October 12, 2017 - Thursday
48 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

It's going to be another nice day in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Highs are forecast to be in the mid fifties with a few clouds thrown in the mix. I wonder what the poor people who don't live in the UP are doing today? 

Saturday night could be another story. I heard that S-N-O-W mixed with rain is a possibility. Hmm.

Never mind, forget that poor people thing. 

My early morning podiatrist's appointment went well on Wednesday. Appears I have heel spurs and planter fasciitis. Since I've been compensating for the pain, one malady seems to be causing another part of the foot to hurt and that, in turn, bothers yet another. It's a slow motion train wreck that's doing it's best to derail the person who is attached to both feet. 

In a nutshell, my poor feet are showing signs of wear and tear. The doctor prescribed medication along with some orthotics and scheduled another appointment next month to check on the progress. She said there are multiple options, the last being surgery, and assured me that one way or the other, I should be the proud owner of a pair of happy feet at some point in the future.

Meanwhile, the doctor told me to keep walking, but use the orthotics and take the medication.

After just one day of medication and using the inserts, I'm walking around the house pain free this morning, the first time in months. Hopefully, I can put this foot thing behind me.

Grady and I were two busy boys on Wednesday. Rather than write the obvious, I'll just list what we did and let the pictures fill in the details.

We: 
cleaned the bed alongside the barn
played in the leaves
rode bike through the leaves
talked on the phone to Grandma Sargie
played in the sandbox
took multiple wheelbarrow rides
ate one of Auntie Holly's cookies every now and then
checked the mailbox six or eight times
rode four wheeler more than once
put the basketball standard away
picked up our toys

I'm certain there are fifteen or twenty other things we did, but I can't remember them all. I do know that Pawpaw had no trouble sleeping last night.

















We took a short break for lunch after which I hoped to take a ten or fifteen minute nap. Yeah, that didn't happen.



My eyes were almost closed when Hambone cleared his throat and said, "Pawpaw, it's time to work!"

So out the door we went.



We put the basketball standard away for the winter. There'll be no more world championship games of HORSE this year before snow flies. 

The shadows were beginning to grow long when the last of the toys were picked up. As Hambone said, they needed to be put away so he'd know where to find them the next time.

The kid's learning. There's hope.

It was late afternoon when Macrea called and said he was leaving Iron Mountain and driving in our direction. We left at the same time heading his way. The Hambone exchange was made twenty-five minutes later along the Wisconsin/Michigan border.

With hugs, kisses, and a tear or two from my three-year-old shadow, I told my little buddy that I'd see him soon.

Sargie was home late last evening and opens this morning. Another short night for her.

Me? I've got some big people things on the agenda. I need to go to town and take advantage of a one day sale at the grocery, do some banking, and maybe, just maybe, close my eyes for ten to fifteen minutes after lunch; you know, recharge those Pawpaw batteries. There'll be nobody here to tell me it's time to get back to work.

Meanwhile, I need to close and get Sargie's breakfast prepared and lunch packed. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...