Freeze-up time again

Here we are again, waiting for the big freeze-up so we can go to and from the world via ice rather than water. In this photo (taken Thanksgiving Day), Gary is in the background getting ready to pull in the north dock with the John Deere. If I look concerned, I am: I'm wishing the $#&@! water would freeze!

We're the last on the lake to pull in our docks and pontoon this year. Leaving the pontoon in the water as long as possible means we can go back and forth to shore more safely -- and with more building materials and groceries -- than we can in our small fishing boat. Who would have thought that this year we could have left the pontoon in the water until December 1st, with no problem? Most people on the lake had their boats and docks pulled by the end of October, before the beautiful month of November started. It was the loveliest November either of us remembers, but it we're ready for some ice now.

Yesterday we motored off the island and went to Grand Rapids for our Last Big Outing of the season. We've had a Last Big Outing every few days since mid-November, but the weather keeps holding, so we keep having to have yet another one.

Fresh milk and diesel fuel are the main things we need to keep on top of. Thanks to our new solar-powered chest freezer, we have plenty of food stored for this freeze-up. But we could sure use a milking goat and a way to make diesel fuel! If we were in our 20s, we probably would have both, but we're not in our 20s. We'll continue to buy our milk and fuel ready-made.

While we were in Grand Rapids yesterday we picked up cedar boards for the new sauna Gary is restoring. We arrived back at the lake in late afternoon, and here we are, with the boat loaded, getting ready to head back to the island.

Tomorrow morning we're hoping to see the beginnings of ice formations around the shoreline. See you then!