My youngest granddaughter, Emmie, had her three-month birthday earlier this week.

January 23, 2014 – Thursday

-4/clear/windy 0- wind chill -24 degrees

Pentoga Road

It was the sound of the furnace running that awakened me this morning. I felt guilty as I’d slept the night through and had failed to get up at 3 AM to add wood to the stove. It was the thought of burning expensive fuel oil that drove me from between the sheets to get the fire started.

There’s not a lot to talk about these days. Brutus and I keep each other company during the day, but I think he’s finding me boring. The first part of the week signals the large influx of papers, all of which require my attention. The poor pup simply lies at my feet dozing, but should I move a muscle, he’s immediately up, hoping we’re going to do something that requires attention on his part.

On our way to Rhinelander

Sargie and I went to Rhinelander on Tuesday. It was a nice day for a road trip, but other than simply having fun, was fairly mundane. We purchased a new rug for the kitchen, actually a pack of three that were on clearance. The old one, bought in much the same manner, had seen far too many feet over the past two years and was literally, coming apart at the seams. This one adds some color to the room and we both like it.

I fought a pounding headache most of Wednesday. Migraine tablets didn’t help and in desperation, I finally took a couple of Sargie’s allergy pills. Those did the trick. By evening’s end, the pounding in my head subsided. If I get another today, I’ll start with the allergy pills and see what happens.

Five miles were walked yesterday morning. Although walking isn’t done very enthusiastically, I think it’s important to keep active. It’s difficult to summon picturesque scenes of the Appalachian Trail while walking in zero degree temperatures facing a 20 mph wind and often wading through deep snow when meeting a logging truck. Still, if I didn’t continue to do so, what exercise would I get during these dark days of deep winter? None.

We met a large truck while coming home from Rhinelander that managed to heave a large boulder at our windshield. Sargie was driving and she thought she was a goner. So did I. I'll be calling the insurance company. 

While outside yesterday, I took the opportunity to brush Brutus. I don’t know where all his hair comes from, but in the end, there was enough removed to fill a grocery bag. As long as he’s thoroughly brushed once every few days, he sheds little inside.

The woodpile is quickly shrinking. I’m down to where I was last year when maple season began, about six weeks from now. Thankfully, I got extra wood last fall and covered it with a large tarp. We’re in good shape, but this has been quite the heating the season. I feel sorry for those who burn only oil or propane. They have to feel this long period of very cold weather in their pocketbooks.

The biggest potential catastrophe on Pentoga Road is that we’re down to our last tennis ball with which to play fetch with Brutus. The others are buried around the yard or on the roof of the house and barn well under the snow. All I know for sure is that come spring, there are going to be bushels of tennis balls suddenly appear.

We bought a package of twelve doggie balls at Menards on Wednesday, but with Brutus’s strong jaws, he quickly destroyed the first… within a minute or two. I’ll take the rest back for a refund.

Sargie had to close on Wednesday and wasn’t home until 9 PM. She opens today so we should have an evening together. I think we’ll have leftover beef soup and dumplings for supper. Sounds good, even in these early morning hours.

We finished watching the miniseries, Klondike, on the Discovery Channel. I thoroughly enjoyed it and in some ways, it reminded me of the old Lonesome Dove series that was on many years ago. I didn’t realize until the end that the characters were based on actual people. The only one I actually recognized was Soapy Smith who I teach about in Alaska Studies. He was a real character who delighted in emptying everyone’s pockets.

With the heavy part of the reading finished for the week, I’ll work on the file cabinets today. The Maine Retirement System and Social Security need to be called and Larry the fix-it man left a message saying the ice auger is repaired.

But first, it’s time for another cup of coffee and get this uploaded. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…