Live Chicago: Ice Fishing in Wisconsin

Fireside Lake near Lake Wissota, Chippewa, WI and Potato Lake:

This weekend I was invited by my coworker the machinist to join his family and friends up in Wisconsin at their cabin for ice fishing! It was a lot of fun. I had the futon by the wood burning oven which was the warmest place in the cabin. As I spent time with their family and friends I heard lots of stories about the 50s, 60s, and 70s in Chicago. These folks have been friends growing up in Berwyn in Illinois when the Mafia was around. Now, these people are in their 60s and still hanging out doing things they love and reminiscing about the past like it was yesterday. I was very grateful I got to hear what life was like back then because honestly, I think being alive during their time would have been the most interesting century you could spend on this earth. It was when industrialization was under way through today's computerized, technological age.

Spending time seeing how these couples interact, and how friendship can last for a lifetime, made me think more about the things I want to have in my own life. Friendships that last a lifetime, and to love someone despite knowing their flaws and shortcomings. Even though it can be frustrating, they always manage to communicate, forgive, apologize, and want to talk to each other. Their marriages have ups and downs everyday, and it seems that 80% of the time it is great, while 20% of the time it is drive each other crazy or up a wall. I am very grateful that they were very welcoming, and I hope I get a chance to hang out with them again. I had a lot of conversations I don't think I could have at work with the machinist about work, and I got to ask the older folks about marriage and love and friendship. It was very insightful.