A Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

LOCAL Juneau Empire

May 25, 2007

Elmer Lindstrom, 93, left, and Ron Leithead spend a little time fishing Sunday at Twin Lakes. Lindstrom said he has lived in Juneau all his life.


A great Memorial Day Weekend. And as you can see, the Old Coot enjoyed it too. He and Ron have gone fishing at Twin Lakes several times this year and have limited-out each time (15 apiece). They have stocked the lakes with King Salmon - they're all pan size and the elders say they are delicious. The beach is about 20 steps from the car and with a chair and a fishing pole he is as happy as a clam at high tide. It appears he is wearing his slippers. And it looks like he has a fish-on.


My landlord has also given me fresh King on several occasions this Spring so the Elders are getting their quota of Omega 3 fatty acids. Dad would eat salmon every day of the week...unlike his son who thinks twice a year is just about right.

I've spent a lot of time fishing with him over the years and the thing that always amazed me is that he gets just as excited with a pan sized trout on the line as he does with a 30 pound King or a 100 pound halibut.

I, too, had a great weekend. The weather has been perfect - clear and a high in the low 70's. All the chores I had planned got done.

• The Saturday thatching bee was a success;


• More vegetation has been planted at my aunt's;


• Auntie's grass has been fertilized;


• The Elder's roof has been swept and the gutters cleaned; and


• Potted plants are sitting on all my dead relatives' graves.

In addition, I actually had some fun. I finally got to get the bike out and have been riding daily. I can bike from my place, to the glacier, then backtrack and take the loop road past the Mendenhall River, ride down the bike trail to Brotherhood Bridge, and back to my digs in just about an hour. It's a good workout and very enjoyable.

Yesterday, I hiked out to the Boy Scout Camp and spent a couple of hours roaming the beach and wetlands. Lots of geese but not much else in the way of wildlife. There were a ton of folks enjoying family picnics on the beach - most came in by skiff. I've posted a couple of pics at right.

Saturday night Alison cooked a particularly delicious supper and Eric and I were invited. Beef shortribs braised in Zinfandel and chicken stock. Risotto with peas and sauteed zuchini, summer squash, and other veggies. Very yummy. And we drank some wine.

Well, time to get dressed and head over to the Elders for coffee. This weeks activities include power washing the trailer and hauling some gravel. I may get today off, however, as the Switzer Village Maintenance Monkeys are supposed to be onsite to repair the fence that they demolished when they were attempting to repair the sewer line last Fall. Perhaps I'll take a bike ride out to Lena Beach...

More later...