Matt and Emerson at a Daddy Daughter Valentine's Day dance

February 9, 2018 - Friday evening

8 below zero/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

This is a proud Grandpa/Grandma Sargie evening. Not only did we receive the wonderful picture of Emerson and her daddy, but we also learned a while ago that granddaughter, Ellie, won first place in a community art contest. Along with the award came a prize of $100. My granddaughter is a professional artist!

Ellie is on the left

I can only hope that Ellie remembers us after she becomes famous.

Thursday was a mixed bag. Between loads of laundry, I could be found in the shop where I used the router to make a jig to bend dowel rods used for flower stems.

Dowels rods are made from hard wood and as a rule, don't bend and have very little flexibility. The only way I knew to solve the bending issue was to soak the rods in water.

Today's attempt was experimental, but the jig seemed to work. After this, I'll soak the dowel rods overnight so they will be even more flexible.

I began turning a birch bowl this afternoon.



I'm running into problems turning too large a piece of wood on too small a lathe. It's underpowered and there's barely enough room between the wood and the bed.



The piece was less than half finished when I stopped for the day. There's a plan for this work, but it's completely different than anything I've previously turned. Stay tuned. We'll see what tomorrow brings, possibly more kindling for the wood stove. 

There was still time before dark to take a stroll to Pentoga Village and back. It was a good end to a good day.

Sargie was home early this evening. She'll be gone fairly early in the morning to meet her sisters in Iron Mountain. They'll drive on to Green Bay to attend a baby shower for Jessica, nephew Regan's wife. 

I'll go for my walk first thing then it will be a toss up whether I go fishing or return to the shop. So much to do, so little of me.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...