Who Knows Better Than a Cowboy and Bugs

Okay these are the two things on my mind today. And just in case there is any confusion, the two don't necessarily go together.
First I will start with the cowboy thing. I have been quite irritated since almost a year ago I was talking to some young people and one of them was outraged at the fact that cows are kept in pens in large numbers. The audacity of young people really gets to me. Sometimes they don't have a clue what they are talking about. Have they got a clue that they don't know as much as they think they do at least? I have needed to write this down to get it out of my system and then I will be done with it because I know it won't change the minds of anyone but I will feel better. Mainly these kids, as I call them, have the impression that country folk or, specifically, cowboys are dumb and uneducated. Oh so wrong. I don't know all cowboys, but I know the cowboys in my life and they are the most intelligent, hardworking, industrious, caring, and savvy of anyone I meet from the city. And cows are their life. They have had to learn everything there is to know about cows in order to make a good living and to pass down their legacy. They would not last long at all in their business if they don't take care of their animals. So if they keep them in a corral with lots all together, believe me they know what they are doing.
Now about bugs. I don't like bugs. So I try to keep them out of my life. But I've been wondering if this is the next thing I will have to endure from the same people who worry about cows or little mice (I once had a comment from someone like this on my blog about catching a mouse). I mean, there is a reason that we use the term "Bug" for something that irritates us. Bugs really bug me. So are we going to have to make sure that we are being humane to bugs and are we going to be villified for using the term "bug" in a deragatory way? I don't know, but these people really are starting to "BUG" me.

I Am Sure I Am Breaking A Copyright Law

I think there is a law against taking someone's pictures and using them.

But since it is my grandchildren I am sure their mother's will forgive me.

This is 16 month old Ira. This face can break your heart.

Here he is bowling, rented shoes and all. I wonder what his score was.

Here is 2 year old Dalley right after a bath, all squeaky clean with big feet.

And this one is right after his Grandpa combed his hair, hotter style. Pretty smart looking kid.

What I have Learned from Glen Beck.

You know there are a lot of things floating out there about Glen Beck. But I am here to tell you if you listen to all of those without listening to him, you are being extremely unfair and foolish. Just give him a chance. I have learned a lot about histroy from him. And I have learned a lot about the constitution. I have grown to highly respect and appreciate our founding fathers from him. I DVR his program and watch it when I can. Today I learned from him about Martin Luther King Jr. What an awesome man. I was a kid during the years he was alive. I was in High School when he was killed. I didn't listen to the news back then or pay attention to politics or anything. I wish I had. The man did so much good and in the right way. Not with violence or anger. With reason and truth. Glen's latest thing is to have the anvil of "Truth" and pound it with "NON-Violence." He doesnt want everyone to believe him and what he says, he wants everyone to find the truth themselves and work towards the good of our nation. Exactly how I feel. Now I will get off my soapbox and go to work.

I still say Things come in Threes.

Okay, so I have three things wrong with my world and it always seems to be like that. If one thing breaks down then be looking for two more. One of the elements on my water heater is out. My ceiling fan in my bedroom needs repairing or replacing. And yesterday I found out that the well that supplies water to my sprinkler system is gone out. I was wondering what would be next when the second thing happened. I have all the parts for the first two. But the last one can prove to be very expensive. I am waiting to hear the verdict on that one. And I know it isn't going to be pretty.

That's what Friends are For.

So I am very thankful for good people today. Rocky is really under the wire to get his pipeline job done, haul his cows to the range,and keep up with work and chores and irrigating and farming and whatever else I ask him to do. Anyway, today we have people all over the place helping. Dustin and Kristi came home and they are hauling cows. Wade helped haul cows yesterday and Ross is coming today to haul some. Marita is doing whatever we need her to do. And about 15 or 20 guys are out there with Rocky laying the pipeline. I appreciate all of these people so much. We have a bunch of women bringing up food to feed everyone when they get done. It is a beautiful thing. And the government didn't even have to tell them to do it... Go figure.

Okay, Now THAT was funny.

Well, I have had a really good laugh. Good for my soul. Marita and I went Visiting Teaching. We went to Amy Huntsman last. It was dark. We stayed about 45 minutes. When we came out Marita decided to back out of the driveway. Like I said it was dark going in and it was dark coming out. She didn't know there was a ditch there. I didn't think to tell her. All of a sudden we felt a thump. She says, "What did I hit?" So I got out. I said, "You didn't hit anything, but you are in the ditch." Both back tires were in the ditch. So she guns it and burned a bunch of rubber all to no avail. So she decides that I should come and drive and gun it and she will just push the truck out. (Did I mention we were in her truck.) But I thought, "This isn't going to work. But I can push it out as well and she knows her truck and she can do the rubber burning." So I get back there and she guns it and I push and IT WORKED!! Only the tires flipped a bunch a water on me coming out of the ditch and then covered me with dust when it hit the dirt. So I looked like I had been frosted. But it was only my bottom half, so we're all good. But I laughed and laughed and now I feel great.

I've never had as much fun as when ....

I think the one thing I discovered lately is that the most fun I have ever had is when I am helping someone. Friday and Saturday was spent totally doing that. It is way more fun than just splurging on myself or kicking back doing whatever I want. It is also the solution to most problems. Forget yourself and help someone else.

Oh, one funny thing (to me anyway) happened. I dreamed Friday night that I was getting ready for church and I realized I hadn't prepared my Primary lesson. So I woke up at five a.m. and dove out of bed only to realize about five minutes later and when I was fully awake that it was Saturday. Well, then as I said, Saturday was a full day and I didn't get to my Primary lesson until about 10:00 at night. I stayed up preparing the lesson. I got to bed rather late. So when I get to Primary, not one single kid in my class is there. It is the Clark County Fair and I guess they all decided to go there. So this lesson that plagued my whole weekend did not happen.

Funny things happen every day. It keeps life interesting and fun. I am going to look for those opportunities to help someone and those opportunities to laugh. That is my kind of fun.

Is Anyone Listening?

I don't know about how I feel today. It just seems that everywhere I turn no one is listening. The government is not listening to us. We are supposed to be the ones they answer to. They do work for the people you know. And we pay them well for that.
Daily I get telephone calls from people who will not listen to me. You say that you can't afford to donate to their cause they just think up another amount that maybe you can pay. What is hard to understand about "I am broke. I can't afford to pay you anything."
Even the people who come into my office don't listen. They have to say what they come in for and they don't want to hear your response. I guess they just want a pound of flesh. I certainly wish I could literally give it to them. That would be a nifty way to lose weight.
I have friends who don't listen. Not all of them mind you. But some who don't want to hear anything you have to say unless it pertains to them. They aren't happy for your joys, they want theirs to be better. They aren't sad for your woes, they want theirs to be worse.
Even family doesn't always listen. However I have to say that my family is exceptional. They listen pretty good, most of the time.
Excuse me for this blog. I don't mean to complain. But I just needed to have someone listen to me today. And this computer listens really well. And then I can read it and I know I am listening at least.