Coming into Boston on Thursday morning

October 11, 2013 – Friday

45 degrees/partly cloudy/calm

Stratham, New Hampshire

OMG! I’ve been reading an electronic book, supposedly fiction, about an apocalyptic event that begins with the cessation of the internet and ends with the collapse of society. Big deal, you say?

The electricity just went off here at Matt and Jessica’s. Their house, normally buzzing with the background hum of household appliances, is suddenly quiet. Maybe the book isn’t so fictional after all. Could we be entering… The Twilight Zone?

I arrived in Boston Thursday morning exactly on time. Matt was soon along to pick me up curbside and we were on our way to New Hampshire and then, onto the golf course.

It was good to see my son. We laughed and talked the entire way, catching up on news and picking up where we left off over a year ago. Though we talk on a mostly-weekly basis, face-to-face time is rare.

The game of golf… As usual, Matt handed me my head on a platter. I had been anticipating playing so much and was so excited that I completely duffed the first four holes. Once I calmed down, I began swinging a bit better and actually met my goal by legitimately getting a par on one hole. I also managed to bogey a couple more. And the others? We won’t talk about those.

Matt makes golfing a lot of fun. Once I hit the ball, I need only turn around and read his face to see how good my swing was. He’s wonderful about pointing out where my ball is and doesn’t seem to mind that once we get on the green, he straddles the hole so I can aim between his shoes.

We came upon a foursome of old men. They were ancient, at least in their sixties,  and asked if we wanted to play through.

I don’t do well when others are watching and was afraid I’d completely make a fool out of myself on the drive.

But first, Matt stepped up and drove his ball hundreds of yards out onto the middle of the fairway. You could almost hear the oldsters nodding in complete adoration.

It was my turn. I concentrated, relaxed, and swung. Connecting with the ball felt good. I turned to look at Matt. My ball ended up within yards of his halfway to the next green. We winked at each other, thanked the guys, and drove out onto the fairway.

Time for the second shot. I looked back and saw the same foursome still observing. Matt swung ala PGA style and put his ball up to the edge of the green. Another awesome shot.  I gulped, stepped up to the ball, concentrated, and swung. As if on cue, my ball took the same path as Matt’s. In the end, we laughed. The four senior golfers behind us had to think Matt and I were visiting pros. We even impressed ourselves.

After seeing this picture, I look like I ought to be playing with the group of old men that allowed us to play through.

So what happened after we played ahead and were out of sight? We went back to our old ways of hooking and slicing, plowing up the ground and tromping the woods looking for lost balls. But what’s important is that for awhile on Thursday afternoon, we were good. No, we were darn good.

After a quick burger and trip back to the golf course to retrieve my forgotten cell phone and keys from our rental cart, we stopped by Matt’s office complex where I received the big tour. The floor is from the old Detroit Piston's practice facility and sporting paraphernalia memorabilia is everywhere. Since the firm deals in material for athletic equipment and shoes, it’s only fitting. I was impressed.

Larry Bird paraphenalia - mounted and autographed

Last night was spent talking and getting caught up with the news from my daughter-in-law, Jessica. Due with their first baby at any time, Jess is still teaching, feeling great, and simply glows. Both the kids are ready for their daughter and must be wondering when the stork will arrive.

I slept like a rock last night and had nature not called this morning, I’d still be in bed.  Matt had meetings this morning and Jessica left to teach in her second grade classroom.

I talked with Sargie. She’s doing well and is lucky enough to have this weekend off. Naturally, when I’m gone, she gets a rare two consecutive day vacation. At least there should be ample time for her to get caught up on some rest after having only one day off the past two weeks.

So Hattie and I are simply hanging loose here this morning. A Wheaton Terrier, she’s a bundle of energy, extremely well behaved, and VERY lady-like. After hanging around Brutus, Hattie seems extremely delicate and feminine.

I’m supposed to give a talk to all the second graders in Jessica’s school this afternoon about Alaska. The Power Point/slide show is ready to be projected onto a big screen and I’m filled with the answers to about any question a seven-year old can think of… and I’m sure there’ll be plenty.

The electricity is still off, so I can’t get this uploaded. I think I’ll go continue reading the apocalyptic novel on the Kindle Fire. Hopefully it is fictional. If not, I’d better start chopping up furniture for fuel to keep warm and think about shooting a neighborhood squirrel or two for food. Knowing my luck, just when I thought I was on vacation, I’ll be pressed back into having to put the food on the table. I’m not surprised.

After all, everyone knows a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

October 12, 2013 – Saturday

56 degrees/cloudy/breezy

Stratham, New Hampshire

With the electricity going out before yesterday’s entry could be uploaded, I thought I’d stick today’s below. Kill two logs with one writing.

There wasn’t a lot to be done Friday morning. The normal buzzing, ticking, and whining usually taken for granted and ignored as background noise suddenly came to a stop. Unfortunately, so did the internet and the grading of papers. I sucked one last slurp of cold coffee from the bottom of my cup, grabbed the Kindle Fire, and lay on the couch. Hattie the Dog soon joined me and laid her head on my chest. It was warm and comfortable, making reading seem like such an effort.

Initially, I thought the nap lasted only an hour or two, but in the end, Hattie the Dog and I slumbered for almost three. I awakened with both arms around her, much like a child would hug a Teddy bear. She seemed happy in her roll as a living, breathing, stuffed animal and I haven’t felt that rested and relaxed in years.

Matt was home around noontime and after a quick stop at Subway for a quick sandwich, we were on our way to Jessica’s school.

Jessica in her classroom

I have to admit, it’s been a year or fifteen, since I’ve been around second graders for any length of time. The forty-five or so I addressed were all very well behaved, full of questions, and wonderfully behaved.

I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed the classroom until yesterday’s presentation. To see their faces, answer their questions, watch them laugh, and even to give “the look” when it gets a bit too loud; I’m going to call the school districts when I get back home and tell them I’m ready to sub. It’s time to occasionally walk the aisles in the classrooms of public education once again… at least give it a try. As much as I hate to say it, I miss the munchkins.

It was 3 PM. Matt suggested we might have time to play a few holes of golf. No need to mention it twice. In the end, we paid deeply discounted green fees and still managed to play sixteen holes before twilight ended our competition.

I kept up with my little guy for the first five holes, playing stroke for stroke, and again, met my goal by playing even on a par five hole. After that, it all began to fall apart as age, eyes, and being out of “golf shape” took its toll. I ended the first nine holes with a score of 51. For only my third outing in the past year, I’ll take it.

The kids ordered pizza last night and we ate heartily. After, we looked at pictures, gabbed and laughed. Golly, I have great sons and families.

The evening concluded by watching the movie, Ted. About a talking Teddy bear, off color language not withstanding, it’s one of the better flicks I’ve seen in a long time. I surely laughed and I love happy endings. We got to watch Meet the Millers last week, Ted last night… I’m getting to be a walking/talking Siskel and Ebert.

I think today will be a lazy one in the younger Pennington household. Jess is due this coming week and as we talked last night, life as they now know it is about to become permanently changed… forever. Matt absolutely adores and worships his wife. I’ve never seen a more tender and loving husband. It makes me proud and causes me to reflect back when I was at his stage of life. I wish I’d have had as much maturity. The young Pennington girl who is about to be born is going to have a terrific mommy and daddy. This branch of the Pennington’s is about to become a threesome.

A blanket for the baby Sargie and I got for Matt and Jessica

And so life goes on… and with it comes the responsibility of reading and grading this week’s assignments. But I’m not surprised. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…