Lake Thirty One of 10,000

When your state has 10,000 lakes, I supposed you can run short on names, so this is Lake Thirty One in Minnesota. It's connected to Lake Thirty by a short stream that is oft dammed by beavers.


Here's Loon Lodge with its new rock stairway where the Sabins, Kannases, and Thompsons gathered for a week of fun and a chance for grandma and grandpa Thompson to have fun with 4 more grandkids before their mission...


hosted by Randy's parents Ron and Robyn.


Of course, grandpa Roger had to swim across the lake.


If was warm, but if you stopped to tread water, the sunfish would nibble on you. At least they weren't piranhas.


What do you do in a paradise like this? Take pictures, of course...


also, hold babies...


row boats...


catch fish (Maddie was the champ hauling in 21 including this bass that she had to throw back since the bass season didn't open until the following Saturday)...


canoe to beaver lodges...


learn how to sew book bags...


and of course eat lots of good food...


and eat ice cream.


After a day of fun, you search out the genuine Finnish sauna...


to steam away your cares. The routine works best...


if you jump in the lake between sweatings. (Grandma did get up to her ankles in the water. Grandpa did the whole thing, several times.)


With your skin still glowing, you pause for pictures, first the Sabins...


then the Kannases...


and of course grandma doing her James Bonding.