I guess it's true. Fall really is around the corner. This year's first red leaves.

September 2, 2016 - Friday

40 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

Thankfully, Carl the Weatherman was wrong. It remained warm enough overnight that no frost formed. The garden and flowers live to see another day.

I took this picture last night so I could remember what the garden looked like before the big frost... that never happened.

Thursday was a mixed bag of goodies. I began the morning by painting the base of the kitchen cabinets black. They were getting chipped and faded.

I taped the floor, scraped and wiped the bases then painted. It didn't take long and everything looks much better.

While the kitchen and floor were in a disarray, I installed a new transition piece that lies between the laminate in the hallway and the hardwood of the kitchen floor. 

It was a bit of a challenge as, believe it or not, the house isn't square! I can't believe that after a hundred years, this old house has settled.

I put away those tools, ran through the garden picking some tomatoes for Sheri, then drove into town to run a few errands and deliver the tomatoes. I also stopped by the plant for a quick gab session with Yooper Brother Mark. It appeared he had everything under control and didn't need my help or supervision.

Once home, I began scraping and painting the Adirondack chairs that I made six years ago.

Before and after

It was interesting to note that originally, I'd purchased a chair, a kit, at Home Depot to assemble at home. I didn't care about the chair so much as I wanted to use the pieces as patterns with which to make a complete set of chairs. The original, made in China, quickly rotted and was thrown away sometime ago. The three that I made with local materials are still going strong.

I also slapped a coat of white paint on the older plastic lawn tables that were badly off color. As long as one doesn't get too close, he can pretend they are brand new.

While I had the brush full of white paint, I scraped and touched up a few places around the outside of the house including the octagonal window just under the eaves.

One area that is going to require some attention before snow flies is at the front of the garage by the door. While painting, I discovered the base plate is rotten as are the bottom of the studs.

I'll be working on that in the coming weeks before cold weather sets in. Much of the other side was replaced several years ago for all the same reasons.

The last chore of the day was to spray the outside of the house for cluster flies. Normally, an exterminator is hired, but he's done a lousy job the past two years. In fact, last year, I called several times asking that he come back and was ignored. After a bit of research and ordering what was needed online, I decided to do it myself. Stay tuned. I may have found a new calling.

I gathered the recyclable newspapers, bottles, and cans, and drove to Iron Mountain. The bottles and cans were deposited and since the newspapers go to a different place, I'll deal with those this morning. Sargie and I rode back together and after a quick supper, she began cleaning.

A clean angel is a happy angel!

I settled onto the living room couch to watch the final Packers preseason game. With all the third and fourth string people playing, it was an uninteresting contest, filled with penalties and time outs. I turned it off at halftime and joined Sargie in the kitchen.

Neighbor Mike had earlier picked and gave us two huge containers of black berries. I spent some time at the sink last night washing, packing, and sugaring them. All were put in the freezer to enjoy this coming winter.

After I finish my errands in Iron Mountain this morning, I'll return home to trim and mow the lawn and trails. With a forecast of sunny skies and highs in the lower 70's, mowing the grass sounds like a perfect way to spend an early fall day.

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

So areI the tales from Pentoga Road...

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