...and the call the wind...

The winter wind storm hit here yesterday, Tuesday, and it caused a little excitement. A tree blew across the power line and shorted things out for a spell. The tree caught fire, sparks flew, squirrels ran and Reddy Kilowatt boys came in for quick repairs. The dogs spooked over the howling winds, up to 50-plus mph, but everything settled by dusky dark.

Triple L phoned to say I needed to update the blog and the wind storm was the best news I had. I did spend Monday on the river west of here, floating and chunkin' for Kentucks with my old pal, who also recently retired. It had been a spell since we floated down-river and it was fun. Cold, but fun, and we only had two pullovers, where we had to exit the MonArk and pull over logs and junk.

I guess a float trip is about the best tonic I know. Seeing the fish come up in the clear water to gulp down the crankbait. They are beautiful creatures and the outings bring back such a rush of memories, of long-ago days with Pap in the old wooden boat. I remember one cold winter day, just the two of us, him paddlin' and me chunkin', the water so cold that ice formed on my reel early-on, but unnoticable as the first few casts netted two handsome three-pounders. The river just keeps on giving, making me happy and letting me remember so many good things. I miss ole Pap something awful sometimes. Maybe I've had him on my mind a lot more lately after finding some precious old photos of him and Momma. I even found the courthouse receits from his last purchase of poll taxes for him and Momma. They had to pay two bucks apiece to vote back then and today, well, people don't even seem to wanna go vote and it's free. Spect folks might appreciate something a little more iffin they pay for it. I had an old friend once who told me never to give away my talent--that folks would appreciate it more if you charged for it. Spect there was a grain of truth in that.

I'll cut this short. Gotta go have my eyes examed. Think I'm due for some new glasses--ones I've had for a spell a bit scratched. I'm hard on glasses. My buddies kid me about having so many pairs of sunglasses in the Chevy, but I lose em and sit on em and generally just beat em to pieces. I wear contacts and this helps, but every once in a while I have to take em out and give the eyeballs a rest.

Say a little prayer if you will for my grandson. He's been under the weather and is fighting back. He's a tough little booger and smart as a whip. I'll be checking on him in a minute or two, seeing if the pesky fever is down.

I hope these ramblings satisfy Triple L up in the hills. She's the one who rang up and said I needed to "refresh" the blog. I got work ahead, connected with the Feb. 5 election. I voted "early" yesterday and the lines were already long. I won't say how I voted, but I sure hope she wins.

That's all for this time...til next time, thanks for your time. (This is my new signoff. I used it years ago when I broadcast the Sheridan Yellow Jacket football games. It was a long time ago and I think I stole those lines from Jack Buck, but I don't really remember. I said it was a long time ago.)