We all have choices

When it comes to vacation, we all have choices. Too many choices sometimes. As I think about why I keep coming back to VBL, it really boils down to great fishing and good people. I can’t imagine having better hosts than Susanne and Gord. It also helps to have a great fishing partner. The professor puts up with a lot of guff, but he’s a student of the game and nothing really get’s him worked up much other than a lost fish (Otherwise known as a “knee slapper”, or in the case of the recent “PG” rated video of Carribou he transformed himself into the  “cursing sailor”).

The fishing? The fishing is so good that after a week, you will be sporting a bruise like this on your arm…

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe this is the kind of bruise you get while taking a tumble off the dock and into cold water. I learned a number of things from this incident:

– Gord did indeed dredge the creek. It’s deep.

-2013 was a very late spring. The water is cold.

– I have good friends. Not a peep on the blog.

– Gord doesn’t run as fast as the pretty lifeguards in red suits on Bay Watch. In fact when I emerged, he was at the same spot in the driveway that I last saw him. This time however, he was looking very puzzled. He was very concerned for his guest. He responded, “did you hit your head?”. Followed by, “weren’t you wearing a hat?”. He proceeded to fish out my hat from the creek and then went on to tell me that he wouldn’t tell the professor about the incident. Perhaps he didn’t share because he was afraid it would invoke a post from the Perchmaster about an observed swimming incident involving Gord?

-Clothes are very heavy when they get wet. If you were out on the lake and decided to walk on water without a life vest, you wouldn’t last long.

These were just some of many life lessons learned this year at VBl. There were others.

The old man can still fish when he can find the time!

And yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. How many of you would have guessed five years ago that Gord would be posting pictures on a blog, producing action videos for the pleasure of his guests, and maintaining a Facebook page? Excellent stuff Gord. It helps all us live vicariously through others.

Gord has in fact made many improvements this year at VBL. We marveled at the clean boats, the upgrade boat, the upgraded cabin, new roofs, dredged creek, new decks, additional grill, etc.

We wish him another great year in 2013 and hope he doesn’t rest on his laurels. We have a to-do list that I will start here. Others can chime in where appropriate.

– Clean the chimney in the lodge. Susanne loves it when you dress up as a chimney sweep.

-Sharp knives in the cabins. We have seen you fillet fish. We know you can keep the knives sharp

Let’s dream. How about an ATV on the Clearwater portage trail? I bet Keith wouldn’t miss this one?

I can’t wait for a return trip to see how he is coming on the list.