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It’s eleven p.m. on a very hot
Sunday evening and of course I’m on my drop-dead deadline with
no wiggle room left to spare. I’ve sorted through the several
topics and issues that I felt were pertinent and needed some
commentary, but quite frankly after the weekend I’ve had, it’s
just not going to happen.
The weather has floated between 103 and 108 degrees for the past
six days leaving both and man and beast a bit testy. As bad days
go, mine has managed to encompass the entire weekend. Saturday
morning finds my most prolific peach tree in the orchard flat
out on its side. This is the tree that is responsible for
hundreds of jars of peach jam (Ok that may be a slight
exaggeration) and plenty of warm peach crisp memories over the
years. Rescue just wasn’t an option, but we managed to salvage
140 peaches and place them all over the property in hopes of
bringing them close to adult peachhood. Then it was the ever
continuing hot wire saga, it seems that at a certain stage in
their development, our calves find it necessary at every avenue
to tear it down as often as possible. Over the years we’ve
purchased just about every brand of solar powered instrument out
there and still they render them useless. I truly disdain hot
wire, it’s either up or down at our house on a fifty percent
basis.
Then there’s the puppy I took on a couple of months ago, and
that might say it all right there, as I’ve heard and now learned
that at a certain age one should no longer give birth and after
today I’m convinced owning a puppy might actually be at the top
of that list. At any rate, I do have a new adorable puppy, loved
at first sight by all that she comes in contact with, except
that the cute gremlin pup can instantly turn evil in seconds.
After several weeks of intense puppy house training, and
starting to feel pretty smug about my training talents, it
turned around a bit me in the rear today. Cute puppy started the
day out on a terror that I’m afraid might not yet be over. Did I
make mention the fact that we also have several houseguests!
“Love Puppy” started the day out by first destroying Jim’s
favorite work cap, leaving it in shreds. The potty puppy
training I thought was going so well took several turns for the
worse and the smell in our house is now “Melon Febreeze”. To top
off the day, I just found that the leather chair has become her
new dog toy of choice…ugh it was not pretty. Just as I was
trying to figure out how one goes about repairing holes in
leather furniture a commercial comes on TV selling some sort of
floor cleaner, the product was being screamed through the
airwaves at me by the unfortunate hawker (but famous) Billy who
recently met an early demise, and that’s when it hit me that yup
my tree is history, the house smells like an airport bathroom
and my furniture is sporting a gaping hole, but I’m still here
to complain about it, Billy not so much.
All those important issues I thought needed my treatise really
don’t. The American Angus Association and its Board really still
have their work cut out for them, and I would imagine they’re
bad days aren’t yet over. The economy sucks and anything I wish
for or say won’t change that status. Did I mention that the
puppy in question is an “Obama Dog” as Jim describes her, and
just maybe that explains something or another, but I refuse to
go there? What I need to do is suck it up and remember all the
positive events that also took place on this sweltering weekend
in July. I did have the opportunity to attend a county fair that
was the true example of what a county fair should be and spend a
few hours with an amazing family that really defines what it is
to be true cattle folk, they were real, fun and the best thing
about our business. Then the next best thing was getting that
last cow bred (we hope). So it wasn’t all bad!
This issue contains information on all events western and an
article on James Danekas and the celebration of his thirty years
in this business. I deliberated at length as to whether I should
feature this milestone or ignore it and you can see I made the
decision to commemorate it. Thirty years at anything is an
accomplishment and I applaud my husband for his fortitude,
honesty and real commitment to his clients and everything he
does. I have no doubt that there may be some of you that might
disagree with my choice, and I welcome your letters, calls and
e-mails. Just keep in mind that you’re talking to the wife of a
sale-manger for over thirty years and a terror “Obama puppy”
owner so adversity might as well be my middle name. I wish you
all the best for the rest of the summer and implore you all to
hang in there as we keep the faith that our association can get
back up and functioning and that our government is able to
forestall the slide our economy has taken.
I’ve always heard that what is hard to endure today will be
sweet to recall tomorrow. As always until next month…….. |
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