Grandma Sargie and Grady having a serious conversation

February 16, 2015 - Monday
2 above zero/cloudy/calm
Pentoga Road

It's been a nice break, not writing daily, and really, I hadn't planned to resume this soon. However, I did get a new Chromebook, compliments of HP, to replace the other that was covered by the manufacturer and was dying to test drive the thing. So far/so good. I absolutely love these 14 inch Chromebooks. Hopefully, this one will prove to be a bit more durable. 

We ventured to Marquette on Sunday to pick up this new laptop from Best Buy. Of course, a trip to the big city dictated that we make a Grandma/Grandpa stop to visit Macrea and Baby Grady. Grandma and I took turns making funny faces, strange noises, and playing with the little guy. (Grady, NOT Macrea.)

Sargie has a few days of vacation time to use the first week of March and it appears Grady may spend some time with us then. I'm already making plans... ice fishing, snowmobiling... maybe doing a bit of snowshoeing. Okay, maybe I'm pushing it a bit, but I know he likes to sit on his Grandpa Pennington's lap, talk in a language that only he can understand, chew on anything that will fit in his mouth, and drool. That's good enough for me. We'll work on the outside activities later.



Our vacation with Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri to Las Vegas was one of the most fun times we've ever had. I'll talk more about that when I post pictures (still waiting for the Mac). We did all the tourist things, gambled just a bit and between Sargie (AKA Miss Kitty... as on the old Gun Smoke series) and I, left Las Vegas with thirteen dollars more in our pockets than when we arrived. I know, last of the big-time spenders. It's hard to make a lot of money playing penny slot machines, a penny a pull, but on the other hand, one gets a lot more bang, time-wise, for his buck.



We laughed and gabbed and enjoyed our new digs, even if they were only ours for a few days. We observed more homeless people than I've ever seen, witnessed a rotund man wearing bunny ears and dressed in a bikini, and watched a man and a woman prance around glad only in diapers and duct tape. I'll let your imagination take it from there, but go ahead and picture the worst.

Sargie, Sheri, Mark, and I, spent lots of time in a large hot tub simply talking and relaxing. Those were my most favorite moments.

Mark and Sheri at the Grand Canyon

We visited Lake Meade, Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon. Next on my bucket list; hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, spend a day alongside Bright Angel Falls and the Colorado River, then hike out on the third day. All I need is a spare set of eyes. Sister and brother-in-law, Debbie and Pat are outdoor enthusiasts. I wonder how many jars of maple syrup and pickles it would take to bribe one or both into the venture? Stay tuned.



Oh, and the weather? WONDERFUL! How could we leave on a morning when it was -22 and spend a week basking in sunshine and temperatures in the mid 70's and not enjoy it? 



More to come when I publish the pictures.

So life is back to normal. Sargie's working today, I'm grading papers. It's bitterly cold outside. Frigid. (The weather service's words, not mine.)

The Blazer is at the garage getting a new water pump and something else installed. I'll pick it up tomorrow morning. It's been leaking copious amounts of antifreeze and I'll be happy to have it fixed. 

So that's life from this end. It's time to get back to grading papers and throwing wood into the stove.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...