June 24, 2015 - Wednesday
58 degrees/partly cloudy/calm
Pentoga Road

Mom should be in the air winging her way to Pentoga Road from Indianapolis, Indiana, by way of Minneapolis and Iron Mountain. The house is clean, the lawn is mown, the butterflies are buttering, and the hummingbirds humming. Yup, we're excited and ready for Mom's arrival.

Probably no one is more eager than Brutus. As soon as Mom steps from the car, he'll become her over-sized protector and won't be slow to throw me out the window like yesterday's bath water. Mom seems to always have a treat in her pocket and where Mom goes, so does Brutus. It's just the way he is and in all honesty, I'd expect him to act no other way. Ain't nobody gonna mess with Mom when Brutus is in the house. 

It's going to be interesting when Emmie arrives next week. Brutus loves little children... and senior folks. The poor pup will no doubt be dazed and confused. 

I made my way to town first thing Tuesday morning to get the trailer that had been filled with wood from Yooper Brother Mark's plant. We talked a bit and enjoyed the morning sunshine, but since both of us had work to do, we soon bade each other goodbye. He returned to his desk, I headed home.



The rest of the day was spent mowing and trimming the lawn. It takes me about five hours to do everything, but well worth it. In the end, with all the rain we've had, it once again looks like a golf course.



There are thousands of little butterflies called Fiery Skippers in the yard. I found myself covered with them yesterday while mowing.



Sargie had to close on Tuesday evening so it was a late one for her. We walked around the yard for a while after she arrived home, then we watched a bit of television. Both of us were tired and ready for bed when it was time.

Sargie's back to work this morning.  Come late morning, I'll be heading over to Iron Mountain to pick up Mom from the airport. She's due to arrive around 12:30, but I'll be there by noon. That flight often lands early.

We'll pick up Sargie and go out to lunch before heading back home.

So things are rockin' and rollin' on Pentoga Road this morning. Brutus just went back upstairs and is sound asleep on his doggie bed and I'm going to get a cup of coffee, think deep thoughts, and listen to the news.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Peonies are blooming all over the yard.

The new hanging light over the kitchen sink

June 23, 2015 - Tuesday
59 degrees/partly cloudy/windy
Pentoga Road

There were a series of thunderstorms that came rumbling through our area yesterday. Though we never had a sustained rain, a couple of quick frog stranglers let themselves be known along with some fairly heavy gusts of wind. I'm told that just south of here, trees were blown over and there were numerous power outages.

I started Monday by thinning the beets. I purposely let the tops grow bigger than normal so we could enjoy eating some beet greens. 



I've not had them in years, but when the sons were growing up, we substituted the tops for spinach and everyone, even the little guys, liked them. It was an early-season taste of the gardening season to come.



The first storm and rain of the day chased me inside. I'd purchased some hamburger late last week that was on sale and it needed to be divided and frozen. I remember back in the early 70's when hamburger rose to .60 a pound. I swore then that if it got any higher, I'd never purchase any more. The latest "good deal" saw hamburger going for $2.89 a pound. You can't beat progress.



Next on the agenda was to steam-clean the laminate floors in the dining room and kitchen. We'd just done those a couple of weeks ago before Grady came to visit for a few days and with granddaughter, Emmie, due to arrive next week, it was time to do them again. They weren't bad and steam-cleaning wasn't difficult. 

Sargie and I purchased a hanging light to go over the kitchen sink more than a year ago and I've put off installing the thing. Almost everything in this house was built using the cheapest materials possible or with the quickest methods at the time. I dreaded what I might find. Still, the house is almost a hundred years old. Somebody did something right along the way.



I found the old recessed fixture was held in place only by the drywall and the actual electric wire that conducted the electricity. Good Lord.



After removing the light, the next thing was to build a frame above the hole in the ceiling. I didn't want to mess up the drywall, so I worked through the six-inch opening to attach it, much like one would build a ship in a bottle.

So it was up the ladder, take a picture, unload it on the computer, look at the thing, out to the shop to measure, cut, drill, shape, sand, cuss, back to the house, and up the ladder. The process was repeated many times and took several hours.

The original hole in the ceiling was too large for the new light, so I simply painted the old trim, drilled a hole or two, manufactured a wooden piece so the new light could be attached, and called it good enough.

I'm glad Sargie wasn't home to see the mess.

In the end, it all came together. 

There are two more recessed lights in the kitchen. Both are the same type as the one that was replaced yesterday and I'm just dreading it, but my goal is to have that job done before winter arrives.

It took a while to clean the mess, scrub the counters and floor, and make everything look good before Sargie arrived home. After a shower, I was ready to crash for the day.

Sargie did more cleaning last night. I graded a few assignments and later, we watched television. 

Yooper Brother Mark sent me a text saying the trailer is full of wood... just in time for Mom's arrival tomorrow! You might remember that one of the activities we were doing before Mom had her heart attack last year was unloading wood from the old truck. Though I kept telling her to sit down, she insisted on helping. This year, I'll just duct tape her in a chair and she can watch from there! I doubt that would do any good. Somehow, some way, I imagine Mom will be out there helping to fill the wood sheds. It's the way she rolls.

Mom is due to arrive on the noon flight in Iron Mountain on Wednesday. 

Sargie's closing tonight. I'm going to go to town first thing to get the trailer. I plan to spend the rest of the day on the mower, cutting and trimming the grass. It's time.

But then we all know that a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Patiently waiting for his best friend in the world, Grandma, to arrive.

Grady and Grandma having a good time on Sunday. Note that Grady is getting ready for the Fourth of July by wearing his Brutus the Bulldog
t-shirt.

June 22, 2015 - Monday

61 degrees/sun-haze/breezy

Pentoga Road

It's a real buzz kill when one thinks that after yesterday's summer solstice resulting in the longest day of the year, we're officially beginning our march into winter. From now on, each day will be getting shorter, culminating with the shortest day next December 21st when we'll begin the cycle all over again. 

I had a wonderful Father's Day. All four sons, Josh, Luke, Matt, and Andy, called and I had a pleasant conversation with each. Andy is on a boat between Seattle, Washington, and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and called using a satellite phone. Their phone calls were the best gifts they could have given.

Speaking of gifts, once again, Sargie took good care of me. I received a "back-out" device to remove stripped screws. It will work with my new DeWalt impact driver she gave me for my birthday. I also got a new patriotic t-shirt and pair of sunglasses. Thanks, Honey.

Father's Day was also a Grady day on Pentoga Road and the perfect way to celebrate. Macrea and Grady arrived mid to late morning. Since he has no wash machine, Macrea brought some laundry. 

Both he and Sargie spent some time washing clothes which meant I had some good, quality, time with my little buddy.

As usual, I'll let the following pictures describe the day. 

Brutus and Grady were joyfully reunited. Where Grady went, so did Brutus and neither were ever far apart.

Helping Daddy open his Father's Day present. Naturally, if Grady was there, so was Brutus. 

"C'mon, Grady, let's play!"

"Here, Brutus, you can chew on this fun clip I got off of Grandma's refrigerator!"

Out of the way. Here comes my lunch!

Helping Daddy and Grandma wash dishes after lunch.

Last evening, while Grandma and Macrea were finishing the laundry, Grady and I took a stroll down Pentoga Road... enjoying some quality Grandpa/Grady time.

But first, we had to stop and smell a rose...'er, a petunia along the way.

We talked and I sang all the John Philip Sousa marches I've ever known. Grady sang along with for a while, then suddenly, it went quiet in the stroller. It seems I have the ability to put even the most active munchkin to sleep.

We didn't want to see Macrea or Grady leave last evening, but as everyone knows, Monday is a work day and even the magic of Father's Day has to end sometime.

So, with hugs and kisses, the guys drove away. We'll see them again on the Fourth of July when all the Mighty Milligans meet to celebrate our country's birthday.

Sargie's back to work today. I'm not sure what's on my platter. It's to rain and storm, some possibly severe. I'll begin the morning by fixing the trim around the service door on the barn. After? Who knows. There's a list of things to be done before Mom arrives on Wednesday.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

The south end of the storage unit was painted on Saturday meaning this side of the barn is finished.

June 21, 2015 - Sunday 
59 degrees/cloudy/breezy
Pentoga Road

I've been thinking a lot about Dad today... Father's Day and all. Strange, how as time goes along, I appreciate him more and more. Oh well, we'll catch up to each other again some day. Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you.

It's a quick one today. Grady's on his way for a visit. He's also going to bring his daddy, Macrea, along for the ride. Needless to say, Sargie and I are excited. We've not seen the little rugrat (I'm referring to Grady, not Macrea) in quite a while.

Saturday was a rainy one. I painted a white strip of trim around the large barn door and started painting the molding on the service entrance when I discovered some rot in the wood down by the floor. Everything should have been replaced, the door frame and molding, but there are bigger fish to fry right now. I cut out the rot and will simply piece in the new wood and paint it over. Down low like that, no one will know except you and me and that will be our dirty little secret.



Mostly, I graded assignments and watched a documentary on Netflix called, A Year in Antartica. I don't mind saying, the old adventure genes were beginning to come back... until I noticed that I'm older than everyone featured in the documentary. It dawned on me that my days of living on the edge are probably in my past. 

The rain quit towards late afternoon and Sargie wouldn't be home for three hours. I grabbed the ladder, mixed the paint, and painted the south end of the storage building. The entire side and front are now finished. I hope to paint the north side of the barn in the next day or two and finish the storage shed before week's end. It'll be a big project out of the way. Oh, and to answer the question: I'm not spraying the paint nor am I using a roller. It's all being brushed on, one stroke at a time.



Sargie was home early last night. We did a bit of housework and later, watched television. 

Time to move on here and get ready for Baby Grady's arrival. I wonder if he'll want to go fishing, maybe kayaking? How about scuba diving. Sure, that'll work. I'll leave those tough decisions up to him.

Meanwhile, it's time to get anything that isn't baby proof out of harm's way.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

That small, white, strip around the large door was a major pain in the backside to paint.

June 20, 2015 - Saturday morning

47 degrees/partly cloudy/calm winds

Pentoga Road

For one day, I got to be Birthday Boy and be treated like a king, and what a fun day it was.

The first phone call of the day came bright and early, a bit after 6 AM, from my oldest son, Josh. He wanted to wish me Happy Birthday before leaving for work. Josh is a professor at the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. 

The next call came around 6:30 from Neighbor Mike. He had arranged to rent a large tiller and asked if he could borrow my ramps with which to load it on his trailer and if I wanted to ride to town with him. 

Naturally, I said yes to both. Sargie and Brutus were sound asleep so there was no one to play with and it can get lonely in the early mornings on Pentoga Road.

The tiller, a huge Honda Industrial model was really something. I've owned a couple of rear-tined machines in my life, a large TroyBuilt years ago and a Sears model when I lived in northern Maine. The one Mike rented dwarfed those in comparison and could it rip up the sod. I was impressed.

Since Mike was a novice, I helped him get started and arrived back home just as Sargie was beginning to fix a dream breakfast.

She offered to fry potatoes too, but knowing that we'd be having a big supper, I declined.

It took well over an hour to fold and put away the frost blankets that were used on Thursday night. We did receive some scattered frost, so I'm glad we didn't hesitate to cover the garden.

Since she was a major participant, Mom called to wish me a Happy Birthday. Putting the phone on speaker, the three of us sat and talked and laughed for quite a while. We're so excited. Mom will be arriving this coming Wednesday for a visit and we can hardly wait. 

The sun was bright and the humidity low, a perfect time to pull the living room rug out onto the patio for a good shampooing. While it was outside drying, Sargie moved all the furniture and steam-cleaned the 

hardwood floor.

A headlight went out on the Kia a couple of days ago and needed to be replaced. It took a while, but after viewing a how-to Youtube video, it took all of about thirty seconds to remove the halogen bulb. The process made me feel downright ... well, mechanical. I can tell you this, the old days of replacing a sealed beam are long gone. 

Sargie and I went to town for a few groceries and to get a new bulb for her headlight and took our time coming back home. It was too nice a day to not appreciate.

While Sargie was making a birthday cake, I put the most scrumptious, delicious, tender, ribeye steaks and four huge hind chicken quarters into the charcoal smoker. 

With the meat was doing it's thing, I did some repair to the window trim on the south side of the barn, scraped, and finally covered it with a coat of white paint. I think it looks much better than the original powder blue.

The special supper Sargie prepared last night was one of the best ever. Besides the steaks, we had baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and a huge salad. It's a good thing we don't eat like that every day. I'd have to widen the doorways to walk from one room into the other. Sargie also baked a great carrot cake, my favorite, complete with coconut vanilla frosting. 

But the biggest surprise of the day was what Sargie got me for my birthday. I was totally shocked and surprised and more than a bit humbled.

Sargie's birthday presents to me... a Dewalt drill and a Dewalt impact driver. She also gave me a Dewalt drill set and a bit set.

I'll be well equipped to begin building the new shop inside the barn a bit later this summer.

Luke called last night and we talked for quite a while. I also got to talk with my grandbabies, Abigail and Coleman. It was wonderful.

And so, like all special days, mine came to an end and it's back to some semblance of normalcy today. Sargie is working at the Vision Center and I'll be painting, at least for a while. I want to finish the south end of the storage unit. 

After, I think I'll move the backhoe to the rear of the property and begin moving fill dirt again. I'm anxious to get the side yard finished. 

Meanwhile, I smell coffee and that means it's time to pour a cup and think some deep thoughts.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I received this message earlier from my granddaughter, Emmie.

June 19, 2015 - Friday
56 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road

Thursday was a day of "two's." I painted the second side of the barn, fell twice, bought two packages of hamburger, two bags of carrots, two ten pound bags of chicken quarters, and purchased two ribeye steaks for tonight's supper. There're a couple of other "two's," but I can't remember what they are right at this moment.

I guess you can tell by the picture below what I did Thursday. As with before, I started by pressure washing the siding and trim.



I guess I didn't realize how really dirty everything was until the first area was cleaned. The contrast was pretty remarkable.





The process went fairly quickly, mostly because I didn't have to use the extension ladder. It saved a lot of climbing.



A shorter ladder doesn't guarantee more safety. I managed to miss a rung, loose my balance, and fall backwards into one of the strawberry pyramids. All I can really say is that those things are well constructed. I came out a little bit worse for the wear, but the pyramid is just fine.

The arm's a bit sore this morning, but I don't think we'll have to amputate it quite yet.

I was wearing a pair of thin-soled loafers and the ladder rungs were hurting the bottom of my feet. I went downstairs and found my most favorite work boots, those with hard soles.

It was obvious something was inside one when I tried putting it on.

Decon, mouse poison! Evidently, one of the critters who called our basement home stored some away before he died. Hopefully, we won't have to worry about that anymore. So far, there are no signs of mice since I worked on the area surrounding the dryer vent.

I'm expecting a fashion magazine to call at any minute. 

I finished painting about six hours after I'd begun. Since the storage shed is attached to the back of the barn, I only have one metal side remaining. After, I'll do the storage unit and the trim, and we'll call this job complete.

Page two

One of our local grocery stores was having a one-day sale. I ran upstairs to change clothes. Unfortunately, coming down was faster than going up. I didn't see the top step, missed it and the one next to it, and just like Jack and Jill, tumbled down the entire flight of steps. Other than a bruise or two, nothing was damaged except my fragile and delicate ego. I'll live to tumble another day.

The ride into town was a bit chilly, the result of a cold front that passed through midway through the trip. Still, it was a good ride and I got some pretty good deals.

Getting fuel before coming back home.

I spent another couple of hours late yesterday afternoon spot-spraying thistles. I think that job is about over, at least I hope so. I'm about thistle'd out!

And of course, the last hours before dark were spent covering the flowers and garden. It's a good thing I did as we had patchy frost. It appears this morning that everything made it just fine.

Sargie took today off so we could be together for my birthday. I'm not sure what's on our agenda other than throwing those two beautiful ribeye steaks that were purchased yesterday on the charcoal grill. I hope we score a few ears of sweetcorn while we're in town today, maybe get a head of lettuce, and a vine ripened tomato or two. 

The giant pumpkin is beginning to send out runners and should be blossoming in the next week or two.

First? I think I'll get another cup of coffee and try to remember where I put a quart of white, exterior, paint. Golly, my memory's gone to heck. Like Mom used to tell me, I'd lose my head if it weren't attached.

The cucumbers are just beginning to grow through the trellis

One thing I know for certain; a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...