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| Sargie with her first lake trout. |
35 degrees/snow/calm
Pentoga Road
Lucky us. I see there’s an inch or two of gloppy, wet, snow
sitting on the ground outside this morning. Naturally. The one day of the week
I’m substituting and I’m going to have to clean the Blazer before either of us
can drive it. I love snow, but the timing is lousy.
Yooper Brother Mark is donning his Santa suit this morning
and will reside over the annual cutting of the Christmas tree. The elementary
schools in Iron River and Crystal Falls will be letting classes out long enough
for the munchkins to officially witness the event and become steeped in the
Christmas spirit. I’m glad I’m not subbing in the elementary school today.
Santa probably wouldn’t be bringing me any presents!
I walked the usual five miles on Tuesday morning. The sun
was bright and the wind was calm. It was beautiful.
Sargie made a large breakfast. So far, my diet is going well
with a loss of four pounds. I wish the next twelve would melt as quickly.
It was time to go fishing. Sargie has caught bluegills and
bass, but never tied into a real fish. It was time for her to cut her teeth on
something that could bite back.
That woman is a fighter. The large trout struck the spinner
and the fight was on. At one point, Sargie asked that I take the rod as she was
losing her grip on the handle, but once she regained a hold, it was a fight to
the finish. Mohammed Ali has nothing on that beautiful girl of mine.
We turned the fish back. Having several in the deep freeze
is enough and neither of us wanted to see the meat go to waste. Her lake trout
will live to spawn another year.
After cleaning up, we ventured into town, shopping a bit,
stopping to get a Coke, and poking our noses in here and there. I knew I had to
work today as does Sargie, so we were in no big hurry. Even working one day a
week makes me appreciate any days off. I’m spoiled.
Back home, Sargie helped me call the insurance
company, hospital, and doctor’s office to get a couple of bills straightened
out. She knows how to navigate through much of the red tape and what questions
to ask. In the end, it appears the medical coding wasn’t submitted correctly
and the majority of the bill for my physical and blood work should be paid. I
have wonderful insurance, but the company makes sure all the T’s are crossed
and I’s are dotted or it won’t pay.
I began assembling the frame and mounting the solar panels
that were purchased last week. At least for the winter months, they’ll be
mounted on the south side of the house. I’m not sure that will be their
permanent place, but they’ll receive a lot of sunlight there
and if needed, we’ll be able to utilize them without a lot of set up and wading
through waist-deep snow. I’ll temporarily employ the deep cell marine battery used
to power my trolling motor in the summer months. Eventually, I hope to purchase
four large gel cell units in which to store energy.
I put a lake trout on the grill last night, threw on a spice
or two, cut up a lemon, and let it cook. Sargie and I both agree it’s been a
long time since we’ve had anything that good. The meat was moist, yet it fell
from the bones. Along with a salad, we ate until we were about ready to bust
and there’s still enough fish left for at least two more meals.
It’s time to get everything uploaded and put on my
substitute teaching face. I hope today is a bit more mellow than last week’s
fifth grade experience. I realize I’m getting old and crusty, but Lord I love
children. I’d sure like to have a good excuse to hang around them occasionally.
Oh well, There are always my
university babies to teach, even if most are in their twenties, thirties, and
forties… and I don’t have to spread their desks out to the far reaches of the
universe to ensure they keep quiet.
Time to do it. A man’s work is never done, you know.
So are the tales from Pentoga Road…
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| Tuesday's sunrise. What a difference a day makes. |
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