Cheeks is a happy girl

May 21, 2021 - Friday morning
65 degrees/rain/breezy
Pentoga Road

Isn't it amazing how fast babies change? Just a month ago, Cheeks was a bubbling, crying, ball of... well, cheeks. Suddenly, she's morphed into a beautiful, happy, little, girl.

How's that work? 

Cheeks, Bone, Sadie, and Daddy, will be with us next weekend for a couple of days while Mel is away for the weekend. Hang on, it's going to be a circus.

Thursday can't be described as rainy, exactly, but it was extremely humid with intermittent showers throughout the day. Home from my walk, I headed directly to the shop to continue work on the latest project.

One thing is certain. I'd be lost without the large, lighted, magnifying glass that enables me to actually see what I'm doing. With less than perfect sight, it enables me to keep on sawing.

While waiting for the paint to dry on the various pieces, I finished cutting out the life sized bulldog. Next will come carving, shaping, and sanding. It's definitely a long term work in progress.

A break in the rain found me fiddling around in the garden, doing nothing really, other than planting one of the giant pumpkin sprouts that was about to grow roots into the peet pot in which it was planted.

Problem is, what do I do with TWO giant pumpkin plants? One, if grown properly, can spread to over half the garden. 

I was working on the backhoe when Yooper Brother Mark pulled into the drive. I'd parked the backhoe in a corner behind the barn while it still had enough fluid to work. Since all the fluid had leaked out, the only way to move it was by using the tractor.

It was like threading a needle to manipulate it between the outdoor wood furnace shed and portable garage. At one point, Mark used a log with which to pry and actually moved the heavy backhoe several inches.

In the end, the backhoe was parked in the drive where a plan of action could be formulated.

The place where it leaks can't actually be seen. It's underneath, between the pivoting arm and the body, and to be fixed properly, will have to be taken apart so the crack can be welded.

While Mark and Sargie were talking, I thoroughly cleaned the area and using a mirror and touch, applied JB Weld, an epoxy on steroids. At best, it's a temporary solution. 

Mechanic Dave said that he'd do the repair. All I have to do is get the machine to town. Hopefully, the temporary repair will allow me to tow the backhoe behind the Blazer. The back wheels need to be relocated and the arms removed. The large front boom needs to work for that to happen.

Sheri arrived to join us for supper last night. Sargie made a to-die-for taco salad with all the fixins'. The four of us gabbed for a while after before Mark and Sheri left for home. Not everyone is retired and both had to work today.

Depending on the rain, Mark may come out in a bit for our Friday early morning walk. If not, I'll do it solo. Otherwise, I'm going to return to the shop, finish the latest project, and continue work on the bulldog. Oh yeah, there's also a new blank in the lathe. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Oh, c'mon, Baby, just a little peck?