Uncle Terry's covering the old brown with the new slate gray. The railings will be painted white.

September 11, 2012 – 7:24 PM

Pentoga Road

The internet is out… again. How much patience must one have before the calls get nasty? Mine is exhausted.

I have wireless broadband and when it works, it’s GREAT. Unfortunately, the signal disappears daily, sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for hours. It’s like being in World War II London during Blitzkrieg. I’ll be working on my class and suddenly, the world of classes and internet goes eerily dark and silent.  

I’m mad. No, I’m damn mad. I have a quiz to post for my online class and am unable to do so. I guess it’s time to waltz with the internet provider. This time, I’ll lead and we’ll dance to my music. I’ve tried it their way for the past six weeks and nothing has happened. I bet it does tomorrow.

I reached a big decision today. I resigned from my job at the camp. There were several reasons.

It’s going to take a real accountant/bookkeeper to fill that position. I’m considered a semi-genius when it comes to public school budgets and stretching someone else’s dollar, but I’m not an accountant. I’m the type who has to take off his shoes and socks when the numbers tally over ten.

But it was the eyesight, or lack thereof, that caused my final decision. 3’s, 8’s, 6’s, and 5’s started looking the same after ten minutes of punching numbers. As the eyes became more and more tired over the past two weeks, so did my spirit. It takes a lot of energy and effort to look through the damn haze that insists on being in my line of vision. Sargie knew something was wrong. My spirit has been sinking like a lead balloon.

We talked long on Saturday morning. She told me she certainly didn’t expect me to work. With teary eyes, I told her I couldn’t. Between the long hours expected in the position, tired eyes, and numbers that all looked the same, we came to the decision that I would once again go into retirement.

I met with my boss and a board member today and explained that I’m retired and will have to stay that way. As I apologized, my supervisor said she was sad. I told her I was too. Nothing more was said. It is what it is and life will go on.

So, I’ll make an appearance at the area public schools in the next week and put in my application for substitute teaching. I’ll be able to keep my fingers in the mix of education and pick and choose which days I want to work. But most of all, retirement, Sargie, my sons, daughters-in-law, grandbabies, and Mom, will be my top priority. Life’s too short and sight is too precious. I’m going to use it where it counts, on those I love, my family and friends.

Where are all these flies and mice coming from? The flies must all be graduates of some sick Japanese kamikaze school of self-destruction. With cooler weather setting on, they seek every available opportunity to get in the house then dive bomb the closest inhabitant.

The mice are attempting to call the basement their newest home and I have a veritable trap line downstairs. It’s too bad mouse pelts aren’t worth something. I’d be a millionaire.

Uncle Terry worked long and hard today painting the house. He’s “cut out” (his words) the front porch and will be painting the darker slate gray on Wednesday. I came home from camp this afternoon, changed clothes, and immediately started painting above the front porch roof. After, I finished the garage and have now moved over to the opposite side of the house. Hopefully, the entire south side will be done on Wednesday with only the back left to complete. Thankfully, the new lighter gray color contrasts with the old dark blue. I can easily see where my brush has been.

Aunt Sue left this morning and called a bit ago saying she made it to Madison in good shape. She’ll be back the day after tomorrow. I’m hoping the weather stays good and after the house is finished, Uncle Terry and I can spend at least a day chasing bluegills around one of the area lakes. All painting and no fishing can make Uncle Terry never want to come back and visit again! We’ll see if we can keep that from happening.

Sargie’s closing tonight at the Vision Center. I wish she didn’t have to work such long hours. I also worry about her driving home after dark. Deer are everywhere this time of the year and what normally takes 45 minutes to drive can turn into a trip taking an hour to an hour-and-a-half.

Wednesday morning

It’s dawning breezy and warm this morning with a slight chance of rain later today as a cold front ambles through from the west. It appears as though it’ll be a great drying day assuming no moisture falls from the sky.

I slept great last night, like a rock. In fact, I slumbered to within seconds of the alarm sounding, a first in months for me. I guess I needed the sleep. For sure, I feel good  and am ready to climb a ladder and begin painting.

Sargie works “normal” hours today, from 9 to 5, and has a hair appointment after to get beautified… not that she needs it.

Speaking of beautified, I’m the one who needs it! I’ll have to hop on the little four-wheeler next week and ride into town to see my man, Barber Bob, to get shorn. I’m beginning to look like a half-bald, thinning-haired, older guy with patches of longer hair mixed with some that barely grows at all. Ah, the joys of aging.

I think it’s time to check the trap line in the basement, pour another cup of coffee, gab a bit with Sargie before she goes to work, then don a paint brush and get busy. This house ain’t gonna paint itself!

And so goes the tale from the little house on Pentoga Road…

Look at the picture directly above this one. Something is remarkably similar in both...