The Schneider family from Thorne Bay, Alaska

Dawson, Dave, Carlyle, Joanna

December 16, 2020 - Wednesday morning

14 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Hello to Carlyle, the newest addition to the Schneider family. Mother, baby, older brother, and Daddy, are all doing well.

Mom, Joanna, grew up in a very remote community in the Copper River area of Alaska. 

We're talking about a real Alaskan here. Not one of those tv types.

At any rate, Joanna and family live in Thorne Bay on the Prince of Wales Island in SE Alaska. You, who have just had babies or about to, here's a true Alaskan woman's story of having to get to the hospital to have her baby:

"There were 7 mudslides cutting us off from the ferry system, and the ferry was out of commission since it was unwisely used in too rough of seas. We weren't sure how we were going to make it to the hospital in Ketchikan! But at the last minute, it all worked out. The mudslides were cleared in the knick of time and the AMHS volunteered the use of one of their smaller ferries, the Lituya. It isn't as comfortable as the IFS ferry, but it did the trick! We were finally ensconced in our hotel digs in Ketchikan.

Then the wait began. We utilized the hotel's work out room to encourage a speedy exit! He was born the evening of Nov. 5 and we were out on the 6th. However, his bilirubin levels were high, so he was readmitted and put under blue lights on the 7th. It was hard to have to go back and watch him struggle under the lights, but I knew POW didn't have access to this level of help for him. I stayed with him for 2 more nights till his levels were down enough that they'd release him. We finally came home on the 12th, so we've been home here in Thorne Bay just over a month." 

It's just how Alaskan's roll, but then there's a reason it's called the Last Great Frontier.

The new mama will resume her roll as Principal in Thorne Bay after the first of the year. Joanna is a former graduate student of mine and one of the best, if not the best I've ever worked with during my forty two years in the field of education. 

Tuesday was a busy one on Pentoga Road. Arriving home from my walk, we enjoyed breakfast before making a quick dash to town. I'm amazed at how some hardware items are skyrocketing in price. No doubt, the powers to be will claim it's the Covid. I have other thoughts, but will keep those to myself.

Warming the shop, I spent time doing something new, fashioning a plate from a large piece of maple.

Rather than be creative, I wanted to learn with a goal of turning four plates from the same log (for lack of a better word) so all four, when stacked, will have the same grain running up the sides, thus looking like a... skinned log.

Yeah, I know, it's a bit out there, but musicians and artists are supposed to be creative. Too bad I'm not very good at either which makes me on the fringe of being creative. Mostly what I make can only be described as a mess.

The first plate was sanded and parted. There's little doubt that since the wood wasn't cured, it will crack, but as I said, this is a learning experience.

Sargie spent the day wrapping presents. It's a yearly ritual that sees the table brought up from the basement along with wrapping paper and boxes, and is yet another sign of Christmas on Pentoga Road.

Sargie claims she hates the mess. Me? I kind of like it. Presents for the kiddies, paper, boxes, pieces of ribbon, Scotch tape... what's there not to like?

With just a few presents still to be wrapped, 2020's wrapping season will soon come to an end.

It's daylight and time to head out the door for my morning walk. On today's agenda? Who knows? We've talked about taking a trip to southern Wisconsin to see the Christmas lights at House on the Rock, but with our enthusiasm ho hum at best, we'll see. Neither of us cherish the five to six hour drive, then having to wear a mask for several hours while touring the attraction.

That's the beauty of retirement. If we go, we go. If we don't, we don't. Guess we'll see how we feel as the day goes along. Who knows, maybe we'll just stay home and I'll chase Sargie Pants around the house.

Lord, I love being retired.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Grady's baby sister is in the bullpen ready to step up to the plate. She's due to make her appearance in early February. I think her name should be Cheeks. 

Hmm, Hambone and Cheeks. Do I see a common theme?