Neighbor Sue, proudly showing off her new cat and best friend, BB.

January 11, 2019 - Friday evening 

22 degrees/cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Oh, and proud she is! Sue is our next door (and only permanent) neighbor who lives three-fourths of a mile to our north on Pentoga Road. 

Sue's had some hard luck this past year. First, her husband of over fifty years, John, passed away last spring, then her faithful companion, an eleven year old kitty, had to be put to sleep not long ago. 

The previous owner of BB, an elderly lady in her 90's, was extremely ill and worried what would become of her best friend. Sue had just lost her kitty, so it all worked out. Who says God doesn't work in mysterious ways.

Today was an exercise in futility. I probably should have gone back to bed after returning home from my morning walk.

Though only in the teens, the conditions were perfect for, as Dad used to say, "Pickin' 'em up and layin' 'em down."

One of my favorite area barns

 I returned home and decided it was too nice of a day to spend in the shop. The Clam/sled was hitched to the Tundra, the equipment made ready, and off I went.

It was wonderful, riding along, the snow flying beneath me. I rode through the boat landing, out onto the lake, and right into a puddle of slop.

I've encountered slush, or as we say in arctic Alaska, overflow, often in my life. It occurs when the weight of the snow pushes the ice down far enough to force water onto the surface. Last week's accumulation tipped the scales in favor of the water.

I ran into overflow often in years past. The worst was while crossing a large river between Kobuk and Ambler, Alaska. Running at fifteen to twenty miles per hour, the track of the Tundra began to sink into the slush. No amount of power would lift the machine back onto the surface of the snow.

In the end, I had to plant an ice axe into a crack in the ice and use every bit of a hundred foot rope attached to a winch to pull the machine onto solid footing. 



Today wasn't nearly as serious, but it brought up those and other memories. Thankfully, even though I was towing a heavy sled, by applying a full throttle while leaning far over the handlebars to put more weight on the skis, I was able to bring the snowmobile back to a solid surface.

Unfortunately, the Clam/sled didn't do nearly as well. By the time I sloshed through the slop, everything inside was coated with slush.

Once I arrived back on land, I turned the Tundra towards home and forgot any thought of fishing.

It took over an hour to clean all the equipment and empty the Clam of slush.

Since taking the snowmobile out onto the lake was temporarily out of the question, I dug out the old sled that I made several years ago, loaded it and the fishing equipment into the Blazer, and took off for the lake.

I waded out through the overflow with the sled in tow and finally set up.

There was just one problem. Water had been splashed onto the sonar/fish finder and gotten into the buttons. The only solution I could think of was to use the small heater to melt the ice that had formed. 

It worked. The sonar was marking fish within minutes.

After all the work of splashing through overflow, cleaning equipment, wading through slush, and thawing out the electronics, I caught one measly bluegill.

Some days are diamonds, some days are coal. Today, I mined coal.

The high point of the afternoon was a visit from Yooper Brother Mark. I had just arrived home and we had a good time catching up on life. 

Sargie opens the Vision Center again Saturday morning. I'll go for my walk then plan to spend the rest of the day in the shop. The fish had their chance and as far as I'm concerned, they missed a good opportunity to be caught.  Besides, there's still that pig and owl waiting to be carved.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Florence Elementary
Home of the Bobcats... 'er Bob Kitties

January 10, 2019 - Thursday evening

16 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Whew, the old substitute teacher is tired tonight. It was a wonderful day that saw all the elementary grades traipse through either the computer lab or library.

I enjoyed all the bob kitties ranging from pre-K through the sixth grade. 

My favorite class? They all are precious in their own ways. For the most part, I enjoy the middle elementary grades, third, fourth, and fifth, the most. Third grade has traditionally been my favorite throughout my teaching years.

All of the computer classes are self directed, but it seems I heard my name being called nonstop throughout each period. Problems ranged from a monitor that refused to cooperate to a stuck zipper, onto needing help tying a shoe. Life's not always what it seems when teaching the little ones.

The day flew by and was soon over. It was good to catch up on the post holiday news with my teacher friends and my buddy, Neal the principal.

Sargie was off today, so I picked her up after school and we went to town for her Coke. I'm afraid I might have bored her to death describing blow by blow action of my day. 

Sargie opens the Vision Center Friday morning. At this point, after a good night's rest, I'm thinking I'll go ice fishing first thing then come home and head to the shop for the rest of the day. There's an owl and a pig that need to be finished. 

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Thursday afternoon's sunset over Caspian, Michigan

Brittney, Dr. Eric, Me
Today's Smile in Crystal Falls

January 9, 2019 - Tuesday evening

12 degrees/cloudy/windy

Pentoga Road

I'm sitting here this evening as happy as any boy can be. After my six month dental cleaning and check up, Eric pronounced my pearly whites free of cavities. 

Yeah, I know... I'm on the downhill slide towards seventy and I'm still consumed with a little boy's dread before settling into a dentist's chair. It's unfounded, but stems from painful procedures that began sixty years ago when dentists weren't always gentle and needles felt to be the size of fence posts. 

Eric's quite the opposite. The boy doctor uses needles that seem thinner than a hair, is full of good humor, specializes singing in a falsetto voice to tunes of the 50's, 60's, and 70's, and surrounds himself with a fun staff. What more can a boy like myself ask for when visiting the dentist?

Thanks, Eric!

Cold? Holy cow, it's cold. It's not the temperature so much as the wind. If that's not bad enough, snow squalls have marched through off and on during the day.

After returning home from Eric's, I started a fire in the outside wood stove, filled the wood box in the house, and eventually ended up in the shop.

I found a piece of maple while carrying in fire wood that seemed too good to burn. I mounted the chunk on the lathe and began the hollowing process.

The bark was almost perfect and I wanted to preserve as much as possible.

In the end, I coated the outside with a thick poly that will dry clear to help seal it. It appears to be working, so well so that Sargie thinks I should apply another.

What should go inside the maple branch? I went on the internet and began looking at pictures of owls. 

I decided to turn one from a small piece of maple.

I know it takes a bit of imagination, but somewhere in that log and maple branch is an owl sitting on a branch, surrounded by greenery... and who knows, there might even be a wooden mouse in the vicinity before it's all finished.

I worked for quite a while on the piggy bank, carving and sanding. It should be finished in the next few days.

We met Macrea, Mel, and Hambone, at our favorite hamburger place in Florence this evening. Somehow or the other, I managed to forget my camera. As usual, the food was good, the company great. After talking with Hambone, I learned he's ready to spend some time at Grandma Sargie's and Pawpaw's and do some serious snowmobiling.

I can make that happen.

I'm Florence Elementary School's librarian on Thursday. Classes will be in the computer lab in the morning and library in the afternoon. I enjoy my time in the school and with the weather like it is, I might as well be working as sitting inside by the wood stove.

It's time to climb those long stairs to the bedroom. Sargie's off tomorrow, but I'll be out the door shortly after 7 AM, on my way to Florence Elementary, home of the Bob Kitties.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

There's a piggy bank somewhere in those nine pieces of laminated 1x8's.

Tuesday was a busy day in the Business Department at Florence High School

January 8, 2019 - Tuesday

19 degrees/cloudy/windy

Pentoga Road

It feels good to be bundled up this evening, my belly full, snuggled under a blanket, watching tv and being lazy. The temperature has dropped significantly throughout the day and the wind is howling.

Today went well. I arrived at Florence High School shortly after 7:30 and was soon settled into the classroom reviewing the teacher's lesson plans.

As usual, the middle and high schoolers were well behaved and the day flew by.

Florence hosted a three-school Quiz Bowl type competition this morning. It was a close competition and for a while, it appeared Florence would be victorious.

Unfortunately, the other two schools excelled on the last two questions and tied for first place.

I arrived home early tonight, picked up Sargie at home, and we proceeded to Iron River to purchase a few groceries and of course, get her Coke.

Sargie opens the Vision Center Wednesday morning. Jambo and Germaine are down to their camp for the night and Jambo and I have talked about the possibility of going fishing. We've also agreed that if the wind doesn't diminish, we won't be going anywhere except to sit by one wood stove or the other.

It's time to tuck back in under the blanket and finish the evening by talking with Sargie and watching television.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

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.