"In looking back on our friendship, I think about the things we have done, and the things we could have done. Always there was that joke about me being a jinx whenever we went fishing. We probably got more fun and laughs out of that than anything.
[Editors note: My dad WAS a fishing jinx.]
It was nice years and about four months ago that we last camped and fished together. I was working six days a week at Miller's and didn't have too many chances to take time off. But this was Labor Day weekend I somehow managed to get Saturday, Sunday and Monday off.
We took my tent and camped (and fished) at Payne Lake. It was lovely weather all the way. I mostly worked around the campsite, keeping busy with the trivial things that need to be done, and I was happy to do so. It was a luxury to me - not having to work at the store.
Frankie Jr. and Uncle Lloyd were messing around in a little flat bottomed boat, just drowning worms and feeding mosquitoes. Frank Jr. is not a half bad jinx himself, for Uncle Lloyd only caught one fish.
(Photo taken at Payne Lake during this trip.)
I laughed about that, but Uncle Lloyd said there was no such thing as a jinx. According to him, they'd drained the lake recently and there was not very many fish left. (But before we left that weekend, he got a better idea of what the truth was!""
That night, I grilled a big sirloin steak for us. Uncle Lloyd thought it was a most excellent piece of meat, and I had to agree with him. he boiled some little red potatoes, something Frankie Jr. and I had never had while camping, and they hit the spot with our big juicy steak.
(For years afterward, Frankie always called those type of potatoes "Unlce Lloyd potatoes.")
I think they next night we had some grilled pork chops. The flame grill did it's usual good job on them, with a little help from me. We talked about what good food we were having on this trip and what a great time we were having. We had a campfire going and the low hissing of the Coleman lantern and stove were soothing background music for us as we sat peacefully along the banks of Payne Lake.
We talked for hours it seemed, before turning in for the night. My big red and white Thermos brand wing tent provided ample room for our three cots and other supplies. Here is how our camping site looked:
Editors note: I'll continue to transcribe my dad's journal entry about Uncle Lloyd and this trip they took together. And it only gets better! Let's just say it involves something Hitler-esque, an almost blind man with a gun, and a kid who could sleep through anything!)
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