Taken October 18, 2020

Same subject/angle on September 22, 2020

October 19, 2020 - Monday morning

19 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

What a difference three weeks makes, eh? I used to think that Arctic Alaska had the most changeable weather, but the UP is a close second. We went from a relatively benign fall into early winter in an instant. Looking at the extended forecast, it doesn't appear we'll have another Indian Summer. High temps are forecast to remain in the upper 30's to low 40's and gradually heading down.

It was a short, busy, and fun, one on Sunday. I arrived home from my walk to find Hambone still sacked out. Knowing that, I walked to the back of the property and retrieved the card from my trail cam.

Not much to see other than pictures of multiple deer, none of them bucks.

Hambone is going through a growing spurt and in doing so, requires some serious sleep. It was mid to late morning before he finally came slogging down the stairs.

Breakfast finished, the three of us worked in the kitchen preparing another batch of apples for the dehydrator.

 

Grady was in charge of the corer/slicer.

The wheels and handle needed to be put on the new air compressor, the one I'd purchase a few days ago while in Green Bay. I don't mind telling you, I was a proud pawpaw when Grady hopped right in and without being asked or shown how, helped.

He was very content to explain to Pawpaw how wrenches work, that "lefty loosey/righty tighty makes a person remember which way to tighten a bolt or on the opposite side, a nut. 

All the hours we spent together this past summer suddenly came together and made sense. I hadn't felt so good about teaching a youngster common sense/practical knowledge since my sons were growing up.

Grandma Sargie had purchased a small kit to make a wooden fire truck from Home Depot. Hambone ate that up faster than a bowl of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

We robbed the paint cabinet in the shop and after spreading out many layers of paper, Grady sat at the dining room table and carefully painted each piece.

Assembly of the pieces followed. Pawpaw wasn't too bright as he held a few in place while Grady pounded and/or used the electric screwdriver. Thankfully, I still have all ten digits attached.

And finally, with Grandma Sargie's steady hand assisting, the decals were added.

In the end, Hambone's fire truck was completed.

Heck, he even earned a certificate and his own shop apron. Life is good on Pentoga Road.

Grady took an important step in learning yesterday. Grandma Sargie taught him how to tell time the old fashioned way.

Once again, I'm proud of the boy as I know older children and some adults who can't tell time. Hambone even demonstrated his time telling skills yesterday afternoon to his parents when we took him home. 

And as with all good things, it was time to head to Iron Mountain. School, doctor's appointments, and other commitments reminded us that summer had passed and it would be eight more months before Hambone could spend multiple days on Pentoga Road.

All three of us loaded pumpkins into the car to be delivered to the good little Milligan nieces and nephews. It's a Halloween tradition we started almost ten years ago.

It looks to be a busy week ahead. I'm going to work on the old generator today and see if I can get it going. Also, a representative from Generac is to come mid morning to give us the spiel about installing a much larger automatic home power system. Between the increasing unrest happening in our country, severe cold winters, and Sargie and me, both, aging, we think it might be the wise thing to do.

Sargie and sister, Nancy, are heading to Escanaba on Wednesday, and then on Thursday, Sargie and I are taking off for a few days. We want to visit Mom and Dad, along with Grandma and Grandpa Reinhardt, in Galesburg, Illinois. After that, we'll be heading west into Iowa to visit Grandma and Grandpa Pennington, Great Grandma and Grandpa, and many of my aunts and uncles. 

Mom will be gone a year come Thanksgiving and it's time I talk to her about what's been happening since she went to be with Dad. I also have some fishing stories for Dad, many of them about Master Angler Crappie Queen Sargie. He'd have loved fishing with her.

Time to move along and get this show on the road. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...