It was eight inches of wet, sloppy, snow that fell on Pentoga Road early Monday.

January 8, 2019 - Tuesday morning
31 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Arg. I've been up since 5 this morning to prepare for a day of being Florence High School's business teacher. I've filled in for her before and the job isn't too bad. All of the students' work is done in a computer lab and consists of a series of self guided lessons or projects. My responsibility will be to ensure that happens and pray no one asks too difficult of a question.

Monday was a busy/lazy affair. Pretty much snowed in, I was out the door early to remove as much of the heavy, wet, stuff as possible before it became even wetter and heavier. Thankfully, it wasn't too much of a problem while the temperatures were below freezing.

I received a text from Yooper Brother Mark a bit ago saying he really got a workout last night while trying to clean his drive. He had to work all day and it wasn't until late in the afternoon that the combination of snow/water was plowed or shoveled to one side.

For my southern friends, you ask why, if it's above freezing, do we bother to move the snow? Won't it melt anyway?

 Any amount of snow usually won't melt before more normal cold temperatures return. There's nothing worse than having a drive, patio, or walk, filled with several inches of frozen, rutted, snow, for two or three months. It's better to bite the bullet now and get rid of the stuff.

It was almost noon before I took a break. Opening the door, I was greeted with the aroma of fried potatoes, bacon, toast,and fried eggs. 

Ah, that bride of mine knows the way to a man's heart is through his belly. No meal has ever tasted so good on a chilly, damp, wintry morning.

It was back outside attending to Neighbor Mike's snowfall. I used his four wheeler to plow his long drive and part of the yard to his house.



Come warm weather, we have to fix those brakes on Jambo's machine. I was pushing a snowbank back with some force and forgot there were no brakes.

The machine wasn't exactly stuck in snow, but rather, all four tires spun hopelessly on the glare ice underneath. A quick tug with the Blazer freed the beast.

It didn't take long before Neighbor Mike's drive was plowed and ready for his next visit.



Sargie's off today and will have the time to call her own. I think our home looks very clean, but she says she's going to clean none-the-less. I'd sure like to know who sneaks in here during the night and messes the place up.

I'm going to do the school teacher thing then will look forward to having Wednesday off before returning as the elementary school's librarian on Thursday. I do have a dentist's appointment at 8 Wednesday morning. 

Geesh! Why would anyone, in their right mind, ruin a perfectly good day by scheduling a dentist's appointment? Whoever he is sure isn't very bright.

Time to begin my pre-departure routine, filling the stove with wood, getting my lunch, warming the car, kissing Sargie goodbye, and all those other good things. Education waits for no one.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Congratulations to my grandson, Coleman, for winning his weight division in a large New England wrestling meet this past weekend.

January 7, 2019 - Monday morning
32 degrees/rain/snow/sleet/breezy
Pentoga Road

I'm proud of ol' Coleman for his victories on the wrestling mat. The boy has seen several runner-up finishes over the past two years, but this weekend, he finally broke through to win his division. 

Note: the wrestler in red is about a foot taller than Coleman. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

By the way, that's my son, Luke, Coleman's daddy, who's screaming, "HEAD UP!! HEAD UP!!" along with other fatherly instructions. Luke, like his daddy, might be described as a bit competitive.

Anyway, congratulations, Coleman. You make Grandpa P and Grandma Sargie mighty proud!

The big news in the north woods is the storm that dropped several inches of wet snow during the night. 



I have no idea how much fell as it was driven by gusts of up to forty five miles per hour. Some places have as much as a foot with just a couple of inches in other areas.

Sargie called early saying she wouldn't be into work. We both agree that no job is worth risking life or limb for. 

I headed out the door before daybreak to clean the drive and deck. The high today is to be 37 degrees with light rain and eventually, freezing rain, before temperatures fall again. The plow and snowblower work well removing snow, but when it gets wet and heavy, both become much more of a chore.

Much of Sunday was spent on the lake. 

How'd I do?

Put it this way, if bass were crappies or bluegills, I'd have had a heck of a mess.



If I caught one bass, I caught a dozen, many in the three and four pound range, but nary a crappie or bluegill would touch my jig. I watched them on sonar swim up to my bait, show a bit of interest, then turn around and swim away.

Two young guys were also fishing with the same frustrating luck. We could see the fish, but to get them to hit was another story.

I arrived home in time to watch the last half of the Bears/Eagles football game. I was rooting for Chicago, but they fell one point short. Just like Green Bay, they'll have to wait until next year to have another run at the Super Bowl.

Sargie worked from noon to five yesterday. I started frying fish as soon as she left Iron Mountain and had large platters of sizzling filets and French fries ready when she walked in the door. Needless to say, Sargie and Tom, once again, ate like little piggies last night.

Today's going to be one of those, throw a log on the fire, pop a big bowl of popcorn, snuggle under a blanket on the couch, and watch a good movie, type of days. No doubt, my eyes will close at some point. This kind of weather is also conducive for taking a good old-fashioned grandpa nap.

Though Sargie's off tomorrow, I am filling in for the high school business teacher in Florence. I don't mind. Might as well earn some money during these long, dark, days of winter.



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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Rather than substitute teaching, I should become a wild turkey farmer. Suddenly, they are everywhere.

January 6, 2019 - Sunday morning
27 degrees/cloudy/calm winds
Pentoga Road

Over the past sixty-plus years, I've found some of the most interesting reading material posted on restroom walls. I'm not talking about the rather mundane, 

Here I sit, 
Broken Hearted,
Came to...

... but rather educational material. It's not unusual to read the latest weekly advertisements of special interest to the man of the family while standing in front of a urinal in a large home store restroom. I wonder if the same are plastered all around the stalls in the women's lavatory?

Yesterday's restroom gem was the opening picture above. It somehow spoke to me on a deeper level and I thought it was worth sharing.

With little Lincoln's party being cancelled due to the flu bug, Sargie and I decided to have brunch at Barb's Cafe in Florence, Wisconsin. It's one of the few true Mom and Pop eateries left in this area and serves a huge meal for a reasonable cost. We both had three egg omelets and rolled out of the place feeling like Tubby Tommy and Sargie. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent running errands in Iron Mountain. We need a new area rug in the living room, but are undecided whether to get one now or wait until after wood burning season in the spring.

Hmm, carpet squares for the steps? Probably not, but it's an idea.

 Chances are, regardless of the season, we'll purchase a large rug when they come on sale.

Back home, no small amount of time was spent working on the tracking pad on this old Macbook Pro, a relic (at least for laptop computers) from the university days of 2009.

Talk about teeny screws. Some are so small that I had to magnetize a miniscule phillips screwdriver so I could point each in its hole.

Being the tech whiz that I am, I spent as much time watching a how-to video on the Chromebook as I did trying to fix the thing.



In the end, the trackpad still isn't working right. I'll continue poking around until I find the right solution. On the other hand, I may simply take it to a computer repair place and let them have at it. My hands aren't as steady as they once were. My patience? What patience?

Sargie works from noon to five today. We decided that since we'd eaten a huge brunch on Saturday, we'd delay our fish fry until this evening.

We were greeted by a flock of turkeys as we pulled in the drive Saturday afternoon.

I'm uncertain what I'll do while Sargie's working. Certainly, I'll go for my usual walk, but otherwise, I may just sit by the fire and watch the NFL playoff games. The Bears play last year's Super Bowl champions, the Eagles, at 3:30 and since the Packers are out of the playoffs, I'll be rooting for Chicago.

Enough deep thinking. It's time to fix breakfast and get Sargie rolling for the day.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

A Master in Wedgeology, Mississippi Brother Garry sent this picture of his latest masterpiece. For those not familiar with the density of wood, splitting concrete is easier than working up red oak, but it burns a long time and gives off a maximum amount of heat.

Happy 1st Birthday, Lincoln!

January 5, 2019 - Saturday morning

31 degrees/sunny/breezy

Pentoga Road

It seems like it was just a year ago that Lincoln was born. Man, time flies by.

Oh wait. Never mind. It was just a year ago.

We're leaving for Iron Mountain later this morning to help celebrate Courtney and Garth's son's first birthday. The Milligans have a tradition that the first is an entire family affair, filled with gifts, and goodies. After year one, celebrations become more of an immediate family affair.

Let's see, what's new?

The weather has been crazy warm. Say what you want about these warm cycles, but I'm not complaining. Yesterday's high was in the upper 40's. It was time to go ice fishing!

Despite the warmer than normal temperatures, there is still sixteen inches of solid, clear, ice covering the lake.

With sled in tow, I zoomed down Pentoga Road on the mighty Tundra and was fishing within minutes.

I tried the usual crappie spots, poking a dozen or more holes through the ice in search of anything that swam.

My fish finder is homemade and isn't nearly as effective as the newer units, but it tells me the water depth and if there are fish in the area. None were to be found.

The day began by fishing in the Clam, protected from the colder temperatures. As the sun rose, I didn't bother with the portable shelter and opted to fish Alaska style, sitting on the seat of the snowmobile in the open.

Forsaking all the areas that treated us so good last summer, I moved to much deeper water, to a place where Neighbor Mike and I slayed the bluegills and crappies six years ago. The place hasn't been worth a darn since, but it showed some promise yesterday.

I didn't catch a lot of fish, but they were down there. It was frustrating. They'd swim up to my jig, nose it around a bit, then swim away. I tried everything known to modern man save for a lobster tail and ribeye steak.

Back home before noon, Sargie and I took our usual drive. It was a gorgeous day, too nice to stay inside.

Hmm, there was still an hour left before the sun set. What to do... what to do.

With Sargie's blessing, I hopped on the snowmobile and returned to the lake. Last night's expedition wasn't much better than those earlier in the day. I caught a few bass, but saw plenty of fish on the sonar. I missed two. I'm fairly certain one was a crappie, no doubt a world record holder. Most fish that get away are. 

Oops, Mel just called saying that Lincoln's party has been cancelled. Seems Lincoln's mommy, Courtney, woke up this morning with the flu. It's going around and appears as though no one is impervious to the nasty bug. I hope the flu shot I had earlier this year works.

January's calendar is quickly filling up. I teach two days this coming week, Tuesday and Thursday. The following week I'm at the elementary school for three days as the first grade teacher. Oh boy, that ought to be fun. Couple those with a dentist appointment and who-knows-what and the month will be over before we know it.

So what's on the agenda for today? I don't know. I could go fishing or scrape the drive bare by hand. There's the shop and several ongoing projects, and no doubt, Sargie will be up for a drive around the area.

Oh decisions, decisions. If only you had my life, you'd understand.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Walking down the hill to Pentoga Village

January 3, 2019 - Thursday evening

33 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm excited. Tomorrow will see my first trip out onto the ice for the year. I know Jambo will be calling any day, wanting to go fishing, and he'll expect me to guide him onto the lake and put him on fish. I'd hate to disappoint the boy so I think I'll head out first and see if I can locate a bluegill or crappie.

I spent much of yesterday working on ice fishing equipment. The first order of business was to get the gas auger going for the year.

A change of fuel and squirt of starter fluid saw the mini machine roar to life.

Next was making sure the Tundra was ready for another season of fishing. I checked the oil and after I add fuel in the morning, it too will be ready.

The entire afternoon was dedicated to getting the ice fishing tent, the Clam, ready.

Since I had previously made a rigid hitch for the old wooden ice shack, I decided to remake it to fit the Clam. Having it will let me pull the Clam to the lake at the end of the road.

The base was ten inches too wide which resulted in having to reconfigure the angles and cut the bracing down significantly.

It has been a while since I worked barehanded in cold weather. Many years ago, I thought nothing of working outside in the arctic without gloves or mittens. Yesterday, the relatively mild twenty-degree temperature seemed a bit harsh on my delicate hands.

The hitch was soon made to fit the Clam.



Sargie had to close last night and didn't arrive home until after 9:30. By the time we drove to town to get the Kia from the mechanic's, it was well past 10 before we ate supper. Bedtime was after midnight.

This morning began with a walk to Pentoga Village. The temperature had moderated and made for a pleasant stroll.

An old abandoned house in Pentoga Village

The temperature may be warmer, but there's still a solid inch of clear ice over all the secondary rural roads. Thankfully, most have received a liberal coating of sand making traction possible.

After a quick brunch, Sargie and I began taking down and putting away Christmas decorations. Every year we swear we'll cut back and every year we decorate more than the year before.

We developed a system where Sargie would pack the totes, all five hundred of them, and I'd carry each out to the storage shed one at a time. It took almost all day, but all the holiday glimmer is  stored away for another year.

The only item on my agenda for Friday is to go fishing in the morning. The equipment is checked and packed, the wax worms purchased, the Tundra ready. I plan to ride the snowmobile down the road towing the Clam filled with the auger and other fishing tackle. With any luck, I'll be jigging through a hole in the ice ten minutes after leaving the house.

Unless fishing is unbelievable, I'll be home well before noon and will let Sargie decide what the rest of our day will bring. No doubt, it will involve a ride while sipping a Coke.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

January 3, 2018 - Thursday

22 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm sad this morning, really sad. A phone call last night, along with several texts, informed me that a good friend of the family passed away yesterday morning. 

Louise was a band mom from my high school teaching days in northern Maine. Her husband, Kurt, was the perennial band booster president and combined, they were integral cogs ensuring our marching band toured all around the eastern seaboard. 

I used to tease Louise by singing in my loudest voice, ala Frank Sinatra, "CUZZ LOU LOU'S BACK IN TOWN!"

She'd laugh, blush a bit, then tell me to stop. 

The family was more than school acquaintances, they were friends. Matt, their oldest, went out of his way to guide my oldest son, Josh, when we first arrived in the remote French Acadian community many years ago. Jenny and Nina were in the band from day one and both were sweethearts. I was able to confide in Kurt and share worries and even some personal family problems. At the head of this all American clan was Louise, strong, stable, and usually full of smiles.

One of the reasons I left public school education many years ago was that I grew tired of burying my students. The final straw was attending the funeral of young girl that I'd known from infancy, a freshman in high school, who died in a needless car accident. I lasted a year or two beyond her death, but it was the beginning of a personal downward spiral that I couldn't escape. 

Teaching should be about life, not death. It was the only time in my life I ever questioned the existence of God. Thankfully, He came to my rescue and reminded me that we just rent these bodies while we're here and our real home is with Him.

So, as time marches on, with increasing regularity, many of my friends and acquaintances are being called Home. It's called life and life is good. Some days are just better than others.

I'm sad today and that's as it should be. I know the day will come when I'll catch up to Louise and Natalie and Dad and all my relatives, students, friends, and acquaintances who've gone before. I'm looking forward to seeing them again.

Though Louise is no longer in our town, there's little doubt that someone, somewhere, is filling in for me, singing, ala Frank Sinatra, "CUZZ, LOU LOU'S BACK IN TOWN!" They'll have to do until I get there.

Rest in peace Louise. We'll see you one of these days... 

January 1, 2019 - Tuesday evening
6 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

It's been a busy New Year's Day for both Sargie and me.  Each of the four opticians choose a major holiday that the Vision Center is open to work (New Years, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July) so they can count on being off for the others. Today was Sargie's turn. At least she won't have to work any other holidays for the rest of 2019.

The early morning weather was gorgeous during my walk. The temperature was bumping near zero, but the skies were partly cloudy and the winds calm.



Back home, time was spent taking down the outside Christmas decorations. The larger ones will be stored over the shop in the off season.

I took a break late in the morning and watched the last part of the Parade of Roses. My favorites are always the marching bands.

While inside, I managed to do three loads of laundry. 

Several Christmas totes were brought in the house from the storage unit. We're planning on taking down the tree and decorations on Thursday when Sargie's home. It won't take us long working together.

I moved into the shop during the afternoon to work on the piggy bank. I was anxious to try a new attachment, one that allows an angle grinder to perform like a mini chain saw for carving.

It works well and made short work of soft wood. 

I roughed out the shape of the pig today. Tomorrow, I'll try smoothing it out before actually using a knife to carve the features.

Sargie and I have had a quiet evening. Even after we both slept for nine hours last night, I'm sure we won't have any problems falling asleep tonight.

Sargie closes tomorrow so she'll get to sleep a bit later in the morning. I'll go for my walk first thing then it will be time to get my ice fishing gear ready for the season. 

With all that being said, it's time to think about making that long, difficult, climb up the stairs to bed.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

With wood shavings flying everywhere this afternoon, the shop once again looks normal.