On Tuesday last, my bride and I made a flying trip to Billings, almost on a whim. That is where I get all my leather for saddles and chaps from, mostly. I do have a couple neighbors who usually have some chap leather on hand and I can run up to their house and buy some, and actually see the stuff. Color, weight and thickness. Pretty handy, but for the stiffer, thicker stuff, I just call up Montana Leather in Billings and they ship it. 

I had ordered a hide and when I got it, I noticed it was a bit thinner than I thought I wanted. I cut out a couple small pieces for a set of chaps and tooled them, and just wasn’t real pleased with it. So, for what it cost for me to ship it back and the cost of getting a different hide shipped down here, I decided to just take it back and exchange it. We were needing a road trip anyway.

We passed thru’ Belle and on down the trail. On our return trip, we took the interstate, down to Sheridan and around thru’ Razor City, into Sturgis, turned east and headed home. So we made a pretty good circle, considering we didn’t leave until a little after 10 am. 12 hours of almost straight driving!

She, “who must be obeyed”, got us, a new to us, Ford Ranger, back on our Anniversary and it was the first longer trip we had in it. 

Oh, your wondering why she would get me a pickup for our anniversary….well, that’s easy… I deserve it! I tell you, I treat that woman like a Goddess! All my life I have slaved and sweated to make her life better and happier.

What?

You don’t believe me?

Well dang! A man can’t even lie to you people and get you to believe it!

In actuality, her old vehicle, tho’ in good shape and nothing much wrong with it, other than it was getting some miles on it, was still serviceable. But…..it was one of them smaller SUV’s. She loved it. I, not so much. And around here, it’s kind of a remake of the movie Driving Miss Daisy. She is Daisy and guess who that makes me? Yeah, the driver. It was hard for me to get into, kind of noisy as far as road noise and again, was getting quite a few miles on it.

So, I thought about it long and hard and started in about a year ago, complaining about her car and how many miles it was getting, and how much better a pickup would serve our purposes. Finally got her to go look at them, then we drove some and finally she picked this one out. A white, Ford Ranger, 21 edition.. No, not 1921, 2021!

It had low miles and heated seats. Two of her many requirements. 4 door so she can haul grandkids and ride back there when we are hauling someone else with us. And lots more head room, for me and my hat. And you set up higher and can see the road better. It even gets pretty good gas mileage. She spent more than I would have, but then again, I am pretty easy to please….she is making the payments, so what the heck. If she lives long enough it will be all hers and by then, if I am still alive, I can use it for a ranch vehicle! Win, win!

She even took off and drove it to town and back for some errands, all by herself, the other day! Oh, yeah, and got her plates for it.. and guess what she did? Yup, ordered Vanity plates! 

When she came home and told me what she had done, I couldn’t believe it! And she thinks it’s quite a joke, as they say, GPAANNI…..That supposedly spells out Grampa’s Anniversary Present, I am told…..I think she needs to go back and take spelling another year or two!

The day we got it was our 44th anniversary, so I teased her that it sure was a nice, tho’ expensive, anniversary present for me. She thought that was real funny…. Ha..ha..!

So if you happen to see a 4 door white Ford Ranger, with those plates, be sure and wave. Heck, even at our advanced age we still see pretty good, as long as we have our glasses on! If we ain’t arguing about something, or trying to figure out where we are and where the next turn should be, we will wave back. It’s what we do in this country!

By the way, I call it White Lightning. It’s pretty smooth and seems to have a little kick, if you step on it! And pretty comfortable to! “Mighty, mighty pleasing…..White Lightning!”

Here is an old memory. We had been calving and were kicking some pairs out of the calving lot. There was about a foot of crusted snow on the ground. Dad had been feeding with the tractor and I was along to open and watch gates. My older brother was on a horse. I was about 10 I suppose.

As we kicked the cows out into a lane leading over the hill, we kicked up a skunk. Dad decided we would just herd him along and get him away from the buildings and dispatch him, so sent my brother after a gun. Dad and I walked a long, driving the skunk after the pairs. He wanted to be away from us, but must have gotten tired of us, as pretty soon, he dove into a cow track in the snow with about half his tail sticking out.

Dad grumbled about him still being upwind from the barns and house and was wishing he had kept going. He turned to me and said, “Just reach down and grab him by the tail and pick him up.” I was incredulous! “NO!” Was my reply. “Oh, go ahead,” he said, “If you don’t let him touch his front feet against you or anything else, he can’t brace himself to spray.”

Then he played dirty warfare and started daring me. Now, this was a man who always said, “Anyone who would take a dare would suck an egg.” But he was also my Dad whom I admired when I was mad or afraid of him. 

He kept it up, teasing and daring me. I got pretty closet that tail and all the time, the skunk just stayed in the hole and the tail never moved.

To, I think his and my amazement both, I reached down and grabbed the tail and lifted my arm! Out came Mr Skunk. And then what was I supposed to do?

He got pretty excited, he wasn’t standing that fr away from me, matter of fact, looking back, I think he tried to back away from me. Big coward!

Now what?

He said” Just keep him out away from you and start walking up the hill. I will get the tractor and pick you up.”

I started trudging up the hill with my skunk, all the while he was turning his head up toward where I was holding him, acting like he’d like to bite me, but never made a sound. Who knew skunks were mutes!

Pretty soon, here he came with the tractor. It had an old style cable Farmhand stacker with a grapple fork on it. He had made a step/seat on the back out of boards. It was easy enough for me to get set down on it and up the hill we went. By now, the skunk seemed to have gotten a lot heavier! I was having to use my left hand to help hold my right arm up and out away from me and every thing else.

We got to the top of the hill and here came my brother on his horse with a 22 rifle. Dad stopped the tractor and told me to swing the skunk out and to throw him as far as I could. I did. I must have been scared or he was lighter than I thought, as I got him quite aways away from us. I figured he would turn and try to attack us, but he just turned and started to waddle off, as if being picked up and carried by his tail was kind of an ordinary thing to have happen.

My brother let him get a little ways away and then dispatched him. He wasn’t that great a shot, but then his target really wasn’t really that far away. I don’t remember much after that. Except I have thought about and told quite a few people about it in the past 55 years and I am sure most thought I was just telling a big whopper. But I swear on all things holy, it is all true to the best of my recollection.

Now, I am not saying I am a hero. And I have done many crazy things since that event. But thinking back on it, I wonder if Dad wasn’t trying to teach me something…. Naw, he was just killing two bird with one stone. He got a problem fixed that was vexing me, and he pulled a pretty good trick on his son! It makes me wonder how this event might have molded me for the other things that went on in my life. I know I have thought back on quite a few occasion when I was contemplating on doing something that seemed kind of crazy at the time and remember thinking to myself, “Hey, I picked up a live skunk  one time and that turned out okay. This probably will too!” 

Last summer, we had a young man from a large city come and stay with us for a month. He was 16 and had never evidently done anything much of a physical sort. 16 and a half, as he was quick to tell you. And also he told everyone we came across his name and where he was from! Maybe some of you met him. His name is Kevin. Smart as a whip, and talking to him was much like talking to someone who had just graduated from college. But, no real refined motor skills. When he left he could saddle a horse and bridle him, get on and off, had learned to fix fence somewhat and had made great inroads into learning to drive a vehicle with a 5 speed!

I learned, I am not a very good teacher. I have little to no patience. I am lazy and when I have to do a job that I thinks someone else is capable of, I get growly, really fast! Just ask my grandchildren!

At one point, after giving Kevin a mild butt chewing, I told him, I would quit doing it if he wanted, but that his parent would then have to pay me for every day he was here. He was supposed to be working for his keep. He quickly told me that no, I shouldn’t change my teaching methods.

He was as friendly as a shepherd pup and eager. I hope I didn’t take advantage of that, and I don’t think I did as he calls fairly frequently and we have great hour long conversations. We both find the others life interesting.

In our last conversation I accused him of being a Woke, Liberal, Snowflake. He admonished me that he wasn’t. I was partially joking, but still and all, his thinking is much the same as so many young city dwellers. In the course of this conversation, he defended himself and said, “after all, young people can do so many things you older people can’t, like work with and on computers.” I defended us old geezer as best I could could and then pointed out we could all drive a 5 speed and read and write in cursive! I pointed out that if there was ever an EMP strikes and it took out all the electrical on everything that has it, he and his ilk would be lost. I asked if he carried a pocket knife. Of course not, not allowed in school. I asked how he would survive with out any electricity to run anything. He was at a loss.

We carried on and I pointed out that a man should be able to defend himself and those around him and know how to use a knife or a gun for the tools they are and being respectful of they power it give you. I told him of going to school and having guns in our vehicles and that no one would ever think of using one on a human except in the most dire situations. Or a knife. As I pointed out, our friends would not allow it. We would have been stopped by our peers. It was unthinkable and only the most venal and lowlife skunk would even think of doing so. We fixed our differences with our fists and even then there were kind of rules. You were not allowed to gang up on others. You didn’t hit or kick a man when he was down. Fist were the only weapons you had.

And that was all true. If anyone had tried any thing different that that they would have been ostracized by everyone, including their peers and friends.

I wonder how we got away from that. He was startled when I said every man should learn what it is like to get punched and knocked back down and that you can get back up.We all learned this as young boys and young men. We learned to not lie, because if you did, soon no one would trust you. Your word was your bond. If it wasn’t, you were shunned.

Then came the “kinder, gentler” approach. We see people in high places who were raised in that manner. They no longer follow the rules. But no one shuns them. People reward them for wrong doing. People flock to follow them,

Seems to me, we have gone astray. Some of these people need a good whack in the jaw and knocked down and everyone waiting for them to get on their feet again, by themselves. And we need people to stop rewarding liars and thieves. 

Not sure how we go back, but a start would be to take all the warning labels and such off things and let people learn some hard lessons for themselves and learn they are responsible for what they do and say.

But that is just my opinion. Yours may vary.

I was hoping we were done with below zero temps. One thing about this area, if you don’t like the weather, stick around awhile, it will probably change! 

I fed more hay than I wanted to so far this winter. And don’t tell me spring is almost here. By the calendar it is, but I have lived here 65 years and you ain’t fooling me. I have seen real cold and snow up into May. My Dad remembers when it snowed on the Fourth of July. I remember taking him to the rodeo in Faith in August and of course we weren’t dressed for cold weather. But it darn sure got cold. I went and found a vendor who was selling blankets and bought one to wrap him in, but he sure wouldn’t leave. I hope I don’t get that hard headed when I get old!!!

My wife talks about one of her baby sisters born in the middle of Sepetember and her dad taking her mom to the hospital in Deadwood in a blizzard.

Speaking of old, how come all the people my age are looking old? I haven’t hardly changed, I am pretty sure, tho’ once in awhile I do see an old man looking at me when I walk by a mirror. Sneaky old booger!

Have you all been following any news lately. Man, this old world is in a mess and maybe it always has, but now we have live on the ground coverage and up to the minute exposure, if you go to the right spots.

My family gives me a hard time about it, but I watch a lot of videos on TikTok. Yeah, yeah, it is Chinese propaganda, but what has amazed me is all the stuff they have been showing from numerous sources, who are not part of the MSM and their predictions and what all comes to pass ring true most of the time. Take that oil pipeline that was/is leaking oil in the North Sea. Right away there were people advising it was done by the good ol USA and now we are taking credit for it.

Interesting to me is the different takes on the war in the Ukraine. I haven’t made up my mind and I think there is probably wrong doing on both sides, but it sure isn’t as black and white as some make it out to be.

I remember Viet Nam and the reports that came out at the time, then what has come out since. Anyone who trusts the MSM and the government better not get into any gambling as I think they are suckers and will lose a bunch.

Speaking of gambling, it always amuses when I hear of people who go to Deadwood and sure never say much about losing, but they sure brag when they win. I was taught long ago that those places were not designed to put money in your pocket.

Kind of like ranching I guess, you better enjoy the life as I never met many ranchers who were really very wealthy in money. Sure if they sell out, but then the government just takes it. They will let you hit a lick every once in awhile, to keep you in the game.

Hmmm.. kind of reminds me of them casinos!

To quote the old mountain man, in the old Jeremiah Johnson movie, Watch your topknot, Pilgrim.

One of the most iconic and brutal scenes in a movie or television show is in Lonesome Dove when an Army Scout is trying to take a horse away from some young cowboys. One of the young men is holding on to the horse and won’t let go, while an old, crusty Army scout is on a horse and whipping him with a quirt. The young man is the bastard son of Captain Call, an old retired Texas Ranger. He see what is taking place, from a distance, mounts and rides his horse into the Scouts horse, knocking him off the horse and proceeds to beat the holy hell out of him using a branding iron and smashing his face into an anvil. 

All of this takes place for several reasons. But the essence of it is summed up when Call is pulled out of the fight by his lifelong friend Captain Gus McRae. Call looks at the crowd and announces, rather sheepishly, “He was acting rude. I won’t tolerate rudeness in a man.”

Wow. 

To us today, in a “civilized society”, it is appalling. We don’t see things like this and most would not do it. I grew up in a time where men, and boys, settled their differences with fists. It was accepted and understood. Usually there were enough people watching to stop it from getting out of hand. Usually, when it was a couple boys, you might get a bloody nose and some hurt feelings, but that was about it. I grew up hearing of fist fights that went on for a long time and even was around at least one where both parties had to go to the doctor to get bandaged up, afterwords. It was ugly. Appalling.

Now we are a “kinder, gentler” society, supposedly. I understand that most of us agree with that and think it is right and good. We were all admonished to not fight when we were younger. It was so ingrained in men and boys not to fight, and I so took it to heart, when I was a child that when the time came and I had to fight as a young man, I remember I couldn’t hit my opponent in the face. Guess who won that time!

I watched some fisticuffs in high school. I never liked it. The worst was when it was two young women. Ugly! Hideous! I was raised to believe that women were of a higher order then men and didn’t do such things. I since have learned that girls fought and still do, but mostly with their words.

And now I see young men raised to be the same as those girls. There are a lot of keyboard warriors out there. They will say terrible things from the back of a keyboard. And no one ever really calls them to taw, for their rudeness. Or shows them the error of their ways, by inflicting some physical pain on them. I don’t think that has served us well.

Some will tell you we are on the brink of the third World War. I am not sure. Maybe we always will be until it actually happens. But few people go to war anymore. Few people see any kind of hurt and carnage caused by actual fighting. With fists or knives or guns. Except in the movies and on TV. And so we become disassociated with it. It becomes common place. Few know what it feels like to wake up the next morning after an actual fight. The disappointment and pain and hollow spot inside your gut. Win or lose.

Violence is ugly. So is rudeness. But maybe it’s time for all good men to no longer tolerate rudeness without an honest answer, in todays world. Perhaps a small bit of ugly and violence could stop others from randomly being rude and not having to answer for it. Perhaps more would be kinder and gentler if they found out what can happen if they are not. Physical pain can be a very good reminder of not letting it happen again, and one will take steps to assure we don’t have it happen again. Peace and love is all well and good as long as everyone does it. But when peace and love are not practiced I think it behooves all of us men, to step up and show them why peace and love is a good policy.

Just my opinion and you sure don’t have to agree with it.

Last night about midnight, or would that be early this morning…, anyway, about midnight, Gus and Sam came roaring in the front door to tell us Chances house was on fire. The boys were sleeping there while Chance and Ada slept up here in our house. Ever since Chance broke his wrists he has been living here. Anyway, we all got up and looked and there was quite a blaze going on. the boys had woke up to smoke and a little fire that quickly turned in to a lot of fire as they ran out the door in their night clothes and their dog.

I have been fighting flu symptoms for most of the day and I wanted to go see if I could get some stuff out but Chance insisted I not, as it was too dangerous. Eventually a couple firetrucks and some neighbors showed up and we all stayed back and watched it burn. He had reloading equipment and and lots of ammo and there is a propane tank real close to the house.

As it stands now, it was a total loss. They lost quite a few guns, and guitars and artwork, all of which can be replaced. Neighbors brought some clothes for the kids over this morning and then their Mother showed up with more clothes.

One neighbor offered an old trailer house, but we are trying to figure out what he can do for housing. He can stay here for the short term and has been trying to figure out how he can afford to build some kind of structure, for several years. This might be Gods way of saying, “Yeah, do it”.

So, life goes on and we are all feeling blessed there was no loss of life. Sam did get a small burn on the top of his foot. Lots of lessons to be learned from this. No way of knowing what started it, but it was an old trailer so there are quite a few ways it could have happened.

Some neighbors started a place for people to donate items for an auction and fund raiser. Many people have sent money and it is all much appreciated. I am sure God will show us the way thru’ this just as He has done all these years. As a wise old Mexican said, “Everything happens for the best”. I am sure there will be good come from this and all the out pouring of messages and offers to help have been wonderful and are only the start.

I just thought you all might like to know.

I have always hated a liar. I am not talking about someone who is good at BS’ing, but a liar. I always said, I hate a liar worse than a thief. At least with a thief you know they are going to try and steal from you. But you never know if a liar is lying until you catch them in one. And I live by that old motto, “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”. So when I catch someone in a lie I never trust them again.

I have had several pretty good arguments with people who say that when I have found out someone was lying, that they weren’t really lying. They were just not aware. BS! If they were just not aware they should say so. But they never do until that appendage under their shirt pocket is caught in the wringer.

It irks me when I watch a movie or TV show where they tell obvious lies. I am sure they can rationalize and say that no one will know or that it really doesn’t matter.

I watch most any western movie or TV show and see all the blatant lies they tell. And of course they and we rationalize it by telling ourselves that most really won’t know and it really doesn’t matter. But it can. When they show people riding the same horse from Texas to Montana  while trailing a herd, those of us who live the life know it is bunk. Same as when they show someone loping their horses everywhere they go. Nope, it don’t work that way. Especially when the horses show no sweat.

I used to watch things on the Discovery channel. I even took part in a show they made about the Comancheros, back in 2005. I thought it was pretty cool that they tried to get things as close to history as they could. But in the end, it wasn’t all true. And I have seen other shows they purport as being historically accurate, and I know better. It was on a subject I am well versed in. So now I doubt anything they say. Kind of like the little boy who cried wolf.

Guns and how they use them on TV and movies drive me crazy. They are always showing people shooting pistols and rifles and there is no kick. Sure with a lighter caliber but as someone who has put many rounds thru’ 9 mm, 357 and 45  caliber pistols, both wheel guns and auto, I know different. 

Ever notice how they are always shooting someone in a car or other close space? And they show no effects from the sound. Believe me, if you do such a thing with out protective gear for your ears, it ain’t so. Go ahead, ask me why I now wear hearing aids!

Yup, lies and damned lies. Too many do it and we allow it. 

Maybe that is why so many things in this country are the way they are. Because we allow it.

Sorry for the rant, didn’t mean to be when I started this writing . I guess we need to all remember another old adage, “only believe half of what you see and nothing you hear.”

Of course, by the time you read this, it will be over.

When I was young, the Denver Stockshow was the place to be this time of the year. Dad and I talked of going, so we could see the bull sales and the rodeo. Of course, we never did. But, some friends and I did go one year, right after we graduated hichschool. One buddy had a sister who lived there and she allowed us to stay at their house and sleep on her couches. She and her husband took us around one day and one evening. I remember going up to see the lights of the city, but it was foggy and we just saw a glow. 

We drove my pickup down with a borrowed topper on the back. I guess to put our suitcases in, tho’ being 19 year olds, we sure didn’t pack too much. As we got into the hustle and bustle of the city traffic my friends were a great help. “Turn here!” They would holler, right when I couldn’t because of traffic and then laugh at me, the rube, who had never driven in that kind of traffic. I fell for it several times! But we did eventually navigate the roads and made it. I suppose it was good for me, but at the time I sure hated it.

Not too many years ago two of our sons and Cindy and I drove down past Denver on our way south. I hated it. Even just on the hi way! People drive crazy down there, far as I could see.

A year or so later I rode with a friend to a poetry gig in Durango. His then girlfriend, now wife, flew in from Texas and we had to pick her up at the airport. Man, I was glad to not be driving. And we had pure hell trying to figure out which gate to go to. We’d circle and ask directions and then find out we had gone wrong and circle and go again. Finally my friend pulled in to a place he was sure that would work, all the time talking to the lady on the phone. He left me in the pickup in a marked “no parking spot”, telling me to make sure we weren’t towed! A gentleman of a different heritage than mine came out and started shouting at me. I was pretty sure why, but I played dumb. Not too much of a stretch. Finally my buddy and his future bride showed up and we got out of there, tho’ I was envisioning driving thru’ barricades in a hail of bullets from whom ever was in charge!

I don’t usually get down to see much of our local Stockshow anymore. It used to be fun to walk around and look at all the stuff they had there, but anymore most of it is things I am not at all interested in. And it has gotten to where you need a bus to drive you from where you park to where you need to walk around.

Cindy and I did got to the bronc match at the new part last year. Never again! We were seated so high that it was like watching ants out in the arena. And also I was afraid of getting a nose bleed. And steep? Why those seats are steeper than a cows face! Nope, I guess they are all set up for the younger generation.

I do like to got to Broncs For Breakfast at the Event center. Usually, if I go early enough, I can get a pretty good seat and it’s always good watching. Heck, they even give you biscuits and gravy! And the building is small enough you don’t need a side by side to get around in it. I hope they don’t mess that up!

If you went, I hope you enjoyed it. If I saw you and didn’t wave, it’s because I didn’t see you or recognise you. I am not sure why so many of the people my age and that I know, have turned into old geezers!!!!

Well, as I told you, our son had broken both wrists last week. This is the saga, continued. 

We took him back to the Hills and they did surgery. Wow, to look at the x rays they sure used a lot of screws or nails or what ever!  The one wrist, looks like a board some little kid had and got into his dads nails and went to driving nails in! I’ve seen rafters with less screws in them!

But after the initial pain of the surgery was over he has been much better and even had his first physical therapy session. His daughter, who is a whiz in school, stayed home that week to help and nurse him. He has gotten pretty independent and can about fully dress himself and with hands covered, even gave himself a shower the other day. We had to saran wrap up his hands and arms, but did a good enough job there was no water leakage. And his son shampooed his head for him previous to that.

Some neighbors got together and are advertising a benefit to be done for him and people have been sending money and items to be auctioned off at the benefit. It sure revives your thoughts in mankind!

I decided as a way to help out I would put up a kissing booth and charge 1 dollar for a kiss from me and 5 dollars if you don’t want me to kiss you. That ought to help! Heck, I even plan on spitting out my chew, before the kisses. Cindy said I ought to brush my teeth too. You know what, for a deal like this I decided I would go ahead and do it!

A good neighbor came over the other day and brought him a “feel better soon “ bale of hay. His older brothers was out the other day and seeing as it is a big square bale, I decided I needed to get it fed. I loaded it on the back of my one ton dually with a flat bed and had the older brother drive. This is the brother who is a Catholic priest and most of his driving these days is up and down pretty fair roads. He must be good at it as to get to all his churches on the weekend he makes about a 250 mile round trip. He had helped me as a child, so no big deal, piece of cake.

He drove out to the pasture and I told him to just put it in 4 low and idle along. I guess he misunderstood me as it seemed like he was driving like he was at the Indy 500! I am getting thrown around because of the frozen cow pie and hollering at him to slow it down, slow it down! He hollered back and said he was. So I said, slower, slower! Then I said, “Just at a crawl!” So he slid to a stop, slewing us sideways, cow chips flying and if there had been any dust, it would’ve been rolling! But I ain’t no greenhorn, I rode out the storm. Finally, after much excitement, I got it all flaked off.

I always thought that if a man had a good broke team and a good way to load them big bales, feeding them would probably be lots of fun. I hate to say I was wrong as I am never wrong, but I dang sure was mistaken!

Watch out for ice and don’t fall down!

I have a son who used to do carpentry work. Seeing as there are so few cows around here in the winter, now that the drought forced us to sell most of the cows, he decided to go back to doing carpentry work. Found a job with a good guy and he has been building a house most of the winter and enjoying the work. The other day, while standing on some scaffolding, he had to step on to a ladder. One of the other workers had set it there and he watched as the guy got it stomped into the ground. He stepped out and tested it with his foot a couple times, decided it was set and put his full weight on it and it immediately went down, with him going head first to the ground from about 9 feet in the air.

First we heard of it was when he called and told us to meet him at the emergency room. We headed out and on the way got a call from his boss, and he had sent us to the wrong town. Took a bit longer but we got there. He had had x rays but nothing done. They would only allow one of us to go to the room with him, so seeing as Gramma had two little urchins who stay with us most week days, I went back. Yup, I am a coward. Urchins scare me. Especially little girl urchins!

Doctor came in and told us he had broken both wrists, an elbow and had a crack in his skull. Wow!

Took a bit but a real nice Paramedic trained guy who was working in the ER put splints on and we finally got to head out.

So we moved him in with us as he has no one at his house to help during the week. I get be a nurse and chauffeur for all his appointments. Gramma don’t like to drive and especially my pickup. Her car is in the shop getting fixed after an incident with a deer last summer. And then there are the two previously mentioned urchins. Yeeesh!

He had to go back and see a specialist where it was determined he will need surgery on both wrist, they aren’t worried about the elbow, just a small crack, head injury is no big deal. Thank goodness for hardheaded ancestors!

So I have had to deal with all kinds of people, plus do it in small towns and cities. I love people. But in small quantities!

At first he was pretty grateful he was still alive, but after the past few days with splints on both arms and not being able to do anything for himself, he is seeing the appeal of heaven! I don’t blame him but keep telling him to be thankful for small favors. It can always be worse. Could have broken his back or both legs…etc.

So I am just here to say, appreciate your good health and when you have to deal with people who deal with people all day, every day.. take your patience along. I am sure they are doing the best they can! We ought to try to do our best and be thankful for people who work in doctors offices and hospitals. 

Watch that ice and slippery ladders, folks!