Totally fresh back from a three-day houseboat family vacation on Lake Vermillion.

I love that part of the world, but the houseboat threw a different wrinkle into things. We tied off the first night on site No. 8 and the west wind was blowing right down the pipe.

Just before dark, I had to go out, untie and move the boat so it wouldn't get wrecked - and so we could possibly get a little sleep.

We fished from the houseboat for a while the first night and caught two bass (camp meat). We moved the next day, and the wind was still rocking, but we made it to the next site (No. 25) farther north. The sun cracked out from beneath the clouds just as we approached our tie-off spot.

This turned out to be a beautiful little spot that had a sandy beach and was loaded with crayfish for the kids to catch. Not many fish to be had, though.

This wasn't meant to be strictly a fishing vacation, and as it turned out, we caught five fish (two bass, two nice walleyes and one big northern) and 20-plus crayfish.

Most of our family isn't the roughing-it type, so we definitely learned a whole lot on this little adventure up north. Sorry, Alex, that it didn't turn out to be the happiest of birthdays, but you will realize, as life moves on, that everything isn't always peachy. How do you know unless you go?

Would I go again? Yes, I would, but it won't be with the exact same crew. Shelley gets to pick the next trip.

Right now, I feel like turning in, but I better unpack and get ready for tomorrow's trip.

Locally, the fishing has been just OK.