Grandson, Wes
With all his beauty, grace, poise, and charm, there's no denying, he's a Pennington boy.

January 26, 2020 - Sunday morning

28 degrees/snow/clouds/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I THINK we're going to Green Bay this morning. If the weatherman is correct, and as you know, he's been known to lie, the snow is to stop. In fact, this coming week looks fairly snow free. 

I took my usual walk Saturday morning. With the several inches of snow that had fallen the night before, shuffling through the heavy white stuff was tiresome. 

Taken from the road
The garden house and pond are on the left.

Trying to get myself in shape for another season of hiking, first the Picture Rocks Trail in June, and later, the Rim to Rim Trail in the Grand Canyon, I keep reminding myself that the effort is all worthwhile. 

We'd purchased a new snowblower while in Iron Mountain Friday afternoon with a promise to pick it up in the next day or so. 

Only one problem. The trailer was buried under and behind some pretty hefty piles of snow.

Sargie soon joined me as we shoveled and pried away tons and tons of this winter's precipitation.

While we were shoveling away, I happened to notice the amount of snow on the portable garage. We've kept it clean all winter, but tucked away behind the barn, I hadn't knocked the most current snow from the roof.

Sargie volunteered to hit the roof from the inside causing the snow to slide off. 

It did, but now there's another problem. So much is piled against the glorified tent that I'm fearful it could rip and/or cave the sides in. I'll be removing that in the next day or two.

It took hours and some effort, but the Blazer was eventually backed up to the trailer. After throwing copious amounts of ashes under the tires, both finally emerged from between the piles of snow.

The final insult? The trailer was filled to to the brim with very heavy hard packed snow and ice. Just when we thought we might finally go to Iron Mountain and get our new snowblower, we had to resume shoveling once again. 



Both Sargie and I were screaming for mercy by the time the trailer was emptied.

That bucket held ashes from the wood stove. Even in four wheel drive - low, the Blazer's tires insisted on spinning on the ice.

 Other than the Blazer occasionally coughing and sputtering, our journey to Iron Mountain was uneventful. The new snowblower was loaded and we were soon heading back home.

Snowmobilers crossing US 2 using the stop light. They'd detoured into town from the trail, no doubt for fuel, before continuing on their way.

I couldn't wait. Freeing the snowblower from the trailer, it started on the first pull and away we went.

I was so anxious to try out our new machine that I hadn't even pulled the sticker from the gas tank.

I was unsure how it would handle the wet, slushy, snow. There was no need to worry. It threw the wet stuff forty feet out into the yard. The 306 cc engine is equivalent to 18 horsepower, more than enough power.



It took less than an hour to clean the drive of the previous night's snowfall and those areas that have been plowed this winter. Sargie carried in the day's supply of wood while I steered the snowblower up and down the drive.

I'm surprised at all the advances that have been made in snow removal technology over the past forty years. The difference is like graduating from driving a 1950's Volkswagen Beetle to a new Mercedes overnight. 

If they published a snowblower calendar, I think Sargie could be on the cover.

After all the shoveling, driving, and carrying wood, Sargie and I were happy to flop in our chairs last night. Neither of us had any problems falling off to sleep come bedtime.

Matt's still traveling across Europe.

He's currently in Munich, Germany, on business.
After seeing the pictures, I'm not too worried about the boy starving.

It's time to wake my girl, get her day started, and think about driving south to Green Bay. The list of everyday household items is lengthy and as we all know, shopping waits for no one.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

No, it's NOT a toy. It's a tool!