February 16, 2014 – Sunday

-3 degrees/sunny/calm

Pentoga Road

Saturday was a carbon copy of most the days gone by. The temperature warmed up into the lower teens by afternoon and the wind remained fairly calm. I started on the laundry after arriving home from my walk. I loaded the washer, added the pouch of detergent, and pulled the knob to allow the water to flow. What water?

I tried both the hot and cold… nothing. Sargie’s hair dryer came to the rescue. The washer sits on the west wall of the basement, just below the casement window. Though the window is well covered with Styrofoam, that area is the only one in the basement directly exposed to the elements.

So far, we’ve had no trouble with the water lines; I imagine because enough is used during the day and night to keep it from beginning to freeze. It seems water will freeze anyplace it is allowed to remain stagnant along that wall, thus the washer.

Thawing only took about five minutes and I was soon washing the various piles of clothes that Sargie had previously sorted.

Most of the municipalities have issued orders for people to run their water all night in a stream the size of a pencil. I read that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of people whose water has frozen. I guess the frost is being driven deep into the ground, feet and feet, and those on city or township water are suffering the most.

So far, so good, for the pipe that brings the well water into our house through the basement wall. It’s only a few feet deep, but several feet of snow cover the ground over head. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Yooper Brother Mark stopped out for a couple of hours and we spent the time catching up on their trip to Florida. It was good to see him after a week’s absence.

I began working in the basement, putting things away and straightening. Later, I attacked the upstairs with the vacuum, broom, and dustpan. It must be the anticipation of spring or possibly a mental illness, but I had the biggest urge to get things done, complete chores, so that when warmer weather arrives, I can best spend my time outside. AC/DC was cranked up on the stereo and I was a cleaning man who was out of control, almost possessed.

Brutus and I went through our usual afternoon activities of playing fetch then bringing in the night’s supply of wood; pretty mundane stuff.

Sargie arrived home early and we had a wonderful evening of talking, watching tv, and simply relaxing.

I made the mistake of stepping on the bathroom scales this morning. Whew, it seems my belly as grown proportionately with the amount of snowfall we've received this winter. I hope we don't get a big snowstorm, otherwise, I'll be looking for a tent and awning company from which to purchase my clothes.

I’m going to take my daily walk pretty soon and then plow the newest snowfall from the drive.

Sargie’s off today and it appears we’ll go through our usual day-off routine. No doubt there’ll be an afternoon drive, probably stop and grab a Coke, maybe stick our nose in at a store or two. I need to run the snowmobile over the maple trails to pack down this past week’s snowfall in anticipation of next month’s tapping of trees. Of course, it all depends on the weather. The way this winter has unfolded, it could be the Fourth of July before maple season begins.

Time to strap on the shoes and get to walking. I don’t maintain this young, finely chiseled body of a young boy without a great amount of effort.

But then I’m not surprised. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…