March 20, 2016 - Sunday
15 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

It looks to be a quiet one on Pentoga Road this morning. I keep looking out the windows thinking that some sort of critter ought to be walking through the back yard. Everything is quiet so far this morning.

Unless you want to read about every twist of a wire, rotation of a drill bit, or how many times I bumped my head on the soffit while installing the new lights in the kitchen, there's not much to write about.

Things went better than planned during the installation. In fact, removing the old recessed lights was the most difficult task as they'd been plastered and screwed into place. 



I didn't want to destroy the drywall beyond the immediate area, so it took a while to cut the plaster away, unscrew everything, and finally, pull them out.



What a mess when each dropped from the ceiling. There must have been a gajillion dead lady bugs that came with them, all onto my face. I kept the vacuum handy and each time a mess was made, I'd quickly suck it up and continue.



Fishing the wires through the soffit wasn't so bad. I was lucky to find an interior hole, one through which everything would fit. 

My biggest problem was actually seeing what I was doing. Standing on the first step of ladder was too far away from my work. If I took another step, it was too close. I finally swallowed my man-pride and tried Sargie's little, frilly, pink, utility step stool that she keeps in the kitchen. Much better.

And so the day went. It was late afternoon before I could call the job complete. 

Oh Lord Almighty. I looked at the light switch. What if the lights didn't work? What if I had to go back into the soffit and examine the wiring? What if/what if/what if?

I closed my eyes and beseeched the Angel of New Lighting in Old Farmhouse Kitchens Everywhere, took a big breath, and flicked the switch.

LET THERE BE LIGHT! Bugles sounded and an angelic chorus sang from somewhere deep inside the soffit. For the first time since I've owned the house, the kitchen was bathed in light, lots and lots of light. 



The best part of the whole installation is that Sargie loves it. When it comes to interior decorating, she's a difficult task master, so I felt like a third Property Brother. Chip and Joanna will probably want to hang out and I look for Tarik and Christina to call at any time. Job done.

I'd been working overhead all day, crawling up and down a step stool, and my back was hurting. There was just enough time before dark for a quick walk. I hoofed the three miles to the lake and back. 

Needless to say, it was a tired boy who greeted Sargie late last evening as she walked in the door. I'd kept the kitchen dark so when she entered from the garage and the lights were turned on, she would be bathed in light and hear the angelic chorus. 



Today should be lazy. It's Sargie's only one off during a nine-day stretch. The weather's to be nice and we're planning an afternoon drive. Other than that? Who knows.

On the agenda for this week, not necessarily in any particular order:
Empty the trailer of fire wood
Make a dibble board
Go to the dump
Begin work on the new planter
Change oil and hydraulic fluid in the tractor and backhoe
Get discarded wood chips from Yooper Brother Mark's plant for the garden addition
Lay out the lines for the new garden expansion
Work on the expanding the deer fence
Attend the Mighty Milligan Easter gathering next Saturday

Whew, I just read all the above and I'm thinking that I might want to consider retiring from being retired.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...