May 4, 2017 - Thursday
40 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

I'll be short on words this morning as I'd like to get this morning's blatherings finished and uploaded before Hambone awakens.



Grady told me early yesterday morning that he wanted to help Pawpaw build the front stoop. The little guy kept his word. He was either by my side or within sight the entire day.

One of the first tasks was to rake and gather all the old white gravel the previous owners had spread in front of the old flower beds. Grady would fill the Tonka truck then back it to the new stoop and make a few beeping sounds before dumping the gravel.

Hambone learned several important construction necessities Wednesday. His favorite was how to read a level.



He loved looking at "the bubble," as he calls it and often double checked my readings. He corrected me twice and was right both times. I can see that Hambone, his eyes, and Pawpaw have a great future together.

Neighbor Mike was down planting high bush cranberries in his fields to attract the partridge. Grady and Brutus observed from this side of the road.



It's amazing how much help a three year old can be. (Grady will be three on May 14th.) He was my handyman all day and never hesitated to retrieve a tool that was just out of reach or drag a piece of plastic to the burning barrel at the far edge of the back yard. 



What he didn't know was that Pawpaw was seldom far behind, always out of sight, but checking on his little buddy just to make sure. 

When Grady's here and outside, Brutus forgets about me and stays with him. I'd have it no other way.

All work and no play isn't any fun. Pawpaw found a box of sidewalk chalk with which to draw pictures on the drive.



We also worked on how to peddle a bike, count numbers using a tape measure, and drilling holes and using a driver.



The frames were built, leveled and made square. Next came Hambone's favorite activity, climbing on the four wheeler to get a load of sand.

A sippy cup and four wheeler. Life is good.

The real fun began once the sand was dumped into the frames.

Once I began laying the pavers, Grady was relegated to the second tier.

He rediscovered all his old sandbox toys from last summer and as I was working on the top stoop, Hambone was doing the same with the second. He reminded me several times that we were "working together." 

We took only one break from early morning until 6 last night. I was surprised to see Grady eat a full peanut butter and jelly sandwich with two slices of bread, a handful of chips, and an entire bottle of flavored water. The boy had worked up an appetite. 

After lunch, I told him he didn't have to take a nap, but needed to lay on the couch and rest. 

Grady got the last laugh.

He watched cartoons for half an hour while Pawpaw took a twenty minute snooze. 

It was back out the door. I continued to lay pavers while Grady assisted in some manner or the other. 




It was past six before we got our tools picked up and came in the house. Stripped of our very dirty clothing, we hopped in the shower together which brought back many memories of when my four sons were that age.

Grady looked up at me and said, "Pawpaw, you can wash me, but you can't spray my face."

I asked him how we were going to get his face clean and he simply shrugged his shoulders. 

I informed my three year-old shadow that sometimes, a guy has to take one for the team.

Grady got his face washed along with the half a bushel of sand removed from his hair, another bushel from the rest of his body.



After a hard day of working outside, we needed a supper that would fill us up. Grady suggested pancakes.

Sounded good to me.



I couldn't believe the mini-boy ate two large pancakes along with a fistful or two of raisins. He thought Pawpaw's homemade maple syrup was the best. Next year, he'll be big enough to help me gather sap and learn how real syrup is made.

Grady kept falling asleep in his high chair. I asked if he was ready for bed, but he insisted he stay up to see Grandma Sargie.

I was on the couch, Grady in the recliner across the room. I was reading the paper when I heard a boom.

I looked up to see my munchkin helper lying on the floor, sound asleep. In fact, Brutus, who was lying by the chair, was ready to use him as a pillow.

Seems as though Grady was lying, upside down, with the recliner in the back position and his head on the footrest. Evidently he'd put too much weight on the footrest and the recliner had automatically closed and flipped the boy out onto the floor. 

He never awakened as I carried him up the stairs and put him to bed.

It was almost 10 PM before Sargie arrived home. Thankfully, she's off today and is looking forward to some Grandma Sargie/Grady time.

I think I'll continue working on the bottom stoop, no doubt, with my helper close by. Sargie and I are planning on taking him to the playground so he swing, slide, and get dizzy on the merry-go-round. 

We'll be heading over to Iron Mountain later this afternoon and handing Grady off to his mommy and daddy. I need to pick up some more pavers and get another masonry blade. The old one is worn down to the nubs.



Meanwhile, I think I'll get this uploaded then enjoy the remaining quiet moments before the day begins. 

I don't mind telling you, ol' Hambone was a tough taskmaster yesterday and kept Pawpaw's nose to the grindstone.

Are we surprised? After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...