

I HATE GOING TO THE DENTIST!!!

OUR FAMILY!

We are six strong, seven counting the dog "weenerman"...5 chicas and one male......two males countin' ween's....

And here is something we don't believe:

IF IT COSTS MORE, IT'S BETTER.....the couch we are sitting on was purchased at Value City Furniture. The kids have literally written with markers on it and the stain wipes off! Art Van should be formally booked for price gouging and fraud......Got news for ya Art, why would I buy your 1200 dollar sofa when my kids are just gonna wreck it????? Which starts an interesting discussion. I remember growing up watching my dad walking around looking for his screwdrivers, tools, hunting great etc.........He seemed quite frustrated......and now I feel his anguish......I distinctly remember him locking up his tools and saying "these are daddy's!" Kind of like when i went to get the mail the other day and tripped on a shovel laying .5 inches from a major road in front of our house.....then I remember a precious child from our household was messing with it.....The whole point to this is, we do buy things but can't afford and don't want the mosty pricey.....I'll include some photo's of what I'm talking about later on in the blog.....and if we can't buy it, I rig it together!

Wait til you see the "jitter sled" and "jitter deer hauler"........Jitters is my nickname since I have a tremor which is probably on the list in a doctor's flow chart for symptoms of a serious pending full blown onset of Michael J. Fox disorder......better not to know!

BUYING THE HYPE....















So maybe we slightly overestimated the storm....slightly.....you are looking at 186 bucks worth of WALMART PANICK PURCHASING....A kerosene heater, flashlights, propane and mantles for the lantern, and emergency candles......Heck, we've got 4 little kids and didn't want to chance it......




Let's talk about the hype......I was part of a Y2K mission that involved four cops to a car......we drove around and waited for midnight when everything was gonna crash....I distinctly remember large stacks of water, generators, Y2K Plan Response Initiative Outlines, and a bunch of riot helmet/gas mask touting cops that were pretty ornery and disappointed when nothing happened...but what I don't remember is even buying one extra can-good, any water, or a generator.....for some reason I just never bought the hype then......so tell me, WHY DID I GO SPEND 1.8 HUNDIE ON THIS STUFF BECAUSE CRAIG JAMES SAID THE WORLDS GONNA END TODAY???? Actually he said the power was gonna be out......

I must say, these disasters are always one big disappointment after another for me......I'm always bracing for the "BIG ONE" and it never comes......Is it wrong of me to hope I someday stand in my underwear on my front porch smokin' a cig and see a Michigan National Guard Unit roll by???