Em, Wes, Ben

Matt and Jess

October 20, 2020 - Tuesday morning

17 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Dang, it's cold out there. I just walked in the house with an armload of kindling and my fingers feel like they might fall off. Guess it's time to get out the winter gloves and mittens.

With a forecast of two to six inches of snow to fall beginning this afternoon, I think it's safe to assume winter's arrived.

I received a few family pictures from Matt yesterday.

I can't get over how fast the kiddies are growing. Our oldest granddaughter, Abigail, will be graduating from high school the year after next and after that, the procession begins. Throw in more graduations, both high school and college, eventual weddings and other special times, and the grandbabies will ensure we travel east for many years to come.

Monday morning's walk was a good, but nippy, one. Much of the brush in Pentoga Village is covered with some sort of feathery seed. At first glance, it appears to be milkweed, but the plant it's attached to is definitely something else.

Still, it's pretty, whatever it is.

Gary, the Generator Man, pulled in the drive mid morning. An electrician, he spent no small amount of time walking and talking through our current electric system, the breaker panels, needs and wants, and explained how a whole house electrical generating system works.

I had to laugh. I think Jimmy and his friends might have spooked Gary just a bit. At one point, the munchkin chickadee landed and appeared to be reading what was already written on Gary's clipboard.

This generator proposition can best be compared to health insurance. Expensive to begin with and maintain, one hopes it never needs to be used, but is glad to have it when the need arrises. If we go ahead and purchase the system, it will be installed next spring or early summer.

The rest of the day was spent working on our old generator. I hadn't started it in several years, but thankfully, I'd drained the tank and run the carburetor dry before storing it away. 

The old beast started, barely, but was rough running. After a few adjustments, it ran smoothly and I was satisfied. The old oil had the consistency of mud, so that was replaced with new, synthetic oil.

Gas began dripping from the carburetor. Obviously, it was dirty and I found the gaskets were dying of dry rot. As I've done with the backhoe in years past, I was able to order a new carb, complete with gaskets, a new air filter, and a spark plug, for $16, shipping included. It is due to arrive this Friday.

 

With Sargie doing most the work last evening, my summer clothes were exchanged for those of winter.

It feels good to be wearing a long sleeved t-shirt once again and to know my flannel shirts and lined pants are there, just waiting to be worn. 

My shorts and other summer clothes were packed into totes and carted out to the storage shed where they'll remain for the next six months.

As I've said previously, I may not be pretty, but I'm warm!

I'll be going for my walk at first light this morning. Today's agenda includes digging the canna and dahlia bulbs to store in the basement for the winter. The squash and remaining apples will follow. Sargie's outdoor flower planters need to be emptied of dirt, stacked, and put in the storage container with the riding and push mowers to follow.

Looks to be a busy day before the latest snow arrives, but then are we surprised?

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

With limbs going everywhere, this old popple tree certainly has a different configuration