A few strawberries are beginning to ripen in the planters

June 26, 2015 - Friday

46 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Born in 1927, Mama is 88 years old today. I remember back when anyone over 70 years of age was considered old and pretty much washed up. Then 80 became the new 60... and in Mom's case, 88 is the 30. I don't know how she does it, but the older Mom gets, the younger she becomes. I really hope I'm just like her when I grow up. Happy birthday, Mom!

Mom's giving Brutus his morning Denta Stik "for whiter teeth and a fresher breath. "

I'm feeling sad this morning. I see where nine people died in a plane crash in SE Alaska near Ketchikan. The charter float plane company, Promech, is one I frequently used while flying around the islands in Southeast and I got to know the pilots quite well. I'd sit in the lobby drinking free coffee, using their internet to grade papers and conduct university business while waiting for the weather to clear. I wish bad things wouldn't happen to good people.

It was a rainy day on Thursday. Mom and Sargie were sitting in the living room gabbing so I took the opportunity to sneak out to the barn and work on the deck of the mower. Though I try to blame Sargie, I have to admit that I slammed into a couple of rocks and a tree stump on Tuesday when I mowed the yard and trails, almost ripping a couple of small wheels off the deck. 

I had to remove the deck from the tractor, sand, grind, take pictures, sand and grind some more, and finally, weld the brackets holding the wheels back into place. 

When putting the deck back on the tractor, I noticed that I'd also knocked the cable that raises and lowers the deck off the pulleys. It took some time, but I finally got that realigned. The cable is badly worn from the years of hard use and hopefully, it will last for the rest of this mowing season. I'll replace it this winter when I'm looking for projects to keep me busy.

The weather cleared somewhat so we went for a ride around the area.

Unfortunately, we didn't go too far before it clouded up again and began pouring.

It made no difference. We still had a good time, eating ice cream cones and sipping cokes while seeing the sights. 

Last night was spent talking and watching television. I became so disgusted while watching a cheesy new game show called Boom. Normally, I wouldn't insult my intelligence by watching such nonsense, but there were three contestants from Iron Mountain. The game show was terrible, but what really offended me was how these young men, who were players, and the network tried to make anyone who lives in this area sound stupid and backwards. They kept referring to Iron Mountain as a teeny backwoods town. I don't know... I guess some people will say anything for their fifteen seconds of fame. They certainly got theirs, but I can hardly wait to read the letters to the editor in tonight's daily paper. And hey, the three men won $240,000 in fifteen minutes. It pays handsomely to insult your hometown and friends on national television.

Bedtime came fairly early as Sargie works early today. I hope to work up the trailer full of wood and Mom, well, no doubt Mom will supervise. If I don't watch her, she'll be in there with gloves on helping to fill the shed full of fire wood. 

We're going out with Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri to celebrate Mom's birthday this evening. What could be better than a good old-fashioned, all-you-can-eat, Friday night fish fry?

So with all that being said, it's time to begin the day. After all, everyone knows that a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...