The Caretaker's Concern 5/14/08
Lake Temp. 53.5 F.
Ghetto temp. 65 F.
Island tmp. 65 F. Yesterday's L/H: 48.5/63.5 F.
Current conditions: Total cloud coverage, mild to moderate in density, light wind from the North.
Late in the morning the Caretaker had planned to canoe over to G. G.'s to water the house plants and then stop in at Clay Island for some more leaf wrangling. After arriving at G. G.'s the Caretaker realized that he forgot the house key, so he hopped back in the canoe and paddled over to Clay. After arriving at Clay he realized that he had forgotten his work gloves, not that the Caretaker is above working barehanded, but he is in the habit of wearing gloves when working with his hands and to wrangle leaves without gloves would most likely cause friction burns on the palms and fingers of his hands. Once these friction burns become calloused all is well, however, during the interim it can make things a touch difficult with hands being tender and raw. So the Caretaker hopped back in the canoe and paddled back home, by now it was almost lunch time so the Caretaker lunched. The off Island obligations will have to wait for later.
While preparing his lunch the Caretaker heard a loud bang come from the South end of the Island. He went out to investigate. On the South side of the South dock was a center console type boat with three men in it, they were holding on to the dock, a fourth was standing on the dock with his fishing rod in hand.
"Having boat trouble?" The Caretaker asked, he wasn't very pleased and made sure his tone expressed this.
"We got hung up on the dock here." Said one of the men in the boat.
Knowing that this was false the Caretaker responded, "will you need help getting unhung up?"
"Oh no, we're all set."
Seeing a bunch fishing rods and gear in the boat the Caretaker asked, "how's the fishing?"
"We just got started."
By this time the fourth man was working his way back into the boat.
"Good luck fishing," said the Caretaker. He then turned his back on them and walked towards the house to finish preparing his lunch. The boat of fishermen motored away from the dock.
Every once in a while this sort of thing happens, the last time it was a pontoon boat full of "Easterners", they had brought their boat up along side of the South shore of the Island. When the Caretaker came upon them, two men from the boat were standing on the South shore, this was a mildly amusing incident, but the Caretaker will share this story at another time.
After lunch the Caretaker began the ritual raking and burning, once the fire was started he moved on to do some milling work. At one point in time, while adding some more brush to the fire the Caretaker noticed a family of Geese over on Little Recluse Island. Grabbing his camera and tripod the Caretaker took a few minutes to get some photos. Baby water fowl are certainly cute, too bad there are far too many Geese, cute as they may be as younglings, as adults they can be quite a nuisance (as flying crap machines). If the Caretaker was smart he would get his hunting license so he can harvest some Geese come the proper season. Sometime ago the Caretaker came up with a way to go at it with a Goose in hand to hand combat, he should probably give it a go some day. Arrrrrrr.
--The Caretaker
