Ham Bone and Paw Paw
"We're ready to go to town, Grandma Sargie!"

March 3, 2016 - Thursday
-4 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

I just about took a header into the end table after stepping on a plastic screwdriver that was lying on the floor. It's from a set that Sargie's boys played with when they were toddlers, so I'll blame Macrea when he comes to pick up Ham Bone later today.

Speaking of Ham Bone, aka Grady, we had a great day yesterday. 



Before he was awake, I left for Yooper Brother Mark's to pick up the trailer filled with wood. While there, I stopped in for a few minutes of socializing before coming home.



The trip back to Pentoga Road was filled with thrills. The main road was glare ice and the little Blazer had difficulty gaining traction going up a couple of steep hills, even in four-wheel-drive. 

Grady was just getting up when I arrived home. After a quick breakfast, with Grandma Sargie's help, he was dressed and out the door.

Grandma Sargie cooked a great meal!
Mmm, a sippie cup of milk, tangerine slices, toast and peanut butter, and raisins... the breakfast of champions.

We spent the next three hours working up wood, playing fetch with Brutus, and taking four wheeler rides. 





At one point, the four wheeler became high centered and stuck in a field at Neighbor Mike's. Poor Ham Bone. He was so tired from working up all that wood and then was expected to walk back home with PawPaw. I carried him out of the field, but once we got to the top of Mike's drive, the little guy had to walk the final two-hundred yards. At first he started to cry, but after first being effectively ignored and then encouraged, he walked ahead and gabbed and babbled the rest of the way home.



I'm not sure if he was more tired than hungry, but lunch had barely been eaten before he was ready for a nap... a long nap, three hours long to be exact. Ol' PawPaw had worn Ham Bone right out.

Who knew working up wood could be so much fun?

It took a long time and a lot of effort, but he finally made it to the top of the pile.

Grandma Sargie, Grady, and I, took a late afternoon trip to town, stopping at the Post Office and grocery store. Grady was happy to talk to and entertain anyone in the store, but I noticed he'd fallen asleep in his car seat on the way home.

We had grilled bratwursts last night for supper. After, munchkin-child entertained us by playing drums on the bottom of an old oatmeal box and dancing. We wrestled a bit, he and Grandma Sargie played tickle, and finally, at day's end, he was happy to take a bath, put on his jammies, and sit on PawPaw's lap wrapped in a blanket until falling sound asleep for the night. We haven't heard a peep out of him since.

Sargie took advantage of us boys being out of the house and spent the day cleaning and doing laundry. She was a tired girl last night. 

Macrea's to come around noon today to get Grady. No doubt we'll have breakfast after while, then head back outdoors to discover and play.... oops, I mean work in the wood pile. 

I hope to get the rest of wood worked up (notice, "worked" is not italicized) before day's end. I finished about a third of the trailer-load yesterday afternoon while Grady was taking his nap, but my back began begging for mercy, so I quit, came in, and closed my eyes for a while. If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.

The first piece of fire wood for next winter. It takes three to four of these spaces (sheds) filled with the soft wood we get from the plant to heat our home for the entire winter.

Sargie and I will, no doubt, take our usual afternoon day-off drive later today. Other than that, we'll just enjoy the time together.

He loved piling snow on the stump, messing it around, then wiping it off, then starting all over again.

Mmm, smells like the coffee is done. Think I'll enjoy a cup and listen to the news.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

It's a little too close when we're in the living room, so Brutus has his space and Grady and the big people have theirs.