After three months in the NICU unit of Children's Hospital in Milwaukee, Makenna and Grandma Sargie are finally united

August 31, 2020 - Monday morning

47 degrees/cloudy skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It was one very happy grandma and a very content little girl who found each other Sunday afternoon. After months of looking at pictures and hearing of Makenna's difficult first three months of life outside of Mama, Grandma Sargie finally got to hold her granddaughter. 

Sargie'd made the comment sometime ago, saying that if she could just hold her, she knew she could help Makenna's little body develop faster, to help her get ready for a lifetime in the real world. 

You know, I think Sargie had something there. The baby girl fit right into Sargie's arms yesterday and together, they began bonding and making those special times together, memories that only a grandmother and grandbaby can make.

Earlier, my day began six miles down the former railroad grade towards town with Tim and Rose. We'd driven one car to our starting point, parked it, walked back to Pentoga Road, then taken another car back to retrieve the first.

We had a great walk. The kids are collecting railroad spikes from which to make coat racks and other goodies. We found sixteen in all, all hand pounded and filled with history.

When the discovered hardware became too heavy for plastic grocery sacks, with Rose's help, Tim fashioned his coat into a pack.

We arrived home just in time for Sargie and me to drive to Iron Mountain and meet Makenna.

Sargie and Makenna's first meeting was a beautiful sight. I settled into a corner and watched the love unfold around me.

We had a great afternoon talking and laughing. 

Macrea, Makenna, Sargie, and Shea
That's Braelynn (Mel's niece) in the foreground with her back turned. She and Pawpaw spent some time entertaining each other Sunday afternoon.

Nikki, Kylie, Mel
Hambone and Braelynn in the foreground

It was late afternoon before we left for home. Grandma Sargie had gotten her Makenna fix, but it's only temporary. There's little doubt that the tiny girl will become a regular part of our lives as time goes on.

Something was on our front porch. Why, the Jam Man, ol' Jambo, had left a jar of fresh raspberry jam. Sargie and I are looking forward to spreading our bread thick with his homemade deliciousness.

I was changing clothes upstairs when I looked out our bedroom window. Hmmm, what was this?

There are only three parties who would go to the effort to make a sign for my garden house, to have the nerve to call it a She Shed.

Norriene, who, with Big Jim, lives in Pennsylvania

Tim and Rose. who were on their way back to Illinois 

or

Yooper Brother Mark

Yeah, well, time and distance eliminated two of the three suspects.

In the end, Yooper Brother Mark confessed and we all laughed. I told him to expect severe retaliation. 

He will be mine. 

Oh yes, by all that is holy, the recent birthday boy will be GOING DOWN.

... and to call my garden house Sargie's She Shed.

Geesh.

With rain in today's forecast, I wanted to spread another twenty pounds of Kentucky bluegrass and fescue grass seed in the new area in front of the garden. The annual rye that's growing there now looks beautiful, is lush and thick, but there's a reason it's called annual rye. Along with the twenty pounds of perennial bluegrass spread previously, we ought to have a nice stand of permanent lawn growing next spring.

Sargie Pants and I are heading south to Green Bay today to pick up goodies for next Sunday's Mighty Milligan Labor Day Celebration. I don't know that we need that much, but it's a great excuse for Sargie and I to take a road trip.

Speaking of Sargie, it's time to wake her and get the day started.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Rose and pup, Greta, at the end of Sunday morning's hike