This & That In Minnesota

Regardless of how much I detest Ten Mile Lake for it's fishing there are some sad moments that cause reflection this time of year. I took the deck slats off the dock today. I piled them next to a ridge ten feet above the lake water. I should say, I had help pulling and stacking the slats. I gave my neighbor's daughter $10 to help me. There are only twelve slats but I promise I would have breathing like a thoroughbred after a two mile run if I'd done it myself. Pulling the lake dock in signifies the end of another year. That's sad. When we leave on Wednesday the ritual is to walk down to the shore and wave good-bye to the lake. Everyone up here does it. I guess traditions never die.
We drove into Hackensack to watch the international chainsaw championship competition but it was over for another year. We did watch the locals bid on wood carvings of bears. Bears are popular items up here especially when hanging on cabin walls or in a yard.  But there were a myriad of other northwoods items  a person could take home if they had $300 or more. Personally, I don't get excited about a northern pike carved out of wood. They all say the same thing; 'Welcome to the lake'. You know what they say, though. One man's trash is another man's treasure. My neighbor bought a wood carving of a bear with a stick protruding from it's paws. On the end of the stick were fake Smores and a wood carving of a fire below it.  And it only cost him $275.
I didn't realize I have exactly ten fishing reels. That seems like enough. I gave one to my neighbor's girlfriend. This neighbor is twenty-years old and I've know him since he was two. If there was a calamity and his parents perished I'd adopt him in a heart beat.
Between my neighbor's home(Oh, what the heck. He's a vice-president of the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA team and a regular Joe) is a real dump of a cabin. The owner died two years ago and the place is still on the market. His kin are asking $280,000 for the place. It's worth about $28.00 but shoreline is shoreline and it's a beauty. If you've got an extra couple hundred grand and then another two hundred to tear this place down and rebuild then go for it. I can set you up with a realtor.
The leaves started turning three days ago. That's strange. I've been here in August when the trees are vivid with color. Not this year. It might have something to do with global warming depending on with whom one speaks. Personally thinking, I don't really think any of the natives up here give a wild hoot about GW.
There isn't much else to add. We only receive three television channels 'Up North' and since it's all football all day this posting gave me a nice diversion.
Thanks for reading.