Heartbreak Hill... I hoof up this incline every morning during my five-mile stroll.

August 9, 2014 - Saturday
52 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

Seems as though we're having an Arizona Effect in the weather department. The humidity is so low that there's a huge difference between the daytime and nighttime temperatures. We reached a high of 84 yesterday, yet last night dipped into the upper 40's. It's a dry heat we're having... but I don't care what they say, hot is hot and dry is dry. 

We badly need some rain. The garden is beginning to show signs of a mini-drought even though I'm watering every other day. 

In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight...

The next chance of rain is Tuesday. I hope we're under the right clouds. 

Sargie's been taking advantage of the weather to hang out the laundry. It doesn't take long to dry.

Fishing, working on the shed, and landscaping has been the name of the game for the past three days.

I put down another layer of flooring in the shed to remove the bounce. What a difference. I am about ready to start putting the 4x8 sheets of OSB on the rafters, but think I'll wait until I can get a hand with that. Those heavy sheets are a two-person job.

I've been asked how Mom's doing. She still has a heaviness in her chest and underwent a stress test on Friday. She will know the results this coming week and hopefully, it'll be a matter of adjusting her medications. I sure hope so. We're looking forward to her staying with us over the holidays and who knows, I might need some help drilling holes in the ice so I can go fishing!

Anyone who knows Mom knows that she can't sit still and just watch. She's an eighty-seven year old dynamo that while visiting last month, I almost had to send to her room to keep her from helping to build the shed or work up wood. I even threatened to strap her in a chair. But she's my mom and she always wins. Mom was out there every day, helping with the shed and fire wood. 

Sargie and I made pickles the other night, six quart jars of the bread and butter variety. It'll be several weeks before we can sample our efforts, but so far, so good.

Fishing has been just so-so. It's the dog days of August and the fish aren't exactly ripping up the water to get to my lures. 

Still, I've caught enough the past two mornings to ensure Sargie and I have a good fish fry this evening. 

I finally finished one part of the side yard and will be starting on the other later today. My biggest chore is moving the excess dirt and rocks. Hmm, Sargie's off today. I wonder if I can talk her into being a heavy equipment operator on the little Ford tractor, operating the front end loader. It would save me a lot of time and effort shutting down the backhoe, climbing on the tractor, dumping the dirt, climbing off, getting on the backhoe, etc. etc. I spent almost three hours doing just that yesterday.

So life goes on on Pentoga Road. I fear I bit off more than I can chew this summer; a lesson well learned. With the eyes less than perfect, it takes me two to three times longer to complete any chore than it used to and somehow, working 12 to 14 hour days wasn't in my original retirement plan. On the other hand, once snow falls, I'll look back on these hot days of summer with fond memories and no doubt, will begin making plans for the next series of projects. Already, for next year, I'm planning to pound a sand point well in the garden for irrigation, make a small pond with a fountain in the garden area, (complete with gold fish!) possibly build a potting shed to attach to the greenhouse, and, oh, there's that hike I keep talking about.

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

Despite my efforts to call him back, Brutus was certain he could catch that duck.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...  

But after he got too close and the duck pecked his nose, he let out a whine and hurriedly swam back to shore looking for sympathy. Add ducks to the list, along with puppies and squirrels, as something Brutus is afraid of.