January 27, 2016 - Wednesday
15 degrees/clear/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Ol' Grandpa's a bit down in the back this morning. At first, I couldn't figure out why, but then it dawned on me that Grady and I had been quite active yesterday, enjoying activities that required Grandpa to bend over and occasionally pluck him from the ground. When he's dressed in his snow suit and wearing heavy boots, he's a bit top heavy and unlike the Weebles of old, Grady wobbles and he will fall down.

The mitten came off and with a full face of snow, Grady needed Grandpa's help to get out of this one. In fact, I heard, "Papaa, help meeeee!" more than once.

We had a great day together. Sargie and Macrea left early in the morning. Grady looked at Grandpa. I looked at Grady. It was time to get the day started on Pentoga Road.

My long-time friend, Eileen, sent this yesterday. I taught with Eileen and her husband, "Uncle Bert," for many years in northern Maine.

Peanut butter on toast with raisins and a sippy cup of milk. Life doesn't get much better.

Before play comes school. In this case, the Alphabet Song.

Breakfast and book learnin' complete, it was time to head outside and do man-stuff.

Grady insisted he could plow the drive by himself. It's a good thing I didn't listen.

Because after five minutes, he leaned forward and fell sound asleep, his head resting on the gas tank.

Then there was firewood to haul.

I pulled an old pair of my socks over his mittens to keep them from falling off.

It was time to check the mail after unloading the wood. What better way than in a wheel barrow?

The mandatory sleigh ride to the back of the property. If I walked too slow, I heard, "Papa, GO!"

With work done, it was time to play. Brutus and Grady were BFF's and inseparable. If Grady falls, Brutus immediately sits down beside him and won't move until Grady is once again mobile. Where Grady goes, so does Brutus.









After spending no small amount of time outdoors, once in the morning and again in the afternoon, it was time to call it day. Grady took a two hour nap in between, a time that Grandpa thoroughly appreciated. Being a grandpa's not for sissies!



Any parent who raised children in the north country knows the smell of drying clothes, either placed on radiators, registers, or along wood stoves. Yesterday brought back a lot of memories. As soon as Grady's clothes were dried from our first outing, we were dressed and outside again.

Macrea arrived around 6:30 following a day filled with meetings. We had supper and after lots of hugs and kisses from Grady, the boys were off to Iron Mountain. Sargie arrived home around 8.  It was a short evening and wasn't long before we were heading upstairs to bed. I'm not sure who was more tired, Grandma Sargie after a long, hard, day of work, or Grandpa after a long, hard, day, of play.

"... so here's the deal. I'll divert his attention by pooping my pants while you make your escape. We'll meet later in the kitchen."

Today's going to be a quiet one on Pentoga Road. Sargie opens the Vision Center. I think I'll walk my three miles then either work in the shop or head to one of the area lakes for a few hours of ice fishing.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Plowing, shoveling, hauling wood, riding in the sleigh, checking the mail, playing in the snow. Sometimes a guy has to catch a snooze when he can..  sitting straight up and sound asleep.