Today was our first fishing day of the year so Tom, Leah and I headed out to our favorite fishing spot...Pike Bay. Since Barb and Fred's gang were new to fishing, we guided them through the channel. Things were a little slow at first as we worked out all the kinks and remembered how to fish. But by the end of the morning we had managed to get our groove on, and went home with 17 fish: 16 perch and 1 rock bass.

Mom said several times that she wanted to see Barb's "house," so we walked up the two flights of stairs to the top of the hill. The extra exercise didn't seem to bother her, and she enjoyed seeing Barb's place, engaging in conversation with Barb and Sandra, and playing with Lydia. Overall it's been great to see her more energetic and interactive than normal. The doctor has said that more socialization, physical exercise, and new learning activities (like Wordscapes) is good for her, and she's getting all three this week!

After a relaxing afternoon for us (and some fish cleaning for Tom), I made a tossed salad, put some fries in the oven, and started frying the fish. We all love the way fresh-from- the-lake fish just melts in our mouths!

After dinner, Tom and I hopped on our bikes and hit the Migizi trail...one of my favorite rides. It was my first time on the trail this year, and it felt great to be back! We completed the 17.5 mile ride in about an hour and a half, and loved the views over Pike Bay and through the tall pines. When we returned to the resort, we were able to join in on a late party at Barb and Fred's townhouse while the kids played some card games. There was a bit of a scare with some severe weather warnings, but it seemed most of it went around our area. We all settled in to bed with the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof.

From lake to plate