Andy and Mollie.
Mollie must be from the deep south. Way up "North," she was wearing a heavy coat, heavy boots, and... shorts. Taken on the Brule River bridge.

September 29, 2013 – Sunday

41 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

I don’t know what happened with the wood stove this morning. I started the fire in the usual manner, barely cracked the door for ventilation, and walked into the other part of the house to make coffee and do my usual early morning chores. When I returned ten minutes later, the room was filled with smoke. Had I not recently cleaned the flue, I would have thought it was clogged. I opened the door to the outside and some windows, once again rekindled the fire, and all is well. I think it has more to do with the atmospheric conditions on the outside rather than my fire making abilities on the inside. Occasionally it happens. Who knows why.

Andy and Mollie pulled in shortly after noon on Saturday after driving a twenty-four hour marathon from southern Louisiana. Oh to be young again. Once both stretched and removed the kinks from their tired joints, each seemed no worse for the wear.

I spent the morning hours washing windows… or trying. The inside/outside insecticide spray used on Friday had splashed onto the glass leaving run marks. Sargie had washed them all last spring and it was time for a pre-winter wipe down. The windows look good to me, but somehow, I think Sargie might find a spot or two I missed.

We spent the afternoon walking around the property, talking, and enjoying each other’s company. Mollie brought several jars of her pickled peppers that she’d canned earlier this summer. I pried one open and was halfway through the jar when I thought I’d better leave some for Sargie. Mollie did a wonderful job of first growing the peppers and later, pickling.

We took a four-wheeler ride to the river. It was a perfect day to simply be outside. Much of the afternoon was also spent sitting on the back deck.

I talked with Sargie during the day. Her walkathon went well and the weather was perfect. She met with the boys later, went to mass with her sisters, out to eat supper after, and the last I spoke with her, they were back at the hotel. The Milligan sisters will face their vehicle south this morning and I look for Sargie to be back home early this afternoon. She’s anxious to see Andy and Mollie.

I fixed frozen pizzas last night for supper, adding fistfuls of mushrooms, black olives, shrimp, and grated cheese. No one went hungry on Pentoga Road.

Andy crashed on the couch around 7 PM. With a full belly and shower, he lay down and was out shortly after. Mollie made it a bit longer, but by 8, both were heading up the stairs.

Brutus and I followed soon after, choosing to watch tv upstairs and read… well, I read. Lying on the floor beside the bed, Brutus burped and tooted himself to sleep.

I’m not sure what today will bring. I’m sure we’ll watch part of the Bears/Lions game, scouting for next week’s contest when the Lions visit the Packers. No doubt, the Pack will need Andy’s and my coaching, along with that from the other 80,000 spectators at Lambeau Field.

Meanwhile, I’m going to pour another cup of coffee and grade a few papers before all the action starts. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…