We're back home after navigating through torrential rains and heavy snow.

December 31, 2018 - Monday evening

New Year's Eve

24 degrees/cloudy/windy

Pentoga Road

Happy New Year! Here's hoping 2019 is the best yet!

It's a mighty tired Sargie and Tommy P who are attempting to keep their eyes open this evening. It's been a long two days, one which saw us drive over 1,300 miles.

The three of us left early Sunday morning for Terre Haute, Indiana, to take Mom back home.

We were well downstate in Wisconsin when the sun peeked over the horizon painting a beautiful picture.

The skies may have been pretty, but the wind and temperatures were brutal. 

Sargie was fascinated with the large windmill farms located outside of both Pawpaw and Bloomington, Illinois.

There are, literally, hundreds, maybe thousands, of large windmills on the flat plains of the Illinois.

We arrived in Terre Haute later Sunday afternoon. After feasting on delivered pizza, we left Mom to her own devices and did a bit of shopping. Bedtime came early last night.

After a quick goodbye and giving hugs and kisses to Mom this morning, we began our long drive back to the northland.

Today's journey consisted of a ten hour drive through torrential downpours and some of the heaviest snow I've seen in a long time.

We outran the monsoons in Illinois and decided to stop at an outlet mall in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. Sargie took off in one direction, I in another. 

She found a few treasures at discount prices. I bought a reconditioned, inexpensive, chain saw for $50. I have two good ones, a Stihl and a large Husqvarna. Both are excellent, actually too good to cut brush and limbs. I purchased a reconditioned Homelite nine years ago for such work and it lasted eight of those nine years, saving the good saws for more serious hardwood harvesting. I'm hoping my latest acquisition, a Ryobi, will be as good as the old Homelite.

We drove from the outlet mall directly into the snowstorm from hell. 

There were times that we had difficulty seeing just a few feet in front of us. It wasn't pretty.

The snow finally ended between Green Bay and home. In fact, the last seventy-five miles were driven on dry, clean, pavement.

We noticed during this past trip just how far gas prices have fallen over the past few weeks.

After paying over $3 a gallon last year, the $1.77 in northern Illinois seemed downright cheap. I know gasoline is even less expensive in the more southern states. 

We arrived home late this afternoon just before dark. Sargie emptied the car while I built a fire and warmed the house. This evening has been very quiet. We both agree that bedtime will come early.

I'm so grateful to Sargie for spending her precious days accompanying me down and back to Indiana. She not only gave up her time for twenty hours of hardcore riding, the poor girl has to open the Vision Center bright and early in the morning.

Tomorrow's New Year's Day. Since Sargie's working, it will be, more or less, just another day on Pentoga Road. I'll, no doubt, go for my usual early morning walk. If it's not too windy, I may begin to take down the outside Christmas decorations. Otherwise, I told Sargie I'd help finish the laundry. Other than that, there are several projects I'm anxious to begin in the shop.

Reading the tracks, a deer came up onto the deck and peered in the kitchen window while we were gone. It's nice to be missed.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The woodpeckers have this stump pecked to death

December 29, 2018 - Saturday evening

11 degrees/cloudy skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm about to turn in for the night, but wanted to get something posted first. We're planning on leaving in the wee hours of tomorrow morning for Indiana and I doubt I'll have the chance to write Sunday evening.

Saturday was a good day. I began with the usual walk. Though it was only six degrees, the sun came out and made it a pleasant hike.

Mom and I went to town later in the morning, searching for an old cabinet or two to mount on the wall in the shop. The thrift store had several, but all were overpriced and not really what I wanted. I've about come to the conclusion that I'll simply make my own. They won't be pretty, but I bet they'll be effective.

I enjoyed a nap after lunch and failing to get up from the couch, fell asleep again later in the afternoon. Tired? No. Lazy? Uh huh!

The downstairs was swept and dusted this afternoon and I did a load of laundry. That was about the extent of my housework. Like I said, I was lazy today, really lazy. 

Mom and I had several good conversations today and Sargie and I will sure miss her. The twelve days she's been here have flown by.

Sargie was off of work early tonight. She, Mom, and I, met Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri in town for supper and had a good time.

I think we're all packed and ready to go. Hopefully, we'll arrive in Terre Haute mid afternoon on Sunday. Sargie and I will turn around and make the ten hour trip back to Pentoga Road on Monday. It's going to be a long two days.

It's time for bed. Since Mom no longer drives and I didn't hear Sargie volunteer to sit behind the wheel, it appears I'll be the captain of the ship tomorrow. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road... 

Think the shop needed cleaning?

December 28, 2018 - Friday evening

16 degrees/cloudy/breezy

Pentoga Road

Since the maid didn't show up Friday morning, I had no choice but to start cleaning the shop. To get mentally ready, I braved the temperatures in the upper teens, the snow, and strong northerly winds to walk the usual four and a half miles.

With yesterday's rain/snow, I could have laced on a pair of ice skates and completed the distance in a fraction of the time. The roads were coated with a thick layer of ice.

Once home, I lit a fire in the outdoor wood furnace then came inside while the shop warmed up. A hot cup of coffee to warm me from the inside out and a leftover sweet roll were relished while visiting with Mom.

I couldn't put it off longer. It was time to play Mr. Clean and head to the shop.

There wasn't a square inch of clear surface area and EVERYTHING was covered with sawdust. It seemed to take forever to wipe the tools and put them away. 

Then came sweeping and running the vacuum. One of the best gifts Sargie's ever given me is a large, extra heavy duty, industrial vacuum.

I used the brush on the vacuum to dust every surface.

It was time for lunch. Mom and I had her favorite noontime meal, peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.

Oh quit turning up your nose. You've never tried it.

I've eaten them for over sixty years and look how big I grew to be. As a little boy, I was the only student in Windsor Elementary School who carried a peanut butter and pickle sandwich in his lunch.

After some more visiting and quick nap, it was back to the shop where I swept, dusted, vacuumed, hung and nailed.

More than two hours passed before I called it finished.

The pig that I started two months ago is my next project

It's not perfect, but for this evening, the entire shop is clean. Put it this way, if Mississippi Brother Garry visited first thing in the morning, I'd make him take off his shoes.

OK, that's a lie. You know, I look at someone's shop and if it's too clean, I wonder if it's ever used. A shop without sawdust is just another room.

Mom and I enjoyed sister-in-law Holly's French meat pie for supper tonight. To say it was delicious would be a complete understatement. It was to-die-for good.

Sargie just called and will be home in a while. She's had a long day in the Vision Center and as luck would have it, she opens in the morning.

Saturday is Mom's last day with us for this visit. We're planning to leave early Sunday morning for Terre Haute, Indiana, and return Monday so Sargie can go back to work on Tuesday. 

We're to meet Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri Saturday evening for supper. No doubt, there'll be lots of good food and great conversation.

I'll go for my usual walk Saturday morning, visit with Mom, do some laundry, and who knows, I might even get out to the shop and make some sawdust. I don't want anyone to think it's just another room.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

December 27, 2018 - Thursday evening
34 degrees/rain/mist/snow/breezy
Pentoga Road

It's been another one of those blah days. We were up early this morning and one look out the window discouraged Sargie from attempting to drive the forty miles to work. At the time, the wind was blowing a heavy snow sideways.



This has, however, been another wonderfully lazy day. I should have cleaned the shop, but that didn't happen. In fact, all I did was clean the back deck and plow Jambo's and our drive.



Mom and Sargie have been just as active, mostly wandering from the kitchen to the living room. Mom is into a good book on her Kindle.



Sargie's spent much of the day under a blanket beside me on the couch, watching movies.



What will tomorrow bring? Sargie closes the Vision Center so it will be a long day for her. I'm going for my usual walk then return to clean the shop.

Oh yes, I WILL clean that shop!

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

December 26, 2018 - Wednesday evening
22 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

If Mom or I would have done any less or moved any slower today, time would have moved backwards and we'd be back to Christmas day. 

Wednesday morning began with the usual walk. The sun was just rising over the horizon and with the crystal clear skies and cold temperatures, everything seemed almost animated. 

I experimented shooting into the sun and utilized a tree to block part of the direct light rather than a filter.

Mom and I watched three movies today, two on the Hallmark Channel. Actually, I may have closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep for part of the afternoon.

We made our way to town to run a few errands. After, it was back home to watch another movie. I've definitely become a more sensitive guy as a result.

I gathered a bit of energy late this afternoon and processed ten pounds of hamburger for the freezer.



I slice the tube into burgers, wrap and put each in packs of three, then place them into a large freezer bag. It's handy to defrost a single pack when Sargie and I want hamburgers for supper.

Sargie was home later this evening. We took the Kia to the mechanic's to have the blower (fan) for the heater fixed. It went out completely last week and makes driving the subcompact a chilly experience this time of year. Sargie will drive one of the other two vehicles until it's fixed.

It appears sloppy, wet, snowy, weather is heading our direction.

Assuming the roads are passable, Sargie opens the Vision Center Thursday morning. I'll go for my daily stroll then return to work in the shop a bit. The first order of business is to clean. After that, I need to touch up a snowman I turned and painted last week.



With bad weather forecast, I doubt Mom and I will go anywhere. If the snow is wet and heavy, I'll be plowing it from Jambo's and our drives often before it can pile up and become difficult to move. 

It's about bedtime and my heavy eyes are telling me it's time to make that long climb to the bedroom.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

A random baby picture taken in the store earlier today

December 25, 2018 - Tuesday night
24 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

What's that? Oh yeah, it's the sweet sweet sound of silence. Mom's working at her new computer, Sargie and I are doing the same. No one's talking and there's nary a sound of Christmas in the air. For the first time in days, a welcome void of noise permeates the house. 

Christmas has been a pleasant affair. We opened presents mid morning and let me tell you, Santa was one mighty generous fellow. 

We all scored in the presents department. Matt sent us family pictures along with other goodies.



Mom also received multiple gift cards, clothes, and a new computer. Her old Chrome Book has been acting up, so she received a new one with a much larger screen.



Sargie did okay. She's been wanting a robotic vacuum for several years and this Christmas, Santa brought her an iRobot Roomba. 



She must have really been a good girl this past year as she also received jewelry, cosmetics, and clothes.

I made out just as well. I received a new DeWalt multi tool, a coat, an Amazon Fire Box, and other goodies. Santa treated all of us well.



It was after noon before we drove to Holly and Ross's in Iron Mountain. 



It was an afternoon filled with lots of love, laughing, and Holly's good eats.

Sargie with her nephew/godson, Taylor

Little Lincoln kept us entertained much of the afternoon. He seems to love everyone and is full of smiles.

It was late afternoon before we bade all goodbye and looked at a few Christmas lights on our way home.

We've played with our toys this evening. Mom is getting used to her new computer and Sargie is tickled the way her new robotic vacuum works.

Once again, another Christmas has come and will be gone in a few short hours. It will soon be back to life as usual.

Sargie opens the Vision Center Wednesday morning. I'll go for my usual walk then hang out with Mom and take the day as it comes. I know I have a shop that is knee deep in saw dust and could use a good cleaning. On the other hand, it may very well be a great day to be lazy and do absolutely nothing.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

December 25, 2018 - Tuesday - early Christmas Day
23 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Dear Santa,

I'm sitting here getting ready to write my blog, but first, I wanted to thank you for all the wonderful gifts you left under the tree. I lay in bed quite awhile earlier this morning because I was afraid you hadn't been here yet. I guess I didn't have to worry about that! I hope you didn't give us everything in your magic bag so all the other good grandmas and grandpas around the world got their share!

Since you were out flying around the world last night, I thought I'd let you know what we did yesterday.

Boy, was it a busy one!

I started by cleaning the drive of two to three inches of light, fluffy, snow. I'm so happy it fell and can hardly wait until daylight so I can see the tracks left by your sleigh. I know there will be plenty of deer tracks in the yard, but I think those are from the pesky, garden-eating varmints that live in the woods surrounding our house!

I finally got Mom's Christmas present pretty well finished in the shop yesterday morning, the one that I've been working on for the past several days. 

 There's still more touch up to do with the paint, but hey, you of all people know that Christmas waits for no one and I've been working long and hard to get this done by today. I hope my effort scores me some points for your Nice List. Can those count towards next year?

It was soon time to pack the car with all the presents and head to Iron Mountain. Boy oh boy, I don't know how you do it, Santa, loading all those presents for all the good little girls and boys the world over. Why, we hardly had room at all after packing all the gifts we had for the family!

It's a good thing we had the Equinox! I told Mom and Sargie that I might have to strap them onto the top as we might have to use their seats for cargo space! Of course, Santa, I was only kidding. Really I was. I hope I didn't get my name on the Naughty List for saying that.

After first stopping for Mom to get her hair done, we went to Hambone's house. Was he ever happy to see Grandma Hedy, Grandma Sargie and if I may say so, his old Pawpaw.

I think he was most excited knowing that you were coming to his house last night.

His mommy, Mel, had made the most delicious plate of Christmas cookies, plus lots and lots of other holiday goodies. I'd bet Grady made sure he left plenty out for you!

Holy cow, Santa, everyone got so many presents! I couldn't believe it. At one point, we almost lost Hambone in all the wrapping paper. He must have been a good boy as he was surrounded by presents.

Mom and Sargie had so much fun opening their gifts. There was something for everyone!

You should have seen Macrea. He was wearing his silly Christmas reindeer cap! We all laughed as I'm sure you will when you see this.

Nikki and Shea were there along with munchkins, Logan and Kylie. There were lots of presents for them too!

It wasn't long before we made our way to the annual Milligan Christmas Eve celebration in Sargie's hometown, Foster City.

Sargie's nephew and godson, Taylor, was hosting it this year and boy, did we ever have fun!

One of the best parts of the evening was listening to the performance that Marley and her younger sister, Aubrey, had prepared. Marley just started playing trumpet this year, but, can she ever play!

Aubrey led us in singing and thank goodness, we had Auntie Debbie to assist as the official music holder!

So the evening went. I wish you could have been there, Santa. It was so much fun.

At one point, I was a little bit sad and wished that my four sons, their wives, and our nine other grandbabies could have been with us, but then as you know, that's what happens when little boys grow up and become daddies and husbands and have homes of their own.

We ate and we laughed and we ate and we sang and we talked and we giggled. Macrea and I had a pretend argument over who would get any left over stuffed mushrooms that Auntie Debbie made! I must have eaten eight or ten and he claims to have eaten even more! Yes, for one night, Macrea and I were little piggies!

Famous JC Penney model, Nancy, was there and though she was busy talking to all the "beautiful people," she agreed to pose for a picture.



Nancy is still waiting for a call from her nonexistent agent that will see her jetting off to Europe, the South Pacific, perhaps Vale or Sun Valley, for a catalogue shoot. I haven't had the heart to tell her that JC Penney quit sending out catalogues years ago. 

The best gift I received yesterday came in a little tiny package. It was one of the most meaningful presents I've opened in a long time.



As you might guess, it came from that munchkin wedged between his mommy and daddy.



And Santa, I guess you know that I love Hambone too along with our other nine grandchildren. Each is special and beautiful and I wish I had your power to snap my fingers and be with them this morning as they unwrap the presents. I hope they know how much we truly love them.

So Santa, it's been a great year. One in which my sight went from 20/200, legally blind, to 20/15, better than perfect. Thank God for modern technology and the near infrared light treatments. As you know, it's a miracle.

Despite last spring's surgery for colon cancer and diagnosed with congestive heart failure, Mom is like a well-built Timex. She may take a licking every now and then, but she not only keeps on ticking, she thrives! Mom will be 92 this next June and I'm happy to say she's going strong, certainly hearty enough to keep her little boy in line!

Then there's my beautiful, wonderful, Sargie, who gives real meaning to my life. I'm not sure how I deserve such a wonderful and loving woman, but together, we make a pretty good team! We're fishing partners, shopping partners, driving partners... why, Santa, we do most everything together and the miracle of this union is, I don't even mind! (I do have to say that I'm not too wild about going shopping for girl stuff though.) God was sure being kind when he put Sargie and me together, something I thank Him for each and every day.

I hope Santa that you remind everyone that though you are the spirit of Christmas, the true meaning is through the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Without Him, we'd all be lost.

 Again, Santa, thank you for all the wonderful gifts you left under our tree last night. No doubt, Mom and Sargie will be joining me later this morning and we'll have a good time opening each and every package. Later today, we'll make our way to Holly and Ross's and rejoin the family in an informal Christmas family gathering where we'll celebrate all over again, eat and laugh and talk and giggle and most importantly, love one another. It's what we do best!

So Santa and whoever else may read this, from Sargie and me, it's with love and peace that we wish you and everyone, God Bless and Merry Christmas!

This man's work is finished for today. Let Christmas begin!

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...