A double-ruffled Auntie Hollyhock

August 9, 2017 - Wednesday evening

68 degrees/rain/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm going to begin writing this tonight, Wednesday, so I have a better chance of uploading it early Thursday morning. Sargie has to be to work extra early which means my day will begin sooner than normal. If the blog's not on before she leaves, I have difficulty finishing it at all. 

It's the way I've always been. Writing is an early morning pleasure. After the day begins, I lose interest.

I'm feeling a bit spunky tonight, albeit very tired.

After waiting for what seemed to be hours in several construction zones, I finally arrived home from Iron Mountain mid Wednesday morning. 

The caliper of one brake on Sargie's Kia had failed and ruined the rotor and rest of the braking system on that wheel. Needless to say, my wallet was substantially lighter on the way home. 

Back on Pentoga Road, I exchanged the Kia for the Blazer and drove to Yooper Brother Mark's plant to get the trailer filled with wood.

Mark, Ann, and I gabbed for a bit before I bade each goodbye and came back home.

I hate wearing city boy clothes, even nice shorts and a polo shirt. Give me some cut off jean shorts, a ragged t shirt, and some Walmart fake Crocs, and I'm much happier. After a quick change, I began unloading the trailer. 

Thunder roared in the distance as I began splitting the larger chunks and throwing them on the new wood pile. I hoped to get at least half the trailer finished before the skies opened.

Too late. 

 Heavy rain finally forced me to cover the splitter with a tarp and run for cover.

It lasted only twenty minutes or so, just long enough for me to enjoy a ham sandwich. Hmm, a nap or return to work; life's about choices. What to do? 

Unloading the trailer won. In the end, I worked up and unloaded every piece of wood, something I haven't completed in a day's span for several years.

I'm uncertain what gave me so much energy. I felt as I did ten years ago when I forced myself to quit working late each afternoon. Maybe it was the ham and cheese sandwich... a fountain of youth discovered between two slices of bread.

While working, I pondered how many of today's younger generation could survive a day of physical labor, old-fashioned, blister-popping work. How many would want to?

Captain John Smith had something to teach the future generations, as if anyone would listen. 

"He who does not work, neither shall he eat."

The trailer was towed back to town for another load. One, possibly two, are needed and I'll have enough to heat the house and shop this winter with some in reserve.

Sargie had to work late and then found herself stuck in construction. Since I'd missed my usual morning walk, I decided to take a late afternoon stroll to Pentoga Village and back. 

What else?
After the floods and cold temperatures earlier this summer, the cucumbers have developed some sort of blight and the leaves and vines are dying. Oh well, that's why there's always next year.

August 10, 2017 -Thursday morning
RAIN
Pentoga Road

I was up entirely too early this morning. Seems some of my muscles rebelled after putting up all that wood yesterday. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm out of shape. It's getting increasingly more difficult to stay fit as the years tick by. 

Sargie finally arrived home last night after spending an hour sitting in traffic caused by miles of highway construction. We had a quiet evening spent in front of the television. 

Sargie opens the Vision Center this morning. If the rain stops, I'll go for my usual walk then think I'll spend the day in the shop being creative. No doubt that recliner will call my name at some point and I'll have to lie back and close my eyes so that I might think a deep thought or two.



The way my belly is sagging, I could afford to be lazy today. The no work/no eat policy might be a good excuse to lose a pound or two.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...