Al and Gin

Al and Gin.

They just got this snazzy new Bennington pontoon.

Enjoying the ride.

Al's a charter member of the Arizona Mafia, as am I.  As mafias go, ours is quite small, 4 members total, including Tom and Gene.  The organization is only a few years old, although the members have known each other for 50 years.  We are fraternity brothers, graduates of Minnesota State University at Moorhead, seasonal AZ residents, poker players, beer drinkers and, last but not least, consummate bullshitters.  We've not ventured into the nefarious activities - prostitution, racketeering, bootlegging and so on - embraced by some mafias and we're not going to.  That would be too much like work.  The hell with it.  We're retired!

Above and below, Al and Gin's beautiful home.

They live on a big lake close to Duluth.

Gin's a collector extraordinaire.  She's an antiques expert, has extensive collections of oak furniture, classic enamelware and other assorted goodies.  Al enjoys buying and selling stuff.  They're both kinda wheeler-dealer-accumulator types.  Their in-depth inventory of some things is amazing; how about 21 tape measures?  I'll bet they have another dozen or more in their winter home near Tucson.

They recently celebrated their 40th anniversary - the event Al used as an excuse to sell their old pontoon and buy the new one.  Gin adopts an air of tolerance and indulgence for Al's whims, but secretly, I think she's very pleased with the new toy.

Trish and I spent one night at their place, the northernmost point of our summer travels.  A and G are fun, giving folks, can't do enough for you.  They served up a humdinger walleye dinner and a delicious breakfast of Danish pancakes, fruit and sausage.  Next time, we'll have to stay longer, see what other culinary delights they come up with.