On our way to Marquette Sunday morning
Cool Grady is watching a movie while sipping juice

July 10, 2017 - Sunday

5 degrees/foggy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It appears the garden pond is losing water. After discovering a leak in an inside aquarium last night, I'm wondering who recently came along and shot holes in everything?

There is quite a bit of water lost daily in the garden pond due to evaporation. At first I would add an inch or two every couple of days. I see the level dropped almost four inches last night. It's been cool and foggy during the past twelve hours. That's called a leak, not evaporation. 

I'll get it figured out, but no matter what, but it's going to mean a day or two of unpleasant work. 

We had a ball on Sunday. After meeting Mel, Macrea, and Grady, about twenty miles away, the five of us rode to Marquette where we shopped, met Sargie's son, Cale, at the fitness center which he manages, then shopped more, enjoyed lunch, did a bit more shopping, and finally, made a stop or two on our way home to... shop.

A very popular country Presbyterian church in Sagola, Michigan. With cars lined up and down the road and the parking lot full, I wonder how everyone fits inside.  I've heard that people drive from as far away as sixty miles to attend. We left the car at a Park n' Ride across the highway from the church.

Later, in Marquette...

Cale is putting Sargie "through the ropes" at the gym in Marquette.

Hambone absolutely worships his Uncle Cale. 

Grady and Pawpaw occasionally hung out while everyone else was shopping. Grandma Sargie had bought some bubbles, so we went out to the parking lot and had fun while the grown ups were doing boring stuff like shopping.

The best part of the day was lunch. Cale, a friend, and the five of us enjoyed burgers, fish, wraps, fries... you name it, it was probably sitting on our table.

If the best part of the day was eating lunch, then the very best was eating ice cream after!

The day wore on and as with all good things, it was time to come home. There was one among us who was VERY tired and not happy.

We arrived home later in the evening to find water on the floor due to a leaky fish aquarium. Most the goldfish went out to the garden pond, the others into a small five gallon aquarium.

Needless to say, sleep came swiftly last night and neither Sargie or I were in any great rush to get out of bed this morning. She opens the Vision Center today.

I'm going to walk my three miles first thing. After, I need to dig a couple of post holes for a privacy fence that will be built to hide one of the wood piles in back of the existing wood shed. I was initially going to construct another three-sided shed, but a privacy fence hiding the tarp-covered pile should suffice for now.

I've got to spend some time figuring out how best to fix the garden pond liner. Eventually, the fish will have to be caught before the water is drained and rocks removed. That in itself will be a chore.

I may simply order a flexible liner to replace the hard plastic shell that's currently in place. No matter what, it's going to be a major pain in the backside. I also have to make some auto and homeowner's insurance decisions in the next day or two. I'll call my agent this morning and see if he can match the other quotes. If not, we'll be switching companies.

Finally, Sargie and I have a meeting in Iron Mountain late this afternoon. 

Meanwhile, all the above sounds stressful. I think I'll quit writing, pour another cup of coffee, and go to that happy place between my ears for a few minutes.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...