December 11, 2019 - Wednesday morning
-18 degrees/clear skies/windy
Pentoga Road

You know, if I'd have wanted these kinds of temperatures and winds, I'd have remained living in Hilltop Camp, high above the Noatak River, in Alaska's far arctic. 

Hilltop Camp
What I came home to after a week out on the trail

Seems no matter where I go, cold weather follows. I thought moving down south, here in the UP, for my retirement years might give me a bit of a reprieve, but it appears a bit of Alaska will follow me forever.

Taken in 2003

Better treat me nice, Mississippi Brother Garry, or we're liable to move down and live next door to you so you can enjoy these cold temperatures as much as we do.

Despite the thermometer registering a big fat goose egg yesterday morning, I did enjoy my five mile morning stroll.

With nary a cloud in the sky, it could only be described as beautiful.

I started a fire in the outside wood furnace and plowed the drive while the shop was warming. An hour later, I put my apron on and got busy.

I'm doing a segmented Santa Clause piece that has well over fifty pieces, many of them teeny. 

All the sawing had been completed on Monday and even though I'd numbered everything, it still took over an hour and a half to piece the old man back together.

Humpty Dumpty has nothing on this Santa Claus

The next step is to begin sanding ol' Santa.

I moved onto sawing a segmented Nativity scene.

This is the second one I've made this Christmas season.

Last night was a quiet one on Pentoga Road. With the temperatures rapidly plummeting and the wind increasing, we dined on a big pot of potato soup Sargie made. Rich and creamy and filled with taters, bacon, celery, and even a few shrimp thrown in as an afterthought, Sargie and I enjoyed our meal and the rest of the evening sitting by the wood stove. At one point, the indoor thermometer registered 80 degrees, perfect for a cold wintry night.

We're on our way to Iron Mountain this morning. I'm having blood drawn in preparation for next week's annual physical with Dr. Katie. We have a few odds and ends to pick up while we're in sin city, but otherwise, for the most part, it will be an indoor day.

Meanwhile, I'm going for my walk. I may not care for the bitter cold, but I ain't no sissy.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The snow plow passed me by Monday morning