A late February thaw struck with a vengeance on Tuesday

February 27, 2018 - Tuesday evening

37 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

If a person didn't have spring fever before today, he definitely does now. This afternoon saw a high of fifty-seven degrees.

That being said, little time was spent inside today. Grady arrived around 8 AM and as soon as he was settled in eating breakfast with Grandma Sargie, I took off for Pentoga Village, a walk of three and a half miles.

We saw several plows today cleaning what little snow there was left on the roads and pushing the snow banks back from the shoulders. March is our snowiest month and it wouldn't be unusual to have several large snowfalls before April arrives.

Grady, Sargie, and I, spent some time outdoors this morning. We did everything throughout the day from making a snow cave and playing King of the Mountain, to having a snowball fight.

We came in for a break around noon. Sargie read Grady a new book as we relaxed.

Hambone was especially interested in wearing my cap that contains a blue tooth speaker and microphone. He calls it my magic cap.

After a quick trip to town we returned home and the three of us enjoyed a walk of just over a mile. 

Actually, Hambone and I raced almost all the way back, six tenths of a mile with few stops. I can't speak for my three year old counterpart, but Pawpaw was a tired boy once we arrived home.

The afternoon brought digging a snow fort followed by a huge snowball fight.

Grandma Sargie performed jihad pelting both Hambone and me repeatedly with snowballs.

Grady found the best place to hide was inside his snow fort.

On the offensive, his famous words were, "Watch out Grandma Sargie. I'm locked and loaded! You're going downtown!"

Off he'd go on the attack.

After pelting Grandma Sargie, the tables would once again be turned and there'd be laughing and screaming as she chased him across the drive.

So the afternoon went. It was a tired Hambone, Grandma Sargie, and Pawpaw, who came in the house shortly before dark.

The battlefield

Daddy arrived late in the afternoon and we enjoyed a great supper of Grandma Sargie's homemade chili. After a good visit, the boys took off for home.



Sargie's back to work tomorrow and closes Wednesday night. I'll go for my usual walk then I hope to work in the shop the rest of the day.

Then again, with warm temperatures forecast, who knows what I may end up doing?



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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

There was plenty of snow to begin the week. By Monday afternoon, it had begun disappearing as spring reared its beautiful head.

February 27, 2018 - Tuesday

30 degrees/clear skies/breezy

Pentoga Road

I'm up bright and early this morning as I caught word that Hambone was going to stop in for a visit today. Sargie's off and after finding out that Macrea had to work in Ironwood, Grandma Sargie and Daddy agreed that Grady would be dropped off this morning and Macrea could pick him up on his way home tonight.

Hambone made the local paper along with the rest of his class last Friday. Back row, first astronaut on the left.

Almost all of Monday was spent cleaning the drive and back deck. I'd plowed it good enough to get the car into the barn on Sunday afternoon, but there was still plenty of snow to remove.

With the thermometer reaching almost fifty degrees, the drive was melted completely bare by day's end.

The tax people called saying our taxes were finished. After a quick ride to town, Sargie and I decided to go on over to Iron Mountain and pick them up. 

Unlike some politicians who obviously have more money than we do, we were happy that the government decided to share some "crumbs" with us little people this year in the form of a refund. 

While in Iron Mountain, we did a bit of shopping and poking around. Fresh produce is beginning to appear in the grocery stores and though they look better than they taste, we purchased a couple of packs of strawberries.

It's time to end as I better get any big-person Pawpaw things done for the day before Hambone pulls in with his daddy. A high in the mid 40's is once again forecast, perfect for making snow forts and snowmen.

The waterfalls and pond are completely covered over

It's what grandmas, grandpas, and three year old's do on Pentoga Road this time of the year.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The Blazer was left to sit in the sun Monday afternoon so the snow and ice would melt from underneath.

Andy and Ivy 

February 26, 2018 - Monday

14 degrees/sunny/calm winds

Pentoga Road

A big Happy Birthday goes out to my little guy, Andy. He sent the above picture and video below of him and Ivy playing. 

Andy made Ivy a "big girl bed" this past week. He's also made her a dresser and toy box/book case in the past. 

Once again, happy birthday son. Sargie and I love you.

Our Milligan Sister Winterfest was a good one and everyone hated to see it end. Saturday night, we gathered at the Log Cabin in Gladstone.

Sargie seldom drinks, but ordered something that tasted like a German chocolate cake. I'm not certain she got very much after passing it around for everyone to taste.

Me? I pulled out all the stops and got wild and out of control by ordering a Coke WITH maraschino cherries. When it comes to drinking, I'm a loose canon.

Our meal was outstanding.



Sargie had some type of Alfredo dish. I enjoyed a large cut of prime rib and didn't hear complaints from anyone.

A storm blew in Saturday night and we awakened to several inches of wet snow and ice Sunday morning.



I tried to start the Blazer to melt the ice from the windshield and it acted like it was flooded and refused to fire. No amount of coaxing could get my Alaskan beast to start.

Nancy's husband, Ron, asked if he could try. Ron's sold cars for many years and as he said, sometimes a different person sitting in the driver's seat can make a difference.

It did! Ron had the magic touch and the Blazer was soon purring. It seemed to be a consensus that there was moisture in the fuel and after pouring in a can of HEAT, the Blazer has started and run perfectly since.

We came home to another eight inches of blowing snow on Sunday. I had to park the car out towards the road until the drive could be cleared. Sargie came on in and did her thing while I plowed the drive.



The rest of the day was a lazy one. Sargie did some laundry and found time to make a big pot of wild rice/chicken soup. I spent most the day just fiddling around, carrying in wood and accomplishing little. 

Sargie's off today. After a blustery and chilly Sunday, today's supposed to be relatively calm and downright warm with a high of 43 degrees forecast. I'm going to clean up the drive so it will melt down to the pavement and no doubt, will go for a walk at some point. Otherwise, I'll let Sargie call the shots.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Donnie, Boyd, me, Ross
Nephew Taylor sent over ball caps for his uncles.
"The Asphalt Doctor," Taylor supervises a crew and is an estimator for a local paving company.

We awakened Friday morning to 8 inches of newly fallen snow.

 February 24, 2019 - Saturday
17 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Gladstone, Michigan

Boy oh boy, I must be losing it. I see where I wrote entries over the past two days and neither were uploaded. So, knock yourself out. There's plenty of reading past today's entry. 

I know how it happened. I either write the night before or early the next morning. It is usually composed, then set aside for a bit before returning to edit. In both cases, I was interrupted the past two days and simply forgot to push the "publish" button. 

With the possibility of another 8 inches of snow to fall tonight, I decided to go ahead and clean the drive Friday morning before we left for our weekend getaway. I'm glad I did. It could have been a real mess by the time we arrive home Sunday afternoon.

We met Ross and Holly in Iron Mountain later in the morning then made our way to the Buck Inn in Gladstone for lunch. Nancy and Ron, Jeanne and Boyd, were there to meet us. The weekend had officially begun.

Holly, Jeanne, and Nancy

Friday afternoon found us sitting around the pool or soaking in the hot tub. 

Ross, Boyd, and I, wiled away the afternoon hours while soaking, letting the steaming hot water cook all the stresses of life from our bodies. 



It's fun sitting in the large Florida room on the shores of Lake Michigan watching the ice fishermen. Hard to believe, we're sitting in 80 degree warmth while just on the other side of the glass, winter has a firm grip on the weather. 

We stayed at the resort and had supper in their dining room last night. Beforehand, we enjoyed sitting in the lounge. Star of stage and screen, world renowned JC Penney model, Nancy, made time in her busy schedule for a quick pose.

Note the delicate posturing of Nancy's pinky finger. The girl is all class. Even sister Jeanne's bunny ears show some promise of a future hand modeling career for her.

The evening ended by celebrating life while enjoying a huge meal with all the side dishes. Sargie and I both had fried walleye. Tuna steaks and salmon were enjoyed by others.

We're slow getting around today. I think the girls are going to do some shopping. We men? I imagine we'll head over to the local Menard's Lumber Yard and nose around. No doubt, we'll end up back here at the resort, sitting around the pool, soaking awy all the of day's stresses while sitting in the hot tub.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The Milligan motorcade all lined up in a row.
Donny and Tricia will be along later today.

The ice from Tuesday's rain made the trees look like crystal in Wednesday morning's sunshine

February 22, 2018 - Thursday

-8 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's a short one this morning. I fell asleep in front of the television last night and we're leaving in a short while for Iron Mountain. Sargie is off today, but has a hair appointment. I need a few things from Home Depot, so I'll go with and keep her company for the ride. 

Back from my walk, Wednesday was spent in the shop, either at the lathe, the bandsaw, or using the sander that Sargie gave me for Valentine's Day. With various sized spindles, it can't be beat for sanding inside curves.

Sargie didn't arrive home until late yesterday evening. We had a quick bowl of chicken stew and were soon off to bed. It was a short evening.

Tomorrow brings the beginning of our annual Milligan sisters and husbands gathering in Gladstone. Of course, with it comes a winter weather advisory for several inches of snow and ice. We haven't had a snow storm all winter so of course, it will probably drop feet and feet... or maybe a few inches.

That's okay, we'll put the trusty Blazer in four wheel drive and make our way east. It's the way we roll around here.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

February 23, 2018 - Friday
27 degrees/snow/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Oh sure, you might know, we're less than an hour away from leaving for our annual Milligan Sister Winter Retreat and we wake to find that snow has been pounding down all night.

Fear not! The trusty old Blazer is ready to be put into service, all four wheels locked into place, each pulling us to our destination through thick or thin... or several inches of snow.

Once home from Iron Mountain on Thursday, Sargie and I fiddled around doing this or that, accomplishing quite a bit, yet not anything worth writing about. Unless... you consider that we spent time making popcorn for this weekend's outing.

I don't like to brag, but when it comes to popcorn, I've been taught by the best. Dad.

There were two things Dad could do better than anyone else in the whole, wide, world, flip pancakes high into the air and pop corn.

I remember as a small child watching Dad pour the oil into the skillet, then letting it heat as he revealed that the secret to popping good corn was never to bruise the kernels as they were being poured in and consequently shaken back and forth over the burner.

He went through all the motions of oohing and aahing and when enough corn was added, he'd say, "See there Charlie, not one kernel was bruised. Now we gently shake."

As a little boy, I believed him. Even when my boys were small, I passed down the family secret of making good popcorn and would be willing to bet that not one kernel has been bruised by a Pennington boy.

The old skillet and lid have been replaced by a more modern popper, but the thought is the same. NEVER bruise a kernel.

I had a helper yesterday. Sargie had good intentions, but having Sargie as a co-popper is like taking a three-year-old berry picking.

One piece in the bowl, four in the mouth, one in the bowl, four in the mouth.

Don't lie Sargie. You've been caught in the act.

It's a good thing I could pop the stuff faster than she could eat it or else we'd have little to contribute.

Sargie's in the shower. I'm not even going to attempt to clean the drive. I see we're to get several more inches of snow yet this weekend. I'll worry about plowing and snowblowing when we arrive back home Sunday afternoon. Sargie's off Monday, so I'll be in no hurry.

It's time to fire up the old Blazer, check the tires, the oil, the wiper fluid, and call on the trusty old Alaskan steed to get us to our destination.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Rain Rain Go Away

February 20, 2018 - Tuesday evening

20 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

What a gray and damp day today was. We awakened to freezing rain and slick conditions. Sargie went ahead and got ready for work, but with the rain freezing on everything it touched and area schools closing, we decided it would be best if she stayed home. 

The rain finally quit so I spent a good part of the morning cleaning the drive by hand. There was barely an inch of snow covered with a layer of ice. 

UPS finally arrived later in the afternoon bringing the brushes for the lathe.

It didn't take long to replace the old ones with the new.

Wonder which one is the old brush?

With Sargie home, I spent the rest of the day inside, fiddling around, watching television, and making another flower. I even managed to sneak in a couple of short naps along the way.

The Lord and the weather willing, Sargie will be back to work Wednesday. It will be her last before a four day hiatus while we spend a long weekend in Gladstone, Michigan, with the Milligan sisters and husbands. This will be the third year that we gather at a resort on Lake Michigan for a weekend of sitting around the indoor pool, soaking in the hot tub, eating, and of course, gabbing and laughing.

I'll be back in the shop tomorrow after my daily walk. There are several projects to work on and I'm eager to try out my newly fixed lathe.

Meanwhile, it's about time to call it a night and head upstairs to bed.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...