Proof that I have lost my mind

Yep, that's ME! How many layers of clothes? Maybe 4-no-make that 5 layers. Ohhh yeah, I have lost my mind!

Is the cold that makes the brain go? I mean, if you had asked me a few years ago (hey, less than a year ago!) that I would be fishing in the middle of a big frozen lake, I would told you that it would never happen. Nope, not in a million years.

Guess we are on the second set of million years.

But ice fishing here is more than fishing. I mean, it is fishing, but it much more. It is really a social event. Yesterday, Lizette called to say she would be out fishing. I normally wait until later in the afternoon before I venture out. This way, I know there is a set time limit on exposure of the elements . . . I figure she has to go in at night (btw-I am wrong about that).

Off I go. Not terribly cold. In the 20's and a slight wind. Ok, fine, that is cold but nothing like zero with a strong wind. I walk out on the lake a bit. Lizette isn't where she normally fishes. Not close her house. I see in the distance several folks set up for fishing. Little tents and shacks on the ice. But she doesn't have a tent or shack. I look some more. I see one set up with two fishermen. One looks petite (she is a tiny lady) but I really can't tell. Too far away. I stand there for a few minutes. hmmmmmm. Then the petite one waves. Ohhh, man, it has to be her. That is far away. And there is a lot of snow on the lake. Makes for walking in big clumsy boots more difficult. But I start. I see a snowmobile leave the area where Lizette is. Well, I think it's her and I am walking that way. But I know she doesn't have a Ski-Doo. But as it gets closer and stops, it is Lizette. She borrowed a snowmobile to pick me up. On I jump (thinking to myself that I have totally lost my mind) and we travel the lake.

The set up was the crazy Canadian and Lizette. CC had set up his little shelter and . . . old Christmas trees. In the middle of the lake. Far, far away from the shore. He smiles, and sets up a chair for me next to the trees. Actually, it was a great wind break. And once I got over wanting to giggle, I appreciated the trees.

We fished. Caught some. Night fell. It was Walleye time. CC gets a nice one. Then I think to myself, gee, I really need to start back. It might take an hour to get home and its getting dark. Mind you, its never totally dark because the little bit of light reflects off the snow. And there are lights at the shore. I say I should start back and CC offers to ski-doo me back. Ohh, nice. So, off we go. I didn't know where to hold on. I mean, I should have held onto him, but the southern lady in me stopped me. He was sort of standing and I was sitting behind him. I held on to a little pipe behind me and suggested he not go fast. I have seen him drive before and he tends to go as fast a possible. But he took it slow (most of the time) and delivered me to my steps at my back yard (ok-fine, they call the back yard the front yard here even though its really the back yard-now I am confusing myself!).
Thanks Crazy Canadian! Off he goes to fish some more. In I go to warm up. And tell my family that I was the first of the family to ride a snowmobile since we moved up here to CanadaLand. Yeah, they think I have lost my mind. But they thought that years ago.