Yooper Brother Mark and I had a good walk Friday morning.

Oh, and did I mention Jimmy greeted us when we arrived back home?

December 5, 2020 - Saturday morning

24 degrees/cloudy skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Modern day drip coffee pots cause me no small amount of frustration and right now, I'm really really really frustrated. There are two requirements Tom needs first thing in the morning:

1. brush my teeth 

2. a cup of coffee

Brushing the fangs is easy. I delight in getting rid of the bad little doggies that obviously made my mouth their home overnight.

But the coffee? WHERE'S MY COFFEE?

Is a lousy cup of coffee too much to ask for at 5 AM?

I gave up drinking and smoking many years ago and my physical addictions can be counted on one finger, a cup of coffee.

There's a reason why our county is named after a mineral that stains clothes and clogs coffee pots.

Iron County. We live ten miles from Iron River. Iron Mountain is forty miles in the other direction.

Iron iron iron iron iron... it's iron this and iron that. 

The red mineral clogs the coffee pot and rather than emitting a gentle stream of java, makes it drip... yawn..... drip.... check the time... drip... pause... drip... check the weather... drip.

I was tempted earlier to lift the coffee pot to head height and replace the pot with my tongue, but fearful Sargie might catch me in the act, I've decided to use my nonexistent patience. It'll be done sooner or later, won't it? 

So, fending off the urge to curl up in the corner while laying on my side in the fetal position, sucking my thumb, and exhibiting signs of the DT's, I'll attempt to continue writing with the hope that this morning's cup of Joe is close at hand.

Drip... look in the mirror and wonder who that old man is...drip... I wonder what's for supper... drip.

Yooper Brother Mark and I had a good walk Friday morning. We discussed and cussed, gabbed, laughed, and solved almost all the world's problems.

Sargie and I took our usual drive late Friday morning. There's a home in Crystal Falls that always has some humorous figures in the yard. During the summer months, cutout children are playing and there are farm animals and other critters featured in a funny manner.

Christmas is no exception.

Someone obviously has a lot of artistic talent and one of these days, I'm going to stop, introduce myself, and see if they might give me a lesson or two.

Our friend, Norriene, sent this picture of three day's worth of baking.

My Pennsylvania friend typically bakes Christmas goodies for a large traditional family celebration, but this year, for the first time in forty eight Christmases, the annual gathering won't happen due to the Covid.

Still, being the trooper she is, Norriene is taking orders from various family members so all can enjoy their holiday delights. 

Christmas may be a bit down this year, but at least in Norriene and Big Jim's home, it's definitely not out.

I spent some time in the shop yesterday afternoon laying out another puzzle and readying a segmented piece.

Once a piece is cut, the number is drawn on the bottom so when the paper pattern is removed, I know where it fits into the overall scheme of things. The setup, sawing, carving, sanding, painting, and gluing, are all painstaking, but making a segmented piece is probably my favorite activity in the shop.

Sargie will be attending the annual Milligan Sister Christmas Tea at sister, Trish's, today in Felch. I think men refer to such a gathering as a "girl thing," but then I don't remember being invited. Sipping tea and nibbling crumpets isn't my idea of an action packed afternoon.

Coffee's done! Well, at least there's enough in the bottom of the pot for a sip or two. 

After my sips are complete, I'll head out the door for my morning walk before starting a fire in the outside wood furnace and calling the shop my home for the day.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Sunset Friday afternoon