They're back. After a summer in the deep woods, on Tuesday, my buddies, the chickadees, suddenly appeared on my shoulders, head, and arms. It didn't take me long to find some sunflower seeds and suddenly, it was like old times.

October 30, 2013 – Wednesday

33 degrees/cloudy/rain/calm

Pentoga Road

I was sitting in my recliner Tuesday afternoon when the doorbell rang. Peering through the stained glass window in the door, I saw two ladies, proper and business-like. I assumed they were Jehovah Witnesses and prepared to move them along.

It turns out both were financial advisors selling their services door to door. I was less than enthused about having to crawl from underneath my blankie and interrupt a perfectly good nap anyway, when one said, “You’re retired, aren’t you? That’s why we make house calls. We specialize working with senior citizens and realize many of YOU have difficulties leaving your home.”

I’ll skip what happened next, but I can say the mere sight of Brutus peeking around the my legs probably helped to shorten their sales pitch.

Most of Tuesday was spent working up a large pile of white birch from a tree that Andy and I had cut down while they were here earlier this month. I finished about half and hope to complete the rest later when the weather turns better. I’m learning in retirement that what doesn’t get done today will still be there tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that.

I moved the patio furniture and neatly stacked it under some heavy spruce trees in back of the barn. Sargie and I are going to Green Bay on Friday so she can Christmas shop and while in town, I’ll purchase a large tarp to wrap around the furniture. There definitely will be a lean-to addition onto the barn next summer.

The rest of the day was spent working on this computer. It’s been getting slower and slower, to the point of being a major frustration. I searched the web for solutions and finally found several posts from people who experienced the same frustrations as I have. It took about three hours in total, but in the end, the computer is running at an acceptable speed. For being almost six years old and having lived through hell and back, it’s been a remarkable machine. I hope to keep it operating for as long as possible.

Sargie was home early last night and we enjoyed bratwurst patties on the grill. As I told someone earlier, a good brat taken from the grill is the Yooper equivalent to fried catfish and hush puppies for a Southerner. The simple act of eating either confirms one’s belief in America, Mom, Apple Pie, and Baby Jesus.

Speaking of America… In a dark way, I’m enjoying listening to the people who thought socialized healthcare was going to be free for everyone. I don’t wish ill on anyone, but I wonder if all those who thought this current health debacle was going to be free ever considered where the money was going to come from? The government raises taxes, people are forced to pay, more money is printed, funds for food stamps is being cut, hard working people can no longer afford health coverage… sooner or later, this pretend house of cards is going to come tumbling down.

Sargie and I lead simple lives and hope to keep our heads below the fray. I’ve got a feeling that it’s going to get ugly. Enough said.

I light the burn pile whenever possible. It's been reduced down to a few charred logs.

I’m not sure what today will bring. I have to go to Crystal Falls on an errand and there are always assignments to read and grade. Failing that, maybe I’ll do my nails, put my hair up in curlers, grab a Harlequin Romance, and watch soap operas.

After all, a man’s work in never done…

I think it's time to empty the flower pots and put those away for the season, although the flowers in the one on the left continue to grow and thrive.