It was a Halloween Moon that rose Sunday night

April 30, 2018 - Monday

37 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Thankfully, with this Halloween Moon, we're going into spring, not fall and winter. I'm about wintered out.

Sunday morning began by painting the 4x8 sheets of hardboard to be used for the ceiling in the shop.

It was Sargie's idea. Why not paint them before hanging each rather than after when paint runs down one's arm or drips into his face? (The "one" I'm referring to is ME.)

Sargie had a point, but then, that's why, when it comes to all things pretty and practical, she's the captain of the ship. I'm but a mere deckhand.

With the captain's help, we managed to wrestle the sheets into place and slowly, the ceiling was fastened.

We worked especially hard with the first piece, but having developed some sort of system, the others went up as smoothly as possible. 

Other than some finishing touches, the shop is finished, at least for now. I'm glad to have it done and out of the way and will be especially grateful next winter for the added room and heat from a wood stove.

Another neighbor, Mike from Wisconsin, stopped by yesterday to show me an asteroid he found in a field. I was so excited to see it that I forgot to take a picture.

About the size of a watermelon, it was very heavy and metallic. In fact, a magnet would stick to it. 

Mike's daughter, a dentist, owns a beautiful home/camp about a mile away. Mike's a logger and is often up this way and occasionally stops in for a visit when he's in the neighborhood.

Sargie and I took our usual afternoon day-off drive. The weather has been perfect and today's highs are forecast to reach into the 70's. 

I cut up chicken breasts last night and we enjoyed fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy for supper. Can't beat down home, healthy, low calorie, cuisine.

I have a doctor's appointment a week from today so I'll be crash dieting this week in an effort to shed some pounds.

Healthy? Not even close, but it sure beats young Dr. Katie crawling up one side of me and down the other while expounding the virtues of keeping the pounds off. 

It's really not fair. When I see her in the fall, I'm usually fairly trim after a summer of working and being active outside. The spring visit is a different story. Having practiced being a two-legged slug all winter, I tend to be a bit pudgy with eight or ten "comfort pounds" riding around my waist. 

Those need to go away this week.

Neighbor Mike came down last night with a hammer in his hand. When asked why he was carrying a hammer, he told the story of a huge raccoon that had appeared in his barn through a hole and Mike found him a bit threatening. I guess he was going to pound the daylights out of the critter should he decide to get nasty.

We set a live trap last evening and hopefully, the varmint will have found his way into it over night. 

Sargie closes the Vision Center tonight. I'll go for my morning walk then finish the trim in the shop. Now that the weather has turned, there's so much to do that there aren't enough hours in the day. 

It's either feast of famine on Pentoga Road, but isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Flock after flock of geese are winging their way north as spring returns

All that's left is the ceiling and some trim.

April 28, 2018 - Saturday evening

39 degrees/clear skies/breezy

Pentoga Road

Friday was spent climbing up and down a ladder. Other than a quick trip to town first thing, I didn't quit working on the shop addition until Sargie pulled in the drive this evening.

I installed the floor over the shop first. I used to be able to toss those 4x8 sheets of particle board around pretty easily. 

No more.

I grunted and groaned and eventually, the heavy and bulky sheets were hoisted overhead.

Fastening them wasn't too bad as I could slide the sheets into place without lifting them. The floor was finished by noon.

The walls were a different story. With an uneven floor, square angles don't fit a sloped wall.

Before trimming

Each piece had to be trimmed to fit flush against the other. 

So the entire day went, very slow. Even the large double doors that were hung on a previous wall had to be trimmed and reworked. 



It was a tired boy who greeted Sargie when she pulled in the drive. After a quick shower and supper, we've been happy to relax and watch television tonight.

Sargie's off Sunday and has offered to help with the final big push, hanging the ceiling in the shop. No doubt we'll take a ride sometime in the afternoon and sip a celebratory Coke.

The shop is almost done. No doubt, I'll be adding the trim fairly soon and the finishing touches throughout the coming weeks. Moving back in is close at hand. I can hardly wait.



This coming week? I plan to get the garden pond cleaned and flowing again. So do the goldfish.

If the ground continues to dry, I hope to finish the strawberry planter and get the plants in the ground, plus there are blackberry and blueberry bushes due to arrive.

I could go on and on, but it's time for bed. There's a ceiling to hang tomorrow.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Cute little Abby
Miss Jody and Mississippi Brother Garry's granddaughter is all dressed up for her sixth grade dance and party

April 27, 2018 - Friday evening

35 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Abby's making her old Uncle Tom feel ancient. It doesn't seem like our little Mississippi magnolia is old enough to be going into middle school next fall. Where do the years go?

Speaking of munchkins, Wes recently turned one month old.

Matt says he's doing really well, eats and poops then sleeps several hours at a time.

Friday was insulation day on Pentoga Road.

The most difficult task was fastening the faced batting overhead. There's something about gravity that can make life difficult.

Installation was finished by late morning. Sargie was attending a funeral so I hooked the trailer to the Blazer and made a trip to the lumber yard to purchase what is needed to finish the shop.

Sargie and I spent the rest of Friday together. We picked up the Kia from the auto body shop then left for a meeting in Iron Mountain. It was late afternoon before we arrived back home. This evening has been a quiet one.

Sargie opens Saturday morning. I'll take my usual walk then begin putting up the wall covering on the addition. Hopefully the shop will be finished this weekend. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The ice on the area lakes is beginning to darken meaning its time is growing short.

A low flying eagle over Pentoga Road

April 27, 2018 - Friday

25 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Today's upload will be about as interesting as reading the dictionary. It's all about electricity.

After arriving home from my morning stroll Thursday morning, I found myself in the new addition surrounded by boxes, outlets, switches, and wire. 

The simple process of installing all the above isn't difficult, it's just time consuming, especially when trying to tie it into an existing structure.

I wanted to reroute a few outlets onto a different circuit in the old shop. I'm not sure what I was thinking of several years ago when I built the shop, but I've often wished I'd have done several things differently. There was no time like the present.

It was late in the afternoon before I finished everything. Feel good? You bet! After climbing the ladder a few dozen times, I was ready to call it a day.

Sargie wasn't home until past eight last night. The autobody man, Don, called yesterday and said the parts were in for the Kia and if we could have it there first thing this morning, he would get busy repairing the deer damage. We decided to drop it off in town last night.

Sargie's off today, but will attend a funeral in Crystal Falls. I'm heading out the door as soon as I'm finished writing to begin hanging the insulation, my least favorite job. I hope to get into town later to purchase the wall and ceiling coverings and begin to get that installed. It would be nice to have the shop finished this weekend so I can move onto the garden and pond and get those ready for the season ahead.

One of my goals for this coming week is to have the pond ready and filled and the goldfish moved outside. You may remember their winter home has been a fifty gallon tote in the basement.

Time to shake, rattle, and roll.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The first mallard ducks of the year on a giant puddle in a neighboring field

April 25, 2018 - Wednesday evening

39 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's been a busy one today, but I didn't accomplish nearly what I wanted. Call it old age. Hmm, laziness? Could be.

Spring is popping out all over. With last night's rain, coupled with warm temperatures, the snow is quickly being replaced by large puddles of water.

Lake Pentoga is making its yearly appearance. Hopefully, the water will disappear once the melt is over. You may remember that with last year's heavy rains, we had lakeside property well into August.



I spent most the morning in the greenhouse transplanting tomato and flower seeds that had sprouted between damp paper towels.



After losing several plants to a malfunction in the heating system in the greenhouse last week, I fast tracked another dozen tomato seeds and several hollyhocks. All sprouted and needed to be planted in potting soil. There are still over a dozen tomato plants in the house along with that many pepper plants.

I drove to town to buy enough 2x6's for the overhead rafters and insulation for the shop addition. 



The rest of the day was spent installing the ceiling joists. As luck would have it, I calculated wrong and came up one short. I'll get it in the next few days when I return to the lumber yard to purchase OSB board to cover the walls and floor overhead.

Holes were drilled through the studs and the electrical wire threaded that will be needed. I was going to begin installing the outlets and switches, but I ran out of steam. The energy tank ran dry.

Sargie arrived home a while ago and we'll be heading upstairs fairly soon. She opens Thursday morning so tonight will be a short one.

I'll go for my walk first thing then return to the shop. Tomorrow I'll be playing electrician. If things go really well, I'll begin to hang the insulation.

A large Tom turkey struttin' his stuff in the middle of Pentoga Road

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Star of stage and screen
Marley (with the Merlin hat)

April 25, 2018 - Wednesday

27 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sorry for the poor picture of Marley. My old pocket camera is built for outdoor shots and anything taken from a distance inside doesn't come out very well.

That being said, Marley was, indeed, a star in the Woodland Elementary musical. She said her lines flawlessly and made her mama, all the aunties, plus G Pop (Ross), Grandma Holly, and Uncle Tom proud.

Good job, Mar!

The musical didn't start until 1:30 on Tuesday, so Hambone and I had some time on our hands before.

What was that? We heard a chain saw whining up the hill at Grady's good buddy, Neighbor Mike's. I asked if he wanted to take a walk. Grady was all over that.

Funny thing about three-year-olds, they don't always tell the truth. Grady PROMISED he wouldn't get his feet wet. I managed to walk around a large puddle in Mike's drive and kept my piggies high and dry. 

I was walking ahead when I heard an,"OH NO!"

Sure enough, that evil, no good, puddle sucked Grady's feet into its muddy depths. 

My friend, Eileen, sent this to me after Grady's first episode with a puddle. It's just as appropriate now.

We finally caught up to Neighbor Mike who was thinning some small spruce trees on the edge of one field.

Grady was fascinated with the helmet and ear muffs, so much so, that he talked Mike into letting him wear them.

Hambone would have been more than happy to have stayed and helped. Each caught up on the news in the other's life and it was soon time for Hambone and Pawpaw to walk back home. 

Germaine saw us walking through the yard and offered us fresh chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven. We had just enough time for Grady to enjoy a glass of milk and a cookie.

The musical went flawlessly and after, we had some time to spend before dropping Grady off at his mother's workplace.

First we had the oil changed in Mom's car before going across the road to look at tractors and mowers.

Grady found one he'd like to have. He also found a tractor that would look really good with Pawpaw sitting on it.

Our last stop before leaving Grady with his mama was at "Burgun King," as Hambone calls it. 

The burgers were okay, but oh, how much fun can a little boy have in the play room!

Hambone crawled inside a huge series of overhead tunnels, rooms, and slides, for almost an hour as Grandma Sargie and I watched.

At one point, the Burger King explorer became confused. Thankfully, he found his way out. Pawpaw wasn't looking forward to climbing in after him.

Sargie closes tonight, another long day at the Vision Center for her.

I'm headed into town first thing this morning to purchase the lumber needed for the rafters to go overhead in the shop. I hope to get those installed and the electrical work finished by day's end.

In the Outdoor Department, the rhubarb is beginning to poke through the ground.

It's the first green I've seen this spring.

Time to get breakfast going and Sargie's lunch packed. It ain't gonna pack itself.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Grandma Sargie thought she ought to take a picture of Hambone and me during one of the rare times when we were both clean and had on nicer clothes.

A snowy owl circling high overhead

April 24, 2018 - Tuesday

29 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Though snowy owls are occasionally spotted in the area, this is the first one I've seen since leaving the arctic where they are quite common.

The picture's not very good. He was circling at a high altitude and I had only my pocket camera handy. In fact, I couldn't see him in the view finder. I used the zoom lens and began taking a slew of random pictures hoping to get lucky.

I picked 'em up and put 'em down all day Monday. Forsaking my usual morning stroll, I was making sawdust as soon as Sargie left for work.

The first task was to rebuild the rear wall over the frost heave. 

The inch and a half gap should leave plenty of space should that area heave again next spring. Since the shop will be heated on a daily basis, I doubt it will, but better safe than sorry.



I decided to go ahead and cover the window. It looks out into the dark storage shed and provides little, if any, light. The other window that looks into the storage shed has been a pain (no pun intended). It's just a single pane that provides no light or ventilation and I've been tempted to cover it over as well. I have the option of putting in an outside window on the side wall like I did in the original shop. Since it faces north, I haven't been too tempted as of yet.

The side wall went up fairly easy.



The floor slopes both ways and the walls are anything but square and even, but isn't that why trim was invented? I think in the end, no one will know and it'll be our dirty little secret.

It was mid afternoon before I took a break. I'd heard some activity up at Neighbor Mike's, so I figured I'd better check in.



The boy was hauling some posts from an old barn that had been torn down years ago.

We've yet to trap the skunk that is smelling up his yard. Any areas connected to the house have been ruled out and we think we might have found the source, an old shed that houses a cistern of some sort.

Mike started to check it out, but thought better. No one wants to be caught in an enclosed area with a stinky skunk. We'll keep the trap set.

I returned home to what has been the biggest challenge of building the addition so far, that of reducing a twelve foot wall down to eight feet, yet retaining the service and double doors.



The actual remodel was simple. It was handling the weight, while balancing the entire thing, that made it a challenge.

In the end, the wall was set into place and secured. 



Next step, will be securing the ceiling. That will be made from 2x6's, twelve feet long. Running the electric wire, outlets, switches, and lights, will follow.

One of the real pains of construction so far has been tripping over material taken from the old wall that will be used again to make the addition. I'm having a hard time staying out of my own way.

Grandma Sargie and Hambone walked in late last evening. Mr. Chatter, I mean, Grady, was wound up and talked nonstop for well over an hour. If he wasn't telling us a story, he was asking questions.

I don't anticipate getting anything accomplished today as we'll be heading over to our niece, Marley's, elementary play this afternoon in Iron Mountain. 

We'll leave late this morning, attend the play, drop Grady off in town, and by the time we arrive back home, the day will be pretty well done.

Sometimes you have to take one for the team. The overhead rafters can wait until tomorrow.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...