Christine Thomas

Not that I needed more projects. Early September is a busy time at the little cabin. There is firewood to split, haul, and stack. Cover crops in the edges of our ag fields need to be planted. Deer stands need readying. Water tanks need constant attention due to the seemingly endless thirst of deer in the fall. Trail cameras need checking. Deer rifles need sighting in. The fall conservation meeting travel schedule is looming. The cabin itself needs a good fall cleaning. Dean Bortz waits for a column every two weeks. Why, oh why, then, did I latch onto the press release that came into my email from the Department of Natural Resources on Friday? I must be a glutton for punishment.

ou know how you can get something in your head? You have a vision for how you want things to go.
You fantasize about a perfect situation. In your mind’s eye you play a movie where every detail unfolds exactly as it must for you to be absolutely delighted with the outcome. This is a recipe for relationship disaster. Particularly if the perfect vision involves Airedales.

“The trailer tires are low on pressure, and we do not have an air compressor. You can run to Fleet Farm and air them up on your way out.”
I do not remember whether it was Kendal Kolpien or Mike Boldt, at Schmidt Boat Lifts and Docks, who said this to my daughter, Shannon Honl, and me as we were picking up the three kayaks and two trailers that we purchased from them in mid-March. The reason that I do not remember who said what is because my mind began to reel with panic as these words were uttered.