Well now gentle readers, what is it like in Mad Jack’s world today you ask? It’s hot and it’s windy and I’ve only had less than a half-inch of rain in two months. That’s not good. The prairie dogs are workin’ overtime to drive me a little more nutty than I normally am. Ya see, the governor won’t let you take any measures to eradicate them until they have their babies. Now, ain’t that stupid? What else would you expect from those morons that make all the rules for us to live by. I guarantee ya none of them have farms or ranches or even property where those nasty varmints are likely to be. I just hope the plague will come along and wipe the whole colony out in my area. I think that it’s November before they can be deposed of.

My neighbor over coffee this morning showed me a picture of a guy that had committed suicide on his ranch a month ago. They just discovered his body a couple of days back. Yep, he rode a little scooter about 30 miles from the city to kill himself on this ranch. The amazing thing to all of us was the condition of the body. With all of this heat, wild animals and whatever, he was still intact and had no bugs or flies on him. Amazing. Poor guy, I hate to hear about folks so depressed that they decide to take that way out of this world.

I haven’t had a vacation in several years and don’t reckon I’ll be taking any trips this summer. I’m just pretty much of a homebody and doing a lot of driving doesn’t appeal to me. You will understand when age catches up to you. If I was a city person, I guarantee you I would most likely be on the road going somewhere. And speaking of city folks, our little city here keeps growing by leaps and bounds. I sit in the T Bar Inn and watch folks come and go and the same with our post office and I might see someone I am familiar with other than mi amigos.

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Most all are looking for less congestion, fresher air and less confusion by moving to these places like my home. However, after so many arrive, guess what? They have created what they were trying to avoid. Happens every time.

I might add here that I appreciate Jade’s column as he is refreshing with common sense, down to earth advice and good ol’ ranch “speaking.” You know, cowboys, ranchers and farmers speak a different language.

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I might add here that many of our farmers wear “short britches” in the summer months. Speaking of that, my neighbor who had the “dead guy” on his place also got a new part-time neighbor who comes out from the city on weekends and usually can be found wearin’ “short britches,” a cowboy hat, boots, and packin’ a pistol!

See….see what I’m talkin’ about?

I think most of the area rodeos have been drawing big crowds and they are so polite to stand with hats removed, and at attention, they are warmed by our National Anthem. I love it. By the way. The girl hung up in Russia, you know the one who plays basketball but refuses to come out of the locker room for our presentation of the flag. It offends her and so does the good ol’ US of A Well, it seems she is now begging the good ol’ US of A to help her get back home. She doesn’t like it over there. Well, now, miss, I hope you can stay for a good many more years and for sure learn to appreciate what you complained about here at home. By the way, Cheyenne Frontier Days is going on so don’t miss the opportunity to see the Daddy Of Them All.

Yes, my calendars are here. One of my ads has run and if you want to order and didn’t catch the info, here it is. Send $15 for each calendar to Jack Hanks, P.O. box 825, Wellington, CO 80549 and I will sign the calendar and pay the postage. This is a new calendar and I wasn’t afforded much space for personal notes. Don’t be offended. Three calendars will get you a 8 1/2 X11″ original pen and ink cartoon (my choosing) and for every three you get an original. Cash or check, sorry no plastic. That’s purty much it here at the ONO.

Stay tuned, check yer cinch on occasion, remember, if yer mother-in-law rides broncs, leave her to heck alone! I’ll c. y’all, all y’all.