B – you slept away prime time being in bed by 11. Last year we were on fire from 11-3. Most nights we headed out about 9.
Boat goes back to the dock late April. By late May we strip all the trout/coho stuff out of the boat and just chase kings for the rest of summer.
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Just my opinion and you know your kids ability better than me. No way in heck I would waste my money on a 110cc atv. Especially knowing they will out grow it in 1 year. We took the mower deck off of a garden tractor and put a 24 or 27 hp engine on it, made wood block extensions for the pedals, and my daughter out grew that in 1 month. I ended up making a throttle restriction for my artic cat 500 and let them rip on that. by age 9 or 10 the restrictor was gone and they had free reign of the trails here on my farm. At 11, she was doing mountain forestry roads out west. Again, you know your kids better then I. Just hate to see money p’d away on something out dated in a very short period of time
Looks like it was rebuilt. My dad had a similar one that’s a Garcia rod
Ever wonder how sharp wood can be? Add this to you can’t make this sht up
Dad pulled the cord for his electric blanket into his recliner. Wood rails sliced it clean
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Nurse we had with my mother said something to me that really stuck.
When they are at a stage when life expectancies are minimal at best, don’t you think they deserve to pass being happy and doing something they love?
That gave me a different mindset. Mom was bedridden at the end, so didn’t have these experiences. But if dad dies going out and filling a bird feeder, I’m ok. I intervene when it’s thing that would cause severe injury or destruction.
When my dad’s cancer got bad he needed meds every couple of hours. He was pretty much out of it but you’d be surprised how strong an 81 year old with terminal cancer can be when they want to be. His girlfriend and I did what we could but he needed more care and equipment than we could give. We got him into an end of life care home where he lasted 5 days. It was two weeks of hell. I couldn’t imagine what you’re dealing with. God bless you Randy
That is similar to my mother, she needed meds every two hours. I grew accustom to it. Ironically, so did Ruger, my lab. 5-10 minutes before the alarm going off, 110 pounds of chocolate lab standing on my chest and licking my face. Hospice nurse ordered care for me around the two clock for two days. that recharged the batteries and I went another 3 weeks until she passed.
Goal is to adjust his nightly anxiety meds to tweek his sleeping pattern and get him sleeping again through the night. For anyone thats never been through this, sense of time is one of the first things to go. He’s not been out of the house for 5 years. For anyone one of us that lives life outdoors, you can’t even imagine how insane this is. 75% of the time he does’t know day from night. 90% of the time has no clue what day it is. 100% needs to ask me time/day because he’s confused.
I’ve thought this many times, but days are numbered. His water retention in the legs and abdomen/chest would have killed any of us years ago. Now it is in his arms and his hands look like sausage links. Last month has had some labored breathing. But this is a man that has frequent blood pressure of 60-70/40. Hell, I know I would be dead. Nurses say I take too good of care of him. He’s been my best friend. We mended life differences and grew a friendship that’s indescribable. Other than frustrating moments, wouldn’t change a thing. He deserves all I do and more and I’ll be dammed if he ever steps foot in a facility.
We don’t believe in putting them in a facility. Home is home, and that’s where mot mother took her last breath, and so will be the same for my dad. Dad’s just too dam stubborn to die. End of March makes 5 years of this with him. Moved in here full time for 24/7 year ago. Prior I was here with 4-5 days and home 1-2 days. Was driving 140ish miles each way for work. Now I just home office from here.
Diagnosed- anxiety, diabetes, congenital heart failure, lung failure, crones, had 32 inches of intestines removed from botched surgery in air force, chronic loose bowl syndrome, hearing 85% loss, vision is about down to 3 feet on a good day, sun downers syndrome, restless leg syndrome, chronic low blood pressure and much more.
Things are manageable until the human side of me kicks in and I fall asleep. I am the only one in family, so options are
Limited
Matt, doing in home hospice for the last year. Nurse every week and two half days of respite. Currently working on med changes again. It’s when he’s alone for a hour or two he gets fidgety
Watched gold rush episode while he was sleeping. He got up in dreamland and was tearing the house apart looking for a bag of gold lol
Son in law just put COOPER ENDEAVOR PLUS on his. I think he said the were about 160 each and he’s happy with them
Getting old has taught me something special – Don’t give a rats azz about what’s in the rear view mirrors. Like I told Iowaboy, I’m blazing a highway to either heaven or hell. My circle of friends has become a dot and I’m embracing becoming that grumpy old man.
Back in the banking crash in 2009, I had a few customers that defaulted on their construction loans and ultimately I got shafted on nearly a half Million. My pride kept me from filing bankruptcy and I personally paid every sub contractor and vendor. Unbelievable now what that would have been worth for retirement. I missed updating my liens and lost it all. Was going to kill them. I regret carrying that anger, but the consequences for making coyote bait out of them would have been worse.
The good and bad is what makes us who we are today. Couldn’t imagine life as a flat line
It will be at certain times of year, and different species will relate differently. If you have 50 degree water trickling or pour into 90 degree or 33 degree , the plume will have its moments.
Weed structure? Healthier weeds by the spring or blank habitat?
I grew up fishing private ponds that were spring fed as a kid that were just a few blocks from my house. Great flashbacks
Randy for president!
(No, seriously)
That’s a death wish. Ild be assassinated
Happy V-day
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GY Endurance has been the best trailer tire for us. Late 90’s through early 2000’s I I went through a set of tires (or more) on every one of our trailers. We switched a car trailer and my boat trailer to run a test. That summer I put almost 30K miles on the boat trailer chasing all over the country and they were in awesome shape. The car trailer was about 10K miles and very good. We changed all our company trailers over to them and couldn’t be happier with the longevity. Currently 7 trailers here in WI and 6 more trailers in Colorado. Earned my trust
Besides air, check for moisture/water in the line. Had similar issue with a lot of equipment that stays outside
wasn’t there recently a thread here where everyone was losing their minds about the increased boat registration fees that were funding programs like this?
So does all the MN DNR fees go into the States’ general fund then reallocated back to the DNR? If so, wonder how many fingers are in that cookie jar
When oil fields were going nuts and new fracking was a daily sight, contract employees came and went like water through a dam. With ridiculous salaries and perks, it was very common to see them buy a truck, work 30-180 days and gone. Between housing and vehicle allowances, they didn’t care about early termination of a lease or selling a truck at 10K or more loss. I miss those guys, we bought a bunch of trucks from them. The dumb ones just left the truck in the driveway and let the bank repo them. Sometimes a good deal, but dealers would snatch them up at auction. But the OP would sometimes get sued for the recovery value difference, so was just better to do a turn/burn sale and eat the loss.
Every generation complains about the prior. It’s as predictable as death and taxes.
Back when I was in school, we/kids brought things to school that were disruptive. Teacher took it away and in many cases, it was thrown away or given back at the end of the day with a firm warning. We sure the heck didn’t want our parents involved because that got us in MORE trouble.
Now kids have their parents storming the school and defending their kid’s actions, regardless of what the kid did. Teachers are verbally abused, principals threatened. Crazy. My daughter was about 7 months pregnant and had a 1st grader pick up a hard cover book and threw it at her when her back was turned. All because the kid didn’t want to pay attention and was instructed to sit down. Needless to say she got hurt and parents came in. The parents threw a fit and wanted to know who she thought she was to tell their kid what to do. Seems as if “learning” isn’t a priority to them
Thanks Randy. I hope to catch one. I will start looking at some charts and see if there are some areas I like. Might be time to use a slightly heavier rod than my 32″ M. I hear its a good walleye lake as well but I have never caught one of those.
I wouldn’t know anything about those toothy critters. 
Hi all,
I will be visiting family and going on a weekend ice trip tomorrow. I believe we will be visiting trout lake in vilas county and I hear there are lake trout in there. Back home in NH I have been catching lakers up to 23″. Can I expect the same in trout lake? Are they small or big? Is there a good population or are they scarce?
Thank You
Pay attention to min siz limit if you keep one. Yes, there is a decent population if you locate them. They maybe deep or maybe shallow – fun part of chasing them in winter is they can be anywhere. 30″ isn’t uncommon.
Make it a state law so whiny pathetic so called parents cant argue it at the local school district or municipal level.
1st time offence = confiscate the phone and smash it it to pieces in front of the class and ask if anyone else wants to bring their phone?? Then back charge the parents for the lost time and an inconvenience fee in the classroom.
2nd offence = Deport the parents to California and strip them of the ability to return.
I have daughter, wife, and nieces that work in all different school districts and different grade level. Same problem. The school’s policy becomes a joke because pathetic parents that think they – and their kids- can do whatever the heck they want. They disrespect rules, teachers, staff, and other students. Some how they are god’s gift to society and their opinions and actions out rank the needs and wants of everyone else. If only there was a way to ban these ignorant POS parents from having kids. Yes, there are a few bad teachers. All of us that went to school and college had a couple of them. But that does not compare to the quantity of horrid parents that need a serious mental life adjustment
Man Randy – I feel for you. My sisters and I are caring for an aging parent as well although not to that extent. Not presuming tough financial circumstances, but is there any assistance available for additional care options to come in for your dad? VA? Even if temporary it would be worth it. I don’t think I’d be telling you anything you don’t already know, but this will wear you down to a nub.
The VA is a rant for a different day. Buy a lottery ticket and your odds of help is dramatically increased. Though after a couple years of absolute BS playing their games, I finally was told he was denied assistance benefits because I am his financial POA and his primary care giver. In their eyes, conflict of interest.
Care-giver burnout???? That was 4-1/2years ago. He will never pass. I’m very sure his last mission in life is to drive me nuts. Anyone that knows me, knows 1 thing to be absolute with me. I’m a sore azz loser, so I go down in a blaze refusing to lose.
Bought every dam size, brand, color, his/hers diapers. What worthless crap. Had two daughters, raised a nephew and niece, plus a grandson. Never had diaper issues like this. He only eats a meal about every week or two. You would think there is nothing to blow through them
Few times I’ve pizzed the wife off it was a heck of a lot colder
Well – lets see if I’m still in a time out. 
Wasn’t able to post anything all afternoon.
Eelpout – I see Amazon has everything you need for those fancy jeans 
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still wondering why a 5″ lift on a daily driver on the highway. 
A bit sensitive today? I thought that I was reading something written by a different member like walleysf or some thing.
Lacking equipment? Now you are being a comedian.
There surely is a purpose for crew cabs. The paved world was not designed for a crew cab with 8′ box. Maybe your are thinking too much outside of the box to answer your own question.
And I thought that you were trying to be funny with your original post but your follow up looks like you are serious. My apologies.
Numb is more like it.
Parking lot engineers design for mid size cars like Camry, trucks aren’t even a thought. I’ve owned mostly 8’ beds ext/crew cabs so even 6’ bed at times is small. But then for me, work, farm and pleasure requires a large payload.
I’ve driven jacked up trucks most of my life out west and places where they are needed. Knowing 90% of the parts wear out prematurely, if you don’t need, why???
Anyways, as much as I look for reasons I don’t see it. Probably the kids of parents that bought AMC Pacers
12′ long material? Sounds like you picked the wrong equipment for the job. Is this the equipment’s fault? I don’t use ice rods when I am fishing open water from my boat and then complain about the fishing rod that I am using.
I guess you need it spelled out syllable by syllable.i stopped at a vendor along the way and I picked up a case of 14” cut off blades and 6 welding blankets. While I when I was there, one of my leads called and asked me to add thirty six steel studs that are 12’ which made me crack up laughing because that wasn’t happening.
Sorry you lack in equipment. I have about 25-30 ice rods that multi-purpose for open water. Couple of my 42” crappie rods are incredible trout rods. But narrow minded people don’t think outside the box.
So I still wonder what the purpose of these trucks are. I see so many lifted trucks that barely see a parking lot let alone off roads that require increased clearance. And the 4-1/2 foot bed is so limiting. I’m trying to see the uses and drawing a blank
I saw the other day about the USAID donations to sesame street and today – POOOFFFF – Gone There are people blabbing on TV that the sesame street donations are wrong. I looked through the 2023/24 financials and they are not individually listed. However the Ahlan Simsim Initiative site has this posted on their financial page:
“USAID Iraq
Sesame Workshop is partnering with USAID to produce Ahlan Simsim Iraq, a program promoting inclusion, mutual respect, and understanding across ethnic, religious, and sectarian groups. Our work includes digital outreach and local TV broadcasts to families, tools for caregivers and teachers to promote early learning, and opportunities for Iraqi youth to meaningfully engage in community dialogue.”
USAID website:
On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EST) all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs. Essential personnel expected to continue working will be informed by Agency leadership by Thursday, February 6, at 3:00pm (EST).
For USAID personnel currently posted outside the United States, the Agency, in coordination with missions and the Department of State, is currently preparing a plan, in accordance with all applicable requirements and laws, under which the Agency would arrange and pay for return travel to the United States within 30 days and provide for the termination of PSC and ISC contracts that are not determined to be essential. The Agency will consider case-by-case exceptions and return travel extensions based on personal or family hardship, mobility or safety concerns, or other reasons. For example, the Agency will consider exceptions based on the timing of dependents’ school term, personal or familial medical needs, pregnancy, and other reasons. Further guidance on how to request an exception will be forthcoming.
Thank you for your service.
Additionally and I was looking for if USAID has donated to Morgan Stanley Foundation or a few other popular sponsors of children programming, more and more USAID donations/Partnerships are coming up
Anyone the casted a vote for Trump knew very well that Elon was going to be part of the administration and what role he would play with DOGE. The campaigned on it for months.
Most people that had their mind made to vote democrat tuned him out and didn’t listen. Same goes for many of the Trump voters, many didn’t tune her in
