Gentle readers, if you recall in my last column, I noted that I had upgraded in tractors and bought myself a larger more powerful unit to move large snow drifts such as we had in this last big storm. However, there is something I didn’t tell you about that transaction. Yep, somehow or other I allowed my ornery side to run amuck for a very short while. This transaction happened to be on April l. The young man that sold me the tractor worked hard at being sure I understood every aspect of this new unit. We gathered up the owner, had a little pow wow and arrived at a price that was agreeable to both parties. After the young man had the contract all written up and handed to me, I had my check book out and pen in hand ready to “git’er done.” I paused a moment, smiled at him and bellered, “APRIL’S FOOL!“ He recoiled for a brief moment and then said, “yer kiddin’, right? Yer kiddin!” I assured him I was as I wrote out a check for a considerable amount, by my standards anyway. We both had a little “laff.”

My bro down in Texas and I were on the phone a few days back and we were discussing the toll old age was taking on us as time seemed to be rushing by. I had done away with my landline and only have my cell phone now. I had a buddy make me a holster for my phone so I could carry it on my belt much like you would a pistol. As I was “yakin’ to my brother I noticed the flap on my holster was undone and went into a short panic when I realized my phone wasn’t there. What had I done with it? WHERE WAS IT? Of course being “Johnny on the spot,” It crossed my mind that I WAS TALKING ON IT! DID I DO THAT? My brother related that last week he and his bride of 60 years when out to eat. After leaving the cafe, she realized she had left her glasses there on the table. They returned to the eating establishment, she went in and asked the girl at the register if anyone had picked up a pair of glasses off the table. The young lady smiled at her and remarked, “Ma’am, they are on top of your head!” I know what my sister in law was thinking, “DID I DO THAT?”

It does appear that as time marches on, the older generation begins to some unstitched in some areas and funny things begin to happen to us. We can’t help it. It just comes with the territory. I am constantly laying something down that I am going to need shortly and when shortly arrives, I don’t have a clue what I did with it. It drives me crazy. I haven’t left the house yet only to discover I have no idea where I am headed or for what reason. God forbid that is the next step. Actually, I feel purty darn good about my overall condition both mentally and physically, for the most part. I see younger folks that are a good bit behind me and I often wonder why? I think the ranch life style, even though it had a way of knocking me down on occasion, benefited me more than the other way around. Yep, put in a good hard day’s work in the outdoors and the payoff is there in later years. My face has not turned into boot leather as of yet and as a matter of fact, recently a young lady I dance with on occasion offered, “ya know Jack, you are still a pretty handsome man and you got some moves on the dance floor!“ WOW! That for sure will pick up a feller’s feet and make him step right out.

Stay tuned, check yer cinch on occasion and remember if it occurs to you, I am repeating myself in some of these columns, you should by now, know the reason why! I’ll c. y’all, all y’all. I’m off to get the final COVID vaccination.