November 23, 2020 - Monday morning

26 degrees/clouds/snow flurries/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Shh, what's that sound?

Or maybe I should reiterate and say, what's that lack of sound?

There's the crackling of the fire in the wood stove and the gentle buzzing of the refrigerator, but otherwise? 

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

It feels like an empty small town depot after the daily hundred car freight train has passed, flying down the tracks at the speed of light.

All that's left in these predawn hours are unfelt, yet very real, vibrations of a weekend filled with love and laughter.

Sunday morning began with a tag team match between Macrea and Shea, both frying multiple skillets of bacon.

When one wasn't standing at the stove, the other was often with Grandma Sargie, supervising from afar.

Mel and Macrea had previously mixed up a HUGE pan of egg bake, a concoction that contained thirty six eggs, broccoli, and other goodies too numerous to mention. Along with their sweet rolls and multiple pounds of bacon, we ate like the piggies we know how to be Sunday morning.

The big people cleared the table and resumed playing a game started Saturday night. I grabbed Hambone and we made our way to the rear of the property to check the trail cam.

The only wild animal caught on camera was a two legged one, the Hambonus Homo Sapien Crummy Kid.

Morning turned into mid afternoon and reality hit home as the gathering began to break up. Baby and munchkin goodies were thrown into bags and the front door could be heard opening and closing as multiple trips with full arms were made to the cars.

Meanwhile, Sargie was busy in the kitchen. Purposely preparing too much food for the weekend was part of her plan and she began shoveling leftovers into containers. 

There was no way she was going to let her little boys and their families go home empty handed.

With hugs, kisses, and I love you's, we stood in the drive waving and blowing kisses to the little ones. Thanksgiving on Pentoga Road had ended for another year.

It took some time to get the house back to normal. A toy here, a table there... pieces of a puzzle, a lone sock whose mate was already several miles down the road. With a smile on her face and loving memories already imbedding themselves deep within her soul, Sargie began putting everything back in place. 

Her boys and grandbabies had come home, even if it was for a short while. Mission accomplished!

We stole away later in the afternoon to get Sargie's daily Coke. Since my holiday belly is already growing at an alarming pace, I asked that she let me out four miles from home for my daily walk. 

The afternoon sun was setting and after all the noise of the weekend, I especially enjoyed walking through the silent woods.

I smiled as I trekked past the "Happy Face Barn," one of Hambone's favorite local landmarks.

I arrived home at dark with snow gently falling and silently gave thanks for the wonderful weekend. The only thing that could have made it better was if the four Pennington boys and their families could have been here as well.

Who knows, it could happen someday, to have all our sons, wives, and grandchildren together under one roof. A man, even an aging father and grandpa, can always dream. 

Tired out from a weekend of Grandma Sargie and Pawpaw hugs and kisses, Makenna never awakened to tell us goodbye.

Sargie has a whole list of pre Christmas things she says she'd like to do today. Me? I'm heading out the door for Pentoga Village and plan to be in the shop for the rest of the day making Christmas presents.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Hambone and cousin, Kylee, slept together on the futon. It's not hard to figure out who kicks in his sleep and hogs the bed as Kylee is sleeping on the very edge.