Grady took some time out from being a super hero to play a bit of organized soccer on Sunday afternoon

September 18, 2017 - Monday

42 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Hambone's soccer career officially began yesterday with his participation in the YMCA age 3 to 5 program.

With the cunning of a mongoose and quickness of a gazelle, Grady's athletic prowess was put on display before several sets of beaming grandparents and an uncle or two.

Since Sargie had to work, I represented the Milligan/Pennington side and drove to Iron Mountain to witness the budding athlete in action. 

You got to be kidding me!
I can't use my hands? What kind of game is this anyway? 

If only they'd let me use my hands

Why is everyone going the wrong way?

Fine, then I'll just kick the thing. 

After Hambone's introduction to soccer, I visited with Jeanne and Boyd and later with Holly and Ross while waiting for Sargie to finish work. We later rode home together.

To back up a bit, I was in the shop early Sunday morning. It wasn't a stellar time at the lathe. In fact, something happened that scared the heck right out of me.

I was turning a large piece of spalted birch on the lathe when it let go and hit me square in the face.

The chunk of wood came out so fast and hard that it knocked me backwards. My nose felt like someone punched me and my lip swelled.

Thankfully, I was wearing a full face shield. Had I not, there's little doubt it would have broken my nose and removed a few teeth, if not knocked me unconscious. 

That's the piece that hit me by the chisel.

I believe in the fall-off-the-horse theory and hopped back on to ride again.

I was working on a new type of bowl, one that in the end, was to be shaped somewhat like a tulip.

I was on the final stages when I sanded through the bottom side. 

And just like that, it broke loose and came flying at me. 

It was small and light enough that I managed to snag it with one hand as it went flying by.

Strange, the difference between a delicate piece of work and complete failure can be one turn of the lathe and a bit of sandpaper.

I found early in this game of turning that some days are diamonds, others are coal. A lot of coal was mined and crow eaten on Pentoga Road Sunday morning.

I moaned and groaned through the Packers/Falcons game last night. It's back to the drawing board for the Green and Gold. Simply put, they looked horrible.

Sargie works at 11 this morning and closes tonight. I'll ride with her and bring the Blazer back home. After, it'll be back to the shop. I feel like mining a few diamonds today.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...