October 17, 2013 – Thursday

52 degrees/cloudy/calm

North Waterboro, Maine

Hard to believe I’m beginning my final day here at Luke’s and Melinda’s. I’ve had so much fun and been so busy being lazy that it seems I just arrived.

Wednesday was spent first checking traps for Luke’s animal damage control business. 

He was successful in catching a small muskrat in his beaver live traps. 

The muskrat wasn’t happy at having to spend the night inside a wire cage and it didn’t take him long to skedaddle back into the water once he was released.

We next headed to Cabelas in Scarborough, Maine. I was in search of birthday presents for the grandbabies and found a duck hunting video game for Coleman and a really nice fleece for Abigail. I also purchased a new pair of fleece-lined high top leather slippers for myself. Found in the Bargain Cave, I saved over $40 from the original selling price. The last pair of Cabelas footwear I purchased lasted ten years. Hopefully these will do the same.

Abigail in her pretty, new, fleece.

A stop was made at a dollar store for birthday decorations, one at Target, and another at the local Chinese buffet for a quick lunch. Needless to say, Luke and Grandpa were shopped out by the time we arrived back home.

Luke made the turtle brownie birthday cake. I spent the time before the grandbabies arrived home decorating the kitchen.

We walked to the bus stop and waited for the babies. I was so excited to hear them scream when they walked into the kitchen and found it decorated. I wasn’t disappointed.

Coleman was Candle Boy. He was doing some higher level math trying to add everyone's birthday's. He finally gave up (and ran out) at 80 candles.

Last night’s party was so much fun and exactly what I hoped it would be. Luke made tacos, then we had ice cream and brownies for dessert, and finally, Abigail and Coleman opened their presents. Perfect.

Lighting candles to celebrate everyone's birthday was light witnessing a forest fire. Since we celebrated everyone's birthday throughout the year, we sang, "Happy Birthday to Us!"

The rest of the evening was spent waging duck hunting wars on the big screen television. Luke is ahead of the rest of the family with 133 ducks shot in one session. Grandpa has been a spectator so far, but I might have to pick up the gun, get my nose right on the screen, and show the children how it’s done. Old hunters never go away, they just smell that way.

Papers continue to roll in and the first of three large final projects are beginning to show up in my inbox now. I’ll not want for anything to work on today.

But then, I’m not surprised. As you’ve no doubt know, a man’s work is never done.

I think the kids look pretty in their new tiaras.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…