A hot mug of coffee and a roaring fire. The perfect way to begin a cold winter's morning.

February 12, 2016 - Friday morning

4 degrees/very windy/clear

Pentoga Road

Happy Birthday to my little guy, Matt. As you may well remember, Matt and Jessica are new parents of Bennet, now a week old, and of course, our cutie pie, Emerson. Happy birthday, son. We love you.

Today's a hurry-up-and-wait-day. I'll be taking Sargie to work after while, dropping Brutus off at the kennels, and returning home to finish packing and cleaning. Sargie has a list of things for me to do, cancel the daily paper while we're gone, stop the mail, get this, do that, and the list goes on and on.

Thursday was a fairly worthless day. I began the morning by going to town and dropping off a gallon of popcorn oil at Wells Fargo Bank for Macrea. The branch has popcorn every Friday for its customers and since Macrea is the District Manager, he was tasked with resupplying the oil. Macrea gave it to Sargie on Wednesday in Iron Mountain. She passed it on to me and in turn, I did the same this morning. The fair people of Iron River, at least those who bank with Wells Fargo, can rest easy knowing their weekly bag of popcorn will be waiting for them on Friday when they do their banking. As I keep saying, small town America is alive and well in the Upper Peninsula.

My next stop was to cash in a year's supply of cans and bottles at the grocery store. Not much excitement there, but I walked out $13.50 richer than when I entered. We're never going to get rich by recycling cans. 

My beverage of choice... Vernor's Ginger Ale. Neighbor Mike got me started drinking Vernor's a few years ago and now I'm up to sipping one or two cans a week. I know, last of the heavy drinkers.

I talked with my buddy, Scotty, down in Georgia, yesterday afternoon. We had a good visit and caught up on all the news in each others' worlds. It's probably a good thing Scotty and I don't live next door to each other. We'd either be the world's richest men or we'd be in continual hot water. Seems what he doesn't think of, I do, and vice versa. 

I am very happy to say that after his horrendous motorcycle accident last year, Scott's back to work on a part time basis and with ongoing surgeries, continues to heal. 

Sargie had to close and wasn't home until later in the evening last night. I'd already retrieved the suitcase from the storage shed and we went upstairs together and packed. 

My hair was getting a bit shaggy around the ears, so Sargie offered to give me a haircut. 

I never did like to get a haircut. Sargie says I fidget worse than a little kid and seems to continually be saying, "HOLD STILL!"

It's too bad that the hair on top, what there is, doesn't grow as fast as that on the sides and back. Oh well, I emerged looking as good as I can and both ears are still in place. 

Packed and shorn, I climbed the stairs to bed last night with Sargie close behind. 

Page Two:

I received the above picture from Andy last night who is back in Louisiana after a extended leave for Ivy's birth. He'll be working on and around the oil rigs for the next six weeks before he makes his way back to Maine.

Page Three:

I'll be taking Sargie to work this morning, leaving Brutus at the kennels along the way. He loves going and playing with the other pups and doesn't seem to mind staying there.

I've got several items to purchase for the upcoming trip in Iron Mountain while there, then I'll be coming home and doing those things that people do before they leave for a week. The house needs to be gone over one last time, any laundry washed, the thermostat set, windshield wiper fluid added to the car, and the list goes on and on.

I see the highs for Laurel, Mississippi, for next week are in the mid 70's. We haven't experienced those kind of temperatures since early last fall. Oh yes, we both have our token pairs of shorts packed and ready to go.

To say we're excited would be an understatement. Warm weather, good friends, playing in Garry's shop, Jody's sweet potato pie, and Charlie's Catfish House. It doesn't get any better and other than eating popcorn on Friday at the bank, leaves me wondering what the poor people will be doing while we're gone? 

It's time to pack Brutus's food, find his leash, and get this show on the road. I'm not certain how regular I'll be writing this next week, but hope to post something daily, a few pictures if nothing else. Next stop, Janesville, Wisconsin, then onto Memphis, Tennessee, and finally, Laurel, Mississippi. We're on our way!

I'd better quit writing and get busy. After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Is that an evil smile my barber is wearing? I'd better check again and make sure both ears are still attached.