I am so surprised that the world looks the very same this year as last! The news folks and the roundtable gents all forecasted a better, bigger and brighter world. I went to bed, put my shades beside my coffee cup and, when it finally got daylight, I looked out. Nope, nothing different. I am telling you now, we better pray it stays like this. Old boy in North Korea is still needing a dose of castor oil, so we ought to play nice.
Cold weather is not news, but have you ever noticed how that is the big topic of the day when it is in the single-digit territory? I'd like to have a nickel for every time the phrase, "Cold enough for you?" is spoken this week!
We had a feller come along to claim the visiting steer. I was glad when the man identified his steer by a scar on the left hip instead of the ears. That steer had traveled over 20 miles in the past month. I suppose he was grazing along and enjoying the scenery. My close relative had put an ad in the county paper, so several had called about him. It doesn't take me a month to find one of ours because my banker will help if something is missing!
We had a great holiday season and I am glad we are back to normal with a pot of chili smelling the house up real good this afternoon. Yes, I am inside because I am tired of working in the cold for today. I put hay out in all the pastures, checked the waters in said pastures and excused myself for the day. I don't know what the offspring are doing and don't even care right now. I suspect they are doing whatever they want to and napping might be on the top line of their agenda.
Our grands are back in school and I say, "Back to the grind." I'd like to have them here, planning, working, laughing and eating more than anywhere else in the world. My close relative says that is a sure sign of old age because we know they have to grow and learn and leave the nest early to digest all the educational system can poke into them. Old Dog is once again resting comfortably on a quilt in the utility room. He only moves if I go out the door and urge him to follow! Therefore all things are back to pretty much normal.
The government has named the disease of looking at a smartphone or screen all day as an addiction and there is now a treatment for it. I am sorry so many young people are afflicted when it could have been avoided so easily. I guess parents are looking at their screens too, so they don't realize their kids haven't talked to them in a week or two!
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, count all the blessings you can and offer some to your neighbors that are less blessed. A sack of fruit, spuds or a batch of cookies look mighty good to a sparsely-filled pantry. Take a package of your frozen beef or a chicken and even tell a joke or two if it is an acceptable mood. Make some folks glad you are still around!
Bill is the pen name of the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 01/10/2018