Grandson, Bennet, starting the week with a big smile

July 11, 2016 - Monday

60 degrees/light rain/breezy

Pentoga Road

It appears that the past several weeks have flown by and our lives are back to normal. Sargie returns to work today, Mom's gone home, and poof, just like that, it's just Brutus and I who will be holding the fort.

We received .2 of an inch of rain overnight, the kind we love, light and steady, where each and every drop soaks into the ground.

I received an email from my friend, Susan, who lives in San Diego, California, saying that she's going to try to return her yard to grass. 

Like everyone else in southern California, Susan has experienced the devastation of the lasting drought. Hopefully, the special type of heat/drought resistant sod will once again allow her to enjoy something green in her yard.

I well remember the drought that was occurring in our area the year I purchased the house and property on Pentoga Road. It was the third year of little to no precipitation and rainfall was nearing seventeen inches below normal. The lake levels were so low and even the leaves on the maple trees were a pale green to yellow. I remember worrying that the shallow well might run dry, especially while hosting multiple visitors for week-long stays. In the long run, we had plenty of water and God eventually turned the tap back on. 

Taken Sunday evening

The smoker with two pork loins and a roast was going before 6 AM Sunday morning. 

While the meat was being processed, I took the opportunity to work up another three loads of fire wood. Six to eight more loads should see both sheds completely full and ready for the upcoming winter. 

The meat was finished by 10 AM. What to do? I asked Sargie is she wanted to take a ride; Escanaba or Marquette, Lake Michigan or Superior, it made no difference. She opted for Marquette.

We exchanged the router at Walmart and Sargie shopped at her favorite stores. I spent the time wandering around a lumber yard and sporting goods store. We never did make it to the lake. It was chilly and windy, not the kind of day one would walk barefoot in ankle deep water along the shoreline. All of our business was on the opposite side of town and before we knew it, it was time to drive back home.

Sargie watered the flowers last night while I set up the new router. It's amazing how many of our electronic gizmos depend on the wireless internet: the smart tv, both computers, both smart phones, the satellite tv, and my old iPhone in the shop that is used to stream music. It took over an hour to change the router settings for all of them.

It was time to cut the meat into deli slices for future sandwiches. 

We used our very tired stainless steel meat slicer that was purchased at a second hand store several years ago.

Sargie and I had quite the assembly line going. I did the actual cutting...

... while Sargie packed several quart freezer bags full. 

We'll freeze the loin slices and remove the individual bags as we need them. Most of the meat will be used to make sandwiches for Sargie's lunches. 

Speaking of... vacation is over for Sargie. She's back to work today.

Brutus and Sargie enjoying a fire on a chilly Saturday evening.

Depending on the weather, I hope to resume walking this morning then work up another three loads of firewood. After that, the sky's the limit.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road... 

Propelled by Daddy Power. 

Emerson's enjoying flying high into the air.