Yesterday was my 61st birthday......and that's about all I have to say about that!
I met some of my old high school buddies for breakfast, and as always, it was filled with laughter, tall tales, old memories, and some concerns for friends who are dealing with health issues that we all know could beset any of us now that we are at "that age".
One of my very best friends is dealing with some of those problems.....very serious, although he tends to make light of it when we're together. Yesterday, he mentioned that the risk of additional surgery is greater than living with the problem. Sometimes life gives us bitter pills.
What do I do?
How do I act?
We've known each other too long to just ignore it, and I've nagged him for years about giving up some of the vices that have exacerbated these health issues. But, he's the kind of guy who has always lived life to the fullest, and who probably won't change now.
Still rides his Harley.....with no helmet!
Still smokes.....but not as much!
Still enjoys the good food.....can't comment on this one!
You do what you can, say what you may, but in the end it's the decision of each of us to make the necessary changes. Not so much for ourselves, but for those who care about us.
Yesterday was my 61st birthday...... I hope to celebrate the next one with a breakfast with my friends.
All of them.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
I've only got two hands.....
A few weeks ago we took delivery of a pre-packaged kit to build a combination playhouse and garden shed. You know, one of those wonderfully marketed, beautifully illustrated, cute as a button little cottages that two men can assemble in twenty hours........fat chance.
My two boys were coming home for a visit and it was my plan to have everything ready so we could tackle the ordeal of uncrating and assembling the kit......I even took a few minutes to read the instructions, all forty-six pages! On page three there was a list of the tools that would be needed to tackle the job, hammer, pry bar, level, skilsaw, tin snips, reciprocating saw.....reciprocating saw? I don't own a reciprocating saw, and I'm not really sure I know what one is. Not a problem...I have a computer, I have the Internet, I can have one in a manner of days.
Sure enough, I found what I was looking for and placed the order for a brand new Milwaukee SawZall, which according to the website, was exactly what I was looking for to do the job. My order qualified for expedited shipping and I would have it in a couple of days. Great, it would be here by the following weekend and I could continue the project. We have a great UPS delivery man, and when I pulled into the driveway Thursday afternoon, a large box awaited me......too large.....much too large for a new saw.
The packing slip indicated that this brand new, state of the art ShopVac, should have been received by someone in Indiana......not some old cowboy in Kansas.
So, I went back to the internet, found the phone number and called customer service. "Oops, our mistake." the man said. "Ship it back and we'll ship your saw when we receive the ShopVac." I didn't care much for the fact that he didn't trust me enough to ship my saw until he received the return, and I said so. He then assured me that he would see what he could do about sending it earlier. So I sent the ShopVac and waited for my saw.....and waited.....and waited. No saw appeared at my back door, and no communication from the shipper. Being the impatient man that I am, I called and asked for my account to be credited, which they promptly did. Back to square one.
At that point I decided to take a drive to a nearby town to make the purchase. I found what I was looking for, and drove home. What's that? A small box setting outside the back door.....SawZall.
Okay, so now I have two saws, and I've only paid for one. The next day was a busy day, and I didn't have time to call the merchant to see how we would handle the error. I was on my way home when my cell phone rang.....
It was Miss Elizabeth, who said, "Guess what?" I hate it when people say that. It could be anything, and I'm not a very good guesser. But, I played along and said, "I don't know, what?"
"UPS just delivered another SawZall."
Good grief! Now, I've got three new SawZalls and only two hands......What's a guy to do?
Well, as we all know by now - don't look to me for answers, 'cause what do I know?
My two boys were coming home for a visit and it was my plan to have everything ready so we could tackle the ordeal of uncrating and assembling the kit......I even took a few minutes to read the instructions, all forty-six pages! On page three there was a list of the tools that would be needed to tackle the job, hammer, pry bar, level, skilsaw, tin snips, reciprocating saw.....reciprocating saw? I don't own a reciprocating saw, and I'm not really sure I know what one is. Not a problem...I have a computer, I have the Internet, I can have one in a manner of days.
Sure enough, I found what I was looking for and placed the order for a brand new Milwaukee SawZall, which according to the website, was exactly what I was looking for to do the job. My order qualified for expedited shipping and I would have it in a couple of days. Great, it would be here by the following weekend and I could continue the project. We have a great UPS delivery man, and when I pulled into the driveway Thursday afternoon, a large box awaited me......too large.....much too large for a new saw.
The packing slip indicated that this brand new, state of the art ShopVac, should have been received by someone in Indiana......not some old cowboy in Kansas.
So, I went back to the internet, found the phone number and called customer service. "Oops, our mistake." the man said. "Ship it back and we'll ship your saw when we receive the ShopVac." I didn't care much for the fact that he didn't trust me enough to ship my saw until he received the return, and I said so. He then assured me that he would see what he could do about sending it earlier. So I sent the ShopVac and waited for my saw.....and waited.....and waited. No saw appeared at my back door, and no communication from the shipper. Being the impatient man that I am, I called and asked for my account to be credited, which they promptly did. Back to square one.
At that point I decided to take a drive to a nearby town to make the purchase. I found what I was looking for, and drove home. What's that? A small box setting outside the back door.....SawZall.
Okay, so now I have two saws, and I've only paid for one. The next day was a busy day, and I didn't have time to call the merchant to see how we would handle the error. I was on my way home when my cell phone rang.....
It was Miss Elizabeth, who said, "Guess what?" I hate it when people say that. It could be anything, and I'm not a very good guesser. But, I played along and said, "I don't know, what?"
"UPS just delivered another SawZall."
Good grief! Now, I've got three new SawZalls and only two hands......What's a guy to do?
Well, as we all know by now - don't look to me for answers, 'cause what do I know?
Friday, August 3, 2012
Dust in the wind.....
It's been awhile since I've had the inclination to write anything. The summer has been, and continues to be brutal. And, as the drought continues across the country those of us in Kansas are truly suffering.
This morning, however, I awoke to overcast skies and a few drops of rain. Not enough to even settle the dust, but a pleasant break from the stifling heat to which we've become accustomed. Day after day of 100+ temperatures, and not much relief once the sun sets in the evening. Last night it was still 100 degrees at 11:00pm.
The grasses in my pastures are brown and crisp to the touch, and in the areas where the cows have grazed heavily the ground is barren and dust swirls in the hot wind. I'm hesitant to drive across the pasture for fear of starting a fire that would rage out of control with the heat, wind, and lack of humidity. All in all, it's a dire situation for both man and beast.
I have sixteen cows and sixteen calves trying to scrounge for food, water, and shade. Most days I'll find them lined up along the pond dam, standing in water that barely covers their knees, but undoubtedly adds to their comfort. At the start of the summer the cows would have been neck deep, but that pond has all but gone dry. Fortunately, I have two others, but without some significant rainfall they will be in the same sad shape.
The drought has driven up feed prices, and has driven down the price of cattle as more and more producers are having to downsize, or liquidate, their herds. I'll sell calves next month that will bring significantly fewer dollars than they would have earlier this year.....hopefully, I won't have to sell the cows as well.
I'm typically an optimist, but it's becoming more and more difficult to see the silver lining. I'm sure it's still out there, somewhere in the distance.....somewhere....in the distance.....but what the heck do I know anyway!
This morning, however, I awoke to overcast skies and a few drops of rain. Not enough to even settle the dust, but a pleasant break from the stifling heat to which we've become accustomed. Day after day of 100+ temperatures, and not much relief once the sun sets in the evening. Last night it was still 100 degrees at 11:00pm.
The grasses in my pastures are brown and crisp to the touch, and in the areas where the cows have grazed heavily the ground is barren and dust swirls in the hot wind. I'm hesitant to drive across the pasture for fear of starting a fire that would rage out of control with the heat, wind, and lack of humidity. All in all, it's a dire situation for both man and beast.
I have sixteen cows and sixteen calves trying to scrounge for food, water, and shade. Most days I'll find them lined up along the pond dam, standing in water that barely covers their knees, but undoubtedly adds to their comfort. At the start of the summer the cows would have been neck deep, but that pond has all but gone dry. Fortunately, I have two others, but without some significant rainfall they will be in the same sad shape.
The drought has driven up feed prices, and has driven down the price of cattle as more and more producers are having to downsize, or liquidate, their herds. I'll sell calves next month that will bring significantly fewer dollars than they would have earlier this year.....hopefully, I won't have to sell the cows as well.
I'm typically an optimist, but it's becoming more and more difficult to see the silver lining. I'm sure it's still out there, somewhere in the distance.....somewhere....in the distance.....but what the heck do I know anyway!
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