February 1, 2014 – Saturday

-7 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

It’s a quiet morning. Soft Celtic music is playing, a fire is crackling in the stove, the coffee is hot, and Brutus is lying on my feet keeping my tootsies toasty warm. This moment is exactly perfect just the way it is.

It’s a good feeling when a person reaches a certain age (or maturity) and discovers he needs absolutely nothing and can appreciate all that he has. Sargie and I had this discussion on our way to Green Bay yesterday morning. I had such a feeling of peace and contentment as we were driving down the interstate. The sun was warm, shining through the windshield, and the company was perfect. It dawned on me at that moment, a revelation, really, that there is nothing in the world I need. I have it all.

Note, I said “need,” not “want.” I can think of about a million things I want, projects I would like to do, and hikes I’d like to achieve. I hope that never changes. I love dreaming, planning, thinking, and occasionally, if I work and save enough, I’m able to acquire something I want. I want it all, but realistically, I’ll get only a fraction. And that’s how it should be. I’m able to appreciate my accomplishments and possessions and not having everything allows me to dream about what the future might hold.

Sargie and I were laughing while driving Friday morning. We really have nothing but a small home that could use another bedroom, forty acres of woods, two used cars, the ugliest truck in the world, a bulldog who loves us both, and a host of old, very used, machinery.

We both chuckled when one of us said, “Boy, we’re really high class, aren’t we?” Our idea of eating out is ordering cheap cheeseburgers from the McDonald’s dollar menu and an exciting evening consists of sitting at home munching popcorn and watching television.

Later, it occurred to me that it’s not about class, it’s all about happiness and being content. It’s not how many acres one owns, how fancy one’s home is, what kind of vehicles he drives, how many exotic and foreign tropic climes have been visited or cruises taken, it’s about that inner peace most of us spend our entire lives looking for.

I’ve mentioned it before. It’s said that God gives us exactly what we need when we need it. I’ve known that for some years, but I’m not sure I really understood it. I’m grateful that I’m at the age I’m beginning to. It makes me appreciate what I have that much more.

Page Two

Thursday saw five or six inches of new snow. Sargie drove the Blazer to work and found that the four-wheel drive came in handy more than once.

I graded papers most of the morning and did a couple of loads of laundry. At one point, I went downstairs and found water all over the floor, even on top of the freezer and wash machine.

Upon further examination, I discovered there’s a small trap in the discharge pipe for the washer’s waste water, a dip in the pipe that allowed a bit of ice to prevent the water from being discharged during the spin cycle.

I came upstairs and borrowed Sargie’s hairdryer.  A few minutes later, everything was good once again. Just call me Tommy Plumber.

With the snow coming down hard, Sargie left work an hour early so she might be home before dark. Brutus and I went outside and began to plow and clear the drive. I was pushing the snow from the end of the drive across the road and into the ditch.

I started to back up when I felt something in back of me. I turned around and found a school bus parked just a few feet away. I’d failed to see him coming down the road. I mouthed, “I’m sorry,” and hurriedly got out of his way. The driver smiled and waved. Nice guy.

Brutus and I ended the day with a blood and guts game of fetch and even managed not to lose any tennis balls.

Sargie and I were up early Friday morning and on the road to Green Bay by 8 AM. We talked and laughed the entire way and enjoyed ourselves a great deal.

Stops were made at Fleet Farm, Sam’s Club, the mall, Best Buy, and Harbor Freight. I knew I was going to spend a bit of money on needed items, but I didn’t realize I might have to mortgage the family farm.

We found some lights for the kitchen that were on clearance, then a cabinet that will fit behind the kitchen door where we can keep Brutus’s food and other goodies. There was a solar yard light, pole included, we’ve been looking at, and of course, I had to have that indoor seed starter green house that will fit perfectly in front of the south window by my recliner. I purchased a Chromecast gizmo that transmits everything in my Chrome browser on my computer onto our television screen. It works well and I was hoping to use it as an aide when I read and grade assignments. That’s not going to happen unless we get a television with a larger screen… and that’s NOT going to happen. Oh well, it’s great to watch videos, online movies, or share pictures that are on my computer with others.

We even stopped at the jewelry store so Sargie's ring could be checked and cleaned, something required to keep the lifetime warrantee valid. 

After a very full day of shopping we finally headed north. It was two tired people who pulled into the drive last night. After unloading the car and getting everything put away, we were more than happy to flop in the living room and enjoy what was left of the evening.

I think today will be a quiet one. No doubt, we’ll go to town and run a few errands and take a drive around the local lakes. The cabinet we purchased yesterday needs to be assembled meaning there’ll be no small amount of muttering going on. If it’s like most of those “assemble it yourself” pieces of furniture, the directions will be pretty sketchy and I’ll put it together and take it apart half a dozen times before it’s just right. Oh well, it’s only time and I have plenty of that.

Before I end, my son, Matt, has a friend, whose daughter’s class (kindergarten) is looking for postcards from all over the US and world. I’ll include the details below and if you have the time, could you send a postcard from your area to the class? I’d consider it a personal favor. Thanks.

“My daughter’s class had a Gingerbread man run away and people are sending postcards saying they saw him and what he was doing.  Could you each send her a postcard and where you saw the Gingerbread man?”

Here is the address and start it off by saying “Hi Addyson”

Mrs. O’Leary’s Kindergarten

Timony Grammar School

45 Pleasant View St.

Methuen MA 01844

As I said, if you could send a postcard, you’d make a class of kindergarten children very happy and after all, isn’t that what it’s all about? Thanks again.

So, with all that being said, I need to get this uploaded and begin to think about assembling the cabinet.

After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

Lambeau Field. In hibernation, it will awaken next August in time for the 2014 season.