Sargie's son, Shea, Nikki, Kylie, and Logan

April 10, 2013 – Wednesday

27 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

Yesterday’s trip to the rain forest, I mean Green Bay, was a good one. I’ve not seen it rain so hard since I left Sitka. Initially, we ran into thick fog about fifty miles south of here then we hit rain, buckets and sheets of rain. It poured until mid-afternoon, about the time we were ready to come home, then quit and became sunny.

There were stops made at Sam’s Club and the mall. It seems that other than basic supplies, we always find stuff on sale that is simply too valuable to leave behind. I discovered a 100% polyester Packers athletic shirt for $14 that, no doubt will double my hiking speed. Sargie found some $6 pants. The clearance tables were full, the treasures many. In the end, we probably spent more than we should have for things we really didn’t need, but had fun doing it.

Only in Green Bay could one enter a Sam's Club and immediately watch an old Packer's game on big screen TV.

We almost came home with a puppy dog on Tuesday. While Sargie was shopping elsewhere, I made my way into Petsmart. The Bay Area Humane Society has an adoption center located at the rear of the store and it was there I found a year-and-a-half old, small, spayed, black lab/rottweller, female. She was a sweetheart; young enough to have plenty of spark, old enough to know that it’s best directed when out of doors. Had it not been pouring rain combined with a car full of groceries and treasures, she might have made the trip north with us.

I’m not fully convinced we should get a dog, yet, one would be a great deal of company during the days while Sargie’s at work. Talking to a bird gets old and besides, it must be mating season because I notice Jimmy’s attentions are suddenly elsewhere. I’m being ignored and replaced.

This gal-pooch is a honey and has very intelligent eyes, a great personality, is big enough to be a threat as a watch dog, small enough she wouldn’t knock the lamps off the end tables… I don’t know. I enjoy working with dogs and would never have one that wasn’t well behaved and trained. This pup is definitely trainable.

A canine companion would be nice when I’m in the woods; an aide to get me walking in the right direction should I become turned around. I notice that on occasion, those trees are beginning to look the same. A simple “home” command would activate a four-legged GPS walking to the house. Having a well-behaved, well trained, dog requires a lot of effort. Is it something in which I’m willing to invest so much time? We’ll see.

The last stop in Green Bay was made at Harbor Freight where I purchased an inexpensive drill, an extra battery, and other treasures too numerous to mention. My last Harbor Freight drill was purchased years ago when I built the cabin in the arctic. I kept the batteries charged by solar power and built the entire structure using an inexpensive tool set that cost less than a hundred dollars. The five-inch circular saw and reciprocating saw are still used and the original two batteries continue to hold their charge and work well. Unfortunately, the gears in the drill finally wore out last week. If the new one works as well, when it finally quits, I should be of the age that I’ll let someone else drill any needed holes.

We stopped to see Shea and Nikki and their two children in Oconto, Wisconsin, on the way home. Logan, age eight, talked hunting, fishing, and archery, for well over an hour. The boy is proud of his hunting attire, camouflage from head to toe, and modeled it for me. I told him maybe he could come up and stay a day or two this summer with us. He seems like a boy who might gladly stack some wood or pull a weed or two in exchange for an afternoon kayak or fishing trip.

Kylie is a year or two younger than her older brother. A little baby doll, she told Grandma Sargie about her upcoming dance recital and invited us to attend on Mother’s Day. Kylie’s first T ball game, to which we were also invited, is just around the corner. Somehow, I can see a trip or two to Oconto in our near future.

We hugged everyone goodbye and made our way north. By the time we got everything put away and watched a bit of television, it was time for bed.

Sargie and Shea

Sargie closes tonight so it will be a late day for her. I’ve got papers to grade and sap to boil down. We stopped along the road last night and I checked a few bags. It doesn’t appear too much sap ran yesterday. The forecast is for cold and windier conditions for the next ten days. I’m tempted to pull the taps and call it a year. We’ve canned several gallons with two or three more from the sap in the barrels and boiler. That’s enough for family and friends, Sargie and me.

Time to throw another log on the fire, pour of fresh cup of coffee, and listen to the news. A man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…