April 30, 2021 - Friday morning
33 degrees/rain - snow mix/windy
Pentoga Road

It's been a long time since I've been so frustrated as I was yesterday. This backhoe thing has been going on for what, a month now? It's still going on.

Sargie and I were in town early to pick up the coupler that had been milled to the right size. Then it was back to the shop where Mechanic Dave fit it on the motor. All was good.

He was about to apply a tack weld to hold it in place when I said, "Wait!"

It dawned on me then. How would the shaft, almost an inch longer than the one on the old engine, fit with the hydraulic pump? Dave told me to run home and take the pump off the backhoe and bring it back to the shop.

I did as he suggested and sure 'nuff, nothing fit.

I bemoan the day my brain quit making gray matter and am beginning to wonder if I have anything left upstairs between the ears. I have no one to blame but myself for this latest engine debacle. 

Though there was a look of resignation on my face, I was having an internal melt down on the other side of my skin. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, has gone smoothly with this backhoe/new engine replacement.

In the end, Dave told me to leave the engine, the hydraulic pump, all the fittings, nuts, bolts, and any other paraphernalia, and assured me he'd make it all work. Dave will use a torch and cut a spacer, drill some new holes, apply a weld or two, and in the end, I know my backhoe will work better than ever.

Until then, I'm practicing Lamaze; finding a focal point and doing purposeful cleansing breaths in an attempt to find that happy place.

I haven't been this frustrated since last November.

As a female friend of mine from almost fifty years ago used to quip:

Patience is a virtue

Find it if you can

Sometimes found in women

But NEVER found in man

Thankfully, Sargie has found the secret to having patience, especially with her husband. She's a wonderful listener and has the personality to tame even the most frustrated beast. 

I thank my lucky stars that at least one of us has both feet planted firmly on the ground.

Having talked it all through with Sargie, I put on my big boy pants and finished welding the garden windmill before packing the bearings. There's still one more piece in the base that needs manufacturing before sanding and painting it, but so far, so good. Still, I don't trust my welds on the thin metal and wouldn't be surprised if it all comes apart during the first heavy wind that comes along. 

Today... today's a brand new zippity do dah day and by golly, come hell or high water, it's going to be a good one. Yooper Brother Mark will be out after while for our morning stroll. No doubt, Sargie and I will enjoy our daily ride to town and back. 

I have every intention of PLAYING in the shop, working on a bowl that's mounted in the lathe and continuing to cut and sand the life-sized bulldog, the one whose pieces keep getting in my way.

Ah, the shop. My happy place. It's my Calgon. 

Surely you remember the old commercial:

"Calgon, take me away."

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Congratulations on your retirement, Ann!

April 29, 2021 - Thursday morning
29 degrees/cloudy skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Today is Yooper Brother Mark's assistant, Ann's, last day of work. I know Mark will certainly miss her as will everyone at the plant. 

Sargie and I have gotten to know Ann quite well over the past ten years and Ann has promised that she'll be stopping by to visit occasionally. We sure hope so. She's a gem.

Arriving home from Wednesday morning's walk, I eagerly began removing parts that would be needed on the new engine for the backhoe.

First things first. The coupler that is used to connect the engine to the hydraulic pump was the most important piece. I fastened the wheel puller onto the shaft and began turning. It wouldn't budge.

Off with the old, on with the new.

Or was it?

Time for breakfast, more than a bit frustrated at the lack of progress, I squirted a stream of anti rust liquid onto the shaft and went inside. Forty five minutes later, I barely had to look at the coupler before it easily slid off the shaft.

With the part in hand, I attempted to slide it onto the shaft of the new engine. 

What? Too small?

Supposedly, both shafts were an inch in diameter. Someone lied.

After taking both the new motor and coupler to Mechanic Dave at Mark's plant, he assured me he'd make it all work. In the end, Dave had the coupler milled to the correct measurements. I received a text last night saying it was finished and I could pick it up at any time.

With yesterday's plans thwarted due to the coupler, I was busy doing odd jobs outside. As usual, the weatherman lied, this time for the good. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, very little wind, and the thermometer was showing temperatures in the upper 50's. 

The biggest task of the day was to climb onto one of the highest rungs of the extension ladder, then using the pole saw, cut a dying spruce bough that was almost touching the ground.

I don't like heights, let alone hanging off a top rung while trying to cut a rogue limb. With one hand holding onto the trunk while using the other with the pole saw, the limb finally fell to the ground below. 

Both Sargie and I have been trying to get the pond ready for summer, cleaning last fall's leaves from the bottom, skimming algae, and making things pretty. The water is clear as can be, but there's a winter's worth of "stuff" on the bottom. It's coming, slowly but surely.

We had some sort of disease go through the pond early this spring and lost ten to fifteen fish. Thankfully, it appears the sickness has run its course and the remaining thirty all seem healthy. The next time I'm in Iron Mountain, I'll purchase ten dollars worth of .17 cent goldfish to replenish those that died. Give them a year or two and they'll be six inches to a foot in length.

While at the plant yesterday, we wished Yooper Brother Mark's long time secretary, Ann, a happy retirement.

I finished welding the blades onto the garden windmill that had been broken in last winter's windstorm. I'm not sure how well they'll hold up during the next storm and I see that several bearings have worn out. This might be one of those times that it would be better to replace the entire windmill. I'm not certain I can purchase/manufacture everything needed to make it freely spin once again.

I finished stripping the old engine last night. Many of the parts will fit the new engine, the carburetor, new air filter, etc. Those things will be put in a box and stored away for the future.

So, Wednesday was a wash as far as the backhoe goes, but other smaller jobs were finished. We'll head into town this morning for the coupler and keep our fingers crossed that the backhoe will be back together and running later today. If nothing else, this whole engine repair/replacement has been an exercise in patience, something that definitely isn't my forte. 

Meanwhile, it's daylight and time to go for my morning stroll.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

When this woodpecker (center - red head) wasn't pecking on a tree next to the drive, he was pounding on the aluminum flashing around the top of the chimney. The sound reverberated through the entire woods and into the house. 

Looking at the green grass peeking out from under the snow, you KNOW spring is at hand, isn't it?

April 28, 2021 - Wednesday morning

35 degrees/light rain/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm growing weary of this cycle of rain and drizzle. We needed the moisture earlier to make up for this winter's lack of snowfall, but hey, c'mon, Mother Nature, throw us a bone, eh? A bit of sunshine every now and then would be most appreciated.

In the forecast?

Let's see.

 Rain today, thundershowers on Thursday, but wait! Could it be? Really? No, I mean, REALLY?

Sunshine on Friday!

Dang, what will the poor people be doing?

Tuesday began with my usual walk to Pentoga Village and back. 

I was delighted when my friend, Big Jim, from Pennsylvania called. Initially, I was in Pentoga Village with negative bars of Verizon reception, so our conversation was limited until I jogged up Pentoga Hill. 

Poor guy. I was breathing so hard after running up the steep and long incline that I must have sounded like an ancient leaky bellows.

A seasoned fellow hiker, Jim's done his share of trekking, a big part of it out in the Bitterroot Range of the Rockies. Conservative in nature we talk the same language and enjoy exchanging occasional emails.

Good talking to you. Thanks for calling, Big Jim.

Back home, Sargie and I made our way to Escanaba. Stops were made at the usual places including Harbor Freight where I purchased the recommended replacement for the old motor. A horsepower less, it's more powerful and several cc's larger. 

While I was shopping in Harbor Freight, Sargie spent her time next door at Marshall's where she found a dress, along with some lotions and potions.

We enjoyed lunch at The Swedish Pantry in Escanaba. Sargie talked at length with the owner and discovered they were related in some way by marriage a generation or two back through Sargie's grandmother, Blanch Labranche from Labranche, Michigan. 

No day would be complete without a drive of some kind (even though we'd already driven an hour and a half from home). We took our time touring Escanaba and driving along Lake Michigan.

A quick stop was made to visit Sargie's sister, Trish, on the way home and the grandfather clock was chiming six times before we arrived back on Pentoga Road.

I'm heading out for my morning walk before tackling the engine project. There's an adaptor to pull from the shaft of the old motor and a few other things that need to be done before mounting the new one on the backhoe. The Lord and weather willing, it should be up and running before day's end.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

April 27, 2021 - Tuesday morning
32 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

It's a gray, dark, wet, chilly, scene outside our windows this morning. With a mixture of heavy snow and rain falling for much of the past twenty four hours, once melted down, total precipitation measured 1.15 inches. With today's high forecast to be near 60 along with rain, any gray/white stuff remaining on the ground should be gone by nightfall.

I skipped yesterday morning's walk as I didn't feel like getting drenched. That, coupled with walking through two to three inches of sticky, wet, snow, would have made for a miserable trek. I'll have enough of that next year on the trail.

Sargie and I made our way to town where I heard the expected news from Dan the mechanic. The 9 HP engine that's powered the backhoe for the past seven years would cost more to repair than the cost of a new one.

I thanked Dan and brought it back home.

The rest of the day was spent measuring the old motor, mostly the mounts, shaft size and height, and so on. After that came comparison shopping online.

I found one company that sells a newer model of this exact motor, but discovered they are completely out and don't anticipate getting any for some time. As usual, it's the Covid/supply line thing. 

Online excursions to Ebay and Harbor Freight were my next stops where I compared specs and looked for suitable candidates. Several motors looked promising.

Talk about frustrating. Neither the cell phone nor the house phone would work yesterday. Maple Valley (if HGTV can name every featured house, so can we) is about as far above sea level as Death Valley and is one of the lowest places in the area, possibly on earth. Using the cell phone is only possible with the aid of a booster and then at best, it's iffy. The house phone is a VoIP that runs through the satellite internet which is fine and dandy as long as the signal is strong. With the current weather conditions, neither work satisfactorily.

I'd be talking to one business or the other only to have them continually ask if I would call back, that they couldn't understand me. 

C'mon Elon Musk and your Starlink satellite service. I've made the downpayment. Now I'm waiting for the equipment to arrive.

After a day of inquiry and frustrating phone calls, I think I'll purchase a new engine today from Harbor Freight. Their Predator line has great reviews and it appears that both the 8 HP and the 13 HP will fit the backhoe. Their 8 HP is actually larger and stronger than the old 9 HP I've been using, so I'm leaning that way. We'll see.

I'm heading out the door fairly soon for my morning walk. After skipping yesterday, I don't want my legs to think they are on vacation.

I've come to the conclusion that a daily walking regimen is like going to church. Once you begin doing it regularly, it's easy. If, for some reason, you stop, it's hard to get back into it. With next February's hike looming, the second option isn't a choice.

Sargie and I will be heading to Escanaba later today to go engine shopping. Well, okay, I'll go engine shopping. She'll head into Marshall's which is located next door to Harbor Freight. Sargie Pants has about as much interest in tools and engines as I do shopping the clearance aisles for female delicacies. 

Time to shake, rattle, and roll.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Cheeks, heading to her first day of daycare on Monday

My cousin, Penny, with her two grandsons.

April 26, 2021 - Monday morning

29 degrees/snow/breezy

Pentoga Road

Other than my sister, Barb, Penny is about the only blood relative I keep in touch with on a regular basis. Daily texts are interspersed with the occasional phone call. Living in Arizona, Pen's on the eve of retirement and looking forward to the day when she and Greg can settle back and watch the world go by. 

Oh, one other thing. I'm convinced Penny's also one of the little people, a descendent of those hardy souls who once inhabited Munchkinland. Sargie and I hope to get out to Arizona to see her one of these years and if we're unsure of the way, we only need to follow the yellow brick road.

Oh Lord, I'll pay for that, but Penny would expect no less from her cousin Tom. I love her dearly.

WHAT IS THIS? We awakened this morning to a howling snowstorm with two to three inches of new snow blanketing our world.

Spring snowstorms are common in the north woods and with Tuesday's highs forecast to reach near 60, it won't last long.

Sunday was a mixed bag of work, play, and socializing. We went for our Sunday ride later in the morning and enjoyed the sunny, but cool, day. It's amazing how any area homes that have been on the market are being snatched up almost daily. Bidding wars are a common theme.

We counted between ten and fifteen homes for sale along one area lake less than two months ago. Only one was being offered yesterday. The others have evidently been sold.

Here in Iron County, the poorest in the state? Bidding wars? Really? That's California HGTV stuff. What's next, Christina and Tarek?

We're told that home prices have risen over 70% in our county this past year, mostly due to people wanting to move from the encouraged chaos of city life (just ask Maxine) to the country to escape the madness, insanity, and high prices that city people endure on a daily basis. With the work from home scenario now common and many businesses having no intentions of going back to the former work-in-the-office model, people are willing to trade convenience for safety and some semblance of common sense. 

I don't mind welcoming city people to the north woods. I just hope they remember to leave their city politics, problems, and way of life behind. We don't always agree up here, but we do know how to get along and for the most part, treat each other with respect and kindness.

Back on Pentoga Road, I thought I might spend an hour trimming a few more low hanging boughs from the large spruce trees out front that separate the road from the house. I expected it might take an hour, possibly two.

The trees are old, very old, and as with the case of most old spruce trees, they are dying from the bottom up. The year is coming, probably sooner than later, when we'll have them removed.

I thought I was close to being finished when the Supervisor of Lawn and Everything Pretty exited the barn pushing a wheel barrow filled with a shovel and rakes.

Things were about to get serious. There went my Sunday afternoon nap.

We trimmed alright. With the power saw and electric pole saw in hand, we did more than trim. We cut.

Load after load of limbs were hauled to the burn pile. At one point, I was returning on the tractor to find Sargie lopping off even more.

For the love of God, has the girl no mercy?

We sawed, we raked, we hauled, and by afternoon's end, the trees were pronounced good to go for the upcoming summer. As much as I resisted going full Monty on the trimming, I have to admit, under Sargie's guidance, they look much better.

Yooper Brother Mark and Sheri stopped by while enjoying a Sunday afternoon ride in their side by side. We had a great visit and as always, hated to see them leave.

The snow has now changed to freezing rain and I'm not feeling the overwhelming urge to go for my usual morning hike. In fact, I think I'll pour a third cup of coffee, throw another log on the fire, and think deep thoughts while listening to the ice pellets hit the metal roof overhead.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

 

Mt. Washington

I plan to be standing on top of the AT's highest peak next July or early August as I make my way from Georgia to Maine

April 25, 2021 - Sunday morning

24 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Luke and Melinda were out for a drive this past week and paused long enough to take the above picture. Living outside of North Waterboro, Maine, their home is only an hour away from the White Mountains and Presidential Range of New Hampshire. 

Let's see, I have a couple more pictures of Cheeks from Saturday's drive to Houghton and Lake Superior. Hey, who doesn't love a picture of a happy baby?

Grandma Sargie and Cheeks were having a great time.

Yooper Brother Mark arrived bright and early for our Saturday morning walk. The sun was bright, the temperatures warm.

Back home, I saw Sargie off to Felch, not far from her home town of Foster City. I opted to stay behind and finish the workbench.

I'd purchased one set of drawer slides to replace a defective pair that came with the new workbench from Harbor Freight. When I went to install them, I found they were thicker by about 1/16th of an inch.

Thankfully, the drawers were assembled using only screws, not glue, so after some careful calculations, I took it apart and ripped 1/16th of an inch from each side panel.

With the first drawer finished, I went to slide the second into place and found those slides were also defective. 

Wait for a pair to be sent or simply buy another set?

It was a no brainer. I drove to town, purchased what was needed and returned home. 

The same procedure was repeated as before. I took the drawer apart, ripped a thin piece from each side panel and assembled it all again.

In the end, everything worked perfectly and the new workbench was slid into place.

I was later washing my hands in the bathroom sink and noticed it was slow to drain. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing one of my most unfavorite jobs, cleaning the trap under the sink and all that goes with it.

The removal of a combination of long blonde hair and other residue solved the problem. Sargie later told me the hair must be mine as what few strands still grow on my head are quickly disappearing while hers remains firmly intact.

Thanks for solving that mystery, Sargie. I've been wondering where my long, luxurious, curly, locks disappeared to.

We later made a quick run to town before settling in for the evening. With a combination of rain and snow falling, sitting by the wood stove seemed the right thing to do.

It's daylight and time to head out for my morning stroll. The sun is bright and the air is calm. Maybe I'll try another practice hiking video this morning. After all, I've yet to test drive my new, teeny bop, obnoxious kid, selfie stick. 

I'd like to clean the shop today so I can finally get back to doing some meaningful work. Otherwise, I'll let Sargie decide what kind of action packed day lies ahead.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

A fisherman enjoying the early morning hours on the Wisconsin side of the Brule River

The Salmon Trout River

Redridge, Michigan

April 24, 2021 - Saturday morning

42 degrees/light rain/calm winds

Pentoga Road

How did we end up at sister-in-law, Debbie's family camp on the shores of Lake Superior ? 

Sargie and I are loose canons, what can I say?

I was up way too early Friday morning. With the blog already written, I took the opportunity to work in the shop while waiting for Yooper Brother Mark to arrive for our usual Friday morning walk.

I've came to the conclusion Friday morning that I have a real sickness. I'm a wood hoarder, spelled with an "h", not a "w." Well, maybe with a "w," but let's stick with the "h".

To make room for the new workbench, one corner of the shop had to be cleared of wood scraps, those that I have deemed too good to throw away, but not really useful for anything other than craft projects. A few pieces of "interesting" wood were mixed in, that which may someday become small bowls or other fairly worthless pieces of Pentoga art.

Trip after trip was made to the kindling box with armful's of lumber that was once deemed too valuable to throw away. In the end, only a small wooden box of odds and ends remained.

I began to tackle the piles and stacks of larger dimensional lumber, stuff that isn't building grade, but far too good to burn.

I've come to the conclusion that there is only one solution. We need to win the lottery so I can not only build a larger shop, but also a big building in which to keep all my odds and ends of wood. 

Back in the shop, the corner was eventually cleaned, swept, and made ready for the new workbench. 

Yooper Brother Mark arrived and we had a wonderful walk catching up on their vacation and the happenings in each other's lives. 

The biggest news?

Sheri and Yooper Brother Mark are going to have a new addition to their family. Isabella called and announced she was going to be a big sister. Mark's first reply was, "What? You're going to get a puppy?"

Yep, it appears Sarah and Curtis are adding to their family. Due date and all the particulars will come after the initial doctor's visit next week.

Sargie and I were on our way to the hardware store when the phone rang. It was Macrea asking if we'd like to have Cheeks for the day. Mel's maternity leave expires on Monday and Macrea had taken a vacation day to spend with her.

We did our business then drove halfway to Iron Mountain to get the baby. As soon as we'd stepped from the car, both asked if we'd like to go for a long drive with them to Houghton, an hour and a half north and onto the shores of Lake Superior.

The drawbridge in Houghton

I initially hesitated as we'd left the house wide open, the shop unattended, and I was dressed in old work clothes. I looked at Sargie and her eyes sparkled. A day with the kids AND Cheeks?

Sure, why not. Like I said, stand back, we're a couple of loose canons.

We had a ball as we laughed and gabbed while driving north. 

A US Coast Guard buoy tender in dock

Our first stop was at a very old restaurant/lounge with a long history dating back to pre prohibition. Everyone had pizza but me. I enjoyed a huge Rueben sandwich and chips. Cheeks enjoyed entertaining Grandma Sargie and any other interested party.

We walked a bit and stopped at a very nice brewery. Mel and Macrea wanted to sample the IPA "Redridge," named for the community not for from Houghton where Debbie's family camp is located.

Tired from her active party life, Cheeks fell asleep while looking around from Grandma Sargie's arms.

We made our way to the old mining community of Redridge, now a ghost town. The Covered Road was beautiful, a long dirt path with hardwood maples growing alongside.

The following pictures best describe the beauty, pure raw nature, that can be difficult to look at. High water, strong storms, and erosion, has caused the family camp to be put in peril. It's just a matter of time before it tumbles into the lake.

It was late afternoon before we bade Redridge farewell and after a quick stop in neighboring Houghton for ice cream, made our way home. The clock was showing half past 8 as we arrived back at our car where we'd initially met Mel and Macrea.

Sargie's heading to a family gathering in Felch later this morning. Opting to let her fly solo, I'm going to continue work in the shop. Rain and snow are in the forecast and it'll be the perfect time for a large indoor project.

Mechanic Dan called yesterday and asked that I call him back concerning the engine for the backhoe. I'm not feeling too optimistic. He's either had to order parts or will tell me it's not worth the cost to repair. 

Yooper Brother Mark will be here soon for our Saturday morning walk. Time to wrap this up and get the day started.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

 Macrea's climbing one of the eroded banks along Lake Superior