September 29, 2022 - Wednesday morning

42 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It was difficult to watch that large fifth wheel trailer lumber away yesterday morning as we saw Mississippi Brother and Miss Jody off. Sargie and I stood in the middle of the road, waving, until they were out of sight, as if doing so would make their visit last just a bit longer. 

Garry and I had spent time in the shop earlier in the day. He taught me how to turn and adorn a wooden bell.

My big brother also demonstrated how to use a guitar string to burn in borders and accents. It's unreal what that man knows. I can only wish I was half as talented.

Lastly, he reshaped one of my chisels into a real working tool, one that I had given up on and thought was fairly worthless. In Garry's hands, it peeled away the layers of wood on the lathe like a hot knife slicing through butter.

As I said, it was hard seeing Miss Jody and Garry leave. We'll catch up to them at some point in the future, but until then, Garry and I will keep writing daily, the same as we have for nearly four decades.

Saddened, Sargie and I decided to take a drive to the north and look at the changing leaves.

They're not quite at peak color yet, but should be in the next day or two.

Back home, I took my daily walk to Pentoga Village and back. 

Sargie met me as I was nearing the house. We talked as we walked along, mostly how much we were already missing our southern friends. 

"Hey, want to play a game of H-O-R-S-E?" she asked in an effort to cheer both of us up. 

Oh no, I've been duped into shooting hoops with my bride before and I've yet to emerge victorious. Still, I reluctantly agreed.

It was to be the best of two out of three contests. My girl won the first.

I rallied to win the second game. This was a barn burner on Pentoga Road.

The deciding game was at hand and the score close. 

Taking a deep breath, I shot, rimmed the ball and watched as it went round and round, only to fall away from the hoop. Sargie once again emerged victorious and remains as the undefeated Pentoga Road World Champion.

Having given up all hope of a professional basketball career, I started the old Ford tractor and removed the front sign. The paint and varnish have worn thin over the past ten years and a letter or two badly needs repair.

One of the posts had rotted off under ground. We'd noticed it had become a bit wiggly this past year.

I'll be either making a new sign or repairing this old one in the days to come. It's still undecided which.

The end of the day saw Sargie and me sorting and measuring the Milligan Mountain barn wood. It appears we might have just enough to cover the interior of the garden house.

The forecast calls for continued sunny skies and warm temperatures in the mid to upper 70's before rain and colder weather arrive this coming weekend. I'm hoping we might get the inside walls of the garden house covered while the sun is shining. No doubt, we'll go for a ride and look at the leaves later today and I'm about to leave for my morning walk in a few minutes.

There is, however, one thing of which there is no doubt.

A man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...