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Under the lights

The time change has made it hard to keep working past 4:30 each day, so I busted out the flood lights and put in a few extra hours to get what I moved stacked. It has been a long few days of playing around with firewood. I am fairly certain that after this is all done I will no longer enjoy working with firewood. It was pretty sweet tonight when I finished picking it all up under the lights of the tractor. I couldn't help but smile as I left the guys driveway where I have spent way to many hours.  

More wood

Back on the lake there is still more to get done before winter puts the hammer down. The dumptruck has been in the shop but luckily was ready yesterday. We have an enormous amount of firewood to move and then stack. With the ice covered ground, the entire road and driveway leading to the house where the wood was needed to be sanded. because the truck was in use I had to shovel it by hand and make trips with the tractor. Coming off a relaxing birthday it was refreshing to get out and accomplish something. I worked till well after dark last night under the lights of the tractor and got a good start. Today is 5 degrees and about a thirty mile an hour wind howling off the lake. It should be pretty raw working but hopefully ill get it all moved today and be able to continue stacking tonight into tomorrow and Wednesday. This is the pile that needs to be moved, and then one of the areas that it will be re-stacked.

What a guy

I came out of the house and Sheamus motioned for me to come out on the dock. Once I was there he sat down and cleared his throat and in his kermit the frog/Frank Sinatra voice, sung me happy birthday. Thanks a lot pal, your quite a guy.

A snowy birthday

With no truck and snow falling hard I spent the day reading by the wood stove. I read the Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald. It was a great piece of writing, what a masterful use of words. It is actually overwhelming how someone could put there thoughts on paper in such a way. I guess I need to play more scrabble, because my vocabulary can't compete without a dictionary. Anyway it was a great read and It made me want to have a hundred people over and have a party Jay Gatsby style. Instead I ate a big lunch and drank a Guinness with Shaemus and we had our own party.

Back in the northcountry

With Dad and Donna in the Key's, I am in charge of the three dogs. It has been crazy so far but very manageable. Turns out the little dogs like the snow and stay outside in there pen for hours at a time. I thought they were Cuban and hated cold? Anyway, they are not allowed outside the pen until the ice freezes because they don't really understand the meaning of thin ice. I almost went swimming a few days ago when Eddie walked about 50 feet out onto the ice and nearly broke through. Thankfully Shaemus came out of the woods and got there attention back on shore. It was real cold and man that would have been a cold venture crashing through the thin ice to rescue the little ones.

Shaemes from the sea to the farm

Shaemus, as most know, is not to hard to please. He romped around the many different beaches chasing birds, greeting other dogs, and backing people up against the bushes on the cliff paths. Most people think he is a killer, and female. I guess I just don't see it. I see a gentle little guy, even an old man that wouldn't even know how to hurt something if he wanted to. He is unfortunately type casted, this is the face of the female killer that people must see as he comes trotting down the path toward them.

A rookie bro comes to town

Jason Schroeder, My room mate during rookie training came out to New York for Thanksgiving and drove up to Maine for a couple nights. It was great to see him and show him around the town I grew up in and around. We had a great time indulging in the great food and drink Portsmouth, NH has to offer. Jason was fortunate enough to eat some Maine lobster for the first time, and was educated on the current lobster crisis in Maine by the knowledgeable women who sold them to us. Over two days, we drove around the area and even visited the farm. Thanks for coming Schroeder!