Jerry's

Our friend Cindy was in for dinner at Jerry's the other night and took some snapshots of me working and emailed to them to me.  I thought it would be fun for my Washingtonians to see me in my apron.  This is an unlikely job for me so I know they are wondering about it.

In the kitchen to pick up an order of food.  Jerry's serves the normal bar food--burgers, fried things, meat.  It  is the only place to eat out and buy alcohol on the mainland.  You could say it is the hub of our little community.  Some days there is a gaggle of snowmobiles parked there as different groups come for a ride across the lake and stop for lunch.

This is the best action shot she got.  Me bending over to pick up a straw.  Riveting, right?  The excitement never ends in my life, as you know.

 The bar seems to be the most occupied space at Jerry's, especially after 5:00pm.  But let's face it, this is northern Minnesota and there could be a man with an open can of Budweiser sitting there at 10am just the same.  Here's a little something to age you--when you check ID's for drinks, the year you're looking for is 1992.  People born in 1992 are now drinking beer in public.  They probably have never even seen an episode of "Family Ties" or know who Arsenio Hall is.  Bring on the wrinkle cream, I am now in the "remember when...." group.

Hockey

After living in the land of fish and frozen for over a year, we finally made it to our first hockey game.  It was just a step below pro, our nephew Lane's high school JV team.  Per usual, I didn't know what was going on and my feet were cold.  But this happens to me most days so I was quite comfortable.  We have yet to make it to a big professional hockey game, but it is on the to-do list.  I want to see some faces smushed up against some glass and some fists flying!

The game was in Warroad.  Lane is from Thief River Falls so he was on the opposing team.  Thankfully we were not beat up by any Warroad Fans for cheering for the wrong team.  Grandma Patty and cousin Sybil work at the Warroad school so maybe we were protected from the hecklers for this fact.

Lane's fan club, ranging from great grandparent all the way down to little diaper wearing cousins.  Everyone was well behaved and smiling.........for the picture anyway.

Andie had no more idea of what was happening than me, but was happy to find endless supplies of popcorn.  With a group this large, there were popcorn containers left unattended more than once and she was able to get her hands on them.  She also liked the loud music between plays.  I'm hesitant to admit she tends to go for the heavy guitar laden stuff like her father.  The louder the better for this girl.

Tyson is quite a Lane fan so he was in heaven as well.  Popcorn, hockey and your favorite big cousin?  2 thumbs up.  Also note the look on Andie's face here.  "Yeah I stole your popcorn.  And I'd do it again, sucker."

Not Exactly Important News

• This is a slightly old picture, but my poor little camera battery has died- for reals.  We are in the midst of deciding whether to buy a new battery or a new camera.  Life's big decisions.  But, as you know, I find it bloggily offensive to write a post with no photo.
• It's currently 8 degrees with a windchill factor of -22.  Do I have to say out loud that I won't be leaving the house today?  If anyone comes to the door I will stand about 30 back and shout COME IN!!!  without getting near the porthole of unforgiving freeze.  A couple days from now the forecast calls for -27 without a windchill.  My ultimate hell.  (Which seems ironic as hell would indicate warmth.)  It does look pretty from inside though. All blue skies and undisturbed white snow all around.    
• We had a documentary film crew at the Angle last weekend.  Big news right?  It sounds like they didn't have an actual story in mind, but had heard about the place and couldn't refuse a visit.  They interviewed some people around the community, including other resorts and businesses and Big Rick's parents Charles and Hazel.  They owned a resort up here for years, a very thriving and busy place with plenty of great stories.  I was not involved in any chat with the film crew, thank goodness.  A written article would be more my style.  I tend to speak before I think and would have to have a few take-backs, which would never work on film.  But the rest of the family got a bit of interviewing.  Maybe they will find the McKeever charm irresistible.  Or maybe they will find us a total train wreck and find that worth documenting.  
• Tomorrow I start a little waitressing gig at  Jerry's.  I wouldn't mind a little extra cash in my pocket and there are so many people at the Angle that I still haven't met.  What better way to accomplish both of these goals than to spend some time at the hub of our area and get paid for it. I really don't know what possessed me to do it, but it's on now.  I've never waitressed before and could be quite horrible at it, embarrassing the family and myself.  My hope is that the fisherman will all have imbibed enough whiskey during their day of fishing and won't realize how perfectly awful I am at serving food.  The downfall to this venture is that I will have to leave the house.  So far I haven't found a way around that, but I'm working on it.
• We've had quite a few guests since Christmas.  So Jenny and I have been back to cleaning cabins after a bit of  hiatus.  While the break was nice, it's also good to be back at work and having a change of scenery.  The kids and I have been getting out for a few walks here and there, but otherwise have stayed in out of the cold.  
• Pat and Rick got me a sewing machine for Christmas and I have started my first project, curtains for Andie's room.  This means I'm underway to my fitting in around here.  I did a little canning with our friend Sue before the snow came so actually I've got 2 Angle activities under my belt now.  Still on the list: bird watching and animal poop identification.
• I don't know if anyone remembers, but sometime last year I mentioned that was still wearing make-up and doing my hair to go clean cabins, in spite of the fact that Jenny and my husband were the only people I would see in a day.  I promised to update my vanity and forgot all about it.  The update is that I still do it.  I even wear make-up to go on a snowshoe through the woods.  I can't help it and I don't see it changing.  So there.
• Sometime in the near future I'll get out for some ice-fishing.  This is my year to hit the big one.  I can feel it.  Walleye beware!

Big Rick: Act 1 Scene 2

 Big Rick on:

• Business Practices-  " (in the beginning)....we didn't want a bunch of employees and all those headaches.  We wanted to do it ourselves."
• Regrets about how he's built his business-"No regrets.  We built as we could afford it....there's a call for it so we add it....never felt out on a limb."
• Rick and Brian as fathers- "Never had a doubt that they would make good fathers."
• Grandkids-  "Aren't they marvelous?"
• Favorite thing at the resort-  "Being around people."
• Least favorite- "Collecting money from people."
• Outlook on life after having cancer- "Never thought why me? I just felt fortunate for the Mayo Clinic.  You feel thankful for things you have that you hadn't thought about before."
• Goal in life-  "Be proud of what they say at my funeral."
• The re-election of Obama-  "You can't even put that in there.  You can't spell most of that stuff."

Big Rick and Pat in front of their first Angle home

L:  What's your favorite thing about Pat?
BR:  Her joy in life.  Always upbeat, finding something good, good attitude.
L:  What do you like about small communities like the Angle or even Warroad?
BR:  You know where to go for help.  You know everyone, which is not necessarily a great advantage.   If you don't stop in for coffee someone will likely chew your ass.
L:  Least favorite?
BR: No complaints.  If you have a problem, it's probably something you screwed up on.
L:  What's your favorite thing about working with your sons?
BR:  Their enthusiasm on projects, they're always saying "Let's do it!"
L: What's your favorite thing about me?
BR:  Your smile.  And that you take my grandchildren to church.
L:  What's your least favorite thing about me?
BR:  Hadn't thought about it.
L:  Yes you have.

In the beginning there was no Youngs Bay Drive.  Big Rick built it himself with a drag line in 1978.  He had to teach himself how to drive it before he was able to make the 2 miles of road, which stretches from our resort  out to the stop sign at Dawson's Road. Until the road was built, they had to drive a 4-wheeler to Young's Bay, kids and all, over undeveloped land.  Which, except for the road, 

remains mostly undeveloped to this day until you get closer to the resort.

 Cabins 1 and 2 were the first to be completed, in 1977, and are the same buildings standing today.  He borrowed $7,000 from the bank to build them and grossed $600 the first summer.  Yes you read that correctly, $600 came in.

 This is looking in at Young's Bay Resort as the cabins were being built.  Big Rick was "borrowing" gravel from Brush Island and bringing it back by boat to this dock, where he hauled it to the cabin sites by wheelbarrow. Many boatloads he says.

This is in the winter last year and the lake is frozen over, but it's from about the same view as the picture above, to give you an idea of how it has changed.

 Cabin 3 was actually the first cabin started, but sat as just a shell for quite some time.  Big Rick says he was young and Cabin 3 was just a "pipe dream" starting out.  He was headed in the wrong direction and he had to leave it alone and build Cabins 1 and 2, then come back to Cabin 3 later.

Another view of Cabin 3.

Cabin 3 was completed in 1985.  This is how it looks today.

I have enough goods to make at least one more segment on Big Rick, maybe 2 or 3??  Pictures of the campground as it was started, more on family and on Big Rick's best buddy, Al.  Once again I apologize for such long periods of time between blogs and that this one is short.  I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but if I did it would have been to have more frequent blogs!  Somebody should invite me somewhere to do something exciting so I can write about it.  Seriously, somebody.  Anybody?