House Fire August 18, 2009

Johnson's Stables 1200 South Oak Street Cloquet Minnesota

This is a land mark, our homestead, my dad grew up here , built my childhood home and went into business for himself.

My father and mother have lived a very simple life, where material things were not important and family was everything. My dad , over 40 years ago had this itty bitty trailer house and each time he had a child he added onto the trailer - and one time added upwards.
My dad and mom taught us how to work hard and love family. This was truly a home. My dad is an eccentric, unique artist in his own right. He built us an awesome tree house, swing set and life on this hobby farm. He gave sleigh rides in the winter and hayrides in the fall and trail rides in between.
When his grandchildren were born he created a yard full of fun. With tree houses and go carts and vegetable gardens and swing sets , all made with his own two hands a lots of love.
Sure my mother felt crazed at times, but this was who Howard was....don't buy it- make it- don't throw it - fix it. He was an old timer that always told us that he should have dirt floors and one day he will die with his boots on.
My mother, his right hand women, supported and loved him and worked her butt off too. She too, had shown all of us how to love, give and how to serve others first.

Frankly, besides a few memorabilia items and photos albums it is the home my dad and mom created for us that I will miss, nothing it it.....but the memories and creativeness and history we have had there for over forty years. Their legacy is not over...it will remain.

Thank you mom and dad , we love you and glad you are safe.

Another Fine Mess I Got Us Into August 7, 2009

I can say that I do not ask for a lot - I feel I am pretty easy going and do not insist on anything 'my way' but there is this annually kayak trip in August that I have wanted to go on for two years. I asked Dewey "Honey, I do not ask you for much, but please ask for mid August off" He says sure and in January asks for this week off. August approaches before we know it and neither of us has set our fannys in a kayak...well I did take a four hour class through community ed.

don't tell anyone but I have this extreme fear of water.

We head out from Red Cliff near Bayfield Wisconsin. We paddled an enjoyable scenic 6 miles to Oak Island. With two - three foot swells. We spent two nights with three other couple with good food (shish kabobs - Pizza over the fire-great big breakfasts and great coffee) and good fellowship- and much needed time alone with my sweetie.

We hiked 5k to an overlook on the island - where we saw ten of the Apostle Islands.

We made it, I am so proud and so happy to accomplish this with my best friend and husband.

We will sign up again .....soon
I am hooked, Love Jennifer

The Shack

During our last trip to Canada I finished a great book called 'the shack'

Check it out..I could not put it down, I read it in a day and half.

Lake of the Woods

Morson , Ontario Canada : two

We are back, yet another family fishing trip. I am very blessed. We met Julie, Joe, Zoey, Kain and of course grandpa (with Lydia and Kissa) at the cabin. We left Saturday morning bright and ugly. We packed four full days in with fishing.
Dewey and Jack LOVE fishing. They gave us a tour around Lake of the Woods, with stops at Pony Island, Miles Bay & Kains Spot.
Sure I like to fish &I like to catch rays & I like to snack in the boat & I like to chat & laugh. It is mostly about being with Dewey and Parker.
During one particular day I could not take my eye off this particular sand bar. It had an island on either side if it. I wondered on and off through out the day if it was a beach, it looked like a beach. I was dreaming of sipping Pina Colada and laying on the sand while reading a good book. My day dreams were interrupted by a bite on my line , me jumping up screaming yippee! and reeling in a big one. After several hours and our limit in the live well I ask Dewey if he ever stops at one of the 14,000 islands on Lake of the Woods to take a swim or explore. I didn't have to say much more, when he yelled to his pops that we were all headed to the island. Dewey was out of his comfort zone -as was Jack. As the two of them tinkered on the boats we all jumped out and explored, swam and collected treasures like rocks and drift wood. Dewey says I tend to get him out of his box - he likes that- a little

The only thing Dewey wants us for us to enjoy this sport as much as he does...to 'catch the big one' I tell him that I caught the big one when I caught him :)

We saw the most beautiful wild life. It started with my run in with a black bear. We had just arrived at the cabin and the guys were cooking there catch of the day, I took a little walk around the camp, taking pictures of flowers and trees and there he was the cutest little bear ever. I took out my camera focused in on him (asking him to wait right there for the perfect shot) he walked away a few steps then returned to pose for another photo. That made my week.

We fished our limit daily and ate our weight in fish nightly. The view was fantastic. My favorite evening was when Dewey and I cruised out on the lake to watch the sunset, a beautiful pink sky as the sun set on the horizon. Our last day out on the lake we saw an eagle , a glorious huge eagle swoop down by our boat and grab a fish.

Dewey has a wonderful family and he is a great captain for our boat. All he wants is for his family to have fun, catch fish and enjoy there time at the cabin. We sure did!

Thanks Dewey
Love ya baby, Jen

Morson , Ontario Canada

Morson, Ontario Canada
fishing trip June 2009
Sportsmans Harbour

We headed up for a wonderful week at the cabin. Jack, Kain, Heath and Alec were waiting for us. It was an unusually windy week to begin with - 30 mph winds and rain with 52 degrees. Nothing could bring us down- we were together, away form home , in Gods Country. After 1 1/2 days of waiting we finally got out in the boat. We caught fish for a huge fish fry and we brought some home to share. Our mornings were filled with brewing coffee and making a big breakfast while watching the wildlife and planning our day. Our days consist of fishing. I guess what we plan is what book to bring on the boat (that would only be me) what will we have for supper (if the fish aren't biting) who will cook supper, what bait to use & what to pack for lunch on the boat.

It is fun to see Parker enjoying the lake - Dewey has a smile that comes only from watching his family sharing this with him. Jack & Carol have been coming to Sportsman's Harbour for 20 years.

I sent the boys out one day alone, while I laid in the hammock , caught up on my magazines, sipped on some tea & enjoyed the day....ahhh solitude in God's Country

Thanks sweetie for sharing your love of Canada, Lake of the Woods & fishing with us.

Love Jennifer

One funny day at the Hauck home

Maddy and I ran to the mother day garage sales. We ate donuts and had coffee while bonding over treasures found in other peoples junk. We raced home to get Maddy ready for the prom. around 1:00 pm I cleaned up the grill , took out the pork chops from the deep freeze and lit the briquettes. I ran Maddy to the salon at 1:45 to get her hair done. I stop at the corner meat market for milk and decided to treat Dewey and I to Fillet Mignon. I came back around 2:30 - Dewey is now awake and on his way to work out in the garage ( I try to take a peek at his guns) I put the pork chops and steak on the grill. Dewey and I caught up on the day while he gets ready for work and we eat lunch. At 4:00 I decide to take out the clippers and cut Dewey's hair. MMM I love it short. He looks sooo good! At 4:15 Maddy calls , her dates truck ran out of gas. I finish up the hair - quickly- it looks pretty darn good - If I may say so myself. I cruise with the gas can only to find that his truck's 'gas tank' is a gas can jimmied to the motor (kind of like my dads farm truck) We give it gas and run to our house to take prom pre pics. Just three blocks from the house, I run out of gas in the Taurus! Can you believe it! Dewey can hardly believe it, "Oh, Lucy" The kids leave after photos , Dewey heads to work. I head out with the can , get the car. I also spend the afternoon washing Jeepers Jenny, taking in an episode of the Closer, changing the laundry over, making bars, ask Macy to cancel her concert plans, catch up with my mother, ate the bars.

Dewey calls me Lucy when I do silly things , like snort when I laugh, or toss around to get comfortable while he is trying to whisper sweet things in my ear. I'm Lucy when I have 'blonde moments' like the time when Carol made banana split cake and I say "wow , this is great, it taste like a banana split!" then Carol sweetly says, honey, that's why it's called banana split cake, or like earlier today when I recalled a story of Dewey and I quote Dewey saying, "before I met you I was just a lonely old man, with a clean car and that car ALWAYS had gas" Dewey looks me in the eye and says honey, I never said I was OLD. We laughed (I snorted) until we almost peed our pants. "Oh, Lucy"

My question is...am I this gorgeous, long legged Lucy or the silly , crazy, wild Lucy girl??
This Lucy (Puddin') is loved either way. Always, Jennifer