January 9, 2013 – Wednesday

31 degrees/clear/breezy

Pentoga Road

The January thaw continues. Temperatures on Tuesday reached the upper thirties with three more days of the same forecast. Unfortunately, the wind that often accompanies the spring-like weather is robust. Gusts to 30 mph are forecast for today.

Yesterday was dentist/moneyman day. I spent over an hour-and-a-half reclined while Itsy, the hygienist, cleaned my choppers, and Dr. Bob and his daughter/assistant, Amanda, crowned a molar and completed a thorough check of the remaining choppers. (I might pause long enough to say that Itsy received her name from the Mighty Milligan Family years ago... and it stuck. It's short for the more formal moniker of Itsy Bitsy. Needless to say, the pint-sized hygienist isn't very big.) In the end, the pearly whites and gums that hold them in place were pronounced healthy. I do have several teeth that have worn and need a white outer covering applied to keep the inner tooth healthy. Dr. Bob said there’s nothing to it and he can patch all the places in well under an hour.

I felt especially good when Itsy said, “Most people your age don’t have all their own teeth,” and Dr. Bob later quipped, “Your teeth are really in good shape. The worn spots are from years of use.”

Hopefully, I’ll make it another year or two before being forced out on the ice as a meal for marauding polar bears.

The next visit was to see Mark the Money Man. We spent an hour discussing investment strategies, accounts, and how best to make what few dollars I have stretch into something that will last for the years to come.

I walked the mile and a half to Walmart to tell Sargie goodbye and retrieve the Blazer. The sun was warm and the walk pleasant. The only problem encountered was when the sidewalk ended at the edge of town. The last quarter mile was spent either walking alongside the extremely busy highway or wading in ankle deep snow that was as much water and slush as frozen flakes.

While in the big city, I stopped at Home Depot to purchase half a dozen economy 2x4’s. As I told someone, the common sticks of wood are much like change in one’s pocket. One doesn’t realize their value until he's in the middle of building or fixing something simple and is forced to drive all the way into town when he discovers there are none. I usually have a few 2x4s and 1x6’s on hand. You just never know.

The clock was showing 1 PM when I arrived home. Hurriedly changing into ice fishing clothes, I hopped on the four-wheeler already holding the Clam and equipment and buzzed the mile down the road and continued out onto the lake. The new rack worked great. Unfortunately, fishing wasn’t all that good. In the end, I caught three bluegills; one jumbo and two of average size. I also brought four bass through the hole, all of which were returned.

I was home by dark and the fish were quickly cleaned. I made a carrot cake that we enjoyed as a late evening snack. Just what everyone needs before going to bed… a big ol’ piece of cake.

Sargie arrived home late and it was soon bedtime. Tuesday had been a busy day.

I’m not sure what lies ahead on this Wednesday. Sargie works all day and will join her father at the VA for supper after. It will be another long day for her.

The winds are already blowing making ice fishing less than pleasurable. There are plenty of chores to do around the house, both inside and out. The woodpile could stand to be replenished and there’re the benches in the garage that need to be cleaned. So much to do, so little of me.

A man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…