November 11, 2015 - Wednesday - Veterans Day

26 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Happy Veterans Day to all who are or have served. To Dad, Mr. Milligan, Josh, and Andy... thank you. God bless America. 

Tuesday was another busy one and somewhat frustrating on Pentoga Road. I intended to cut down a dead tree and work up the fire wood. 

Chain saw - check

Four wheeler - check

Splitting maul - check

tow strap - check

bulldog - check

I chugged out into the woods, getting in deeper and deeper and drove to where I thought the tree should be. What tree? I walked and drove all over God's green North Country and spent almost two hours searching for that darn gray birch. I had my nose up against every tree on the north side looking at the bark... to no avail.

I've been frustrated, but this almost put me over the edge. It's a good thing I no longer drink or I'd have been content to sit on the forest floor and chug a case of cheap beer.

To make matters worse, I started back and found I wasn't sure in which direction to go. I called Brutus to take me home, but just when I needed his trained guiding abilities, he was no where to be found. 

I whistled and yelled and though it took him a few minutes, in true Brutus form, he came galloping from far away. The pup may not know a red light from a green one, but in the woods, he's a hundred percent accurate and brought me out of the deep woods. 

I gave up on finding the tree. It had obviously taken up its roots and relocated. I did stumble into a couple of smaller ones that were dead and unlimbered the chain saw and cut both.

I was dragging a limb, glancing behind me, when I almost ran into another tree. I swore before looking at it closely, up and down, round and round, felt and smelled the thing, and discovered it was the one I'd been searching for all along. Ah, those sneaky trees. They can run, but they can't hide. By morning's end, I cut more wood than I'd planned on harvesting. It took a while, but all was cut, split, and put away for the coming winter months.

The sun was bright, the temperature warm. It was time to finish washing the living room windows.

I took out a storm window and look what came with it... thousands and millions of dead lady bugs. We had a huge hatch a couple of weeks ago and they obviously found a seam under where the air conditioner had been sitting. Needless to say, the lady bugs have vacated.

Washing windows was another frustrating experience. Up and down the ladder. Up and down and up and down up and down. I couldn't see good enough to tell what was dirty and what wasn't, then if the spot was on my side or the other. I finally quit. There was an evil part of me that felt like throwing the full bottle of Windex through the windows and calling it a day.

To add insult to injury, I was sitting on the back steps of the deck, extolling the injustices of life to Brutus. I had one arm wrapped around his neck when he suddenly turned his head to, no doubt, lick my face and knocked my glasses to the ground. To make matters worse, he stood and before I could find the glasses, stepped on them. They are delicate wire rims and I bent the frames back the best I could.

What to do when feeling frustrated? Well, Mom lives too far away to rock me, Sargie was working, and I'm too big to lay in the corner and suck my thumb. What makes Tommy P feel better? Fishing of course!

Since the boat and its accessories had been stored away for the winter, I grabbed a kayak, threw it in the Blazer, and was soon at the lake. 

Fishing was slow, although I did catch a northern that dragged me all over the lake. I snapped a quick picture and turned him loose. Hopefully, we'll see him again in another month to six weeks when ice fishing begins.

I had to leave to get to Iron Mountain before dark so I can have the Blazer serviced today. We leave for Mom's, who lives in Indiana, Friday afternoon. Sargie's off Thursday. The only time to have the oil changed is today.

I sprinted through the shower and arrived in Iron Mountain just as the sun was setting. The oncoming car lights emitted a glare that made driving almost impossible. If I'm going to continue to meet Sargie once a week and ride back with her, I'm going to have to leave much earlier in the day. 

While at the Vision Center, I asked my favorite optician in the world, the one who always makes me feel better, if she might fix my glasses. Within minutes, they were good as new.

We spent last evening watching the Republican debates and were in bed soon after.

Oh sure. We've had the nicest fall weather and just when we want to go to Mom's, this forecast comes out:

We'll make it, one way or the other. Oh yes, by all that is holy, we will make it.

Sargie and I will be heading back to Iron Mountain after while. I'm going to get the oil changed in the Blazer then cruise back home. I think I'll spend the day doing something I really enjoy, like working in the shop and listening to music. For darn sure, I'm not going to go deep into the woods looking for trees or wash any windows. No doubt, there's a grandpa nap on the horizon for this afternoon.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...