Sunrise Friday morning on Pentoga Road

December 28, 2013 – Saturday

29 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

The house seems awfully empty this morning with Mom and Andy gone. Brutus has sulked from room to room and at one time yesterday afternoon, I found him lying on the floor in the spare room by Mom's bed. Sargie and I aren't the only ones who miss them.

Mom and Andy both departed on the same flight to Minneapolis and made their connections in good shape. We stopped by the Vision Center so Sargie could tell them goodbye, then made our way onto the airport. 

Mom called last night saying she’d arrived in Indianapolis and was on her way home. I received a text from Andy during the night indicating he’d made it back to Louisiana.

Mom and Andy at the airport on Friday afternoon.

Andy going through security

After seeing both off, I returned to the Vision Center so Sargie and I could have lunch together. We munched Kentucky Fried Chicken bowls at our favorite drive-in eatery, the cemetery, and talked.

Friday afternoon found me outside. With the temperature a more normal 23 degrees, I hated to waste the spring-like weather. Brutus and I played catch until I put the last ball onto the tall roof of the house where it buried deep into the snow. I’d previously put one onto the garage roof, but managed to retrieve it by using the snow rake. It was a good opportunity to clean the entire roof of a foot of white stuff.

When warm weather finally arrives and the snow melts from the barn and house, it should rain tennis balls on Pentoga Road. I can think of at least three that are mired in deep snow and unreachable.

There's one of the balls, way up high by the chimney. Since we have a metal roof, climbing up to get it wouldn't be the wisest thing to do.

By the way, I'm not a horrible thrower, but use a hand-held device that launches the balls. Every now and then, one goes astray and ends up high in a tree or on the roof of a building. 

Neighbor Mike called and asked if I’d start a fire in the stove at his camp. He and his bride were on their way down from Marquette. I also cleaned the steps, turned on a few lights, and made sure the house was warm. Sargie and I visited Germaine and Mike last night after Sargie arrived home from work and had a nice visit.

The rest of Friday afternoon was spent cleaning and straightening the house. No doubt, the Christmas decorations will begin to come down over the next few days in our quest to return the house to it’s usual post holiday normalcy.

Sargie works late today and won’t be home until late evening. I think I’ll go ice fishing. A high of thirty is predicted before the temperatures head into the negative numbers for the next several days. A person has to make hay while the sun shines.

I’m going to boot Brutus outside for the day. He’s become quite the inside fifi dog this winter and a day of fresh air and chasing squirrels, imaginary or otherwise, will do him good.

Time to get another cup of coffee, listen to the news, and think some deep thoughts. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…