A clean day - one that has no dust, pollen or leaves flying around - is rare around this rock pile. I suppose today could be considered clean.
My close relative was on a tear about the nasty stuff in her yard from winter. She almost burned the biscuits because she was looking out the window at the winter trash. Dirt gets dirtier in the winter. That which smelled like good earth in the spring suddenly becomes nasty in January and February.
We fellers know that we can’t do one thing about winter. It happens and we take it like a man, bundled up and feeding hay. The yard is the least of our worries and, if I happen to think of it, I sure don’t worry about it!
My close relative is just the opposite. I bet she even sweeps when nobody can see her doing it! There are little piles of sticks - no limbs, just sticks - and leaves sitting around where she is going to get the wheelbarrow and haul them out.
Old Dog loves for the leaves to be made into thick piles so he can bed up in them. He rakes them around some, scatters them some and settles down into the protective warmth. If dogs could grin, he would. But, wait, that activity messes up the pile!
Dog gets in trouble, I grab my hat and we go somewhere. It won’t matter where just as long as we don’t mess up piles. I figure a cup of coffee would make my day go smoother so we head to the coffee emporium. The number of trucks was large this morning. Maybe a good number of close relatives are sorta edgy due to the weather.
Anyhow, a good visit always helps my disposition.
The usual cook was missing and the pie case was empty. I was surprised to see no coconut or chocolate in the case and that almost made me cranky. Sally, the waitress, informed me that the cook had a funeral to attend in Nebraska and wouldn’t be back for a week. The lady filling in was good but refused to make pie. Now ain’t that a fine how do you do? No pie for a week and my close relative disgusted with winter! What is this world coming to?
I visited awhile and left. Missing my usual breakfast dessert made me a little sad. I decided the only thing left to do was to work and try to make a living. So, because I was forced, Iwent to the steer pasture to count and pour out cubes, check the liquid feed tank and enjoy looking at steers, with my brand, getting close to shipping weight. I should have stayed in bed this morning. The gate was flung wide, steers were all up and down the road grazing the ditches and bawling at the neighbor’s cows.
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, some days are just not to be enjoyed. You are gonna draw one about twice or three times a month that you must endure, live through and, if you make it to darkthirty without the need for a blood transfusion, you have done well! These kind of days make you appreciate the good ones and keep them in mind fortouchstones - you know, memories of good things.
I took my close relative out to the hamburger drive-inn for supper and the day ended on a sweeter note!
Welcome to the world of Blog! I now have one and, no, it is not a disease. I’d like for you to drop by and see me! I have not told my close relative, but my female offspring grinned big when I told her I had subjected myself to all this technology!
The address for finding me in cyberspace (a new word for me) is www.billsopinion.com. I have an email address too. It is [email protected].
Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.
Opinion, Pages 6 on 02/15/2012