A PREVIEW OF SOME STORIES FROM THE LAKE THOMPSON BOOK PROJECT....

I decided that it might be a good idea to entice those of you who hadn't sent in your memories, stories, or pictures of your time on Lake Thompson to do so. Frosty sent me a few pieces that he's already received so we could give you a preview. Enjoy and try to get him any info you have by the Annual Dinner Meeting on June 19th. The following piece is from Jim and Sue Auchter. I'll be adding more, so stay tuned.

4245 CIRCLE DRIVE

Having had our cottage on Lake Thompson for just 13 summers, our family is a relative newcomer. We purchased our vacation cottage from the estate of Raeburn Reardon, daughter of a Rhinelander druggist. It didn’t appear a gem from the outside, but the interior with its hardwood floors, ceramic baths, large fireplace and many built-ins charmed us. Upon clearing the knee-high grass, piles of wood and general clean-up, we even discovered cement stairs to the Lake!
With our four sons, we have always loved the “Up North” experience as we vacationed often in Vilas County. Now they enjoy Lake Thompson with their families. The announcement of our 1st grandchild was made by our oldest son John on a boat ride. We now have 7 grandchildren and they in turn have taken to Lake Thompson, learning to water ski, paddle a canoe, row a boat, skate on the ice, pick berries, hook worms, and of course fish. Our youngest son Mike caught his first legal musky on the lake; he was also the first from our family to catch a walleye on Lake Thompson that first year.
The islands have provided places for our family to picnic and fish the rocks. Our fire pit is the evening gathering place after long days of fun in the sun. Having split the wood from over a dozen mature trees, our sons love to see the fruit of those labors go up in smoke while roasting marshmallows for s’mores or roasting corn.
All our adult sons, John, Marty, Steve, Mike, and their families, contribute to making our lives on Lake Thompson so enjoyable. They bring their boats, their skills, their fabulous cooking, their improvements to the property, and most of all themselves. The holidays may find as many as 16 of us sleeping overnight. There’s lots of room! We love eating as many meals as possible outdoors—on the dock, on lawn chairs, and our 50+ year old picnic table.
Wildlife has been plentiful on our small property, from wayward owl babies, a lost porcupine, a scavenging mama bear and her babies to almost daily deer sightings.
We enjoy grouse hunting in the fall, watching the beautiful changing of colors, experiencing the Northern Lights, and even “closing up,” though we are a year-round home. The saying “If winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” keeps us looking forward to the next season.
JIM and SUE AUCHTERApril, 2009