Labor Day Weekend 09

This year provided a mixed bag of things going on, outings planned and changesthrown in with a couple of surprises.

I had planned for several weeks to make another trek out to Big Lake for one last weekend for Jet Skiing, boating, and relaxing mixed with those things Alaskan’s do preparing for the upcoming winter.

The cabin needed cleaning, winterizing, and some repairs to make it through the extreme winter on the lake.  It is not unusual for minus 35 below zero for weeks at a time so making sure everything that can freeze is out, the toys are stashed away in the shed and firewood stacked in the tinder box are just a few of the chores to be completed.  There was one last lawn mowing and we kept a fire going in the fire pit burning up all of the old decking and joists from Scott’s efforts putting on a new deck several weeks ago. 

We made it to the lake and mowed the grass put all of the jet skis into the water and everyone headed off in different directions.  All of the kids wanted in the water to zip this way and that coming back shortly to get warm again.  The adults took a few rides but for the most part spent the afternoon enjoying the sun and warmth so late in the season.

With four tanks of fuel it would not be long before the fun activity would come to a quick end.   Four jet skis would soon drop to 2 as mechanical problems took them out for the duration of the summer. 

I started cooking as we had skipped the normal Saturday breakfast and everyone was hungry.  I made BBQ chicken, ribs, and hamburgers.  There was a nice homemade potato salad as well as my great baked beans.  Food was aplenty and a few people had a beer or two to pass the time out by the fire.  I drank a glass of Beringer while I cooked and tended the fire.  There was a huge pile of wood debris from the old deck so it was burned all afternoon and night until about 4 am.  The chill of the night air was broken by the thirty foot circle of heat coming off the fire pit.

There was the waning full moon rising over the lake casting a bright glow upon the land.  No one slept well or long as there was restlessness in the air so as several of us headed outside to stoke the fire and enjoy the sunrise until it was time to cook breakfast.

The morning was spent finishing the small projects putting things away, fixing the electrical meter box, and getting a few measurements of the cabin so we can design a ‘real’ bathroom addition for next summer.  There is also a possibility of putting in a well so figuring out the placement of the well head was looked into for piping and electrical work to come.

By noon we had everything put away, all of the freezable items out and the party barge loaded to the max.  We cast off our lines and backed away from the dock and slowly made our way from the island toward Scott’s brothers cabin on another island about a half mile away.  We picked up the rest of his kids and headed for home ending another wonderful summer on Big Lake.  I feel like saying ‘On Golden Pond’ since that’s what it feels like some times. 

Thanks Scott and Kim for the hospitality of sharing the time and more adventures together.

Ice