Old Ironmaker

A freind of mine moved to their place on the creek full time. He had NG at the old place and only propane at the fish shanty and gave me their like new NG BBQ. I wonder what that will the "free" BBQ will cost me?

I hear you Cliff. I love it when we can all voice our opinions and not stoop so low that name slinging is needed to make a point no matter how much one may want to. Me included. Our politicians might want to start taking the high road, I can't wait for this next election, they will all be doing it and all that it shows is how immature they ALL really are.

Teen pregnancy has been a problem for many, many generations. When we were kids pregnant girls moved away to convents, aunts and uncles places out of town, went to boarding school and the reasons that weren't around for 4 or 5 months go on and on. I have 3 wonderful nieces that are in their 30's that were all adopted as well as 2 first cousins in their 60's that were adopted. Teen pregnancy isn't anything new. M2B2, you must have changed because it sure doesn't sound like you were afraid of sex for too long, what do you guys have now, 8 or 9 kids????

It may be venting fuel from it when it is warm in the garage and if the tank is full. Mine does.

Yea Rick, this thread is getting too heavy as we would say in the 70's, I'm bowing out. Anyone catch a Bass today?

I hear you Pics. My 54 year old brother had the world by the balls, VP of Canadian sales for a large US corp. at the age of 38, an exec for another large Canadian company. He was pulling in well over 6 digits in the 80's. He is a full blown junkie now and is awaiting trial for distribution. As he couldn't hold down a job it is alleged he was selling and that way he would have a constant supply. Lost everything he had. Is not allowed to see his grand children. It is really easy to say we must love them unconditionally and support them. He lived with us 15 years ago "until he could get back on his feet", That fiasco lasted a year until we just could not stand the cheating, lying, stealing, hurting and betraying everyone around him. I have seen him once in the last year. I have had to wash my hands of him, I will not have my life ruined by his addiction. We have all tried our best and even tough love hasn't worked. What is left to do? I don't have an answer, for the last 30 years I have been searching foe one. I will get that phone call any day now. Your brother is dead, I know it's coming and I don't feel anything because I am did my, I should say we did our best but it wasn't good enough and now we are numb.

Big Cliff, I have been on this site for a few years now and have come to know you as a man of respect and kindness. You are the person to give the shirt off your back to someone that doesn't have one. But sometimes you come out with some opinions that even though I respect I have to shake my head at. We are of the same age and grew up at the same time. Do I want kids to grow up in a time similar to ours? I hope to hell not. I won't go into one of my lecturers diatribes but I will tell you this. I lived in the days where Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver lived across the street and we played with the little Beaver and Wally. I over heard Mrs. Cleaver tell the Beav when she didn't know I was in the driveway that she didn't want those dirty Italians playing on their side of the street because all the good Canadian neighbours will talk. When the Police and Firefighters march in a parade what are they doing but showing how proud they are to be what they are? Do members of the Knights of Columbus join in a parade to try and make people believe in Roman Catholicism, or the Orangemen march to sway you to become Protestant? No they are showing that they are proud of who they are and what they represent. So what's the difference if someone marches in a Gay Pride parade? Not much. Would I rather have my child today learn his or her sex ed. and the importance of respecting members of the opposite sex by a professional educator in school or learn it behind the steel scrap yard where pre teen and teen boys pay Joan Doe who turns out is mentally challenged a nickel to cop a feel? I didn't think so. Just my opinion. Johnny D

Yes Cliff I remember that post, it was heartbreaking. My memory still has some hope.

Cliff, such a sad story I have heard far too often. Cliff your story sounds familiar to me, have you told it here before?

This thread has gotten me worked up and tighter than a drum. Well I had the laptop on the back deck and have been fooling around on it late because I haven't been sleeping very well and took a nap this afternoon that lasted about 5 hours. So here I am sitting on the deck and about an hour ago I hear splashing on the shoreline, I'm thinking maybe the Carp are back and don't pay much attention to it. About 45 minutes ago I realize those aren't Carp those are Smallies feeding on the Mayflies that are buzzing around my screen. Then I realize, this is after midnight, Bass season is OPEN. I grab a flashlight and grab a rod from the shed. Put a topwater on and gingerly head down the rocks to the beach. First cast, tug on the Rapalla Skitter Popper twice and fish on. It's pitch black out and she comes out of the water at least 4 times. I'm praying please don't spit it out, please I want to see how beautiful you are. About 2 minutes latter that feels like 30 minutes she is at the waters edge covered in green algae. I reach down and lip her hoping not to fill my hand with 6 hooks on 2 trebles as I can hardly see her. She is about 20 inches, 3 pounds maybe, normally I would tell you 4. I grab the light and I know I don't have any pliers. The back hook is in her lip maybe, maybe 1/4 inch. The hook comes out as smooth as a baby's bum. I admire her for a few seconds clean her off kiss her on the check and gently send her on her way, what a beautiful Bass, my favorite of the year. I'm not moving anytime soon. I am going to sleep like a baby now. Good Night and have fun if you are heading out for the opener, I will be back on the beach in a few hours if the wind and rain holds off. Not a bad opener1 cast 1 fish. I don't want to be greedy so I quit while ahead. Wowa we wa. I love it here, again. edit: clean her off, kiss her on the cheek and send her on her way, something I did in my 20's, but not with female fish! I know PG rated Speil. I can't help meself.

I am not familiar with the terms "organized vs. unorganized" when referring to properties. What is that to mean?

M2B2. I don't think you will get your place here in Haldimand for double that price plus all utilities. In fact I know you won't. A small cottage down the lane is going for $1100.00 plus, it's 2 bedroom with a garden shed. It is waterfront though. a friend rents a 3 bedroom on a farm and the farm is worked by the owner. The house leaks like a sieve and he has to truck in propane and buy firewood and he pays $1500.00/mth. We were considering renting out Mom and Dad's place in the city when they moved into the retirement residence and the agent told us the rent would be around $1800.00 plus utilities. I wish we did, the same house would have brought another 50K a year latter, housing in Hamilton is booming. Sorry OP, hi jacking in progress, call 911.

You are bang on Big Guy, we keep the property nice and the taxes go up, retirees buy a small cottage out here, tear it down and build a McMansion and MY taxes go up. The beef I have is the lack of any services. Add to my taxes the cost of hauling water and pumping the cistern out and you have to add another few thousand. And basically zero services in return, nothing. I forgot to add the cost of cutting down 2 huge Ash trees last year, add $2000.00, and that was a deal. We aren't talking a 3000 sqaure foot home here it's a bit more than 1000 sqft. and no garage. I just don't think the taxes are fair compared to urban life. Yes taxes are based on assessed value, but I think the assessed value is off because of the lack of services. Heck because we don't have public transportation the K's on the vehicles alone require far more maintenance. Don't get me wrong I will never live in a big city again unless I absolutely must, but many don't consider how much more rural living really costs. I always hear " Man, I can get a huge home in the sticks for pennies on the dollar compared to the city", well add it up and it isn't that much less if anything.

I'm sorry Tom Hagen (consigliore) I don't eat fruit with any entrees. I'll save it for desert, not even apple with pork. We had beans and greens tonight, simple cheap and good, good for you too. Brown some garlic in evoo, add dry chili to taste add about 6 cups or 2 boxes of low sodium chicken stock, cut up any type of greens, at least 6 cups (I don't measure one complete head of greens) it shrinks 10 to 1. A dash of salt and pepper. I will add stalks cut up depending on what greens. Add 2 cans or equivalent of Navy Beans and greens, simmer until greens are cooked and beans are soft. Add Parm, Romano or Assiago cheese. Served traditionally with a few pieces of Crostini (small toasted bread) on bottom of a large bowl and ladle on soup. Add cheese and chilies if you wish again on top and drizzle with evo. It can be any type of greens, from Swiss chard, Dandelion or collard greens to Rapini or Endive lettuce, my favorite and everything in between. Great anytime of year. No pics because I am still trying. Add a cup of precooked macaroni and you have Pasta Fagiolo (also called fasool in Canuck) with greens or sans greens. t doesn't get any easier than that. Note never, ever, I repeat never rinse any type of pasta in water, if it's going to sit add some olive oil to it and mescolare, mix. so it doesn't stick together, rinsing with water washes away the taste, we don't want to that, never. It takes more time to open the cans of beans and wash and cut up the greens than to cook it. Make some Crostino (toasted bread) drizzled with Extra virgin olive oil (evo) and enjoy.

If anyone crazy enough to show up when he wind is blowing like it's a rerun of the Wizard of Oz deserves to be disappointed. Want to bet some young bucks and old bucks too brave the winds? I would never wish anyone be harmed but a good dunking in 60 degree water might wake them up.

My Aunt used to make the asparagus spears wrapped with Prosciutto. I wouldn't eat them when I was a kid, what an idiot I would kill for them today. Same as Baccalla, I would run away at the smell. What things would you turn your nose up when you are a kid that love know? There are some things I still can't stomach, Tripe and Liver are two of which. Then is food I loved as a child and will not touch now, if I eat any type of breakfast cereal now I can not hold it down, too sweet. I actually will vomit. Can't even watch the commercials.

CGI, I think, that's how they can make Arnold Swartzenegger look 40 years younger in the new Terminator movie.

The Long Point Bass Derby has been cancelled. There are gale force winds predicted and a severe Environment Canada Marine weather warning for the north shore of Erie from Fort Erie to Winsor. I am sorry but anyone that insists on disregarding severe weather warnings from Environment Canada is an idiot. Gusts to 90KPH for Long Point as well as here at the eastern end.

Unless that's new math a grand a square foot would cost you 1.5 million dollars for a 1500 square foot dwelling. Maybe a 1000 a square for the foundation. CPH, none of those little things bothered me 20 years ago as much as they do now. What really bothers me is the taxes. Taxed 4500 a month for exactly what is what I would like to know? We buy water, maintain and pay for the system to get the water into the cottage and then out againWhat's a pump I asked my country raised lady. Then $175.00 to pump out the holding tank. Do not have any county services except uh,,,,,,,,,nothing but a roadway. Oh we have a library and of course you can't swing a cat without hitting a new arena, I actually like the kids now have world class facilities and don't mind paying for that a bit.

Yea you are right John Bacon. But who can you trust today? When the lady or guy calls saying they can lower the interest rate I drive them nuts once and a while and they put me on the do not call list. Johnny a no homa, he go to jail because he killa the guy thata phona at mangari time.

If they are still tight to shore Simon a topwater presentation would be a blast. If they are hitting like you say a topwater anything. I like nothing better than tossing a topwater for Smallies. A good quality is the Rappala Skitter Popper. They have thinner wire hooks and the tendency for them to spit the hooks are less. Thicker shank hooks make a big hole in the soft part of the lips and I have been able to fit my finger into the hole they leave. It's no wonder they spit hooks.

Thanks so much Spincast so maybe I'm not seeing things. I have put the dead batteries back in but that didn't do anything visible. I thought it would equalize the weight. The 15 horse kicker weights 90 pounds and is the exact motor as the 9.9 with different carb to get the extra 5 lbs. according to the owners manual and the batteries weigh 65 each but no real change. I would hate to start adding more weight but may have to in order to keep the kicker on. That is if I don't find a leak around the water well. I will have time this weekend to play around with boat as they are calling for 90 PLUS KPH winds here on Erie, the Bass can wait until the typhoons are over.

Rick my sincerest condolences. I have lost a few friends through this horrid disease myself and empathize. Addiction to anything is truly tragic. Anyone with an attitude concerning addiction like Fisherman has never had someone close to him suffers from this dreaded disease. It will eventually affect someone close to us all, it is all in the numbers. I have never known an addict that wanted to be an addict. Everyone equates an addict as the person that robs his or her grandmother of her CPP to score. I am an addict. I have been on opiates since my first knee surgery in 1978. As I continued to have pain countless other injuries the Tylenol 1's just did nothing then you graduate to 3's, then 4's then Oxycocet, then Codeine Contin, then higher doses of Codeine Contin with Oxycocet for break through pain, then another stronger opiate combined with Fentanyl patches. It's a never ending cycle. After 35 years you think I could just stop tomorrow? I don't think so. I have been weaning myself off the stuff for the last year under the supervision of my Physician. Now I'm back down to Tylenol #3. But I'm still an addict by definition. Many people I know got addicted while undergoing Cancer treatments, some lived some didn't. I imagine Fisherman has no sympathy for them either. John F. Kennedy was addicted to Adderall, what an idiot he was, no sympathy from me.

Ports Stanley, Bruce and Burwell for the London area. Pickerel rigs or a simple drop shot set up. Basically a bell sinker with 2 or 3 hooks above, simple as that. Burwell they fish off the rocks the other 2 have nice piers and get them when they come through as in hit and miss. We fished Bruce today in the boat and they were getting minnows with dip nets right off the pier. When we came in we gave a kid all out leftover minnows that was at the marina buying them. He did much better than we did on the boat. He had a dozen we had zippo.

Rod Caster $1000.00 per square foot for a pre fab? Where, Malibu next door to Tom Cruise? Typo I think. What many people don't realize a seasonal residential property if financed through a traditional mortgage the down payment is 30% or even higher depending on the lender. Something that is funny was when friends of ours that came out to see us when we bought this place on the lake many years ago. John and Judy were here for a bit and Judy turned to John and said " I want a place on the lake too John, I love this" About 10 minutes latter when I was refilling libations I heard a blood curdling scream, I thought someone had been seriously injured. I ran to the deck and saw Judy with her hands over her head and violently shaking. She saw a spider. Needless to say she never visited again or bought a place near the lake. Our taxes were $750.00 a year in 1996, they are now $4200.00. No sewer, no water, no snow clearing on private right of way, mail delivery a kilometer down the road. Garbage must be taken about 500 meters away on main road, efore 7AM because it will be strewn everywhere if the night before by coons and coyotes, no transportation services, no street lights, no side walks, 500 meter stone roadway you must clear of snow and repair (your newly washed car lasts newly washed for a few feet) no taxi service, no fast food delivery, heck no fast food for 40KM. Closest place to get an emergency quart of milk is a 15 minute drive, maybe an hour in a storm. The list of things one from the city takes for granted can become a real pain out here. Constant white outs and 6 foot high drifts, be prepared to miss some time if commuting to work, it will happen. Some nights spring and summer all lights must be off and TV off when sand flies and fish flies attach the cottage all might long. No snow removal on main roads until accumulation is over 20CM or something like that and then they have 24 hours to clear it, drifts along the lakeshore don't count. No newspaper delivery to the door, you will find it in a plastic bag in the snow only after it has been run over by a snow plow. Local news is a weekly paper, you will find out your neighbours funeral was 5 days ago. Zero local news because the local radio station is not powerful enough to reach your place and the closest city could care less unless there is civil unrest. Wake up one morning to the sight of 150 wind turbines, 3 of which are 600 meters from the cottage, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, 24 hours a day for 365 days a year. Hydro black outs, but only when it rains, gets windy or snows. Calling the Spiderman 3 times a year unless you want to wake up with a closed eye because a spider bit you. Call 911 and wait for 25 minutes (unless they are on another call) minimum and then there's the 25 minute drive to the hospital then wait for the emergency radiologist to drive the 50 minutes from home, unless it's snowing. Loose your license and man you have a problem. Not just from drinking and driving, what about due to diabetes etc? I could go on but won't. Some of these things seem trivial but put 20 trivial things together and it can get tiring. The crazy thing is we may move away from the lake but I can never live in the city again unless it's a matter of health.