Fireside Lodge Employee's Spring Anticipation

Fireside Lodge Insider - Friday, 18 April, 2008.

At last, spring is here! That means there are only a few weeks left until the fishing season begins. I can’t wait until it does. It has been a long winter and the warm weather is certainly welcome.

After speaking with Alan this morning I learned that there is still a fair amount of snow and ice at Fireside Lodge. I live in Southern Ontario in the off-season, and the past week has seen temperatures over 20℃. The last of the snow here melted about a week ago, and to be honest it feels more like summer than spring.

I must admit I am getting really excited about going back to Fireside. While many things remain the same around the lodge, each season brings its own set of new experiences for me. The first one will be meeting the new staff. I look forward to that every year.

I am also looking forward to getting my hands dirty, so to speak. After a long winter it is always nice to get back outside and do some physical labour. I have always enjoyed working outside. My first jobs as a kid were on local produce farms. I believe they served me well, as it was there that I developed not only a strong work ethic, but also a love for the outdoors and an appreciation for challenging and demanding work. The lodge building, cabins, and grounds require a lot of maintenance, and I am interested to see what needs to be done this spring.

I have learned many things from Alan and Audrey during the three seasons I have been with them at Fireside Lodge. I enjoy learning how things work, and applying that knowledge with the goal of keeping the whole operation running smoothly. That process is quickly becoming what I enjoy most about Fireside. Sure I can go out fishing for few hours here and there, which I still love to do, but I enjoy equally the challenge of life in and around the camp. It takes perseverance and determination to keep everything in good working order. The reward comes when we see guests enjoying themselves, and enjoying the things that we provide for them.

I will arrive at camp two weeks before we open and get to work right away. There are many things that need to get accomplished before we are ready for guests. Here is a brief version of my ‘to-do’ list:
- reassemble and repair the docks
- launch all the boats
- mount the new motors on all the boats
- clean the boats and make sure they are ready to go for when guests arrive
- clean up the grounds
- open the portage lakes (clear tree falls, turn the boats over, carry the motors in)
- stain the cabin decks, and likely the cabins themselves
- reopen the water lines
- train the new staff members
- and maybe, just maybe, make a few casts for some early season Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass!

I can hardly wait to get back up north for what I know will be yet another fun season at Fireside!

See you soon,

Tom Bradstreet