Everyone seems to think I will have an answer to all the pressing questions of the day. Not necessarily the right answer, mind you, but one that will serve.
Dean Branson wants to know about the burning boat on Torch Lake. All I know is that a small boat caught fire, no one was hurt, and it took all afternoon to put the fire out. I’d like to know more about this myself, but there’s only so much investigating one person can do in a day and still keep dogs. One of the customers at Sonny’s showed me a photo of the burning boat on his cellphone. Naturally I asked him to email it to Torch Lake Views. He said he’d be happy to do that, but he didn’t know how. I didn’t know how his phone worked either. I gave him my email and he said he’d get his son to tend to it. By this you know that we are both older than dirt. If his son ever figures out the phone and if he hasn’t lost my email I’ll show you the picture.
Don Booh sent an email via the Torch Lake Views Contact feature. What are the bugs hatching along the shore line of Torch Lake? We’re 2 miles north of Alden on the east side and have been inundated the past three days. Don, I’m going to guess that these are the pesky midges. That’s not their real name of course, it’s just what we call them over here along the east shore of Grand Traverse Bay. OK, it’s what we call them when we’re in polite company. There are a whole lot of pictures of those on Blasted bugs at the TBNP. You can look at those to see if they’re what you’ve got. They arrived earlier this year (see the 2010 post on the pesky midges), so you might have something else. Fish flies. Locusts. Who knows? If you know how to send me pictures of the pests with your cellphone, I will post them and someone will tell us what they are. In any case, they will almost certainly go away within the week. Something else will eat them.
Chris called me to tell me that the Sheriffs Departments were having an exercise down at the Day Park. This is the sort of tip I live for, as I can generally trot over there and take pictures and investigate. What with one thing and another I couldn’t get down there in time. So no photos or story from this time. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest it’s pretty much the same deal as described in an old post, Post Pantry: Michael and Me, Diving for Guns in Torch Lake and Staying out of Jail.
Now, just to take your mind off the dreadful events of the week, here is a nice peaceful picture from the Day Park. The swim buoys are in place, the boat ramp repairs have been ordered, and the weather is fine. Enjoy.
Torch Lake Views 
P.j. grath
June 4, 2010
When did you take that picture, Gerry? We had sunshine early in the morning, but it didn’t last. Maybe rain will drown those pesky midges?
Gerry
June 4, 2010
I took the photo at the Day Park yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. It was a lovely day. Today has been the sort of rainy day that inspires a person to go over to the Township Hall and do some work on the billing. Maybe the rain will drown the midges. Or whatever they are. We can but hope.
Scott Thomas Photography
June 4, 2010
Brrrr…be a bit cold for a swim these days. Remember how I tell everyone to read their camera manuals? Same goes for cell phones. 🙂
Reading your news posts I feel like you are the electronic equivalent of a colonial town crier.
Gerry
June 4, 2010
It was very warm for awhile, and people–OK, kidsize people–were swimming in Torch earlier this week. Today, no. But things are definitely looking Summer.
I have read my phone manual, Smarty. Fat lot of good it does me, as cellphone reception here is about as bad as internet service. In any case, my model is strictly utilitarian and does not even take photos, let alone email them. I have not, of course, read The Customer’s manual, and it appears he hasn’t either. Thus our dilemma.
Reading my internet and phone grousing you will probably take to calling my me the Town Sobber. I’m going to dinner with Cora Stoppert et al. We are going to have excellent fish and other good things. I will get over all my frustrations and come home a happy woman.
La Mirada Bob
June 5, 2010
Gerry, I think you had best turn on your grammar checker. I don’t know what it is that you want us to call the Town Sobber. Enjoy the fish, my dear, and please let us know which variety you prefer.
Gerry
June 5, 2010
Sigh. The trouble with blogging is that I need an editor to keep me from making an idiot of myself. Well, an editor is probably not enough, but it would be a start.
The fish was good and the company even better and I had a lovely evening. I like whatever fish is freshest and most simply prepared, and when that turns out to be walleye I am in heaven. I am still looking for a muskie recipe.
Cindy Lou
June 6, 2010
Do you have a “Town Crier” outfit that you could wear? That would be fun to see!! It’s my opinion that kids have no internal thermostat to tell them that the water is COLD! 🙂
Gerry
June 6, 2010
If my mother were alive and reading this–and if she were, she’d definitely be reading this!–she’d open up her trusty sewing machine and whip up a Town Crier costume for me. It would be very imaginative. You should see the dragon costume she made for Rob the Firefighter. I swear the affinity for sewing skips a generation. The best I could do would be to get Louan to design a T-shirt for me.
La Mirada Bob
June 7, 2010
Watch your mail over the next few days. At the church book sale today I found the book “Walleye” by Dick Sternberg, copyright 1986, published in Minetonka, MN. This should result in some more fish dinners and stories.
Gerry
June 7, 2010
This is astonishing! I will look forward to its arrival with baited hook.
Chelsea
June 12, 2010
What my Dad told me was that they didn’t turn the blower on before they started the engine. Sounds about right!
Gerry
June 13, 2010
Astonishing.