Thursday morning's sunrise set the sky on fire

November 16, 2013 – Saturday

35 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

Our local lake with a skim of ice. I hope to be ice fishing in another month or so.

I was up early this morning. One of the fellows, a friend of Neighbor Mike’s, who lives in Marquette, has been hunting the property and I told him to stop by early and I would take him out to the deer blind. He’s a heck of a nice guy and I’m happy to let him hunt. Since this is Saturday, the second day of the season, every rock ‘em /sock ‘em/wanna-be hunter will be out in force today. Our property is surrounded on two sides by public land, so assuming there are some deer out there, it will sound like a shooting gallery today.

The sun attempting to peek through the fog in downtown Alpha, Michigan, on Friday morning

The past several days have been busy ones. I subbed for half a day on Thursday… junior high English. Actually, I enjoyed the munchkins a great deal, but I always did enjoy working with that age group. The boys try to act big and tough, but most are still grade school children in rapidly developing, overly hormonal, bodies. The majority of the girls think they are twenty-five and attempt to act accordingly. That’s all well and fine until something happens at which time each is reduced down to what she really is, a thirteen year-old girl who only wishes she could be twenty-five.

Two classes were wonderful. Both were eighth grade, advanced, and filled with helpful and attentive kidlings. The other two classes (I taught only half a day) were lower ability seventh grade classes. I loved them just as much and though the challenges were a bit more strenuous, they did just fine. At the end of the day, a couple of boys got the boot, a few more were moved to the far corners of room, and the rest of us learned, laughed, studied, and enjoyed our time together.

I find as I do this substitute teaching thing, it’s becoming easier. I’m regaining my classroom stamina. I did tell the lady who calls subs that I only wanted to work two days a week. Along with teaching the two university classes a semester, two days are enough.

I didn't know Montgomery Wards or Fingerhut was still in business, yet we received a large Christmas catalogue from each this past week.

I’ve been walking my five miles daily and the knee is no longer an issue. It’s simply a matter of strengthening the muscles all over my body. I can’t believe how much my body declined these past four months. I guess it’s true. I’m no longer a teenager.

Last man standing. Only one lake trout remains on the spawning nests. 

My friend, Ken, stopped by the other day and asked if I had $25. I told him I did and he said to get it and come up to his house.

It seems Ken purchased a radial arm saw from a good buddy years ago for the price of $25. When he questioned why the low price, the seller replied that Kenny was a good friend. He continued by adding that when he was finished with the saw, assuming it was still in workable condition, Ken was to sell it to a good buddy for $25… to pay it forward; with the same charge that whoever he sold it to would agree to pass on the saw for the same price some day in the future.

I felt humbled and honored. I gave Ken $25 and brought home an older, but beautiful Craftsman radial arm saw, table and drawers included. The owner’s manual was included along with all sorts of attachments. The machine has been kept in great condition over the years.

With Sargie working late on Thursday, I was invited up to Neighbor Mike’s for a night-before deer hunting season supper and a gab session with the boys. There was Mike, a retired teacher, George, another retired educator, Terry, an artist who has his own gallery, and Dennis, who works for the DNR. It was fun to belly up around the table, drink cans of Vernon’s Ginger Ale, and gobble spoonfuls of George’s delicious pork stew. Yup, I said, pork stew. At deer camp, everything tastes like a Sunday meal.

L to R: Dennis, Terry, Neighbor Mike, and George

Sargie had to work. I’d talked with her earlier that day and she was upset that Mr. Milligan didn’t seem to be feeling well.

I decided to drive to Iron Mountain, after dark, to be with her on her ride home. It was almost a huge mistake and I’ll never drive after dark again. It took almost an hour and a half to drive the thirty-five miles and to say it was the trip from hell would be an understatement. I learned my lesson. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts.

Sargie’s dad was moved from where he normally lives on the first floor up to the hospital section of the fourth floor with signs of pneumonia and low blood pressure. It seems as of last night that he was doing better. Sargie and I stopped in yesterday morning and he had no trouble eating his breakfast. We’re praying that Mr. Milligan will get better soon and back to more familiar surroundings.

The family is excited this year that Mr. Milligan will be able to join the rest of the clan at Jeanne’s house on Christmas day. What fun, to have the grand patriarch of the family there, to be surrounded by all his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. It’s something the entire family is looking forward to. Mom, Andy, and Mollie, will also be going so that will make it extra special for me.

Bobcat tracks in the snow in back of the house

Friday was spent working around the yard. I began in the garden, cleaning, picking up and putting away. Boy, that person who gardens can sure make a mess. I stumbled across several garden implements, a trowel, garden hoses, and a bucket or two. I guess I can’t blame the Pennington boys like I did in the old days when they were growing up. Andy’s been the only one here this past year and as I recall, he wasn’t around the garden that much. Oh heck, I'll go ahead and blame Andy. He's not here to defend himself.

While working in the garden these past few days, I've pried beets and turnips from the frozen ground. We've enjoy both... although beets still aren't my favorite.

I’ve got to start putting the tools back where they belong. If I absentmindedly lay one down, I lose it and it then moves into the lost category.

I moved several wheelbarrows full of wood into the box on the patio. It was cut last year and is no longer green, but will have to surface dry from all the rain we’ve had this past month. I’ll burn it later this winter in the wood stove.

I decided to mow the grass one last time. Though it didn’t really need it, there were tufts sticking up here and there, the results of receiving extra fertilizer from the occasional pile of deer poop. It didn’t take long as there was no trimming involved. When the snows melt next spring, the yard should look good.

An hour and a half was spent redoing the old cast iron kettle that sits atop our wood stove. I sanded it then applied two coats of heat-resistant paint. As Sargie said, “It looks new.”

I have no idea how old that kettle is, but I’d bet it’s older than me.

The end of the afternoon was spent in the barn. I swept, moved, put away, and did various other domestic chores so that I might keep the shop as it is now, yet park the tractor, Blazer, both four wheelers, and the mower under cover this winter.  

As much as anything, I wanted to be sure that once I build the shop, there will be room in the remainder of the barn to fit everything. It appears there will be.

After visiting Mr. Milligan, Sargie was home early last night. It’s been one of those kinds of weeks; Sargie’s been working some long and difficult hours, Mr. Milligan got sick, I’ve been subbing and had reams of research papers begin pouring in… so we decided to go out to eat. Dinner was good and we enjoyed simply getting out of the house, talking, and having a couple of hours away and together.

Today… Sargie closes tonight, which means today will be a very long one for her. She won’t get home until well past 9 PM. With all the deer running around, the hunters from away, and the forecast rain, I hate to see her driving home after a long day in the Vision Center.

I’m going to work in the barn and hopefully get a panel or two of the old garage door placed up in the rafters so I can put Sargie’s patio pots, statues, and other goodies out of harm’s way for the winter months. There’s only one way to expand in the barn; straight up.

I’m going to cut back on writing the log, at least for now. With all the papers coming in and what subbing I’m doing, I’ve got to have priorities for what I read and write. Teaching and substitute teaching pay. Writing is a hobby. To save the eye power, it will have to take an occasional back seat.

So with all that being said, it’s time to listen to the news, sip another cup of coffee, and think deep thoughts such as… should I have eggs or cereal for breakfast?

It’s a tough decision, but I’ll struggle with it. As we all know, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road… 

My constant companion has abandoned me for the wood stove on these cold and dark mornings. Yeah... well let's see the stove feed him!