Brother Elmer's newest granddaughter

March 12, 2021 - Friday morning

21 degrees/partly cloudy/WINDY

Pentoga Road

Congratulations to Brother Elmer, but especially to niece Carrie and her husband, Will, for the newest addition to their growing family. As of last night, they weren't revealing the name of the 9 lb 8 oz bundle of joy, but no doubt, I'll learn that today.

I think Brother Elmer and I are having a race to see who can garner the most grandchildren. Sargie and I are up to fourteen and I know Elmer and Wilma aren't far behind. 

Ah, beautiful little Carrie was just in her early teens when I left the arctic. It's difficult for me to believe the former Miss Arctic Circle is now in her thirties and has a family of her own.

Once again, congratulations to my Inupiaq Eskimo family in Kotzebue, Alaska. I love and miss you all.

Brother Elmer and Carrie

Thursday was a mixed bag of tricks on Pentoga Road. Out the door at first light, I wasn't surprised to see water standing everywhere. Not having our rain gauge out yet, I'd guess an inch or more fell the previous night.

More telling was the damage from the winds that accompanied the rain. The decorative six foot windmill in the garden suffered the most damage.

Made from light metal, I think the blades are beyond repair and that's only if I can find those that flew off in the wind. Hoping they aren't made from aluminum, it will take a light hand with the welder to attach each back to its original place. I'm not optimistic.

The good news from the previous night's rain is that I saw my first sign of new plant life yesterday morning. The perennial hollyhocks are beginning to poke above the ground on the south side of the house.

It appears spring is going to arrive after all.

After doing some extensive adjusting using the load lifters on my new pack, it conformed completely to my body and I barely noticed the extra fifteen pounds of weight during Thursday morning's hike.

Arriving home, we left for Iron Mountain to purchase paint for the dining room. It was a power trip, not a shopping excursion, and we were soon back on Pentoga Road, richer in paint, but much lighter in the wallet.

My bride has wanted to redo the dining room for over two years. Since painting and going to funerals rank equally high on my "things I most hate to do" list, I put her off as long as possible. 

Just as death and demise come to us all at some point, so came the painting of the dining room.

Sargie and I worked together. The room soon became empty and our voices echoed from one wall to the other.

The original beige and tan color combination was replaced with a darker blue trim and light blue walls.

We divided the duties. Sargie did the overhead trim, the walls, and the touch up.

I assumed the job of painting the floor moulding and that around the doors and windows.

I was growing frustrated, tired and testy. As Sargie best describes it, "edgy." Realizing that music soothes this savage beast, Sargie commanded Alexa to play Neil Diamond selections. We were soon singing and painting in complete harmony.

The clock was showing 9 PM before the room was put back together last night. 

There's no lack of touching up that needs to be done, but overall, I think we can chalk this dining room project off our list.

Don't you have a motion activated Holstein cow in your dining room?

Sargie's departing later this morning for Iron Mountain to care for Cheeks while Mel and Macrea run a few errands. For me, today officially starts the maple season.

I have to move the trailer and pile what wood is in the east wood shed into it. Usually the shed is empty by maple season, but with this year's milder temperatures, we have a surplus that will be burned in the maple evaporator.

The evaporator will be moved from the portable garage to the wood shed and the flue installed. The taps need to be washed, the bags and twine made ready, and the buckets and barrels brought from the storage container.

At least with today's cold temperatures, the ground should remain frozen and everything can be made ready without wading ankle deep in mud.

We'll begin for real Saturday morning as we drill for the first of the hundred taps to begin gathering sap.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

As you can see, I'm a delicate painter. Look at my right hand.