I got out of bed this morning at 4 and looked out the window before promptly climbing back between the sheets and snuggling with Sargie.

March 28, 2021 - Sunday morning
30 degrees/cloudy/breezy
Pentoga Road

Ah, spring was pleasant while it lasted. Snow began falling last night and though the temperature was above freezing, it insisted on sticking. 

Amounts? Hard telling. We could have received several inches, but it quickly settled as it's more water than snow. With above average temperatures predicted for this coming week, it won't last long.

Before I begin on Saturday's nonstop, action packed, activities. I failed to mention in yesterday's writing the supper Sargie fixed on Friday night. 

Since it's Lent and being a good Irish Catholic girl, Sargie couldn't eat meat. Me, being a Protestant boy who if allowed, would eat meat 24/7, regardless of the day, settled on a New York strip steak grilled to a juicy medium rare.

So we compromised. Sargie happily ate shrimp, marinated in seasoned butter, with a Hawaiin seasoning, also grilled, while I had the steak. Oh, and I might have stolen a goodly portion of her shrimp. 

Surf and turf in the UP! What were the poor people eating for Friday night's supper?

I played the game Let's Install the New Muffler on the Ford Tractor Saturday afternoon. As usual, I could feel the mighty hand of Mom reach down and slap me between the ears a few times as I muttered some naughty words while skinning my knuckles and bumping my head.

The muffler itself was an easy fix. It was loosening the clamp that attaches the new muffler pipe to the manifold that became the challenge. 

I'll guarantee you that the clamp is the original that came with the tractor and probably hadn't been touched since the machine was made in June of 1952, the same month and year I was born.

I squirted all kinds of rust loosener, pounded with a vengeance, and was about to have a major hissy fit when the thing finally moved. 

The first problem was that I couldn't see. Regardless of how much light was shining from the work lamps, I just couldn't make my eyes focus.

I'm not a tool pansy, one of those types of shade tree mechanics who wipes off each individual tool and puts it precisely in place after each use. On the other hand, I have this hang up about sockets. Mine are kept in a tray in exact order according to size. I hate pawing through a pile of random sockets when looking for the needed size. 

Just when my normally pleasant personality was taking a plunge Saturday afternoon, an excited Sadie came along and stepped in the tray scattering umpteen million sockets under the tractor and all over the floor of the barn.

Sadie and I might not have been the best of friends at that exact moment. In fact, I received a triple slap from Mom directly after.

Then there were my hands. They kept getting in the way. I'd raise up to adjust the light or my trifocals and bump my head while skinning a knuckle at the same time. Oh, it was fun, but in the end, with the exception of a small leak between the manifold and connecting pipe, the old Ford 8N is once again a quiet running piece of man machine.

And what am I going to do about the small leak? Well, the tractor's owner occasionally has one himself and he's doing just fine. 

We'll just say both owner and tractor are, as Mississippi Brother Garry says, "good 'nuff."

Next up is a change of oil, filter, plugs, and hydraulic fluid, and my beloved tractor will be ready for another summer of work. 

 

Sadie is enjoying all the attention she's receiving this weekend. Sargie spent some time brushing her curly coat.

Of course, who can resist occasionally reaching down to pet the pooch. Absolutely not allowed onto the furniture, a bed, to counter surf, get into the trash, or putting her paws on a window sill to peer outside, Sadie's become adept at sitting on either Sargie's or my feet until she receives the amount of attention befitting a princess goldendoodle.

 

Sadie's proven my theory about children and dogs these past few days. Each will rise to most expectations and want to learn. It shows love and requires time and attention. Both expect boundaries and consequences and will respond accordingly. Sadie's no different. For the most part, she's a model pup and knows we love her dearly.

Speaking of model pups, ours will be heading home either this afternoon or Monday at some point. I'll admit, I'm going to miss the four-legged fuzzball. She's been my constant companion these past three days and we've had some great heart to heart talks. 

OK, time to get moving. I received this video from Matt. They are at their family condominium in Aruba and it appears the munchkins are having fun in the sun.

Lucky buggers.

Meanwhile, in the real world, it's time to shovel the snow from the back deck.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...