A MONSTER!

A buddy from the same club I am in, the West Michigan Walleye Club <---link), caught this monster Pike right here in West Michigan on Muskegon Lake!

He caught it while trolling for Walleye. 54inches and 44lbs! Way to GO!!!! It breaks the State record by 5lbs!


Just shittin' ya! It was caught in Manitoba Canada this spring......Maybe I'm just a dreamer. But I do belong to the club. Check out their website! I'm headed out in the morning (Sunday) to see what I can hook into! The reverend TEAM T (me) will be officiating the morning's sermon while amongst God's nature....What better way than to spend the sabbath than enjoying what he has created!

It's Friday!

Friday, ah yes.....Can' wait to watch the Tigers lose tonight.

Sing it Norah

It's not the pale moon that excites me

that thrills, and delights me

oh no, it's just THE NEARNESS OF YOU

It's not your sweet conversation that brings this sensation

oh no

It's just the nearness of you

When you're in my arms

and I feel you, so close to me

All my wildest dreams came true.

I need no soft lights to enchant me

if you, will only grant me

the right, to hold you ever so tight

and to feel in the night, the NEARNESS OF YOU.

Sweet Ecstasy

Once in a while, I find a CD that captures me so well, it almost makes me sick to listen to......What a beautiful voice God has given her....So here's my question, have you ever been in love? SOUND OFF and post a comment......You all can be anonymous if you are too chicken to say(for all the big bad cops that read this blog)....I don't mean have you loved someone, have you ever been in love, I mean SICK in love.....Like that person occupies your mind, thoughts, and you just know they are the one? (or at least that you knew you felt strong enough about you could put up with them through anything?)

The AlmostGunLakers Buck/Giraffe Pole

Here's what I have for ya so far as of today for the ALMOSTGUNLAKER buck/giraffe pole.....These are the few that I know have tagged bucks this year........CONGRATS.....

Team Osto with a beautiful pumpernickel Michigan butterball buck: In his ladies' words:
"M. shot a 7 point last night in Byron Center. It should be an 8 point, but it broke its antler.He says, "best part was no tracking in the rain, as I watched it fall 40 yards from my stand."




Here's Case's long necked giraffe swamp monster buck:


And here Merle tells the story:
"I shot this 7 pt. on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. in a snow storm. I tried to track it for about 3 hours to no avail. The snow had quickly covered up every sign of anything (including my coat, which took me another hour to find when I took it off!). Eventually I had to call in the big guns of deer locating, Tom M. and Dennis A. After about an hour, Tom promptly located my downed deer! Good luck hunting gentlemen, enjoy the pics.........Case"

Good job men! Git er done!

Quote for the Day

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder".


It's true, and I miss you....Being with you....Your smell....Your EYES......YOUR SMILE...


I WILL HOLD YOU AGAIN!


I DON'T THINK I CAN GET ENOUGH! PLEASE DON'T MAKE IT LONG TIL I CAN HOLD YOU AGAIN!!!!!!!!!



p.s. (see how they get progressively better? There's gotta be something about experience involved there!)

A "VOLATILE" Day of Braving the Waves

Would have much rather been sitting in a WINE TASTING ROOM nippin' on the "fruit of the vine".........But instead I found someone willing to commit 9 hours of their precious time to go and BRAVE THE WAVES with me.....My brother in law.....Funny how our plans don't seem to work out the way we want and long them to---we didn't catch any Walleye or Pike!

This trip on the lake wasn't volatile whatsoever....It was a little chilly, wind blowing, snow/rain mix spitting me in the face....But you know what, it was a CHALLENGE. I like a challenge.....Makes the end justify the means....

A new view for TEAM T seeing someone else back the Commanche Commander down to the launch point....

Here's the two BASS we landed trying for Pike and Walleye.....

And here we are in cartoon form getting ready to leave....


Had about 6 hours of freezin' on the water (although I never got cold) and then got a beautiful lunch he bought me at the world famous "DAISY MAE'S BAR/GRILL"..... (pretty famous down here anyway in my county...)

It was a great time although no wine was had......Are you missing out on what life throws at you? Don't let a little cold turn you away from something as life altering as a fishing trip out of your comfortable zone! I was so happy to take the owner of Direct Detail with me today.....What a great bond me and a fellow brother had while out in God's creations and elements....We will nail them buddy! And we will nail them good next time!

Whats Going On?

War, rumors of war, rumors of DRAMA.....

I've recently been apprised of some DRAMA at the watercooler......I think I'll stay out of it completely and pursue my passion......

WALLEYE!

I'm gettin' up in the morning with my brother in law and taking a 10 hour voyage through Walleye/Pike land with every thing I can throw at them! I'll let ya know how it goes! Can't wait! MAN YOUR BATTLESTATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FIRE!

Walleye Fishing Tomorrow Come Hell Or High Water!

I don't care what the weather is like tomorrow, I WILL be Walleye fishing......It was my turn to watch the kids this weekend and I'm ready for some solitude.

I love these little beauties but a couple days cooped up with 'em is more than enough.

For some odd reason, all I really care about now is Walleye fishing.....I'm not getting the bug like I normally do for deer hunting....I am looking forward to rifle season anyway...

I've got the Blues....

Blues Brothers, that is.........

Ah yes, the ol' 1974 Dodge Monaco Police Package....."it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop motor."

I'd like to take this baby for a few hot laps around town but convincing someone to ride with me for the trip might be another story! :) Their loss! I'll bet ya this thing would be a riot!!!!!

New Job Update and Preparing for Port.

I woke up today and realized I have to get my ship in order before I pull it into port for what looks to be a long, everlasting winter. I felt like I needed to get everything in order. I kicked it off by grilling some salmon for breakfast.....

I drained the sprinkler system.

Changed out the screens for glass.

Now I just have to do a personal inventory of what stuff I want to keep and what I can get rid of that I've been hanging onto for too long.

The new job and hours have been a major adjustment and I really don't know what I'm doing. I am willing however, and where there's a will, there's a way. I listened to everyone at work when we got the snow saying their feet were cold on the walk in to work. Mine were toasty! It's all about keepin' moving!

I drove down to the lake today to see if it's freezing over yet.....No ice to show as of today. I'll keep you updated. Its a lot harder for me to get things done with a regular schedule.....I'm kind of an irregular person so having normal hours really throws me out of whack!

Good News! Today I got my training manual/application for being a MICHIGAN DNR HUNTER'S SAFETY INSTRUCTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've always had a fetish of working in the outdoors and since I don't want to wreck how much I love the outdoors by becoming a DNR Officer, I figured teaching and certifying people so that they could buy Michigan Hunting Licenses might fill the nitch! I'll update ya on this soon!

Sorry it's been so long since I posted, I am kind of lost right now trying to navigate around a whole different world than I'm used to.....After all, ITS LIGHT OUT! :)

1st Day

First day at the new job....

I only have one question, what is this thing? I think my night shifts have turned me into a Walleye now because my eyes don't like it. :) I have noticed there aren't many gnats flying around in my head on dayshift. Funny, I miss em'.



I'm bringing in my deer buck mount tomorrow to hang in my temporary office and see how it looks.....Need to spread some humor and brighten some people's days in the midst of piles of PAPERWORK. This mount is about DEDICATION and pursuing what you want. (I talked to the buck tonight and the expression on his face was "you are taking me where?")

You will now learn that the skillfull taxidermist was still unable to hide the story on this deer. You see, I was sitting on a five gallon bucket when this deer came walking into view near dark. I was bowhunting, thats right, bowhunting on a 5 gallon bucket (an unconventional technique for you non-hunters) and my first shot was a clean miss! After trying to spin around on the super ball bearing swivel bucket seat (an impulse buy at Walmart a few years back), I tipped over completely backwards in the Thornapple bush I was hunting in. That deer knew there was trouble and lowered its head down low. But, it made one crucial error, as it was trying to "sneak" away, it's curiousity forced it's head sideways out from the body. My second shot would have been a miss, but since the snout/face were sticking out from the body, that second arrow made a hit! A face hit, not the preferred target by any means. I watched as the deer ran away with the arrow sticking out 1/2 way on each side of its face......CRAP! Let's fire up the TEAM T OUTDOORS drawing easel to help you get the concept.......























If you are still having problems understanding the concept, let's just say this is a bad view when a deer you just shot has an arrow sticking out like this!

Here are the scars on the mount to back up my story!

See the "x" from the arrow below the eye? This is the entrance wound..

I found the deer dead about 80 yards away, DRT=Dead Right There.

So anyway, the point to this is, you can't give up in spite of whatever happens or is placed in your path in your life! Take that second shot! An opportunity may walk out in front of you when you least expect it and from the wrong direction...Be dedicated and persistent and go for it! If you sit and try to figure how everything will work out, you will miss the shot and never bag the prize!!!!! I'd rather take a hard swing and strike out trying to hit the ball then stand with the weight on my backfoot and watch it fly by. You only get a couple of good pitches in your life folks, SWING FOR THE FENCE!

Here's how I feel about not bein' with my team......Like the "missing man" formation....

I think this team will be pretty cool though....

....

Crash!

Well, after 12 hours of overtime, all I can say is:



I'm going to crash into bed......No, I didn't crash at work......But I'm crashin' into the bed!

Baby Got a New Pair of Shoes

New work clothes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!And shoes, and socks, and watch, and cologne......Can't wait! The new TEAM T OUTFITS for the new job that starts on Monday.


Oh, the cologne is Curve.

The Harvest

I already knew it with all the signs around me, but the Harvest season is upon us. All the signs are out. ITS HARVEST TIME! Fall, pumpkins, corn being cut, leaves in raging color, hunting, football, fishing, cool nights, that crisp Fall wind and the smell of fresh fall air.

A picture of the Harvest Moon. Don't miss the signs and don't miss the Harvest. I've decided to take on the Harvest full speed this year and indulge in all God has created for us and enjoy every minute of it!

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8.
There is an appointed time for everything and there is a time for every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to sow and a time to reap.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh.
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones together.
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together.
A time to "be silent and a time to speak".
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

Paging all passengers for today's flight

(crackling loudspeaker heard throughout the airport in a calm re-assuring slow paced voice)
----->"Flight 87 departing from Grand Rapids, final boarding call. All passengers please report to the gate."..........................


"Repeating, This is the Final Call for Flight 87 leaving Grand Rapids Michigan today. Passengers, please make your way to the gate for departure."


I can only imagine the opening announcements once she was inside that plane, that feeling as the plane pushed her back into her seat, that warming calm of final peace; To look out the window and see all of what you know fading into the distance....

"I would like to congatulate all of you and welcome you to your final departure. We will be flying non-stop to everlasting glory in Heaven today. You will be arriving shortly into the plan God really had from the beginning. Please remember that sickness, crying, loneliness, hunger, bills, suffering, pain, agony, and worry, are all items not allowed on the flight or at the final destination. You will enjoy the personalized in-flight movie at your personal dvd screen. Today's feature is All the Best Moments of Your Life."

Grandma Pearl Dykstra made the gate today. She checked no bags or carry on's with her.......Here is what she said near the end. And I quote, "I'm going to see Jesus today. I'm ready.".......

Enjoy the flight Grandma.....Say hello to Grandpa Pete for me.

Inspiration For Your Day

I took some time today to admire the Old Mission Peninsula Wineries and the handcrafted touch they toil daily for producing their wines.....It inspired me.....These people over generations have been crafting these beautiful wines.....

So, here's some inspiration and quotes for ALMOSTGUNLAKERS FANS:

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." --Henry David Thoreau

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, that is when you command the attention of the world." --George Washington Carver

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin — real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." -- Fr. Alfred D'Souza

And finally:

"You have your identity when you find out, not what you can keep your mind ON, but what you can't keep your mind OFF". -- A.R. Ammons

I get to eat breakfast now.

One benefit of the new day job?........


Breakfast at a regular time. I treasure a good breakfast. The best part of my life and I'm finally getting to experience it again. Oh the joy something as simple as eating breakfast, the sun rising up, and sharing it with a loved one. Seems like it's been years since I've had breakfast at a normal time and enjoyed it so much. Maybe I can even go to an IHOP......I miss IHOP bad...One of those little things you forget even exist till you sit down and see all the people sitting down drinking coffee. Makes everything else in life not even matter.

Sounds corny, but hey.......I've been on 3rd shift and breakfast time means sleepy time.....

Some random pictures from my files...

Me as a short jawed Tom Cruise! My backside is as good as his however...Maybe even better...

Here's a pic of June I found...











Me in fall glory...

Canadian Boating Mishap

What could be worst for a guy that can't swim than to fall overboard in the middle of Canada. Ol' Mud Duck seen here clinging to life.....


Ol Burnsie almost went out of sight! I don't agree with the saying, "out of sight, out of mind." Who could forget a true classic!

My Hillbilly Roots

Just to give you a clue what I was like in High School......Let's just say me and my buddies weren't wearing Polo shirts and participating in the Glee Club. We were HILLBILLIES!

I'm talkin' backwoods four wheel driving, bonfires on river banks, fishin' or huntin' every Saturday......You get the picture.

Here is a picture of me, Ben, and Jeff. They were my best friends in High School! This was Ben's truck that we all maintained and worked on! Big tires, cb, country music blaring.....Look at those Cowboy boots!

Man, I miss the simple days of my life.......More High School photos to follow.

Yet Another Great Movie

I'm headed to go watch the Titanic.....Have you seen it?

Dinner for two

What could be better? Butter pan seared Walleye with simmered tomatoes and herb sauce. Yeah. The only thing missing? You. Click on the picture and enjoy!

Goodnight

Goodnight GunLaker Fans......Off to bed. See u in my dreams

A Sebatical

In just a few days, I begin my three month sebatical. Mixed feelings but excited. A regular schedule, weekends and holidays off. No gnats flyin' around me. Funny, I was out fishing on Lake Erie earlier this year and the gnats were thick. I miss em already!

A much needed break to refocus my mind.

I haven't worked days in about 3 years. God, I would just love to pull out of life and run away sometimes. Should have been a smarter man years ago as I grew up and done it all different, maybe a Charter Boat Captain, writer, a comedian, a philospher.

Yeah, it's an obsession.

Yep. Obsessed. Nothing exceeds like excess. I'm so caught up in Johnny/June right now....I got to get a CD player in the Commanche. I would urge you to buy some Johnny Cash CD's or rent the damn movie. It rocks!


Some little known facts and quotes about these two:

June, about Johnny: "One morning, about four o'clock, I was driving my car just about as fast as I could. I thought, 'Why am I out on the highway this time of night?' I was miserable, and it all came to me: 'I'm falling in love with somebody I have no right to fall in love with...I can't fall in love with this man, but it's just like a ring of fire.'"

Johnny had four daughters, all from his first marriage:

Roseanne Cash

Kathleen Cash

Cindy Cash

Tara Cash

He then married June Carter and had a son, :

John Carter Cash.

BUSTED!

“Busted”

My bills are all due
And the babies need shoes
But I’M BUSTED

Cotton is down to a quarter a pound
And I’m busted

I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won’t lay
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The county will haul my belongings away
I’m Busted!

I went to my brother to ask for a loan
I was busted
I hate to beg like a dog for a bone,
But I’m busted.
My brother said, “there ain’t a thing I can do,
My wife and kids are down with the flu,
And I was just thinkin’ of callin’ on you,
‘cause I’m busted!”

Johnny Cash-Folsom Prison Blues Album-“Busted!”

The Hillbilly Militia Annual Convention Photo Drop

Well, you've seen so many parts of my life here at TEAM T. There are a few parts I have only shared with a select few. I recently was able to calm the gnats flying around in my head and work out some unresolved equations in my mind. What a relief,wow. For now anyway. I sense storm clouds brewing, button down the hatches. Ever notice how green the grass is after a storm?

During our journey here on Almost Gun Lakers, you've seen the TEAM T Palace of Innovation, Redneck Inventions, and Wonder; The TEAM T Lawn Fleet, who could forget the Commanche Commander! The TEAM T TRUCKSTER (that piece of shit), The SS JITTERS PIKE/WALLEYE White Trash Trolling Barge. Well, today I have a surprise for you. Today, I introduce to you the Barry/Allegan County White Trash Hillbilly Militia!

Thats right, we meet annually to practice and keep the gang together. Let me show you the 2006 Annual Convention!

The opening exercises started at UNCLE KEITH's house in beautifully trashy DORR Michigan. As always, to maintain the health and speed of the militia, we began with calisthenics. The photo below is of just one of many exercises we perform each year, THE HORSESHOE AB SCULPTING THROW EXERCISE. This event always involves consumption of baked beans, brats hot off the FOP grill (hairless grill of course) and one or two ice cold beers. (one or two my ass. I think Uncle Keith bought a new riding lawn mower with just the returnables left behind!) Milwaukee's Best Light, Natural Light, and Busch Light are the only beers allowed.....Nothing fancy or unhillbilly at the HILLBILLY MILITIA PRACTICE. You would be proud to know that I took first in both exercises and won some dough! 'Bout 100 bucks o' dough!

Tactical Field Warfare and Enemy Engagement are always critical skills that need to be kept sharp. Engaging the enemy at the right time with precision is a must for any Militia. Join me now in the photo below with a live fire exercise of the 42mm Potato Launcher, our weapon of choice!


Quite a simple weapon really, as all the elements for this mighty beast can be purchased at Walmart and a plumbing store. As always at TEAM T, here's a schematic to help you embrace the concept!

A trivial concept for sure. Take PVC pipe and fasten it together, fill the firing chamber with some 1980's Aqua Net Hairsrpay, put the rear cap on, jam the potato down the barrel, and push the grill igniter. KABLAMMMMIEE!

Now, shooting and running are important. But nothing is more important than being able to take a hit or snatch a hot potato round comin' at ya while amidst the field of battle! Here you will see the safety procedures we go through at the convention to keep the enrollment numbers up! A catchers mask and baseball mitt are all you need! Wait, you need quite a bit of courage. Imagine standing about 50 yards away and hearing "pooooomp" as the beast fires. Within about 1/2 a second, that hot potato ball is at your doorstep and you have to react. Snap that glove up and grab her! Uncle Keith took a hot one to the thigh after he bragged about being able to snap it out of the air. He never even moved from the time the beast was fired to the time it his his leg with hot burning pain. Man was that funny! Put him down for the count and left a welt for 6 days!

After witnessing a live fire tragedy of Uncle Keith taking the burner, we improvised and changed the exercise to more of a carnival game. A piece of plywood with a bullseye was crafted by the Militia Engineering team. The training exercise now was to grab the potato before it scored a direct hit! If you click on this photo, It will zoom in and you will see the potato going at MACH 9 ready to explode on the target. Thank goodness that board was there because I would have took a hot one in the Jigger JEWELS!

Hope you enjoyed this post! I took a lot of time to craft it so you could glean some enjoyment, relaxation, and inner peace. Weather the storm of life folks, and look for that green grass after the storm!

Grouse

My proud dad with a beautiful wild Grouse he shot a couple days ago. I have pleasant memories of my Dad taking me hunting and fishing and turning me onto the outdoors. Thanks Dad!