Mel, Bone, and Sargie, enjoying a sunset ride on the lake

September 11, 2021 - Saturday morning

57 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Eagle River, Wisconsin

So, this is how the other half lives, eh? We're hold up in a beautiful chalet on the shores of a gorgeous northern Wisconsin lake. I have no idea what the name of the lake is and I don't need to know. It's water and that's all that's necessary.

I'm currently sitting on the deck and sunrise is upon us. With a cup of freshly brewed coffee at hand and the computer sitting on my lap, I wonder what the poor people are doing. 

At least for this moment, I'm not one of them.

We left Pentoga Road late Friday morning. I'd gone for my walk, during which I enjoyed a handful of delicious wild Pentoga Village plums. There are precious few this year and I was grateful to find these.

Not being able to check into our lakeside chalet until 3 PM, Sargie and I drove through Eagle River and onto Rhinelander where we made one stop or the other, mostly for goodies for this weekend.

My phone rang. It was Shea.

Then it rang again. Macrea. 

Where were we?

No doubt, Sargie and I were the first to leave earlier in the day and now, we're the last to arrive. It wasn't long and the family was together.

Cheeks and Squirt have livened up the action. Old enough to recognize each other, their antics entertained everyone.

Having enjoyed Sargie's delicious spaghetti for a late afternoon supper, we boarded the twenty-four foot pontoon boat for a sunset cruise. 

I enjoyed playing Captain Pawpaw as we wove around the various islands on this series of lakes. 

I thought it wise to return before sundown, but my passengers wanted to stay out longer. Making sure we had running lights for night navigation, I steered the boat back onto the lake.

When returning to the house after dark, my able bodied seaman, Macrea, insisted we were going the wrong way. The shoreline had become dark and all features were indistinguishable. He conferred with his assistant, Mel, who agreed with him.

They began to tease me and even threatened to revoke my weekend nonexistent captain's license. 

Ah, but the doubters were silenced when we magically arrived directly in front of our dock. 

Captain Pawpaw likes it when he has the last laugh.

Last night was filled with table games and no small amount of eating. Not being a game player, I made popcorn for everyone on the stove and later, served ice cream. It was a pretty stress filled evening.

As always, the pictures of yesterday's nonstop action can best tell the story:

Pawpaw the Claw met his match with Baby Squirt

Well, shoot, nobody's up and I'm ready to play. I just turned the oven on to bake the French toast casserole. Even making all that noise, I'm still the only person awake for the day.

I'll once again put on my Captain Pawpaw hat today as we explore the miles and miles of shoreline of this chain of lakes. The forecast calls for sunny skies with highs nearing 80 degrees. After spending years navigating the choppy and often dangerous waters of the Chukchi Sea and Kotzebue Sound, plus those of Southeast Alaska I think I can do this.

Time to make more noise in search of someone to play with and get the day started. It think I know where to start.

Cheeks

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...