The sun popped out yesterday and reflected off of the WATER on the lake.


Good bye Rona, maybe the new guy will fix the environment before 2050. +7c today.


Five ways to ensure no snow.

1. Buy a grader.
2. Buy a new snow machine.
3. Buy a season trail pass.
4. Get new snow shoes for xmas.
5. Buy a super heavy duty Ford (isn't that an oxymoron?) and snow plow.

Last week I chopped a hole and put a tree to mark the water pump. This morning I picked up the tree on shore. You might ask why I marked the pump. Well, if I have a problem, Razor has a wet suit. Pictures can be purchased at dgfraser@auracom.com, but I gotta warn you, they are priceless! You should put one of those on a fridge, Berlin.

All you nonsentimental people can turn off your computer now.

Nova plays with his new dump truck.


Time for a tune up.


Calliope has a gingerbread man.


Silly Calliope.


Snack time for Nova.


Calliope and Papa check out the ice on Lake Nipissing.


Calliope takes Kita for a walk at the Government dock.


As you can see I've been spending time with the other half of the superkids. We had a nice supper at Grandma and Grandpa Slote's on New Years day. AND I got some leftovers!!! I guess it pays to advertise. Yesterday we went shopping and spent some time at the water front. Then they took me out for a birthday supper.

Today Kita and I just took a day of rest. There is some open water right next to my shore. Tomorrow we might start marking the trail across the lake and do some brush cutting on the over land part.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sun set Saturday.




Sun rise yesterday.






Freezing rain and lots of rain last night. It's +3c right now.


I had a really nice supper with the Frasers and Brian and Marg last night. I came home early so I would be nice and fresh to go to town and see Calliope and Nova today. It was a slow ride back across the lake. Kita hurt both of his front paws. It was just starting freezing rain when we left and I think Kita hurt his paws on the metal part of B.K.'s dock. He is still limping a bit today. He is really touchy about his feet, so it is hard to get a good look, but it doesn't seem too serious.

Jose's picture of a sun dog the other day.


Sun rise yesterday. I missed most of it 'cause I didn't get my wake up call from Frasertown 'till 8:00am. Yeah, Kita let me sleep in!


Sun rise this morning.


Razor and Derek saw the black wolf on their way back the other day. Razor says that it was longer than his 4 wheeler.

It's amazing that I've lived this long with out understanding the English language. I thought that "we" meant "you and me", as in "we" will check out the ice thickness. Silly me, it really means "me and Kita". As in "You and Kita check the ice, and maybe you should take a life jacket". So Kita and I walked to Richie's yesterday, chopping holes every once in a while. Lots of wolf tracks on the ice, too. The ice is between 2 and 6 inches. So, today Razor came over on his new sled.

Today was Molly maid day again. I HAD to do laundry. I know that both Jason and Richie can wear the same under wear for five days or more, but my max is four. Defrosted the fridge too.

Joseph's family is in town, so I'll get to see the other two super kids.

LGB, it's a Nikon D70 with an 18-70mm lens.

Boxing evening.




Kaeden and Ellia playing at the park on North Bay's water front.






As I was driving home, on Hwy 11N, there was an awesome sunset and rain bow, but didn't get a shot because of traffic. I managed to get this shot on the Notman road.


Sun rise this A.M.


Razor and Derek dropped by on their 4 wheelers. After a couple of pops, we decided to check the ice thickness. Two inches close to shore and close to six out a bit further.


It's been -13c the last two nights, finally.

I had a little accident on the way home last evening. Just at that time when the sun goes down, but your head lights don't work. I went into a frozen rut left behind by the Sturgeon Brush guys and was launched into the road bank. I just broke the license plate holder and dinged the brush guard. The good news is the ash tray now works. It broke on my retirement tour last year.

Thanks to all the cards, e cards and emails celebrating the 10th anniversary of my 30th birthday. OK, the 20th anniversary. I can't go any higher than that cause I ran out of fingers and toes.

Razor and I might try a sled run on the lake Saturday?????

TT, you might not want to look at the last pic.

Christmas eve morning.


A herd of wolf tracks on the Notman road.


Xmas eve sunset from Frasertown.


The Tomiko crew digging in.


Kita likes his new bunny. Thanks Mr. Slate.


I went to town Xmas eve and spent a little time with Michelle's family. Ellia was just getting over a stomach flue, so it wasn't too long. I'll see them all again tomorrow. That evening I went to Frasertown for a really nice get together. Ya better hurry back Shirley, I think Catherine wants to mow your grass! Since Joseph's family is still in Michigan, I delayed getting together with the Slotes till they can make it here. We had a dusting of snow, so we had an off-white Christmas. I was going to have a stuffed chicken for supper, but it didn't smell good, so I had pea meal bacon and pancakes. Ho Ho Ho.

The lake is wide open on the Tomiko Pond side of the lake. It is supposed to down to -10 tonight. Not really good, but it's a start. That's it for today, remember, think COLD!

Sun set Wednesday.




The lake today after .4 inches of rain.


Razor brought my truck around yesterday. While he was here he spotted a wolf running across the lake from the Swannell's to the south side of the narrows. On the way home I stopped in for a visit with the Kellys. They said that their dogs had been acting a little wired lately.

We've had a week's worth of weather today. Dead calm, high winds, rain, snow and freezing rain.

On a sad note, Joseph's family won't be here for Christmas. It seems that the over paid bureaucrats in the passport office started their xmas slow down early. They hope to be in North Bay before New Years. Tomorrow I'm going shopping with the other half of the super kids.

Last evening I put up my xmas tree, ok, I took it out of the box. You see, out here we don't believe in cutting down trees to be used as ornaments when they make perfectly good fire wood. Hey Sis, you'll notice that I didn't open that card yet. Will power!


Rich, cute niece. Wait until you get some super kids of your own. Oh, I guess that means that you will have to have kids first. Berlin isn't getting any younger, you know.

Merry Christmas every one!

Early post today, too dang hot (+5c) to work.

Warning to TT, don't scroll to the bottom pic.

Sunset Tuesday.


Sunrise yesterday.


Sunset yesterday.


Here comes the sun this morning, whoopee doo, three days in a row!


Actually I'm giving my back a rest today. Yesterday I started chunking up and moving the chunks of that yellow birch to the wood splitter. Some of them were so big that I had to split them to manageable sizes. The bottom chunk was so gnarly that it took one and a half hours and a 6lb, and an 8 lb splitting maul and an axe to break it up. After I moved the wood I decided to test the wood splitter as I haven't used it yet. It works great, gut even it grunted when I threw on that bottom chunk. I don't remember seeing yellow birch in Nova Scotia. These things grow branches every which direction and have a habit of dropping huge branches on roads. There isn't a straight grain in them. These are the trees that the ministry hired a bunch of guys to trim brush around them to save them. Personally I think there are better ways to spend our tax dollars.


Razor is going to bring my truck around tomorrow. Mother nature better not dump a bunch of snow on us till after new years. I don't know how much I'll post over the next week. I'd rather spend time with the super kids than try to entertain you. Some day, when you get your own, you'll understand. This warm weather is causing problems all over. Dandelions are growing. Bears are coming out of their dens. The white rabbits are getting massacred. The natives up north can't build their ice roads. OK, stop reading now TT. And the squirrels are going crazy. They are thicker than mosquitoes and Kita is helping to thin them out a bit.

Yesterday we had an ice pellet shower. Kita heads for cover.


The sun peeked out yesterday afternoon.


Sun rise this morning, not much colour, but it warms the cockels of your heart.


Ya better put your sun glasses on for this one, were not used to this.


Yesterday I was out side from 8:30 till 4:00. That's more hours than they put in at Nasty Puke, eh Greg? I finished hauling out the wood from behind the A frame. Then I started cutting up the yellow birch that I felled beside the wood shed. That's one tough tree, I'll need a new chain when I finish that guy.

I gotta tell you a funny story that happened last night. At midnight I went to let Kita in. I opened the patio door and stepped through. The next thing I knew I was sliding across the deck on a skate board. I don't own a skate board. Then it was like the wheels fell of the skate board and I was catapulted into the screen. I bounced off, luckily not through, and fell over the coffee table and onto the couch. I shook my head and gathered my wits and figured out that George must have bolted out the door and I must have stepped on him and went for a ride. I looked all over and finally found him under the couch, no worse for wear, but EXTREMELY pissed. Growling and hissing and evil, slitty green eyes. It took him quite a while before he came out. Oh, you don't think that was funny? I guess you had to be there.

Today was an awesome day, a little too warm at -2c, I spent the day splitting some fire wood. If this weather keeps up I'll probably get my truck towards the end of the week so I can spend some time with the super kids over xmas.

A half hearted sun rise yesterday. It clouded over right away but we actually had a few hours of sun light around noon.


Not much of a sun set, but better than we've had in weeks.


I should have taken a picture of the lake this morning. The temp was +5 and the ice was flooded. The temp has since dropped to +3 and the water has frozen.


The mailman delivered yesterday, thanks for the xmas cards and invite to Christmas dinner. Kita was pretty excited to see a human being after two weeks ( I don't think that I count). I think that Kita has a touch of that Seasonal Affective Disorder. He's been moping around lately, sleeping a lot, and licking at a spot on his leg until it is raw. He started the licking late last spring but stopped when we started going around the lake every day. I might have a touch of SAD too. It's been so dark and crappy for so long. I make sure I spend a few hours out side every day. I fixed the sleigh today and took the chain saw apart and cleaned it up, and it still works! Well, that's about it from the great green north.

This is the best sun that we got yesterday morning. Sorry Mother Nature, that's not going to cut it.


This is the best sun that we got yesterday afternoon. Ya gotta do better than that.


The ice is surprisingly good despite the warm temps. Yesterday I noticed that a piece of wood came out from under the ramp to the dock. I was able to put a jack on the ice and jack up the ramp. All we need is a couple days of -20 to seal up the truck size holes.


Kita decided to go for a stroll last night around mid night. He came back around one. It was raining hard and the wind was howling again. The only thing that stinks more than a wet dog is a mad, wet cat.

After lunch today I went out to haul some more wood to the wood pile. All the snow is gone but I decided that the sleigh would still work if I didn't load it up too much. Wrong! I tore off one of the arms to the sleigh. Does someone want to remind me of that "Luckiest" thing?

Hey TPD, I just realized that you made that comment. It took so long cause I didn't think that you could read or write. Cindy must have done it for you. We all miss you out here, just don't come back before May 24 weekend!

Hi Rich, I hear that we are having a kegger next month. I'll put up a notice in the dorms the next time I go to town. Hopefully you'll have a brand new ski doo to wreck by then.

Well I better run and put some Busch light on ice and vacuum up some cat hair for company tomorrow.